arkypete
06-20-2004, 04:42 PM
Sent: Thu Jun 03 21:10:26 2004
Subject: From a USMC Major near Fallujah
Dad -
Some interesting developments out of Falluja and Iraq in general that I
wanted to share with you. Since we have agreed to stay at arms reach with
Falluja, we have been able to focus our efforts on the surrounding towns and
villages. The result is that we have made great inroads in breaking up
insurgent cells through ambushes and raids. Even more important, we have
began to establish an early and still fragile rapport with the people of
these areas. The areas are historical sanctuaries for terrorists so they
are important.
One town in particular that we have been successful in is near Falluja.
During the April fight in Falluja, the muj took the town over and used it as
a base of operations of sorts. From all reports, they were brutal on the
people and very quickly subjugated the town. During one of the ordered
pauses in the Falluja fight, we chopped a rifle company off the line with a
very aggressive battalion commander. Basically he was told that we thought
the muj were running lose in the area and that he should head up there and
"develop the situation." I have gotten to know this guy pretty well here.
He is a very good commander and a tough guy. In fact, I remember telling
him that if he went past a certain point, he would be decisively engaged. We
had estimated that if he got into a decisive engagement, he could be
outnumbered by as much as 5:1. You can imagine what he did. He took his
Marines right to that point.
Sure enough, the fight was on. It was a 360 degree engagement that lasted 8
hours. An 8 hour firefight is an eternity. To put it in perspective, this
guy was in both OIF 1 battle for Baghdad as well as the Falluja fight. He
states that the firefight up near this town was the toughest he has been in.
We fired quite a bit of artillery and brought in a number of sorties of
close air for them. By the time it was over, the estimates (now confirmed)
are that they killed over a 100 muj. We could not understand why they kept
coming but they did (more on that later). Throughout it all, very accurate
mortar fire up to 120mm was falling inside the Marine position. Automatic
weapons and RPGs were crisscrossing through the perimeter. The Marines just
laid their in the micro terrain and squeezed of well aimed shots.
The Battalion Commander stayed that day until his guys broke the muj and he
"owned the field" (his words). He then withdrew back to his original
position. In the same town, we now have Marines living 24/7. They are
conducting joint patrols with the Iraqi Police and the ICDC (Iraqi Civil
Defense Corps). When they first arrived, the people were very standoffish
and even hostile. Now we are getting more and more walk up intelligence
(where the locals literally risk their lives in order to walk into our lines
and tell us where the muj are). The reason for the turnaround is simple. We
have pushed through the bow wave of intimidation and terror that dominated
the town when the muj were there. The Marines did it through aggressive
raiding and downright obstinate refusal to budge regardless of the costs.
The people were watching the entire time and have made up their own minds
where their best future lies. It has gotten to the point where the
mujahadeen are now firing mortars indiscriminately into the town as it is
the only effective means of maintaining any kind of influence over the
people.
Yesterday, they grievously wounded two citizens doing just that.
That is not to say that the town is a bed of roses for the Marines as we
still have plenty of contact in the area and it is very dangerous but we are
grinding them down and are about to put a good pounding on the enemy in the
next few days. The people are talking and we are about to pay some more
visits in the middle of the night. I could give you a couple more examples
but it is a good illustration of what kind of work the Marines are doing
every day.
As far as Falluja goes, we have not been allowed to get back in there with
any real numbers yet. Initially, it was confounding. However, a very
interesting dynamic has developed. Since we have stayed out of Falluja and
focused elsewhere, the mujahadeen have had their run of the town. As they
have had no one to fight, they have turned their criminal instincts on the
citizens. The clerics who once were whipping these idiots into a suicidal
frenzy are now having to issue Fatwas (holy decrees) admonishing the muj for
extortion, rape, murder and kidnapping. It is unfortunate for the "innocent
people" of Falluja but the mujahadeen have betrayed themselves as the thugs
that they are by brutalizing the civilians. There are, in fact, reports of
rape, etc from inside the town.
