“Can a picture paint a thousand words and make a difference?”

Yes, ma’am, yes they can. There and here.
Thank you for posting this topic.

absolutely,

These people are beautiful, warm, loving, caring, and sincere. He captures that with his lense.

People here in the states need to understand, that without a US presence this country is lost, and with that, all of these smiles are lost as well.

Beautiful story, I would like to see more

Great job – we support you guys and what you are doing. They seem to be not unlike us, living day to day smiling and trying to keep their families together.

Beautiful, beautiful children. Their clothes are so bright and COLORFUL. All are precious in God’s sight and mine!

What a wonderful story and what a great gift. We take family photos for granted and they are such an important part of our personal stories. May God continue to bless our troops as they help the Iraqis establish their free society.

Wonderful pictures.
We need more stories like this coming out of Iraq.

Thank you for blessing these lovely people as well as us by your photos.

What Sgt. Cox is doing is yet another example of how great America is. Politics aside, every American should be proud and supportive of our troops.

How can anyone look at these people and still think they are not worth the effort to save and to be free ?

This is an amazing story. Thankfully we still have some people who are willing to help with this war and the people in it. Our prayers go out with this soldier and his family.

The pictures are wonderful and it’s refreshing to see the truth to the progress in Iraq. God Bless our soldiers and God Bless America!!!

Your photos tell the untold story. God bless you and keep you safe.
The pictures are beautiful and heart wrenching. Could we as Americans endure such despair? I wonder.

Finally, something positive from Iraq. There is more than War , there are beautiful people with real stories.

That is awesome. I wish there were more the good things reported. My son has served 2 tours in Iraq and I am proud of him and all the troops and their families for their dedications and sacrifices. Please post more photo’s!
God Bless America

Wow!! these photos are wonderful. Great job!

The Iraq pictures are stunning…….beautiful…….inspirational. Heartfelt thanks to the US Military!

Absolutely awe inspiring! Too bad these pictures won’t be seen by the people who NEED to see them!

Beautiful work, Sgt.! As a fellow photographer, I realize the significance of your work, and appreciate its beauty. Perhaps what everyone else doesn’t realize is that the smiles are courtesy of the US military, and being able to have a photo taken is one little pleasure that would not have been allowed under the previous regime, or would not be if fundamentalists get their hands on the country.

Keep up the good work, and God bless all of you.

THESE PICTURES WILL PROVE TO ALL WHO SEE WE ARE ALL JUST PEOPLE. ALTHOUGH THESE PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO LIVE THIER LIVES WITHOUT FREEDOM UNTIL NOW, IN THEIR LIVES THE GREATEST TIME IN HISTORY! THANK YOU TO THE MILLITARY MEN AND WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES SAFFRICES. FREEDOM IS WHAT WE ALL ARE LIVING FOR!

Stories like this remind us all just how fortunate and blessed we are. Many of us, unfortunately, need constant reminding – we continue to be the beacon of hope and democracy for so many oppressed around the world.

God Bles our Troops and God Bless America.

Sgt. Cox, THANK YOU for your service and your pictures!! We Americans forget that the media/political battle blurs the lines for us here. Thanks for showing us the REAL work you are doing in helping the Iraqi people.

David

Yes random act of kindness and love change people for the better. Both those that give and tose that recieve are richer for the experience!

Pictures can be more powerful than words. Especially when words aren’t enough.
Thank you Staff Sgt. Cox and FOX NEWS (as usual, the only place I can get the whole story)

“People here in the states need to understand, that without a US presence this country is lost, and with that, all of these smiles are lost as well.”

Not to raise a bunch of unwelcome controversy but I think this comment is a little short sided in the fact that you are somehow attributing the Iraqi people’s happiness with our occupation of their country. Do you really think that there would not be hundreds of thousands more images of Iraqis which depict the resentment they harbor towards the United States for the amount of destruction and death we have inflicted upon them.

This story is very touching and I am so relieved to find out that there are people in uniform who realize that the only thing we create with our weapons is more enemies, and that there are far better ways to resolve this horrible conflict.

Kudos to you Sgt. Cox, it is wonderful to hear about soldiers such as yourself who truely are attempting to bring some good to an awful situation.

Your pictures brought tears and smiles to our hearts. Thank you for telling the REAL story of our presence in Iraq. We support our troops and we support the people of Iraq. Sgt. Cox, we are praying for your safe return to the U.S. and to your family. God Bless you!

Wonderful story!

All we ever hear about are the bad things of this war, it is great to finally see
the other side of it. The Iraqi people are so beautiful and strong to live in that environment and yet they are still full of hope and happiness. I would love to see more stories like this.

Such heart warming photo’s. This is what makes me proud to be a US citizen. Our soldiers in Iraq
fighting self-lessly for the benifit of others. Not oil, not power, just good old fashion respect for
humanity.

As a very great man said ” There is no greater love than a man who gives his life for another”
Christ.

We are one planet, and one humanity. These activities help create a wholesome place on
earth for everyone.

Good Show!

It’s pictures like these that makes me forget the politics. These are peoples, just like the kid down the street. They’re not terrorists, not Arabs, just people like all of us. It is sad how we sit out here in our nice, expensive sofas debating about who the most evil candidate for president is, while there are people like this out in another country. People like Staff Sgt. Joe Cox are the people who restore hope in this dark world.

Thanks for the pics. We here at home need to see pictures of these beautiful children. It erases the images of the death and hatred we have embedded in our minds. Please keep them coming.

P.S. Send them to Obama and the rest of his cronies so they can see what our Country is fighting for.

Thank you for posting these beautiful pictures! All the people in them are the stars, but you’re making a difference in their lives! Nothing would be the improving there, without our soldiers, and other military personnel! You’re not just their heroes, but ours, too. Thank you for working so hard for us every day! May God bless each of you and keep you safe.

What gives me reason to be optimistic is that to these younger Iraqis, we’ve been there for as long as many of them can remember. They’ll grow up not with the rhetoric and propaganda from extremists but with memories of Americans who treated them with respect. Maybe there’s hope in the younger generations of Iraqis if the older generations can’t be persuaded to trust us.

What a great story about winning the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. Does Sgt. Cox need any paper supplies etc?

Really great to see these pictures. I was in Germany in 1992 in the Army. Always was trying to tell people back home the differences. I should have taken more pictures. A picture is worth a thousand words…tenthousand words or more if its the right picture!

I am sure there are thousands of heartbreaking photos and stories that come from Iraq. The problem of course, is that was not supposed to be our purpose in going there. America will run out of lives and money well before we liberate all the people in the world that need liberating. Then the photos will be coming from America.

This is really special. Great job Sgt. Cox in presenting the children in photos. I have 4 grandchildren and they are respresentative of the ages of the children in the photos. Blessings to you on the rest of your tour.

Craig

Stories like this, complete with photographs, should be run on all national media outlets over and over and over again…instead of the hate-our-country, hate-our-president, hate-our-military rehetoric that Americans are simply tired of hearing.

we need more of this and the truth not fabricated lies the media portrays…..

Thse pictures are so clear in their message of concern for the people of Iraq. They should be widely distributed. Some captioning would be helpful, but certainly not necessary. They eyes say it all!
Bless you for making a difference.
John M. Johnson

General news coverage of the Iraqi people is generally reflecting them in time of chaos (to an extreme by most networks). We’re left with a very discouraging view of them. However, this story really captured “the people” of Iraq for me. I found the Sargeant’s photos very compelling and heart-warming. Thanks.

kwd

More Americans need to see and hear about these types of stories and see these kind of pics. Good Job Fox!

At another time in Germany, in the Army as a soldier during the occupation, I saw the real thing as little kids played near their homes in cleaned out bomb craters during record cold (sub zero tempratures down to 40 degrees below zero). Your pictures brought this back to me. I wish everyone could see what it is like for the survivors, like you have shown. You are doing the Lords work. Thank you for your “Lessons From The Ashes.”

Thank you Fox News for this story. It brougt me to tears. I hope you would consider doing more of these stories with pictures of the Iraqi people. It would be wonderful ! Thank you Sgt. Joe Cox. You and your buddies are certainly heros who think outside the box.

My view and the instinct I have had from the first day we Entered the Iraq war was that there would be two major elements that would lead to victory. The first was to win the actuall war. The second was to interject new ideaology as well as understand there regions culture. The pictures Mr. Cox provides us makes huge strides in the second part. These pictures provide a stable platform for those of us who are not playing politics with the war to help us connect with what the overall big picture is.

Thanks Mr. Cox and Fox news.
Tim Newsome

Wow! Thank you for this story. It makes me think how lucky we really are. A special thank you all our men and woman serving. May God keep you safe.

Beautiful children…beautiful people. They are no different than people anywhere else in the world – to be healthy and happy and for their children to have a better life.

It breaks my heart to see such beautiful children living in such poverty but that is what islam has done to them because the concept of “all are created equal” doesnt exist for them. It makes my skin crawl to think what Al Quiada vermin would do to them if America wasn’t there protecting them. George Bush and out American military know full well why they are there, and know how to keep their eyes on the prize “Iraqi Freedom”. I wonder what prize vermin like george soros have their eyes on.

Imagery like this is and has been available through the Public Affairs arm of the Pentagon for years. It’s all shot by Combat Cameramen from the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marines. It’s really sad someone in the media doesn’t know about this resource.

