Semper Fi!!! Bill Bradley 67 Malibu Edmond Oklahoma http://groups.msn.com/SpidrManspics/mycar.msnw http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/chevellerestoration/ to join: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
----- Original Message ----- From: "Clint Hooper" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, May 14, 2004 6:09 PM Subject: [Chevelle-list] O/T: Some new from Iraq > Thought some of you might like to hear the straight scoop from a Marine > friend in the middle. > Clint > --------------------------------------------------------- > News from the front in Iraq: > > The enclosed is from Captain Ben Connable, the intelligence deputy for the > 1st Marine Division, in charge of the western al-Anbar province. > > Subject: Reorienting and Driving Forward > > As you all probably know by now, we are turning > Fallujah over to the Iraqis. > This will give us an opportunity to focus on other > areas, and hopefully to build a new Iraqi Army with > some of the folks that are feeling alienated right > now. We're all painfully aware of the various > issues associated with this move, but there's no > point in discussing them. We'll make this work, > just like we make everything else work to the best > of our ability. The Marines fought hard in Fallujah > and took a lot of very evil people out of the fight. > That effort, and the associated loss of Marine > lives, was not in vain. We're already seeing a > significant decrease in the enemy's ability to > attack our forces. The supply lines are open again > and everything is flowing freely through the > country. Their efforts to cut us off in order to > break our willpower failed. The Iraqi people are > tired of the enemy and they are turning them over to > us left and right. > I'm going to discuss a subject that I know does not > apply to most of you...We're reading that everyone > back home is starting to lose faith in our efforts > in Iraq. The last CBS poll put the numbers under 50% > for the first time. I know that doesn't mean a loss > in support for the troops, but supporting "the > troops" while not supporting the mission doesn't do > much for us. If we're over here for nothing then > vague "support the troops" statements carry little > weight. > The Marines are in high spirits. The troops in > Fallujah are doing what Marines do best, and they're > true professionals. Everyone else is driving > forward, wondering what all the fuss back home is > all about. We don't feel that we're losing anything > - in fact, we're finally addressing issues that > should have been addressed some time ago. The world > seems to have forgotten what war looks like. It's > not supposed to be pretty and happy. Force is used > to kill those who are perpetrating evil on the > people of Iraq. The images need to be put in > perspective, something the news agencies just don't > have time for. > It would be interesting to see someone track all the > dire accounts and predictions that were issued over > the past three weeks to see if they've been > accurate. I read reports that we were cut off and > couldn't get supplies. Reality: Not true, they > failed. A popular revolution was taking place in the > south and Sadr was leading a new Shia revolt. > Reality: Not true. Shia militia are killing Sadr's > folks in Najaf because they don't respect him and > they're sick of him. He's the same buffoon he was > last month. Fallujah would ignite the Arab world > (how many times have we heard that one). Reality: > Despite the best efforts of Al-Jazira to make us > look like Atilla the Hun, there has been no > explosion of populist anger. The same problems exist > that existed last month - no better, no worse. > Please pass the word that we're doing great and the > Marines are victorious in every battle. The enemy is > a disconcerted, disparate group of disenfranchised > dissemblers who have little power outside the realm > of localized intimidation and the support of > complicit al-Jazeera reporters. We will be able to > settle this place down and help the Iraqi people > back on their feet if we're able to ignore the > hysteria on T.V. and recall the national willpower > we had in the 1940's. What happened to our country? > Have we really become so addled and weak-willed that > we can't stick something out through a little rough > patch? I have faith that we'll get the backing we > need to finish our work in Iraq. Please have that > faith with me and support our mission as much as you > support our Marines. > > Semper Fidelis, > > Ben > > >