While the muj are thugging away inside the town, we are about 1/2 mile away
paying claims, entering into dialogue and contracting jobs. The citizens
come outside the city for work and money and are treated like human beings.
They go back inside and enter a lawless ****. In short, the muj have done
more to show the people what hypocrites they are in a few short weeks than
we could have hoped for in a year. The result is more and more targetable
intelligence. If we are given the green light, we can really go to town on
these guys (no pun intended). However, as much as we would like to do just
that, the optimal solution is to empower the Iraqis to take care of it
themselves. That is precisely what we are doing.
Equally astounding is evidence that these "holy warriors" are taking drugs
to get high before attacks. It true, as we pushed into the town in April
many Marines came across drug paraphernalia (mostly heroin). Recently, we
have gotten evidence of them using another drug BZ that makes them high and
very aggressive. Cowards and hypocrites. They don't have the nerve to
fight without calming their fear with drugs. Between highs, they are
robbing people and raping young girls. Some jihad.
Unfortunately, Al Qaeda is here and they are some of the most brutal beings
that you can imagine. I say "beings" because they do not qualify as human
beings. They prey upon the "holy warriors" above and are in league with
them teaching them tactics and employing them to execute attacks. Money to
pay for the attacks comes from neighboring states. Al Qaeda, the same
people that espouse creating a Islamic State that is global and living under
the "purist form of God's laws", are working with drug addicts and rapists.
Someone will have to explain that on to me some day.
For now we are gearing up for the inevitable offensive that the former
regime guys, local criminals and Al Qaeda will wage this summer. It will be
brutal as they are on a systematic campaign to murder anyone who is even
half-way moderate. If any leader gains traction that is not 100%
anti-coalition and pro-anarchy, is at immediate risk. Yesterday's positive
world media coverage of the naming of the interim government will probably
accelerate the mayhem somewhat. It is a fight that is inevitable. So long
as we can keep the Iraqi people's nerve up and keep as many leaders alive as
possible, we will crush the enemy when he surfaces. We are hopeful to take
a little wind out of their sails with some preemptive work over the next few
days.
I will let you know how it goes.
Love,
Dave
Subject: From a USMC Major near Fallujah
Dad -
Some interesting developments out of Falluja and Iraq in general that I
wanted to share with you. Since we have agreed to stay at arms reach with
Falluja, we have been able to focus our efforts on the surrounding towns and
villages. The result is that we have made great inroads in breaking up
insurgent cells through ambushes and raids. Even more important, we have
began to establish an early and still fragile rapport with the people of
these areas. The areas are historical sanctuaries for terrorists so they
are important.
One town in particular that we have been successful in is near Falluja.
During the April fight in Falluja, the muj took the town over and used it as
a base of operations of sorts. From all reports, they were brutal on the
people and very quickly subjugated the town. During one of the ordered
pauses in the Falluja fight, we chopped a rifle company off the line with a
very aggressive battalion commander. Basically he was told that we thought
the muj were running lose in the area and that he should head up there and
"develop the situation." I have gotten to know this guy pretty well here.
He is a very good commander and a tough guy. In fact, I remember telling
him that if he went past a certain point, he would be decisively engaged. We
had estimated that if he got into a decisive engagement, he could be
outnumbered by as much as 5:1. You can imagine what he did. He took his
Marines right to that point.
Sure enough, the fight was on. It was a 360 degree engagement that lasted 8
hours. An 8 hour firefight is an eternity. To put it in perspective, this
guy was in both OIF 1 battle for Baghdad as well as the Falluja fight. He
states that the firefight up near this town was the toughest he has been in.
We fired quite a bit of artillery and brought in a number of sorties of
close air for them. By the time it was over, the estimates (now confirmed)
are that they killed over a 100 muj. We could not understand why they kept
coming but they did (more on that later). Throughout it all, very accurate
mortar fire up to 120mm was falling inside the Marine position. Automatic
weapons and RPGs were crisscrossing through the perimeter. The Marines just
laid their in the micro terrain and squeezed of well aimed shots.
