War of Wits

(An Open Letter To Jack “Cold-Blooded” Murtha) 

Congressman Murtha,

Were I you sir, I would hang my head in shame and pray to my Creator, begging His forgiveness for the pain that I’ve caused innocent people. And then I would perform some serious personal introspection to see what I could possibly do to begin the process of restitution for my crimes.

But you won’t because you have no shame. (more…)

Warning: Contains coarse language.

The military has long recognized that when the unwelcome stench of undue command influence begins to waft through the halls of justice, you’d better hold your nose, because bad things are about to happen. That is why they have regulations in place to seek out and eradicate the influence of commanders on the military judicial process. Unlawful command influence has been called “the mortal enemy of military justice” and for good reason. In this particular case, the ones wielding that illegal influence are figuratively fragging Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani. (more…)

USMC 1st Lt Andrew Grayson

On June 4th, 2008, yet another ace was yanked from the house of cards that laid foundation of the government’s case against eight Marines for their actions relating to a terrorist ambush in Haditha, Iraq in November of 2005. 

Although that deck was completely stacked against them and reshuffled repeatedly, five of eight Marines have had their charges dismissed and First Lieutenant Andrew Grayson has faced court martial and was rightly found not guilty on all counts. (more…)

USMC Lance Corporal Stephen Tatum has finally been exonerated of the bogus charges leveled against him. Perhaps now he can begin to rebuild his life in the peace and prosperity he has fought so hard to secure for so many of us.

While I celebrate the decision to drop all charges against this Marine Rifleman, I also view the circumstances that surround that decision with much trepidation. When combined with the history of prosecutorial misconduct in these cases, it is a clear indication of how desperate the government is to nail the 3 remaining Marines, particularly Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich. (more…)

“I would rather be tried by a jury of my peers than be carried by six of my friends in a casket.”  - Justin Sharratt  

Michelle Obama recently said that for the first time in her adult life, she was proud of her country. While I unequivocally disagree;  while I have found many occasions in my adult life to be proud of my country, I can emphatically say that this is not one of them. As a matter of fact; for the first time in my adult life, I am unabashedly ashamed of my country. Ashamed that our Commander-In-Chief would order Marines from Lt. Col Jeffrey Chessani’s 3rd Battalion to battle terrorists in Iraq only to turn his back and hold his nose while these brave men, who should be held aloft on our shoulders and celebrated, are viciously and selectively prosecuted. It is nauseating, this wretched betrayal. (more…)

“The magnitude of a lie always contains a certain factor of credibility.” - Adolph Hitler - Mein Kampf

The vicious slander against the Marines of 3/1 Kilo Co. brought forth by Pennsylvania Democrat John Murtha continues to receive the blessing of  the US Marine Corps leadership who seem quite content sacrificing these 4 men atop the altar of political correctness.

For over two years, the dubious allegations that 4 US Marines massacred 24 civilians “in cold blood” and 4 others helped them cover it up have been stinking up this country somethin’ fierce.  Completely unsupported by the facts, undenounced by President Bush, ignored by Congress and aided-and-abetted by a violence-obsessed media that is itself (ironically) vehemently anti-military, the myth has survived.

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“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…”

Americans know that without the sacrifices of our military, we’d soon bow to Mecca.We send phone cards and care packages to soldiers overseas. We focus vast resources on rehabilitating our combat wounded and employing our returning vets.

But while America opens its wallet to these men and pours out its heart for the wounded and the fallen, lost in the chatter are the political casualties of the Iraq war; brave men such as USMC 1st Lieutenant Andrew Grayson.

Grayson - 26,  is charged with obstruction of justice and making false official statements surrounding his alleged destruction of some 70 photographs the military contends were proof of the Little Massacre That Could in Haditha, Iraq in November of 2005. He is also charged with attempted fraudulent separation from the Marine Corps. Grayson’s trial is scheduled for May 2008. (more…)

“The tears sliding down my face are not a sign of weakness - they affirm a father’s love for his Marine son” - Darryl Sharratt on his son, USMC Lance Corporal Justin Sharratt

* Photo of Justin in Fallujah, Iraq - courtesy of the Sharratt family

 Lance Corporal Justin Sharratt is a decorated United States Marine. He fought in the battle for Fallujah, modern urban combat at it’s worst, involving house-to-house and hand-to-hand fighting that killed some of Justin’s fellow Marines. But for Justin, Fallujah was only the beginning.

Justin’s father Darryl wants the world to know that although Justin is home from Iraq, he’s still fighting for his life. Justin is charged with three counts of unpremeditated murder during an ambush followed by a ferocious firefight in Haditha, Iraq in November, 2005. When we spoke last Saturday, Darryl sounded upbeat. He had just gotten off the phone with one of his attorneys, while his wife Theresa was one the line with another. He explained that the attorneys seemed satisfied with the progress of defense discovery.

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This is the House that Jack built.

This is the resolution
that rots the foundation of the House that Jack built.

These are the traitors
who voted for the resolution
that rots the foundation of the House that Jack built.

These are the anti-war protesters
who browbeat the traitors
who voted for the resolution
that rots the foundation of the House that Jack built.

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Democrats continue to hide their disdain for America’s military. But every now and then, it seeps out into the open. Despite their phony expressions of support, they will never convince this veteran that they are serious about us or the national security of this nation. With very few exceptions, Democrats have collectively become the anti-war party. The party of Jane Fonda, who once strapped on a Vietnamese anti-aircraft weapon and giggled in support of North Vietnam. And their rhetoric is beginning to reflect it. Consider this plethora of recent examples:

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This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me, my rifle is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I must shoot straighter than the enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will. My rifle and I know that what counts in war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, or the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit. My rifle is human, even as I am human, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strengths, its parts, its accessories, its sights and its barrel. I will keep my rifle clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other. Before God I swear this creed. My rifle and I are the defenders of my country. We are the masters of our enemy. We are the saviors of my life. So be it, until victory is America’s and there is no enemy. - U.S. Marine Corps Rifleman’s Creed.

The Rifleman’s Creed exemplifies what it means to be a Marine. The rifleman is the most basic element of the Marine Corps command structure. Without the rifleman, the Corps is nothing.

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