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October 03, 2004

A message from a currently deployed Marine

Nicholas Warr, Chapter President 1/5 Vietnam Veterans Unit sends this message:

To All Vietnam and other Veterans: Please read the attached plea from a Marine fighting in Iraq. If after reading it you feel as I do, that no matter what your politics are we should be doing everything possible to support our troops, pass this on to your family and friends. Semper Fidelis!

Hello Everyone, I am taking time to ask you all for your help. First off, I'd like to say that this is not a political message. I'm not concerned about domestic politics right now. We have much bigger things to deal with, and we need your help. It seems that despite the tremendous and heroic efforts of the men and women serving here in Iraq to bring much needed peace and stability to this region, we are losing the war of perception with the media and American people. Our enemy has learned that the key to defeating the mighty American military is by swaying public opinion at home and abroad. We are a people that cherish the democratic system of government and therefore hold the will of the people in the highest regard. We love to criticize ourselves almost to an endless degree, because we care what others think. Our enemies see this as a weakness and are trying to exploit it. When we ask ourselves questions like, "Why do they hate us?" or "What did we do wrong?" we are playing into our enemies' hands. Our natural tendency to question ourselves is being used against us to undermine our effort to do good in the world. How far would we have gotten if after the surprise attacks on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor, we would have asked, "Why do the Japanese hate us so much?" or "How can we change ourselves so that they won't do that again?" Here in Iraq the enemy is trying very hard to portray our efforts as failing and fruitless. They purposely kill innocents and desecrate their bodies in hopes that the people back home will lose the will to fight for liberty. They are betting on our perceived weakness as a thoughtful, considerate people. Unfortunately our media only serves to further their cause. In an industry that feeds on ratings and bad news, a failure in Iraq would be a goldmine. When our so-called "trusted" American media takes a quote from an Iraqi doctor as the gospel truth over that of the men and women that are daily fighting to protect the right to freedom of press, you know something is wrong. That doctor claimed that out of 600 Iraqis that were casualties of the fighting, the vast majority of them were women, children and the elderly. This is totally absurd. In the history of man, no one has spent more time and effort, often to the detriment of our own mission, to be more discriminate in our targeting of the enemy than the American military. The Marines and Soldiers serving in Iraq have gone through extensive training in order to limit the amount of innocent casualties and collateral damage. Yet, despite all of this, our media consistently sides with those who openly lie and directly challenge the honor of our brave heroes fighting for liberty and peace. What we have to remember is that peace is not defined as an absence of war. It is the presence of liberty, stability and prosperity. In the face of the horrendous tyranny of the former Iraqi regime, the only way true peace was able to come to this region was through force. That is what the American Revolution was all about. Have we forgotten? Freedom is not free and "peace" without principle is not peace. The peace that so-called "peace advocates" support can only be brought to Iraq through the use of military force . And we are doing it, if only the world will let us! If the American people believe we are failing, even if we are not, then we will ultimately fail. That is why I am asking for your support. Become a voice of truth in your community. Wherever you are fight the lies of the enemy. Don't buy into the pessimism and apathy that says, "It's hopeless," "They hate us too much," "That part of the world is just too messed up," "It's our fault anyway," "We're to blame," and so forth. Whether you're in middle school, working at a 9-5 job, retired, or a stay-at-home Mom you can make a huge difference! There is nothing more powerful than the truth. So, when you watch the news and see doomsday predictions and spiteful opinions on our efforts over here, you can refute them by knowing that we are doing a tremendous amount of good. Spread the word. No one is poised to make such an amazing contribution to the everyday lives of Iraqis and the rest of the Arab world than the American Armed Forces. By making this a place where liberty can finally grow, we are making the whole world safer. Your efforts at home are directly tied to our success. You are the soldiers at home fighting the war of perception. So I'm asking you as a fellow fighting man: do your duty. Stop the attempts of the enemy wherever you are. You are a mighty force for good, because truth is on your side. Together we will win this fight and ensure a better world for the future. God Bless and Semper Fidelis, 1st. Lt. Robert L. Nofsinger USMC Ramadi, Iraq

Posted by Deb at October 3, 2004 04:36 PM

Comments

"In an industry that feeds on ratings and bad news, a failure in Iraq would be a goldmine. When our so-called "trusted" American media takes a quote from an Iraqi doctor as the gospel truth over that of the men and women that are daily fighting to protect the right to freedom of press, you know something is wrong."

that is freedom of press, nothing wrong about that!

tremendous amount of good? The point is not that you are there to bomb a path to liberty, but that you turn a relatively peaceful country into a desaster. Objectors into armed terrorists.

