He tells it like it is.
Subject: FWD: Iraq Report 18 July 2003
From one of the Grunts on the scene.
Iraq Report Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2003
TO ALL : This is a response to a message that said rules of engagement (ROE ) were causing Army deaths and did not apply to the Marines. No, it's not true. The ROE are dictated by CJTF-7, not individual commanders, and the rules are the same for Army and Marines. We are each required to be armed at all times.
The two magazine rule is that you must have at least two magazines on your person at all times, this helps when you're engaging the enemy. Most people carry at least three pistol mags and seven rifle mags respectively.
Both Army and Marine units openly display their weapons. They both shoot when threatened also. Several attacks have been thwarted by Army and Marine personnel shooting first. We're also much better shots than the enemy. They tend to spray and pray, while we tend to just shoot them.
The Army has more attacks because their AOR encompasses Baghdad and the surrounding areas where the bulk of the attacks have taken place. I've noticed the press does a poor job in reporting military response to these ambushes.
The usual 'real' military report reads: " Five IZ (Iraqis) fired AK-47s and RPGs at patrol (or convoy), soldiers (or marines) returned fire resulting in 3 KIA, and 1 WIA, 1 escaped. Enemy RPGs missed, AK fire ineffective, no US casualties."
We do take some casualties, but we are very effective at counter-firing at the ambushes. Our aggressiveness has proven very effective.
The enemy is primarily made up of insurgents from Iran and Syria who hire Iraqis to attack coalition soldiers, not disgruntled Iraqis who are mad that their electricity is not on all day yet. They provide them with AKs and RPGs and send them on their way with a promise of cash after the attack.
They have even give motorcycles to kids which they are allowed to keep if they ride by a coalition check point and drop a grenade. After one such attack, we found out how easy it was to shoot people off motorcycles. You can hear them from a long way off and shoot them long before they get within grenade dropping distance.
We have good leaders, and they're responding aggressively and well to the attacks, they emphasize that everyone must engage the enemy whenever they show themselves. The kids here are excited to do their job, and they do it well, with the proper weapons and lots of ammo. We go out with M2 50 cals and MK-19 automatic grenade launchers mounted on our vehicles. We carry SAWs, M-203s, M-16s, and M9s. We also carry several different types of grenades and use everything as needed.
We read press articles on the net that have no resemblance to reality every day. The press lies, they make things up, and they misrepresent things to forward their own interests. It would be funny, except that so many people [around the World] believe them.
Take care, XX Babylon, Iraq