SwiftVets.com

[GenrXr]

The United States Marine Corps is about to enter the city of Fallujah in order to remove the insurgent population. In our countries past rarely has the Corp been used for an operation as important as this one. When we think of Marines the most common battles we think of are the Pacific islands in the 40's or the small skirmishes such as Grenada in the 80's. Even during the gulf war of 91' and our present war in Afghanistan and Iraq the Marines are rarely involved in a major strategic battle rather they serve mainly in support capacity. This is all about to change. The United States Marine Corps has been given a battle in which to win, the battle of Fallujah. Why have the Marines been asked now to perform such an important mission? Well to put it simply we have an entrenched enemy which we believe will fight to the death. This is when the Marines are at their best and most capable. To compare the Fallujah insurgents to the Japanese warriors the Marines faced in World War II would be a disservice to the Japanese soldier, yet this is the only comparison which comes to mind. The Japanese were hunkered down on the Pacific islands and determined to fight to the death which they did in all their dying glory. The sub human life forms in Fallujah believe they are going to fight to the death, yet there is one small issue I believe they have yet to reckon. The Corps are going to go into the city and kill every threat target they encounter as fast as they are scoped. The living organic material with legs and arms and I suppose a tomato on top are about to be target practice for a very motivated killing machine. This organic material will soon realize what Zell Miller meant by fighting a war with spitballs only they will be doing the spitting while the Marines will be mowing them down with M1-Abrams tanks, AC 130 gunships, and the finest equipped military soldier the world has ever seen. So just why exactly if the Marines are so capable and deadly are they used so rarely? The reason is simple, our political leaders fight wars too often with other nations sensitivities in mind. Sadly but true this attitude of pleasing others including our own domestic terrorist radical left has often made us a weakened nation. Thankfully though, with W's re-election he has seen fit to finally win in Iraq. As General Maximus so eloquently said in the movie gladiator, "on my command unleash hell".
_________________
"An activist is the person who cleans up the water, not the one claiming its dirty."
"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to stand by and do nothing." Edmund Burke (1729-1797), Founder of Conservative Philosophy

[commdog]

Hey GenrXr
Nicely put. But Marine is always spelled with a capital "M".
/CD
_________________
Sgt of Marines, 1965 -> Forever
"Society's demands for moral authority and character increase as the importance of the position increases." - John Adams

[GenrXr]

[ocsparky101]

commdog. Typos don't make a difference. It is understand world wide that Marines are always Capitol and the Bset of the Best.

[PrinceLazar]

God Bless the Marines and my thought and atention is upon Fallujah these days..

(Wonder if we could have a few "human shields" shiped down there from SF and Massachusets)?!
_________________
---Prince Lazar---

Need some wood?!?!

[Kimmymac]

The first service branch to report a KIA during Gulf 1 was a Marine.

I guess being in "supply" is dangerous. Don't ever make the mistake of telling a Marine that he is in supply, GenXr. I like you, and wouldn't want to see you hurt.

The Marine Corp is the ONLY (only, as in fricken ONLY) always battle ready service branch.

And yet, every branch plays a part in the cause of freedom, and I have two kids in theater, one Army, one Navy medical, and another due to join the Marines after college graduation. All service branches serve the cause honorably.

Nuff said.

PS: My father was a Marine, saw 82 days consecutive combat on Okinawa. (He was part of the "Striking Sixth") The Japanese Imperial Marines were tough, battle hardened warriors, and my dad had respect for their capabilities. Terrorists are tough because they truly believe theirs is a righteous cause. It is not, of course, but it is their belief, and we would do well to understand that. I am sure those in theater do.

God bless our Marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen.
_________________
The last refuge of scoundrels is not patriotism; it is finicky liberal humanitarianism.--Martin Paretz

[Poacher]

All our prayers are with them.
_________________
try not to grumble

[GenrXr]

[Kimmymac]

Ah! Well, it wouldn't be the first time I missed a nuance, GenXr.

I am a *red state moron*, after all. Nuances are just so nuanced, they just go right over my head.

I apologize for misunderestimatingstanding your post. I am distracted today. So I think I will take myself off to flush out a water heater. Ah, the joys of home-ownership!

I like your sig lines, btw.
_________________
The last refuge of scoundrels is not patriotism; it is finicky liberal humanitarianism.--Martin Paretz

[msindependent]

Members of the Army's 1st Cavalry are there also. God's speed to them all.

[GIaunt]

I was speaking to a friend last night, who spoke of a National Guard Unit he had a contact in, moving to Fallujah as well...

I'd say that every group will play a part in this battle... I'm sure special ops are doing intel and are looking for Zarquawi --- dragging him out would be a BIG blow.....

