Finding Inspiration in Tears of Joy -- Today's Iraq

Newly Commissioned 2nd Lieutenants In The Iraqi Army And Air Force.

From Armed And Curious:

This is a different Iraq then the one I left two years ago in so many ways. I am constantly surprised this trip when something subtle points to such an obvious change. It is often only much later that you recognize the measure of what you have witnessed and often it’s the absence of things such as explosions and small arms fire in the distance that point to the progress having been made.

Then there are times when the change hits you across the forehead like a 2x4. Yesterday I found inspiration in the tears of joy on hundreds of faces at the graduation for the Iraqi Military Academy at Rustimiyah as 252 young men graduated from the one year course of instruction and were commissioned as 2nd Lieutenants in the Iraqi Army and Air Force.

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My Comment: Iraq has changed. It is at a fork in the road, and it is going in a direction that is opposite from what the rest of the Middle East is going. If Iraq succeeds, the Middle East will never the same. If it fails .... hell .... it will be like everyone else.

Personally ... the rebel in me hopes that they will succeed. A successful, free market, semi-tolerant, semi-democratic society in the middle of the Middle East .... this will be revolutionary.