Divest Terror testimony of Gunnery Sergeant Mark DePhillips USMCR

Center for Security Policy ^ | 25 April 07 | Gunnery Sergeant Mark DePhillips

[LSUfan]

The following testimony on the merits of divestment from Iran was given in front of the Ohio State Assembly on April 25, 2007.

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee:

I am Gunnery Sergeant Mark DePhillips with 3rd Batallion/25th Marines, based out of Brookpark, Ohio with companies in Akron, New York, West Virginia, and Lima Company here in Columbus.

I drove down from Cleveland this morning to testify in support of H.B. 151, the Iran Divestment bill.

I would like to start off by reading some headlines that have appeared in the news over the past six months:

Iranian Weapons Arm Iraqi Militia
ABC News
November 30, 2006

Iran arms Iraqi insurgents
The Washington Times
February 12, 2007

U.S. Accuses Iran of Arming Iraqi Insurgents
NPR.org
April 11, 2007

U.S. military: Iran training Iraqi bomb makers
MSNBC.com
April 11, 2007

Iraqi insurgents being trained in Iran, U.S. says
CNN.com
April 12, 2007

General sees Iran's hand in Iraq fight
Associated Press
April 13, 2007

I read these headlines to you because I believe it is important for you to understand that the Islamic Republic of Iran is contributing to the death of young Americans in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

In 2005, I was the Platoon Sergeant for the 3rd Batallion/25th Marines Scout Sniper Platoon when we were activated and deployed to Al Anbar Province, Iraq. While serving in Iraq, 49 of my brother Marines were KILLED IN ACTION. And as I just read to you, Iran is supporting the killing of American servicemen in Iraq.

In addition to being a United States Marine, I am also a proud 10-year veteran of the Cleveland Fire Department Engine 23. In this capacity, I pay thousands of hard-earned dollars into the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund.

Our job in the fire department is to keep Cleveland neighborhoods safe and secure. Our job in the Marine Corps is to keep America safe and secure. There is a grave and sick problem with taking my fire retirement funds and investing them in Iran, which calls for the destruction of our nation and is responsible for the deaths of servicemen in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It has been brought to my attention that the State Treasurer in Missouri was one of the first American leaders to recognize this problem, and consequently enacted a terror divestment plan in her state. It is also my understanding that since she divested from companies doing business in terrorist countries, the return on investment INCREASED by almost 4%. Indeed, investments in terrorist supporting states are risky investments – and dangerous ones at that.

So, when the fund managers and lobbyists tell you that terror divestment will hurt our retirement funds, please do not believe them. They have absolutely no evidence of this. I ask you to stand strong and not be fooled by the scare tactics of whoever would think to oppose this bill. And I also suggest that you ask these opponents why they are fighting against a bill that could help save the lives of American Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines.

You needn't look further than Missouri to see that terror divestment can actually help increase our retirement savings.

And more importantly, you needn't look further than my Ohio-based unit, 3rd Batallion/25th Marines, which suffered 49 Marines KILLED IN ACTION, to see that it is MORALLY WRONG to invest my retirement dollars in Iran.

Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, I am ENRAGED that money I gave to the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund is being invested in Iran, a direct sponsor of the terrorists that killed my Marines. It makes me SICK. And if there is someone whispering in your ear telling you that it is ok, they are DEAD WRONG. And you can tell them to come talk to me. Thank you for your time.

[llevrok]

Not my Dad's marine.

Times change.

[LSUfan]

Huh?

[llevrok]

When my Dad was in the Corps, (1944-46 and 1950-51), no such comments would have been uttered in public by any self respecting Marine.

I don't believe any self respecting Marine today would utter such drivel.

[familyop]

Fear that oil prices will rise is what is keeping Iran from being invaded. That fear is so big, that we’re running an overseas bluff at a cost of 100s of billions of dollars. ...quite a subsidy, eh? Yeah, the cost will gradually go much higher as we wait, but what merchant of today cares about tomorrow?

[familyop]

He called for our nation’s leaders to stop betraying us with their practice of making the enemy more wealthy. There’s nothing wrong with that. We shouldn’t even be buying Iranian oil.

[LSUfan]

You are a complete and total moron and an idiot. As a former Marine myself, I can say authoritatively that you have no idea what you are talking about.

This Gunnery Sergeant is a RESERVIST. As such, he is entitled to express his opinions on such matters as much as the next guy.

His firefighter pension money is going to Iran and he just got back from getting shot at by Iranian proxies for a year. He has the ultimate credibility on this issue.

[NYleatherneck]

Know a lot about the Corps, do ya ???

[llevrok]

My apoligies. Misread his comments.

as for knowing about the Corps, yes I do(some). My Dad served in the Corps in WW2 and Korea. he never called himself a "former" marine tho...

Again, my apologies.

[familyop]

I noticed the Moldova flag on your FR page. ...almost all Eastern Orthodox (98%) and a Communist President elected in 2001. ...interesting. Are you a Moldovan or a Clinton holdover visiting there?

https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/md.html

[NYleatherneck]

No worries...