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Defending our marine in Fallujah (Combat Vets You Know This is True)
FrontPageMagazine.com

Posted on 11/17/2004 3:35:00 PM PST by annyokie

Defending our marine in Fallujah - Wednesday, November 17, 2004 9:30 AM

The media attacks on our marine in Fallujah are more ways to get our soldiers killed. This is a guest blog by a former marine and Navy Seal, Matthew Heidt, whose blog can be found here.

Security Rounds

We're gonna see more on this issue in the near future. Most folks who've served in combat are taking a much more objective view of how things are changing w/re to the Law of Land Warfare than those who have not.

The shots fired at the "unarmed" terrorist in that mosque in Fallujah are called "security rounds." Its a safety issue pure and simple. After assaulting through a target, put a security round in everybody's head. Sorry al-Reuters, there's no paddy wagon rolling around Fallujah picking up "prisoners" and offering them a hot cup a joe, falafel, and a blanket. There's no time to dick around in the target, you clear the space, dump the chumps, and moveon.org. Are Corpsman expected to treat wounded terrorists?

Negative. Hey libs, worried about the defense budget? Well, it would be waste, fraud, and abuse for a Corpsman to spend one man minute or a battle dressing on a terrorist, its much cheaper to just spend the $.02 on a 5.56mm FMJ.

By the way, terrorists who chop off civilian's heads are not prisoners, they are carcasses.

UPDATE: Let me be very clear about this issue. I have looked around the web, and many people get this concept, but there are some stragglers. Here is your situation Marine. You just took fire from unlawful combatants shooting from a religious building attempting to use the sanctuary status of their position as protection. But you're in Fallujah now, and the Marine Corps has decided that they're not playing that game this time. That was Najaf. So you set the mosque on fire and you hose down the terrorists with small arms, launch some AT-4s (Rockets), some 40MM grenades into the building and things quiet down. So you run over there, and find some tangos wounded and pretending to be dead. You are aware that suicide martyrdom is like really popular with these kind of idiots, and like taking some Marines with them would be really cool. So you can either risk your life and your fireteam's lives by having them cover you while you bend down and search a guy that you think is pretending to be dead for some reason.

Also, you don't know who or what is in the next room, and you're already speaking English to each other and its loud because your hearing is poor from shooting people for several days. So you know that there are many other rooms to enter, and that if anyone is still alive in those rooms, they know that Americans are in the mosque. Meanwhile (3 seconds later), you still have this terrorist that was just shooting at you from a mosque playing possum. What do you do?

You double tap his head, and you go to the next room, that's what.

What about the Geneva Conventions and all that Law of Land Warfare stuff? What about it. Without even addressing the issues at hand you first thought should be, "I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6." Bear in mind that this is a perpetual mindset that in reinforced by experience on a minute by minute basis. Secondly, you are fighting an unlawful combatant in a Sanctuary which is a double No No on his part. Third, tactically you are in no position to take "prisoners" because there are more rooms to search and clear, and the behavior of said terrorist indicates that he is up to no good. No good in Fallujah is a very large place and the low end of no good and the high end of no good are fundamentally the same... Marines get hurt or die. So there is no compelling reason for you to do anything but double tap this idiot and get on with the mission.

If you are a veteran then everything I have just written is self evident, if you are not a veteran than at least try to put yourself in the situation. Remember, in Fallujah there is no yesterday, there is no tomorrow, there is only now. Right NOW. Have you ever lived in NOW for a week? It is not easy, and if you have never lived in NOW for longer than it takes to finish the big roller coaster at Six Flags, then shut your hole about putting Marines in jail for war crimes. Be advised, I am not talking to my readers, but if this post gets linked up, I want regular folks to get this message loud and clear.

http://froggyruminations.blogspot.com/

Comment by Lori Kahler

It is also important to note that there have been reports that just five minutes earlier and a block away from this incident, another wounded insurgent blew himself up. He took the life of a marine and severely wounded six other marines who were trying to give aid to this insurgent. Let us not forget that Senator Kerry received a purple heart for a very similar incident, although Kerry shot the boy in the back as he was fleeing. Not only was this marine correct in shooting the wounded insurgent, he was obligated to or risk the death or injury to whole unit.


TOPICS: Unclassified; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: fallujahmarine
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To: annyokie

Spot on!!! This blog should be required reading for Chrissy boy and the rest of the MSM and Cable news shows.


81 posted on 11/17/2004 4:59:54 PM PST by PISANO (Never Forget 911!! & 911's 1st Heroes..... "Beamer, Glick, Bingham & Bennett.")
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To: Zeppelin
"blow the head off an unarmed man who's already been shot up twice" Ba's assumption,of course, is that this moron was unarmed. How would the Marine know that he was unarmed? How would the the embedded journalist know that he was unarmed?

