Posted on 06/03/2004 2:28:25 PM PDT by Weimdog
Email from Dave - Jun 2, 04
Dad -
Some interesting developments out of Falluja and Iraq in general that I wanted to share with you. Since we have agreed to stay at arms reach with Falluja, we have been able to focus our efforts on the surrounding towns and villages. The result is that we have made great inroads in breaking up insurgent cells through ambushes and raids. Even more important, we have began to establish an early and still fragile rapport with the people of these areas. The areas are historical sanctuaries for terrorists so they are important.
One town in particular that we have been successful in is near Falluja. During the April fight in Falluja, the muj took the town over and used it as a base of operations of sorts. From all reports, they were brutal on the people and very quickly subjugated the town. During one of the ordered pauses in the Falluja fight, we chopped a rifle company off the line with a very aggressive battalion commander. Basically he was told that we thought the muj were running lose in the area and that he should head up there and "develop the situation." I have gotten to know this guy pretty well here. He is a very good commander and a tough guy. In fact, I remember telling him that if he went past a certain point, he would be decisively engaged. We had estimated that if he got into a decisive engagement, he could be outnumbered by as much as 5:1. You can imagine what he did. He took his Marines right to that point.
Sure enough, the fight was on. It was a 360 degree engagement that lasted 8 hours. An 8 hour firefight is an eternity. To put it in perspective, this guy was in both OIF 1 battle for Baghdad as well as the Falluja fight. He states that the firefight up near this town was the toughest he has been in. We fired quite a bit of artillery and brought in a number of sorties of close air for them. By the time it was over, the estimates (now confirmed) are that they killed over a 100 muj. We could not understand why they kept coming but they did (more on that later). Throughout it all, very accurate mortar fire up to 120mm was falling inside the Marine position. Automatic weapons and RPGs were crisscrossing through the perimeter. The Marines just laid their in the micro terrain and squeezed of well aimed shots.
The Battalion Commander stayed that day until his guys broke the muj and he "owned the field" (his words). He then withdrew back to his original position. In the same town, we now have Marines living 24/7. They are conducting joint patrols with the Iraqi Police and the ICDC (Iraqi Civil Defense Corps). When they first arrived, the people were very standoffish and even hostile. Now we are getting more and more walk up intelligence (where the locals literally risk their lives in order to walk into our lines and tell us where the muj are). The reason for the turnaround is simple. We have pushed through the bow wave of intimidation and terror that dominated the town when the muj were there. The Marines did it through aggressive raiding and downright obstinate refusal to budge regardless of the costs. The people were watching the entire time and have made up their own minds where their best future lies. It has gotten to the point where the mujahadeen are now firing mortars indiscriminately into the town as it is the only effective means of maintaining any kind of influence over the people. Yesterday, they grievously wounded to citizens doing just that.
That is not to say that the town is a bed of roses for the Marines as we still have plenty of contact in the area and it is very dangerous but we are grinding them down and are about to put a good pounding on the enemy in the next few days. The people are talking and we are about to pay some more visits in the middle of the night. I could give you a couple more examples but it is a good illustration of what kind of work the Marines are doing every day.
As far as Falluja goes, we have not been allowed to get back in there with any real numbers yet. Initially, it was confounding. However, a very interesting dynamic has developed. Since we have stayed out of Falluja and focused elsewhere, the mujahadeen have had their run of the town. As they have had no one to fight, they have turned their criminal instincts on the citizens. The clerics who once were whipping these idiots into a suicidal frenzy are now having to issue Fatwas (holy decrees) admonishing the muj for extortion, rape, murder and kidnapping. It is unfortunate for the "innocent people" of Falluja but the mujahadeen have betrayed themselves as the thugs that they are by brutalizing the civilians. There are, in fact, reports of rape, etc from inside the town.
While the muj are thugging away inside the town, we are about 1/2 mile away paying claims, entering into dialogue and contracting jobs. The citizens come outside the city for work and money and are treated like human beings. They go back inside and enter a lawless hell. In short, the muj have done more to show the people what hypocrites they are in a few short weeks than we could have hoped for in a year. The result is more and more targetable intelligence. If we are given the green light, we can really go to town on these guys (no pun intended). However, as much as we would like to do just that, the optimal solution is to empower the Iraqis to take care of it themselves. That is precisely what we are doing.
Equally astounding is evidence that these "holy warriors" are taking drugs to get high before attacks. It true, as we pushed into the town in April many Marines came across drug paraphernalia (mostly heroin). Recently, we have gotten evidence of them using another drug BZ that makes them high and very aggressive. Cowards and hypocrites. They don't have the nerve to fight without calming their fear with drugs. Between highs, they are robbing people and raping young girls. Some jihad.
