Where's good news on Iraq?

Violence in Iraq is down dramatically and it is at its lowest levels since the start of the war. In addition, the government of Iraq is wrapping up negotiations with U.S. oil companies to help Iraq dramatically increase oil production for its economy and to insure more supply of oil for the United States. One would think that these positive events would be in the headlines of every major news network and newspaper in the United States, considering what is at stake. This is great news isn't it?

We are now winning at what Osama Bin Laden called the front line of his war against us and we are securing oil in the fourth-largest reservoir of oil known on earth at a time when the world's oil production is just barely keeping up with oil consumption. But it is not in the headlines.

Why is this not front page news? If any U.S. soldiers get killed in Iraq, or if the something goes wrong for the government of Iraq, that makes front page news. But if there is good news in Iraq, like a severe reduction in violence, a huge oil deal that could help the United States or a successful campaign led by the Iraq government against violent segments of the population, it doesn't make the news. Could it be that Democrats and much of the media have declared that we have lost the war in Iraq and insisted that we should get out immediately? Could it be that they don't want us to succeed in Iraq? Basically, they have invested their reputations and their hopes of Democrats coming to power on our defeat in Iraq. Success in Iraq hurts their cause.

As Sen. Obama said in a recent speech on patriotism, legitimate disagreement can indeed be patriotic. But distorting the news or ignoring success for our country at a time of war just to increase political power is not patriotic. Even if you disagree with our government about the war, a patriot would still want his country to win against the terrorists.

Randall Rossi

Grayslake