thedrifter
01-11-07, 07:00 AM
Marine likes what he hears from president
January 11, 2007
BY LISA DONOVAN Staff Reporter
"The Marines' Hymn" twice interrupted Marco Gomez Wednesday night as he watched President Bush on the big-screen television vowing to send 20,000 more troops to Iraq.
And both times, Gomez -- a U.S. Marine Corps reservist -- silenced the song, which serves as his cell phone's ring tone. The 27-year-old Aurora police officer wanted to hear what he would later call one of the president's best, most detailed speeches yet about combating terrorism and opening Iraq to the democracy Iraqis want and deserve.
"I wanted to watch this because I figure this is something that will affect me," said Gomez, who stopped at his parents' Southwest Side home to watch the roughly 20-minute speech.
And yes, if he gets the call back to service, he'll proudly go. Again. He has already served a tour in Iraq -- from September 2004 to April 2005.
"This is a voluntary service, I've always said that, and 99 percent of the time, the [troops] who are there want to be there serving their country."
As a veteran of this war, he was glad to hear about the proposed surge in troops and an emphasis on training the Iraqi military.
'We've been holding back'
"I've said, if I were president, I'd send more troops. It's a big country, and the faster we secure these areas, the safer it's going to be for everyone -- our guys and the people who live there," said Gomez.
He called the president's speech not only a likely boost for troop morale, but also for the Iraqi people and their military. He said he hopes the speech will persuade skeptics to support the president and his plan for Iraq.
"I think we needed to show the bad guys that we're united," Gomez said.
Gomez went on: "I think what's different here [about the president's approach] is we've been holding back a lot. I just see this from the standpoint of thews, where there [have been questions about whether] we're going to stay, are we going to withdraw? I think he's telling the American people, 'We're going to stick by the Iraqi people, and then we're going to bring the boys home.'"
ldonovan@suntimes.com
Ellie
January 11, 2007
BY LISA DONOVAN Staff Reporter
"The Marines' Hymn" twice interrupted Marco Gomez Wednesday night as he watched President Bush on the big-screen television vowing to send 20,000 more troops to Iraq.
And both times, Gomez -- a U.S. Marine Corps reservist -- silenced the song, which serves as his cell phone's ring tone. The 27-year-old Aurora police officer wanted to hear what he would later call one of the president's best, most detailed speeches yet about combating terrorism and opening Iraq to the democracy Iraqis want and deserve.
"I wanted to watch this because I figure this is something that will affect me," said Gomez, who stopped at his parents' Southwest Side home to watch the roughly 20-minute speech.
And yes, if he gets the call back to service, he'll proudly go. Again. He has already served a tour in Iraq -- from September 2004 to April 2005.
"This is a voluntary service, I've always said that, and 99 percent of the time, the [troops] who are there want to be there serving their country."
As a veteran of this war, he was glad to hear about the proposed surge in troops and an emphasis on training the Iraqi military.
'We've been holding back'
"I've said, if I were president, I'd send more troops. It's a big country, and the faster we secure these areas, the safer it's going to be for everyone -- our guys and the people who live there," said Gomez.
He called the president's speech not only a likely boost for troop morale, but also for the Iraqi people and their military. He said he hopes the speech will persuade skeptics to support the president and his plan for Iraq.
"I think we needed to show the bad guys that we're united," Gomez said.
Gomez went on: "I think what's different here [about the president's approach] is we've been holding back a lot. I just see this from the standpoint of thews, where there [have been questions about whether] we're going to stay, are we going to withdraw? I think he's telling the American people, 'We're going to stick by the Iraqi people, and then we're going to bring the boys home.'"
ldonovan@suntimes.com
Ellie