This letter strikes me as a fake. It contains nothing which suggests to me its actually written by an S-4 or for that matter a soldier. Where is the sprinkling of soldierly jargon that inevitably filters into this sort of missive? 'pretty good losses'? The letter contains no information not easily accessible on the internet. Since a regiments supply officer is a rather public position, its rather strange that the marine doesn't include his name and rank in closing. Exactly why be anonymous and yet reveal who you are? If this letter is real, I hope that the writer will come forward, redact, and clarify it a little, because a letter which even appears a little bit fake will be used as ammunition to discredit all personal accounts from Iraq which don't agree with the left-wing anti-war narrative. If it was hastily written I understand, but if it is going to be held up as an example of the sentiments of our troops its authenticity must be above question. Is there someone with strategypage that can authenticate this letter?

I agree with the gentleman who believes the letter is a fake. No military jargon, nothing but praise of a shortsighted strategy that is creating terrorists faster than we can kill them. My time in Saudi Arabia convinced me that any self respecting Arab has to avenge the death of those in his tribe, a violation of Islam or his hareem. His attitude toward the KIA's and WIA was cavalier to be charatable. The dead give away was his praise of the Fox "News" Network which is the propaganda arm of the DOD. I love our troups (I am retired military with two RVN stints), but hate this war. Our men are being underminded by the political cowardice of those policy makers who did not have the guts to fight or serve. My guess is that the letter writer is a frustrated chicken hawk neo-con who is a "Fan of Fox" and had nothing to do between Rush and O'Reilly. Thirty nine of our valient young men lost their lives this week (something that went unreported on FOX) and I ask what for?? We need to kill Osama and leave the Iraqi people to fight this out among themselves. The neoconservatives with their dispicable divided loyalties have commited a Republic to becoming an empire. I thank God our founding fathers are not alive to see this rape of our constitution. Before calling the author a "liberal" or "terrorist lover" I would suggest they pick up a book by Pat Buchannan, "Where the Right Went Wrong". Mr. Buchannan is my kind of conservative and a constitutionalist. His political thought mirrors my own.

...Thirty nine of our valient young men lost their lives this week (something that went unreported on FOX) and I ask what for?? We need to kill Osama and leave the Iraqi people to fight this out among themselves.... FOX covered this extensively - seems you are getting your information from the New York Times - CNN, or the Nation. ..The neoconservatives with their dispicable divided loyalties have commited a Republic to becoming an empire. I thank God our founding fathers are not alive to see this rape of our constitution. Divided loyalties? Pray tell. To Whom? And let's be specific here - no need to beat around your Bush, is there? cant wait to hear YOUR answer. I give it a liftime of about 30 minutes of mangled babble. Half a minute to deletion. ..Before calling the author a "liberal" or "terrorist lover" I would suggest they pick up a book by Pat Buchannan, "Where the Right Went Wrong". Mr. Buchannan is my kind of conservative and a constitutionalist. His political thought mirrors my own.... Yep - do you mean good old PALEOLITHIC Pat-the antiSemitic- Buchanan, labeled as such and vehememently denounced by the FATHER of CONSERVATISM in this country - William F.Buckley? Or the Pat-Im-a -racist Buchanan, who thinks anyone nor a white anglo-saxon protestant doesnt belong in this country? Yep - great guy to be around - like attracts like, I suppose. ..My time in Saudi Arabia convinced me that any self respecting Arab has to avenge the death of those in his tribe, a violation of Islam or his hareem... Again, your point? Someone like that comes after me and my country, he'll get a bullet squarely between his eyes. he can take his attitude and shove it - like Arafat did - up his bodyguard's nether regions. See, that's the problem - you need a measure of respect first. IF they're going to act like animals in a civilized world, they will be treated as such - and the pest exterminators will be very happy to oblige their eradication. rabid dogs are meant to be put down. ..My guess is that the letter writer is a frustrated chicken hawk neo-con who is a "Fan of Fox" and had nothing to do between Rush and O'Reilly.... OOOO your Maureen Dowds and Ted Ralls are showing. Please, tell us how you REALLY feel. swhitebull - later tater.

Well, if you read the New Republic, Nation and the New York Times as well as conservative publications, I don't think it would take a rocket scientist to figure out who has divided loyalties. Yes, Pat and I share the same economic and constitutionalist viewpoints that do square with the viewpoint of Hamilton and Jefferson. You sir are a Wilsonian in your political outlook. Let me ask you a question. You make the blanket acqusation of anti-Semitism on the part of myself and Mr. Buchanan. Do thou protest too much?? I stand by my statement that our country is gaining nothing by it's commitment to bringing an abstract concept to the Islamic mindset; which they are entitled to. The only reason I mentioned Fox and Rush Limbaugh is that like the neocons, their spokespeople have never tasted the sting of battle safely defered from the draft during the late war in Vietnam. I will give you the point however that Buchanan did not serve either. Are you commited enough sir to this folly to endorse a draft that would prohibit excemptions? It seems that the kids from lower middle class and poor families are the ones coming home to grief stricken parents. Are you willing to invest your son or grandchild to the war on terrorism? Alan Greenspan (another anti-semite I imagine) has warned the financial and government community that if we do not bring our trade a budget deficiet under control we face economic problems of massive proportions. A waste of blood and borrowed treasure??? No sir, Mr. Buchanan and those of our mindset are economic realists and believe in our sacred constitution. This is a war we can not sustain without massive inflation and double digit interest rates. Spare me the 911 argument!! Sadam is a thug but was not the enemy who attacked us. Colin Powell had to fall on his sword to sell this turkey a shame, he knew better.