The Battalion Commander stayed that day until his guys broke the muj and he
"owned the field" (his words). He then withdrew back to his original
position. In the same town, we now have Marines living 24/7. They are
conducting joint patrols with the Iraqi Police and the ICDC (Iraqi Civil
Defense Corps). When they first arrived, the people were very standoffish
and even hostile. Now we are getting more and more walk up intelligence
(where the locals literally risk their lives in order to walk into our lines
and tell us where the muj are). The reason for the turnaround is simple. We
have pushed through the bow wave of intimidation and terror that dominated
the town when the muj were there. The Marines did it through aggressive
raiding and downright obstinate refusal to budge regardless of the costs.
The people were watching the entire time and have made up their own minds
where their best future lies. It has gotten to the point where the
mujahadeen are now firing mortars indiscriminately into the town as it is
the only effective means of maintaining any kind of influence over the
people.
Yesterday, they grievously wounded two citizens doing just that.
That is not to say that the town is a bed of roses for the Marines as we
still have plenty of contact in the area and it is very dangerous but we are
grinding them down and are about to put a good pounding on the enemy in the
next few days. The people are talking and we are about to pay some more
visits in the middle of the night. I could give you a couple more examples
but it is a good illustration of what kind of work the Marines are doing
every day.
As far as Falluja goes, we have not been allowed to get back in there with
any real numbers yet. Initially, it was confounding. However, a very
interesting dynamic has developed. Since we have stayed out of Falluja and
focused elsewhere, the mujahadeen have had their run of the town. As they
have had no one to fight, they have turned their criminal instincts on the
citizens. The clerics who once were whipping these idiots into a suicidal
frenzy are now having to issue Fatwas (holy decrees) admonishing the muj for
extortion, rape, murder and kidnapping. It is unfortunate for the "innocent
people" of Falluja but the mujahadeen have betrayed themselves as the thugs
that they are by brutalizing the civilians. There are, in fact, reports of
rape, etc from inside the town.
While the muj are thugging away inside the town, we are about 1/2 mile away
paying claims, entering into dialogue and contracting jobs. The citizens
come outside the city for work and money and are treated like human beings.
They go back inside and enter a lawless ****. In short, the muj have done
more to show the people what hypocrites they are in a few short weeks than
we could have hoped for in a year. The result is more and more targetable
intelligence. If we are given the green light, we can really go to town on
these guys (no pun intended). However, as much as we would like to do just
that, the optimal solution is to empower the Iraqis to take care of it
themselves. That is precisely what we are doing.
Equally astounding is evidence that these "holy warriors" are taking drugs
to get high before attacks. It true, as we pushed into the town in April
many Marines came across drug paraphernalia (mostly heroin). Recently, we
have gotten evidence of them using another drug BZ that makes them high and
very aggressive. Cowards and hypocrites. They don't have the nerve to
fight without calming their fear with drugs. Between highs, they are
robbing people and raping young girls. Some jihad.
Unfortunately, Al Qaeda is here and they are some of the most brutal beings
that you can imagine. I say "beings" because they do not qualify as human
beings. They prey upon the "holy warriors" above and are in league with
them teaching them tactics and employing them to execute attacks. Money to
pay for the attacks comes from neighboring states. Al Qaeda, the same
people that espouse creating a Islamic State that is global and living under
the "purist form of God's laws", are working with drug addicts and rapists.
Someone will have to explain that on to me some day.
For now we are gearing up for the inevitable offensive that the former
regime guys, local criminals and Al Qaeda will wage this summer. It will be
brutal as they are on a systematic campaign to murder anyone who is even
half-way moderate. If any leader gains traction that is not 100%
anti-coalition and pro-anarchy, is at immediate risk. Yesterday's positive
world media coverage of the naming of the interim government will probably
accelerate the mayhem somewhat. It is a fight that is inevitable. So long
as we can keep the Iraqi people's nerve up and keep as many leaders alive as
possible, we will crush the enemy when he surfaces. We are hopeful to take
a little wind out of their sails with some preemptive work over the next few
days.
I will let you know how it goes.
Love,
Dave