Very poignant beautiful shots…whether or not you agree with the war. The truth is we are there now…WE CAN NOT abandon these people.

Wow “Brian from Texas”! You a very troubled and sick person. I hope that someone in your family tree did not commit a crime that you have to pay for. The answer is to kill terrorists and teach future generations there is a better way. We must continue to deal swiftly and decisively with terrorists. Kindness and compassion is for those willing to change. If you are not willing to change yourself, then maybe the best thing for you and us is for you to move to another country. Your views do NOT represent American values!

What a wonderfully and inspiring story. Photos are worth a thousands word and those photos help represent the giving nature of our amazing soldiers. Thank you. Maybe he can publish a book of these beautifully taken photos. America definitely needs to hear more about this and other positive stories.

I’m so touched by these pictures! Whereas I’m not for war, I do believe we need to be there to help these people. These are REAL human beings going through something we, as Americans, may never, ever experience. Thank you so much Andy! This solidifies my belief that we are ONE world and need to care for each other.

AMAZING….KEEP SNAPPING TO KEEP THE MESSAGE

Thank you Andy. You made my day.

Great story and pictures. Keep up the good work.

True Art. WE really need more of this kind of encouragement.All we ever hear is negative things from the war. I praise our men and woman for their sacrafice.I can sleep at night knowing that I am safe

Thank you
and
God bless

First, thank you for your service to our country
Second, on man said ‘you are doing the Lord’s work…seem to agree…the pics are
Beautiful ..and certainly discribes the hope alive in the midst of such distruction to their lives.
I don’t agree we should be at war because of the harm it does and also, probably, because of such confusion with all the information put out there.
I don’t undermine what has been done but at this point I do believe the citizens of this country should defend their right for political and other freemoms…Everything has it’s time and purpose…it’s time for them to be the leader in this right.

This is so wonderful! I loved reading about this story. It shows a more positive reflection of what our country is involved in over there.

And They Say We Are Not Winnig The War. It’s about time we see something good. This is great to see smiles and not bombs going off. Thank you Sgt. Cox.

What a beautiful and touching story from the beautiful and touching heart of a U.S. soldier, a true hero. This story should be shown on every news broadcast and in every school from grade school all the way through college.

God bless all our men and women in uniform and the blessed souls in living the war zones.

Brian From Texas. Are you all there or what. If you don’t have anything good to say then don’t say it. That statement was uncalled for. I’m not going to be the only one telling you that either. Have respect for these children, and most of all give them a chance.

Bless you Sgt Cox! Do you need supplies to do more? More please.

We as Americans often forget why we’re in this war. His pictures help us to realize that the high price we are paying not only in lives as well as money is for these people. The look on the faces of the children and the abject poverty that they live in help us all to understand , that they are why were there.I am sincerely thankful as an American for all these young men and women who are putting themselves in harms way to show that we care. God Bless them all.

Beautiful pictures of beautiful people. Thanks so much for sharing them with us. God bless you and keep you safe!

THESE PICS TRULY BROADEN YOUR PERSPECTIVE RELATIVE TO LIFE IN IRAQ
AND WHO OUR MILITARY ARE FIGHTING FOR. TO LOOK AT THOSE KIDS AND
THEN THINK THAT THEY COULD BE MINE CERTAINLY HAS AN IMPACT ON HOW I
VIEW THIS WAR WHICH CLEARLY HAS SOME BOTHERSOME ELEMENTS AND ALSO
REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF AMERICAN LIVES. THANK YOU SERGEANT!

JON

I am thrilled to see one news group finally publishing the positives of what we have accomplished in Iraq instead of all the negativity. My husband spoke to a young military man, recently shipped home from Iraq, who personally stated that the news media do NOT share the positive aspect of what we are doing and have accomplished over there. The people in Iraq are now much better off than they were when underneath the regime. this soldier’s pictures say a million smiles!!!

These photos need to be shown to everyone who is anti-war, anti-Bush, Americans who are anti-America, and anyone else that just doesn’t get it, so they can see the reason we are there. Thank you Sgt. Cox. Blessings to all our troops. Thank you FOX, and keep the good news coming!

I hope that these photos are ultimately published so we can all see that the future of Middle East peace is through the children. Currently too many children in Islamic countries as well as other countries are taught to hate based on religion. If this war, Iraq and Afghanistan, help to end this cycle, we will all benefit in the future. My Iraqi friends that immigrated here decades ago, immigrated because of terror inflicted on them in Iraq.

You go Joe! This undercurrent of “the positive” has been absent far too long. Godspeed to you!

Thank you so much for sharing these photos with the world. Too bad they’re not on the news every night.

God bless you and keep you safe,

I’ve been to Iraq twice as a private contractor, once for 3 weeks and the other for 7 weeks. I did not stray much from my “camps” except travel between Kuwait, Baghdad and Basrah.

My question is – where are the men? There are only women and children pictured.

Mike, I initially thougt like you. I also wanted to give them a chance. Then I spoke with military personnel who returned from Iraq who informed me that the children were responsible for many of our military deaths. Children in Iraq are not in any way like the children in America. The children in Iraq are trained as look-outs so Americans can be easily targeted. I have also learned some about muslim beliefs and their agenda. Muslims are being taught to kill Americans! Don’t you understand this? It must be easy for someone like you sitting in your easy chair to say give these people a chance; and too bad if you die in the process because we have more soldiers to take your place. Unfortunately many of our soldiers are in a kill or be killed situation.

Thank you for sharing….It’s so refreshing to see the positive……Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your service, and know you are appreciated. God Bless our Troops!!!

Thanks for your service to our country. Maybe these pictures will help bring the truth on what is really happening in Iraq.

I am so grateful to Sgt. Cox and Fox News for publishing these pictures.
I have always supported our presence in Iraq and wish others were more aware of the good positive and successful works being done for their country and people.

This really needs to be put on the TV news….BIG AND BOLD…. Get the word out about what a difference we have and ARE making.
I love all our people over there making a difference and their commitment to finish the work.

God Bless

Absolutely great work, portraying an untold story. Excellent photography! Clearly revealing the difference with someone genuinely interested in people and truth; than someone hired with a degree calling themselves a reporter.

Thank you for posting this article, it is so nice to actually see the media put a positive spin on the US is trying to do in Iraq.

Sgt Cox
Great, moving pictures. Accomplishes more than a 100 politicians.
If you have time, I’d like to know about your family linage. Joseph is a name that runs in my family branch. Originally from Stark County, Illinois.

Former Sgt Cox—casey

Thanks for this article. It reminded me of all the children I saw on my tour of duty in Iraq in 2003 – 2004. I saw children every day wave, smile, dance. Some would run as fast as they could just to get a chance to wave. I saw one run from 1/2 mile away. The Iraqi people need freedom.

Great story. This is why fox news is leading the pack. You do not see positive stories like this in the old media and that is why no one watches them anymore. Those pictures are heart warming to look at and I can not imagine what a treasue they are to the people in Iraq. It is a brilliant way to win hearts and minds. Keep up the good work.

Thank you FoxNews for sharing this story and the pictures. Thank you Andy Ryan for taking the pictures and sharing them with us. We need to see the everyday pictures of the people of Iraq and their joy despite their living conditions. We need these reminders that they, the Iraqi people, are why we are there.

The photos were very inspiring. To see through the eyes of soldiers was amazing. I have never been more proud to call myself an American. Thanks to all for your service to our country.

Wonderful story and pictures. They reflect my experience in Iraq as well. Please print similar stories and run during a prime time news slot to show all of America!

Thank you for sharing the beautiful pictures. It’s nice to be reminded that life goes on, children play, etc even in the worst of circumstances.

I suggest Fox News put together a documentary regarding
Staff Sgt Joe Cox’s tour of duty and his photographs.
It would be very interesting, and if we had more positive
coverage on TV of the war in Iraq, I believe the American
people would once again believe in the fight.

I thank Joe Cox for his service to our country.

This was inspiring. Thank you for the work you are doing to brighten the lives of those living in Iraq and for showing us that humanity is better because of our efforts on their behalf.

Catherine Herridge did an interview on our son, SSGT. Joseph Cox on May 5th. I would like to know how I could get a copy of this interview to go with his other Iraq mementos. Our phone number: 936-560-9283, our address is: James & Jo Cox; 8307 FM 1275; Nacogdoches, Texas 75961. Please e-mail me and let me know if there is a charge for this. James Cox;lacyvile1@sbcglobal.net.
Thanks,
Jo Cox

thanks for the wonderful pictures. keep it up for you are a blessing for the hopes of the iraqui people through the photos of the children

Great pictures!!!! !

Thank you Sgt. for your service to our country. Its people like you that make me proud to be an American. These childern are beautiful as are all childern and you have captured that beauty. Thank you agian.

A proud American.

Sgt Cox, thank you, thank you, thank you for these images. You are doing God’s work. I’m proud to support our military efforts in Irag. The Iraqi people deserve their freedom and you should be proud for helping to frre them. May God continue to bless you and our military..

these pictures are amazing, to say the least. it shows mothers, fathers, children, families and friends. we hardly ever see images ,like these, on the news or in the paper. there is more to their country than war…there is love, warmth and humanity also. these things are well worth fighting for!

