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The word “infantry” has its roots in a word that means “unable to speak.” Though our troops are allowed to speak out, they’re often ignored or just have their voices lost in all the noise. Well hopefully we can help change this a little bit.
The other day I posted (Related) links to emails written to Pat Dollard by Cpl Tyler Rock from Ramadi, Iraq. In that post I asked for other military members, especially those who have served in Iraq, to comment on Sen. Reid’s “the war is lost” comment if they saw fit. Marine Cpl Neil Frustraglio (Related) answered. Here is what he had to say.
I am writing because I read the post you had about Cpl Rock. Consequently I know him, I was stationed with him in Washington a couple years back. And we have kept in touch on myspace since he has been in Ramadi. Also consequently I served in Ramadi with 3rd Battalion 7th Marines and was injured there a year and a half ago. He has let me know of the progress they are making in the city.
His views are not unlike other Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen. Its sad that we are the unspoken few in the political circus about the war in Iraq. We are the ones that take the brunt of the punishment, give our health, limbs, and lives there for the Iraqi people and for the man fighting next to us. But the politicians and the media rarely care what we have to say.
I was in Ramadi for three and a half months before I was seriously wounded and sent back to the states. During that time we did a lot of good in the city. We set up a tip line for the Iraqis to call and report IEDs and insurgent activity. And we got a lot of Intel from that, the people made it clear to us that they wanted our help. We would talk to them at our vehicle check points and they would tell us about the insurgent activities in their neighborhoods, arms caches, and IEDs set out to blow up our humvees and kill our Marines.
I was saddened after I was injured to find out that some of the good that we had done while there didnt even make a newspaper back home. We delivered over a million dollars worth of medical supplies to Iraqi hospitals in Ramadi. Hired Iraqis to take things into their own hands and clean up their streets. And helped rid the streets of the city of IEDs that not only hurt the Marines and Soldiers but the citizens as well. I guess our humanitarian efforts dont make for a good newspaper article back here in America, where people are more concerned with traffic on their way to work or a long line in one of their trendy coffee shops. After all who really cares if we are making the lives of the people of another country better if Americans are more concerned with their mindless daily trifles.
One great quote I recently heard about the war in Iraq was this:
“Our nation is not at war, our Military is at war, America is at the mall.”
Roughly put that is the war in Iraq. The American people simply don’t care what is really happening in Iraq. If they did they would look deeper and talk to the troops who have served there. Instead they rely on the news media for their flawed information.
And what’s worse than America not caring is our politicians who are supposed to know what is going on using the troops as a political lever to flaunt their own opinions and electoral goals. How many Democrats are in office today that go there because they didnt support the war in Iraq? Using the ignorance of civilian America to launch themselves onto a political platform.
These politicians don’t support the troops or anything that they are doing. The troops want a victory in Iraq. If nothing else to say that our friends, our comrades who fought beside us and never made it home, did not die in vain. I dont know many Marines like myself, who haven’t had a friend or brother die. Most know several, sometimes too many, who never made it home to the freedom of our great country. And that is a shame. To say that these great men who died for our country did it all for nothing is a travesty and does no honor to their memories.
I am not saying that Republicans are any better, personally I feel that our political party system needs a serious renovation. The way both parties have used the troops as a bargaining tool is personally sickening to me. Using human life as a chip to cash in for political power is disgusting. And thats what they are all doing. It just seems that as of right now the Republicans are the lesser evil in the political nightmare of the war.
I hope that you get this and are able to put my words out there for the people to see. I am no philosopher, but I tried to put things into the best perspective I could. For someone who has been there and seen the tradgedy of what Saddam created I know that we have done the right thing in Iraq. No matter what liberal America has to say.
Thank you,
Neil Frustaglio (Related)
Cpl/USMC (Ret)
I want you to take this letter and respectfully forward it to your senators and representatives. It is past time that the likes of Harry Reid get their fingers out of their ears and start listening to the troops. Reid voted to send them to Iraq. The very least he could do in return is stand up to the nutroots and stop giving al Qaeda propaganda points.
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CommentsAmen!
frreal on April 26, 2007 at 3:36 PM
As a twenty year veteran myself, I appreciate that most of the common sense written about our involvement in Iraq comes from military members.
liberty on April 26, 2007 at 3:42 PM
Very good letter, thanks for posting it. I don’t really have anyhting to add, the guy did a pretty thorough job on his own.
Bad Candy on April 26, 2007 at 3:47 PM
I wish that Senator Massengill cared enough to consider the troops’ opinion. It’s really up to the good people of the Silver State to regain their senses and remove this traitor from office.
Kid from Brooklyn (Related) on April 26, 2007 at 3:47 PM
Cpl Neil Frustraglio,
I, and I think I can speak for most of us here at Hot Air, not only hear you but we respect and appreciate what you and the other Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen do for our freedom and we are fed up with the politics being played out in Washington also. Please know that the left wing media does not speak for a large part of Americans whom are aware of what is really going on.
God Bless You
abinitioadinfinitum (Related) on April 26, 2007 at 3:50 PM
S!
USN (Ret)
Romeo13 on April 26, 2007 at 4:01 PM
I’ve lost track of how many terror attacks there have been against us here in the USA since we invaded Iraq and Afganistan?
Oh yeah, it’s NONE.
Hening on April 26, 2007 at 4:01 PM
From one veteran to all those still serving this great nation valiantly. Thank you . This nation is great does not survive because the likes of Murtha or Reid. It survives because of each man or woman who’s answered the call and donned a uniform.
