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A Shooting in Fallujah (Marine in Falujah INNOCENT)
National Review ^ | 11-19-04 | Mackubin Owen

Posted on 11/19/2004 6:41:50 AM PST by Imnotalib

This is just one story most don't hear:

A young Marine and his cover man cautiously enter a room just recently filled with insurgents armed with AK-47s and RPGs. There are three dead, another wailing in pain. The insurgent can be heard saying, "Mister, mister! Diktoor, diktoor (doctor)!" He is badly wounded, lying in a pool of his own blood. The Marine and his cover man slowly walk toward the injured man, scanning to make sure no enemies come from behind. In a split second, the pressure in the room greatly exceeds that of the outside, and the concussion seems to be felt before the blast is heard. Marines outside rush to the room, and look in horror as the dust gradually settles. The result is a room filled with the barely recognizable remains of the deceased, caused by an insurgent setting off several pounds of explosives.

The Marines' remains are gathered by teary-eyed comrades, brothers in arms, and shipped home in a box. The families can only mourn over a casket and a picture of their loved one, a life cut short by someone who hid behind a white flag. But no one hears these stories, except those who have lived to carry remains of a friend, and the families who loved the dead. No one hears this, so no one cares.

This is the story everyone hears:

A young Marine and his fire team cautiously enter a room just recently filled with insurgents armed with AK-47s and RPGs. There are three dead, another wailing in pain. The insurgent can be heard saying, "Mister, mister! Diktoor, diktoor (doctor)!" He is badly wounded. Suddenly, he pulls from under his bloody clothes a grenade, without the pin. The explosion rocks the room, killing one Marine, wounding the others. The young Marine catches shrapnel in the face.

The next day, same Marine, same type of situation, a different story. The young Marine and his cover man enter a room with two wounded insurgents. One lies on the floor in puddle of blood, another against the wall. A reporter and his camera survey the wreckage inside, and in the background can be heard the voice of a Marine, "He's moving, he's moving!"

The pop of a rifle is heard, and the insurgent against the wall is now dead.

Minutes, hours later, the scene is aired on national television, and the Marine is being held for committing a war crime. Unlawful killing.

And now, another Marine has the possibility of being burned at the stake for protecting the life of his brethren. His family now wrings their hands in grief, tears streaming down their face. Brother, should I have been in your boots, I too would have done the same.

For those of you who don't know, we Marines, Band of Brothers, Jarheads, Leathernecks, etc., do not fight because we think it is right, or think it is wrong. We are here for the man to our left, and the man to our right. We choose to give our lives so that the man or woman next to us can go home and see their husbands, wives, children, friends and families.

For those of you who sit on your couches in front of your television, and choose to condemn this man's actions, I have but one thing to say to you. Get out of you recliner, lace up my boots, pick up a rifle, leave your family behind, and join me. See what I've seen, walk where I have walked. To those of you who support us, my sincerest gratitude. You keep us alive.

I am a Marine currently doing his second tour in Iraq. These are my opinions and mine alone. They do not represent those of the Marine Corps or of the U.S. military, or any other.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: fallujahmarine; falujah; innocent; marine; shooting
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This portion of Owen's article, which was e-mailed to him by a Marine in Iraq, puts the shooting in persective.

This young Marine must NOT be sacrificed on the ALTAR of political correctness, or to appease the savages in the Muslim nations. And to the DUmmies calling for court martial or worse, how about you go to Iraq and fight, and then we'll see if your opinion changes.

For miliatry and legal ramifications, go to NRO and read the whole article.

1 posted on 11/19/2004 6:41:50 AM PST by Imnotalib
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To: Imnotalib

BUMP!


2 posted on 11/19/2004 6:44:43 AM PST by Fester Chugabrew
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Comment #3 Removed by Moderator

To: Imnotalib
"the insurgent against the wall"

Must be a typo....Should read "the islamo-fascist terrorist against the wall"

4 posted on 11/19/2004 6:45:32 AM PST by kahoutek
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To: Imnotalib
I think it is time to bar reporters from going along with our troops in Iraq since quite a few of them don't respect our military such as the NBC correspondent. Even better, do background checks on their politics. No lib's or antiwar people need not apply.
5 posted on 11/19/2004 6:45:48 AM PST by CORedneck
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To: Imnotalib

BIG BUMP


6 posted on 11/19/2004 6:46:46 AM PST by sweetiepiezer (We stopped Kerry for our grandkids sake!!!!!!!! Thank you America!!!!!!)
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To: CORedneck

I agree. They are the enemy'spropoganda mouthpiece.


