The battle of Fallujah (first-hand account embed, well worth the read but not for the young)

Ledger-Enquirer.com | ^ | Nov. 24, 2004 | Tom Lasseter

[Former Military Chick]

heartbreaking thank you for the link

[Read2Know]

"How dare liberals degrade such brave men"

It is easy when illiberals see these heroes as dupes of the capitalist exploiters. The truth is these soldiers have what illiberals never will. Honor.

[SE Mom]

"Reads like a NCO club rendition of a battle of Fallujah. The author certainly didn't have a ton of military knowledge."

---

The author is an embed with the troops...NOT a military person...and wrote the article for civilians. It's not an after-action report. I found it compelling reading.

Thanks to FMC for posting it.

[Maigrey]

Fallujah Ping! (R-rated for violence and gore)

[spodefly]

BTTT

[G.Mason]

Up close and personal.

[frithguild]

Get them all.

[egarvue]

Bump for further reading. Thanks.

[Titan Magroyne]

Heartbreaking read, hats off to those guys out there. No matter what, they deserve our love and respect.

[eureka!]

bttt

[AzraelEternity]

War is not something we can control. I am deeply saddened by the loss of every soldier of our armed services. Let them never be forgotten for the sacrifices they have made. I recently participated in an open-question forum with Congressman John Doolittle of California and asked about the possibility of a draft. He told me that there was no chance of a draft, because currently, there are more people volunteering than the armed services will let volunteer.

Patriotism is what our country was founded upon, and let no man nor woman forget the sacrifices made by those in uniform.

[CTOCS]

When this is over and these boys return, it's going to be a very long time before many of them are able to sleep peacefully through the night. Happened to me after Danang in '68.

Jesus, these guys make me proud!

[26lemoncharlie]

Bump

[Hank Rearden]

Dammit.

You know, we're not in Fallujah to rescue anybody. We're not in Fallujah to defend anybody. We're in Fallujah to destroy any person left alive in that sh$%hole.

I'm certainly not qualified to decide, but nonetheless keep wondering why the hell we're doing it this way - getting our guys killed there while preserving the integrity of . . . . what? Mosques? Beheading rooms?

How do we know when we're done and the "good guys" can reoccupy the rubble? Are all the bad guys really gone? Are all the "good guys" good?

Back off to a safe distance and flatten that goddamn place. Then drop millions of leaflets with photos and the question: "Ok, who wants to be next?"

I hate to read stories like this, where our guys are dying with no upside that couldn't accomplished with B-52s.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Read in entirety later bump...

[topher]

The fog of battle is hard to put into words. This embed did try, but I imagine he/she only gave a partial glimpse into what really went on.

What makes an Audie Murphy survive many dangerous battles, exposing himself, when another soldier is killed in their first battle? God only knows.

Many people who did not know God find God in such situations, and come out of it changed forever.

The stories of Fallujah will be filled with stories of killing, but there will also be stories of hope. Sometimes it is hope, thoughts of family, and dedication to families that gets soldiers through the tough times.

Let us never forget their sacrifice...

[The Westerner]

It's a politically correct war. Which can't be won, by definition. A war that tries to spare civilians is a contradiction. Look at Israel's "war" against the Palestinians. But this attitude is prevalent at West Point. Doesn't diminish the courage of these soldiers. Very haunting problem.

[Gritty]

This is a good article, with a sad ending.

May these heroic sacrifices not be in vain...

[altura]

later read

[injin]

unbelievable....
Thank you all brave soldiers , the ones that made it and especially , the ones that did not.

When the Battle of Falluja first started I made a comment here
that it would go down in history as a 'great fight' in the annuls of our illustrious military. Someone replied that
it was only a mere blip compared to big fights of the past.
Reading this , I have to feel I was correct . Deserved battle streamers shall be added to the Unit Colors for Falluja , I have no doubt.
To the men who have fought there , we shall never forget you. And don't worry about what to tell your children , you are all magnificent hero's....