In The Fight
Ok. First blog from Iraq. I am in Fallujah, the city of Mosques. What a place! There is never a dull moment here. And we are in a fight here. I have been here a month now and already we have been wrapped up in the struggle to bring freedom and peace to this city. Time has flown by and yet at the same time it seems there is always something new to learn.
The response of the local folks has been measured and mixed. Some obviously hate us while at the same time others seem to enthusiastically support us. Most fear being on the losing side. Despite our obvious advantages over insurgent forces, many do not accept that as proof that their lives or families will not be snuffed out in the middle of the night. Terror is the tactic here and those opposing us use it well. Therefore it is our mission to convince the people here that we will win in the long run.
Morale in our unit remains high despite casualties and long hours. That is the benefit of working with other Marines. The enthusiasm is contagious. Our men are fighting hard and doing an admirable job of it. I am intensely proud of them. I know our families are as well. We have a long way to go, but we are starting strong.
A lot has changed since I was in Iraq last. Part of it is the new mission and area than last time. But, a good share of the difference stems from the pernicious insurgency that is attempting to strangle the freedom of the majority. As my CO says, the difference between Iraq and America is that while we both have 10% of the population that are jerks, ours are tolerated; in Iraq, that 10% dictates daily life to the relatively defenseless 90%. These people accept a level of tyranny and anarchy that would not be tolerated in America. I am learning much daily about how this must be overcome. But we walk a long and tough road.
The response of the local folks has been measured and mixed. Some obviously hate us while at the same time others seem to enthusiastically support us. Most fear being on the losing side. Despite our obvious advantages over insurgent forces, many do not accept that as proof that their lives or families will not be snuffed out in the middle of the night. Terror is the tactic here and those opposing us use it well. Therefore it is our mission to convince the people here that we will win in the long run.
Morale in our unit remains high despite casualties and long hours. That is the benefit of working with other Marines. The enthusiasm is contagious. Our men are fighting hard and doing an admirable job of it. I am intensely proud of them. I know our families are as well. We have a long way to go, but we are starting strong.
A lot has changed since I was in Iraq last. Part of it is the new mission and area than last time. But, a good share of the difference stems from the pernicious insurgency that is attempting to strangle the freedom of the majority. As my CO says, the difference between Iraq and America is that while we both have 10% of the population that are jerks, ours are tolerated; in Iraq, that 10% dictates daily life to the relatively defenseless 90%. These people accept a level of tyranny and anarchy that would not be tolerated in America. I am learning much daily about how this must be overcome. But we walk a long and tough road.
posted by David Sackett | 16:02
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