Free Republic

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — Only a handful of the thousands of troops in the U.S. Marines' main base here thought it worth the effort to get out of bed for President Barack Obama's speech on Afghanistan, which began at 5:30 a.m. local time. In the workout gym — one of the few public places with TVs — only two Navy Seabee engineers were watching when the speech began, and they were sharply divided on the wisdom of the president's plan. "I didn't really hear a good reason," said E3 Steven Lewis, 23, of Boise, Idaho. "I think it's all gone...

  West Point speaker was the ‘tip of the spear’ into IraqBy Joe Burlas Lt. Col. Rock Marcone, commander of the lead 3rd Infantry Division task force into Iraq last March, shares his units accomplishments with the West Point cadets in the class of 2005.USMA courtesy photo WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Feb. 25, 2004) -- When the U.S. Military Academy asks somebody to speak to cadets at a formal function, it is normally a well-known retired or active-duty general officer. But a relatively unknown lieutenant colonel was the guest speaker to the USMA class of 2005 at the end...

April 5 — They’re on the very front lines of the war. Yesterday, the Army’s Third Infantry Division secured Saddam International Airport. Today, the division’s tanks rolled through the streets of Baghdad on a daring daytime drive through the streets of the capital. Newsweek correspondent Arian Campo-Flores has been embedded with the Third ID for more than a month. Here, he profiles three of the men who make up this fighting force.

Front is 30 Blocks wide--35 casualties, most of whom lived