Dispatch from the Front II

Time now for another dispatch from the front. The first one in this series can be found here.

In this dispatch, I'll look at my correspondent's perspective on combat.

For background, do read Michael Yon's latest report, Gates of Fire. Though Yon has written a great deal about the Deuce Four, there are many many units just like that one all over Iraq and Afghanistan, and events such as what Yon describes take place all the time.

First, let me point out my correspondent has given a great deal of thought to what he does, and why. Here, in his own words:

Lest you think I have morphed into some bloodthirsty spawn of destruction... I have had long moments of contemplation regarding this, my current chosen profession. I do not take the duty and responsibility lightly. In all sense legal, moral and ethical, this ugly business of war one can be expected to experience, I have committed to its stark realities. I don't want or seek out some of the more morbid facets of our tasks, indeed it's not as if we are out everyday ringing up another butchers bill.

It is not pleasant or ultimately soul satisfying to cause the destruction of one of God's creations, someone else child.

However, in the course of one's life, we are faced with choices. The power to do good or to commit evil. In the end, we are the good guys in white hats. We are opposed by the most cruel and savage of cutthroats and rascals. By the time the bad guys have become adult enough to choose their own behavior, they made their choices and they must be prepared to face the consequences.

There are always those in our society, for whatever reasons, cannot do the hard grim tasks of defending those who are too weak or unsuitable for mortal combat. After all, who would send the elderly, feeble or young children to battle? Madness. Or worse, target them for death? Well, newsflash, the bad guys here do, every week or day some innocent civilians die. They kill illegaly.

We don't. We follow rules of Land Warfare (US law) and hague and geneva conventions (by and large, some enemy combatants are not afforded parts of those considerations as you know but that issue is in the courts). They most certainly do not follow any standards of decency much less the consensus of armed conflict.

For those who are up to the challenge, such as my fellow servicemembers, we have taken it upon ourselves to confront the forces of evil and bring them their righteous due.

From another thought:

Ah, but such is war. There is nothing new under the sun says the wise man. what has been done before will happen again. You can read about a war a thousand years ago or 50 years ago and they all have chaos, mistakes poor decisions, graft and corruption, and the grunt does the dirty work.

Now, a series of snippets, indicating how oddly routine and worklike the business of war can seem.

gotta go back to work. we are firing off some mortar illum, called in some fast movers, and some big arty fired. fireworks for free. oo aa.

just got off guard and the latest broohaha monitoring. we werent part of it. (isnt it wierd to discuss a firefight in a combat zone in near real time? bizarre, unthinkable just a few years ago, now commonplace for americans)

here i sit at computer m4 across lap, nvgs on neck. a couple guys with rpg took a shot at some brads, they got one bad guy, was still alive when encountered next to his loaded rpg. hes being medevaced. on one hand i hope that @#$% dies tonight, on the other if he can (and should be made to) talk he could yield some intell on his buddies. but most of the shooters are small fry and are cellular so its not that big of deal...if we could get the movers and shakers now that would be something.
some kiowas called in, couldnt find anymore. everyone seems to have gone home.
reconsolidate and reorganize probably same for us.

Well, didnt get shot at today. Yet. Still another hour to go so I shouldn't count the chickens just yet.

3 ieds in 12 hours yesterday and an amusing twist, some friendly fire richochets that whizzed near me and went thru our windows and walls. hmm.
Thus proving the adage that friendly fire most certainly is not.
Some mortars recently and i tried a new tactic, jolly good humor and all, say what, stiff upper lip. Well, my buddy didnt think too much of that.
We could see them launch, We eventually fired back some what become essentially meaningless swats back since they merely hold a tube, fire a few jump in a car and go away long before we even shoot. These clowns here i tell ya.

I hear from K----, they got to have all the fun. got to watch samara get blasted. I heard from so many guys in my old unit where they would just level a house if even 1 ak round came out much less the bigger stuff. That's the only thing those fools understand. and now samara is quiet.

Every single person/vehicle we encounter at some level we are keyed up to blow them away at any moment.

Is it irrational to laugh every time the latest (take your pick) ubiqitous mortar/rpg and occasional rocket miss us? Perhaps they will get lucky and it won't be so funny?
Or why can't they blast the other side of the post where the Iraqi army is?
Oh yeah, they were recently until some of their friends and ours told them to aim a bit more over there cause you are hitting your informants!

I HOPE YOU LIKE 500 POUNDERS FOR A NIGHTCAP YOU F@@#$%$% B42384342-!
(wierd chronicling a firefight in near real time. in the past it took months for a letter to arrive) all right where was i?

Some of the fighting is surreal. These guys are amazing. Brave beyond words.

Getting rifles ready and such. It's amazing how much combat power we have here and yet its ability to be used, as always, is a matter of politics.

The amount of attacks lately has been amazing. They are throwing away the suiciders like confetti on insignificant attacks.

Finally, thinking of Yon's piece again, the perspective of someone who has run through alleys just like that, who has fought beside good buddies just like that.

I cannot say I have seen all facets of the horrors of war, but I have seen some, and there are certainly those who have undergone much much more difficult and savage fighting as have I, however, to be a soldier, a warrior, one should come to terms with the possibilities inherent in this task. I certainly have. It's best that it be done and the sooner the better. preferably at basic training. 5 minutes before a firefight is not a good time.

And the more of combat one goes through, yes, the more matter of fact it becomes. This is 'normal' behavior and reactions according to psychology. That is the nature of the beast, I am afraid to say. Such is war.

You must be ready to kill. Or be killed. And do it, or hesistate. I have seen it. Those who cower at potential danger, shake in fear. Others who relish a fight and revel in its atavistic savagery.

Myself, elation to anger among others. Complete blind all consuming rage at those who seek to deprive my buddies (and myself, but I can say, many if not most are more concerned with the safety of their own buddies rather than oneself when the chips are down, that's normal, indeed, a buddy jumped on me once during a close call, he did it without thinking like a parent would shield a child) of life and limb...and sheer happiness at a chance for payback and resolve towards the bastards who are causing this insane war to be prolonged and who cause so much of the suffering the Iraqis struggle under every day for the past few years.

In some ways (but of course I don't want innocent suffering), I wish for alquado terrorist wackos and their ilk to come out of the woodwork whereever they might be hiding all over the world and just try it, attacks every day like they get away with here. You know why? When those cockroaches come out they can finally be seen and targeted and killed and that type of murderous behavior would so infuriate americans that we would finally realize the grave threats facing us and our childrens safety once and for all and stamp them out like bugs and unleash the full might and fury of our resources.

For those who dont understand these normal human reactions and emotions they can be studied in much greater detail in most psychology texts. I recently read a commentary written by a civilian US cop who has never been in military combat opine that 'a soldier never wishes the death of his enemy and is never happy about his enemys demise' or sentiments to that effect.

I say without reserve. HA!

Human emotion and reactions to mortal combat are varied and sometimes extreme or conversely merciful but truly he has not seen combat soldiers or experienced incoming fire. One of those most highest rush or release of satisfying emotions is the near rapturous joy at the death of those despicable scumbags who were seeking your own destruction. Simple law of the jungle as they say. A bit melodramatic when committed to pen and paper but no less true or deadly real nonetheless.

My correspondent, and tens of thousands just like him, are doing the hardest job of all, that of holding back the darkness that seeks to devour as many souls as it can, and standing in the gap to preserve the freedoms that we enjoy. May God bless them all.

In the next dispatch, we'll look at the nature of the enemy.

(Here is a followup to this post.)

Dispatch from the Front I