A snippet:

Now, the following letter is from Sgt. Michael O'Rourke. It was forwarded to me by Tom Fecher and Kyle Smithson. Please read the letter in its entirety as it is powerfully written and gives a vivid picture of what our troops must endure. It also gives us an opportunity to see into the heart of a soldier.

Sgt. O'Rourke: Thank you for allowing me to post your letter. Thank you for your service. Please know that I and countless others support you and your mission. Please be careful and come home safely.

It's been a time since I last wrote any account of my pleasant adventures here in Iraq. Naturally I'd like to write more oft, but slow computers and little time obviates that endeavor. Just so, I still manage to punch out a few words every now and then, as the following lines will testify:

Read the rest

Posted by: Vinnie at 02:03 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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By Demosophist

To The Michael Yon [Not Wretchard. Sheesh one would think you guys would've saved me some embarrassment by cluing me in to the mistake. At least I had the link right.]:

The enemy in Iraq does not appear to be weakening; if anything, they are becoming smarter, more complicated and deadlier. But this does not mean they are winning; to imply that getting smarter and deadlier equates to winning, is fallacious. Most accounts of the situation in Iraq focus on enemy "successes" (if success is re-defined as annihiliation of civility), while redacting the increasing viability and strength of the Iraqi government, which clearly is outpacing the insurgency.

(Cross-posted by Demosophist to Demosophia)

Posted by: Demosophist at 10:14 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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(Baghdad, Iraq) What sort of God would sanction the mass killing of children? Just like Beslan last year, the terrorists, militants, insurgents, jihadists, or whatever you want to call them have once again proven that they are nothing but child murderers. They are despicable human scum.

From ABC News Online:

Twenty-four Iraqi children and one US soldier have been killed in a suicide car bomb attack in south-eastern Baghdad.

US forces say 18 more children were wounded, along with two US soldiers.

"A driver approached one of the US Humvees and then detonated his car," Sergeant David Abrams said.

"One US soldier was killed and two wounded," he said.

One eyewitness, Mohammed Ali Hamza, says US forces turned up in the Al-Jedidah district to warn residents to stay indoors because of reports of a car bomb in the area.

"Children gathered round the Americans who were handing out sweets. Suddenly a suicide car bomber drove round from a side street and blew himself up," he said.

Overwhelming evidence indicates that the Muslim religion has been hijacked by a cult of thugs who intentionally kill innocent civilians, many of them women and children. This fact alone should be enough to shake the typical believer's faith.

Terrorists are criminals, plain and simple, waging a war against civilization and humanity. They have no loyalties save deathly violence. The grievances espoused by the terrorists are a mix of pick-any-card complaints that are impossible to satisfy because their real objective is the annihilation of all populations who are not subservient and enslaved to their death-mongering. Terrorists cannot be appeased, nor can they be satisfied. They will continue killing indiscriminately until they are exterminated.

True followers of the Muslim faith need to wake up and not take it anymore. They and their children are being murdered by fanatics.

Companion post at Interested-Participant.

Posted by: Mike Pechar at 06:39 AM | Comments (20) | Add Comment
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