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Protests dishearten some troops overseas
North County Times ^ | 26-Feb-2003 | Darrin Mortenson

Posted on 02/26/2003 7:29:32 AM PST by Toidylop

CAMP COYOTE, Kuwait ---- Some of the Marines kicked the dirt, turned away or cursed the "damned liberals" on hearing news of global anti-war demonstrations.




Hayne Palmour/Staff Photographer

Marine Cpl. Thomas Barnes, 22, takes a close look at a photograph of fellow Marine Cpl. Nick Fredrick kissing his girlfriend, Danielle, as Cpl. James Fuller, right, who didn't get mail, stands nearby as Marines begin their day at Camp Coyote in Kuwait on Sunday.

"When I was in boot, that was my worst nightmare," said Jared Hubbard, a 20-year old lance corporal from Fresno and a member of the Camp Pendleton-based 5th Marine Regiment. "Going to war and coming home to a country that doesn't want you. God."

Other Marines who've been camped out here seemed disinterested in the rights or wrongs of a war with Iraq and said they were not bothered by world opinion and just want to get "it" over with.

"We just want to step off and get this thing done," said Lance Cpl. Ryan Clapp, 22, of Salem, Ore.

Stationed in the Kuwait desert just 25 miles from the Iraqi border, the Marines are usually the last to hear international news. Some were disheartened by reports of anti-war protests held worldwide this month; they said the demonstrations hurt morale.

But one of those protesters, Hal Brody from northern San Diego County, said it would be wrong for the Marines to equate his opposition to the war as a lack of support for the troops.

"No one supports troops more than war protesters," Brody said Tuesday. "We, more than anyone, want them home, alive and intact."

"I wish each sailor, airman, soldier and marine could understand that war protesters do what they do out of a love of humankind," he added. "And that it IS patriotic."

Brody said the "only possible excuse for going to war is survival."

"If some country attacks your country, or is obviously about to, then people have a right to defend themselves," he said. "What we are seeing around the world is that no one believes that this is the case with Iraq. No one believes that Iraq is about to attack the U.S. We all think that this war is about to be fought for purely economic reasons."

In Kuwait, however, many Marines say their esprit de corps is high, they are ready for war and they are confident that their mission is righteous.

"We're not really going there to kill people," said Sgt. Kevin Thompson, 24, echoing a thought repeated by many Marines in the field. "We're going there to free people."

Thompson, who was supposed to finish his tour with the Marines two weeks ago, said he was fine when he was told his country needed him for one last mission.

"No problem," the Utah native said when he received a letter from the Marine Corps late last month saying he would be deploying to Kuwait instead of heading off to college as he had planned. Thompson said a dozen or so men from his 100-man rifle company were involuntarily extended in the Corps for the deployment.

"I didn't take it as bad as other people did," Thompson said. "I love my country. I figure if my country needs me to fight for them, I'll go."

Others in Clapp's company ---- "Kilo Three-five" as they refer to it ---- say they, too, just want to hear the word "go" and then get home.

Some started a pool to see who could pick the date of "line of departure" ---- the day they cross into Iraq and begin a ground war.

Each of about 30 members of 1st platoon put their names into a helmet, and as their gunnery sergeant drew the names, they were placed in order of draw on a calendar that runs through the end of March.

"Five bucks a square. It's a $160 pool ---- all purely speculation," said Navy corpsman Kyle Yates, 29, of San Diego. "It helps break the monotony until someone says 'go.' "

Thompson, like many others, said that if he could pick a date for war, it would be sooner rather than later.

"All we are is a bunch of people who love our country," he said. "If we don't do this, then some other poor guy's gonna have to do it for us 10 years from now. We just don't want to sit out here and wait. We wish Bush or someone would make a decision and get this over with. We're ready to fight. Everyone's ready. We want to get it on."

2/26/03


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: campcoyote; fresno; iraq; kuwait; marines
Oooohhhh raahhh!!!
1 posted on 02/26/2003 7:29:32 AM PST by Toidylop
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To: Toidylop
It sickens me how the protestors are pretending to be "patriotic". HA! They are liars.
2 posted on 02/26/2003 7:37:37 AM PST by McGavin999
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To: Toidylop
So just how big an a-hole is this bozo Hal Brody?
3 posted on 02/26/2003 7:37:56 AM PST by Chi-townChief
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To: Toidylop
"I love my country. I figure if my country needs me to fight for them, I'll go."

God bless, and keep you. Thanks for being there for me.

"protesters do what they do out of a love of humankind,"

When they spit on you as you return; it will be a pleasure for me to be upside their head for you.

4 posted on 02/26/2003 7:39:34 AM PST by laotzu
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To: laotzu
"All we are is a bunch of people who love our country," he said. "If we don't do this, then some other poor guy's gonna have to do it for us 10 years from now...
Can you see what kind of people these marines are? Some of these are my personal buddies... God Speed, bro
5 posted on 02/26/2003 7:48:44 AM PST by Toidylop
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Comment #6 Removed by Moderator

To: Toidylop
"No one supports troops more than war protesters," Brody said Tuesday

Your "support" causes the soldiers who are willing to sacrifice everything, EVERYTHING, for YOUR safety and freedom feel like this: "Going to war and coming home to a country that doesn't want you."

You Saddam-lovers are justifying your actions with lame excuses and you're diluting yourselves if you think you are being supportive. These men and women in uniform are brave, honorable and deserving of our support, our REAL SUPPORT. Not your brand of pseudo-support. You're not fooling anyone, except maybe yourselves.

