I thought I'd share an email that is apparently doing the rounds among all right-thinking Patriotic Americans (i.e. not pinko Commie, Islamo-liberal-terrorists).

Here's the text:

Talk about being left in the dark by our so-called unbiased press.

Did you know that 47 countries have re-established their embassies in Iraq?

Did you know that the Iraqi current government employs 12 million Iraqi people?

Did you know that 3100 schools have been renovated, 364 schools are under rehabilitation, 263 schools are now under construction and 38 new schools have been built in Iraq?

Did you know that Iraq's higher educational structure consists of 20 Universities, 46 Institutes or colleges and 4 research centers, all currently operating?

Did you know that 25 Iraq students departed for the United States in January 2005 for the re-established Fulbright program?

Did you know that the Iraqi Navy is operational?! They have 5-100-foot patrol craft, 34 smaller vessels and a navel infantry regiment.

Did you know that Iraq's Air Force consists of three operational squadrons, which includes 9 reconnaissance and 3 US C-130 transport aircraft (under Iraqi operational control) which operate day and night, and will soon add 16 UH-1 helicopters and 4 bell jet rangers?

Did you know that Iraq has a counter-terrorist unit and a Commando Battalion?

Did you know that the Iraqi Police Service has over 55,000 fully trained and equipped police officers?

Did you know that there are 5 Police Academies ! in Iraq that produce over 3500 new officers each 8 weeks?

Did you know there are more than 1100 building projects going on in Iraq?

They include 364 schools, 67 public clinics, 15 hospitals, 83 railroad stations, 22 oil facilities, 93 water facilities and 69 electrical facilities.

Did you know that 96% of Iraqi children under the age of 5 have received the first 2 series of polio vaccinations?

Did you know that 4.3 million Iraqi children were enrolled in primary school by mid October?

Did you know that there are 1,192,000 cell phone subscribers in Iraq and phone use has gone up 158%?

Did you know that Iraq has an independent media that consist of 75 radio stations, 180 newspapers and 10 television stations?

Did you know that the Baghdad Stock Exchange opened in June of 2004?

Did you know that 2 candidates in the Iraqi presidential election had a recent televised debate?

OF COURSE WE DIDN'T KNOW!

WHY DIDN'T WE KNOW?

OUR MEDIA WOULDN'T TELL US!

Instead of reflecting our love for our country, we get photos of flag burning incidents at Abu Ghraib and people throwing snowballs at presidential motorcades and Sheheen protesting the war. The lack of accentuating the positive in Iraq serves two purposes.

1. It is intended to undermine the world's perception of the United States thus minimizing consequent support, and
2. it is intended to discourage American Citizens.

Above facts are verifiable on the Department of Defense web site.

Pass it on!

Once I had recovered from being overwhelmed with patriotic pride and dried away the tears of joy that spontaneously came to my eyes at the very idea that such a force of good as the U.S. government could actually exist in the world, I thought a bit more about these alleged facts. Having done so, I couldn't resist a quick response to each point made, which I include below:

Did you know that 47 countries have re-established their embassies in Iraq?

Of course they have, they all want a piece of the pie, mind you, they are all nestled within that heavily-guarded Baghdad "green zone" under the watchful and trigger-happy eye of the U.S. military. I wonder why...

Did you know that the Iraqi current government employs 12 million Iraqi people?

Eh.., I think that figure should be 1.2 million. In any case, the fact that the Iraqi government is essentially a puppet regime with no real power, most specifically no power to ask the U.S. military to leave, as current interim Iraqi Prime Minister al-Jafari stated, which is what a majority of Iraqis want, means that these 1.2 million people are all working for Uncle Sam.

Did you know that 3100 schools have been renovated, 364 schools are under rehabilitation, 263 schools are now under construction and 38 new schools have been built in Iraq?

Nice try, but no credit can be given to the U.S. government for rebuilding schools that they destroyed. Do you think they have a plan for rebuilding the Iraqi children that were crushed when their school collapsed on them?

Did you know that Iraq's higher educational structure consists of 20 Universities, 46 Institutes or colleges and 4 research centers, all currently operating?

Wow! Sadly, with so many university professors having been murdered by U.S.-sanctioned death squads, there won't be many professors left to take up positions. Most of those that are left will be reluctant to teach the U.S.-approved curriculum, which involves the teaching of a history that never happened. Most Iraqi educators are also aware that in new "Free and Democratic" Iraq, attempts to teach the truth often result in a premature exit from Iraqi society. I hear that an an inside joke among Iraqi professors these days is, when asked if they want a job, the correct sarcastic reponse is "I need a job like I need a hole in the head".

Did you know that 25 Iraq students departed for the United States in January 2005 for the re-established Fulbright program?

Wow! 25 out of millions. Now that IS progress!

Did you know that the Iraqi Navy is operational?! They have 5-100-foot patrol craft (big dingys), 34 smaller vessels (small dingys) and a navel infantry regiment (200 ding-a-lings).

Yes indeedy! Really "war ready" eh? Ready to take on the U.S. invaders perhaps?

Did you know that Iraq's Air Force consists of three operational squadrons, which includes 9 reconnaissance and 3 US C-130 transport aircraft (under Iraqi operational control) which operate day and night, and will soon add 16 UH-1 helicopters and 4 bell jet rangers?

Operate day and night? Doing what? Picking up dead bodies? Can they engage in operations to attack the military positions of the invading U.S. military? Would Rumsfeld allow U.S. C-130's to be put to such a use?

Did you know that Iraq has a counter-terrorist unit and a Commando Battalion?

