It is certainly understandable to see how the politically left-handed broad brush of American news media has been painting an unremittingly bleak picture of what's going on in Iraq, particularly when they vehemently opposed President Bush going to war against Saddam Hussein and ousting his regime. Liberty for the Iraqi people didn't seem to matter.

And it still doesn't. To the contrary, for purely political reasons, the media seems bent on doing everything they can to make the efforts in Iraq, and Bush, fail at any cost -- even to the extent of demoralizing our troops and encouraging terrorists from surrounding countries into Iraq, at the expense of more American and Iraqi lives than necessary.

The real circumstances in Iraq are are much different than what is being reported. Indeed, the vast majority of Iraqis are happy and thankful that they have been freed from Saddam's brutal rule, and many of them want to model their new government on the United States.

Some proof of this was published in a letter to the editor in our local newspaper on September 14, 2003. The letter was from Private Matison Brown, a U.S Army paratrooper now serving in Iraq, and in the city of Kirkuk -- population 1 million -- since April. Private Brown's articulate letter detailed how receptive the people of Kirkuk are, how his battalion helped them, and how the quality of life and security for the citizens of Kirkuk have markedly improved over the past three months.

Private Brown's letter was followed by a letter from his proud mother, published on September 16, 2003. Turns out that Private Brown was born and raised in our home town of Apple Valley, CA. Mrs. Brown shared some family history in her letter, including the fact that her son answered the call of his country by signing his pre-enlistment papers on September 14, 2001, just three days after the attack on America.

We are very proud of Private Brown and all the troops in Iraq. The media on the left ought to be ashamed.

Daniel B. Jeffs, founder
The Direct Democracy Center
Apple Valley, CA