THE GRIM REALITY

I don't know if any of you caught it last night but there was a news segment on TV that showed surviving members of this Marine unit, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, from the Cleveland area back at their barracks mourning the loss of 7 of their buddies that were killed earlier yesterday. A couple of them admitted they were scared and concerned about their safety in going out the next day to face the Iraqi insurgents. And today? Fourteen more were killed and I'm sure a few of them were the ones who appeared on that news segment.

We should have never went to Iraq. Iraq was never a threat to us but unfortunately way too many people in this country are just ignorant and a nothing but followers. Just sheep.

Bring them home now!

The Associated Press
Wednesday, August 3, 2005; 10:47 AM

Ohio-Based Battalion Loses 14 More Marines

BROOK PARK, Ohio -- The 14 Marines killed in Iraq on Wednesday by a roadside bomb were members of the same Ohio-based battalion that lost six Marines two days earlier, a Marine Corps spokesman said.

The Marines were members of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines based in this Cleveland suburb, according to Gunnery Sgt. Brad R. Lauer, public affairs chief with the unit.

The local unit to which the 14 Marines were assigned wasn't disclosed.

The battalion has units in Brook Park, where the six Marines lost Monday were assigned, and in Columbus and Akron, Ohio; Moundsville, W.Va.; and Buffalo, N.Y.

The 14 died when a Marine armored vehicle on patrol during combat operations near the Syrian border hit a roadside bomb. It was one of the deadliest single attacks in Iraq against American forces. A civilian interpreter also was killed.

The first six died northwest of Baghdad while on sniper duty on Monday.