Marine in Iraq, If you have any Intelligent questions you would like answered...

Good Day to all of you! Im in the United States Marine Corps and I know this is a War On Terrorism Forum, but if you have any questions, any at all, I will try and give you some answers or updates. As far as the big question "Are we really helping over there?" Yes, we are. Also you notice the News likes to tell you all kinds of bad news because it sells ^-^ So thats why I am here to answer any of your questions Truthfully and Responsibly. Please dont ask me anything to specific, I am only an Enlisted member and even so there a lot of things I can not write about in case it is used against fellow service members. I am not exactly used to this forum yet, but I am learning, seems its mostly a site where people like to post news? Not quite sure, ha ha. But again ask me whatever you feel you would be able to ask me without getting anyone hurt and I will do my best to answer your questions...redundant, but it works.

Very Respectfully,
[removed name upon member's request]
Al Anbar Province, IRAQ

[edit on 9/10/2006 by 12m8keall2c]

YEAH! I have one! When ya coming home?

We're ALL behind you over there, but cripes...Isn't it about time already?

What's your first name, and which Marines are ya?

Hello there, I have a question for you, if you don't mind:

Can you outline for me (in brief) the reason(s) given to you for the presence of Coalition forces in Iraq?

My m8s in the tanks and his stationed North of Basra ,he says his base gets mortared at least twice a day.
My question is what if any is your experience with bases getting mortared?

This question obviously goes deeper than US. But if you factor in the West ideology of control and freedom and more control, would the US mainland ever even worry? I remember Ramzi and the first WTC bombing, but that was blamed on Israel's occupation etc... And everyone knows if you target a financial institution you are targeting plenty of Jewish peeps. Do not mean to stereotype, just trying to get down to the root of it all. Terrorism doesn't happen enough here to dictate our temperment and it me off!

Of course there would always be fighting in middle east, but I believe that Bush & comp. have made us more of a target. It's good for them because they can use the fear card and spend spend spend. Enough rambling already, question is this, without BUSH, would the US be less of a target?

My opinion is YES! Look forward to hearing others thoughts...

AAC

What is your opinion of the Iraqi people? Do you feel that you and your fellow servicemen are contributing to helping maintain stability and peace in Iraq for the birth of democracy?Yes or no and why? What is your view of the Iraqi forces? Are they motivated to protect their country? What is your opinion of the enemy?

Simple question:
Have you killed? If yes, Did you like it? What is the feeling?

Good luck and try to stay alive!
[]s

[edit on 9/9/2006 by tunin]

I don't wish to be cynical here, but have you been authorised, or told to come to ATS to 'spread the good news'?

I'm totaly all for telling us the low down, im all for service people to get recognition and applause from the common people for what they do, but, ok im a world weary deeply cynical man.

Your timing is amazing. Election time, war not going well, mega rumours abounding on ATS and other conspiracy sites about the war and 9-11, and hi ho silver ranger! A good ol' US Marine turns up to spread the good news...

I just cannot get over this massive coincidence.... what ever happened to OPSEC and PERSEC ???

Now, cynical rant over, I actually vote that you get your own blog here on ATS so you can just blog as you go, and answer questions as they arrive!!

How is the communication infrastructure in Iraq? Do Iraqi's have internet cafe's? Do all marines have access to computers to write e-mails to family members or browse ATS?

Thank you in advance,

Originally posted by D4rk Kn1ght
but have you been authorised, or told to come to ATS to 'spread the good news'?

Oh yeah, like his CO said "hey Cpl, go post some good news on ATS"

I just cannot get over this massive coincidence.... what ever happened to OPSEC and PERSEC ???

I don't think Dark_Seraph is violating any OPSEC/PERSEC....is there a post I missed other than Hi, I'm a Marine in Iraq

He's a Marine Cpl in Iraq. Go to any website for any hometown newspaper and you will find THOUSANDS of them on the www.

I actually vote that you get your own blog here on ATS so you can just blog as you go, and answer questions as they arrive!!

Good advice I need to get a blog one of these days

Sporty

[edit on 9/9/2006 by SportyMB]

Ok, I guess I'll pass the time waiting to see how long it takes before
this thread becomes a free for all by asking some questions.

