ABC Highlights Military Wives Who Still Support US Presence in Iraq

On Thursday's World News with Charles Gibson, ABC correspondent Erin Hayes showcased military wives who voiced support for America's continued presence in Iraq and are worried that a troop withdrawal will come too soon. Hayes noted, "Some might assume that bringing all the troops home quickly and for good would be a great relief to those families. But that is not how many of them see it." Referring to the "war's eye view that convinced them there has been progress," Hayes played several sound bites of these wives making such assertions as "we do need to stay until it's done" and "I don't think that it would be in our best interest to just pull out right now." (Transcript follows)

At one point Hayes commented, "And so the increase in violence has not diminished your resolve," to which one wife replied, "I think it's just proof that we need to be over there." Hayes relayed one wife's concern about "soldiers in Iraq who worry deeply whether the American people still believe in what they're doing there." After showing a clip of that wife contending that "if you're willing to give your life, they wanna know that what they're fighting for and what they're dying and bleeding for is important," Hayes concluded: "And considered worth, they truly hope, all they've sacrificed for it."

Below is a complete transcript of the story from the November 30 World News with Charles Gibson:

Charles Gibson: "Finally tonight, the human side of the debate over Iraq policy. As the options get discussed -- does the U.S. send more troops, stay the course, begin withdrawal? -- what gets overlooked is the effect that uncertainty about a future course has on the individual soldier and his or her family, for they are the ones with the most at stake. ABC's Erin Hayes went to Fort Hood, Texas, focusing on 'The Home Front.'"

Erin Hayes: "These soldiers, in Iraq for over a year, just came home."

Unidentified male soldier, holding his baby: "I feel like we did good things."

Hayes: "And they fully expect to go back next year, part of the rotation of a long and difficult war -- not easy for their families. Some might assume that bringing all the troops home quickly and for good would be a great relief to those families. But that is not how many of them see it."

Unidentified military wife #1: "I know all of us want our husbands home and everybody else who has family members over there, but I think we do need to stay until it's done."

Lynn James, Military wife: "I don't think that it would be in our best interest to just pull out right now."

Hayes: "Lynn James' husband, Randy, is in his second deployment to Iraq, along with the husbands of many of her friends, who hear the debate over what to do in Iraq and worry what it may mean. So this political change, on some level, affects you, with the-"

James: "Absolutely."

Unidentified military wife #3: "Oh, most definitely."

James: "The debates make it difficult for us. Before we had a straight, steadfast path, and now we're kind of sitting on the fence post. We don't know which way it's gonna go. We don't know what's gonna happen."

Unidentified military wife #3: "I just hope they support what we're doing."

Hayes: "And so the increase in violence has not diminished your resolve."

James: "I think it's just proof that we need to be over there. This is not over."

Hayes: "They are aware many don't see Iraq the way they do, a war's eye view that convinces them there has been progress."

Wendy Fil, Wife of military officer: "And that's what I think keeps them going. The soldiers, they live that. They see that on a day-to-day basis, many things that Americans don't see."

Hayes: "Wendy Fil is married to Major General Joseph Fil, commanding soldiers in Iraq who worry deeply whether the American people still believe in what they're doing there."

Fil: "I think if you're working for something, you wanna see it through. If you're willing to give your life, they wanna know that what they're fighting for and what they're dying and bleeding for is important."

Hayes: "And considered worth, they truly hope, all they've sacrificed for it. Erin Hayes, ABC News, Fort Hood, Texas."