This just in from the front lines!

No it can't be, Marines giving school supplies! :rolleyes: CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq(May 22, 2004) -- Marines arrived in Kharma to a sea of smiles and waving hands from Iraqi schoolchildren May 22.

It was a sign of the distinct difference Marines of 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment are making here.

Marines visited a school in Kharma to pass out school supplies, toys and other items in an effort to further cement their relationship with the citizens of Kharma. It was the latest in a series of projects Marines conducted here and one that's showcasing 1st Marine Division's "no better friend" efforts.

"It turned out to be a good day," said Maj. Lawrence J. Kaifesh, a 36-year-old civil affairs Marine Team Leader for 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment from Chicago.

"I wanted to make sure the school supplies would get to kids who would appreciate it," added Kaifesh, a Chicago Marine.

Kaifesh and his Marines delivered more than 1,500 book bags filled with school supplies to Kharma students. The supplies were donated to Marines to pass out to Iraqis from Spirit of America, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization.

The donations included book bags with school supplies, Frisbees, soccer balls and toys. There were also items for the city as a whole, including toys, medical supplies and fire-fighting gear.

"It's always a good thing to help people, but especially kids who are caught in the middle," said Sgt. Jose A. Orozco, a 30-year-old Los Angeles Marine with the civil affairs team.

The outreach effort to Kharma is focused to dispel any lingering hostilities that emerged while Marines fought terrorist here in April. Kharma was the site of fierce fighting, with Marines killing more than 100 terrorists.

Now, Marines brandish gifts instead of weapons, demonstrating to the Iraqi citizens their fight was against those who brought fear and intimidation and not against the local citizens, Kaifesh explained.

Still, donations in this city weren't limited to school supplies. Medical equipment was also purchased to improve capabilities at local clinic. Two new x-ray machines, a dental chair, medical supplies were given to the Iraqis as well as renovations conducted on the clinic, Kaifesh said.

It's all part of a concentrated effort that's produced tangible results.

"A youth center and a ribbon-cutting ceremony for an Internet café was held last week," he said.

More Internet connections and a communications center are currently in the planning stages to be built in Kharma.

"We've only been here three weeks, but we've made some pretty good progress and we'll continue to do so," Kaifesh explained.

Kaifesh said that within the last few weeks, Marines fixed 11 schools and fully restored six water purification plants that will deliver potable water to the entire city.

The change in the city is drastic compared to early April when the area was engulfed in the fighting that erupted in nearby Fallujah.

"Now a month later, the ICDC and Iraqi Police are on the streets, shops are open and the streets are bustling again," said Capt. Jamie M. McCall, a 29-year-old from Wilmington, Del.

"This town has changed dramatically, because they wouldn't look or wave at us," added McCall, the battalion's staff judge advocate. "Now they do. It's remarkable."

Kaifesh said that while not on the road searching for new developments, he keeps busy at base camp dealing with city officials and village leader.

"We're meeting with council members all the time," he said. "We want to take care of these folks as much as possible."

Kaifesh and his Marines still have a tough schedule ahead of them. Progress is being made, but they are still wary of occasional attacks from roadside bombs and small-arms fire. Still, progress is being made and concrete plans are being worked for further improvements for Kharma.

"Right now we have about 200 claims and over 40 projects that are in one stage or another," he said. "We're in Phase 1, which consists of water, electricity, sanitation and healthcare."http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200452465023/$file/goods2lr.jpghttp://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200452465313/$file/goods3lr.jpgAnd for all you liberals, yes this is a military based site so they are obviously making these people look happy. Once the cameras are off the killing will commence! :rolleyes:

Thanks for posting this.

It's nice to see some balance here.

That's standard.

I am sure you were briefed on the standard ploy when fighting insurgents. "The people" are their backbones. It's where they blend-in to get close enough to make their next kill, therefore the better you make yourselves look towards the possible "camouflage" of the enemy, the less effective that cover is, and it might even become a source of information.

As good as I believe American Servicemen are, this act has nothing to do with that. It's a strategic response to the growing sympathy for the insurgents.