God bless and keep them all!

[GenrXr]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20041107/D8679EK80.html

Sgt. Maj. Carlton W. Kent, the top enlisted Marine in Iraq, told troops the coming battle of Fallujah would be "no different" than the historic fights at Inchon in Korea, the flag-raising victory at Iwo Jima, or the bloody assault to dislodge North Vietnamese from the ancient citadel of Hue they seized in the 1968 Tet Offensive.

"You're all in the process of making history," Kent told a crowd of some 2,500 Marines. "This is another Hue city in the making. I have no doubt, if we do get the word, that each and every one of you is going to do what you have always done - kick some butt."
_________________
"An activist is the person who cleans up the water, not the one claiming its dirty."
"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to stand by and do nothing." Edmund Burke (1729-1797), Founder of Conservative Philosophy

[JB Stone]

It has begun...

[JB Stone]

Frontline reporters have second thoughts
Submitted by:
I Marine Expeditionary Force
Story by:
Computed Name: 1st Lt. Robert Shuford
Story Identification #:
20041174423



CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq(Nov. 07, 2004) -- With what seems an immenent assault on Fallujah coming in the next few days, media embedded with the Marines are rethinking their rolls in what looks to be the largest assault in Iraq since the end of major combat operations last year.

This isn’t what they expected, said one CNN journalist while finishing up the latest edits about a patrol that took place the night before. Many of the media here have been in combat zones before but this time is different, he said.

The latest display of emotion by such media has come as they have learned more about what role the Marines would play during an offensive on the insurgent hotspot where Marines have been fighting for months.

In one of the only buildings that has electricity in the camp where they are currently living, reporters and photographers from many well-known outlets like LA Times, NY Times and CNN to name a few, have discussions nightly about what may happen to them while they charge their batteries and file their stories about what their units did that day. Some of them are even reconsidering whether they want to carry through with their original plan of moving with a front line unit.

The Marines recently embedded more than 30 media agencies with units that are operating in the Al Anbar province where the well-known towns of Ramadi and Fallujah are located. All were invited, many accepted the offer, but now some have doubts.

The Marines are trained for this, the media is not, continued the CNN reporter who was actually covered other battles including the Iraq invasion during the spring of 2003.

One photographer, who has prided himself since his arrival here, on being in more than 17 conflicts, says he is more worried about this operation than any before. Because of the tactics the insurgents are using there is much more uncertainty, he explained. He went on to say that he did not expect to have this much access or be this involved with the Marines when he arrived.

“What if I get separated, what if I think I’m in a safe place and all of a sudden an insurgent walks in with a gun,” he said.

When asked what they thought they were getting into, many of them explained that they did not expect to have such good access to the Marine units they were embedded with and told how thankful they were for the treatment they received since there arrival. However, many are scared that this “five-star” treatment will not keep them safe from the dangers Marines have been facing daily before any media arrived.

For some, the embed program seemed like a good idea and a good way to be on the forefront of a historical event, but now some aren’t so sure.

The media has some real thinking to do and has some critical decisions to make about whether they should continue with their unit into the face of battle, said an accomplished LA Times photographer.

Their concerns are valid. Just days after their arrival, a fellow embed female photographer who was riding along with the Marines on one of their daily patrols was wounded when the vehicle she was riding in was hit by an improvised explosive device or an anti-tank mine. After being treated at the Marine’s Bravo Surgical Company here, she was flown to Baghdad for further treatment. Her husband is currently embedded with the Marines.

They all say they know someone in their line of work who has been wounded covering conflicts like the one they are now involved in, but some are wondering if they want to be next.

As artillery and airstrikes continue to pound away at weapons caches and insurgent defenses in the town right outside the relative safety of the camp, the journalists, reporters, and photographers with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force are forced with the decision of how close they want to really be when Marines are called to battle.

Outside their hangout, a makeshift “chow-hall” in a building that Saddam Hussein used not too long ago, they smoke cigarettes and contemplate how important telling this particular story really is, and whether they really need to be at the “front” like many of them originally asked.

They all say this has been a great opportunity and are thankful for the help the Marines have provided. However, some have already changed their plans on how they are going to report the events of what seems will happen any day now.

Meanwhile, Marines and other service members continue to prepare for an operation that will help decide the future of Iraq – media by their side or not.

(Editor’s note – the names of the media representatives were left out of this article as a courtesy because they are doing the Marines, the United States and the world a great service by accurately reporting on the rebuilding of Iraq.)

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/ad983156332a819185256cb600677af3/a1b39ce326a442e185256f450031d75b?OpenDocument