The other day my friend and patriot, Bob Guzzardi, forward me an article that he found interesting and asked for my opinion.

The article, titled Winning Isn’t News, was published in the Investors Business Daily with the online version being found here http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=300324023809577.

In my opinion it is a good article that exposes how the main stream media continues to fail in reporting to the world that only a few Al Qaeda (AQI) members are in Iraq and that the other yahoos who are not dead or in prison are up against the wall waiting to be killed or captured.

Reading the article and my participation in the effort here in Iraq has led me to concur with just about everything written.  My only differences of opinion are with the time table and the number of AQI operatives.

The Government of Iraq has the right man for this moment in time as Prime Minster, Nouri al-Maliki.  However, the best man for the job of defeating a counter insurgency and jihadism is General David Petraeus.  Of course don’t ask Obama or his MoveOn.org types instead ask those who have been on the field.

Time Table
Iraq and al-Maliki may make mention of a timetable and even discuss operationally how it should work but at the end of the day it will be the decision of General Petraeus.  You will not even hear our government explicitly say this but thousands of inferences are there.

President George Bush’s primary reason sending us over here was to kill or capture bad guys to prevent attacks like 9/11 again not the liberation of Iraq.  Eerily similar to what John McCain is saying right?  Country First.

Number of AQI Operatives
The only other item I would not fully concur with is the estimate of AQI operatives.  In my opinion, that number is much less.  While we cannot quantify the number of yahoos I can tell you that the daily observance indicates most are very small groups more bent being free of government so that they can develop a criminal enterprise.  Thugs if you will.

Another interesting fact that is being missed is Iraqi on Iraqi crimes are either for profit or personal reasons.  Attacks that have nothing to do with Al Qaeda, Muslim values, the CF being in Iraq, etc…  So be careful when you read about shootings and IEDs.  Pay attention to who was targeted and witness what wasn’t told to you by the media i.e. ‘The Why’.

Now, don’t misunderstand me though as there is still yahoos that have nothing to do so take up arms against the CF for a “job”.  They rob, kidnap, and kill for money to support their daily habits (drugs), to eat, and when possible buy weapons or weapon making material to go after Iraqi Police then the Iraqi Army and if bold then the CF.

AQI Frustrations
Lastly, let’s talk about AQI frustration and disruption.  It’s so bad for AQI that they rarely if ever do the grunt work anymore in Iraq.  We killed so many of them that they are primarily just planners who then solicit others to do the dirty work.  This is great because when we kill or capture the planner the group is unable to continue as a functional cell.  Often the existing yahoos turn themselves in, join another rag-tag group, or get murdered by a rival group.  Gang mentality no?

It’s so bad for AQI that they have focused effort away from the CF.  Instead they are trying to get back at the Muslims who are siding against Al Qaeda.  So beaten down they had to completely change their strategy.

Closing
Why are these easy to make observations not being expressed in the media?  I am not sure but I know it should.

America would serve itself well only if we stay focused on the prize.  Total defeat of Jihadism in every corner of the earth. 

Continue the Bush strategy to fight the enemy abroad rather then at home.

Give General Petraeus what he needs to win the war.

Country First.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 100% [?]

Just went rolling through a few towns the other day but when getting to Ramadi I was surprised how trashed that place still is.  Actually worse then what I saw of Baghdad.

Ramadi was a key location for the Ba’ath party and assorted other loyal Saddam goofs so the coalition forces did some re-decorating via at the outset of the war.  But still, it’s been how many years now?  Clean it up already as you and your children live there.

I was up there to take a look at a few places that we suspected as potential problem areas for movement.  In hindsight I think the whole place is a problem area.

Getting out of the MRAP I certainly gained a better understanding of their hardship but was also trying to reason why they didn’t rise up against Saddam.  Knowing that they are above pre-war levels in all the basic needs (water, sewage, communication, electricity, health, etc…) and recognizing it to still be a complete dump one can only imagine how bad it was under that yahoo.

Trash in the street.  Wires running like spider webs barely over the streets.  Metal objects sticking out of the ground everywhere.  Other then one soccer field I didn’t see anywhere the kids can play safely.

The populace is certainly much more used to use rolling through certain cities and areas and that showed the other day.  As soon as I got out to take pictures people to start coming out of their “homes” and seeing what was going on.  This is a pain because not only do you have to scan the area for IEDs as you walk and all the vantage points for possible yahoos but now you have to continually scan the crowd as you try to do your job.  Basically, you are looking for anyone in the crowd with a possible weapon, cell phone, camera, or just watching too intently to what we are doing.

All in all it was a success. I got the information I needed and the engineers got the information they needed to collect.

Below is a picture of an MRAP in case you didn’t know what they look like as well as some pictures from one of the streets we rolled down.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 73% [?]

Tonight we had another Walking Blood Bank but this time for B+ blood.  Just like the other day Marines and Sailors were turned away because so many showed up.

Unfortunately, this time it was an Iraqi Policeman (IP) whose vehicle was struck by an IED.  Both of the IPs survived, one had just minor wounds and was released but the other sadly had to have both legs and some fingers amputated.

Iraqis wounding and killing Iraqis just make the jihadist all that much worse in the eyes of the general populace.  It’s a shame that it has taken so many tragedies t get the populace to start having the courage to stand up for themselves.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 46% [?]

Bottom Line Up Front: I don’t like the Beretta M9 pistol compared to the Glock 19 I carry at back in Pennsylvania.

When I got into theater I wasn’t that comfortable with the M9 because I probably only threw 200 rounds down range vice my Glock where I have no idea how many thousands I shot.

However, yesterday morning I went to shoot what I guess you can call a modified Quick Fire course and from the 25 yard line all the way down to the 7 yard line felt much more comfortable with it.  Normally, most Marines just need to shoot once a quarter out here but think I am going to be able to hook up with a unit that shoots every month.  At least until I feel almost as comfortable as the Glock.

Speaking of being comfortable, when I came out here I was hoping to get the M4 Carbine Rifle along with the M9 because of going outside the wire.  Just in case I need it, I would much rather be able to reach out and say hello to a knucklehead from a few hundred yards vice 25 yards with the M9 pistol.

While I don’t have my own M4 out here there are a few spares in the armory and I have a few officers that have offered to lend me theirs when I get off TQ so that’s cool.

Marines and their weapons.  Boys with their toys.

About the M4: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M4_carbine.

About the M9: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M9_pistol.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 38% [?]

Tonight I find myself writing and re-writing this blog entry as I just don’t know where to start.

We lost 4 Marines due to an IED just outside of Camp Fallujah (FP) on 2 May.  The 4 warriors were with Combat Logistics Battalion 1 (CLB-1) which is under the 1st Marine Logistical Group (1st MLG) like me. 

I just left CF a little over a week ago and met a number of Marines while there.  I am not sure if I meet any of four as the Marine Corps has yet to publicly release the names. 

The Marine Corps recognizes the great individual tragedies that occur from time to time and work diligently to meet with all the families before the press gets word of the tragedy.  To ensure families find out in the most respectful way possible the Marine Corps shuts down all but the most essential communication (no phone calls home, no general Internet access, etc…).

It’s a sobering experience waiting for Internet access again.  You have work to do and need the Internet up but once its up you can picture in your mind the spouse, parents and siblings crying.  I don’t know how to explain it but for me it’s a bit of an eerie feeling.

Shortly, I will be heading back to CF to speak with a number of Marines in CLB-1 for business matters.  Hopefully, I will also have time to seek out friends of these 4 to see if you all can do anything for their families.

Semper Fi,
GySgt Jonathon Jenkins

Popularity: 44% [?]