He Fights On With Dwindling Supply of Smokes [Marlboro Man]

LA Times ^ | November 12, 2004 | Patrick J. McDonnell

[Ex-Dem]

FALLUJAH, Iraq — The Marlboro man was angry: He has a war to fight, and he's running out of smokes.

"If you want to write something," he tells an intruding reporter, "tell Marlboro I'm down to four packs, and I'm here in Fallujah till who knows when. Maybe they can send some. And they can bring down the price a bit."

Those are the unfettered sentiments of Marine Lance Cpl. James Blake Miller, 20, a country boy from Kentucky who has been thrust unwittingly and somewhat unwillingly into the role of poster boy for a war on the other side of the world from his home on the farm.

"I just don't understand what all the fuss is about," Miller drawls on Friday as he crouches -- Marlboro firmly in place -- inside an abandoned building with his platoon mates, preparing to fight insurgents holed up in yet another mosque.

"I was just smokin' a cigarette, and someone takes my picture and it all blows up."

[rmlew]

Did you catch this line in the article:
"The photo seems to have struck a chord, as an image of America striking back at a perceived enemy, or just one young man putting his life on the line halfway across the globe."
Percieved?!
These "insurgents" the media gush over have openly aligned themselves with Bin LAden. The rest are Ba'athists, aka Pan-Arab national socialists, analogous to the pan-Aryan National Socialists of the Nazi party. I guess Islamists and Sand-Nazis are only "percieved" enemies.

I'd trade the entire staff of the LA Times for Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment.

[Freedom4US]

Alas, the forces of PC struck the military re: smokes. Used to be, they were tax free up until the late 80's. 10 bucks a carton. "Someone" complained, and they jacked up the price to the same price as everyone else. Except, no taxes are paid, AAFES just pockets the difference. Copenhagen has been in the past very good to our troops. A silvertop (metal) roll of chew is a hot commodity. Send a few off to our boys, everyone.

[AmericaUnited]

I'll send a box of Arturo Fuente's Hemingway Classics his way

What a wonderful magnanimous gesture!

[Baytovin]

"... wrote Rep. Henry A. Waxman, D-Calif."

Dear Mr. Waxman....the majority of decent Americans regret your Mother's decision NOT to have an abortion....

[calex59]

You seem to be splitting hairs here. My statement that more Californians have died fighting in Iraq than any other state stands. You can jump around with your per capita all you care to. Deal with it.

Quite right. What knocks the per capita thing down is, this is a voluntary military, not a draft. If California was all blue, which it is not, it is mostly red, then there wouldn't be that many volunteers and therefore less deaths total.

[PeteB570]

I can still recall the cigarette "4 packs" that came in C-rations. When you were down to only two meals a day it was best to have some non-smoker friends.

[Zacs Mom]

lolol.........I had read your post about a mom or a girlfriend somewhere being thrilled that this gritty young man's beautiful face was being shown far and wide, and was, in fact, thinking about that post as I read thru this thread!!

Frankly, I wouldn't watch Dan Rather if he were reading off winning lottery numbers prior to the drawings, but I'm really glad to read that this soldier's mom was. I can only imagine how great that was for her!

Amen to continued prayers for all our young and women in harms way ~

and for their families, as well!

[cyborg]

Is that chad fairbanks????

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

Wonder if Mike Bloomberg would have him arrested for smoking in a NYC bar while he enjoyed a cold long neck?

[XJarhead]

"Until my son went into the Marines, I never really realized what that flag stood for - but now I do," she said.

What a wonderful line.

[faithincowboys]

I've found that men generally look better with a cigarette and a smudged face.

I love that he is from Kentucky-- another Red Stater kicking tail for America. Cool!!

[Iluvpopcrn]

That's what I noticed first too...the eyes. That's one of those pictures you never forget, like the one of the Middle Eastern woman with the blue eyes on the cover of an old National Geographic. Haunting. Makes you wonder what those eyes have seen...in both cases.

[gortklattu]

Here's the liberal's chance to prove they support our troops: send the smokes.

You think they'll do this?

[gortklattu]

==Be still my heart..What a sexy guy! Wish he'd get the People cover instead of the usual wimps they have for world's sexiest man. (Like a real man, he'd probably decline the silly, "sissy" photo shoot. He's got serious work to do).==

I'd like to see those hollywood stars, especially the ones who play like they're soldiers, stand up to these soldiers.

[Twinkie]

He better hire an agent now.

[Twinkie]

What drivel from the nanny state. My Dad smoked on the
battlefield. It was calming and a diversion at a time
when any moment could be the last. Let's see, treats were
rations, and a cigarette, coffee, precious little for men
with their lives on the line. He quit after he got back
home, but chewed tobacco all his life. So, now the
cigarette companies can't offer a smoke to men in harm's
way. Guess the Hershey's Co. can't send them a little
candy. It might rot their teeth. - Thanks, John Edwards.

[goldstategop]

If Hollywood is smart, they'll make the next movie about the modern Marines' unparalleled bravery and dedicated professionalism that Cprl Miller and his Corps has embodied for over two centuries now. Semper Fi!

[texas booster]

Keep the Marlboros for our guys, and let the terrorists smoke Russian or Chinese cigs, or even clove cigs.

After a couple of days we will get incredible intel from the promise of a Marlboro.

[halfright]

Marlboro has had enough free press out of this to pay for the man's smokes for life. How about a letter writing campaign to insure our boys have enuff smokes????? How about it manufactureres??? It is well known that they sell more smokes outside the US than in so the stock piles must be in EU already......

Semper Fi

[wita]

Actually the motorcycle hit Janklow's car in the left rear door, a micro second more and we would not have had a democrat representative in Congress, but also maybe no Republican Senator. Who knows what obeying traffic signs will bring you.