Friends for life

The sectarian violence caused by the horrible bombing of a 1,200 year-old Shia shrine in Iraq appears to be winding down. Fortunately that outrageous act did not spark the civil war that al-Qaeda hopes for, but it was still a terrible, tragic episode.

However my fellow Georgians from the ARNG 48th Brigade continue to create good news to help balance the bad, with small but important acts of kindness that will pay off in future goodwill. This month the 48th delivered new shoes to children in An Nasiriyah, which will allow the kids to attend school - in Iraq you aren't allowed into the classroom unless properly dressed, and some families cannot afford even a simple pair of shoes for their children.

A trooper from Jesup said that "We are making friends for life and that’s great for us here and for Americans back home." Judging from the reaction the 48th's soldiers got from the kids, such as the young girl in the photo here, I'd say he's right (of course, women are all about shoes anyway).