FIRST HAND REPORT; MARINE UNDER INVESTIGATION

Good Morning Everybody. > > The following is an email from my son regarding the NBC report (with > embedded reporter Kevin Sites), concerning the Marine who is being > investigated for "murdering" the insurgent in Fallaja. I will be sending his > mail to every news program's email I can find. I find it sickening that this > Kevin Sites is even allowed to be embedded with our Marines, as this isn't > the first report I've heard from him that took on a decidely unfriendly > tone. My son also gave me permission to release it to anyone that wants to > pass it on, as long as it remains unedited. > > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > This is one story of many that people normally don't hear, and one that > everyone does. > > This is just 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 you 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. > > Sincerely, > > LCPL > USMC > > > > > > "For those who fight for it, freedom has a flavor the protected never know." > -- Written on a C-ration box lid at Khe Sanh, South Vietnam, 1968 > > "There will be nowhere left for the insurgents to hide. We will fight them > until there are none of them left to fight." U.S. Army Gen. John Abizaid, > chief of U.S. Central Command > > MGySgt., USMC (Ret.) > Not as lean, > Not as mean, > But still a Marine. > >

Thanks for this post.

This morning a Canadian talk show was discussing this. The host mentioned that the Marine's buddy had been killed recently by a booby trap, etc... He couldn't understand why a major newspaper omitted such important information.

I decided to call.

There was one idiot who called up and I heard him while I was waiting--I was almost in tears listening to him. I'd heard this guy yesterday comparing Bush to Mussolini and Hitler, and today this caller said, "these soldiers are sent out, they've never been past their mother's apron strings, they don't know what the h*ll they're doing."

The host (Steve Madeley of CFRA in Ottawa) said, "Hey. These guys are trained to the hilt. There is no better training. If you're saying they're wet behind the ears, then YOU don't know what the h*ll you're talking about."

Yes, this was all on the air.

So when he got to me, I said, "Steve, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I'm an American and am SO tired of the constant bashing of the U.S. military..."

Then I said, as he had pointed out, what was clearly obvious to anyone who watched the tape:

"You could hear the panic in the Marine's voice. We couldn't see clearly what the dead man was doing... there was another prone Iraqi lying on the floor with a Marine pointing a weapon at his face. He wasn't shot. They weren't in there taking out innocent people. By definition, if someone is faking being dead, they are still fighting, they're not surrendering."

May God bless this brave young man, who made a split-second decision in the heat of combat.

Those sitting comfortably on the UN Human Rights Commission... such as former Canadian Supreme Court justice Louise ARbour, who wants to investigate this young man, well, why don't you get the Carolyn Parrish treatment?

(Carolyn Parrish just stomped on a doll of George Bush for a "comedy" show recently and she will probably yell and boo and insult the President if he speaks to the House of Commons).

I love that show (This Hour has 22 Minutes) but I am SICK AND TIRED of the constant anti-US verbiage.

In fact, my husband doesn't want me to even watch the news when the President comes here in a couple of weeks. I told him, sorry, but I'll be there at the protests with my "We love Ya, Dubya" signs." Or whatever else I can think of.

*looks back at her post* gee, I guess I kind of got off topic... :)

In any case, this Marine deserves our 100% support. If we just put ourselves in his shoes, I think that becomes completely obvious.

For easier reading ( I deleted the (>) though

Good Morning Everybody.

The following is an email from my son regarding the NBC report (with >

embedded reporter Kevin Sites), concerning the Marine who is being

investigated for "murdering" the insurgent in Fallaja. I will be sending his

mail to every news program's email I can find. I find it sickening that this

Kevin Sites is even allowed to be embedded with our Marines, as this isn't

the first report I've heard from him that took on a decidely unfriendly

tone. My son also gave me permission to release it to anyone that wants to

pass it on, as long as it remains unedited.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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

everyone does.

This is just 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 you 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.

Sincerely,

LCPL

USMC

"For those who fight for it, freedom has a flavor the protected never know."

-- Written on a C-ration box lid at Khe Sanh, South Vietnam, 1968

"There will be nowhere left for the insurgents to hide. We will fight them

until there are none of them left to fight." U.S. Army Gen. John Abizaid,

chief of U.S. Central Command

MGySgt., USMC (Ret.)

Not as lean,

Not as mean,

But still a Marine.

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