Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Common Interests Letter from a Marine

I agree 110%.

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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 eploit 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 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 percieved 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 discriminent 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 definded 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 military. 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

I like it.

Oh, please. Here we go again with another fake "I just got this letter from a friend in Baghdad and thought I'd share" threads.

You have a nice evening, too.

Couldn't be truer!

My neighbor's oldest son just came back from Iraq and came home from his base for 48 hour leave. He is an Army Ranger. He got out of High School and dedicated himself to the most noble of causes, risking his life to help others and defend the freedom and rights that we as Americans enjoy (and sometimes take for granted) everyday.

I asked him what the worst part of his experiance was/is.

He first told me of a roadside bomb that exploded next to one of his units Hummvees resulting in KIA's.

The other thing he mentioned is his second family (the army) questioning their cause. Not because they doubted the good they brought everyday to the nation of Iraq, he and his fellow Ranger told me of bringing books to schools, watching children play in the street who before could not be innocent kids due to their tyrannical leader. In their heart's they know what they did was right, the only doubt comes from the pessimistic media's reporting causaulties, not lifes saved.

The media's overall root goal is to sell airtime, not report the truth. If the public is buying KIAs and failure, then that's what the media reports. Imagine risking your life to protect your Nation, and getting home, watching the news with reports of how bad the war in Iraq is going.

We live in a Free Country because the bravest of Men like my neighbor risked their lives for the good of the US in the American Revolution.

No matter how anti-war one is, if YOU lived under Saddam you would hope and dream for a change. Bickering about WMD, the battles for Fallujah, etc is a ratings grubing disgrace to all those in Uniform in foreign lands and here at home who make the ultimate sacrafice - risking their life to protect the public.

In my opinion the media needs to be policed with much stricter standards, revealing truth can be necessary...but showing photos of a deceased princess and fallen soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrafice for even reporters rights is a complete and utter disgrace.

My father served in Vietnam, when those soldiers came home they were spat on in some cases.

I know people that have complained to me about getting a DUI and how "the cops should be catching real criminals".

What do you think that same person would say if their Mother or Sister were killed by a drunk driver?

Just use common sense and bite your tongue when the results of your words disrespect someone risking everything to protect a stranger.