IO Morality Play

[Saint]

Compare these two articles:

First: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/27/wo...-delta.html?hp

“In 2003, 2004, 100 percent of the soldiers wanted to be here, to fight this war,” said Sgt. First Class David Moore, a self-described “conservative Texas Republican” and platoon sergeant who strongly advocates an American withdrawal. “Now, 95 percent of my platoon agrees with me.”

Second: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/fea....ackerman.html

From Wellman’s perspective, the war was going well. “For this district we’re at right now, we’re past the storm,” he told me. Many of his fellow troops in the 57th agreed. Small-arms fire and car bombs were still plaguing Wellman’s soldiers, but there had been a measurable drop in violence over the past thirty days. “Now, with the security plan,” said Wellman, “my district, it’s settling down. And it’s only going to get better.”

The first unit clearly did no preparation for handling the press. Everyone quoted speaks out of their lane - since when do soldiers or Marines at the company level talk about strategic withdrawal plans? The second unit stays in their lane - even the optimism is restricted to their AO.