Following is a message from Maj. Dunham that provides a station-by-station status update of the Al Anbar TV equipment project. Equipping the stations and training the staff have proceeded more slowly than we hoped back in April. As of June 21st, equipment had been delivered to 5 of 6 stations. The terrorist violence against the US and the Coalition (and against the Iraqis that cooperate with them) has understandably slowed things down. But there is progress. One of the TV stations equipped by Spirit of America used its new gear to produce a news story about the ribbon-cutting opening ceremony of a women's sewing center. We donated the 50 sewing machines that made the opening of the center possible. Click here to read about that.

Most disturbing has been the stain on the U.S. military. Our military, even with all its shortcomings and with a history of several unforgivable atrocities, is the most law-abiding and disciplined military the world has ever seen. The military justice system will sort out who is responsible for the shameful abuses of prisoners, and we should hope those responsible will be punished to the full extent of the law. No matter their rank, whoever was responsible disgraced the military and the country they serve.

It has been a bad time for the U.S. military. Our troops in Iraq have good reason to be angry with their civilian leaders. But there are also people in the military who understand that we have made a commitment to the Afghani and Iraqi people that we cannot break now.

Special Forces Sgt. 1st Class Jay Smith is serving in the small village of Orgun-E, in eastern Afghanistan about 20 miles from the Pakistan border. He and his team employed two local boys to work in the kitchen of the American unit. Smith asked his wife, Dianna, in Fayetteville, N.C., to send baseball gloves, a bat and a ball for the two boys. The boys were so thrilled that Smith asked his wife to send more for the other children in the village.

Within a short time, Smith and his fellow Green Berets had a two-team baseball league of Afghani kids. Smith is the coach.

Smith and his work with local villagers became the subject of a program for National Geographic TV. Smith said that when the Special Forces soldiers befriended the villagers of Orgun-E, they got protection from al Qaeda attacks in the area. "Once they saw we had a true, blue interest in them, they joined with us," said Smith. "The things we did to help people in Orgun-E literally saved lives. Theirs and ours."

A Los Angeles businessman, Jim Hake, who has started some profitable high-tech companies, saw the National Geographic program about Smith. Hake got inspired by Smith and launched a new nonprofit organization called Spirit of America (www.spiritofamerica.net) to support soldiers overseas.

Spirit of America now takes donations from Americans for programs that help people in Afghanistan and Iraq. Hake told me, "If you take the organizing power of the Internet and reach out to people who might want to support what people like Sergeant Smith want to do, our troops can be better ambassadors for our country."

The organization helps build youth sports leagues, grass-roots economic development projects and independent, unbiased news media in Iraq.

They've given Frisbee discs to the 1st Marine Division, which works in the deadly Sunni Triangle north of Baghdad; the Frisbees are ice-breakers for local kids, who now may get a different impression of Americans. The Marines have asked for 50 sewing machines for women in Ramadi, Iraq, to get the women started in a small business, and Hake wants to send the Marines 1,000 sewing machines.

Through Spirit of America, Americans can donate shoes, tools, school supplies and clothes to children in remote Afghani villages under the protection of U.S. Army Special Forces.

"Our soldiers serving overseas are often the only 'face' of America the people there will ever see," Hake said. "On a one-to-one basis, a people-to-people basis, relationships can be built."

He added: "Iraqis who support democracy need to feel a connection with Americans - not just a tangible connection, but a spiritual connection. It's hard feeling alone and in danger. It makes a difference if you know there are people who are behind you and willing to help."

The war on terrorism won't be won militarily, and it won't be won through contracts to Halliburton Co. or some other giant, bureaucratic organization.

It won't be won by people who fly into Iraq for a few days to hobnob with the elite. But it may be won by people like Sgt. Jay Smith and the ordinary grunts of the Marine Corps, who build friendships with the people of Iraq and Afghanistan and in the process help rebuild those countries - and ours.

Chapman is director of The 21st Century Project at the LBJ School. He can be reached at gary.chapman@mail.utexas.edu.