Posted on 01/31/2005 8:39:47 PM PST by LowNslow
To all who shall see this message, Greetings!
Here are some of my random thoughts with regard to our deployment, my Marines, and the upcoming elections.
#1. Dan Rather was down at Forward Operating Base Lutayfiyah (known in 2/24 as FOB ROW, which stands for Ramey, O'Donnell, and Warns, 3 of our Fallen Heroes from G Co) to do a piece on 60 Minutes II Wednesday night of this week. We believe the piece focuses on the contrast between the Marine Corps philosophy and the Army's here in Iraq. Our philosophy is one of engagement. Every Marine is like a police officer on a beat. We do foot patrols constantly, have staged our Companies in smaller bases in smaller towns, and our Platoons and Squads in even smaller towns. We live among the Iraqi people, and like a cop on the beat we know who the good guys are and who the bads ones are. We constantly gather intelligence, and conduct targeted raids on the bad guys continuously. We work very closely with our Iraqi Natiuonal Guardsmen, and routinely patrol along side them. We have had tremendous success. We have found more weapons caches than any other unit, we have sent more thugs to Abu Graihb than any other unit, and we have gained control of the so-called "Traiangle of Death", one of the worst areas in the country. We do all this at the lowest possible level, and IT WORKS! Not to be critical of our Army brethren, but they tend to set up large Bases, and engage the people through large scale raids, and large motorized patrols. It doesn't work, as the bad guys know when they coming, and they fail to gather the continuous intelligence you need to win an insurgency. Basically, we think we are doing it right, and have the results to prove it. Please watch 60 Minutes II and let me know how it turns out.
#2. With Dan Rather's visit the Marines got a chance to vent. Not at how bad the conditions are, or how they missed home, or how they didn't have the equipment they needed to win. No, they got a chance to vent at the media, and they gave Mr. Rather an earfull. The gist of their comments was this: 'Why isn't the American media reporting the real story, which is we are winning this war"? If it bleeds, it leads, is going to lose this war not the actions on the ground. We all need to wake up and realize that this is 4th Generation warfare. It is not about killing, occupying territory, and securing the objective. It is about one thing and one thing only. PUBLIC OPINION. Terrorists cannot touch your courageous fighters when it comes to combat. Our equipment, training and resolve are way to good for them to really be much of a military threat. What they can do is detonate a few cowardly roadside bombs, or convince some poor distraught young Arab that to die for Allah is a guaranteed free pass into heaven, which gets some media coverage on the U.S. cable networks, and voila, instant success. They aren't really doing anything from a military, or strategic point of view, but when the American people turn on the T.V. day after day what do they see. 45 seconds worth of footage that make them believe there is this massive uprising of Arabs over here kicking our ass. We are not the target of our cowardly enemy. You are. This war is about information, and dis-information, and right now because of the Dan Rathers of the world our enemy is winning. Has anyone done a piece on the schools opening up in Yusufiyah, or the boom in commerce in the Mahmudyah market, or the fact that most of the people do not like the insurgents? No, it doesn't play well on T.V. Well, please don't fall for the media's portrayal of this war, it is just simply not based on the truth. This country is on the verge of the first democratically elected government in the region's history. We are winning!
#3. Today we met with our Battalion Staff counterparts from the 507th Iraqi National Guard Battalion, the "Fighting Panthers", and at the end of the brief, the Colonel from the ING made the following comments through his interpreter. "It is time that we put our differences aside, it is time that we as a country think about our children, this election is for them, we fight for them, and I would be willing to put myself between a car bomb and the polling station, so they can have democracy in the future". This coming from a man who has had two teenage sons murdered by the insurgents. He has lost about over a 100 men to the insurgency and struggles with insurmountable problems everyday. He believes in democracy, and he believes that the Americans are going to help deliver it. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Colonel Muhameed and the men of the 507th.
#4. On Friday of this past week one of the friendly Sheiks was holding a wedding for one of his sons. The insurgents drove an ambulance up to the outdoor event and a suicide bomber detonated 2,000lbs of explosives. 18 innocent people were killed and another 30 were wounded. Why? Because this Sheik boldly displayed signs advocating the election. If you think the radical Islamic extremist don't fear democracy more than anything, you've missed the point. Democracy puts an end to their movement. For with democracy they will no longer have the ability to enslave their people through fear and terrorism. It is a painful process, but there is much hope here. The Sheik is more supportive of the election now than ever before.
#5. Lastly, I'd just like to say how proud I am to be apart of this historical day. This is a bleep in history, but one day hopefully it will be viewed like the "Shot that was heard around the world". Never has a Muslim country had a free election. Up until about two weeks ago, we didn't think we would have polls in our area, as the legend of the "Triangle of Death" lives on in Baghdad and pollsters were to afraid to come here. We have provided them a secure means of transportation, and secure sites. Each major city in our AO will now have polling stations, there will be an election, and it will be conducted by Iraqis for Iraqis. Your Marines are helping make history! You should be very proud of them.
Semper Fidelis,
Major C.M Caponi S-6 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines FOB Mahmudiyah, Iraq "COMMUNICATING MAYHEM"
I would give anything to've watched Blather boy as he got told where the bear does his doody in the buckwheat - told by the marines!, Bet he didn't argue any lib crappola to them. Probably was shaking in his boots -
I guess, seeing your tag line, I can say: DAMNITTOHELL, I'M PROUD OF THESE YOUNG MARINES, without getting into too much trouble.
I kinda agree, hard as it is, about tactics..and I am a retired Doggie!
Don't hold back now, tell us how you *really* feel about him!
Sounds like the fighting of terrorists(liberals) in America. We know we're winning and doing good, but, you never hear much about it thru the MSM.
bump
Next time you see one of our proud, brave military persons, buy their lunch, dinner, gas, whatever, and say thank you!
I wonder how Rather will have this program edited to make it anti-military.
Now let's just see how much of that ol' Danny Boy actually airs!
"Your Marines are helping make history! You should be very proud of them."
AND THAT WE ARE - THAT WE ARE!! YOU GUYS ARE WONDERFUL!!
bump
God Bless these Marines and the Iraqi's that are working with them to bring freedom to this bedeviled country. I wonder if Dan blushed at all when they unloaded their contempt for the MSM.
What a good read! Go, marines!
Wasn't he the one during the Viet Nam war, said if he was on a pratrol with soldiers, he would not warn them of an ambush? As it is his job to report the story, not affect the outcome?
I wish I had a link for that. It was a report about an ethics forum,
That may have been Jennings.
This visit with the Marines and the Iraqi Election gives Rather the opportunity to go out (i.e. retire) as a newsmaker. Sometime before his final broadcast he can be the anti-Cronkite. Cronkite said of Vietnam(in part); "But it is increasingly clear to this reporter that the only rational way out then will be to negotiate, not as victors, but as an honorable people who lived up to their pledge to defend democracy, and did the best they could. This is Walter Cronkite. Good night."
Rather could say; 'But it is increasingly clear to this reporter that the only rational way out is to win, and we are indeed winning. An honorable people who are living up to their pledge to establish democracy. The President has shown courage, our military has shown courage, the American people have shown courage, and on January 30th, the Iraqi people showed courage.'
This is Dan Rather. Courage!
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