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Here's an interesting email from a Chaplain in the Army Reserve who has been called to active duty to support our troops in Iraq. They are Psychology Operations personnel who speak the local languages and work with the people. Thus, he has a good perspective to what is really going on in Iraq.
He writes...
Hi All,
In light of today's death toll in Al Fallujah I'd like to offer you a different view then you may see on your tv news. First, I'm not one that bashes the media for bias. Yes, they have a bias..don't we all..but I'm not one that sees conspiracy. But I have noticed, that deaths in Iraq get a whole lot more attention than the good things that happen here, a whole lot more attention. So, here's some background on Al Fallujah to keep in mind.

A)Why is it in the news almost every night? Because it is one of the FEW places in all of Iraq where trouble exists. Iraq has 25 million people and is the size of California. Fallujah and surrounding towns total 500,000 people. Do the math..that's not a big percentage of Iraq. How many people were murdered last night in L.A.? did it make headline news? why not?

B) Saddam could not and did not control Fallujah..he bought off those he could, killed those he couldn't and played all leaders against one another. IT was and is a 'difficult' town. Nothing new about that. What is new is that outside people have come in to stir up unrest. How many are there...that's classified, but let me tell you this...there are more people in the northeast Minneapolis gangs than there are causing havoc in Fallujah...surprised?

C)Then why does it get so much coverage? Because the major news outlets have camera crews permanently posted in Al Fallujah. So, if you are from outside Iraq, and want to get air time for your cause, where would you go to terrorize, bomb, mutilate and destory? Al Fallujah.

D)Why does it seem to be getting worse? Two answers..
1)This country became a welfare state under Saddam. If you cared about your well-fare..you towed the line or died. The state did your thinking and your bidding...want a job..pledge allegiance to the Baath party..want an apartment, a car, etc...show loyalty..electricity, water, sewage, etc..was paid by the state. Go with the flow..life is good..don't and you're dead. Now, what does that do to initiative? drive? industry? So, we come along and lock up sugar daddy and give these people the toughest challenge in the world..FREEDOM.you want a job..earn it! house? Buy it or build it! Security? Build a police force, army and militia and give it to yourself? Risk your lives and earn freedom. the good news is that millions of Iraqis are doing just that, and some pay with their lives. But many, many are struggling with Freedom (just like East Germans, Russians, Czechs, etc...) and they want a sugar daddy..the USA to do it all. We refuse...We don't want to be plantation owners..we make it clear we are here to help, not own or stay..they get mad about that, sometimes. Nonetheless, in Fallujah, the supposed hotbed of dissient in Iraq..countless Iraqis tell our psyopers they want to cooperate with us but are afraid the thugs will slit their throats or kill their kids. A bad gang can do that to a neighborhood and a town..that's what is happening here.

2) We have a battle hand off going on here. The largest in recent American history. The army is passing the baton to the marines in this area. There is uncertainty among the populace and misinformation being given out by the bad guys. As a result there is insecurity and the bad guys are testing the resolve of the Marines and indirectly you; the American people. The bad guys are convinced that Americans have no stomach for a long haul effort here. They want to drive us out of here and then resurrect a dictatorship of one kind our another.

Okay, what do we do? Stay the course. The marines will get into a battle rhythm and along with other forces and government agencies here, they will knock out the crack houses, drive the thugs across the border and set the conditions for the Fallujans to join the freedom parade or rot in their lack of initiative..either way, the choice will be theirs. The alternative? Turn tail, pull out and leave a power vacuum that will suck in all of Iraq's neighbors and spark a civil war that could make Rhwanda look like a misdemeanor.

Hey America, don't go weak kneed on us...585 dead American's made an investment here..that's a whole lot less than were killed on American highways last month. Their lives are honored when we stay the course and do the job we came to do;namely set the conditions for a new government and empower these people to be the great nation they are capable of being.

So, when you watch the reports from Al Fallujah..remember...there's more to the story than meets the camera's eye.

God bless,
John

Presenting to you and The Finest another Letter from The Front - -

You might be wondering if the 'new' Marines in Iraq are comporting themselves well, keeping alive Corps pride in their reputation of dedication and excellence.

I received it Saturday from an old friend of mine, who was in the Marine Corps from 1949 to 1953...."our" Conflict!

He (retired Sears executive) and his wife live at Emerald Isle, NC, a block from the beach, his wife from Jacksonville originally.
(They met when he was stationed there.)
We have used their beach house twice in the 80's, and visited their permanent one last in 1993.

That, of course, is a stone's throw from Camp Lejeune, and many of the homes around him belong to retired Marine Corps officers, who are friends of his.

One of those Colonels sent this e-mail letter to him from two Marines in Iraq right now. (The mail was originally sent to two of the Marine wives, one of whom passed it on to the retired colonel.)

For obvious reasons, I deleted the name of the two senders....

hope it will give you some idea of how it really is -
and how MARINE CORPS SPIRIT LIVES !!

===========================================================

Dear Ladies, the last two days have been the hardest two days this battalion has faced in over 30 years. Within the blink of an eye the situation went from relatively calm to a raging storm. You've known that since arriving there has been violence; attacks have been sporadic and mostly limited to roadside bombs. Your husbands have become experts at recognizing those threats and neutralizing them before we are injured. Up to this point the war has been the purview of corporals and sergeants, and the squad they lead.

Yesterday the enemy upped the ante.

Early in the morning we exchanged gunfire with a group of insurgents without significant loss. As morning progressed, the enemy fed more men into the fight and we responded with stronger force. Unfortunately, this led to injuries as our Marines and sailors started clearing the city block by block. The enemy did not run; they fought us like soldiers. And we destroyed the enemy like only Marines can. By the end of the evening the local hospital was so full of their dead and wounded that they ran out of space to put them. Your husbands were awesome all night they stayed at the job of securing the streets and nobody challenged them as the hours wore on. They did not surrender an inch nor did flinch from the next potential threat. Previous to yesterday the terrorists thought that we were soft enough to challenge. As of tonight the message is loud and clear that the Marines will not be beaten.

Today the enemy started all over again, although with far fewer numbers, only now the rest of the battalion joined the fight. Without elaborating too much, weapons company and Golf crushed their attackers with the vengeance of the righteous. They filled up the hospitals again and we suffered only a few injuries. Echo company dominated the previous day's battlefield. Fox company patrolled with confidence and authority; nobody challenged them. Even Headquarters Company manned their stations and counted far fewer people openly watching us with disdain. If the enemy is foolish enough to try to take your men again they will not survive contact. We are here to win.

The news looks grim from back in the States. We did take losses that, in our hearts, we will always live with. The men we lost were taken within the very opening minutes of the violence. They could not have foreseen the treachery of the enemy and they did not suffer. We can never replace these Marines and Sailors but they will fight on with us in spirit. We are not feeling sorry for ourselves nor do we fear what tomorrow will bring. The battalion has lived up to its reputation as Magnificent Bastards.

Yesterday made everyone here stronger and wiser; it will be a cold day in Hell before we are taken for granted again.

(Names deleted)