I don't think anyone ever doubted that the U.S.coalition would prevail over the Iraqi army. I guess in most people's minds it was more a question of how long it would take. The more I watched the coverage on the television, the more apparent it became to me that our forces truly are well-trained and well-intentioned. I watched one of our soldiers carrying on his back an injured Iraqi soldier. The U.S.soldier was carrying the Iraqi away to receive medical treatment. I watched U.S.troops gingerly avoid destroying a mosque where a number of Iraqi soldiers had holed up.The Iraqis were firing at our soldiers. It would have been really easy for our boys to call for an air strike and level the place. Instead, they risked life and limb to secure the mosque without destroying it. I watched U.S.troops drop to one knee and point their weapons to the ground when confronted by angry civilians who thought the troops were going to storm a mosque.
GARY GERARD, Times-Union Managing Editor- | July 28, 2016