thedrifter
07-18-06, 10:06 AM
From a Marine in Iraq
Parent of Marine in Iraq
7/14/2006
This is from the parent of a Marine in Iraq who is in Al Anbar.
I mentioned earlier that my son, CPL Steve F., was going to send an essay/letter/article just expressing his feelings about the war, and I received it a couple of days ago. He has asked me to distribute it to as many people as I can. So here it is. My only request is that it not be forwarded to any of the guys in the [unit]--you know how that goes--"What goes around..." and he may not be comfortable knowing guys in his unit have seen his letter; I figure, if he wants them to see it, he'll let them read it. It's not really for them, anyway. Okay, well, here it is, folks:
"As I come closer to the halfway point in my second combat tour, I have been reflecting on the events dating from 9/11 to today. Watching the nation's perspective change from an incredible level of patriotism to the lackluster, complacent attitude I see now, is sickening.
I ask myself what has changed since 9/11. Does it take a horrific tragedy to open the eyes of the public and motivate them to stand behind our nation's principles? "For those who have forgotten, we were sent here to defeat tyranny and fight terrorism.
Tyranny has been abolished and we are now in the process of ridding this country from terror. Our fight is not over, we still have a mission to accomplish, and we still need the support of our country: not support for the troops but support for the war on terror.
"Hearing people say, 'I support the troops, but I don't support the war,' is hypocrisy that astounds and annoys me every time I hear it.
Saying you don't support the war is telling me that you don't support my beliefs, my right to fight for freedom, and my choice to be over here away from my family to be a part of something I believe in.
I'll tell you what I don't support: I don't support Americans cowering behind the wall of freedom that we provide and then criticize the way we provide it.
Stand behind us. Stand behind what we've volunteered to do. "Over the past month we have made incredible progress in our war effort.
We are working hand-in-hand with the Iraqi army, and with their help we have successfully broken apart several terrorist cells in our area. We have seen more success at this point in the war than eight months of fighting in OIF I and II. And yet our nation supports us less now than before . . . what is the explanation?
"Don't let the events in Abu Ghraib and Haditha alter your perspective of the Marine Corps. A week ago today two Iraqi children were brought to our traffic control point.
The children were sheep herders, and as they were walking, one of their sheep stepped on a pressure-plated IED.
The IED was not meant for coalition forces. It was placed by an insurgent whose intent was to harm any Iraqi civilian. The IED blew one of the children's lower mandible off and left severe shrapnel wounds in the upper leg of the second child.
Both of these children survived the IED because their parents brought them to us. They knew that the Marines would care for them. The Marines would save their children when a terrorist attacked his own people. The Marines and Navy corpsmen of Alpha Company of the 3rd LAR have saved the lives of numerous innocent Iraqi civilians and have developed a relationship with the Iraqi Army to the point that I can call them brothers-in-arms.
A language, religion, and culture barrier separates us, and yet one common factor allows us to unite and fight side by side. The fight for freedom-to liberate a country. "I will spend my Independence Day fighting for the freedom of a country that has been oppressed for over 54 years. For those of you who say, "Let them fight their own war," or "Pull the troops out now-it's not our fight," remember how our country came to be and the sacrifices that have been made to build our nation.
"For those of you who remain supportive, I thank you with all my heart. I wish I could portray to you the joy and exhilaration I experience every time we help the Iraqi people. Your support keeps us driving, and without it this fight would be unwinnable.
To the families of all the military personnel overseas, you are heroes to us . . . your ability to support our being away for months at a time requires more courage than any situation we encounter.
The support of my wife, family, and friends has taken me through almost two combat deployments. Realize that our families have it harder than us. Respect and support them as you do the Marines and sailors.
Semper Fi"
Parent of Marine in Iraq
7/14/2006
This is from the parent of a Marine in Iraq who is in Al Anbar.
I mentioned earlier that my son, CPL Steve F., was going to send an essay/letter/article just expressing his feelings about the war, and I received it a couple of days ago. He has asked me to distribute it to as many people as I can. So here it is. My only request is that it not be forwarded to any of the guys in the [unit]--you know how that goes--"What goes around..." and he may not be comfortable knowing guys in his unit have seen his letter; I figure, if he wants them to see it, he'll let them read it. It's not really for them, anyway. Okay, well, here it is, folks:
"As I come closer to the halfway point in my second combat tour, I have been reflecting on the events dating from 9/11 to today. Watching the nation's perspective change from an incredible level of patriotism to the lackluster, complacent attitude I see now, is sickening.
I ask myself what has changed since 9/11. Does it take a horrific tragedy to open the eyes of the public and motivate them to stand behind our nation's principles? "For those who have forgotten, we were sent here to defeat tyranny and fight terrorism.
Tyranny has been abolished and we are now in the process of ridding this country from terror. Our fight is not over, we still have a mission to accomplish, and we still need the support of our country: not support for the troops but support for the war on terror.
"Hearing people say, 'I support the troops, but I don't support the war,' is hypocrisy that astounds and annoys me every time I hear it.
Saying you don't support the war is telling me that you don't support my beliefs, my right to fight for freedom, and my choice to be over here away from my family to be a part of something I believe in.
I'll tell you what I don't support: I don't support Americans cowering behind the wall of freedom that we provide and then criticize the way we provide it.
Stand behind us. Stand behind what we've volunteered to do. "Over the past month we have made incredible progress in our war effort.
We are working hand-in-hand with the Iraqi army, and with their help we have successfully broken apart several terrorist cells in our area. We have seen more success at this point in the war than eight months of fighting in OIF I and II. And yet our nation supports us less now than before . . . what is the explanation?
"Don't let the events in Abu Ghraib and Haditha alter your perspective of the Marine Corps. A week ago today two Iraqi children were brought to our traffic control point.
The children were sheep herders, and as they were walking, one of their sheep stepped on a pressure-plated IED.
The IED was not meant for coalition forces. It was placed by an insurgent whose intent was to harm any Iraqi civilian. The IED blew one of the children's lower mandible off and left severe shrapnel wounds in the upper leg of the second child.
Both of these children survived the IED because their parents brought them to us. They knew that the Marines would care for them. The Marines would save their children when a terrorist attacked his own people. The Marines and Navy corpsmen of Alpha Company of the 3rd LAR have saved the lives of numerous innocent Iraqi civilians and have developed a relationship with the Iraqi Army to the point that I can call them brothers-in-arms.
A language, religion, and culture barrier separates us, and yet one common factor allows us to unite and fight side by side. The fight for freedom-to liberate a country. "I will spend my Independence Day fighting for the freedom of a country that has been oppressed for over 54 years. For those of you who say, "Let them fight their own war," or "Pull the troops out now-it's not our fight," remember how our country came to be and the sacrifices that have been made to build our nation.
"For those of you who remain supportive, I thank you with all my heart. I wish I could portray to you the joy and exhilaration I experience every time we help the Iraqi people. Your support keeps us driving, and without it this fight would be unwinnable.
To the families of all the military personnel overseas, you are heroes to us . . . your ability to support our being away for months at a time requires more courage than any situation we encounter.
The support of my wife, family, and friends has taken me through almost two combat deployments. Realize that our families have it harder than us. Respect and support them as you do the Marines and sailors.
Semper Fi"