Email from a Marine in Iraq

7/12/2004 | A Marine in Iraq

[fr_freak]

The following is an email I received from a friend who has been stationed near Fallujah, Iraq for the last six months. Since the mainstream media can't be trusted to disseminate accurate information about events there, we'll do it ourselves: ______________________________________________________

To my family and friends,

It has been a while since my last report. I am now past the half way point of my deployment and the historic transfer of Coalition authority to the new Iraqi government has past. Camp Fallujah saw an increase in rocket and mortar attacks before the transfer of authority. However, they have for the most part decreased in the days since. Outside the camp Marines continue quelling every attack, finding weapons caches and rooting out the terrorist. Despite the news the tide is turning in Fallujah and we can see our success in real and measurable ways. But it will take time and the ultimate victory lies with willingness of the Iraqi people take control of their country and expel the foreign terrorists who for the most part are religious extremist trying to control the moderately religious population. There are signs this is happening.

Fallujah is not one homogeneous city. It is made of many local factions vying for power along tribal, religious or political lines. And it is made up of several foreign groups, each with its own agenda. The general population just wants to be left alone and prosper. Many of them work for us here and many more want to, despite the risk to their lives.

I got my best view of Fallujah yet last week as my convoy pass right through the Fallujah hot zone during the day. The two major rival factions were at a cease fire, so all was calm.

As a convoy commander I am becoming an expert in insurgency tactics. The Vehicle Born Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs) are becoming more common than the roadside IEDs. Given the rules of engagement and the way Iraqis drive, we are given only a few seconds to assess the threat and make critical decisions about which vehicle is a threat and which isn’t. The enemy is becoming very crafty in their tactics. During my last convoy brief I carefully went over one of the newer threats, Tire Flattening Devices (TFDs). These include everything from stakes driven in the road to nails through garden hoses and homemade spike strips. Another new innovation is the use of homemade napalm IEDs- an IED combined with a burning agent made to stick to things. Suffice to say we are very careful. I cannot describe the adrenaline rush leading a convoy through a known hot zone.

I tool two convoys out last week; one was to take a team out to visit suspected mass grave sites, which took me through the main hot zone of Fallujah twice. Three of the suspected mass grave sites were in exposed danger areas were we kept strict perimeter security and 100% alert. The other convoy was a regular, but never routine, run to Baghdad. The need for convoys is considerably down lately, keeping us road warriors off the roads.

The heat and wind are becoming a factor to deal with. The sand is like brown talcum powder and nothing seems to keep it out. The food here continues to suck. After a month of the “Iraqi Crud,” I am very careful of what I eat. I ate in one of the chow halls in Baghdad recently and rediscovered what we are missing here in Fallujah- real food.

Most of us here live in the existing buildings on this former Iraqi Military base. This is where some of Saddam’s best troops lived along with the Iranian defectors/terrorist group that gave this camp its original name, Mujahedin-e Khalq. Marines in the outlying camps really have it much tougher than here at Camp Fallujah. Many live in tents or humble facilities without air conditioning. Some literally live in the dirt and survive in what shade they can find.

On the happier side we did have our first USO tour come through in early June, Toby Keith and Ted Nugent. As with most VIPs, I was at the landing zone with my team when they arrived and we provided the security and transportation to the venue. I got to spend some time talking with them. Many of the young Marines had no idea who Ted Nugent was. Yet some of the older ones did not know who Toby Keith was. We had a Blues Band and comedian come through last week for an early Independence Weekend treat.

I received some great care packages from my family and from some of you out there. Thank you all very much! I share all of the goodies with my fellow Marines, as they do with me. I also received letter from students in Chico and in Dublin… those are very special and remind us why we fight here. I know God is on our side.