SPIFF
MSG (RET), USA
78-01
SPIFF1669 on April 26, 2007 at 4:17 PM
Frustaglio
Isn’t that Italian for ‘Frustrated’ ?
moc23 on April 26, 2007 at 4:19 PM
Cpl Frustaglio,
Thank you for your service to our country, and know that there are still a great many of us who fully support what you guys are doing over there. God bless you and keep you safe.
infidel4life on April 26, 2007 at 4:45 PM
I hate to say it, but I blame my party for letting it get this far. If the Republicans had done what they said they were going to do, and keep after it, we wouldn’t have a cowardly Senator calling for retreat. Who is only doing it for political gain. The last few years, time and again, the Republicans have rolled over while the Democrats have walked over them.
I hate being the bad guy in this, but you know, it’s my party’s fault. That’s how I feel. Sure, the Democrats are the ones wanting a retreat, but the American people put them in power this last election for some reason. The Republicans just didn’t stand up to the Democrats. And sad to say, the Republicans are standing there, with their hands in their pockets, acting like “What? I didn’t do it. They did”.
SuperManGreenLantern on April 26, 2007 at 4:46 PM
Thank you, Bryan.
It is the one thing that has bothered me about the liberal response to Iraq more than any other: the incongruency of claiming to support the troops while completely ignoring the troops.
Let’s all listen to the troops.
Frankly, if a large majority of the men and women on the ground agreed with liberals like Reid - if they agreed the cause wasn’t worth it, that it was already lost - I’d agree with the Democrats. If that’s how those who actually know the facts feel - let’s bring them home.
But if the troops want to fight, if they see value in their mission, if they think what they’re doing matters … then why can’t we ALL support them, unconditionally?
Is this really such a radical idea?
I literally may vomit if I hear one more liberal who couldn’t find Iraq on a map and never served a day in uniform telling me they support the troops while undermining the war and loathing the commander.
Let’s all listen. Why is that so hard?
Professor Blather on April 26, 2007 at 5:07 PM
SuperManGreenLantern on April 26, 2007 at 4:46 PM
DITTO!
Why are not the Republicans on the OFFENSIVE here?
.
The Machine on April 26, 2007 at 5:22 PM
Let’s all listen. Why is that so hard?
Professor Blather on April 26, 2007 at 5:07 PM
…because of where the orders are coming from for the 2008 primaries. No convictions, no sense of right or wrong, just winning in 2008. By the middle of next year they’d sing a different tune, to win the middle over, but by then it will be too late for the Democrats. The middle will know what’s going on now. Someone from the right is keeping all these videos. Technology has its advantages.
Entelechy on April 26, 2007 at 5:25 PM
Good letter. Consequently, I like Neil. I’d place more emphasis on the news media directing and restricting people’s perspective than America’s natural flippancy on the topic, but they may feed off of one another to some degree and his point is well taken.
Thanks, Bryan, for the etymology lesson re: in- (not) fant (speak), infant, infantry. It’s fascinating.
Kevin (Related) on April 26, 2007 at 5:27 PM
Is there a way we can send this guy an e-mail to know that not all of us are at the mall and some of us really do know what is going on and appreciate the sacrifices these courageous individuals are making???
Rock on………….. (Related)
doriangrey (Related) on April 26, 2007 at 5:37 PM
Thanks Cpl Frustaglio for your detication and service to our country I know for one I stand behind all you guys and gals over there. Semper Fi, don’t let the political BS get any of you guys down, It happened back in ‘67 when I was in Nam and it was sickening to come home and see the same BS that the politicians are doing today. Hang in there we won’t let the same thing happen. I know most Americans are being fed the MSM BS way to much but most see through it. God Bless and stay low my man, thanks again.
bones47 on April 26, 2007 at 7:16 PM
Great letter, what else is there to say? I wish the idiot politicians would get it.
Bones47, I feel so badly for you from the Viet Nam era. I read some stupid Op Ed yesterday where this idiot Prof from school in TX was self aggrandizing his “protest days” and happy to see others “following in his footsteps”. I mean this fool is still an idiot. Thank you for your service and all you had to come home too.
Catie96706 on April 26, 2007 at 7:42 PM
Marine Cpl Neil Frustraglio,
Thank you Sir, and your brothers and sisters at arms, for your noble service and your great sacrifices. I and my family greatly appreciate it. We support our Troops and their Mission.
Soon the dem party is going to crack and shatter, exposing all that naked ugliness and America is going to see them for what they really are.
It can not happen soon enough.
techno_barbarian on April 26, 2007 at 7:57 PM
Those who saw O’Reilly tonight should probably point Emails like this out to him. I was a bit puzzled that he seemed so intent on following ‘polls’ (that he didn’t actually cite) and merely interviewing a former ambassador as to whether or not the Iraqis ‘want us there’ or whether they’re pulling their weight etc etc. Most Emails from those on the ground appear to make it quite clear that the average Iraqi wants the coalition there, and judging from the queues of people still lining up to be IPs despite people bombing them in the queue , I think that is a good example of the desire they have for a stable country
Reaps on April 26, 2007 at 9:16 PM
Marine Cpl Neil Frustraglio,
Thank you Sir, and your brothers and sisters at arms, for your noble service and your great sacrifices. I and my family greatly appreciate it. We support our Troops and their Mission.
Soon the dem party is going to crack and shatter, exposing all that naked ugliness and America is going to see them for what they really are.
It can not happen soon enough.
techno_barbarian on April 26, 2007 at 7:57 PM
Well said techno! If only every family thought that way, but I think that there are far more that do than the MSM leads everyone to think.
Aylios on April 26, 2007 at 9:50 PM
Geez…I just emailed my senator…Ole Hurricane Mary (Landreiu). They wanted WAY too much info and most of it was required…like full address and email. Are all the senator’s websites like this when you want to contact them? I had to enter BS…I don’t have enough money to fight a politician(poli meaning many, ti meaning a bloodsucking insect)
lsutiger on April 26, 2007 at 10:03 PM