Reader Michael Phillips forwarded this e-mail from a friend of his, a Marine currently serving in Fallujah. I have editied out certain identifying elements, in the interests of OpSec.
Hi Everyone, I am here in Fallujah and well. I have been forward for the last 36 hours or so and am back now in our camp for a bit before heading back out to the forward command post.
We are doing well… (the) Marines on our flank has taken some pretty good losses but we are killing the enemy in droves. They are hiding in houses that are heavily fortified and we just destroy the house with a tank shot or a bomb or missile. There is no negotiating or surrender for those guys. If we see the position and positively ID them as bad guys, we strike. When they run, we call it maneuver and we strike them too. Why? Yesterday the muj attacked an ambulance carrying our wounded. The attackers were hunted down and killed without quarter. These guys want to be martyrs…..we’re helping.
Don’t hear a lot of this on the news huh? Fox News is doing a pretty good job over here so stick with them for coverage.
This is the only way this place can ever be safe.
And in the midst of all this we’re helping to restore power and protect and feed and evacuate the ordinary citizens of Fallujah…..although most left the city as soon as the muj moved in.
And today is the Marine Corps’s 229th birthday. It is only fitting that we are engaged in combat and serving our country today . The beer, cake and steaks will flow once we’re all done…It’s one of my ! > responsibilities to see that they get just that. But for now it’s chow and water and fuel and ammo…..lots of ammo.
My thoughts are with all of you and thanks for keeping us in your prayers…..I’m sure God is around here somewhere, above all of this…keeping an eye on things and protecting the just and the angels…..that’s what our KIAs are referred to as…..but we all hope he turns a blind eye on the muj and their false beliefs as we find them and kill them.
And I’m just here doing my job.
C—–