When the fighting stops in Afghanistan, then the fighting men can come home. I believed that it was a waste of time for the Marines to be deployed to Iraq after Anbar. There is not much of a fight when all you get are a couple of kids planting bombs and ambushing the locals. It sounds a bit like the same bs that is going on at the border. I was one who thought that there was no need to send a bunch of soldiers do what a few Marines do in their sleep. Marines are fighters. The Army is multi-faceted but not to the same fighting degree as the Marines. Even if some were tossed out for killing "by-standers" after a vbied blew up their equipment, but the President better do better than one past President did when a few ground attack planes could have made a difference ( The Bay of Pigs), on the battlefield in Cuba. Some Marines who were there didn't think too kindly of Mr. Kennedy then and I don't think they think kindly of him now. I grew up next door to a Marine who was there and was the reason I joined. I told myself they wouldn't do it again then came Nam. Boy did I miss the mark on the cowardice of both houses and the President on that one. But this is about a regime that actually attacked us and there should be no hiding place, ally or not. When GHW Bush stood at groud zero he told the world he was coming and he did that. I think he used the Marines in a way not usually done by Marines but they did the job. Fallajah is one example and there are many more where a few good men made the difference in victory or defeat, and every one was wearing the Eagle, Globe and Anchor. I have one thing to say to the Taliban, keep your head down and give up before the worms are feasting on you and your buds. The Marines are coming and they have a chip on their shoulder.
Originally posted by dashinterhund: When the fighting stops in Afghanistan, then the fighting men can come home. I believed that it was a waste of time for the Marines to be deployed to Iraq after Anbar. There is not much of a fight when all you get are a couple of kids planting bombs and ambushing the locals. It sounds a bit like the same bs that is going on at the border. I was one who thought that there was no need to send a bunch of soldiers do what a few Marines do in their sleep. Marines are fighters. The Army is multi-faceted but not to the same fighting degree as the Marines. Even if some were tossed out for killing "by-standers" after a vbied blew up their equipment, but the President better do better than one past President did when a few ground attack planes could have made a difference ( The Bay of Pigs), on the battlefield in Cuba. Some Marines who were there didn't think too kindly of Mr. Kennedy then and I don't think they think kindly of him now. I grew up next door to a Marine who was there and was the reason I joined. I told myself they wouldn't do it again then came Nam. Boy did I miss the mark on the cowardice of both houses and the President on that one. But this is about a regime that actually attacked us and there should be no hiding place, ally or not. When GHW Bush stood at groud zero he told the world he was coming and he did that. I think he used the Marines in a way not usually done by Marines but they did the job. Fallajah is one example and there are many more where a few good men made the difference in victory or defeat, and every one was wearing the Eagle, Globe and Anchor. I have one thing to say to the Taliban, keep your head down and give up before the worms are feasting on you and your buds. The Marines are coming and they have a chip on their shoulder.
Dash,
Wow! Why bother sending all those Marines to Afghanistan? As gung ho as you are, seems to me that you alone could do the job! Truth is that my son was a Marine and he sounded just about like you!
First of all, if you were a Marine you still are a Marine!!! Once a Marine, always a Marine! Now that I have that out of my system, Marines should be in the Astan. My son is a Infantry officer headed to Iraq and is very frustrated. He says alot of his men have said that they joined to take the fight to the enemy not sit on a FOB and waste 7 months. Just like in Vietnam there is to much politics involved. just my 2cents.
Ain't no lie about that Baron. I just got my recall orders to come back for a year. Guess where i'm going......yup Iraq. Ain't nothing there no more. ****es me off.
did 3 tours in iraq, 03, 04, and 05-06 in the Marines as a combat engineer. got in a few fights with 1st tanks in the invasion, then in falujah with 3/4 in april, 04, and then the s!@#hole of husaybah with 3/6 in 05. looking back it seems to look like we were always finding a fight somewhere at the time, it's what we do best. and now we're looking for another fight somewhere else. by god let them teach a few more a lesson in afganistan. we took the al anbar province back from being declared all but a total loss. let them take control of afganistan in the same way.
Take the Army and all of Nato out of Afganistan and send in the Marines to take care of business. They can do the job in half of the time. They don't need anybody else, No support from anybody. They are looking for a fight? give them Afganistan.
