The Secret Letter From Iraq: A Marine's Letter Home

[GTaudiophile]

Written last month, this straightforward account of life in Iraq by a Marine officer was initially sent just to a small group of family and friends. His honest but wry narration and unusually frank dissection of the mission contrasts sharply with the story presented by both sides of the Iraq war debate, the Pentagon spin masters and fierce critics. Perhaps inevitably, the "Letter from Iraq" moved quickly beyond the small group of acquantainaces and hit the inboxes of retired generals, officers in the Pentagon, and staffers on Capitol Hill. TIME's Sally B. Donnelly first received a copy three weeks ago but only this week was able to track down the author and verify the document's authenticity. The author wishes to remain anonymous but has allowed us to publish it here ? with a few judicious omissions.

Worthwhile read!

 

[Screech]

Wow, great read.

 

[funboy6942]

Originally posted by: screech
Wow, great read.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Personal faves:

Bravest Guy in al-Anbar Province ? Any Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician (EOD Tech). How'd you like a job that required you to defuse bombs in a hole in the middle of the road that very likely are booby-trapped or connected by wire to a bad guy who's just waiting for you to get close to the bomb before he clicks the detonator? Every day. Sanitation workers in New York City get paid more than these guys. Talk about courage and commitment.

Worst E-Mail Message ? "The Walking Blood Bank is Activated. We need blood type A+ stat." I always head down to the surgical unit as soon as I get these messages, but I never give blood ? there's always about 80 Marines in line, night or day.

Biggest Surprise ? Iraqi Police. All local guys. I never figured that we'd get a police force established in the cities in al-Anbar. I estimated that insurgents would kill the first few, scaring off the rest. Well, insurgents did kill the first few, but the cops kept on coming. The insurgents continue to target the police, killing them in their homes and on the streets, but the cops won't give up. Absolutely incredible tenacity. The insurgents know that the police are far better at finding them than we are ? and they are finding them. Now, if we could just get them out of the habit of beating prisoners to a pulp...

Favorite Iraqi TV Show ? Oprah. I have no idea. They all have satellite TV.

Highest Unit Re-enlistment Rate ? Any outfit that has been in Iraq recently. All the danger, all the hardship, all the time away from home, all the horror, all the frustrations with the fight here ? all are outweighed by the desire for young men to be part of a band of brothers who will die for one another. They found what they were looking for when they enlisted out of high school. Man for man, they now have more combat experience than any Marines in the history of our Corps.

Biggest Outrage ? Practically anything said by talking heads on TV about the war in Iraq, not that I get to watch much TV. Their thoughts are consistently both grossly simplistic and politically slanted. Biggest Offender: Bill O'Reilly.

 

[judasmachine]

Most Profound Man in Iraq ? an unidentified farmer in a fairly remote area who, after being asked by Reconnaissance Marines if he had seen any foreign fighters in the area replied "Yes, you."

🙁

 

[yllus]

Biggest Surprise ? Iraqi Police. All local guys. I never figured that we'd get a police force established in the cities in al-Anbar. I estimated that insurgents would kill the first few, scaring off the rest. Well, insurgents did kill the first few, but the cops kept on coming. The insurgents continue to target the police, killing them in their homes and on the streets, but the cops won't give up. Absolutely incredible tenacity. The insurgents know that the police are far better at finding them than we are ? and they are finding them. Now, if we could just get them out of the habit of beating prisoners to a pulp...

Christ, the guts it must take to fill that role.

Best Chuck Norris Moment ? 13 May. Bad Guys arrived at the government center in a small town to kidnap the mayor, since they have a problem with any form of government that does not include regular beheadings and women wearing burqahs. There were seven of them. As they brought the mayor out to put him in a pick-up truck to take him off to be beheaded (on video, as usual), one of the Bad Guys put down his machine gun so that he could tie the mayor's hands. The mayor took the opportunity to pick up the machine gun and drill five of the Bad Guys. The other two ran away. One of the dead Bad Guys was on our top twenty wanted list. Like they say, you can't fight City Hall.

😀

Highest Unit Re-enlistment Rate ? Any outfit that has been in Iraq recently. All the danger, all the hardship, all the time away from home, all the horror, all the frustrations with the fight here ? all are outweighed by the desire for young men to be part of a band of brothers who will die for one another. They found what they were looking for when they enlisted out of high school. Man for man, they now have more combat experience than any Marines in the history of our Corps.

:thumbsup:

Blast the politicians for supporting the campaign or wanting it to end, but the fighters are beyond reproach.

 

[Lemon law]

A mixed read---can't get over him commending Iraqi police---in Bagdad they are the death squads---but all truth is local---and it is a great read.