Thanks for sharing your pictures and story. Keep shooting those pictures and sharing them with the public. This is what everyone needs to see and hear, So they can see the good. News only gives the bad (we already know its bad, that is why were over there fighting). My brother-in-law, also a Staff SGT was on his 2nd tour when his life was taken in Iraq. But, his big thing was the children. He has several pictures of the children, my favorite picture is him sitting in the middle of a group of children and all of them are trying to touch him. He loved those kids. My sister said he talked about them all the time. (We miss him) I get so many comments may to me, that we shouldnt be there; that we should kill them all; that they will never change, this is the way they live. But, I believe stories and pictures like yours, that come from someone that is there and seeing, would be the way to show why you would want to help make life better for someone. I have a son-in-law there now on his 3rd tour. (We miss him too.) Everyone keep SUPPORTING our Military, they need our support. GOD BLESS ALL and ALL BE SAFE, my prayers are with you all.

God bless you and all that you do. The children are so beautiful and your pictures help remind us why we are still there fighting. You are there to give then hope as well as peace.

These photographs make me cry. Amazing job capturing their beauty, humanity, and innocence. People all over the world are so similar. This is one of the best reminders that we are all one.

Thank you so much for sharing!

good job

What a tremendous, beautiful story. Our men and women are such wonderful heros. We need to stay there to help protect these precious little ones. My thoughts and prayers are with our troops. God Bless you Sgt. Cox.

Thank you for what you do for us, and all the other nations in the world. In these childrens eyes I see the hope for stability over in that area. We love you guys and you are in our family’s prayer every night.

Please get more of these phots out there! Get them shown on Fox News TV.

When the ‘Left’ views these photos it will pretty clear to them how we have lost the war and how much the Iraqi’s hate us. To everyone else it is clear the opposite is true

Wow, I will be getting deployed in about two weeks to iraq. You have no idea how scared of the unknown I was until I saw these pictures. I always thought that the iraquis were hateful and mean people. Well, after these pictures I have a different perception of how people really are in Iraq. They are just like you and me. My mission will be to be in charge of the detainees in the prison in Bagdag. I’ll make sure i treat these people with dignity and respect.

There is no doubt as to the positives that we are accomplishing in Iraq, this story is part of the proof. These children, and others like them, are what this is all about. Too bad that many others in the ‘elite’ media, as well as the ‘out-of-touch’ Democrats, just don’t get it. It is because they have no vision and no concept of reality.

Thank-you for your compassion and for sharing a story that would probably go un-noticed, if it weren’t for patriots as you! May this be only a beginning!!!

As Mark pointed out earlier pictures like this have been available all along. Some by the PAO reps assigned and working and many others from the soldiers themselves, along with videos and stories. Our press however have decided that it is more important to assault our senses with endless streams of Abu Ghirab photos, reports of fake atrocities and stories all spoon fed to them from our enemies.
The press has been more then negligent in the covering of our actions in Iraq, they have been complacent in aiding the insurgents to further their goals. I often wonder how long ago we could have defeated the various insurgents if it wasn’t for the press not only in this country but Europe as well promoting the cause of the enemy and giving their propaganda the attention necessary to allow them to continue recruiting and encouraging so many to go out and kill.
If you are not familiar with Michael Yon now is the time to catch up on his reporting from Iraq and Afghanistan. He has reported on the good, bad, and the ugly, but always embedded with coalition forces, not from the Green Zone.
Then go read “Lone Survivor” by Marcus Luttrell to see how the media and lawyers indirectly led to the deaths of 22 Special Forces operators in Afghanistan.
Finally read “House to House” by David Bellavia about the fight for Fallujah. By the way David is now running for congress in New York and is the only living service member to be nominated for the Medal of Honor.
The fact that so many people apparently are surprised at these pictures made me pause since I have seen thousands just like them and seen hundreds of videos showing our humanitarian efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Thank you Sgt. Cox for this story and the wonderful pictures. The shame of it is, the people that really should be reading this are the people that would never read or watch Fox News. Please keep these pictures coming, and thank you and all the other brave men and women for doing all you are doing for our freedom and liberty. Godspeed.

Staff Sgt. Cox, out of one picture at a time, you ARE creating an oasis.

God Bless you, and all our military men and women, along with their families that wait with love and support. ( as we all do)

Would it be possible to send you photos of American kids in classrooms,(Kindergarten -6) so you can also hand out American kids smiling and saying hi!, to the children of Iraq?

Several of my friends are teachers, and thought this might be a beautiful idea to start.
Again, thank you for all you do here, there and worldwide!

Once again, the humanity, discipline and openness of our soldiers and Marines are further demonstrating to the Iraqi people which side has their best interests–and why Iraqi’s have sided with us and against al-quaeda. These photos, given back to the Iraqi kids and their families, are like the chocolate bars and chewing gum of another, older “greatest generation”; and they are having the same impact. History will also identify those who confronted dangerous ideas today as the few who are owed so much by so many (Thanks, Winston). Bless you all.

Jim

This is truly a wonderful story….
I have a suggestion for Andy Ryan – either contact a publisher to do a book of your photos and/or get a web savvy person to help you create a website to post the pictures – If you want you could use proceeds from the book – and/or set up a donation mechanism on the web – $ to be used for these people…..

And a suggestion for the military – equip more soldiers with cameras — spread the word of this work –

Encourage all actions by soldiers that touch the hearts and minds of the people of Iraq & Afghanistan….

Mark pointed out earlier pictures like this have been available all along. Some by the PAO reps assigned and working and many others from the soldiers themselves, along with videos and stories. Our press however have decided that it is more important to assault our senses with endless streams of Abu Ghirab photos, reports of fake atrocities and stories all spoon fed to them from our enemies.
The press has been more then negligent in the covering of our actions in Iraq, they have been complacent in aiding the insurgents to further their goals. I often wonder how long ago we could have defeated the various insurgents if it wasn’t for the press not only in this country but Europe as well promoting the cause of the enemy and giving their propaganda the attention necessary to allow them to continue recruiting and encouraging so many to go out and kill.
If you are not familiar with Michael Yon now is the time to catch up on his reporting from Iraq and Afghanistan. He has reported on the good, bad, and the ugly, but always embedded with coalition forces, not from the Green Zone.
Then go read “Lone Survivor” by Marcus Luttrell to see how the media and lawyers indirectly led to the deaths of 22 Special Forces operators in Afghanistan.
Finally read “House to House” by David Bellavia about the fight for Fallujah. By the way David is now running for congress in New York and is the only living service member to be nominated for the Medal of Honor.
The fact that so many people apparently are surprised at these pictures made me pause since I have seen thousands just like them and seen hundreds of videos showing our humanitarian efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Sorry this is so long, but look at these pictures again and think of this…”We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

America think of the life style of these people, think of your lives and how blessed they are. Think of what you have and what they do not have. We are BLESSED America! Seek wisdom before you cast that vote. Think about what you have before you make decisions with your life. There is blood in the ground for our Freedom, America, and that blood cries from the grave. Uphold that sacrifice and thank God we are free and pray we remain that way…..free men and women with the best of everything.

These pictures are very beautiful. All children deserve a chance to be a child and have fun regardless of where they are from. It is nice to know that with all they have seen that they have something they can smile about.

God Bless you and all the troops!!!

How can anyone, after seeing these pictures, go around and say that WE need change in the United States? I guess only selfish, elitist politicians.

Thank you, I feel like I live in a dictatorship, we hardly ever get any good news or pictures from Iraq.
God Bless you!
Thanks again!

I am so proud of our military and the leaders that saw what Iraq could be, and stayed with the fight. I know it wasn’t easy; that’s what makes true heroes. Thank you for your wonderful pictures. Keep up the good work Staff Sgt. I pray for God’s blessings on all our troops, the United States of America and our allies.

Beautiful Photos – The children in particular, look so innocent, almost like our own. . . Our troops can be proud of the job they are doing, and we can be proud of those troops and our President, who despite the challenges, has shown the leadership required to continue assisting this country on it’s road to democracy and freedom! Ny times reports only that 4,000 Americans are killed – they fail to see that 600,000 Iraqi’s have also given their life in this noble struggle.

In 25 years, when Iraq has matured into a stable, peaceful and useful ally in this troubled region, we will remember these sacrifices. We will be paying $1 per gallon for gas, and have a great full society in Iraq who will have realized our contribution there. I have never felt so proud to call America my home.

I am in the left, and I love these pictures becuase it difuses the right’s Boogeyman image that they try and caste on all Muslims. These people are not evil, they are just like you and me, they have kids and love them. Unfortunately they are dying in great numbers (much greater than under Sadam) thanks to our severly misguided President. VOTE OBAMA.

Wow. What a great story. It is really good to see something positive in the news instead of all the doom and gloom. Andy Ryan, America salutes you sir!

Thank you for this. If only I could get my liberal friends and family to look with open minds it would change their hearts. Keep working and if you publish let us know and we will buy the book especially if some of the money goes to these people.

God bless you and those wonderful people.

