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Hope this hasn't been posted before. Yet another story showing that America is the most compassionate country the world has ever seen, even if the world doesn't realize it and appreciate us.
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Just wanted to write to you and tell you another story about an experience we had over here.
As you know, I asked for toys for the Iraqi children over here and several people (Americans that support us) sent them over by the box. On each patrol we take through the city, we take as many toys as will fit in our pockets and hand them out as we can. The kids take the toys and run to show them off as if they were worth a million bucks. We are as friendly as we can be to everyone we see, but especially so with the kids. Most of them don't have any idea what is going on and are completely innocent in all of this.

On one such patrol, our lead security vehicle stopped in the middle of the street. This is not normal and is very unsafe, so the following vehicles began to inquire over the radio. The lead vehicle reported a little girl sitting in the road and said she just would not budge. The command vehicle told the lead to simply go around her and to be kind as they did. The street was wide enough to allow this maneuver and so they waved to her as they drove around.

<b>As the vehicles went around her, I soon saw her sitting there and in her arms she was clutching a little bear that we had handed her a few patrols back. Feeling an immediate connection to the girl, I radioed that we were going to stop. The rest of the convoy paused and I got out the make sure she was OK. The little girl looked scared and concerned, but there was a warmth in her eyes toward me. As I knelt down to talk to her, she moved over and pointed to a mine in the road.</b>

Immediately a cordon was set as the Marine convoy assumed a defensive posture around the site. The mine was destroyed in place.

It was the heart of an American that sent that toy. It was the heart of an American that gave that toy to that little girl. It was the heart of an American that protected that convoy from that mine. Sure, she was a little Iraqi girl and she had no knowledge of purple mountain's majesty or fruited plains. It was a heart of acceptance, of tolerance, of peace and grace, even through the inconveniences of conflict that saved that convoy from hitting that mine. Those attributes are what keep Americans hearts beating. She may have no affiliation at all with the United States, but she knows what it is to be brave and if we can continue to support her and her new government, she will know what it is to be free. Isn't that what Americans are, the free and the brave?

If you sent over a toy or a Marine (US Service member) you took part in this.

You are a reason that Iraq has to believe in a better future. Thank you so much for supporting us and for supporting our cause over here.

Semper Fi,

Mark
GySgt / USMC

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"Steady boys. They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance" - Major General John Sedgwick's last words on May 9, 1864, just before he was shot dead by a Confederate sharpshooter

Edited by - ViperTTB on Dec 22 2004 12:50 PM

Whoa. Good post Viper.

So, you have trouble. We all have trouble. Build a bridge and get over it.

_________________
\"Those who hammer their guns into plows
will plow for those who do not.\"
- Thomas Jefferson

Very nice Viper!

Just goes to show what a nice gesture can do for someone!

"The secret of reaping the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment from life is to live dangerously!"
-Friedrich Nietzsche-

_________________
\"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives\"

Win their hearts and you have won the war...

I'm not saying that having the military asset of the world's greatest superpower doesn't have a part to play.

But it just goes to show there room for a little bit of both...

Good post.

"A .44 magnum beats 4 Aces everytime..."

Un-fortunatley these are the stories that never make USA Today or the nitely news.

"GLAD TO HAVE BEEN THERE AND HAVE BEEN PROUD TO HAVE SERVERED"

This story is proof that not only are we reaching the Iraqi people, but that in order <b>to be a hero sometimes one only needs a teddy bear, and not a rifle.</b>

Today in Iraq 15 of the 18 provinces go about their daily business largely in peace.

Let not the defeatists among us convince us that we pursue a lost cause, or that it was one that was not worth undertaking.

To the little girl i'll never meet, and whose name i'll never know, i offer my deepest respect, admiration, and gratitude, of saving the lives of my brothers in arms.

<img src=newicons/smiley_salute.gif border=0 align=middle>

<b>"You got me all wrong Mudd...i don't like anyone.</b><img src=newicons/saevil.gif border=0 align=middle>"
<img src="http://worldaffairsboard.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=862&stc=1" border=0>