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ryr8828
09-18-2007, 07:54 PM
http://www.mariondaily.com/articles/2007/09/18/news/news03.txt

Dear Editor: Letter from the front lines


Published: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 11:25 AM CDT
E-mail this story (http://www.mariondaily.com/articles/2007/09/18/news/news03.eml) | Print this page (http://www.mariondaily.com/articles/2007/09/18/news/news03.prt)



My name is Brandon Page. I graduated from Marion High School in 2000.

After the tragedy of September 11, 2001, I felt it was my duty as a young American to join the military and fight with the war on terrorism, to defend my country. I enrolled in the United States Army in February 2004 as an Infantryman.

As an Airborne Ranger in the 82nd Airborne Division, I am a sergeant and a rifle squad leader. I am currently deployed to Iraq and will have served two deployments, an accumulation of over one and a half years, by the end of my service.

Some people see the War on Iraq as a failure. I am here to tell you they’re wrong. I have walked hundreds of miles down the streets of Iraq, from the urban areas to the dusty desert and rural vegetated farmlands. I have seen what is shown on television and read the newspapers about how Iraq is unstable and showing very little improvement. Most of this is not accurate. Iraq is showing progress each day.

Be proud of the men and women fighting over here. We fight for your and our freedom to read this newspaper each day. We are winning this war in Iraq. However, contrary to popular belief, war cannot be won in a day. We all know that we do not want to see any more Americans killed. If we weren’t fighting this ideology in Iraq then we would be facing this on our own American soil.

If everyone had the opportunity to see how a third world country lives, you would realize how fortunate we are in America. I challenge you to do your part in making our country a better place. Send a letter to a random soldier serving in Iraq. Show them how much you appreciate them for what they do. Tell a spouse of a soldier or even a family whose soldier has paid the ultimate sacrifice, “Thank you for your sacrifice.” How many of you have an American flag flying high? Everyone should exercise their right to fly our flag.


Be proud to be an American. Be proud of your country. I know I am proud to be an American and a soldier.

Thank you and God Bless.

SGT Brandon W. Page


82nd Airborne Division

United States Army

Vegas
09-18-2007, 08:06 PM
Let's see if IBC scours the internet trying to discredit the writer of this one.

swordfish
09-18-2007, 08:31 PM
I bought a 95 trans am off this guys brother. He told me at the time that his brother was in Iraq but did not go into detail. That is pretty cool.

swordfish
09-18-2007, 08:32 PM
BTW before you start flaming me. I live in Marion.

Ed Who?
09-19-2007, 10:09 AM
Let's see if IBC scours the internet trying to discredit the writer of this one.

He doesn't need to. In the eyes of a liberal, just being a soldier discredits a person.

Jiddy78
09-19-2007, 10:24 AM
I challenge you to do your part in making our country a better place.

I'm trying buddy...I'm trying...but these f*cking greedy leeches around me can't get enough and refuse to pay for what they can't get enough of....:(

IBC
09-19-2007, 01:21 PM
He doesn't need to. In the eyes of a liberal, just being a soldier discredits a person.

LOL.

IBC
09-19-2007, 01:24 PM
Let's see if IBC scours the internet trying to discredit the writer of this one.

I didn't discredit the 7 soldiers (two of which are home in bodybags, the other in a wheelchair) who said the surge is not working, and that we could not win in Iraq, and I don't discredit this guy either. He is in the minority of US soldiers if he supports this war though. The liberal media (Stars and Stripes) didn't say that, the soldiers did. However I am quite positive that there are a variety of views on the war among soldiers.

rip
09-19-2007, 02:02 PM
You can find someone from either side at any time. While I would love to think that all our soldiers are for this that are over there I can't reasonably make that conclusion.

Has anyone looked into Tillman more in depth that I could read about? I seem to remember a few stories after his autopsy about how he was shot dead to right in the forehead by no less than 20 feet. His journal was destroyed and his clothes were taken and buried because he was shot several times in the body.

I also heard at the time that he was questioning the war and that when he got home he was going to speak out on it. So...conspiracy begins...

Yeah...I'm not a conspiracy hack, but I know I heard all this stuff at some point.

IBC
09-19-2007, 02:11 PM
You can find someone from either side at any time. While I would love to think that all our soldiers are for this that are over there I can't reasonably make that conclusion.

Has anyone looked into Tillman more in depth that I could read about? I seem to remember a few stories after his autopsy about how he was shot dead to right in the forehead by no less than 20 feet. His journal was destroyed and his clothes were taken and buried because he was shot several times in the body.

I also heard at the time that he was questioning the war and that when he got home he was going to speak out on it. So...conspiracy begins...

Yeah...I'm not a conspiracy hack, but I know I heard all this stuff at some point.
None of that is conspiracy, it is all true. The distance is speculation as far as I know though.

Also, most of the troops are for a phased withdrawal.

Hotpapa666
09-19-2007, 07:04 PM
What Rip said.

I meet people here, who really feel that they are making difference. There are people who view their deployment as going to do their part for world-wide democracy. I meet people who have been and declare the country a seathing shit-hole and view their deployments as a meaningless risking of their life and limbs... I meet people here who have been in long enough to have seen action in both Iraq wars and they think things are much worse now. I haven't met anyone who has been in long enough to serve in both and had positive things to say about the second Iraq war.

Jiddy78
09-19-2007, 09:58 PM
I challenge you to do your part in making our country a better place.

Does a Ditech Freedom Loan count?

IBC
09-20-2007, 12:36 PM
Does a Ditech Freedom Loan count?

Yes, just saying freedom (tm) is plenty Jiddy. If you can add "on the march (tm) afterwards it is even better. But wait, there is more:


9-11 (tm)
Democracy(tm)
dead-enders (tm)

Jiddy78
09-20-2007, 12:44 PM
Yes, just saying freedom (tm) is plenty Jiddy. If you can add "on the march (tm) afterwards it is even better. But wait, there is more:


9-11 (tm)
Democracy(tm)
dead-enders (tm)


I'm going to the bank asking for an abatement of mortgage with a flag on and a new "Freedom" tattoo on my arm...Let's put this theory to the test.

If that doesn't work, I'll remove the freedom tattoo and contact a poker website for the spot....Something is better than nothing.

IBC
09-20-2007, 12:45 PM
I'm going to the bank asking for an abatement of mortgage with a flag on and a new "Freedom" tattoo on my arm...Let's put this theory to the test.

If that doesn't work, I'll remove the freedom tattoo and contact a poker website for the spot....Something is better than nothing.

I am sure there is a freedom poker website. Two birds, one bad tattoo.

Jiddy78
09-20-2007, 12:57 PM
I am sure there is a freedom poker website. Two birds, one bad tattoo.

Now that's capitalism at work, right there. *applauds*


(thinks to self: Yeah, for me, sucka....*runs to patent office*)

hannitykillspuppies
09-22-2007, 02:05 PM
that seems about right.