Read this: Military Transformation for the Changing Cause, Character, and Conflict in the 21st Century (National Defense University, National War College) (http://www.ndu.edu/library/n4/n045602D.pdf)

Also, you might want read this: Iraq: New Strategies (http://www.stratfor.com/corporate/index.neo?page=basicsample)

Interesting read.

The sad thing is after all was said and done...

The marines ate the poor children.

:shakehead

While the cynics will cry foul an point to other problems, in and of itself, that was a nice thing to hear.

It must be so hard to see such a nice thing like this in a condescending light.

I'd be willing to bet this is at least the thousandth time our soldiers have attempted to bring toys, food, and other goods in an attempt to bring good relations with the Iraqi people.

It doesn't matter, however. We can do no good in some people's eyes.

Well they're doing a good job at balancing things out....bomb a wedding, give some gifts...kill some kids, aid the school. It's all good guys :rolleyes:

Once again we come to perspective. Some only dwell on the sorrow. Some only dwell on the cheer. Most of the rest of us fall somewhere in between.

Sorry Yogs but some of us can't really forget about the deaths of innocent children with a couple of toys or school supplies. Don't get me wrong it's a great gesture but some actions have greater impact on some then others.

Not sorrow, Yogs. Some only dwell on dislike and intolerance.

The sad thing is after all was said and done...

The marines ate the poor children.

:shakehead
I don't know if I should take this as a compliment or an insult! Ill take it as a compliment! :biggrin:

Not sorrow, Yogs. Some only dwell on dislike and intolerance.

You must have been looking in a mirror when you typed that.

You must have been looking in a mirror when you typed that.
Good comeback.... :disappoin

The sad thing is after all was said and done...

The marines ate the poor children.

:shakehead
now thats just a pointless and crude post.

And well too bad there doing something nice. I'm sure not 1 person over there is enjoying the firefights and war realted stuff and having some time to hang out with some kids and give them gifts must have been a blast!

I dont really care if its some evil skeme or what not. I see smiles on those kids and the soldiers faces thats a good thing.

Good comeback.... :disappoin

It was good enough to be accurate when describing you. I think the only positive words I've heard from you are in glowing praise of Dubya.

now thats just a pointless and crude post.

And well too bad there doing something nice. I'm sure not 1 person over there is enjoying the firefights and war realted stuff and having some time to hang out with some kids and give them gifts must have been a blast!

I dont really care if its some evil skeme or what not. I see smiles on those kids and the soldiers faces thats a good thing.
:iagree:

The sad thing is after all was said and done...

The marines ate the poor children.

:shakehead

Sorry erricer, I laughed my ass off at that. I took it as a somewhat sarcastic remark that "I" thought was meant as a joke to lighten the mood somewhat.

If you are who you say you are, and I have no reason to disbelieve you, I have nothing but gratitude to you and yours for doing what you do which in turn allows me to do what I do. (If that makes any sense to you).
My cousin was in Somalia , as well as some other hell holes along with some of my close friends, and when they came back they were different in a way that is hard to describe.
They didn't join up to "eat children", well there was that one guy, but I digress. ( And yes, that was a joke, no offense)
They did what they thought was right and fought for it, some of the stuff that they got into, well I'm sure if you ever heard of the Airborne here in Canada you know what I mean, was pretty screwed up and I totally disagreed with what they were doing, but I wasn't there so I don't really know what happened.

I'm not going to sit here in my comfortable office, and then go home to my beautiful wife and children and call down you or anyone like you that is out there fighting and dying everyday.
Sure, there are some sick fucks out there, but there are also a lot of stand up men and women that put their asses on the line so I can type this out.

As far as the bombing of the wedding and then the toys being spread around, everyone knows that one doesn't cancel the other out.
As my cousin said to me one night when he got back and we were sitting around drinking one night " War Sucks! People Die!"
As he was saying that he was staring at my then three year old son with the most screwed up look on his face.
I let him stare for a minute and asked him what he was thinking and he told me that he had given a young kid one of his rations and he said that you couldn't believe how happy that the kid was and even though they didn't speak the same language or anything, he could tell that this was one of the happiest moments of that kids life.
He then paused for a minute or two, took a big drink of his beer and said that later that same day he and his company got into a firefight and after it was over found that same kid ( and a bunch of others, men women, militia) dead by the side of the road.

