A letter from a Marine

This is something I received today and thought was worthy of sharing. Comment or not, but this was something I thought shed a little more light on what was not being said from across the ocean.
Let the words sink in and don't just skip to the end and you might gain a bit more information than you had when you woke up this morning.

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This is one story of many that people normally don't hear, and one that everyone does.

This is just one most don't hear:

A young Marine and his cover man cautiously enter a room just recently filled with insurgents armed with Ak-47's and RPG's. There are three dead, another wailing in pain. The insurgent can be heard saying, "Mister, mister! Diktoor, diktoor (doctor)!" He is badly wounded, lying in a pool of his own blood. The Marine and his cover man slowly walk toward the injured man, scanning to make sure no enemies come from behind. In a split second, the pressure in the room greatly exceeds that of the outside, and the concussion seems to be felt before the blast is heard. Marines outside rush to the room, and look in horror as the dust gradually settles.

The result is a room filled with the barely recognizable remains of the deceased, caused by an insurgent setting off several pounds of explosives. The Marines' remains are gathered by teary eyed comrades, brothers in arms, and shipped home in a box. The families can only mourn over a casket and a picture of their loved one, a life cut short by someone who hid behind a white flag. But no one hears these stories, except those who have lived to carry remains of a friend, and the families who loved the dead. No one hears this, so no one cares.

This is the story everyone hears:

A young Marine and his fire team cautiously enter a room just recently filled with insurgents armed with AK-47's and RPG's. There are three dead, another wailing in pain. The insurgent can be heard saying, "Mister, mister! Diktoor, diktoor(doctor)!"

He is badly wounded. Suddenly, he pulls from under his bloody clothes a grenade, without the pin. The explosion rocks the room, killing one Marine, wounding the others. The young Marine catches shrapnel in the face.

The next day, same Marine, same type of situation, a different story.

The young Marine and his cover man enter a room with two wounded insurgents. One lies on the floor in puddle of blood, another against the wall. A reporter and his camera survey the wreckage inside, and in the background can be heard the voice of a Marine, "He's moving, he's moving!" The pop of a rifle is heard, and the insurgent against the wall is now dead. Minutes later, the scene is aired on national television, and the Marine is being held for committing a war crime, an unlawful killing.

And now, another Marine has the possibility of being burned at the stake for protecting the life of his brethren. His family now wrings their hands in grief, tears streaming down their face. Brother, should I have been in your boots, I too would have done the same.

For those of you who don't know, we Marines, Band of Brothers,
Jarheads, Leathernecks, etc., do not fight because we think it is right, or think it is wrong. We are here for the man to our left, and the man to our right. We choose to give our lives so that the man or woman next to us can go home and see their husbands, wives, children, friends and families.

For those of you who sit on your couches in front of your television, and choose to condemn this man's actions, I have but one thing to say to you. Get out of you recliner, lace up your boots, pick up a rifle, leave your family behind and join me. See what I've seen, walk where I have walked.

To those of you who support us, my sincerest gratitude. You keep us alive. I am a Marine currently doing his second tour in Iraq. These are my opinions and mine alone. They do not represent those of the Marine Corps or of the US military, or any other.

Sincerely,
LCPL Schmidt
USMC

[coolbeans326]

^ yeah, I hear about this on the news, about the war crime. I think it's a bunch of BS! YOu can't punish a man for doing what he feels is right. How does he know he's not gonna get blown up?! If the insurgents screw use thier white flag to blow up people, then thier white flag should be taken away. No mercy should be taken upon those who destroy others who try to help.

For those of you who don't know, we Marines, Band of Brothers,
Jarheads, Leathernecks, etc., do not fight because we think it is right, or think it is wrong. We are here for the man to our left, and the man to our right. We choose to give our lives so that the man or woman next to us can go home and see their husbands, wives, children, friends and families

I also believe a similar quote can be found at the end of black hawk down.

it seems that a lot of marines have similar opinions, that may be the reason for the similarity. i agree with the man who wrote the letter and i support the US military in all its operations and trust them to keep us safe...

So the Iraqies dont have feelings or famalies to go home to either? I just dont get it. America invades what is really a thrid world country, kills thousands upon thousands of iraqies who are fighting to save there country, but all anyone ever cares about is a 10 marines who have got killed? I think this whole war is retarded out of proportion

Originally posted by The Edge

So the Iraqies dont have feelings or famalies to go home to either?

