I first read about this story in my local Atlanta newspaper, the Al-Atlanta Journal Constitution. This was quite a surprise to me, since the paper generally leans way left of any issues. The original article posted on Dec. 30, 2005 was the original I read, and to my surprise, they’ve continued writing about this “good news” story from Iraq. The AJC has been typically anti-war and very liberal, so it was a nice surprise to read this.

Out of turmoil comes joy, hope
Iraqi baby’s new name: Georgia
Author: MONI BASU
Date: December 30, 2005

Baghdad, Iraq — The first time Georgia soldiers entered her house, Soad was scared. Americans had detained her eldest son for questioning once. She didn’t like gun-toting men in camouflage uniforms poking around the family home in Abu Ghraib.

But out of that frightening moment came a gift of joy.

Gainesville-based soldiers of the Georgia Army National Guard’s 48th Brigade Combat Team promised to help give new life to Soad’s granddaughter Noor al-Zahra, born three months ago with a severe spinal cord defect that was untreatable in Iraq.”I am so thankful for everything,” Soad said. “We will call the baby Noor al-Zahra Georgia.”"Georgia! Georgia!” she told her daughters when she called home from Baghdad’s Camp Liberty on Thursday. “We want to name her that because the people of Georgia are helping us,” Soad said. “It will be a nice name for her.”