A reader e-mails:

You wouldn’t know it from the written reports, especially the selective
(and probably out of context) quotes from the grieving father, but these
girls are (were) exceptionally brave soldiers who knew that what they were
doing was right. On my local TV news, an interview with Michelle from last
winter was aired last night where she talks about how awesome it is to
realize how much good they are doing in Iraq, and how hearing from the
local Iraqis makes it all worthwhile. Apparently Michelle was talking to
locals that hide from the American press corps.