They have "families" ... and they are at home. If they would stop fighting, the war would be over.

Originally posted by The Edge

I just dont get it.

Obviously.

Originally posted by The Edge

America invades what is really a thrid world country,

... a "third" world country ... with a cruel dictator who killed his own people and invaded smaller countries on a whim. Folks sadly seem to forget these facts from the 80's and 90's, especially those who are too bent on being against something to find out the truth.

Originally posted by The Edge

kills thousands upon thousands of iraqies who are fighting to save there country,

Minus the insurgents ... the citizens are given ample warning to clear out before we go in and remove those faithful to Sadaam or Al Queda who would seek to destroy the process of freedom.

Originally posted by The Edge

but all anyone ever cares about is a 10 marines who have got killed?

uhhh ... I think we have lost more than 10 marines, Edge.

Originally posted by The Edge

I think this whole war is retarded out of proportion

I disagree. This war has freed an oppressed people who now are getting ready to have elections and set up a democratic society - not a tolitarian state where dictatorship is the rule of the day. I would say in the long run this war will have opened doors that were not possible to be opened before now.

i agree with the edge.. this war is stupid and pointless. iraq posed NO threat to us and we had no reason to go in there. yes, it's good that saddam is gone, but without an attack on us, we had no buisiness to go in there at all.

Put it this way, lots of people have died for one mans views, and do any of them really deserve it? Politics has gone up the wall these days..

If they would stop fighting, the war would be over.

Are you serious? How about if the Americas didnt actualy go to Iraq in the first place the war wouldnt of started. Maybe the war has had a few positive effects on Iraq, but who cares? Im sure if you lived in the UK right now you would see how retarded some of the actions of the American goverment are, its pure patriotic garbage!

i honestly do not understand what the american people are supporting. i'm an american, and i don't get it at all! yes saddam is gone, but we have no business over there anyway! of course the iraqis are going to fight back. what do you expect? them to just sit back and be conquered? it's rediculous! no wonder the world hates us. bush needs to get out of office! he has yet to do anything positive for the country and has only made our already bad relationship with the middle east go to hell.

Well, I merely thought I would share something with you all that you are obviously not hearing (or are unwilling to hear) in your current stations of life ... but it is apparent that your own hatred and one-sided political views ensures that you could never see (or consider) the other side of an issue.

(Caution, before you hit reply Edge and Coaster ... don't argue with me on this, your own words above and previously said in other threads prove this fact to be true and replying with some negative comment will furthermore show how politically one sided your views are.)

Too bad though, for a split second I thought maybe there would be an intelligent moral conversation regarding the rights of the soldiers to protect themselves as opposed to you guys turning it into another America/Bush bashing. Geesh, you guys are so predictably petty.

Your calling us one sided when all your talk/care about is the Americans? I dont see any refference to anything about the iraqies getting slaughtered in Iraq. That letter to me is 110% patriotic bullshit. Im not sure if your trying to pull a blind over our eyes here Mr Conwell but everything in your post seems so condradicting its untrue. Im also loving the way your trying to put yourseolf above both me and coaster992001 and in most cases, the older only think they are wiser

To be fair, the Iraq war should not have happened, perhaps everyone here will agree with that. Turning it into America bashing isnt going to help, even if it was the wrong decision. People make them all the time, and Bush's was bigger than most. Try to see both sides of the argument here guys. Alot of people hate America for what has happened, but its happened now, and petty squabbling won't solve anything.

This is pure stupidity.

Edge, I believe the point of the story was that it isn't right to prosecute someone for trying to save the life of himself or the man next to him...I don't know what this has to do with America being "retarded," but apparently that Marine is just supposed to stand there and let this insurgent put holes in he and the man next to him?

It's really pointless to turn this into a topic about America and Bush and all of us being wrong, because I've had enough of that.

Originally posted by McFly

This is pure stupidity.

[worship]

McFly ... yeah, but didn't you know? This is the place to come to bash both American Policy and the President - led by two distinguished, just barely old enough to be out after dark, teenagers and one who does not even live in this country. [;)]

Apparently, civilized conversation is only possible when everyone agrees with someone like Edge and then banish the thought you should disagree ... for then you get some wonderful statement like:

"Im not sure if your trying to pull a blind over our eyes here Mr Conwell but everything in your post seems so condradicting its untrue. Im also loving the way your trying to put yourseolf above both me and coaster992001 and in most cases, the older only think they are wiser"

(Hmmmm ... where have I seen this kind of personal attack before?????)