We are wondering what kind of fireworks we’ll have on the 4th, but I supposed we will just have to wait and see what comes. Below are excerpts of emails I received that describe life here. Until next time,

Tim

#1

> Warriors,

> Chow should improve after 23 Jun 04. We have had refer trucks

> fail on the last two shipments. Entire loads of eggs, fresh produce,

> and meats were spoiled. We have enough eggs for tomorrow, but

> breakfast will be very limited, and lunch and dinner selections will

> be limited. There will be no produce until after the shipment on the

> 23rd. We have been working with PWC to track the shipment carefully.

> Previous convoys have been split up but PWC is working with their

> drivers to keep the convoys together.

> All of the chow hall workers have received their back pay and

> those who were waiting for transportation back to Jordan left the day

> before yesterday.

> KBR has brought on a new manager to improve our chow hall support.

> Semper Fi

#2

> As you all are aware, we are having some electrical challenges in. The root cause of the problem is an undersized generator that feeds these buildings. (boring text omitted) We also expect parts today to repair another large 220v CAT generator on the camp.

> We had a mechanic out to work on the CATs a few weeks ago, but he was

> killed on the way home. (The Mujahedin have murdered some of those who work for us)

#3

Leaders of Marines,

The attached is a list of Marines & Sailors who attempted to mail out packages from the Camp Fallujah Post Office. The container that was transporting these packages was destroyed by a VBIED. Some of these individuals may not be aware that they can file a claim either against USPS (if they purchased USPS Insurance) or against the government. Please make contact with the listed individuals and have them report to the Fallujah Post Office to complete required paperwork to start the claims process.

[fr_freak]

God bless our troops

[SandRat]

Spread the word.

There is good news and our troops know it/are telling it.

See to it that Kerry and the willing left fawning press pay for their phoney attitudes and coverage on Nov 2nd.

[plushaye]

Yes, indeed. God bless them for their bravery, most of which we never get to hear about.

Is there no way of getting them good food and shelter? It seems such a pity that they have to be so poorly fed and housed for their brave efforts.

[blackie]

Good Guys ~ Bump!

[SandRat]

Go to Defend America for more stories and links to organizations to help the troops in lots of little ways.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for the ping... amazing morale , to be in such a Hell hole!

[rodguy911]

This thread is so heart wrenching it really makes you realize what wonderful troops we have over there and gives a glimpse of what they are going through. With the huge budget the federal govt. has you gotta wonder what they do with the money that is more important than helping out our troops.

[Chgogal]

Here is an email I received about a week ago from a Marine in Camp Babylon. He was published just this week in the WP.

Personal Message:
I'm surprised at the number of responses I am getting. Didn't realize people still read newspapers!

Iraq's 'True Heroes'

By S____ _____k

CENTRAL SOUTH AREA OF OPERATIONS, Iraq -- I'm serving outside the Iraqi town of Hilla, in the central South, with a small detachment of U.S. Marines. A couple of days ago we drove up to Baghdad on the main supply route, "MSR Tampa" -- basically a six-lane highway. Since April it's been closed to civilian traffic because a half-dozen bridges were blown up along the route. Driving on it you feel as if you're a cast member in a remake of "Mad Max" -- "Where are all the people?"

On the way we came across a semi-trailer that about 50 Iraqis were in the process of looting. As they saw us approach they scattered. I told the sergeant driving me that by the time we drove by later in the day the semi would be nothing more than a shell. I'd seen this often.

Four hours later we drove by and the site was secured by the Iraqi National Guard; no looters were in sight. Apparently the guard was even involved in a firefight protecting the property. Maybe the Iraqis are getting fed up with the lawlessness and the anarchy and are beginning to take matters into their own hands. Still, it will take time. Some units in the guard are good, some not so good. Standardization is a problem across the board, but the biggest obstacle to overcome will be that of the traumatized mind-set of the Iraqi people.

