Memoirs written in prose of Sergeant Robertson, Damon M. USMC while in Iraq | ...with frequent appearances of King Hammurabi.
If you are new to this journal, make sure to start reading in chronological order by scrolling down to the bottom of the oldest post in October 2004. Damon's letters from August 20th, 2004 - October 23rd, 2004 were all added to this blog on Oct. 23rd, 2004. All subsequent letters are posted in real time.
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Re: Hammurabi, USMC - DMR
Dear Family and Friends: Someone asked me for my opinion, God help you all. *whether recruiters are honest or do they use "propaganda" to achieve their aims. Heh. Well, to borrow from someone smarter than me; I know it's fun to use the word "propaganda" but let's be honest and call recruiting what it really is: "Sales Marketing." Yes, some recruiters lie. Salesmen lie. At any rate, it's not usually the fact that a recruiter has to come right out and tell a bold faced lie, because most kids don't even know the right questions to ask. Mostly a recruiter omits the truth, rather than obscuring or misrepresenting it. This has been my experience. *whether we went to war with the wrong country. From an immediate strategic consideration, Iran and North Korea are reputed to be actually producing WMD, so they're more dangerous in the long run. However, if we remember our Chomsky and our history and also what we know about warfare: if you're going to build an empire at someone else's expense, strike first at his weak point and exploit any advantage that gives you to the fullest. What am I saying? Geographically, the middle east now has a significant foreign military presence in its heartland. The U.S. has battle hardened troops within easy striking distance of Iran, Syria, and Jordan, and a government in Iraq that will presumably be very pro U.S. (most likely depending heavily on our intervention for its survival). Under the "pre-emptive strike" reservation made by the so-called Bush Doctrine, the U.S. military has proven twice the ease and speed with which we can topple an undesired regime (Afghanistan, Iraq). The prolonged occupation proves to be the spoiler, as it seems, but at any rate we know that our combined arms, hyper-mobility, heavy discriminate firepower military philosophy *works*. So as long as we're being cynical, let's remember that Saudi Arabia is working to cut her ties with US military protection, and even though the US denies it will seek "permanent" leases in Iraq, it seems clear that we're going to be here for some time. Get real. The F-18's outside this internet center could hit Iranian sites in a matter of minutes. Likewise with Syria and Jordan. Technically speaking, in regards to the "opposition," aka "axis of evil," or just plain "the other guys," we're right where they don't want us to be. ... Take that with a grain of salt. I'm not the most informed bloke on the block. ... :D
# posted by chevas @ 9:01 PM 