Gotta kick at the darkness til it bleeds daylight.

Here's Iraq, where irrigation was invented, where law was invented, where writing was invented. All these things that we consider necessities of civilization started there. And the people who live there damn well know that.

The trouble with normal is it only gets worse.

But nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight / Got to kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight.

Everything that makes a society run is broken in Iraq. The only real structure is the people's own sense of themselves as Iraqis, which was very strong. They're a proud people, and they trace their historic roots way, way back.

Some people never see the light Till it shines thru bullet holes.

Almost all the military personnel were wearing sunglasses. No Iraqis wear sunglasses. They really want to see your eyes. So immediately they can't trust the Americans.