Support out troops---but reserve judgement about our commander and chief.

 

[Craig234]

Any outfit that has been in Iraq recently. All the danger, all the hardship, all the time away from home, all the horror, all the frustrations with the fight here ? all are outweighed by the desire for young men to be part of a band of brothers who will die for one another.

This worries me.

There's a book about this and other similar phenomenon with one of the better titles in a while, "War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning" by Chris Hodges. Recommended for everyone.

The problem is the things that draw people to support war, despite its horrors - and the seperation between that and the actual good or evil of the war. It seems that people are very capable of either not considering the rightness of the war, or of rationalizing it, but where it's secondary.

WWII was filled with good men who were fighting for their comrades in the American, German, Russian, British and other armies. You can hardly tell the men apart - but you can sure tell apart the sides they fougth for, whether FDR won the war or Hitler won.

How do we have the rightness of the cause have an more impact on the war? Myself, I would not volunteer, or recommend others volunteer, to the military and hand over the decision who to kill to a stranger, potentially a future president. But clearly not all the guys who do sign up agree with me on that, and we get the result we have now.

I wish Bush's hands were tied because he couldn't get the volunteers to do what he wants. But that's not the case. These guys, as I understand, are manipulated into intense loyalty to their units which far transcends any other issues such as domestic or foreign politics. The problem is, that it's done for the purposes of others.

 

[yllus]

Originally posted by: Craig234
But that's not the case. These guys, as I understand, are manipulated into intense loyalty to their units which far transcends any other issues such as domestic or foreign politics. The problem is, that it's done for the purposes of others.

How nice of you to think so little of the intellectual capacity of those men to regard it as manipulation, instead of perhaps those individual entering into bondage with their units by their own free will. Maybe you don't understand it at all.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Craig: What kind of pyscho BS is that?

Remember the quote from the movie, Black Hawk Down: Y'know what I think? Don't really matter what I think. Once that first bullet goes past your head, politics and all that ****** just goes right out the window...They don't understand why we do it...They don't understand it's about the men next to you. That's all it is.

I don't want the soldiers defending my freedom to stop, think about the details of the order given, and then take a vote whether to shoot Mr. Bad Guy or not. No, I want them to shoot, BAM, dead, with no hesitation. The validity of the order is up to the chain of command. Not the grunts.

And what's so wrong about our volunteer military? You read what the Marine wrote. These high school grads are growing up, becoming men, talented men, and whether you like it or not, are becoming in many ways better people than they would have been, left to stagnate after high school with little or no motivation for making more of themselves.

 

[1EZduzit]

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Craig234
But that's not the case. These guys, as I understand, are manipulated into intense loyalty to their units which far transcends any other issues such as domestic or foreign politics. The problem is, that it's done for the purposes of others.

How nice of you to think so little of the intellectual capacity of those men to regard it as manipulation, instead of perhaps those individual entering into bondage with their units by their own free will. Maybe you don't understand it at all.

I think he has a vaild point. I have often wondered about the .... mindset of someone who has had their leg blown off wanting to get back to his unit on the front lines. Haven't they scarficied enough for their country? Maybe if we were in a last ditch effort to defend our country I could see it, but to want to go back to Iraq?? Sounds like a brainwash job to me.

 

[Craig234]

Uh, the psycho BS is yours which is unconcerned with the killing of people regardless of the justification.

Your quote from Black Hawk Down supports what I'm saying well, and by the time the bullet flies, it's too late for what I'm talking about. They should have thought about what I'm talking about before they join, before they agree to deploy, or at least after the battle in refusing to kill further.

You talk about the benefits to the men - those benefits are not worth the price of innocents' blood, or mercenary murder - and that's not taking into account how many of these guys are returning with psychological problems from the effects of war, hardly getting the benefits you speak of.

Go read the book I recommended, and then comment.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Originally posted by: 1EZduzit

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Craig234
But that's not the case. These guys, as I understand, are manipulated into intense loyalty to their units which far transcends any other issues such as domestic or foreign politics. The problem is, that it's done for the purposes of others.

How nice of you to think so little of the intellectual capacity of those men to regard it as manipulation, instead of perhaps those individual entering into bondage with their units by their own free will. Maybe you don't understand it at all.

I think he has a vaild point. I have often wondered about the .... mindset of someone who has had their leg blown off wanting to get back to his unit on the front lines. Haven't they scarficied enough for their country? Maybe if we were in a last ditch effort to defend our country I could see it, but to want to go back to Iraq?? Sounds like a brainwash job to me.

