4 Iraqi Kids Get Heart Surgery in the U.S.
The Associated Press has circulated yet another heart-warming story about Iraqi children who were brought to the U.S. for life-saving medical treatment. It made page A12 of my local paper. It also provided one answer to the question I posed about family members in my earlier entry. The article says, “The children and their fathers are being put up in the [New York City] area until they return to Iraq, probably in about six weeks.” [Italics added.] One young man was quoted as saying, “We’re happy we’re going back home to Iraq to play with our friends.”
With so much power in those few words to create goodwill and confidence, I sure wish they were featured more prominently in the news. It shows American compassion, generosity, and skill. it shows Iraqi confidence in American services via the military presence in Iraq. It shows that Iraqis, once helped abroad, are happy to return to their homeland. Without being a warmonger, you have to admit that public perception might become more favorable overall if such stories were printed alongside the death count.