Hi Roachboy, I don't think that the info is necessarily mutually exclusive. I intrpreted the original post more as: presenting another side to the situation on the ground there and not as ignoring the (obvious) negative stuff. My assumption is that the positive news isn't being substituted for the negative, rather it's being presented to provide another view.
I don't think anyone doubts for a minute that there are bad things happening: the bombings, security issues, infrastructure, soldier abuses... the list is long.
Hower, it is nice to hear, that amidst all the sh*t that's happening, there are glimmers of hope and positive instances occurring.
The legitimacy issue (IMO), is another issue altogether, maybe for another thread even. I think we can still appreciate the little positive stories coming out of Iraq, and still be anti-war or see the war as illegitinmate. I'm against the war but I still posted a link to some nice positive things in Iraq. I even mentioned how the locals were fed up with insurgents and started to fight back. I thought it would be good for balanced and stuff.
As far as troop withdrawal or exit strategy, (IMO), that is still another thread too we should open up (and play armchair generals & strategists) and disseminate the series of US foreign policy moves that got us into this "mess". (I have to wait until after finals
Anyways, I thought you raised really good points Roachboy, but maybe slightly off the main point of the thread (at least that's how I intrepreted it).