This is great and it moves me to see these people happy since they have been through so much. Wish I could provide more help to these people. But we must keep in mind that these people need us and we need them and there is still a lot of work to do. During memorial day I was at the local safeway, I saw a person in uniform and bought his groceries for his family. Grant it like most American’s we are all struggling to make ends meet. But I thought Visa could wait another week for their payment. If you are out and about it take nothing for you to slip them a ten or pay 100 plus dollars to show your thanks.

I am so glad there is something positive out of this.

Way to go Iraqi for stepping and a big thank you to the US Military.

It is a shame the so call news media does not show this pictures, I guess that after all the years they have been printing liberals rating they have forgoten where the truth lies.
My hardiest congratulations to fox for showing them on the Internet, how about doing it on the nightly reeports.
These shows once more the NEED of our military in overseas situations and the need for a STRONG military, not what liberals want, to destroy our armed forces as well as our country.

GOD BLESS THE MILITARY AND AMERICA

Why can’t we just look at these pictures of some beautiful children and families and salute what this soldier is doing without politicizing it with our views of the war or “vote” so and so or other things like that?

Thank you for sharing these pictures. Just wish that these could be seen across this great land of ours. Perhaps…Americans opposed to this War will understand WHY were are there.
Blessings to you and GOD BLESS AMERICA.

Cherie O. Henry County, Illinois

Please tell Staff Sgt. Cox THANK YOU.

He is showing us why we should be proud to be Americans.

Thank you for sharing these pictures so that Americans can see WHY were are there.
Keep up the good works and GOD BLESS AMERICA.

SA Coog, how is voting for an avowed Muslim himself like OBAMA (Hussein) going to help these people?? It is likely that Iraq is going to be dominated by a Shiite majority who will implement Sharia law the moment we turn our backs. Now that we have the opportunity (no , the duty), we must share the word of God with these people. Only through accepting our savior Jesus Christ of Jerusalem will they be able to truly be saved regardless of how happy they look now. It is better for them to perish than be returned to their backwards religious beliefs. Obama would pull the troops out and allow the people and country to dictate their own future (guess what, MUSLIM RULE). We need more critical thinking in this country before we vote . . . . We need to increase the number of Koran’s being used for target practice, not grovel and show our bellies to them! All of us in this great country know there is ONLY ONE WAY . . . .

Wow! Those beautiful pictures of those smiling Iraqi children sure are beautiful. It is almost enough to make me forget about the fact that the United States declared the first pre-emptive War in US history, (thus ignoring one of the key principals of the founding fathers) under false pretenses on a nation that did not pose an impending threat to our country. Also makes me nearly forget about the 600 Billion Dollars in public taxpayers money spent on the war, money that partially goes to subsidize universal healthcare for Iraqi children while our own country’s citizen’s lack such care. And those pictures ALMOST make me forget about the 5 million displaced persons currently wondering around Iraq, Syria, Iran and Lebanon as a result of this administration’s failed war. For a quick follow-up, why don’t you interview those children with the smiling faces and ask them what they think about the following:

- Is their life better now than it was under Saadaam?
- Do they have a more favorable image of the USA then they did before the invasion?
- Are they experiencing enhanced religious freedom under the current state of affairs?
- How have their relationships with members of the other sects (Shia/Sunni/Christian) changed since the US invasion? Are their Shia/Sunni neighbors still living in close proximity?

But, oh yeah…some nice pictures…That certainly has made this debacle worth it.

P.S. : For all those armchair warriors who want to brand me a lib- I am a CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN RESERVIST who believes in upholding the sage advice of the founding fathers. I have traditionally voted Republican but am shocked by the Neo-con wing of the party’s complete distortion of “conservative” values.

Great photos – something you will never see on mainstream media!

Thank you Sgt. Cox for your contribution to secure our liberty and freedom and for sharing your story.
Thanks for the story FOX, maybe you could find a way to get this out to there on the air so that more people can share in these wonderful images.

I’m so sick of the defeat and retreat mainstream media in this country. If there was only a way to compel them to tell the (“Whole”) story.

God Bless Our Nation and The Great Men & Woman that serve it.

Micheal Yon has been doing the same thing for longer.

That said, it’s a positive and productive activity that will hopefully help to show the world and America in particular that progress abounds; our soldiers are busy building trust and friendship in a nation that desperately needs all the friends it can muster.

Thank you for all you’ve done and continue to do Sgt. Cox.

thank you for sharing the wonderful pictures,the liberal media outlets would never show these they just want to show photos of bombs and killings. thank you all for serving GOD BLESS AMERICA

Wonderful.. Keep these photos coming. There is a lot more positive coming out of Iraq than our biases and negative media ever reports. We are 100% behind our service people serving there and very proud of the job they are doing. We are definately making progress there.

What a great person to take such beautiful pictures…
Truly inspirational

This brought tears to my eyes, the children, you are a wonderful man to focus on them, hopefully it will not be too long until all these children are free to lead happy lives. God Bless the troops and I am truly sorry about the loss of your comrads. I remember back to WW2 and Ernie Pyle and his camera, a picture is indeed worth a thousand words. Take care and stay safe. Marty

How can we support you? This is an excellent way to go around the liberal media and the Democrats.

Mark, You talk a good game. If your convictions are so strong about these pictures I sure you are now at the local recruitment center signing up for military service so you can have boots on the ground impact instead of typing about it. It is easy to get caught up fairytale propaganda from your home in the US. Our soldiers are not in Iraq to protect or liberate the people, they are in Iraq to ensure oil continues to flow to the US. There are many places on this earth where human rights are worse than in Iraq. Why does the US government do nothing in these instances? I’ll tell you why – because these other countries have nothing of value to offer the US.

WOW, i am SSG Joseph Cox this really takes me by suprise, i am sitting in Diaylah Iraq, seeing all these great comments, and i am truely thankful, all i really wanted from these pictures was for my family to see what i see and understand why i fight. Were it not for SSG Andy Ryan, this would never have been possible, he set up my meeting Catherine Herridge, this woman is GREAT, she worked so hard to make our meeting and getting this piece done happen. i was home on leave, always busy, she stuck it out, and did her homework. i am always thankful for people such as Andy and Catherine. i really hope no one veiws these pictures as political tools, they are just what they are, (its their world that i have been lucky enough to share a small piece of with them) they are my daily life my world shared and seen from my point of veiw. anyone who is seeing anything political your not seeing the real picture and you are cheating yourself out of the greatest things in life…..

Great photos! Thanks to you, sir, for taking them and to FOX NEWS for publishing them.

What Sgt. Cox has left out, is that immediately after shooting these pictures, a Blackwater helicopter flew over and obliterated these security threats. If we pull out, our the sacrifices of fallen soldiers will be for nothing??? Yes, it makes imminently more sense to sacrifice MORE soldiers an MORE Iraqi children before we are done! That will make the dead feel much better about their plight.

Does ANYONE on the RIGHT have the slightest ability to think that there is no WWII style “VICTORY” here? Best case, we give them back their destroyed country and they can begin living under their majority mandated Taliban style theocracy. THERE IS NO WINNING IN IRAQ!!!! THINK!

I think it is time for Bush to start playing golf again . . . . . Now that we have committed another $170,000,000,000 to this noble effort. Oh yes, our kids will cover that – no problem

Now this is the kind of coverage we could honeslty use. This may actually “win hearts and minds” here at home and remind people what this war REALLY IS ABOUT. It’s not about oil, it’s not about money, it’s not about George Bush, it’s sure as heck is not about turning Iraq into a graveyard. It’s about people, Iraqi and American.

Putting a human face on this is important during this time will also help people make wise decisions about who to vote for. Whoever that happens to be. Send this to Barack, Hillary, and John and see if you don’t get some varied reactions. Since all three of them are parents, maybe they’ll think about the things they are considering especially as far as pulling out.

We are not there to make Iraqi lives mieserable, the terrorists we want mibserable, not the Iraqis. not ifonly thisi would work with folks like Bashar Assad this would be a real coup, but we would need some “heavy-duty ammo” in his case just to convince him ot quit sending terrorists overthe border. I doubt if even sanctions woud stop him or Ahmadinejad from doing that. try e-mailingthis all over the place and see what happens.

To the comment left by SA Coog, you seem to be “left”…left out of the loop, that is. More people, Muslims, were dying under Sadam’s rule than you are aware of. I, personally, know a man who fled Iraq in 1984 – while under gunfire – literally running for his life. He showed me pictures of four of his friends who were shot (and killed) by their own government’s people because they were fleeing to come to America where they would be free and able to not live in fear.
Your comment should have been only about the picture, rather than your hatred of our American President. I have the feeling that you aren’t a natural citizen, or that you are more interested in what the government can give you than relying upon your own ability to get a job and support yourself.

Sgt. Cox,

Well done! I really hope you can publish the pics some day. The world needs to see that children just want to be children, irregardless of their country of origen. They say “the pen (in this case, the picture) is mightier than the sword (gun)”. More change for good will happen because of your pictures than anything that heavily armed platoons and companies of soldiers will ever do. Keep up the good work! May God bless you and your family back home.

Mike (Arizona)

Catherine – please be fair and balanced and post my message. . . .

