As it happened, Staff Sgt. Falcon made friends with little Shahad Abbas who had been the victim of a road side bomb that was detonated as she was walking to school. Her little brother was killed in the blast. Falcon had been visiting the girl and was bringing her gifts of toys and medical supplies when at last she asked him for new legs so that she might again walk to school.
To his credit, Sgt. Falcon worked his heart out to get the poor girl those prosthetic legs and he succeeded in his goals. It is a heartwarming tale and highlights just one of the thousands and thousands of similar stories being lived out by our soldiers on a daily basis throughout Iraq and Afghanistan.
But, even with all this tear provoking details, the SacBee couldn't resist some subtle jabs at the war by characterizing Sgt. Falcon as being confused about the war and seeming to doubt why we are there. In two short declarations the Bee made of Sgt. Falcon a doubter.
In a war that Falcon no longer really understood, Shahad became his mission. So when she asked for legs, that became his mission, too.
... and...
So Falcon, who admits he wasn't sure about the Iraq war, wasn't sure he was making a difference, decided he'd get Shahad her legs.
And where did they get this interpretation that Falcon might have been thinking the Iraq war was somehow to be doubted? From one line they quote the Sgt. as having said to reporters.
"Sometimes I couldn't figure out what made sense about being here. … Are we making a difference or are we not?" he said. "But I looked at her, right there, and it all made sense."
That does not sound like a soldier wracked with doubt to me, how about you?
Yet, the SacBee went out of their way to twice say he was filled with doubt. When it is not just stated openly and boldly, that is the kind of subtle anti-war bias that infuses the entire MSM. And for them to have used this story to further their agenda... well, it is just beyond the pale.
(Photo Credit: www.army.mil)