For 30 years Iraqis were brutalized by a tyrant. The collective psyche of the Iraqi people is akin to that of a battered wife whose oppressor has finally been removed from the household. They're far better off with the batterer gone, but they're scared, confused and lacking the confidence to go it on their own just yet. It will take continuous mentoring, counseling and a lot of time. Our Marines are doing these things with great skill and patience. The sooner we fix it the sooner we can come home.

I've become friends with a lieutenant colonel in the Iraqi National Guard here. Real bright guy, speaks good English, lived in Europe for five years. He makes $250 a month, doesn't own a car, rides a bus for two hours to get to work and lives in constant fear that his family will be targeted because he is in the guard. "Why do you do it," I asked him, knowing he could make five times that amount as a translator or a contractor here on the base. His response was that doing nothing is not an option. If you ask me, guys like him are the true heroes over here. "Is there hope for this place?" I asked. "No, there is no hope," he responded sardonically. Again, "Why do you do it," and again the answer: You can't just do nothing.

Our Marines are getting so much support from back home and so many "care packages" that I've decided to start asking people to send those packages instead to my Iraqi friend, packages that he can then hand out and distribute to his troops and their families. We have so much, and they have so little.

[plushaye]

IT's great that ordinary people can and do help the military by sending care packages etc but it's just odd that (in some cases) the military isn't doing enough to give the troops better food and shelter in dangerous conditions. Is it lack of money, or is it fear of 'coddling' the troops?

[Liberty Valance]

Thanks for posting this e-mail from one of our brave heroes.
God Bless them all!

[steplock]

Is there no way of getting them good food and shelter? It seems such a pity that they have to be so poorly fed and housed for their brave efforts.

????

I am really hoping that was stated as sarcasm. You are not talking about the Marines now are you?

[SandRat]

Look to who/what administration/party has eviscerated our military. At one time we had 16 Fully Manned and equipped Active Divisions as well as the industrial infrastructure to back it up. All that without even touching the reserve or guard; and what did "W" inherit?

[Doc On The Bay]

"...We Have So Much, & They Have So Little..."

& So this Marine asks that the "Care Packages" be distributed--NOT to the Marines, but to the Iraqi's!!

THAT is a PROFOUND STATEMENT, which Characterizes the "ESSENCE OF 'America!'"

WHATEVER THE WORLDWIDE CABAL of ANTI-AMERICAN "JERKWEEDS" may WISH for Us to Believe, THAT SIMPLE STATEMENT of a "Serving Marine" is a MORE PROFOUND STATEMENT of "AMERICA" than ALL the Pusillanimous Propaganda we have Suffered since we Freed Afganistan & Iraq.

That Simple Wish--That the "People we have Liberated from an Unspeakable Tyranny" get "Rations" BETTER THAN our Soldiers--a WISH of Our Own Soldiers--represents the ESSENCE OF our Culture.

& WE SHOULD BE PROUD of our "Representatives."

Our "Adversaries" will Regard our Compassion as "Weakness;"--the TRUTH IS, we are SO STRONG, that we can AFFORD TO BE "Compassionate!!"

"Radical Islam" is DOOMED; the "Compassionate Beliefs" of "The West" are FAR TOO POWERFUL to be "Overcome" by the Pathologic Beliefs of a few Ideological Psychopaths.

Humans want Peace, & a Chance to Improve their Lot; "Radical Death Cults" have a POOR "Performance Record!!"

Doc

[Ben Chad]

Marine Corps Spirit BUMP

[BagCamAddict]

"The collective psyche of the Iraqi people is akin to that of a battered wife"

Wow... I was saying this exact thing during the "3 week war" when many people (Freepers included) were asking why the Iraqis didn't help us more, or why they didn't rise up against Saddam, etc.

Thanks for posting this.

[Chgogal]

You are good and so right. We must be patient and not only support our troops but the Iraqis as well. Take care my friend.

[RottiBiz]

Thanks for posting the messages from these amazing, brave marines.

These heroes make me so proud!

Thanks for the ping, Sandrat.

[windchime]

Bump!