Great pics, keep taking them. even though they are poor, they still seem to smile and
portray happiness. But, where are all the men. Mainly seem to be women and children

These are nice photos. These are the faces that I’ve seen when I went through Iraq three times. The children are always happy to see us and so are the families. People that haven’t been in the military can make their comments all they want, until they make the sacrifice they shouldn’t say a thing. Until they see from their own eyes how the people are living and their freedom has come to life, they are only being IGNORNANT. We have LIBERATED these people from harm of a SELFISH and CORRUPT man and Party.
People please, talk to the military and ask them what is really going on. Ask them if they see smiling faces, jobs being created, freedom to go to church if they want to, children being able to play outside the fences. Not all of Iraq is safe, but Iraq is a much safer place than three years ago.

To Casey Cox: I am SSGT Cox’s mother, you can e-mail us at : lacyvile1@sbcglobal.net. We are doing a family history ourself ans would like to hear from you.
Thanks, J cox

this comment is for kevin, you refered to micheal yon, i anm friends with micheal, if you look through his old blogs, i was in the 25th infantry, during oif3 i was in the fight for mosul, micheal is an outstanding man. once again thanks to fox news, not as much for what they do, but for the people they hire, Andy and Catherine went out of their way to make this happen, and if you study up on Catherine you will find she is just as caring of a person, as for Andy Ryan, i met him only 3days prior to loosing 6 very dear friends, i could not have asked for a better man, or FRIEND to have been there with and for myself and those of us who were still alive. if you are seeing this andy, both you and donny are just as deserving to be put out there to better help everyone understand the reasons behind why we the common men fight. thank you to all who have posted, good or bad it doesnt matter, as long as you use your rights, my friends didnt die in vain…..

Wonderful this is the story that needs to be told. As they say a picture is worth a thousand words.
With all the technology today a well thought out image conveys much more emotion and humanity.

Richard Perry

Catherine.

For me it is nice to see another light shown on the occupation of Iraq. That they are people too, and that they live breath, eat, have children, and are beautiful people. Instead of just hearing about the barbaric things that al-Queda are doing in the middle east. Also, I feel that a lot of Americans are disenchanted by the war seeing our economy spiral out of control while we spend $1 billion dollars in Iraq instead of helping fellow American family’s that have to go to food banks because of the price of energies.

I think stories like this and movies like “The Darjeeling Limited” help Americans see people from the Middle East, Tibet, India not as uncultured but do the simple things that we do on a day to day basis just like we do. That is a connection that we need to have. We need to love these people like we love other countries like Jamaica and Peurto Rico.

This is wonderful….SOME GOOD NEWS…being reported in IRAQ…
Our troops will not abandon these children or the country…they are the future of IRAQ.

Carrots and Sticks wont save them either…Only our TROOPS and our responsiblity.
And John Sidney MCCain…as the next PRESIDENT.

i am like this too. america is great. With more efforts america can be also helping other countries needing such services, as well becoming more in democracy, and also more in peace . . . lovely faces, so much in happiness for their being delivered away from the evil of life under saddam. I am gladly liking america to be in iraq. I am even thinking christians not so bad. allah akbar i say to my wife and she smiles at the pictures. sargant crox can know now the beatiful way of all people. i am sure he is not knowing before. please. i forgive accidents of deaths of many iraq children in way of clusters bombs and such. freedom is not free, there is price. even if shot by accident or on purpose by blackwaters. makes no difference to the path of peace. in end, peace will be there and all wll be worth it. only america sticks neck out to help and care for the suffering. for this we need to be in prayer 5x and seek the help of god in this mission.

Some how the photographer managed to miss the over 1 million Iraqi casualties since the war has started. O well, at least we killed their leader for nothing more than crimes that American Presidents have committed time and time again. Former Sgt USMC

Thank you for sharing the wonderful picture. It is very comforting and rewarding to see them. There is so much negativeness being reported by the news media and to see that you are providing us with a different perspective is wonderful. The American people are not bad people, just the opposite. We are a very caring nation. It is time that the news media to include FOX News let the people know that war is bad but in realty there is a need for war sometimes. I have to believe that my President made the right decision and it was based on information from many not just his final decision. Thank You!

I love and appreciate our guys so much! Despite all controversy, I hope our troops know how much their selfless sacrifice and service to this country means to us. To me, ALL of them, are “rock stars”!

God bless you all!

Dear Scott, Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos. People think we “Don’t need to be there” but I’m glad we are. Everybody deserves a chance and God bless our military for giving our U.S. soldiers to help out people who never would have had any peace at all if not for you. All of us in America could stand a week in another country to humble us a little. Thank you again for your pictures and your dedication to keeping America informed, about the good stuff!!!! Kay Brownsword

I encountered similar responses from the Indonesian people when I went to Banda Aceh in September 2005. A 99% muslim nation, they welcomed westerners and loved the photos we handed out after posing for pictures. I have come to realize, like the other responders above, that people all over the world share the same fears, hopes, dreams, family no matter what the economic situation.

Thank you for sharing your new perspective on Iraq and god bless you and all who serve from one who has served. It’s about time people get to see what this thing is about. I always try to get people to understand it’s not about all that the drive-by media shows them. These are good people who needed our help to achieve freedom from the regime that oppressed them they could not do it themselves. They don’t all hate us, just a minority of them do.
This type of story really needs to get out there to all and not just here on Fox because it is my opinion that peopl that live by the drive-by media don’t ever check out Fox because they can’t handle “fair and balance” news coverage.
Again God bless you and all who serve to keep us and others free.

What gets me is in the past or when they talk about anywhere else, liberals always talked about world peace and helping the children of the world. Hollywood stars would do fundraisers and musicians would do concerts. We were always told we had to do something. Now that we are there in Iraq and Afghanistan actually doing something and making a difference you don’t hear that much from them. It’s all about hating our President or America for getting involved. That’s because all they ever did was talk. They never actually did anything or promoted doing anything except throwing money at it. They think that all the military does is destroy things and kill everyone. They don’t look at history and realize that the US soldier, marine, sailor, airman, or coastguardsman are the one who truly bring peace and prosperity to nations of the world. Thanks Catherine Herridge for doing this piece and Staff Sgt. Joe Cox for reminding us that the revolution of 1776 is still ongoing. That our forefathers gave us this charge in our Constitution by saying we will “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity”. Posterity being all future generations.

The pictures are very warm and touching and it is enjoyable to find that someone can capture those moments to show us back home that there is more than just EID’s exploding in Iraq. But, almost everyone’s comments seem to put a label on someone else to blame them for the situation we are now experiencing in Iraq. Please let us remember, one of the reasons military service men and women are there, is to allow us citizens the freedom to continue to make the choice of being labeled “Right, Left, Center, Moderate or even Indifferent”. That is part of what the United States of America is all about and why we have those individuals who serve in that capacity. As for me, I spent 8 years in the military and I am very proud of that fact. I am a registered democrat who reads online each day, articles from NPR, Foxnews, CNN, BBC and often others. I attempt to keep abreast of what everyone is saying.

Thanks so much for sharing the wonderful pictures! I for one support our efforts in Iraq and believe that if we were to pull all of our troops out of there it would be disasterous for the Iraqi people. I also believe that by doing that, we are dishonoring all of our brave men and women who have given their lives already to make Iraq a better place to live.

I know that I am blessed to have been born in the United States. It could have been different. I could have been born into a country where I had no rights, where I had to hide if I wanted to worship and I wasn’t entitled to an education. I could have grown up in a place where I lived in constant fear for my life and the lives of those that I love. But I wasn’t. If I had been though, you sure bet that I’d want a chance at a better life. ALL men are created equal, not just AMERICAN men but ALL men. The Iraqi’s deserve to have us there building them schools, water systems, etc. Through us they will be blessed also.

Catherine, you’ve questioned several postings about why they think mainstream news tends to report more on the negative? Maybe that’s what they think we want to hear? I think it’s human nature to want all the gory details. How many times has traffic been backed up where you live from people who slow way down so they can gawk at the accident on the side of the road? I think there needs to be a balance though of negative and positive news. Your article was a gem! Few words but a picture is worth a thousand of them, right? Thanks for making my day!

It is good to see the REAL people of Iraq and not the terrorist we see on the news all the time. These are beautiful people especially the children. My heart goes out to them. These people are the ones we are fighting for, the innocent. These are also God’s children and He loves them. They have been deceived into worshiping a false god but the bible says that in the last days there will be a pouring out of the Holy Spirit to the Arab people. These are also decedents of Abraham and God has not forgotten them. We MUST defeat the terrorist who teach these children to hate and kill and who even will kill the children themselves if it benefits their political plan. Perhaps we are part of God’s plan to bring them freedom so they can worship whomever they choose including Yeshua! God bless you and all our brave troops. May God bless America and Israel.

These photos are lovely. Yet, I am amazed that anyone would see these as a way to defend the war. These children are living in bombed-out buildings. They are doing work that should be reserved for adults. They have never had a family photo before. These poor, desperate people were such a threat that the US felt the need to invade their country? How sad. Do you think these people are grateful?

And six more American soldiers are dead. I support the troops enough to think that their lives should not be wasted. What a disaster.

What an amazing story. This soldier is capturing the evidence of why these wars must be fought and won: the innocents. I am humbled to think of what they have been born into. They deserve our compassion and assistance. Thank you for your service to our country, your service to these people and the message you are delivering, one picture at a time. God bless.

Sgt. Cox, thank you for your good work. Thank you for humanizing people who are most often represented by numbers and have only existed abstractly in my mind. There is very little difference between them and myself apart from the environments in which we live.

