hHelo mUdder. : hElLo nyFather. i HeRE i x aM aT... h:i n y i a x
Posted on 10/18/2006 9:55:49 AM PDT by Dick Bachert
The Secret Letter From Iraq A Marine's letter home, with its frank description of life in "Dante's inferno," has been circulating through generals' in-boxes. We publish it here with the author's approval
Written last month, this straightforward account of life in Iraq by a Marine officer was initially sent just to a small group of family and friends. His honest but wry narration and unusually frank dissection of the mission contrasts sharply with the story presented by both sides of the Iraq war debate, the Pentagon spin masters and fierce critics. Perhaps inevitably, the "Letter from Iraq" moved quickly beyond the small group of acquantainaces and hit the inboxes of retired generals, officers in the Pentagon, and staffers on Capitol Hill. TIME's Sally B. Donnelly first received a copy three weeks ago but only this week was able to track down the author and verify the document's authenticity. The author wishes to remain anonymous but has allowed us to publish it here ¡ª with a few judicious omissions.
Go here http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1543658,00.html for complete story
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
LOL.
We were Army, so our instr. were more polite, but yes.
This letter is typical GI/Grunt/ground-pounder view, and pretty upbeat, really.
It's actually a pretty good "letter". The times will dwell on the few negative points. Nothing new here.
I'd be willing to bet that most Americans (except those into crossword puzzles) wouldn't know what a loo was.
The "dig" at O'Reilly could just as easily have been aimed at fellow chicken hawks Hannity, Boortz and Limbaugh who have never been closer to a military action than a Veterans Day Parades.
Talk and bravado ARE cheap when you're 3,000 miles from the action in a comfortable air-conditioned studio. BIG talk is even cheaper.
And, yes, I served in the USAF during the early days of Nam so I ALSO have the right to an opinion in the matter.
Be curious to know the military records of those who took gratuituous shots at the author of the letter.
Who knows though, maybe he's been hanging with Brits and picked up the slang.
The VIPs are most likely congress critters looking to get their credentials for talking about Iraq validated.
And doesn't Rummy spend about 1 week-end a month over there?
You stereotype too many with the over-used "chicken hawk" term. It's a device invented by liberals who don't respect those who volunteered to serve.
Having a Marine son, who has also "inhabited" Ramadi for 7 months....i believe ever word of this.....only a Marine could have written that....
Sounds like a genuine letter from my experience. The part about thinking of home brought tears to my eyes. I am sure that's what my husband thinks about a lot. For folks who are picking this thing apart, just stop and absorb reality. Our troops have a right to complain, what they do is hard work.
the Iraqi Country mouse was too vile for Saddam to deal with any closer than helicopter's length. That's why he had to have his helos after the first war.
You know what - I never served in the military (my two years of ROTC don't count) but I ALSO have a right to an opinion. You see our country is run by a civilian government. I appreciate the sacrifices of our service members but the elitist crap spouted by you and your ilk make me sick.
"...who don't respect those who volunteered to serve?"
My understanding of the term is different than yours:
I thought it referred to those who think war is macho and cool -- but somehow avoid going themselves.
You know, guys like the ones already mentioned plus Billy Kristol (Irv's boy), G.W.Bush (who sorta hung out in the 'Bama Air Guard during the Nam thing) and even, to a somewhat lesser extent, Billy Klintoon who, along with his moron of a SecDef, Les Aspin, got about a score of our guys killed in the Mog after sending them in for "nation building" WITHOUT the armor they needed to do the job safely.
Standing by for the inevitable lesson in lexicography.
I was told a bitchin' Marine is a happy Marine.
Bravest Guy in al-Anbar Province — Any Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician (EOD Tech). How'd you like a job that required you to defuse bombs in a hole in the middle of the road that very likely are booby-trapped or connected by wire to a bad guy who's just waiting for you to get close to the bomb before he clicks the detonator?
Got one family member - EOD Tech. - on the way to fill in 'vacancies' and a grandson stationed overseas, Airborne Spec Forces, with deployment to hot zone coming up - frightening...I pray republicans maintain power...if we win in Nov., I believe the violence will calm down some as the barbarians will have lost their hoped for advantage and aid from the libSocialists...
Tell that to the ones who survived here....
This supposed letter isn't much of a "secret", since the MSM has been circulating it for months. Smells like a dan rather job to me.
the you are excused to go puke - don't get any on ya
You won't get it from me, try Democratic Underground. They talk about chickenhawks all the time.
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