My son is a Marine currently deployed to Iraq....and he is constantly complaining that they are very bored when not on a mission. Seems missions are far & few between this deployment (his second). I understand his frustration, but as a Mom I am happy he is bored because to me it means he is safe. Yet I know that he did not join "The Best" to be bored, so I am tossed in my feelings... I just know that I am the Proudest Mom to have my youngest with "One of the Few & the Proud" and not totaly thrilled he will not be Home for Christmas.
Originally posted by Marinemom4evr: My son is a Marine currently deployed to Iraq....and he is constantly complaining that they are very bored when not on a mission. Seems missions are far & few between this deployment (his second). I understand his frustration, but as a Mom I am happy he is bored because to me it means he is safe. Yet I know that he did not join "The Best" to be bored, so I am tossed in my feelings... I just know that I am the Proudest Mom to have my youngest with "One of the Few & the Proud" and not totaly thrilled he will not be Home for Christmas.
Chris Proud Marine Mom
This is a bit OT, but when you mentioned your son not being home for Christmas, it reminded me of the first time I could not be home for Christmas. I was in Germany- brand new 2LT and didn't have enough $ or leave accumulated to fly home. Almost everyone else in my unit was gone somewhere. I was not a happy camper and my parents missed me badly. Because I was single, I volunteered to be the Brigade Staff Duty Officer so a married officer could be with his family on Christmas Day. That morning, as I was making my rounds of the Brigade area, I found a young soldier sitting on some steps drinking a quart of beer and clearly very depressed. It was also his first Christmas away from home. I told him to come with me to Brigade HQ. I had caught him violating regs and he rightly figured he was in trouble. I took him in the HQ and told him to have a seat. The place was all decorated for Christmas and we had big spread of food courtesy of the Brigade Officers' and NCOs' wives. I told the young soldier to dig in and enjoy Christmas with us (me, the SDNCO, driver and guards). I told him I would not report him- Merry Christmas! I also pointed out that he was not alone- we were stuck there just like him, but we have to make the best of it. After he sobered up and cheered up, we sent him back to his unit for Christmas dinner in the mess hall.
The moral of the story is that Christmas is what you make of it, no matter where you are or what you are doing. I hope and pray your son will have a safe and merry "little" Christmas in Iraq with his friends. My first Christmas away from home was certainly not the best one I have ever had, but it is one I will never forget (in a good way). I hope your son will be able to say the same thing.
I hope so too....I know that he is with his best buds....all in the same shoes...and am grateful that he is at least not alone.. I have bombarded his unit with Christmas Motomail... and shipped ornaments and other christmas fun items, including hats & stockings and even small trees for their huts.... so that at least they can have some of home where they are....I even sent them Blank Christmas cards to send home to relatives. My son's I addressed the envelopes with family addresses, all he has to do is sign the cards and mail them back...LOL Its a MOM thing....LOL
Motive25, you did a very nice thing.....I know my son has a few senior guys who also feel for the younger ones who are missing home for the Holidays and are trying to make the best of their circumstances.... Thanks for sharing your story...It makes this Mom feel better... Thank you for your Time & Service also.
Dammit, let us into the FIGHT. I had enough of this when I was in Iraq. Too much sitting around and teaching the Iraqis how to do everything. I understand the importance of the action, and God knows i have no desire to take off only for Iraq to slip back into what it was, but this is not what I joined the Corps for. If we aren't fighting...well it feels like we're overseas and away from home for no reason. I understand the need for some numbers in Iraq...but 22,000 is far above any need. We need to go where we are needed!!!
The scary thought is who is choosing where we are needed and for what.......I know what my son trained for and I know a lot of MOS are being closed down....but care has to be put into how we sent you guys in....to the best optimum use, not to be wasted.....I understand the "feels like we're overseas and away from home for no reason" Yet I think all things are for a reason, or would hope so....its bad enough not to have my son home this Holiday....so there better be A GOOD REASON...
I hope so too....I know that he is with his best buds....all in the same shoes...and am grateful that he is at least not alone.. I have bombarded his unit with Christmas Motomail... and shipped ornaments and other christmas fun items, including hats & stockings and even small trees for their huts.... so that at least they can have some of home where they are....I even sent them Blank Christmas cards to send home to relatives. My son's I addressed the envelopes with family addresses, all he has to do is sign the cards and mail them back...LOL Its a MOM thing....LOL