I am printing out a couple of these pictures to put on the wall of my apartment, so that they will (in some tiny way) be a presence in my life, and so the photos will stand as a call to prayer for the people in this very difficult place in life.

And thank you also for the love you show these communities in this way. It is a small act, but that is exactly how each of us is to act in whatever community we find ourselves.

I entered into this blog because I saw views from a soldier’s eyes that captured my heart. I’m a mother whose daughter has been a soldier in Iraq. She spoke to me often of children that stood outside her camp. These beautiful children are caught in the middle. My heart goes out to all these children and their mothers, to all the soldiers and fighting warriors from this nation, to all the broken families and lost ones. War is ugly, but it’s nearly impossible to avoid unless you can turn your backs without a conscience bothering you. Sovereignty of integrity. No matter how anyone wants to slice it, they can’t touch integrity and cause any damage. No matter how loud they may scream. What’s right is right and will always be. Humans deserve to live a life of joy unfettered by dictating heathens. I praise God that our nation’s children do not have to awake every morning to the scene that these small children awaken to. I praise God for SSGT Cox for daring to expose the good in what we do. There is no shame in doing a job well done. The only shame goes to those that do not see what SSgt Cox’s lenses reveal. Well done, good and faithful servant! WE salute you! Semper Fi!

The photos are certainly nice, but it doesn’t alter in the least the fact that we started a war in a country who didn’t attack us and was no threat to us, and didn’t have one single WMD. Memories so are short.

This war and subsequent occupation has killed and maimed thousands of innocent Iraqis, and displaced millions more.

For those of you who can now see that the Iraqis are no different from any other people , you can thank the propagandizing of the Bush Administration that you would have ever thought otherwise.

Thanks
Its men like you that hepl bring people together. Words & things of showing kindness like you have done. Keep up the good work,know there are people who appricate what you are doing, even us in the states. Again Thanks, Mary

A great picture story, one that should be spread by the media.
Thanks

These children having their pictures taken and returned to them will be a positive influence of how they think of Americans through SSgt Cox, and others that enter their lives in a positive way.

Also, the Iraq War was not a preemptive war started by the US. It was a resumption of hostility because Iraq under Hussein failed to abide by the Cease Fire agreement enacted in 1991, no matter what causes he and his government may have had. I think if Saddam Hussein expressed his concerns about Iran to the US, we might have restructured our relationship with Iraq and his regime.

And furthermore, all wars are over land: what we can get out of it, what we can put on it, and how we can use it. It’s natural for people to secure those things which are instrumental for their own survival (and quality of living). We go to war when we (all nations, all people, through-out history and into the future) percieve threats (real or imagined) to those things.

I Like these pictures. I had a few nice ones while we were dismounted but that was with a point and shoot. I never printed out the pictures though. I want it to be very clear that as a soldier I don’t HATE any of the Iraqis. Its hard when you see so many people back in the states saying things that are so off the wall about the mission. Great pictures. I would love to trade some sometime. Take care

“Doc” Bailey

You are doing Gods work. I will be praying for you and these people who you have “captured” so perffectly in pictures. Every culture is unique and special. God bless you.

These photos reach into one’s soul. Thank you and all the men and women serving in our military and thank you so very much for sharing your talent with us.

God bless and keep you safe.
Sue Stakes

Nice spin, yet again. The first comment here has it dead on. The reason for this waste of time and lives of a war has indeed changed so many times. To the photographer: I understand that war is very difficult and stressful. I do indeed hope that your spin on this does indeed help prevent the PTSD suffered by so many soldiers who know deep down that all this is wrong. I mean that sincerely, even though it could also be construed as sarcastic. I really do hope it helps you sleep at night, to be one of the few that does see the humanity instead of only potential targets.

Not allowed for the military to share there religion, I believe there already doing this. These pictures are proof.

You’re doing a great job of showing us the real people in Iraq as well as generating good will of the people to us in general. Thank you and Gods blessings on you!

Catherine

I was just checking out the blogs and I came across yours. I am so totally impressed with how responsive you are to your bloggers. And your replies are not the typical boiler-plate responces. Im absolutly impressed with your input. And you sound as nice as I thought you would be. Take care.

These pictures are breathtaking and just really show a side of the story that we never get to see. Although everything we hear is bad, these help us realize that Iraqi people are trying to live their lives as best they can in a horrible situation and they are really a lot like us. They’ve seen so much loss, destruction, and heartache and I can’t imagine the fear that they live in. Really, these pictures are fantastic and thank you to the soldier that has been taking these. I think all of us here who are disenchanted by the war need to see pictures like this so we can remember that the people of Iraq do need our help and we shouldn’t leave them until it gets better. Thank you to all of the soldiers serving our country–you are doing a great job.

This is a great story. Thank you Sgt. Joe Cox’s for your work in helping the Iraq people. My oldest son is in the Army and my second son is in basic training right now in the Marine Corp. in California. This fall both will be ready for deployment. May God bless our troops in harms way.

Shouldnt we not forget that the military (myself a past member for 8 years) is also here to protect the freedom of all of those who are labeled “Left, Right, Liberal, or Conservative”, not just FoxNews and its opinions? The pictures are warm and touching (I commend Sgt Cox for his ability to show us that children are the same all over the world), but the fact still remains, the current administration has gotten us into Iraq and we need to finish the job and get it over with (at this point it does not matter how and why we went in there). Not everyone will be happy how or when this war comes to a conclusion, but we need to leave it a better place than what it was when we arrived. At least let us leave those children with some glimmer of hope for a future. As for myself, I read several sources which include NPR, CNN and FoxNews and others and attempt to find some bit of truth from all of them. (Label me what you may).

Kudos… the point the photographer is making is that there is another side of the war that we are never shown. Guys like Arturdo miss that with their political talking points…
Kudos…

Thank you for such a wonderful article and pictures. SSG Cox is very talented and he is capturing the innocence in Iraq. Something we all have forgotten about long ago. Never are there any news stories about the good things happening in Iraq. We only hear of the bad, the mistakes made and the sacrifices given. It is refreshing to be reminded of why our loved ones are there: So each of the children in the pictures he has taken can one day be free to walk down the streets of their towns and villages without worrying about evil. SSG Cox is in the same company as my husband and I wish all of the soldiers of the 3/2 SCR my neverending support, respect and thoughts for the courage each one of them have.

Thank You Wolfpack!
K.M.

-People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf. George Orwell, (attributed) English essayist, novelist, & satirist (1903 – 1950)

Catherine
Jo Cox here. Yes there is something the people can do. My husband and I collect school supplies and send to SSGT. Cox to give to the children. We have also set up an account where people can make money donations for his cause. I would be willing to give anyone the information if they are interested. I have made it a non-profit campaign so if they give money it could be deducted on their taxes.
Also, I would like to get in touch with Andy. If you could give him my e-mail address, I would appreciate it very much.
You also mentioned the two soldiers on the roof, there was one that made it out of the building alive. I am in contact with him and repor to my son how he is doing. He praises my son for saving his life.If you are interested in contacting him, let me know
Thanks,
Jo Cox

I really do think this is eye-opening for us in Texas to see what is going on in Iraq. I for one appreciate our soldiers, and think that they are there and know what they are fighting for. The compassion shown in these pics by the soldiers speaks volumes to the critics. I see hope in the kids faces, that might not have been there 5 years ago.
God Bless our troops, and I pray for a safe a speedy recovery, and I support you all 100%

These people are so beautiful. Thank you for posting these pictures.

I am sadden by the fact that war exists and look for the day when true freedom can be a shared value the world over and through all of our worldly differences.

amazing, i am crying right now.

Arturo Mandorfski

I hear Canada is beautiful this time of year, perhaps you should move their if you are so unhappy with your country. Also, do you have any 100% definitive proof that all of those things are lies? Or is it more left wing propoganda and hatemongering?

Oh, BTW Arturo Mandorfski

If you align yourself wit Jefferson then you are not a conservative or republican, you are a FEDERALIST….just a little political lesson for you

THANK GOD FOR YOU SGT.COX- WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO COMMUNICATE TO THE WORLD THAT WE ARE WINNING THE WAR, AND ALSO WINNING THE HEARTS OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE. AND LET US PRAY THAT THESE PRECIOUS CHILDREN WILL BE EDUCATED, AND KEEP DEMOCRACY GOING STRONG.

Wow.. a real American hero! It is great to see the work done by this soldier and others like him – people who have a dramatic impact on Iraq and its people. Thanks to people like this guy, they are learning what Americans are really like and yes, their lives are benefiting.. slowly but surely.

Mrs. Cox, please pass along my thanks to your husband and the soldiers who serve with him for their service and for going above and beyond to help the people of Iraq. And yes, please post information on how we can help him continue this great work.

My sincerest hope is that he and all all our servicemen and women will return safely and that the mission will be accomplished soon. They are in my thoughts every day.

I have awoken at 1:50AM to another sleepless night as I think of my upcoming 14 month tour in Iraq starting in 30+ days. I have read many of these posts, and many are great comments. However, some are dead wrong. SSG Cox has captured some very nice photographs depicting Iraq is no different than many a suffering country. We as America have long prided ourselves as the “World Police” and “Peace bringers”. Our country is changing and turning to a ME country. What is in the best interest for ME, not for our country, or our childrens freedoms for years to come.

