Quick 8: Baghdad Pups

Digby posted about the Baghdad Pups organization last night. They are an SPCA affiliated organization that works to get animals out of Iraq that have been under the care of our soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan. There are many stories at the web site, but a few will break your heart. There's more to learn about the basic decency and humanity of our soldiers here than in a thousand Fox News stories. Here are my eight favorite.

1. Patton - A tanker unit spots what appears to be a piece of plastic by the side of the road. Worried that it be an explosive device, they are shocked to find a defenseless puppy.
2. Charlie - Charlie appears to be the original Baghdad Pup. Discovered on patrol by Sgt. Watson, he came to be the platoon mascot. Charlie's first steps on American soil was well covered by the media.
3. Ralphie - A soldier discovered poor Ralphie being kicked around by a group of children. He traded bottled water and Gatorade for the puppy and Ralphie is now an American puppy.
4. Moody - Bryan and some of his fellow soldiers had seen a dirty puppy one day and they had hoped to find him and give him a bath. Before they could, several soldiers in the group were killed by an IED. Moody helped heal the wounds for the surviving soldiers.
5. Tom - Tom, on orange tabby, was saved from potential death by a young soldier. After that soldier was injured in an IED explosion that took the life of two of his fellow soldiers. It was Tom that helped the young soldier smile again.
6. Socks - Socks wasn't just a loyal companion and friend to many units in Iraq, he was a soldier himself. Now, he's a civilian in the States.
7. Kujo - Kujo was discovered in the street by a Marine unit, a small puppy walking around his dead litter mate who had been shot. He would become the best friend on the entire unit.
8. Beatrice - The soldiers who took care of Beatrice got more than they bargained for! After hearing a strange noise, they discovered their furry friend giving birth to five puppies behind a piece of furniture. Mommy and puppies are all stateside now.