Meriting further study
Does the presence of US soldiers in all-new hellholes of repression do anything to make things better in said hellholes? So far, No, says Chicago Tribune [registration required]. It helps with publicity for dissidents, though.

They may not be affecting much change because they don't much care where the hell the are:

"We don't ban our men from going out," said Lemonier's executive officer, Lt. Col. John Lopez. "They just don't want to go out. I mean, by the time you get your civvies on and get a ride, what can you expect out there? Diarrhea from local food? Malaria? AIDS? And who knows if something happens to you?"

Gotta love that natural American curiosity.