Remeber 9/11. We forget quickly our past. For those non belivers in the USA’s Iraq mission I ask did you lose a family member or close friend on 9/11? The USA’s mission may not be directly related, but is related to the “War on Terror” with capturing, killing, and slowing down all extremist who wish to inflict harm on STILL the “Greatest Nation on the Planet”.

You whine that we are here in Iraq due to events that happened 25 years ago on one breath and recomend that we follow foreign policy recomended by people that lived 225 years ago? Well oneperson anyway, George Washington. The joint resolution for military action against Iraq listed 21 reasons for action. Many of which had nothing to do with the ‘rationale’ you have so kindly provided. Why we are there is an old dead horse now anyway. The story only shows what we can do here now. Now is what matters. Your complaints are truly weak, and you think so yourself if you have to bolster your authority by stating your politcal affiliation and military service, which I doubt anyway. The strongest agument you make is the waste of money. Well considering that the entire cost of 5 years of this conflict is only .002% of only one years budget I would have to say that maybe you could find wasteful spending elsewhere that would have a greater impact.

That is all.

i have tried to post several times with no luck, i am SSG Joseph Cox, thank you all for the great comments, it was nice to see that most everyone saw the pictures for what they are. i have no intentions for these pictures to be political tools, and anyone who uses them as such, are just as bad if not worse than the people they profess to dislike. these pictures are a veiw of the world through my eyes, what i see everyday, just to answer a few questions, Al Quieda is in iraq, we have detained ove 70 in 10 months, the people are happier for the most part since sadaam is gone. but remember change is hard, and extreme change is slow and even harder. everyone wishes to pull out as soon as possible, i dont have the answers, will iraq survive, will they continue to hate and embrace terrorism, will they continue to kill themselves daily, to these questions i can only say i dont know. i have seen many quotes from books by people who have never been to iraq, some may have never spoken to an iraqi person, i have walked their streets, ate at their tables, patroled the streets with their army, been to wedding, and funerals….. until someone can prove to me the things i live daily are wrong, and my friends died for noreason, i say we to include me stay. this is not written by an analist, but by a person who the analist claim to know what is best for. thank you for your time, and for the person commenting as KM Jacob says hello, by the way i work daily with KM’s husband.

WOW, i just read obamanations comments, he is right, we have been found out, in fact blackwater has killed all iraqis, we really set on the beach drinking fruity drinks wasteing money………unfortunately he has the right to say these things, even though he get his original thoughts by reading what others write and tell him to think. as for the kids in the pictures, still alive sorry to ruin your day but their parents are alive also. please dear god if you think like this guy never never never reproduce. thank you have a nice day

After looking into the eyes of these children, I cannot imagine how Barak Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Hillary Clinton can so easily abandon them.

The pictures are great, and it’s nice to see from a soldier’s perspective. But what I am hoping everyone will remember is the reason these people are living in this way is because of the war. I fully support our troops there following orders but I do not, nor will I ever support this war. It was started by a bunch of old men that will never see combat (including the least popular president ever). I hope everyone will remember that his people lied to the American people for the last five years. It funny to me to read so many people out here talking about how the Iraqi people needed our help, but none of you mention anything about any other countries doing the same thing. Were even ok with holding the Olympics in a communist country who is trying to completely wipe out the Tibetan people and America has stood by for years doing nothing. If you’re going to sit there and preach about how we need to help these people then you need to open your eyes and educate yourself on the many different countries around the world doing the same thing to there people and we sit by and do nothing. If you want to fight one war you’re going to have to fight them all

I was a civilian firefighter deployed to US Military Bases in Iraq in 2004/2005. One day we performed a detail for the Army Comm people near the wire. Our base was surrounded by farmland, so when the kids who were working in the fields saw the big red fire engine they ran over to the fence to beg for water bottles, candy, etc. The children looked much like the ones in the pictures taken by SSgt Cox. On our way back from lunch we stopped by our hootches, raided our care packages, went back to the same spot and threw candy, cookies, drink mix, etc to the little ones on the other side of the fence. They seemed to truly appreciate our modest gifts. A few days later while going on R&R I was transiting through the country of Dubai and was jolted by the stark contrast with Iraq. Unlike the Iraqi children who beg for candy, most people in Dubai drive luxury cars, eat at fine restaurants, and have great health care. Certainly a tale of two countries. Which begs the question, how better off would the Iraqi people be if Sadaam Hussein had invested his oil wealth back into the country instead of building dozens of palaces, fighing a war with Iran, and invading Kuwait?

Thank yu SSGT Cox…your photos show the real faces of war. Your humanity and caring is shining through your camera. Keep up the good work, and God Bless!

Joe: My name is Sue Davis. Todd Davis is my nephew, the youngest child of my brother, Eddie Davis.

Thank you so much for this article and for the pictures. More to the point, thank you so much for your comments about Todd and his comrades that were killed in January. Your pointing out that they were special was so important to them. To us. I am going to forward this to as many of his buddies as I can.

Thanks again.

Sue Davis

I just wanted to say , how awesome the pics are. And it’s great of Andy to take the pics. God bless him. It’s a good thing to do. Maybe he can change Iraq one pic at a time. Keep up the good work Andy. Take care and be careful over there. God bless and may god keep you in the palm of His hand always.
Claire Grimaldo
Tatum,Texas

Comment by Nicole Murphy
May 31st, 2008 at 7:29 am
_____________________________________

Fortunately, our American soldiers will contribute more to the lives of the people in Iraq than you, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Barak Obama. Each of these soldiers has the courage necessary to make positive changes for the people in Iraq … we are very proud of them and what they have accomplished. Great things are achieved throughout history by people with real courage, not the likes of Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Barak Obama.

James Cox
We gave our son the first camera so he could send pictures home of him and his soldies. Then it got to be a lot of children in them. Our son didn’t ask for this war nor did he want to go but he kept telling his mother that it was his job. I can see in the pictures our son takes the same thing I went thru in Viet Nam. Only thing we didn;t have time to take pictures but I am proud our son does. If this is how he deal with the war I can’t understand why all of the people writting negative things about him and his pictures. I wonder if the ones that write negative things have never served they country or have ever accomplished anything. Be thankful that we have young men and women who will serve without question or politics only freedom. God blees them all. A great BIG THANKS TO OUR SON.

Andy’s pictures of the Iraq people certainly gives you a whole different perspective of what’s happening there. In their simplicity they are powerful and touching. If only both countries’ politician’s could have the same visual photo reality.

Thank you so much for bringing SSgt. Joe Cox’ compassionate camera diplomacy to at least the FOX public’s attention, Catherine. His discerning eye and personal generosity so uniquely deployed on Stryker patrols highlights what is so quintessentially different about our modern American Spartans: that they can be ferocious warriors one moment, and caring givers, mentors and protectors the next.

I marvel at the tremendous discipline of mind and heart that this extraordinary spontaneous flexibility entails, and how draining it must be on the reserves of courage, spirit and energy of our young men and women on the OIF/OEF battlefronts. And yet they give their all, mostly unreservedly, because it is the call of their country to do so for their nation’s security, freedom and strategic interests.

I believe it is this adaptive duality in our modern military that is winning the war for us: because it fully takes account of the Middle Easterners’ (and Afghans’) absolute cultural respect for only quality: strength, but leavened by our American cultural orientation to compassion and generosity. Both factors operating in COIN synergy on the battlefront are what will enable us to prevail in the assymetrical warfare which will afflict the international landscape for many years to come.

As a new American who has personal memories of the positive and multifacted impact of American soldiers, sailors and airmen on her birth country, I can directly vouch that these Iraqi children will be forever “imprinted” by their unusual contact with the character of our soldiery, and that impact will influence the future of their country as they grow up to shape Iraq in the mold set by America’s boots on their ground at this moment in their history.

To SSgt. Cox and his battle buddies all over Iraq, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa and Mindanao: I salute you!
America is infinitely blessed to have sons and daughters like you.

Thank you, Ssgt. Cox, and thank you again, Catherine, for bringing both our gallant military, and these innocent “miserables”, to the fore of our consciousness, so they may all be in our prayers for hope and protection, blessings and thanksgiving.

I plan to send this article to my elected congressman & senator’s. It is a shame that there are so many people in our country, that refuse to realize “we are doing alot of good things in IRAQ”.

Good Job!

Catherine: Thanks for noticing my comments.

I will deliver your message to the people I am in contact with in Iraq and here in the United States.

Sue Davis

As the father of one of the six soldiers killed by the terrorist blast on 9 January I want to thank SSG Cox for sharing his pictures with the nation. These children and families deserve the chance of a better life. You can see the viberance, happiness, and hope in their eyes. I want to thank him for sharing the story of the six who were lured into a trap and murdered by jahadist thugs. My son was not scared of what he could see, but what he could not. I want to thank Catherine for doing the feature, particularily on Memorial Day. Seeing this tribute to Jon, Matt, Zach, Chris, Sean and Todd was heartwarming for our famly. I have posted the link to my son’s tribute page.

