Hidden Enemies

Marine Lance Cpl. Richard Chad Clifton
Sept. 5, Ramadi

I've been in Iraq since like last week (it's Sunday now) and it's hot as balls, bro. I'm in Ar Ramadi, in the Al Anbar province. Ghetto s--t hole from hell. We had a convoy the other day through town and there was only serious hate going on there. No smiling children, no waving dumb asses like on TV ... just a bunch of mean-looking young Iraqi males capable of causing me to have a bad day.

Marine Cpl. Bradley T. Arms
Oct. 31, Camp Fallujah

Over this last ops I was really thinking about why I am out here fighting this war and feel it is becoming more clear now. When driving or walking through the small villages the kids run out and cheer us on [ ... ] but as we get to the marketplaces we only get cold stares from the men over 20. [ ... ] It's extremely hard to change hearts that have hated for so long. But as long as we can keep the younger generations openminded then we will win this war, even though the fruits of my labor will not be realized [until] the children of this country rule [ ... ]

Arms, 20, was shot and killed on Nov. 19 in Fallujah as he went to the aid of fellow Marines during house-to-house fighting.

Army Sgt. Cari Anne Gasiewicz
Nov. 3, Abu Ghraib

Subject: not a good day