The embedded journalist seemed to know that the "insurgent" was wounded, so he must have been there before. Why didn't he tell the Marine what he knew? No. He waited until the Marine, who was in mortal danger, protected himself and the reporter, and shot the enemy.

I really have some questions about the embedded reporter in this situation. Did he know something about the situation and hold back information to the Marines in order to embellish his own story? We need to ponder why the reporter was so familiar with the situation and the Marines weren't.
82 posted on 11/17/2004 4:59:54 PM PST by joem15 (Truth is a formidable Force)
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To: Travis McGee

is Matthew the secret password or something?

BTTT!


83 posted on 11/17/2004 5:09:44 PM PST by wardaddy
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To: Zeppelin

Barf indeed. I remember coming home from the 4th grade (1968) to see my mom sobbing next to the wall phone. My cousin Monty had just been KIA trying to save a buddy. I have a rubbing of his name from the Wall.

F these DUers and their spew.


84 posted on 11/17/2004 5:10:01 PM PST by annyokie (If the shoe fits, put 'em both on!)
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To: annyokie

http://www.powerlineblog.com/ Nov 17

A Marine Writes Home

Later on, I intend to link to several sources talking about the shooting of the wounded terrorist in Fallujah. For now, I want to pass on this email from a Marine in the 11th MEU:

This is one story of many that people normally don't hear, and one that everyone does.

This is one most don't hear:
A young Marine and his cover man cautiously enter a room just recently filled with insurgents armed with Ak-47's and RPG's. There are three dead, another wailing in pain. The insurgent can be heard saying, "Mister, mister! Diktoor, diktoor(doctor)!" He is badly wounded, lying in a pool of his own blood. The Marine and his cover man slowly walk toward the injured man, scanning to make sure no enemies come from behind. In a split second, the pressure in the room greatly exceeds that of the outside, and the concussion seems to be felt before the blast is heard. Marines outside rush to the room, and look in horror as the dust gradually settles. The result is a room filled with the barely recognizable remains of the deceased, caused by an insurgent setting off several pounds of explosives.

The Marines' remains are gathered by teary eyed comrades, brothers in arms, and shipped home in a box. The families can only mourn over a casket and a picture of their loved one, a life cut short by someone who hid behind a white flag.

But no one hears these stories, except those who have lived to carry remains of a friend, and the families who loved the dead. No one hears this, so no one cares.



This is the story everyone hears:

A young Marine and his fire team cautiously enter a room just recently filled with insurgents armed with AK-47's and RPG's. There are three dead, another wailing in pain. The insugent can be heard saying, "Mister, mister! Diktoor, diktoor(doctor)!" He is badly wounded. Suddenly, he pulls from under his bloody clothes a grenade, without the pin. The explosion rocks the room, killing one Marine, wounding the others. The young Marine catches shrapnel in the face.

The next day, same Marine, same type of situation, a different story. The young Marine and his cover man enter a room with two wounded insurgents. One lies on the floor in puddle of blood, another against the wall. A reporter and his camera survey the wreckage inside, and in the background can be heard the voice of a Marine, "He's moving, he's moving!"

The pop of a rifle is heard, and the insurgent against the wall is now dead. Minutes, hours later, the scene is aired on national television, and the Marine is being held for commiting a war crime. Unlawful killing.

And now, another Marine has the possibility of being burned at the stake for protecting the life of his brethren. His family now wrings their hands in grief, tears streaming down their face. Brother, should I have been in your boots, i too would have done the same.

For those of you who don't know, we Marines, Band of Brothers, Jarheads, Leathernecks, etc., do not fight because we think it is right, or think
it is wrong. We are here for the man to our left, and the man to our right. We choose to give our lives so that the man or woman next to us can go home and see their husbands, wives, children, friends and families.

For those of you who sit on your couches in front of your television, and choose to condemn this man's actions, I have but one thing to say to you. Get out of your recliner, lace up my boots, pick up a rifle, leave your family behind and join me. See what I've seen, walk where I have walked. To those of you who support us, my sincerest gratitude. You keep us alive.

I am a Marine currently doing his second tour in Iraq. These are my opinions and mine alone. They do not represent those of the Marine Corps or of the US military, or any other.


85 posted on 11/17/2004 5:10:26 PM PST by texasbluff
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To: Billthedrill

Apparently he shops at a cheaper gunshop than do we. ; )


86 posted on 11/17/2004 5:12:58 PM PST by annyokie (If the shoe fits, put 'em both on!)
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To: annyokie
God piece and spot on...
Wheres the FCC... this agitprop has been out of hand for a good while..
With a 300 million dollar budget they can't afford one "rep"(with some gravitas) to stop off at certain MSM headquarters and lets say ASK a few pointed questions..?

