Nope. No bias there.
How convenient. Another "fake but true" story ala Dan Rather.
You mean war is hell? Say it isn't so!
Highest Temperature — I don't know exactly, but it was in the porta-johns. Needed to re-hydrate after each trip to the loo.
Do many Americans go to the loo? Sounds a little British to me.
lol.
Mostly a long rant/whine about how tough it is to be at war. I don't doubt that it is tough, but there are thousands of other dedicated men and women working hard right next to you, bud. Suck it up.
Coolest Insurgent Act — Stealing almost $7 million from the main bank in Ramadi in broad daylight, then, upon exiting, waving to the Marines in the combat outpost right next to the bank, who had no clue of what was going on. The Marines waved back. Too cool.
This should give you an idea where this "soldier's" heart is.
It's disgraceful.
Best Chuck Norris Moment — 13 May. Bad Guys arrived at the government center in a small town to kidnap the mayor, since they have a problem with any form of government that does not include regular beheadings and women wearing burqahs. There were seven of them. As they brought the mayor out to put him in a pick-up truck to take him off to be beheaded (on video, as usual), one of the Bad Guys put down his machine gun so that he could tie the mayor's hands. The mayor took the opportunity to pick up the machine gun and drill five of the Bad Guys. The other two ran away. One of the dead Bad Guys was on our top twenty wanted list. Like they say, you can't fight City Hall.
Actually, the letter has good and bad in it. The Marine misses home and is working 20 hours a day. All in all, it is pretty much just a regular letter from a grunt on the ground...
Biggest Surprise — Iraqi Police. All local guys. I never figured that we'd get a police force established in the cities in al-Anbar. I estimated that insurgents would kill the first few, scaring off the rest. Well, insurgents did kill the first few, but the cops kept on coming. The insurgents continue to target the police, killing them in their homes and on the streets, but the cops won't give up. Absolutely incredible tenacity. The insurgents know that the police are far better at finding them than we are — and they are finding them. Now, if we could just get them out of the habit of beating prisoners to a pulp...
Highest Unit Re-enlistment Rate — Any outfit that has been in Iraq recently. All the danger, all the hardship, all the time away from home, all the horror, all the frustrations with the fight here — all are outweighed by the desire for young men to be part of a band of brothers who will die for one another. They found what they were looking for when they enlisted out of high school. Man for man, they now have more combat experience than any Marines in the history of our Corps.
Best Chuck Norris Moment — 13 May. Bad Guys arrived at the government center in a small town to kidnap the mayor, since they have a problem with any form of government that does not include regular beheadings and women wearing burqahs. There were seven of them. As they brought the mayor out to put him in a pick-up truck to take him off to be beheaded (on video, as usual), one of the Bad Guys put down his machine gun so that he could tie the mayor's hands. The mayor took the opportunity to pick up the machine gun and drill five of the Bad Guys. The other two ran away. One of the dead Bad Guys was on our top twenty wanted list. Like they say, you can't fight City Hall.
The author also talks of irritating VIPs and talking heads (mentions O'Reilly) who over simplify and cast the wrong perception on the real situation. However, he doesn't go into detail re: who the VIPs are and in which manner the wrong perception is cast (ie we're winning/losing/inbetween etc). Nevertheless, judging by his comments re: the Marines (reenlistments etc etc), Iraqis, and 'insurgents', I feel he has a postitive outlook and, obviously, would prefer to be home.
It's actually a pretty good "letter". The times will dwell on the few negative points. Nothing new here.
Sounds like a genuine letter from my experience. The part about thinking of home brought tears to my eyes. I am sure that's what my husband thinks about a lot. For folks who are picking this thing apart, just stop and absorb reality. Our troops have a right to complain, what they do is hard work.
This supposed letter isn't much of a "secret", since the MSM has been circulating it for months. Smells like a dan rather job to me.
I read this letter at least four or five months ago. I know this because I printed out a copy to give to my brother. If I remember correctly it was about this Marine's first seven months in Iraq during 2005 not 2006!
This is either an example of sloppy journalism or the author of the piece knowingly changed the date in the letter. Would not the story be a bit stale if this letter were actually written a year ago and not last month as stated?
Then again, without revealing the letter writer's indentity there is no way to verify this actually was written by a Marine at all!
The letter was written by the G-2 of the Marine division that was in Iraq at the time evidently.
Not sure what he means about O'Reilly as I don't watch O'Reilly much. What does O'Reilly say about Iraq?
Normally, Marines go for a six month tour and soldiers for a year. It's soldiers who get leave at six months and return to Iraq. Marines don't.
If it was a second tour Marine, he wouldn't call that period at home leave, because it's not leave.
There is an exception to the general rule, but I'll keep that close to the vest because I smell a rat.
Written by a Marine, or by a Communist News Network operative embedded within the Marines?
The most frightening and discouraging part of the letter is:
"Favorite Iraqi TV Show — Oprah. I have no idea. They all have satellite TV."