I dunno, what the hell do you say to someone that has gone through something like that?
You were there for the wrong reasons? You're fighting an unjust war?
The powers that be are corrupt? You shouldn't have been there in the first place?
Me, I went and got him another beer. I figured he deserved it.

Theres no emoticon for a salute but damn Spyke, that was good

" War Sucks! People Die!" That phrase sums it up pretty much!

Sorry erricer, I laughed my ass off at that. I took it as a somewhat sarcastic remark that "I" thought was meant as a joke to lighten the mood somewhat.

You are correct. I mean... It's not like I think the Marines really eat children! :lol:

Everyone knows they only eat babies, even then only on the night of a full moon.

I thought Marines ate anything? Maybe Mark can shed some light, but he wasn't a grunt...

BOO-YAH!!!

Don't get me wrong it's a great gesture but some actions have greater impact on some then others.

Yeah, like running planes into buildings full of innocent people or bombing trains full of innocent people... very high impact. I don't see any compensation from the terrorists though...

Sorry erricer, I laughed my ass off at that. I took it as a somewhat sarcastic remark that "I" thought was meant as a joke to lighten the mood somewhat.

If you are who you say you are, and I have no reason to disbelieve you, I have nothing but gratitude to you and yours for doing what you do which in turn allows me to do what I do. (If that makes any sense to you).
My cousin was in Somalia , as well as some other hell holes along with some of my close friends, and when they came back they were different in a way that is hard to describe.
They didn't join up to "eat children", well there was that one guy, but I digress. ( And yes, that was a joke, no offense)
They did what they thought was right and fought for it, some of the stuff that they got into, well I'm sure if you ever heard of the Airborne here in Canada you know what I mean, was pretty screwed up and I totally disagreed with what they were doing, but I wasn't there so I don't really know what happened.

I'm not going to sit here in my comfortable office, and then go home to my beautiful wife and children and call down you or anyone like you that is out there fighting and dying everyday.
Sure, there are some sick fucks out there, but there are also a lot of stand up men and women that put their asses on the line so I can type this out.

As far as the bombing of the wedding and then the toys being spread around, everyone knows that one doesn't cancel the other out.
As my cousin said to me one night when he got back and we were sitting around drinking one night " War Sucks! People Die!"
As he was saying that he was staring at my then three year old son with the most screwed up look on his face.
I let him stare for a minute and asked him what he was thinking and he told me that he had given a young kid one of his rations and he said that you couldn't believe how happy that the kid was and even though they didn't speak the same language or anything, he could tell that this was one of the happiest moments of that kids life.
He then paused for a minute or two, took a big drink of his beer and said that later that same day he and his company got into a firefight and after it was over found that same kid ( and a bunch of others, men women, militia) dead by the side of the road.

I dunno, what the hell do you say to someone that has gone through something like that?
You were there for the wrong reasons? You're fighting an unjust war?
The powers that be are corrupt? You shouldn't have been there in the first place?
Me, I went and got him another beer. I figured he deserved it.


Wow. That's one of the best posts I've ever read, nice dude!

...I dunno, what the hell do you say to someone that has gone through something like that?
You were there for the wrong reasons? You're fighting an unjust war?
The powers that be are corrupt? You shouldn't have been there in the first place?
Me, I went and got him another beer. I figured he deserved it.
It's too late to say anything to someone like that - it's done.

But it's not to late to try stop that kind of shit happening again for exactly the same reasons.

Yeah, like running planes into buildings full of innocent people or bombing trains full of innocent people... very high impact. I don't see any compensation from the terrorists though...
Do you really expect some nice gestures from terrorists???

Yeah, like running planes into buildings full of innocent people or bombing trains full of innocent people... very high impact. I don't see any compensation from the terrorists though...and how does this relate to Iraq? :rolleyes:

and how does this relate to Iraq? :rolleyes:

It hasn't it's just that some people haven't been able to break the powerful mental association that the propaganda machine has cultured in their minds between Iraq and 9/11. Remember, Iraq is part of the war on terror!