Of course the only way to answer this is to tell the kids to be quiet now and sit at the kiddie table ... for we are trying to have "big people" talk. [:D]

-----> Biggs, I appreciate your maturity.

I guess I was wrong, maybe it is possible to talk on a level other than "Bush is so stupid ... whine whine whine complain complain whine whine whine." Get a new party line fellas! What you are spouting now did not work for Kerry (and the other "Clintonites"), and it should be obvious that attacking the policy makers will not change the policies.

Yet, having intelligent conversations with reasonable facts that can be openly debated might be the way to affect a better outcome??? Possibly?

Come on fellas - we don't need to have a bitch-fest (pardon my language ya'll) ever freakin' day ... but perhaps rather than personal attacks we could try to see each other's sides and talk about things reasonably? Could it be possible? Hmmmmm?

(The ball is in your court boys. If you wanna play nice we can (and I prefer this actually since I am reasonably new here) -- otherwise I have nothing to lose and everything to gain watching you pee all over yourselves trying to attack me and come up with unsupported facts to further prove your own immaturity.)

[Master of Puppets]

Originally posted by pacoasterrider


[worship]

You really need to stop using that icon...

wow, there's no need to turn my comment into a huge pointless debate with little more than mere opinions. last time I checked, I have every right to support my military, whether I agree with its efforts or not. I don't care if your personal hero is Neville Chamberlain; there is a point when, after all viable diplomatic options have been exhausted, military action is deemed necessary by the wealthy politicians who run this country. you are free to attack these leaders and their policies all you want (as I do) but please leave my right to do the right thing out of it.

I understand the need to make everybody's life good and happy. I know that you are trying to make the world a better place, as are most of us. but remember that the road to hell is paved with good intentions...

Hey Edge, if you don't live in this country, stop bitching about it. You're country is supporting the war too, bitch about that. If you REALLY want to be heard, go down to the local recruiting office or military base and bitch at them, I'm sure you'll recieve a warm, warm welcome.

"For those of you who sit on your couches in front of your television, and choose to condemn this man's actions, I have but one thing to say to you. Get out of you recliner, lace up your boots, pick up a rifle, leave your family behind and join me. See what I've seen, walk where I have walked."

AMEN! As soon as you kiddos get out of grade school, perhaps you should look into that? Maybe once you've put some years in for your country, you're words will be taken seriously.

Thank you, TConwell and all the other servicemen and women for what you do. Know that the majority of American's appreciate your hard work and dedication to our country.

okay, first off: the edge most likely has a better understanding of what's going on than most americans simply because he does not live here and therefore has news stations and reporters who are NOT trying to censor everything bad the usa does over there. secondly: tconwell, if you want mature conversation, then why the hell do you insist on putting down everyone who disagrees with you and name calling? that's both imature and un-professional and to be honest, only makes you look like a dick. also: if i were in the situation- i would have searched the wounded guys before shooting them. just because 1) you don't know if they have a grenade and 2) if you shoot him and the pin is already pulled, as soon as you shoot him his muscles would go limp and the thing would be detinated. however, given the circumstancec, rash choices are understandable and i don't think the guy should be prosicuted. as for one-sided political views: that's what politics is! if we all agreed on everything, then there would be nothing to complain about! and i do see your argument tconwell, i just think that your listening to what the gov and military tell you a bit too much. i hate to say it again but go watch farenheight 9/11. do some resarch, watch documentaries etc. the american gov has a very long record of lying to its citizens about virtually everything. (and to those of you who say everything in f911 isnt true: what isn't true and how can you confirm it?) this war is a bunch of bull and so is bush and seemingly every decision he's made. i hate bush, i hate your general ignorance, and i sure as hell hate the damned conservatives that re-elected the bastard.

whoo... good to get that out [:D]

[worship]

No one in the UK likes Blair either. People who go to Iraq to fight deserve whatever the hell is coming to them imo, wether they be British, American, Asian or whatever. The only other country i respect politicaly at the moment is Spain, and the way everyone responded to the Madrid bombings, although this may be a total different case the story is the same.