Must Colins Powells son(head of FCC) is a chip off the old block.. closet liberal crossdresser..

87 posted on 11/17/2004 5:16:06 PM PST by hosepipe (Camp)
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To: Travis McGee

Thanks for the ping, TM.

The Presstitutes in this country have no idea of the wrath they are generating. The res from the Article 32 most likely will exonerate this Marine. And that had damn well better be the end of it. The MSM will not be allowed to crucify this Marine.


88 posted on 11/17/2004 5:20:00 PM PST by spodefly (I've posted nothing but BTTT over 1000 times!!!)
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To: Senator_Palpatine
I wonder if Ted Kopple will send a film crew over to get the terrorists point of view....like they did in regards to John Fonda Kerredy?
89 posted on 11/17/2004 5:25:23 PM PST by JediForce (DON'T FIRE UNTIL YOU SEE THE WHITES OF THE CURTAINS THEY ARE WEARING ON THEIR HEADS !)
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To: jocko12

Who is Sties?


90 posted on 11/17/2004 5:28:56 PM PST by BykrBayb (5 minutes of prayer for Terri, every day at 11 am EDT, until she's safe. http://www.terrisfight.org)
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To: AFPhys

good read


91 posted on 11/17/2004 5:30:56 PM PST by DollyCali (We can never repay our veterans...NEVER. Thank you all who served our great country.)
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To: Zeppelin

"I clearly know as much about how the average American thinks as a golden retreiver knows about astronomy."

That much is obvious.


92 posted on 11/17/2004 5:32:46 PM PST by Shellback Chuck (Hey John, whose your daddy?)
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To: JOE43270

Thank you for your service! My husband did three tours in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot.


93 posted on 11/17/2004 5:46:44 PM PST by annyokie (If the shoe fits, put 'em both on!)
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To: MeekOneGOP; annyokie; Alamo-Girl; onyx; ALOHA RONNIE; SpookBrat; Republican Wildcat; Howlin; ...
Clarification on our armed forces right to return fire when it is coming from a mosque comes directly from our Military Field Manual - FM27-10, cHPTR 2 - Hostilites:

45. Buildings and Areas To Be Protected

a. Buildings To Be Spared.

In sieges and bombardments all necessary measures must be taken to spare, as far as possible, buildings dedicated to religion, art, science, or charitable purposes, historic monuments, hospitals, and places where the sick and wounded are collected, provided they are not being used at the time for military purposes.

It is the duty of the besieged to indicate the presence of such buildings or places by distinctive and visible signs, which shall be notified to the enemy beforehand. (HR, art. 27.) (See also GC, arts. 18 and 19; pars. 257 and 258 herein, dealing with the identification and protection of civilian hospitals.)

b. Areas To Be Protected. In order to protect buildings used for medical purposes from being accidentally hit, it is desirable that the wounded and sick should, if possible, be concentrated in an area remote from military objectives or in an area neutralized by arrangement with the enemy. See GC, arts. 14, 18, and 19; pars. 253, 257, and 258 herein, concerning the establishment of hospital and safety zones and localities.)

94 posted on 11/17/2004 5:51:16 PM PST by Happy2BMe (It's not quite time to rest - John Kerry is still out there (and so is Hillary))
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To: annyokie

What branch was your husband in during Nam? And what years was he there?


95 posted on 11/17/2004 5:52:07 PM PST by Happy2BMe (It's not quite time to rest - John Kerry is still out there (and so is Hillary))
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To: spodefly

Anybody who has not been in this situation cannot have a valid opinion. It has to be strictly between the individual and his conscience. His experience before and after has to influence his own long-term acceptance of his decision. That is what is important for him.


96 posted on 11/17/2004 5:52:45 PM PST by meenie
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To: annyokie

I didn't do any thing compared to him. God Bless him and I'm glad he made it through three tours.


97 posted on 11/17/2004 5:53:28 PM PST by JOE43270 (JOE43270 America voted and said we are One Nation Under God with Liberty and Justice for All.)
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To: BykrBayb

Sties (sic) => "Sites".

The name of the camera operator.


98 posted on 11/17/2004 5:54:43 PM PST by DuncanWaring (...and Freedom tastes of Reality)
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To: Happy2BMe

USA 1965- 1972. Not all together, of course. He was state side in between.


99 posted on 11/17/2004 5:55:54 PM PST by annyokie (If the shoe fits, put 'em both on!)
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To: Happy2BMe

100 posted on 11/17/2004 5:56:40 PM PST by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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