-Do you believe in what your doing, I assume you do.

-Do you think there could have been more done to, for lack of a better
way to put it, make the war safer for either side?

-What is your rank?

-Do the majority of native peoples you see want you gone?

-What is your opinion on the incident reported about a few months ago,
about the rape of an Iraqi girl, and the subsequent slaughter of innoent
people by a squadron of US marines?

-Do you get to use P-90s?

I don't have a question, I just wanted to make a comment-

Thanks for your service. I have a congenital heart defect that prevents my service, or I'd be there too. Keep your head down and come home safe.

I must admit, I'm surprised that Iraq has enough of an internet infrastructure to allow Marines the luxury of browsing internet forums, especially ones that might seem as hostile as this one sometimes is. From the descriptions on NPR and other non-Fox news stations, it sounds as if civil war were breaking out this very moment in Baghdad, that half the recently elected government had done nothing aside from give themselves a giant pay raise and gone on sabbatical, and that the other half that was left was organizing death squads. I'd be hard-pressed to stop shooting long enough to type.
That said, welcome to ATS and assuming you are legit (we have had fakers before), I do have a few serious questions.

First (and please understand my skepticism) Mods, is this gentleman legit? Does his IP address check out? I'm not making any accusations, I just don't want there to be any question of your credentials to answer the questions.

Now, the questions for The Marine in Iraq:

1.) Meaning no disrespect, but are there any "souvenirs" that are popularly taken from felled enemy combatants? Not looting, but rather like in WWII it was pretty common to take the combat knife or pistol of a dead Nazi. That sorta thing.

2.) In your opinion, is the Bush administration more of a help or a hinderance to achieving a more stable Iraq?

3.) NPR has repeatedly said that the Iraqi forces are only acting in a backup capacity and that the Coalition forces are pretty much the only ones actually achieving results. Would you say this is an accurate assessment of the situation?

4.) What, in terms of troops, resources, and time, do you feel is neccessary to achieve a lasting, US-friendly (or at least tolerant) stability in Iraq?

5.) Are the troops aware that the anti-war Americans aren't unsupportive of them, but rather the policies of their Commander in Chief?

6.) What are your thoughts on the treatment of enemy combatant prisoners suspected of ties to terrorism? For instance, the allegations of torture at GITMO and whether or not the Geneva Conventions apply, and how they should be interpreted?

7.) Do you honestly believe in the war in Iraq, or is it more of just another job in a long line of very demanding theaters for a Marine?

8.) Do you have any confirmed kills? If so, how many?

9.) Will the troops where you are be doing anything in honor of 9/11?

10.) What gets you to sleep each night?

I don't know if you're going to get a chance to answer these questions, they're coming in fast...

I'll add some to the pile anyway.

To preface, I believe in the concepts of duty, and honor. That said, do you believe that your duty to your country is more important than your duty to your family? I won't go fight overseas because I'm needed here. If we're invaded, I'll fight with every ounce of strength, to protect my land and the people I love, but until then, my duty as a son and husband outweigh my nationalism by a fair bit.

Do you struggle with this issue at all? Or are you in it for the paycheck/training? I mean no disrespect by asking that question, a man's gotta eat yaknow. I'm just curious what would compel someone to choose duty to country above duty to family. There are times when those two are not mutually exclusive, when one must defend the nation to protect the family, and it's times like those where the decision is easy.

Do you feel that now is such a time?

Ok, first off all military personel in Iraq have access to the net. It isn't a bunch of wires like you are probably thinking either. Have none of you heard of WIRELESS?!

Second, this guy is probably on personal time and instead of emailing video messages to family and friends has taken his time out to posts here, as ALL of you have and do. What is the diffence, he said who is and where, nothing else. Chill already, damn people.

There have been others not just in the Marines but also an Army Medic ATS nick Medic, who posted here for a bit then stopped...but who cares right, well I do and am worried.

This is not an "isolated" incident, so please, stop acting like it.

When will ya all be comming home would be my question. How many more of yas need to die over there before Mr Bush decides to bring yah all home?

