FW: The end of deployment to Iraq

If you've seen this already, my apologies for repetition, but it's just too informative to not forward.

Best regards,

Fletch

Chuck Jamison wrote:

From: "Chuck Jamison"
To: "Chuck Jamison"
Subject: FW: The end of deployment to Iraq
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2008 20:40:32 -0700

Here’s some end of tour thoughts from a returning Marine officer.

Cheers

Chuck

Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 04:04:08 -0700
From: johnwemett
Subject: The end of deployment to Iraq

Dear family & friends -

My deployment to Iraq is nearly over. This will be my last letter to all of you from Iraq. I'm officially detached from my command and am now awaiting transportation. I'll fly from Baghdad to Kuwait one day and then from Kuwait to Dulles to Tampa the day after. After I out-process at MarCent at CentCom in Tampa, I will fly to Camp Lejeune, NC to do my final checkout. That part will take the longest since I have to turn in all my gear and go through the health and dental screenings as well as all the administrative checklists. But at least I am done with this headquarters staff job and soon will be moving in the right direction - towards home.

Overall, I think I did my part to make a difference in Iraq. It may not have been any kind of significant difference, but I know that I directly influenced some of the Iraqi generals that I worked with and was able to show them better and more efficient ways to manage their programs at MOI Ops (Ministry of the Interior Operations) or in other words, where the police planning for religious events security, as well as elections, took place. I assisted with the planning and execution of the orders written to support those events and for the offensive police operations that took place in al-Kut, Basra, Mosul, and Sadr City in the news the past few months. The main problem with MOI is that its forces belong to the provinces that have Operational Centers established which control all security forces in that province, to include the military and the police. The provinces that don't have OCs have their police forces all controlled by the provincial chief of police. That's quite a deal for everyone except MOI because MOI has to pay its forces and supply equipment but has no operational control over any of them. It would be similar in America to having someone else provide you with an employee workforce for your company that you can control and direct, but you don't have to pay them or provide their tools or equipment. Somehow it works in Iraq, it is what it is, and everyone accepts it. Our best guess is that the Iraqi government has it set up that way in order to prevent any one ministry from becoming too powerful, which is good, because MOI is now easily the single largest employer of adult working age males in this country. If they had full control over all their forces, they could easily shut down this entire country, support a coup, etc.

I've learned that the Iraqi governmental organizational problems involving its structure and processes will only be fixed when the Iraqis see the problem and solve it themselves. No amount of manpower, time, and money on behalf of the Coalition Forces is going to change anything of that nature until the Iraqis fix it themselves.

I've learned that extortion through illegal taxes, governmental corruption from the highest level on down, and kidnapping for ransom is a way of life for the Iraqi people. Places such as Basra have an entire economy dependent upon it. It's ingrained into the culture and is an accepted way of life and a perceived legitimate way to make a living.

I've learned that the Iraqis share no sense of nationalism or pride in being an Iraqi. Their allegiance is to their tribe and region first and foremost. The concept that an American can pick up and simply move from one state to another and begin a new life is an alien concept to Iraqis and they wonder how we can just do that and not worry about giving up the security and protection from our "tribe."

But overall, I've learned that Iraq is what it is. This is the true clash of civilizations, of East meeting West. The English language is heavy on verbs and is an "action" language. Arabic is heavy on adjectives and is a very descriptive language. Western languages can be translated nearly word for word from one to another. Arabic has to be translated in such a way that the meaning and intent of the speaker or writer can be properly understood. Direct translation is meaningless.

The security situation in Iraq has dramatically improved in the full year that I've been here. The numbers prove it. Because it's not a headline-grabbing concept and doesn't fit the media's anti-Bush agenda, you don't hear much about Iraq as you did a year ago. We're winning, we're succeeding, life is better in Iraq for all. If we ensure that the Iraqi government is strong enough and properly trained and equipped and able to handle their own security before we pull out, then this war will have been worth it. If we just pull everyone out and cave in to our American short attention span mindedness because this war has been going on too long, then this whole country will simply implode and erupt in civil war, and all the time, money, effort, and lives lost will have been for nothing. Just like Vietnam, withdrawal because of public pressure before the host nation government is ready will just result in defeat. It's the American public that will decide if we win or lose this war. Complete and early withdrawal before the Iraqi government is fully ready will be a defeat. It's not over, but militarily we have already won. America will lose if we walk away and let Iraq fall. A strong Iraq will keep Iran in check, it always has. To let Iran control this region of the world would be a huge mistake. If you think gas prices are bad now, wait until you see what they would be if Iran controlled and influenced all Middle East oil exports. Controlling Iran is best done through a strong Iraq.

Thank-you for your prayers and support throughout this deployment, especially for my family. This has been a long deployment and not one that we ever want to repeat. I have not been home or seen my family since April, last year. Although this deployment has been informative and challenging, I have no desire to ever see this part of the world again. Hopefully, if things go right and the checkout process is smooth, I will be home in Clovis by mid-June.

Sorry that I don't have a picture attached to this letter this month. All my pictures are now packed and inaccessible at the moment.

Thank-you for your support. Take care.

John Wemett

Col USMC

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they
made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem."
President Ronald Reagan; 1985