Fallujah Update

Latest email from Lt. Col. David Bellon, USMC:

Right now we are finishing our rotation of units out of the area with new ones arriving and taking over. We were concerned about a spike in enemy activity as they knew we were rotating troops. Because of this we conducted a couple of operations on the front end of the rotation and put a hurting on them. Another unit here that operates with us also pulled a couple of operations at about the same time. The result is that we put the enemy back on its heels for a couple of weeks and got some breathing room. Unfortunately, if these guys are true to form, things will pick up again very soon.

It is great to see the Marines who have completed their tour come off the line. Most are now out of day-to-day operations and you can literally see the relief and the letting down as they wait for their flight out. It is hard to believe how much they have done in the past 3 years. Some of the Marines just finishing up their first contract have three combat tours under their belts (one in Afghanistan and two in Iraq). A few of these guys will be in college next year and they will look like any other freshman sitting in class. The rest of the students will have no idea what a hero the guy sitting next them is.

As you have seen from the news, Fallujah is reaching critical mass. Actually nothing has changed except for the fact that there apparently is the will to do what has to be done. We will see. The Marines are ready and the only thing they worry about is the backbone of the decision makers. If we are told to take the town again, we just cannot be ordered to stop like last time.

Read the whole thing here.