Yyall are doing a great job out there under dagerous circumstances. But as a marine, do you have misgivens about being over there?? Under this so called War on Terror?

I have some questions.

Does Duke university's Leslie Collins work helped any with IEDs?

Is IED active denial system up and running yet? Is there a sapper dedicated airborne (chopper) system? Are the anti player strikes coordinated with sapper crews?

I take it that all available FLIRs are used as much as possible, but who gets assigned to road scanning for diesel burning? Where do they usually soften up the asphalt, how far outside of urban areas and how accurate is their intel on convoy movement?

Since Predator is armed I take it they do the bulk of surveying, but since they are run by PMCs how's the comm trickle down and do they inform the stompers in time?

Have they used kids for setting up diversionary burns while setting up in another area? How often do they use diversionary burns to disrupt resupply schedule?

Do they use anti-personnel magnesium/aluminum/phosphorous burns? If they do, are they of directed or dispersed type? Do they usually use them as defensive of offensive measure? Have they used them to gas a push crew with toxic burn of after drawing them into a structure?

Usually after gassing the push crew, the support panics and runs in to get them out, that's when the armor is hit, some small arms, a few mortars and players quickly dissolve.

Do players pool their resources and target particular supply convoys or run attrition on TOPs?

Are the "auctions" mapped out? Who has the biggest share and who channels?

Do you know the sapper KIA rate? Is it steady or spiking?

Do they get specifically targeted by fake IED ambushes to be attacked by secondary devices?

How extensively do sapper use K9s? In anti-sapper ambushes, have the players planted rags soaked in blood from a bitch in heat to throw of the sapper K9s?

Have SAD crews found any PVC or ribbed flex pipe rooters that snake under roads/structures? If they have what is the frequency rate? Watch out for those guys, those are "sleepers".

What is the rate of corner stick use? Not sure how you boys designate those these days, but it's a home made corner shaped charge about a meter long, with a copper tube insert. Sometimes the tube is filled with barrings, sometimes its a solid core. They are usually placed in a checkered pattern and get usually tucked in right against the curb, or against walls. When hidden in the curb, 45 degree angle provides excellent anti-material capability and is usually used to disable armor for ambush, or a hit and run anti-personal blast.

In anti-armor ambushes the solid copper core insert rips the tracks, busts rollers and totally disintegrates tires. On Striker are the run flats still filled with air or has foam fill made it's way down to the lines? It it has, does the extra weight from the slats pushes the foam out from the seals? If it does I suspect it's a b!tch cleaning it of.

Since CTIS has to be switched of and the tires pumped to 90psi, how badly does it effect of pavement performance? How often do they get stuck and who gets the sh!t detail of towing them out? (especially when under fire...) I sure hope you guys don't throw a bunch of engineer core nubs on it.

I bet players used that to draw a Striker team into soft sand, put up a weak skirmish and dissolve, only to set up mortars and weight for engineers to come in. That just got to suck. For every pig stuck in sand you got to roll out M1s with full air support scanning the entire area.

I also bet that knowing how it goes players also used it to divert resources from actual attacks.

Are the bases still arranged in the usual cluster fak arrangement or does everybody still sprints to the dig twice a day?

Has the motor pool got its act together or you guys still get stranded?

Given ammo shortages do you guys shot through the perimeter or on sight only?

A lot of question, I know, but what the heck.

Back in 1999 I dealt with similar situations, so that's why I'm curios if things changed at all.

Let me know or PM me.

Out.

[name removed upon member's request],

My son was a Scout with the 4th Marine Battalion and was in Fallujah form '04-'05.

It's a tough place you are in so stay safe and give'em hell.

Roper







[edit on 9/10/2006 by 12m8keall2c]

Just in case one more thing in case the sappers do use K9s.

When a house of a suspected player is raided and no weapons/explosives are found, if he has a bunch of dogs in the back and a freezer packed with carefully bagged bloody rags, take my word for it, he's not a animal lover and it's not some kinky fetish.

He very well might be one of the guys who's hunting down your sappers, or is simply selling "plants" to the guys who actually do the business.

Those guys get payed the top dollar by the way, so they should be a priority.