Normal people like you and thousends of irakis pay the prize of the u.s.`silly foreign politics. The dictator`s gone long ago, before the 4 "civilian" contractors have been hanged and burned. Remember?

So when you flatten the city centre of Samarra, snipe down some kids or get blasted out of a humvee, don`t even ask or think you are at a wrong cause. You are damn sure fighting the wrong war.

Some people like to mix stuff up with the real threat of terror, we have to pay the prize for their greed.

Of course it`s the medias failing, to talk about occupation, insurgency. But with every day guerilla warfare in Iraq, arabs hate us more and iraqis will less be able to control their own affairs, cause the guerilla gets more institutionalised, talibanised. Military force is not the solution here, it is rather the root of the bloodshed.

The dictator is gone, but was the u.s. army gone to if there woldn`t be an insurgency?
It was wrong from the beginning and it won`t get better by a guerilla vs. occupation war. How easy oit would have been to kill saddam at his birthday party in a palace with one single predator drone?

Stay safe!

Posted by: ildeb at October 4, 2004 04:17 AM

Dear ildeb,

Not only is your spelling deplorable you obviously have no dignity or self respect to reply to this message the way you did. Get a life.

Posted by: Mona DiGrandi at October 5, 2004 12:11 PM

Dear ildeb,

Why are you even on this website if that's the way you think? I'm sure there are plenty of twisted sites where your comments would be welcome, but this is not one of them. Who the hell do you think guarantees the freedom of the press? Ditto what Mona said.

Posted by: devil_dogma at October 6, 2004 07:48 PM

"despite the tremendous and heroic efforts of the men and women serving here in Iraq to bring much needed peace and stability to this region, we are losing the war of perception with the media and"

peace and stability? that was before Bushs invasion and occupation provocated an unnecessary bloodshed in this poor country.

I don`t want to harm the soldiers in this war. But fact is, that saddam did not pose a threat to us. The iraqi people did not hate America. While the true motive for going there might only be hidden in the heads of the few so-cal. neocons`s brains and the war president, the uneducated iraqis suffer the toll of this unnecessary "effort", as much as the good-faithed marines. The mess in Iraq is fueled by the hidden fact, that the u.s. Admin. DID want Occupation, Control of Buisiness and permanent military bases.

Now, when we see resistance and insurgency to that plan, THEY say it is against iraqi freedom and government authority. In fact, u.s. power will not "hunt down" the last thug in Iraq, but will only provocate more fighting, more hatred and more terrorists in Arabia. Of course this would give Ashcroft even more opportunity to "march"(!) freedom across the middle east.

To Mona: I`m sorry to disturb this support site, really, but i feel obligation to oppose this war.
It must stop, the sooner the better. Why did negroponte and bremer happen to spend only 1 billion for reconstruction, to give 3 billion to the Carlye Group? Why is Bin Laden still running around in Pakistan and Afghanistan, possibly planning the next coup?

Because this Admin. is dead wrong and liing.

Just read the nytimes.com for example, p.krugmanm or to the reports of Robert Fisk. That will portrait the u.s. style fox television stuff as it is: distorting the truth.

From the beginning, generals warned, we might not have enough troops to stabilize the country after the invasion. Now our kids are diing in ill-armoured humvees and "purple heart avenues".

They say, the world is better off without saddam now, although more than 10`000 lives are lost allready, inorder to remove one single. I tell you, the world were better off without George Bush too.

I know it`s devastating, but I want our brothers and sisters fighting there out. Their mission to finish saddam is done. We have more serious threats to fight.

One last thing: the only argument of the Bushs is fear. Don`t be haunted to belive every beatyful-talk and machoisms of this bunch of hypocrites! They lie, and they are reckless.

Ildeb, in support for the brave soldiers.

Posted by: ildeb at October 7, 2004 11:10 AM

ildeb,
with all due respect, you don't have a clue. If you are getting your news from Krugman, well, enough said. You can't handle the truth. How about the hundreds of thousands of his own people Saddam killed? If the Bush Admin. really just wanted to occupy and incorporate, why didn't we just carpet bomb?

You cannot support the troops without supporting the mission, so cut the B.S.

