[Eagle Eye]

Wasn't gonna say it, but when the Army controlled Al Anbar, we owned the roads. Not saying that there wasn't ambushes or that it wasn't dangerous, but we could travel.

Attacks increased significantly when the USMC took over Al Anbar. And by mid April 2004 we'd lost the highways and there were prohibitions on the same travel we had just weeks earlier.

The USMC seemed determined to reject out of hand any lesson the Army learned and tried to pass on. Lessons paid for in Army blood had to be relearned with USMC blood.

Also....the first thing the USMC did when they hit ground was to fortify their office areas on the bases as if they were going to stay behind sandbags and HESCOs for their 6-7 month tour. Just stay out of trouble. Then the Blackwater security guys got hit near Falluja. Then the Top Brass (Sanchez, Abizaid) had to come in personally to 'motivate' the USMC into attacking Falluja.

Some have tried to tell me that the Army didn't conduct raids, and that was wrong. The USMC still pushes machismo when technical competency is usually more valuable.

But what would I know about any of that?

[RightWhale]

Interesting. Wonder if the Marines are being utilized properly.

[surfatsixty]

Wasn't gonna say it, but when the Army controlled Al Anbar, we owned the roads. Not saying that there wasn't ambushes or that it wasn't dangerous, but we could travel.

B@LLS!! You shouldn't have said it. The enemy adapts, and we adapt. Take your Army bias, shove it, and shut the F up discussing tactics on a public board.

[91B]

Oops-the oohrah chorus will be after you now (in fact it looks like some already have been). A couple of months ago they were all upset because some of the soldiers in the 155th brigade, Mississippi guard, were trying to were 2nd Marine Division's combat patch. SOme of Marines said that "they didn't deserve it" because the "hadn't earned the title" presunably because they didn't go through Marine boot camp. Of course the 155th is spending a year in the MEF combat zone as opposed to 6-7 months, but apparently that doesn't count as much as boot camp.