Of course! Everyone knows that! They're the guys who are being paid by the U.S. to take out those Iraqis who have been stupidly trying to jump the gun with the whole "freedom" thing and have been publicly demanding real Iraqi independence and the withdrawal of U.S. troops. Big mistake, eh?

Did you know that the Iraqi Police Service has over 55,000 fully trained and equipped police officers?

Sure! Although we are not sure that figure is correct at the time of going to press. Some have recently been blown up in a MI5-sponsored "suicide bombing".

Did you know that there are 5 Police Academies in Iraq that produce over 3500 new officers each 8 weeks?

Yeah, and they're gonna have to keep churnin 'em out, what with the bombings and the desertions and all...

Did you know there are more than 1100 building projects going on in Iraq?

They include 364 schools, 67 public clinics, 15 hospitals, 83 railroad stations, 22 oil facilities, 93 water facilities and 69 electrical facilities.

Yeah, we hear the citizens of Fallujah (or what's left of them) are eager for the U.S. military to rebuild their city after they destroyed it during two assaults over the last 2 years. They would also like the U.S. military to rebuild their 'melted' husbands, wifes, sons and daughters who were silly enough to stay in their homes when the U.S. military commanders, on word from Donald Rumsfeld, figured it was a good time to start using White Phosphorus.

Did you know that 96% of Iraqi children under the age of 5 have received the first 2 series of polio vaccinations?

With all the DU in the air, we figure some iodine tablets would be more helpful. After all, we don't think it is much of a consolation for Iraqis to be polio free when they are dying from DU-related cancer or trying to nurse a horribly deformed child.

Did you know that 4.3 million Iraqi children were enrolled in primary school by mid October?

Yes, we hear that, under the new Iraqi curriculum, they are all chomping at the bit to learn all about wonderful Uncle Sam and how he really did bring "freedom and democracy" to Iraq. When the children go back home however, their mothers have a harder time explaining to them where their daddies and brothers are - mainly because the mothers don't know either. "One day, when one of those nice U.S. patrols came by the house, your daddy just went with them for a little chat. He never came home".

Did you know that there are 1,192,000 cell phone subscribers in Iraq and phone use has gone up 158%?

Indeed, and the U.S. companies that are providing this service are overjoyed at this development, as are their shareholders. But then, was that not one of the reasons for the invasion of Iraq and the destruction of it's infrastructure? So that it could be replaced with an American-owned one? But I admit, this new, improved American service will certainly be useful for Iraqis who want to stay in close communication with their loved ones, or to find out if it was one of their loved ones that was blown to pieces by the daily car bombings or assassinations carried out by the aforementioned U.S.-sanctioned Iraqi government death squads. U.S. "Freedom" comes with a price, after all.

Did you know that Iraq has an independent media that consist of 75 radio stations, 180 newspapers and 10 television stations?

Sure, and what with Christian Bailey and his gang of US-funded journalists inserting false stories into these "independent" media outlets, the Iraqi people will soon be as dumbed-down as most Americans.

Did you know that the Baghdad Stock Exchange opened in June of 2004?

Sure! And what does it trade in? Why oil of course! And where does the revenue from that oil go? Well, about $9 billion was last seen heading westwards into the offshore bank accounts of a bunch of Western government officials who wished to remain anonymous because they realise that if their identities were revealed to the public there would be rioting in the streets of the Homeland.

Did you know that 2 candidates in the Iraqi presidential election had a recent televised debate?

WOW! That's great news! We actually read about it. Both candidates were arguing over how best to prevent the civil war that the U.S. has unleashed on Iraq. Both were of the opinion that the first thing to do was kick out the occupying force.

OF COURSE WE DIDN'T KNOW!

WHY DIDN'T WE KNOW?

OUR MEDIA WOULDN'T TELL US!

Instead of reflecting our love for our country, we get photos of flag burning incidents at Abu Ghraib and people throwing snowballs at presidential motorcades and Sheheen protesting the war.

The lack of accentuating the positive in Iraq serves two purposes.

1. It is intended to undermine the world's perception of the United States thus minimizing consequent support, and
2. it is intended to discourage American Citizens.

Yeah! That evil mainstream media! How dare they show even the merest hint of what the U.S. government and military are actually doing in Iraq and the greater Middle East without at the same muddying the water with distorted facts from the government's own DOD website! I wonder, has the author of this email ever thought that the reason that none of the above points are being made in U.S., or any other media outlets is simply because none of it is true and that even the MSM has limits as to the obviousness of the BS that is can print and get away with. But of course, for this author (and millions like him) to do so would involve the contemplation of the idea that a government would ever lie to its citizenry, and everyone knows that has never happened, and indeed never could. In any case, I don't understand the gripe. By and large, the mainstream media disseminates the government's lies and propaganda, so the 'Patriots' can have no 'beef' with them. Web sites like this one on the other hand...

Above facts are verifiable on the Department of Defense web site.

Indeed, that bastion of truth and honesty - the DOD. Incidentally, all of the facts I supply above are also verifiable, and by more reliable sources than one U.S. government web site. But still, how can we know who is telling the truth? Perhaps we'll let former U.S. Solicitor General Ted Olson have the final word. He is quoted as having said:

"It is easy to imagine an infinite number of situations... where government officials might quite legitimately have reasons to give false information out. It's an unfortunate reality that the issuance of incomplete information and even misinformation by government may sometimes be perceived as necessary to protect vital interests."

Pass it on!

Indeed, send this discussion far and wide! In the immortal words of the smirking monkey man, "bring it on!"