Tell me, when was the last time you and your best friends were shot at? You're telling me you would tuck tail and run, and leave your best friends behind? Put yourself in their shoes! You are the one fvcked in the head if you think these troops are brainwashed.

 

[1EZduzit]

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile

Originally posted by: 1EZduzit

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Craig234
But that's not the case. These guys, as I understand, are manipulated into intense loyalty to their units which far transcends any other issues such as domestic or foreign politics. The problem is, that it's done for the purposes of others.

How nice of you to think so little of the intellectual capacity of those men to regard it as manipulation, instead of perhaps those individual entering into bondage with their units by their own free will. Maybe you don't understand it at all.

I think he has a vaild point. I have often wondered about the .... mindset of someone who has had their leg blown off wanting to get back to his unit on the front lines. Haven't they scarficied enough for their country? Maybe if we were in a last ditch effort to defend our country I could see it, but to want to go back to Iraq?? Sounds like a brainwash job to me.

Tell me, when was the last time you and your best friends were shot at? You're telling me you would tuck tail and run, and leave your best friends behind? Put yourself in their shoes! You are the one fvcked in the head if you think these troops are brainwashed.

Put myself in their shoes? OK. First, a person would have to brainwash themselves to a degree when they realize they are being put into a life and death situation where thye may have to take another person's life. I think in their heads they "dehumanize" the enemy in order to better justify killing them. If they don't then they are murderers. Their brothers-in-arms do the same thing and they become that "band of brothers". I don't think killing another human being really has much to do with becoming a better person.


Now, explain to me why someone who has fought and lost his leg in battle would feel the need to get back in the action?

 

[LunarRay]

Dang that letter brings back memories...

Seems each war has some different town names and maybe the heat replaced by cold or rain but the rest.... all the rest... all the same.

One thing I'm really glad about is that not as many are dying as during my time in my wonderland... bags with what were friends hopefully complete on their way home... one last time.. and the leader's comments that "our losses are significantly less than theirs"... "Acceptable losses" and many more references to the difference between being in a bag and being in Congress... Oh.. the pain..

 

[Lemon law]

Young men are easily indoctrinated---thats why the draft age cutoff was set at 26. After that its hard to brainwash.

 

[jrenz]

Originally posted by: 1EZduzit

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile

Originally posted by: 1EZduzit

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Craig234
But that's not the case. These guys, as I understand, are manipulated into intense loyalty to their units which far transcends any other issues such as domestic or foreign politics. The problem is, that it's done for the purposes of others.

How nice of you to think so little of the intellectual capacity of those men to regard it as manipulation, instead of perhaps those individual entering into bondage with their units by their own free will. Maybe you don't understand it at all.

I think he has a vaild point. I have often wondered about the .... mindset of someone who has had their leg blown off wanting to get back to his unit on the front lines. Haven't they scarficied enough for their country? Maybe if we were in a last ditch effort to defend our country I could see it, but to want to go back to Iraq?? Sounds like a brainwash job to me.

Tell me, when was the last time you and your best friends were shot at? You're telling me you would tuck tail and run, and leave your best friends behind? Put yourself in their shoes! You are the one fvcked in the head if you think these troops are brainwashed.

Put myself in their shoes? OK. First, a person would have to brainwash themselves to a degree when they realize they are being put into a life and death situation where thye may have to take another person's life. I think in their heads they "dehumanize" the enemy in order to better justify killing them. If they don't then they are murderers. Their brothers-in-arms do the same thing and they become that "band of brothers". I don't think killing another human being really has much to do with becoming a better person.


Now, explain to me why someone who has fought and lost his leg in battle would feel the need to get back in the action?

There is no sense in arguing with somebody who has never known what it means to serve with others, or ever will know.

 

[jrenz]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
Young men are easily indoctrinated---thats why the draft age cutoff was set at 26. After that its hard to brainwash.

You're an ignorant piece of filth. I'm sorry I can't say it more eloquently, but that's the bottom line.

 

[1EZduzit]

Originally posted by: jrenz

Originally posted by: 1EZduzit

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile

Originally posted by: 1EZduzit

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Craig234
But that's not the case. These guys, as I understand, are manipulated into intense loyalty to their units which far transcends any other issues such as domestic or foreign politics. The problem is, that it's done for the purposes of others.

How nice of you to think so little of the intellectual capacity of those men to regard it as manipulation, instead of perhaps those individual entering into bondage with their units by their own free will. Maybe you don't understand it at all.

I think he has a vaild point. I have often wondered about the .... mindset of someone who has had their leg blown off wanting to get back to his unit on the front lines. Haven't they scarficied enough for their country? Maybe if we were in a last ditch effort to defend our country I could see it, but to want to go back to Iraq?? Sounds like a brainwash job to me.

