"Wish You Were Here"

For all the free people that still protest.
You're welcome. We protect you and you are protected by the best.
Your voice is strong and loud,
but who will fight for you? No one standing in your crowd.
We are your fathers, brothers, and sons,
wearing the boots and carrying guns.
We are the ones that leave all we own,
to make sure your future is carved in stone.
We are the ones who fight and die,
We might not be able to save the world, Well, at least we try.
We walked the paths to where we are at
and we want no choice other than that.
so when you rally your group to complain,
take a look in the back of your brain.
In order for that flag you love to fly
wars must be fought and young men must die.
We came here to fight for the ones we hold dear.
If that's not respected, we would rather stay here.
So please stop yelling, put down your signs,
and pray for those behind enemy lines.
When the conflict is over and all is well,
be thankful that we chose to go through hell.

Corporal Joshua Miles and all the boys from 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines,
Kuwait 3/9/2003

To: SandyInSeattle

Best part of the war: Now we gotta replace all those old used up bombs and missiles with nice new shiny ones.

4,461 posted on 04/09/2003 11:06:33 AM PDT by POGIFFMOO (illegitimi non carborundum)

Any French speakers here that can give us the low down on what the french news agencies are reporting? Are they still being idiots?

4,463 posted on 04/09/2003 11:06:59 AM PDT by toddly

FOFL .. Lara Loon sure is having a hard time with her lines today

4,464 posted on 04/09/2003 11:07:03 AM PDT by Mo1 (I'm a monthly Donor .. You can be one too!)

To: Cordova Belle

Remember when, at the 2000 Republican convention, used the refrain:

"They have not led. We will!".

4,465 posted on 04/09/2003 11:07:06 AM PDT by Timeout (...an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm--GWB inaugural address)

BREAKING: Al Jazeera reports the US fought Iraq because of "Oil of Olay"

4,466 posted on 04/09/2003 11:07:09 AM PDT by ken5050

To: Cordova Belle

Rummy saying that the embedded reporters will have seen the our fines at work, come home and tell the story.

4,467 posted on 04/09/2003 11:07:11 AM PDT by Carolina

To: SoldiersGirl

Pentagon briefing - Wed. Apr. 9: Baghdad Liberation Day!

SOD Donald Rumsfeld and Gen. Richard Myers:

SOD Rumsfeld:

"This is a good day for the Iraqi people."

"There is no question but there are difficult and very dangerous days ahead...but anyone seeing the faces of the liberated Iraqis has to say this is a very good day."

Coalition forces nothing short of spectacular.

"As the Iraqis see the coalition progress they are losing their fear. I think it's safe to say that (things are) tipping..at least in Baghada...we're seeing history unfold...Saddam Hussein is now taking his rightful place ( beside Hitler, etc.,..this is a great speech...get the transcript!)

As we watch Iraqis unfurl the banner of freedom today..all American share in their joy..."

To the family of the American who ahe given their lives for this war...they made this pssible..their sacrifice is (allowing) the liberation of a people. To the Iraqi people who are not yet free..I've seen Pres. Bush almost every day since this conflict began and I can assure you (that he is committed to seeing this regime over)

The regime has been run out of a number of iRaqi towns...we still must capture and otherwise account for Saddam Hussein and (co) and find and account for POWs, secure northern oil fields, find and secure Iraq's WMDs and Iraq's borders, find out all we can about how Iraqi regime acquired its capabilities (and the countries involved...rewards are available.) Good lives and a better future are available to all who turn themselves in..."

We must locate the Baath Party, Fedayee, SRG, (stolen wealth so it can be returned to the Iraqi people)..help pave the way for new Irawi gove...chosen by the Iraqi people.

To the Iraqi people, there are a lot of reporters embedded with the coaltion forces...this is the opportunity to tell them your stories...so history is not repeated.. To the free journalists..this is your opportunity to tell the story."

Gen. Myers:

"We have made great strides in the last three weeks."

Out west small no. of death squads exist and are harrassing...we seized a small town no. of Mosul, more must be done in bagdhad.,..fighting inside Baghdad sti

I have two special messages: One "To those who may be holding coalition POWs - permit the Red Cross to visit them. (The Gen. Conv. demands it. We expect our people to be treated well.)...

Second -"To the families of the Afghan citizens accidentally killed in a bombing yesterday we send our sincere condolences...(we accidentally hit a house, killed 11 people.)