7 posted on 02/26/2003 8:00:04 AM PST by I'm ALL Right!
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To: Toidylop
I doubt that there are any wars that have not had protesters.
8 posted on 02/26/2003 8:02:19 AM PST by stuartcr
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To: Toidylop
GRRRrrrrrrRRR!!!! Strike them down at their knees! Go here and make it happen!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/848479/posts
9 posted on 02/26/2003 8:04:12 AM PST by RandallFlagg (MustFReepMustFReepMustFReepMustFReepMustFReepMustFReep)
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To: kookoobirdy
Pro-life? Bet if you took a poll of the protestors you'd find every single one of them is pro-choice. They only want to save the lives of dictators and tyrants. Innocent children mean nothing to them unless they can use them to protect tyranny. These people are totally incapible of following a thought through to it's conclusion.

Worried about women and children? How about worrying about the women who are raped in front of their husbands in order to get them to confess. How about the children who's eyes are plucked out in front of their parents? Do they count?

How about the women and children of Halabja? I didn't see even one of them on the streets protesting the massacre of 5,000 women and children.

Don't try to give me that crap about them being "pro-life". They only value the morally warped.

10 posted on 02/26/2003 8:16:00 AM PST by McGavin999
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To: Toidylop
"Brody said the "only possible excuse for going to war is survival."...If some country attacks your country, or is obviously about to..."

If we wait until the attack occurs, then it's too late, and this country will have failed to protect those who will die as a result. We should have learned this from Pearl Harbor, and I hope we did learn this from 9/11/01.

As far as this "obviously about to" line, Iraq is still in a state of war with its neighbor Israel and has in the past demonstrated a propensity for sneak attacks (Iran and Kuwait). Do we wait until Hussein launches missles at our ally before we feel compelled to do something? Not only will it be too late for Israel, but what kind of message will we be sending to other countries that are likewise alligned with us? Sorry guys, but you'll have to wait until an enemy is actually killing your citizens before we'll do anything to honor our end of a mutual defense treaty. That sort of weak-kneed mind-set might be acceptable to other countries, but it isn't how America got to be at the top of the international mountain...

11 posted on 02/26/2003 8:19:08 AM PST by Exeter
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To: Toidylop
Anyone have the link to the thread about e-mailing, or writing, or sending packages to the troops?...The Marine in the pic who didn't get a letter...well, we can rectify that...
12 posted on 02/26/2003 8:21:03 AM PST by ken5050
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To: Toidylop
"see what kind of people these marines are"

I am often dis-heartened by the sniveling left, and the prominence given them by Peter Rather-Brokaw. Often, I become full of myself as a ridiculed, but still standing, lone patriot.

Then...along comes a marine to elegantly illustrate how full of sh*t both Peter & I am.

13 posted on 02/26/2003 8:29:10 AM PST by laotzu
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To: ken5050
Some links on this thread
14 posted on 02/26/2003 10:34:47 AM PST by GailA (THROW AWAY THE KEYS http://keasl5227.tripod.com/)
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To: Toidylop; GailA; McGavin999; laotzu; I'm ALL Right!
Related Articles
Marxist Groups in the Anti-War Movement
Source: CNSNews.com; Published: February 25, 2003; Author: Paul M. Weyrich

Anti-war Protestors: Shades Of Stupidity
Source: CNSNews.com; Published: February 21, 2003; Author: Rachel Marsden

Who's Paying for It All? [re: anti-war demostrations]
Source: INSIGHT magazine; Published: February 18, 2003; Author: J. Michael Waller

Anti-War Protestors Are Warmongers for Our Enemies
Source: CNSNews.com; Published: February 11, 2003; Author: Alex Epstein

Reds Still [re: The story no one wants to hear about the antiwar movement]
Source: National Review; Published: January 23, 2003; Author: Byron York


15 posted on 02/26/2003 10:39:39 AM PST by Stand Watch Listen
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To: laotzu
"When I was in boot, that was my worst nightmare," said Jared Hubbard, a 20-year old lance corporal from Fresno and a member of the Camp Pendleton-based 5th Marine Regiment. "Going to war and coming home to a country that doesn't want you. God."
http://img110.exs.cx/img110/396/clovismarines.jpg


The Marine who wrote this, Jared Hubbard was killed in action yesterday in Iraq along with his friend who he grew up with. I knew him through his brothers who trained at the same martial arts school as me. He was very proud to serve his country. our thoughts and prayers for these brave soldiers and their families.

From local news webpage Valley Marines killed in Iraq Posted: 11/4/2004 10:11:24 PM Jeremiah Baro and Jared Hubbard were best friends at Buchanan High School. They joined the Marines after graduation, on the condition they would serve side by side. Now, their families face unthinkable grief after an explosion killed Baro and Hubbard in Iraq. Baro's family say the pair were stationed near Ramadi an area marked by fighting in recent weeks. Baro and Hubbard also served in 2002, fighting during the initial stages of the war and then bravely volunteered to go again.
16 posted on 11/05/2004 12:42:34 AM PST by FresnoArmyBrat (www.protestwarrior.com)
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To: FresnoArmyBrat
This recent election delivered the message that he will return to a country that loves him.

There are so many fine people in this country, so many....

17 posted on 11/05/2004 6:54:15 AM PST by laotzu
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