#7 Thanks all. It's been about 3 months since my last writings. I'm still in TQ doing my thing. It has actually been fairly quiet here. I've come to realize a few things since I've been here so here's a lengthy list for lost time:
1) The media truly focuses on the negative. For instance, we find hundreds of IED's and disarm, destroy, or neutralize them on a daily basis all across Iraq. That almost never gets reported. However, the one that goes off or kills someone gets played ad nauseum. It amazes me how easy the nightly news compounds the bad events as if we were losing the war. Everytime I call home I have to dispell rumors and bullshit precipitated by some ass hole journalist. Yes, mistakes are made as w/any human endeavor. It's not a video game or some silly ass hollywood movie. I hate the zero defects mentality the arm chair quaterbacks back home take on. No matter how much you train and try to do the right thing, shit still happens. No one realizes that for all the hundreds of convoys we run on a daily basis in theater so few bad things actually do happen - it's amazing. If you look at the statistics we're doing real well.
2) I've been here 3 months. I have not seen one MSM reporter. Minus the one from Argentina a month back that I think flew here on accident.
3) We go so far out of our way not to hurt innocent people it goes beyond practicality. I'd like to punch a lot of these human rights pussies in the face who say we don't do enough or don't care about the locals....Idiots. Our ROE is clear. No, I personally could give a fuck about the locals - I don't like their culture and I don't like their society, but, I don't want to hurt anyone's kid or parent on accident. No military folks do. We all have families, we're all human beings. On the same token though, if some 12 yr old points a rifle at me or one of my Marines I will clip them w/out hesitation.
4) Everyone here is behind the mission. We want to do our job and then go home. Pretty common theme. Though I will tell you, close to 10% of my unit wants to stay another 6 months. My take is that we'll be down to company sized elements in 5 yrs out here.
5) This is not Viet Nam, not even close. Heck, not even the same sport. We held a successful Referendum and are getting ready to handle a permanent election. They wrote a constitution and there is no Ho Chi Minh like figures here. The comparisons don't wash no matter how much some fat drunken politicians would like to wax ecstatic about it. BTW, its a matter of time before that socio-path Zarqawi gets clipped, if he hasn't already.
6) Someone put on a VDH article ("Moral War") on the 'burg yesterday. You nailed it. That guy has a command of history and practicality wrt current events most so called elites will never grasp. I love his gig and I'd like to shake VDH's hand just for that article.
7) Most westerners don't understand the tribal nature of the mid-east. We do need to do that better next time around. We also made mistakes in firing all the Iraqi officers and NCO's from the old Army. Patton had the same problem in Bavaria when he was the governor general after WWII. For a lot of people (most westerners can't grasp this) being a Ba'athist was like being a republican or democrat. Not all Ba'athists were blood thirsty baby killers though many should be tried, jailed, or executed for their actions. Some took on that title just so Saddam would leave them and their families alone. I call it a 'lesson learned' out here in reality.
8) War sucks but unfortunately this one was necessary. Hussein needed to be deposed (for violating the UN resolution written in the blood of 299 Americans 17 times over 12 years was enough for me) and we couldn't just leave the place in a vacuum. Cause meet effect.
Re-building this place is hard, dirty, and gritty work. It's not pretty, clean, or easy. I'm not a huge GWB fan but at least he stated that up front and has the grapefruits to stay the course. I'm sick of people taking weak pot shots at the prez, he's got bigger balls then clinton, kerry, & carter combined. Yes, I disagree w/him on immigration and the environment but I think he sees the big picture down the long hiway of Iraq. I don't want my kid here in 20 yrs un-fucking this place when we can do it now. (He can go kill North Koreans if he has to.) Look at Japan/Germany in 1945. Fast forward 60 years and look at our trading partners. I believe Iraq could be a similar success. However, I'm not sure if the average instant gratification 3 second attention span dufus back home thinks about posterity and that 2,100 dead now (though tragic) may stop ten times that many from being killed 20 yrs from now.
9) Fuck Cindy Sheehan. We're all volunteers lady, quit using your son's death for your lame political pulpit. He lived and died a warrior, have the decency to honor him as such. I know she's grieving and I pray for for her soul. I can't imagine losing my little boy but she disrepects his free choice to live like he wanted to w/her charades. I'd come back from the grave and choke the dog shit out of my folks if they pulled that shit.
I could go on all day but you get the drift. Anyways, I'll try to write back again in the next couple months. Hopefully you got something out of my ranting & I didn't insult your intel's too bad. Bottomline, your Marines here are in pretty high spirits and we're fighting the good fight, I'm so proud of my lads here I can't begin to say. Take care and have a great Christmas!
Semper Fidelis
Broadhead6
P.S. Drink some spiked egg nog for me!
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DUBLIN - CIA aircraft landed at Shannon airport in the southwest of Ireland on 38 occasions in recent years, Irish state radio said on Monday, quoting government data.