Questions:

Re. Humanitarian aid. R: "What's happening now is that the humanitarian assistance is coming in. That doesn't mean the humanitarian situation is worse. Just the contrary...(.people coming in might see a crisis...but where there was no water, now there is). "Water supplies are above pre-war levels, sufficient food and electricity is availiable, port is cleared, rail line is cleared...etc, etc. (Rummy nailing the press...we are helping humanitarily...Big Time..please read transcript...a reporter actually almost apologized!)...

GM: "It really doesn't matter where Gen. Garner and his group is. They are acting now ...electrical grid, etc..".he's the one overseeing that now"..

R: "Planes are already going in (to Baghdad airport.).."

Do you think Saddam Hussein's still alive? R: "Dont' know." Was he in the building? R: "Don't know." Bret Baier tries for #3 question, Rummy denies. (^:

GM: 'There are about 10 plus reg. army div. left in the north and perhaps one brig. of RG. They have been subjected to bombing by air power...will continue to (be subjected to that for a long time.)

R: "I happen to think that Gen. Franks has done a (superb) job. (our troops, too) " I think the outcome is in the process of speaking for itself."

Re. rescuing POWs, GM: "The reason for my remarks is to not let the Iraqi regime off the hook...clearly the US military is very concerned about the whereabouts of these people. I am not going to get into any more oppo. details..".Always, it's always one of our first priorities to bring our people back."

R: "It's important to recognize how exhillerated the Iraqi people who have been liberated are....(and feel for those who are not yet free) There's a lot of work yet to do. I do think, in the case of Baghdad, that it's tipping...you can't know that...it's not knowable (how long it will take to free all of Iraq)...

Re. the regime loyalists that disappeared from Baghdad: "R: "We are getting scraps of info that Syria has been cooperative in moving people out...people from Syria moving into Iraq- unhelpfully...night vision goggles and that sort of thing." "Rewards..they're very important. There are carrots and sticks and we need help. People to come forward ..so the Baath Party members can be known..so we can find documentation...on WMD programs...we are at a point now where they need not fear. They need not fear because this regime is not going to come back and occupy this country."

GM:" I suspect that many were killed (many left and blended in)..(we're taking steps - checking roads out of Baghdad)

R: "You bet we're concerned that WMDs may have been shipped out of the country (and into the hands of terrorist networks). It is important for us to see that that doesn't happen."

R: "We are in the process of trying to liberate that country....it obviously is important (to find WMDs)..

R: "We've not seen anything to indicate that...(Kurds going wild on news of Baghdad being freed).. communications are imperfect (intentionally)..

R: "It clearly would be unhelpful if terrorists got their hands on some of Iraq's chem or bio. (weapons).."

Re. Saddam, again- R: "Exactly what is it about him that you are interested in? There is no question that it is hard to find a dingle person. It;'s hard to find them when they're alive and mobile. It's hard to find them when they're buried under rubble." "Who knows." "Time will tell." The regime will change.... "They might even have a free press eventually there."

GM "The C&C has been degraded..no organized resistance from RG in Bagdhad. (sporadic)..the rest are pretty much static, falling back from the green line..."

R: "There is no question that there are a number of television stations (in the mid east) and print that carried a message that was false. Tried to get the people to believe we were fighting the Iraqi people, and that we were opposed to their religion...we'll do our job. We'll do it well...and we'll leave as that country is set on a path to guide it's own future...."Truth ultimately find its way to a people's ears and eyes and hearts. Does it make me sad to see (lies told)?..yes, it bothers me. what can one do except to tell the truth. behave in a way that's consistent with one's values. I think we've done this..."

GM: "It was the United States and the Coalition willing to put our (lives on the line ) for a couple of (mid east coutries - to free their people) and I hoped that was noticed. "It was our blood and treasure put on the line." (we have no desire to stay)..

R: "The reporters embedded had to see (the truth of our wonderful troops) and they'll come back and tell.."

4,468 posted on 04/09/2003 11:07:12 AM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl ("I'm not feeling a lot of love in here right now"- Brig. Gen. Brooks to press corp, CENTCOM, Apr. 9)

4,469 posted on 04/09/2003 11:07:17 AM PDT by melodie (I want my Bag Tee Veee....)

Yep! Time to replenish our boys and girls with new, state-of-the-art toys!

4,470 posted on 04/09/2003 11:07:23 AM PDT by Not A Snowbird (USMC Retired - 21 years)

That is wonderful news!

You must start a little collection of documentation for him. Shep just called this "VI Day" 4/9/03.

So your new nephew was born on VI Day.

4,471 posted on 04/09/2003 11:07:30 AM PDT by cyncooper (thousands of cheering Iraqis yelled, "America, America, America," and "Bush, Bush, Bush.")

