"I want to tell you about the United States Marines. I don't know if you are familiar with the procedure where these fine fellows are concerned. To put it in a word, they arrive. The thing works out somewhat after this fashion. A bunch of bad men are beleaguring a bunch of good men in a stockade or an embassy or wherever it may be and seem to be getting along splendidly, and then suddenly the bottom drops out of everything and all is darkness, disillusionment and despair. Looking over their shoulders, they see the United States Marines arriving, and I don't suppose there is anything that makes bad men, when beleaguering someone, sicker. The joy goes out of their lives, the sun disappears behind the clouds, and with a muffled 'Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!' they slink away to their underground dens, feeling like thirty cents." - Lord Ickenham, Cocktail Time
Back in my working girl days, the Lt. Colonel CEO of my company assigned my double black belt partner and I to go out and win the United States Marine Corp advertising account. In our attempt to understand the Marine Corps, we visited Marine Corps bases and interviewed Marines. As we were not journalists but two girls trying to 'get' what attracts men and women to the Marine Corps, our interviews where really long chats. A Colonel, who had been a platoon leader in Vietnam told us a story that is particularily relavent today in light of the emerging Haditha story. When the Colonel was in Vietnam he always had to warn his men to never trust the children, no matter what their age was or how cute they looked. We asked why. He told us that the enemy never hesitated to use children to kill soldiers and then he gave us the example. His platoon was on a long trek somewhere with new guys in the front vehicles. The heat was incredibly intense and everyone was really thirsty. As they neared a town, small children (like 6 or 7 years of age) were standing along the dirt road holding up ice cold Cokes in bottles for the passing soldiers to grab. One of the new guys in the first truck grabbed one. The colonel saw this and shouted for him to stop. But vehicles' noises were too loud for the soldier to hear him. He watched the soldier toss the Coke back in one swig. Then the soldier made a choking-like movement. The Coke was full of shaved glass and the soldier had swallowed most of it before realising it. The Colonel then spent the better part of the next two days watching his soldier die a slow painful death of literally a thousand cuts.
Keep that story in mind as you read to this.
The United States Marine Corps is one of the best institutions our country has and the men in the Marine Corps are some of the finest as well. The Marines involved with Haditha deserve the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
Mrs. P
I haven't had time to check out the links you left at Right Truth yet, I'm getting a really late start this morning. But I will do that. Thanks so much.
Posted by: Debbie | June 02, 2006 at 08:44 AM
Take a look at what Sweetness&Light has dug up from the Guardian.
Posted by: Mrs. Peperium | June 02, 2006 at 12:48 PM
Semper Fi! Mrs. P...I was an active Devil Dog for 8 years, and of course , am still one...No such thing as an ex-Marine...
Posted by: Basil Seal | June 03, 2006 at 09:06 PM
Semper Fi with knobs on right back at you Basil! We Peperiums were aware of your proud Devil Dog past. A belated Memorial Day thanks from all of the Peperiums for your service.
Posted by: Mrs. Peperium | June 03, 2006 at 10:53 PM