Tell me, when was the last time you and your best friends were shot at? You're telling me you would tuck tail and run, and leave your best friends behind? Put yourself in their shoes! You are the one fvcked in the head if you think these troops are brainwashed.

Put myself in their shoes? OK. First, a person would have to brainwash themselves to a degree when they realize they are being put into a life and death situation where thye may have to take another person's life. I think in their heads they "dehumanize" the enemy in order to better justify killing them. If they don't then they are murderers. Their brothers-in-arms do the same thing and they become that "band of brothers". I don't think killing another human being really has much to do with becoming a better person.


Now, explain to me why someone who has fought and lost his leg in battle would feel the need to get back in the action?

There is no sense in arguing with somebody who has never known what it means to serve with others, or ever will know.

Get off your high horse, you don't know a damn thing about me.

 

[ericlp]

Originally posted by: jrenz

Originally posted by: Lemon law
Young men are easily indoctrinated---thats why the draft age cutoff was set at 26. After that its hard to brainwash.

You're an ignorant piece of filth. I'm sorry I can't say it more eloquently, but that's the bottom line.

How RIGHT he is... Just ask any church, the younger the better...

 

[JEDIYoda]

How do we have the rightness of the cause have an more impact on the war? Myself, I would not volunteer, or recommend others volunteer, to the military and hand over the decision who to kill to a stranger, potentially a future president. But clearly not all the guys who do sign up agree with me on that, and we get the result we have now.

Where do you get off implying that if everybody agreed with you we wouldn`t have the results we have now??

Thats kind of well repugnant......

But that's not the case. These guys, as I understand, are manipulated into intense loyalty to their units which far transcends any other issues such as domestic or foreign politics. The problem is, that it's done for the purposes of others.

Then we have this gem of a sentence.
Its too bad you think so little of the people serving in the armed forces.

I bet you also would jusat love for us to have no armed forces whatsoever...
Let me guess - in your mind if we had no armed forces the world would respect us and the world would be a better place...lolol

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: yllus
Blast the politicians for supporting the campaign or wanting it to end, but the fighters are beyond reproach.

:thumbsup:

 

[Corbett]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
Young men are easily indoctrinated---thats why the draft age cutoff was set at 26. After that its hard to brainwash.

Wow, so now our soldiers are brainwashed. Nice.

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: JEDIYoda

How do we have the rightness of the cause have an more impact on the war? Myself, I would not volunteer, or recommend others volunteer, to the military and hand over the decision who to kill to a stranger, potentially a future president. But clearly not all the guys who do sign up agree with me on that, and we get the result we have now.

Where do you get off implying that if everybody agreed with you we wouldn`t have the results we have now??

Thats kind of well repugnant......

But that's not the case. These guys, as I understand, are manipulated into intense loyalty to their units which far transcends any other issues such as domestic or foreign politics. The problem is, that it's done for the purposes of others.

Then we have this gem of a sentence.
Its too bad you think so little of the people serving in the armed forces.

I bet you also would jusat love for us to have no armed forces whatsoever...
Let me guess - in your mind if we had no armed forces the world would respect us and the world would be a better place...lolol

Way to completely mischaracters and misrepresent an argument based on a single poor word choice, the moment I saw "manipulate" there I knew a page of flames would ensue, along with a typical jrenz post.

lets deconstruct his arguement:

These guys, as I understand, are manipulated into intense loyalty to their units which far transcends any other issues such as domestic or foreign politics.

In it most simple interpretation, he has said that people are re-enlisting not because of devotion to the mission or cause, but out of dedication to their brothers and sisters in arms. Can anyone deny this? To go out and say that he is contemptful of the troops, as several of you have done, is ridiculus. He may have gone a bit far with this:

The problem is, that it's done for the purposes of others.

which i would say is foolish, since I find the willingness to reenlist to be a natural effect of the circumstances, as its always been, and not some crazy consiracy to convince troops to re-enlist against their will, although it may benifit them tremendously

When it comes down to it, the troops are being just as manipulated to re-enlist as we are being manipulated to post on this forum and i have been manipulated to write an uncharacteristically long response. We have all been manipulated by circumstance into doing things we would rather not. When you came to this forum today, did you want to reply to a thread that you felt was offense to your worldview, or were you manipulated into it by a post that offended it and felt a duty to respond? To say that the troops have not been such victims of circumstance is little more than political correctness at its finest.

 

[cwjerome]

The not-so-subtle snipes at the people now in the US military by some of those around here make me... a little sad.

Such people simply have no idea...