From a Marine in Iraq
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  1. #1

    Post From a Marine in Iraq

    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"


  2. #2
    Marine Spouse Free Member
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    I would like to send this story to some of my media
    contacts (national talk radio) as part of my effort
    to provide a constant flow of positive "other side of the
    story" stories about the war in Iraq.

    Could you possibly ask this parent if I can use it
    for this purpose, Ellie? It's OK to keep his identity anonymous
    though having a name would lend it more credibility.


  3. #3
    The fight for freedom- to liberate a country, is what this Marine stated in his letter. The sacrifices made by our Marines and their families for the sake of "Mission Accomplished", "Weapons of Mass Destruction", "The Fight Against Terrorism", and the list seems endless; as well as establishment of a democracy in a country formerly ruled by a dictator (Saddam Hussein)...what next? Cuba? Libya? Iran? Sure we go where our Country tells us to go; and we honor our fallen knowing they were acting on orders form someone whose idea of winning a war is clouded in confusion and unresolved conflicts. We aspire to be good Marines in doing a job no one else wants to do, yet we have leaders who lack the intellectual ability to do the job they were elected to do and we have subordinate officials thinking that they have this "above-the-law" mentality to violate Americans' Constitutional Rights -- who's the dictator now or better yet, who's the "dick"? We all know who that is -- yet all for one and one for all, we'll fight this battle, win this war and see it through regardless. Why? Because we are MARINES, The FEW...The PROUD..The MARINES!! OOOoooo Raaaah!!!! Semper fi do or die!!! Gunny...


  4. #4
    Iraq has nothing to do with our freedoms here at home. Iraq was a war of choice and not necessity and had absolutely nothing to do with the horrific events of 9/11. And where in the Constitution is it written that we are to secure freedom for every swinging dick around the world?


  5. #5
    Speaking of swinging dicks MARINE, this jarhead drilled into his boots the notion of Duty, Honor and Country. If your country tells you to go to the moon to fight a battle, regardless of the reasons; you do it and you do it with vigor and with the sense that all MARINES protect the innocense of others; that includes citizens of Iraq!! Granted I agree that the war is wrong, but then again you obey orders and not question them...right?!! Once a Marine always a Marine; I respect the fact you spoke your mind, but also know this...Marines have faught on every battlefield around the world, if we all thought the way you just did...our history would not look so good; as it stands we faught the wars and won the battles many times over - we will win this one, too. You will see....I do appreciate the fact you did speak your mind...at ease Marine and Semper fi!! Oooorah!! Gunny


  6. #6
    Well said, Gunny Rick!




  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by bigrickjr57
    Speaking of swinging dicks MARINE, this jarhead drilled into his boots the notion of Duty, Honor and Country. If your country tells you to go to the moon to fight a battle, regardless of the reasons; you do it and you do it with vigor and with the sense that all MARINES protect the innocense of others; that includes citizens of Iraq!! Granted I agree that the war is wrong, but then again you obey orders and not question them...right?!! Once a Marine always a Marine; I respect the fact you spoke your mind, but also know this...Marines have faught on every battlefield around the world, if we all thought the way you just did...our history would not look so good; as it stands we faught the wars and won the battles many times over - we will win this one, too. You will see....I do appreciate the fact you did speak your mind...at ease Marine and Semper fi!! Oooorah!! Gunny

    If I were on active duty and ordered to go to Iraq I would bite my tongue and do my duty. I wouldn't do it for the ****ing iraqis though. I'd do it to watch the backs of my brothers in arms.

    I'm not anti-war. I'm just against this war in iraq. Operation Enduring Freedom is the war on terror.


  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by eddief
    If I were on active duty and ordered to go to Iraq I would bite my tongue and do my duty. I wouldn't do it for the ****ing iraqis though. I'd do it to watch the backs of my brothers in arms.

    I'm not anti-war. I'm just against this war in iraq. Operation Enduring Freedom is the war on terror.
    With the venom you spew around here, my brothers would not want you "covering" their backs; trust me!





  9. #9
    Marine Free Member jinelson's Avatar
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    Amen Top!


  10. #10
    Eddie you are the 10% we learn about in bootcamp. You never understood what it meant to be a Marine. Somehow along the way you forgot that being a Marine is being part of a team and working toward a common goal. You think that being some kind of antiwar antigoverment indivudual makes you different from every other sh*tbird that says the same crap. If you dont like it, get the fu*k out, if you dont agree , POST!.
    Thank God your not in Iraq. Not only would we have to worry about the enemy but also some turd in my squad who may or may not pull the trigger when it is required of him.


  11. #11
    Marine Family Free Member 003XXMarineDAD's Avatar
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    Outlaw I have two young Marines over there that would agree with you .


  12. #12
    As you can see, the majority of MARINES, are correct here. I need not say anymore, I already did earlier - suffice to say that a MARINE stands ready at a moments notice. Semper Fi.....Gunny


  13. #13
    bigrickjr57
    I read your profile and just wanted to ask you how in the hell did you find time to retire with all the colleges you were attending LOL


  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by outlaw3179
    Eddie you are the 10% we learn about in bootcamp. You never understood what it meant to be a Marine. Somehow along the way you forgot that being a Marine is being part of a team and working toward a common goal. You think that being some kind of antiwar antigoverment indivudual makes you different from every other sh*tbird that says the same crap. If you dont like it, get the fu*k out, if you dont agree , POST!.
    Thank God your not in Iraq. Not only would we have to worry about the enemy but also some turd in my squad who may or may not pull the trigger when it is required of him.
    I'm not anti-war. If I were anti-war then I'd be against the operation in Afghanistan. I'm not anti-government either. Just because I disagree with the Bush administration about Iraq doesn't mean I'm in my basement planning a revolution. I don't know where you got the idea that I think I'm special because of what I believe, and I don't know why I have to be a "****bird" because I have a different POV than you. As for your last insult, it's not even worth responding to.


  15. #15
    Marine Free Member rb1651's Avatar
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    Just my opinion, the problem I see here is a lack of Military Bearing and Discipline. When we took the oath, we swore to follow the legal orders of the CIC. We didn't question them, we didn't have the luxury of an opinion, we just did. It's kind of like we you were getting picked for a team in gym class and you didn't like the team you were with so you didn't give 100%. Well, in the Corps, when the chips are down, if you can't give 100%, then I personnally don't want you on my team 'Nuff said.


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