"Ever since we lost our boy our motto has been, 'no regrets, just revenge.'"

[tekisui]

Cobra's Anger: Marines Assault Into Now Zad
Story by Lance Cpl. Walter Marino

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – After many months of planning, the Marines of Alpha Company, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion and Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment arose to Afghanistan's 3 a.m. cold winter chill to kick off Operation Cobra's Anger. An unusual silence surrounded the Marines as they boarded their vehicles.

No jokes, no talking, just business. The stoic faced Marines in the six wheeled, armored vehicle, known as the "Cougar," listened intently to the chatter over the radio.

"The Afghan army just got their first kill in combat," said a Marine on the communication line.

Stoicism turned into wide grins after hearing the news.

A few minutes later the convoy stopped. They had reached a river bed too deep to cross. Bulldozers were brought in to fill the bed with sand in order to make a bridge for their vehicles. They had entered enemy territory.

The road to Now Zad was known to be infested with roadside bombs. So rather than take a chance, assault breacher vehicles fired numerous line charges, which demolished the road ahead and detonated any possible roadside bombs in a massive explosion.

With the road to Now Zad clear, Marines from 3/4 and 2nd CEB blasted music from their vehicles and attacked into the Now Zad Taliban stronghold.

At this point, radio chatter flooded the communication lines again

"We have one on the second floor!" a Marine yelled over the line.

"I'm going to take him out right now," responded a Marine calmly.

Many Marine faces were smeared with green, black and brown camouflage paint. They wore it not for its traditional purpose, but for the same reason many of the Marines pinned American flags to their gear.

"Considering our unit has had a fallen comrade, it was to give them a taste of their own medicine." said Cpl. Trevor W. Curtis, a vehicle gunner for Lima Co., 3/4. "Ever since we lost our boy our motto has been, 'no regrets, just revenge.'"

more: http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=news/news_show.php&id=42691

[TwilightGardener]

1. Good luck, men--stay safe.

[peacebird]

2. "no regrets, just revenge" - can you say "War Crimes"?

I thought you could. That type attitude causes innocents to die.

[leveymg]

13. No, just war.

War is legalized murder. War crimes are illegal murder. You figure out the distinction.

[ima_sinnic]

3. "revenge" because someone in the country being invaded killed an invader--how 21st century

so Americans were "grinning" at the news that one of their own was killed, because now they had an excuse for "revenge"?
My taxpayer dollars at work--I am SOOO happy to be paying for the cavemen to get "revenge" on each other.

[TheWraith]

6. Did you even think before you opened your mouth?

The Afghan army is on OUR side. They were cheering that our allies are getting their shit together.

[ima_sinnic]

11. whatever. so happy the Afghans have been divided to get "revenge" on each other, then

let the killing continue! that will solve all problems.

[JohnyCanuck]

14. And do they ever have a lot of shit to get together....

As this video demonstrates: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGBmr1Z0F9o&feature=player_embedded

[rug]

4. Nothing like viewing a just war up close.

[Oregone]

7. just?

[rug]

8. Isn't that the reason he gave?

[Oregone]

10. Who gave?

[Ron Green]

5. War is a racket, and these boys are pawns.

[Matariki]

9. "The Afghan army just got their first kill in combat"

I don't understand this statement.

Does that mean a native Afghan who is being trained by Marines?
Does it mean the American troops in Afghanistan?
Or does it mean the Afghan Army killed a Marine and we are fighting them instead of helping them?

[tekisui]

12. I read it as a native Afghan being trained in this latest operation.