It turns out that the form letters sent here from soldiers in Iraq were indeed part of a spontaneous, battalion-level drive to deliver a clear, accurate and positive account of post-war Iraq. From Lieutenant Colonel Dominic Caraccilo of the 503rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion:

Caraccilo said he circulated the form letter to his soldiers to give them "an opportunity to let their respective hometowns know what they are accomplishing here in Kirkuk. As you might expect, they are working at an extremely fast pace and getting the good news back home is not always easy. We thought it would be a good idea to encapsulate what we as a battalion have accomplished since arriving Iraq and share that pride with people back home."

Caraccilo wrote that his staff drafted the letter, he edited it and reviewed it and then offered it to the soldiers. "Every soldier who signed that letter did so after a careful read," he said. "Some, who could find the time, decided to send their own versions, while others chose not to take part in the initiative."

Caraccilo was unapologetic, saying that the letter "perfectly reflects what each of these brave soldiers has and continues to accomplish on the ground."

To their credit, ABC concurs with the reconstruction success in Kirkuk. That bright spot in the article is then balanced by a totally unsurprising grouse from an editor at the Boston Globe, insofar as the letters weren't "originals." Oh, the humanity. To comply with the sterling submission standards at the Globe, maybe the 503rd can alter its daily schedule and substitute Creative Writing Hour for a patrol or two?