Sacrifice, Gratitude and Brotherhood in Iraq

There is a noteworthy feature in today's WaPo by Steve Fainaru describing the human side of one of the countless tragedies of the Iraq war. A routine night patrol 50 miles north of Baghdad ended in an Humvee accident killing four US soldiers. But the joint effort to recover the bodies created a common bond between the US troops and their Iraqi allies.

Asked why he now felt so strongly about helping the Americans, Abdul Mutalib said through an interpreter: "These people come 10,000 miles to help my country. They've left their families, their children. When we get hurt, they help treat us and take us to hospitals. If we can give them something back, just a little, we can show our thanks."