Posted by: devil_dogma at October 7, 2004 08:53 PM

To 1st Lt. Nofsinger,
We are behind you all the way, and I have just emailed a letter to the local paper to remind the folks here what a good job you are doing. The majority here at home know the truth. Thank you for your brave, hard work. God bless you all, and keep you safe. Semper Fi.

PMM

Posted by: devil_dogma at October 7, 2004 09:01 PM

Well folks... My son in In Fallujah right now. He believes he is fighting for Freedom. He is over there helping those who want Freedom, to have it. It is because of young men like him through out history, that's made it possible for all the freedoms we have today. Just remember this, those of you who bad mouth the efforts of those over in Iraq. They are fighting for YOUR Freedom too. It is because of them, that you have the right to say what's on your mind. Therefore, please think carefully, before you start ripping on those who are, in essence, fighting for the freedoms you take for granted everyday. Marines are freedom fighters, now and always. I bless my son everyday for having the courage and the will to serve and protect our Freedom, and that of others. This is supposed to be a support site. If you don't support our troops, go gripe somewhere else. There are plenty of people who want to here it. We don't. God bless all our troops there, and everywhere!

Posted by: One Marine Mom at October 8, 2004 06:01 AM

"so-called "trusted" American media"

It is hard to believe that all media is bad. Certainly we should be considered intelligent enough to read with a critical eye, rather than be told the press is "all bad" and not to be trusted.

I respect my military family, and the good that they do for our country -- but a failure to question and to admit mistakes, is a path to our own destruction.

A democracy should always encourage questioning. Shouldn't Iraqi's be encouraged to question their leadership? I hope that is what they are told to do. Question, always question. Never take what your leaders tell you at face value, else would you have a true democracy?

As far as the criticism of dissent here; this letter was posted to this web site I hope to cause people to question what they have been told -- I would expect a discussion to ensue.

Posted by: GA - Keith at October 26, 2004 08:46 PM

Dear 1st. Lt. Robert L. Nofsinger,

God bless you and all of our brave men and women who have made tremendous sacrifices to allow my children peace in our country. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Liberty has a very high price, as does freedom of speech. Without our honorable military, this website would not be here for Mr. Ildeb and our liberal media to exercise their right to denigrate the United States; the country in which they CHOSE to live. Keep up the way you think, and you will lose that right!

As a wife of a former marine, Semper Fi and God's speed in helping the beautiful Iraqi people build a thriving country and in coming home soon to the arms of your loved ones.

Posted by: Kimberly at February 8, 2005 09:18 AM

Dear Marine,

I completely respect what all the American military does in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have no opinion on our government's reasons for being there...it's a very confusing media circus to me. I am joining the Marines when this semester of college is over not to fight over political reasons, but rather because of what the Marines stand for themselves. All of this studying in college is wonderful I suppose but I haven't really earned it, but I will very soon. I'm young and able-bodied and I feel it is my duty to become a Marine and fight alongside Marines in the hopes that it will save someone else from having to fight in my place. Always Faithful.

Justin

Posted by: Justin at April 3, 2005 04:34 PM

What a great deception! Let's say it very clearly, this war is not about bringing democracy nor fereedom to the Iraqis. Since when did you care about the Iraqi people? How come you stayed silent when you strarved them for 13 years after you bombed the shit out of them in the first Gulf war?
Your hypocrisy has no limit and it amazes me as much as it shocks me!
This war was waged by a war monger and his cronies aiming to get control over the Iraqi oil and gain more strategic control in the meadle east. Using the excuse to go after WMD that they knew were not there since years ago.
I hate to say it, but your soldiers are dying for the wrong cause. I suggets you wake up and smell the coffee, instead of bringing liberty to others, think first to the lberty you are losing! Think of the stolen elections, think of all the lies and deception... ones you have sorted your problems at home, then bring liberty to others, and please do it just when they ask you for it, but mostly, if you want the owrld to beleive you are bringing democracy and freedom, avoid bombing and killing thousands of those you want to liberate, otherwise you will have to accept their reaction, then do not complain if they get pissed off and fight you back.
Any illegal and abusive occupation of any sovreign nation must be fought back ferociously, and I think, the resistance in Iraq is doing a good job, so far! God bless the US soldiers for dying for the wrong cause, and god bless the resistance for fighting back to defend their country and its rich resources from the evil American imperium!

Posted by: HarryPotter at April 11, 2005 09:31 AM

Your comments are inspiring to me!

Posted by: Petty Officer Harries at May 8, 2006 01:38 PM