Thanks to Fox News for sharing the success our soldiers who are fighting and dieing for. I lost faith in the mainstream media in 1968 when Cronkite sold out our soldiers in Vietnam. The mainstream media is a mouth piece for the left and un American. When I was commissioned into the army I took an oath to defend the constitution against “all enemies, foreign and domestic.” We have enemies amongst us! Those who have given the least complain the most.

Thanks again Catherine for the story. My mission since Jon’s death has been to keep his memory alive. He had a great group of friends who have helped us through this difficult time. I spoke to one of his buddies last night. His parents wanted a picture of Jon to put up at their river house. Jon spend many a weekend there when he was a student at Middle Tennessee State University and Ryan had been close friends for many years.

I’ve been in touch with several of his “brothers-in-arms” and know of the emotional hurt they have suffered. To lose one is hard, to loose so many at once is more than I can imagine.

I’m a very opinionated father. I would tell Jon’s story to the world. On his Memorial card we put John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Jon, Matt, Todd, Sean, Zach and Chris did more than that, they laid their lives down for the people and children of Iraq so they could have a better life. They laid their lives down to protect the interest of their nation at a time when so many can not see the truth and the collective memory of the body politic is so short they can not remember the horror of September 11, 2001. This war began in 1978 and has been littered with the bodies of so many since; Beruit, ship and airline hijackings, Kohbar Towers, World Trade Center 1993, Embassies in Africa, the USS Cole and the suicide bombers in Israel. A thread connects all of these; the tread of terror. Sponsored by Saddam, Hammas, Hezebollah, Iran, Syrai, Tailban and on and on.

As Jefferson said, ” a nation can’t remain ignorant and free.” We have become a nation of the ignorant. We have become a nation of the ungrateful. We have become a nation divided and as Lincoln said, “a nation divided can not stand.” Thank you and SSG Cox and Fox News for trying to enlightened an ignorant mass. But, those who should hear it, refuse it. I’ve read their ignorant postings.

If you would like to contact me you may do so through my email.

Respectfully,
Carl M. Dozier

as i am sure all that read these post, you will realize from the comments left here by mr dozier, and mrs davis, that i was honest about the quality and depth of character when speaking of the men we lost. jon was the guy who had or could find the answers for anything, he had done so many things in life, and had more he wished to do. todd davis was truely a gentle giant, he was tall and strong, his size scared people, but you could never ask for a better friend. i thank the dozier.davis,gaul,mcbride,pionk,sanders, and the family of “roy” the interpeter for the time we were allowed to share with their lost family members. they are and will always be in my prayers, and my thoughts.

[...] this week that made me very much aware of how much we take for granted in our lives. It was titled: “Changing Iraq, One Picture at a Time.” I read about a sergeant, Joe Cox, who takes pictures of the people of Iraq while he is on patrol. He [...]

SSG Cox,
Thanks for the kind remarks about my son, Jon. They were all fine young men, the best America has to offer and I also thank you for your service. You go where others fear to go and are a better man for doing so. Your mission is noble and selfless. You think not of yourself but of others and represent the highest ideals of our nation.

When I learned of “Roy’s” death I have included him; he was as worthy as his American brothers and died a hero’s death with them. Most American’s don’t know or understand the sacrifice the Iraqi people have made in this fight. On Jon’s tribute MySpace page I have listed all seven that were lost on that day.

Thank you again for bringing us rememberance of our lost one’s on Memorial Day. We were not able to be at Arlington because Jon’s sister delivered his name sake on the 20th and his step-sister delivered another fine boy on the 23rd. We were in Arizona with her so Jon’s cousin, Courtney, represented the family at Arlington.

Next Memorial Day we will dedicate the “Fallen Warrior” statue to honor Jon at our city’s Veteran’s Memorial. Friends from the Regiment will be invited. He was a good man and my mission is to see that he and the others are not forgotten.

Sgt. Cox,

This brings me such great joy.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thank you both for this story. It is so important that people do not forget these fallen soldiers. They had lives beyond the military, they had families and children. They took pride in what they were doing and the public should never forget. It is important to me as Jon’s sister that America knows that my brother made a difference and did not die for nothing.

Jon sent me a picture of some children playing in the street. I thought they were such beautiful children. I wrote him and told him how looking at that picture reminded me that we all start out so innocent and that unfortunately our surroundings mold us and teach us to hate. Maybe the positive interaction he had with those children will leave a lasting impression with them.

I know our troops are making a difference. I thanked my brother many times for keeping my country and family safe. I still thank all of our soldiers for making the sacrifice they make to keep us safe and free.

America should Remember 9/11 everyday because if our troops were not in Iraq I am sure we would have had another attack that was just as devestating.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Rider

SSG Cox and Catharine,
I would like to express my gratitude for the wonderful interview and story. This clearly shows how proud our nation should be of our brave and caring soldiers. The horrible pain of losing our matthew jonathon, chris, todd, sean and zack is there every day. I don’t think it will ever go away. These were remarkable brave and heroic soldiers who we are very proud of. I am sure they are standing watch in heaven over us. I am happy there is people like ssg cox that is showing the truth of what is going on over there. We are defeating the enemy and there will be a democracy over there, and I am proud to say that matthew and his fallen brothers and roy were a part of this. My fear is that the left in this country will try to force us out of iraq before the democracy is formed. I guess these left wing extreme people do not realize we are in a global war on terror. Alqiada killed our sons and roy, the same people that invaded our country and killed over 3000 people in ONE day. Thank you for mentioning our son and his brothers and roy. I will never let them be forgotten for there sacrifice to this great nation. Ronald Reagan called our nation the beacon on the hill and those words make me proud of America.

Duane Pionk

Hi, Joe,
I am so proud of you for the job you are doing for your country and everyone in it. God bless you and keep you safe…as well as all our servicemen and women in harms way. Please know that lots of us at home pray for y’all every day and honor the service you give. You are making a difference.

Your Cousin Sherry

Thankyou, thankyou for this stirring story of our gallant soldiers. Whatt is very significan is that this unit was stationed at Vilseck. Where is Vilseck? Yes it is in Germany an occupied country for how many years? This is a great community. When I was stationed in Hielbronn I visited there every month. Why in the name of common sence are people so overly preoccupied about staying in Iraq for a while to maintain stability and nurture the flurishing infrastructure. Hurrah for the soldiers and their their lovely families who are passing on the freedoms to a depressed and ravaged people, who through no fault of their own have gone throught so much. These occupier soldiers have learned there lesson well in Graffenweir and are the great extension of our land to promote greateness even at the loss of their own lives. I personally feel the pain and fly my flag daily at half mass on their behalf.

Sgt. Jay Cox,

The pictures and your story are great. I thank you and the men and women at your side
fighting for us everyday. I can’t help but think of my small children and what it will be like for
them as they get older, it’s a bit scary. You soldiers are so appreciated.

I am sure your pictures have a great impact on many of the people who see them, they brought tears to my eyes. Keep snapping! You know that you will always have someone who disagrees and those who have better ideas or better plans, but I just want to say thank you because this war was not your decision, but you and the soldiers at your side stepped up to the plate for all of us. So, I (we) solute you.

God Bless you and keep you.

An ol’ classmate,
Sonja Gehrmann

GOOD WORK!! WE NEED TO SEE MORE OF THE ACTUAL FACES OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SO GRATEFUL WE ARE HELPING THEM.NO PROPAGANDA, NO POLITICS,JUST PEOPLE. GOD BLESS ALL..DAVE

Sgt. J. Cox,

It is great the job that you are doing and there are always going to be those who are going to have negative things to say, but the pictures are priceless and it makes me look at my selfishness. I worry about my children and what it will be like as they grow-up, but when I take a peek at these pictures it just really tugs at my heart and I just thank God for all we have been blessed with.

The bottom line is that this war was not your decision but you made a choice to stand up for us and for that I (we) solute you, and all those standing up for us. I express my thanks with tears in my eyes and I keep you in my prayers. THANK YOU!

God Bless and Keep you. When you get home I will need your autograph, you are a hero in my book.

An ol’ friend,
S. Gehrmann

This is a beautiful website! You have done such a great job showing America a side of Iraq that we are not able to see. You are such a strong man to take your pain and hurt of losing your friends and turn it into something beautiful! Thank you for all you do for us and for our freedom! We salute you! May God continue to richly bless you and all the soldiers over there! We support you!

Joe (or Jay as your family calls you),
I am a friend and my wife is a fellow RE/MAX Realtor with your cousin, Sherry Johnson. When she sent me the link to your picture story, I looked at your pictures and I found it hard to breathe. I felt my eye tear up and heard my heart breaking. I felt joy and pride at having men and women such as you making the world we live it so much better. I looked at myself and saw selfishness that you put aside daily as well as, what I consider, a spoiled human compared to many, many others that you see every day.
Bottom line is, Joe, that I don’t know how to properly thank you and all of your fellow service people. My nephew is on the front lines in Iraq as well. “Thank you” seems all too simple, too little. “Thank you” doesn’t seem enough, yet, that’s the only thing I can come up with. But I say it with a heart loaded with admiration, appreciation and prayer for you, my nephew and each and every service person from years past to years in the future that do their best for us, for our country and for the world as one.
Peace and freedom can only be given by men and women with the bravery and honor as you have.
Thank you, Joe, THANK YOU.
Marty Monaco
Flower Mound, Texas

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