Unfortunately, Al Qaeda is here and they are some of the most brutal beings that you can imagine. I say "beings" because they do not qualify as human beings. They prey upon the "holy warriors" above and are in league with them teaching them tactics and employing them to execute attacks. Money to pay for the attacks comes from neighboring states. Al Qaeda, the same people that espouse creating a Islamic State that is global and living under the "purist form of God's laws", are working with drug addicts and rapists. Someone will have to explain that on to me some day.
For now we are gearing up for the inevitable offensive that the former regime guys, local criminals and Al Qaeda will wage this summer. It will be brutal as they are on a systematic campaign to murder anyone who is even half-way moderate. If any leader gains traction that is not 100% anti-coalition and pro-anarchy, is at immediate risk. Yesterday's positive world media coverage of the naming of the interim government will probably accelerate the mayhem somewhat. It is a fight that is inevitable. So long as we can keep the Iraqi people's nerve up and keep as many leaders alive as possible, we will crush the enemy when he surfaces. We are hopeful to take a little wind out of their sails with some pre-emptive work over the next few days.
I will let you know how it goes.
Love,
Dave
"Unfortunately, Al Qaeda is here and they are some of the most brutal beings that you can imagine. I say "beings" because they do not qualify as human beings. They prey upon the "holy warriors" above and are in league with them teaching them tactics and employing them to execute attacks. Money to pay for the attacks comes from neighboring states. Al Qaeda, the same people that espouse creating a Islamic State that is global and living under the "purist form of God's laws", are working with drug addicts and rapists. Someone will have to explain that on to me some day."
God Bless our brave men and women serving our country.
"Equally astounding is evidence that these "holy warriors" are taking drugs to get high before attacks. It true, as we pushed into the town in April many Marines came across drug paraphernalia (mostly heroin). Recently, we have gotten evidence of them using another drug BZ that makes them high and very aggressive. Cowards and hypocrites. They don't have the nerve to fight without calming their fear with drugs. Between highs, they are robbing people and raping young girls. Some jihad."
It seems that ive heard that methamphetamines are big with these animals. The effects seem to add up as well. I wouldnt be suprised if crack weren't another prefered form of "bravery".
Thanks for sharing!
ping
ping
It is evil at work....
It is good to see the good information coming out of bagdad... the drugs and getting high prior to attacks was the same gambit the used in somolia to get all the rebels there to fight. the drug BZ act very much like PCP does it gives a feeling of Euphoria and sense of indestructibility. there have been case that have shown that in somolia they would have to hit a rebel 10-12 times before they fell, because they were so high, and then the only reason they fell was due to a vital organ being hit or blood loss.
God Bless the Marines and all Soldiers over there. they are fighting the fight we don't want to on our soil.
What a great letter with insight into what is going on in Iraq. I love the letters the soldiers send to family members because they are filled with heroism and strength and information I don't hear anywhere else.
I think the fact that the enemy is using drugs to make them 'fearless' in battle explains alot. I am sure our print media will want to cover this aspect of the war along with the rapes and brutality these slime buckets commit against the Iraqi's--just as soon as they finish talking about our soldier's brutality and cruelty against the mostly sweet prisoners that didn't do anything except want to kill our soldiers.
And that,my friends,is the real crime here.
You can be proud of your gyrine. May the grace, peace and protection of the Lord be with him.
Gary
De Oppresso Liber
I have just forwarded your sons e-mail to my mother who has changed side in the WOT since Adam was killed on April 29th. All I can hope for is that opens her mind up again and gives her hope, as it has done for me.
ping
Bump for Truth!
I'm sorry to say that this is not my son's email. This brave Marine appears to be on of my peers who posts letters home at the website linked above.
Dave's biography from the website -
Major David G. Bellon, USMC was born in 1965...
...Dave left active duty in 1998 but remained in the Marine Corps Reserves as an infantry officer in a light armored battalion. Since leaving active duty, Dave and his partner, Joseph Lisiecki, have opened a successful law practice, Bellon and Lisiecki, LLP, in Southern California.
Dave is currently a Major in the Marine Corps and is serving as the Operations Officer of 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion.
Dave enjoys a wonderful family life with his wife, LCDR Sue Bellon ,Navy, and their two beautiful young children (As well as two very large dogs !).
I don't know how I got dentist mixed up with lawyer, must have been my 2 hours in the dentist chair this morning...sorry.
I'm SURE Ted (Hic) Kennedy will comdemn this in the strongest possible terms.
Yeah. Right after he passes his lifeguard exam.
This corroborates the story here:
The Fallujah Brigade: How the Marines are pacifying an Iraqi hot spot. From The Wall Street Journal Opinion Journal.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1145450/posts
Thank you for sharing, Weimdog.
Best reporting on the Falluja situation that I've read anywhere. Very informative and positive.
I found it especially interesting that the people were cooperating since it's been said that even Saddam was unable to control Falluja.
The Moros in the Phillipines were also heavily into drugs. Moslems would get higher than a kite, be handed a weapon like a machete and attack Christians until they were finally killed. It usually took several rounds to put them down because of the drugs.
Thanks very much for passing this along.
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