I actualy saw on the news last night that Canary Wharf and Heathrow airport in the UK are on high terrorist alert and a plan to fly a plane into canary whark had been foiled and frankly i dont care....and that isnt just because London sucks. Furthermore for the guys who like to think there are bigger and better, why not go compare penis sizes over at coastersims.com im sure you'd like it there

First of all, coaster, a lot of what yo u have said there is pretty stupid, and most of it is just plain made up.

1. Actually, the media here is mostly liberal, so by saying that we don't see the "facts" is quite wrong. And as for Britain and the rest of Europe, a lot of the news they get is even MORE liberal and bias...

2. Fahrenheit 911??!! Are you kidding me, the so-called "facts" there are so distorted it's not even funny...I really REALLY hope that's not where you get your information from. And as to answer your little question, I can't right now, but most Democrats don't advertise or endorse the film at all...I think that tells you how true it really is.

3. It is quite immature and ignorant to hate all conservatives and all people who voted for Bush, don't you think?

EDIT: Sorry, coasteragent... if you saw this, [xx(]

first of all, i made the post, not coasteragent [;)] and of course the news here is biased!! we may have freedom of the press but keep in mind who runs the news companies.... and i'm SO sick of people saying that not everything in f911 isnt true.... CAN YOU GIVE ME A LIST OF THE DISTORTED FACTS, AND THEN THE REAL FACTS PLEASE!!! and no, it's not immature to hate all people who voted for bush because they are voting for a man who tried to CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION to take away my rights. that is a direct offense against me and i'm sure as hell gonna take it personally. god americans suck... no wonder the world hates us!

First, it seems you are pissed, coaster, about losing rights most likely because the whole gay marriage thing got beat down like a 130 pound kicker in the NFL. You should know (if you pay attention at all) that 11 (or maybe it was 13) states defeated that on their own individual ballots, with no help or involvement from the government. As far as "government involvement", Bush merely said he would not support an amendment to approve it, and that should not be a real surprise to anyone - even Mr. "Screw Around in the Oval Office" Clinton shuned away from ever talking about that one. Honestly, if you think Kerry would have supported it you are sadly in the dark on this one ... his wishy-washiness in the debates on this issue was pretty easy to read. Trying to play to those in support of it by saying "we are all children of God" ... puuuuhlease ... he looked so guilty trying to lie to the camera.

Second, I am not sure why this is surprising you?? It is not like gay marriage has been a proactive and "welcomed" thing (widely) in this country. I mean, this year parties tried to put that on the ballot in the Deep South (like Arkansas and Georgia) -- I mean ...... ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Old Billy-Bob from down by the creek might be fat, dumb, and ignorant; but he knows what he will not stand for ... and seeing Steve and Bill married was not it. (Sorry if this offends you man, but if you want to spew vomit at me, you had better have thick enough skin to take it in return.)

Finally, I would like to caution you on using Michael Moore as your poster child for pointing out flaws, it did not work to well for the Democrats this year.

Nevertheless, I guess you want to avoid the appearance of intelligence and go with stupidity and left wing distorted facts to prove your point. Fine by me, at least now I know where you stand and you shall be handled accordingly.

actually, for the first time i can point out that your dead wrong. 11 states banned it, and it was only on their ballots because of the thing that happened in california. georgey boy said that he DID NOT support gay marraige and DOES support a consititutional amendment. as for kerry: although he doesnt like the idea of gay marraige, he did support gay rights and he made that very clear during the debates. however, there is no amendment to approve it like you said, there is nothing in the constitution to ban it, and therefore it's legal. except for now 11 states banned it because they were afraid of what happened in california hapening to them. but gay marraige has nothing to do with this topic and i'm not about to go into it yet again.

i really really tried to stay out of this, but i just can't. IF YOU PEOPLE DON'T LIKE AMERICA, THEN JUST LEAVE IT. Just more jobs for us. I have already realised at the age of 15 how lucky i am to be an american, and how proud i should be of it. Now im not the richest person on earth (ha not close), but i am still very happy with my life, i get a public education (i hate it but hey it helps in the longrun), we have cars and all that stuff, so just be happy with your country.what if you lived in Iraq, bombs going off is normal, or Africa where you live under a tree. Comeon guys, if you dissagree with america 100% just leave, but think of how lucky you are. Think of how lucky you guys are to even have internet service. People in Africa don't even know what a rollercoster is.

geeez