7 posted on 11/19/2004 6:47:57 AM PST by sheik yerbouty
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To: Imnotalib
While it may sound strange to some, I believe the idea of restraint in war helps to civilize a brutal human activity and to limit the descent of soldiers into barbarism.

I and a couple of others got pilloried for saying essentially this. We apparently have some among our number who think that no restraint against the Falluja terrorists can be justified.

8 posted on 11/19/2004 6:49:40 AM PST by mvpel (Michael Pelletier)
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To: Imnotalib

The so called journalist condemming this Marine haven't got a clue as to what it is like being in the situation that those Marine's were under.


9 posted on 11/19/2004 6:50:18 AM PST by Piquaboy (22 year veteran of the Army, AIr Force, Pray for all our military in hostile territory.)
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To: Imnotalib

"These are my opinions and mine alone. "


Umm...they're mine too.


10 posted on 11/19/2004 6:50:43 AM PST by Blzbba (Conservative Republican - Less gov't, less spending, less intrusion.)
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To: Imnotalib

the embedded journalist serves the terrorists even as the rest of the MSM serves lies and fallacies. Goebbels smiles from hell.


11 posted on 11/19/2004 6:50:53 AM PST by twntaipan (Bush won--demonRATs should get used to the idea.)
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To: CORedneck

Or at least monitor what is released. This is simply a non story to me. I can't believe that MSM is still talking about it. I don't know anyone who has given it a second thought.


12 posted on 11/19/2004 6:51:16 AM PST by mel
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To: CORedneck

IN TOTAL AGREEMENT!
U S M C 74-80
SEMPER FIDELIS!
GODSPEED!


13 posted on 11/19/2004 6:51:20 AM PST by alpha-8-25-02 (SAVED BY GRACE AND GRACE ALONE)
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To: Imnotalib

bttt


14 posted on 11/19/2004 6:51:35 AM PST by firewalk
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Comment #15 Removed by Moderator

Comment #16 Removed by Moderator

To: Imnotalib

Thanks for your post. We all need to be contacting our elected representatives, and local media to support this marine. Here's what I wrote to my local newspaper.


Editor, the News Sentinel:

The liberal media is hard at work again, showing video and writing articles
about the Marine who shot the wounded Iraqi terrorist. Now that technology
exists to allow embedded reporters to carry video cameras with satellite
uplinks, the media and liberal politicians find it easier and faster than
ever to characterize American soldiers as cruel, and force them into no-win
situations.

John Kerry was given a Silver Star for chasing down and killing a wounded
Vietnamese soldier, and liberals called him a war hero. Now, the same crowd
wants to misrepresent what a Marine chose to do in a split-second decision,
in hopes that it will reflect poorly on our men and women serving in harm's
way (and by extension, President Bush).

American Soldiers, Airmen and Marines deserve better than this. I urge
everyone to call and write your elected representatives to say we won't
stand by while good men are made scapegoats to serve a cynical political
agenda. Contact info for Local, State, and Federal government officials can
be found at the following address:
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/. This Marine and thousands of
others are overseas protecting our families here at home. We should in
exchange protect them here on the home front.


17 posted on 11/19/2004 6:54:22 AM PST by Fletcher J
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To: Imnotalib

http://www.petitiononline.com/as123/petition.html


18 posted on 11/19/2004 6:56:29 AM PST by 68 grunt (3/1 India, 3rd, 68-69, 0311)
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To: Made in USA

I think you are on to something here..........Let the reporters sacrifice their lives for their newspapers, instead of their country......and save the lives of our marines at the same time.


19 posted on 11/19/2004 6:58:49 AM PST by joe fonebone (We won.......time to do it OUR way!)
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To: mvpel
"no restraint against the Falluja terrorists"

Your thoughts are there, but you clouded it with extra words.

NO restraint against Terrorist!

20 posted on 11/19/2004 7:00:04 AM PST by Deguello
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