Michael J. Totten continues to write and post outstanding first-hand reports from Iraq — the stuff the MSM should be (but isn’t) reporting.

His latest dispatch today, Totten interviews two Marines — Corporal Brandon Koch and Sergeant Charles Smith — who fought in the Battle of Al-Fajr in Fallujah back in 2004.

Totten’s interview touches on the changes these Marines see today from the city they witnessed three years ago:

“How do you feel about what happened here?” I said.

“I definitely think it was necessary,” he [Cpl. Koch] said. “I don’t have any regrets. I’m glad I did it, and I would do it again. It’s good to see the city the way it is and to go to the same neighborhoods. They’re so much cleaner now. These people are doing things on their own, they’re taking care of their own stuff. When I was here three years ago, I never would have imagined this place would ever be like it is now. It reminded me of Tijuana. When we got here it just seemed like everything you could think of that was bad, this city had it going on. Now they have regular families thriving in the city. There are people working neighborhood watch, working together. It has turned around a lot. I didn’t even want to come on this deployment, but now seeing the city the way it is, I’m glad I did. It’s like a closure on everything.”

And from Sgt. Smith:

“Was it worth it, do you think?” I said.

“Yes,” he said without hesitation.

“Why?” I said.

“We got rid of an insurgency and fought the bad guys,” he said. “That’s why people join the Marine Corps, to go and fight.”

I laughed. Marines like to say this sort of thing. They seem slightly more disappointed than Army soldiers when there’s nobody to shoot at. Many I’ve spoken to want to redeploy to Afghanistan where they can still “get some.” At the same time, it seems they’re happy to see that the war in Fallujah has been practically won.

Some Most men run or cower from danger. A few others run straight towards it — we call them Marines and Soldiers (that group also consists of firefighters and police officers), which is why they are my very favorite people on the planet, bar none.

Go read the entire piece — Totten and the Marines provide some detailed descriptions (and great pictures) of insurgent warfare and how the Marines have adapted to beat them.

______

h/t to Blogs of War

Posted by Robbie Cooper on Monday, December 10th, 2007 | Trackback |