I seriously don't like how the whole Jessica Lynch thing is being blown EXTREMELY out of proportion. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad she's OK & everything, but there were other POW's too.. and there were also many other soldiers who even lost their lives in combat and in "peace keeping missions" and I don't think it's right to make a huge deal out of the Jessica Lynch story and to forget about the others who have also done so much for the cause. :(

I say more power to her for being able to convince somebody to give her money without seeing the product. I guess if Hillary can do it, why can't she. And if the ghost rider thing is true, the publisher picked a very good ghost rider for the book.

While I agree with those who say that the other POWs deserve attention and credit too, Jessica Lynch was nevertheless brave. I am her age, and I do not have it in me to enlist in the army in the first place, let alone to handle being deployed in Iraq. Nevermind the fact that she is supposedly like 5'1 and under 100 pounds - her rifle must be almost as big as her!

A tiny 20 year old girl who is brave enough to enlist in the army and survive a POW experience does deserve respect; however, it is sad that other soldiers do not recieve the same respect as they are all deserving!

On a side note did anyone else hear that she is now engaged to her boyfriend?

ok in no way am I bashing the armed forces - I have many friends serving right now whom I love dearly :)

has anyone ever thought that its not bravery that drives someone to pick up a gun and fight for their country? I mean Jessica Lynch is from a small W. Virginia town and from the looks of her family from interviews I saw, it didn't look like they had much. Maybe she joined the army so she could make some money and go to college. I know thats why some of my friends joined. Yes they adore their country and yes they are putting their lives on the line for us, but that wasn't why they joined. The lure of money was too much for them.

I heard that he gave her a "promise ring", but I haven't heard about an official engagement though.

I think that her brother is also in the military. That could be a factor in why she joined. :)

Yeah, the local news (in which Palestine WV is in the area) said she was engaged. What's been told around the town is that she was surprised when she made local news, she didn't expect her situation to go that far w/CNN and the book and movie.
Around here she's actually struggled to stay out of the limelight. but some of you are going to have to understand is the climate of where she is from. Appalachia is filled with the "good boys and the good girls". It's like a big damn family down here...once you're on the local news you're a celebrity whether you wanted to be or not.

If you're going to blame someone blame the dag on press.

Oh, the movie is going to focus more on the Iraqi doctor. (or at least this is what I've heard..)

Actually, according to initial news reports, that's exactly why she enlisted. She wants to be an elementary school teacher. And, she's not alone. A lot of people do that. Many enlist with the sometimes incorrect assumption (gamble?) that there won't be a war while they're in. Which doesn't diminish in any way the way most of them do their sworn duty when a conflict does arise. There aren't that many Rambos among us, and I don't know too many people who want to go to war.

TekeSweethrt is exactly right about the "togetherness" in Appalachia. The culture there is pretty different.

I'm pretty sure I read that she has been offered a free ride to any West Virginia state supported college.

As for the weight of her rifle, do they still make M-16 stocks out of plastic? Haven't seen one in years.

First reports were that she shot a bunch of enemy soldiers -- but that report went away pretty quickly.

Cream, I don't think it's a criticism of Jessica Lynch, in as much at is at the media for making her an icon. The accomplishments of others are seemingly unnoticed because Lynch is a cute, young victim and the media (and perhaps even the government) are so focused on milking her ordeal for everything it's worth.

her unit was based out of ft. bliss in el paso. so we've got a bit more global view. everyone of those captured or killed in that unit, the 507th, had a story to tell. it's great jessica got a deal. but what of the female native american soldier from arizona who leaves behind kids; the soldier whose girl friend (and now wife) was a student at my high school; and soldier who was the cook and shot in both feet...the list goes on.
perhaps, this is a wag the dog moment.
for the rest of those brave souls in the military, we cannot support them enough.

i believe they joined within a month or so of each other....i'm not sure who joined first.

for the record, i completely agree with mmcat, leslie agd and deltalum. they've said about everything i want to.

You hit the nail right on the head!!!!

What bout the countless people who aren't soldiers that are there in term of humanitrian work? People such as the Red Cross & Red Crescent, OXFAM, UNICEF, UNDP, World Bank. They're are the unsung heroes of this conflict. You'll never see a movie made about them.