Lara has said Ministry of Oil at least a dozen times during this practise session.

4,472 posted on 04/09/2003 11:07:42 AM PDT by cebadams (much better than ezra)

i>Brit Hume's wife is one lucky woman :).

Did you see the film clip that FNC played a couple of months back of Brit Hume mocking Al Gore? He surprised his wife and everyone in the newsroom by grabbing her and planting a huge kiss on her ala Al and Tipper during the 2000 campaign. Yes indeed, she is one lucky woman.

4,473 posted on 04/09/2003 11:07:48 AM PDT by alnick (Every guy grab a girl, everywhere around the world, there'll be dancing in the streets.)

April 9, 2003 -- Iraqi Liberation Day

Event and Link Collection : April 9, 2003

Times are Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

Children held as hostages released from Iraq jails <-- April 8 Link
The Beeb's Summary - War at a glance <-- Link
Two Special Ops rescued near Baghdad (Reuters 4:15 AM) <-- Link
Iraqis celebrate their liberation in the streets (AP 6:38 AM) <-- Link
Iraqis celebrate their liberation in the streets (Reuters 6:30 AM) <-- Link
Tanks reach center city Baghdad (Reuters 7:37 AM) <-- Link
Pictures of "The" statue is coming down <-- Link
One media self-obsession fades (being in the line of fire)
Only Iraqi resistance comes from near Palestine Hotel <-- Link
The only shooting in the city center was from Iraqi paramilitaries firing sporadically at U.S. forces across the river. The firing came from around the Palestine Hotel, home to many foreign journalists, but the U.S. military did not return fire.
Iraqi people kick-out Lebanese and Syrian volunteer mercenaries (Reuters 7:30 AM) <-- Link
Liberal admission that they were wrong about Iraq mission will NOT be forthcoming, time to change the subject
The quagmire was three weeks in duration
Baghdad erupts in jubilation (AFP) <-- Link
We did not suffer massive casualties
Civilian population did not suffer massive casualties
No mass exodus of refugees
No massive retaliation on US soil (the liberals will blame the next one on Bush, for liberating Iraq and thereby provoking the terrorists)
US may lower threat level to yellow (Wash Post> <-- Link
At CENTCOM presser, Fox News asks first question about POW's held near Rasheed Airfield (after a bunch of selfish reporters ask about keeping reporters safe in a battle zone)
4 ID slated for Tikrit (NY Post 7:59 AM) <-- Link
Marines find torture chamber in Nassiriya (Reuters 11:30 AM) <-- Link
Marines hold nuclear site at Al-Tuwaitha (Pittsburgh Tribune Review 1:29 PM) <-- Link
Iraqi kissing picture of GWB "Hero of the Peace" <-- Picture
Go Home / Human Shields / U.S. Wankers <-- Picture
Coalition fighting near Tikrit (AP 11:26) <-- Link
Baghdad Bob's New Assignment <-- Cartoon
Saddam's "grim reaper" Body Double <-- Cartoon

Good Reads

New York Times says Bush is just dumb-lucky (NYT 6:47 AM)
James Doran: Mourning comes to a town called Comfort <-- Read This

4,474 posted on 04/09/2003 11:08:19 AM PDT by Cboldt

Brit Hume's wife is one lucky woman :).

Did you see that film clip at Christmas when he planted one on her ala Algore and Tipper? It looked a lot more genuine and real on Brit and his wife, not phony like the Gores.

4,475 posted on 04/09/2003 11:08:30 AM PDT by Inspectorette

Speaking of oil, Lara needs a lube job.

4,476 posted on 04/09/2003 11:08:37 AM PDT by Consort

4,477 posted on 04/09/2003 11:09:06 AM PDT by retrokitten (She's the one, the only one, built like an Amazon)

I wish the CBS cam would come back

4,478 posted on 04/09/2003 11:09:07 AM PDT by AppyPappy (Caesar si viveret, ad remum dareris.)

Lara has said Ministry of Oil at least a dozen times during this practise session.

LOL .. I've noticed

4,479 posted on 04/09/2003 11:09:14 AM PDT by Mo1 (I'm a monthly Donor .. You can be one too!)

To: Ragtime Cowgirl

Many thanks frommthose without TV access. You're better for Freepers' morale than "Belly Girl"

4,480 posted on 04/09/2003 11:09:34 AM PDT by ken5050

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Operation Iraqi Freedom

This thread is dedicated to the brave men and women of the

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Links to the past threads

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Baghdad City Maps

April 9, 2003 -- Iraqi Liberation Day

Event and Link Collection : April 9, 2003

Good Reads