Hello everyone,

You all have been on my mind and heart in prayers at one point or another over the last three months. It is just that I barely have time to play with the kids (when I was home) and now at work in the glorious sandbox it is even harder.

I am pissed at the negative press job the American Media is running please by word of mouth pass this across the net and get the word out a beach head has been established in Ramadi. And if suddenly a 1000 terrorist show up tomorrow here and blow us up I'll eat my words.

This letter started out as a correspondence between a friend of Corporal Ryan, Susan. I served with Corporal Ryan last time in Ramadi during all our urban combat and counter insurgency. She asked me how are you doing it’s been a while since we last talked and all this came blaring out.

Please forgive my French in this email. I just woke up and am sitting at the terminal in my baggy green PT short, black beanie, flip flops with sand still in my eyes. Man Say!

Amazing Ramadi has turned into the light of Iraq. Over the last three months not one IED, One shoot out or RPG and each district there are 12 in Ramadi has elected Sunni representatives to work with Shia new Government.

We have a 2 well trained Iraq Army Battalions. Three major police stations with each one having at least two sub-stations. And they have this new thing called the District Security Force which is the same thing as a Neighborhood Watch with AK-47's. (All over the city 4000 plus)

The success has been so amazing all these generals came by to see it, CNN, and Newsweek, and the Los Angeles Times. Ramadi has changed. Still I don't see any positive news about this place it is just if it bleeds it Reads crap!

Tell Ryan his brother's who paid the ultimate sacrifice did not do so in vane.

Ramadi has been stabilized and we are hoping to expand it to other cities like Hit, Haditha, Habiniyah, Fallujah and other Sunni Cities. But no general or politician will say that because if they run a suicide truck in hear and they grab headlines these Political types will lose face. I am an O369 Infantry Staff Sergeant in a Platoon Commander's billet I have no face to lose so there it is. SSGT Harding Claims Ramadi has been stabilized you can pin it on me folks.

Of Course, the media doesn't like to report on anything positive - so instead Iraq Headlines are all about Missing Soldiers and Suicide Bombers in Baghdad. Not about good things like:

Four Alquade operators come into a small Ramadi village begin to terrorize the locals and force them to let them put in IEDs (typical mafia crap extortion, intimidation, murder. Finally the local people can't take it. One of them sneaks away and calls the police via his cell phone. The police decide Al Quaeda are too tough (now the police are Sunni) and they decide to call the Iraq Army Unit in South Ramadi (who are Shia). The Army rolls in and balls up these Terrorist bastards takes them to an American base and processes them.

A text book example of the people Sunni, Shia, and Americans working together to make this place secure.

Now that there is security they are rebuilding: Boy Scouts have re-opened for the first time in 4 years, there is a Day Laborer Program that is cleaning up the streets and all the buildings destroyed by the war of the 3 years, new phone and electricity lines are being put up.

I am not bull shitting about this! I can't believe it either. All the new Marines are sorta let down because they all wanted to come and "Get Some" kill some terrorists as they were fed on the stories of their Senior Marines.

There hasn't been a single fire fight, IED, or RPG attack once like last time. (now I jinxed myself and am knocking on wood) It has been like that for over 4 months now. So if we can just keep it going for another 3 or 4 then we can have a very successful tour.

My gut feeling is that since it is so quiet here. We will most likely send half of our Marines to conduct raids deep in the heartlands where the bastards are hanging out and then come back to Ramadi for R and R until the next raid.

I hate to rag on the Army but, they weren't doing much here except continuing the cycle of violence. They wouldn't get out of there tanks and talk to the people. "Ya know the Marine Diddy Hey Army get out of your tanks and follow me, We are Marine Corps Infantry!" applies in this case.

Their heavy armor destroyed the streets, the sewer lines, the electrical and water mains. And they just didn't give a rats ass about the people - that is the average soldier. Maybe they missed the winning the hearts and minds part of the brief or maybe they were pissed off at the guys they had lost or were injured or Maybe they are working for Hillary Clinton and have been under orders to mess things up so the Democrats can accuse the Republicans and win votes. (I am just joking - come on the Army and Marines we always are like that fighting brothers except the Army always starts it and we come in and finish it right: Anyone remember the Battle for Okinawa, Somalia, and now Ramadi - man some Army Dog is going to try and beat my ass for this but, hey I think even they will agree Ramadi has changed)

How has it changed? By people like you despite all the lies and negativity of the press not being influenced by the terrorist that the War is a Lost Cause. That's exactly what Al Quaeda wants the American people to think.

The War on Iraq is not a war for winning the hearts and minds of the Iraq People, it is a war for the Hearts and Minds of the American Public and so far Al Jazeer, CNN, ABC, MSNBC, and Al Quaeda have been kicking our asses. But faithful Americans like you Susan (and everyone else too!) who continuously support us over here are the real heroes of the war.

Every time an American bags on Bush in regards to the War or the bags on the military or is hopeless about the war bring the troops home - it is a sign that the Terrorist media campaign is working in our very own homes. How is it that 3 soldiers who are captured becomes the main headline but, Ramadi being won over isn't even in the Press.

So we Army Dogs and Devil Dogs who sacrifice our lives and blood here finally bring a victory and no one knows about it. The enemy exploits one Army Post and suddenly it feels like we lost the war. Is this true or not - Or somehow we just suffered a major defeat because Soldiers were captured.

We capture a crap load of Alquaeda dudes everyday, what gives? Ya know what gives is that there is an organized media campaign by the terrorist over your heart and mind. Telling you to give up it is hopeless we can't win it is a waste.

Please spread the word. We have established a good beach head. Marines have landed! In Ramadi. Or you can just jump on the band wagon with the bunch of other war experts making there commentary on Fox News complaining about Bush that military this Democrats this Republicans that.

The war is not about any of that: It is about you. Keep going the Marines support you in your battles believe it. WE always have believed in the strength of the American people to do the right thing. Your right is to decide what is right. And I will die to defend your freedom to choose. How can you chose when you don’t' have the right information?

Semper Fi

Justin