A Swift Kick & A Band-Aid

Happy 4th

I got this e-mail from Capt Bourland in Iraq and could think of no better way to blog about the 4th. What better man to speak of freedom than one who knows what that fight feels like? When I asked him if I could post his letter he replied, "No problem, Go for it. Kick butt and take names." Hehehe...will do...

Happy Fourth of July! You’re Marines are conducting operations throughout Iraq continuing the hunt for insurgents and terrorist so that they will no longer intimidate the US or anyone else. Additionally they continue to rebuild the war torn country and train the Iraqi Army to defend their homeland.

That’s how I was going to start this email until I got a letter from a friend who was injured and returned to the states. He told me how “Around here you wouldn't know a war is going on” and “I really think that we will be an afterthought once we return”. How could that be I thought. I know we are not in the news much except for the quick blurp about “another service member was killed in Iraq today, now for the weather”. As many of you have said why doesn’t the press cover the good stuff of what’s happening there? You guess is as good as mine.

All of the Coalition forces here are kicking butt. Just as our for fathers did when this great country declared its independence July 4th 1776 from Great Britain. Since then America has been going strong and taking names. Your service members go forth and continue to do great things despite of what the general populace is or what people think we should or should not do. We don’t write policy but we are the first to enforce it. I know my friend above probably didn’t see the entire pie but the fact that he saw that piece made an impression. ALL of you are a vital piece in the success of our mission. All of you need to continue to support your troops, fight what is bad and unjust and like our forefathers and stand for what is right. Not just on the 4th of July but all the time. America is the land of the free, and home of the brave. We cant make Iraq or Afghanistan like America overnight but we will establish their country and perhaps make them feel chills when they hear their National Anthem like I do when I hear mine. You can help in doing this by supporting your warriors!

Despite what the press says or how it looks to some when they ask themselves why do we have American forces over there? We are helping other countries to be free, to be One nation indivisible and “a republic for which it stands” so they can be a free country as well. If this takes us kicking terrorist butt to do it, so be it. We are the Marines for the job and our 4th will be special in its own way.

I love this country, what it stands for, and what it will always be, America, land of the free. So when you are celebrating your Fourth of July holiday and watching the fireworks know in you heart that brave men and women will not let you down and we will keep the wolf a bay and keep America free.

Semper Fidelis and God Bless America.

Posted by Princess Cat at July 4, 2005 08:38 AM @ 08:38 AM in Good Times // Permalink | TrackBack