It's Still Christmas in Fallujah

It's been a couple of hours since I read in the Sunday New York Times that Al Qaeda is now in possession of Fallujah, and there's still a knot in my stomach that won't go away.  The tears have eased off so I can see the keyboard and say I was reminded of this citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lance Corporal Dominic Esquibel, United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving as Scout Sniper, Company B, First Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 7, FIRST Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Central, in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM on 25 November 2004. After an enemy ambush on 3d Platoon nearby, Lance Corporal Esquibel quickly moved to an overwatch position and spotted five wounded Marines in a building courtyard. He courageously low-crawled close to the enemy stronghold to gain intelligence and then ran through the rooftops under intense enemy fire to relay the intelligence to the 3d Platoon Commander. With total disregard for his own safety, he re-occupied his position and threw a grenade, destroying several enemy insurgents and silencing one of the enemy's machine guns. After eliminating part of the threat, he low-crawled to another area and dropped a grenade through a hole in the roof, eliminating several more enemy personnel and silencing another enemy machine gun. As a tank breached the courtyard wall, 3d Platoon began suppressing the target building. He seized this opportunity and quickly moved to the courtyard while under enemy machine gun fire, dragging out a wounded Marine. He re-entered the courtyard to retrieve a second wounded Marine. Still under enemy fire, he moved through the open area a third time, extinguished a fire that had mortally wounded the third casualty, and swiftly carried out his body. Due to his heroic efforts, two Marines survived the devastating enemy ambush. By his outstanding display of decisive leadership, unlimited courage in the face of heavy enemy fire, and utmost devotion to duty, Lance Corporal Esquibel reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.
Action Date: 25-Nov-04

This is from the Second Battle of Fallujah, the one that inspired the Billy Joel song in November. The First Battle of Fallujah was in April of the same year.

Coalition forces lost over 100 KIA and over 600 wounded, mostly US Marines.

Iraqi dead were estimated at 1,500 and there was no way to even estimate wounded or be certain how many were non-combatants, but plainly most were, since the dead represent three times the estimated number of Al Qaeda fighters in Fallujah before the engagement.

Lance Corporal Dominic Esquibel, named in the Navy Cross citation above, fought on.  The very next day, one of his brothers in arms from that battle, by accounts one of his best friends, was KIA.

Corporal Esquibel declined the Navy Cross, citing "personal reasons."

I'm not competent to speculate on his reasons, but today's news brings two words booming out to me, "FOR WHAT?"

My son the Marine did two combat tours in that Iraqi shithole and he'll never be the same again. For what?

Yes, the Marines took Fallujah.  For what?

The Devil Dogs of the USMC signed on to give their lives to protect us if called upon.  Words cannot express how it sickens me to see the honorless chicken hawks abuse such devotion over a pack of lies.

Commander in Chief George W. Bush ordered the Marines to take Fallujah.  For what?

The Marines took Fallujah.  For what?

The United States practices civilian control of the military.  Marines don't get to decide when and where to go to war.  They deserve better leadership than we, the voters, have demanded.

No, I don't know why Corporal Esquibel declined the Navy Cross, any more than I know what he said to his friend's widow.  It's not my place to know, but is my place--our place--to know why the United States Marine Corps needs to bleed over Fallujah.

Had the Iraqis been willing to sign the Status of Forces Agreement put in front of them, our troops would as we speak be lined up to bleed over Fallujah for a third time.

It is, by the way, essentially the same SOF that Mr. Obama has put in front of Mr. Karzai in Afghanistan. For what?

Semper Fi!