A "from the ground" report that offers a different perspective on what's happening in Iraq. This is an excerpt of a letter from a North Carolina chaplain who's reporting on the status of NC National Guard troops stationed there.

] We continue to be very fortunate in that our area of
] operation has remained relatively stable. Our unit is
] making strides in training the Iraqi National Guard,
] Iraqi Police, and New Iraqi Army. These three components
] are essential to the long-term success of our mission.
] The quicker these units are trained to standard, the
] quicker we will be able to hand over authority to the
] Iraqi people! Also, we are spending money daily in order
] to improve the daily living conditions of the people. We
] have put in new wells, restored schools, paved roads,
] provided medical care, and distributed school supplies,
] just to mention a few of the countless projects! I know
] that the news only shows the 'negative' side of things,
] but there really is a lot of good being accomplished and
] progress is being made daily towards a free and
] democratic Iraq! The elections are also just around the
] corner, so we are in the planning stages of registering
] voters, locating polling areas, etc...This is definitely
] going to be a stressful time, as the insurgents make one
] last effort to derail the democratic process!