This came to me from the usual suspects, who has a rich grapevine of military persons in his email ring. Of course, unknown as to authenticity, but hopefully represents progress.
Flame away, friends
Subject: Letter from Mayor of Tal 'Afar, Iraq to 3rd ACR - this is what
>it is all about folks (many thanks and Semper Fi to General Axtell for
>this great forward)
Our 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment has been serving in Iraq (its
second deployment there) for the past year.
As the regiment prepared to come home, it received the letter pasted
below, from the Mayor of the key city of Tal Afar, that lies within
their Tactical Area of Responsibility. I believe many of you will find
it an interesting counterpoise to much of what we read in the press.
R. Ren Hart '56,
Colonel, US Army, Retired
http://www.west-point.org/society/wps-mp/
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Mayor of Tall Afar, Ninewa, Iraq
In the Name of God the Compassionate and Merciful
To the Courageous Men and Women of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment,
who have changed the city of Tal Afar from a ghost town, in which
terrorists spread death and destruction, to a secure city flourishing with life.
To the lion-hearts who liberated our city from the grasp of
terrorists who were beheading men, women and children in the streets for many months.
To those who spread smiles on the faces of our children, and gave us
restored hope, through their personal sacrifice and brave fighting, and
gave new life to the city after hopelessness darkened our days and
stole our confidence in our ability to reestablish our city.
Our city was the main base of operations for Abu Mousab Al Zarqawi.
The city was completely held hostage in the hands of his henchmen. Our
schools, governmental services, businesses and offices were closed. Our
streets were silent, and no one dared to walk them. Our people were
barricaded in their homes out of fear; death awaited them around every corner.
Terrorists occupied and controlled the only hospital in the city.
Their savagery reached such a level that they stuffed the corpses of
children with explosives and tossed them into the streets in order to
kill grieving parents attempting to retrieve the bodies of their young.
This was the situation of our city until God prepared and delivered
unto them the courageous soldiers of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment,
who liberated this city, ridding it of Zarqawis followers after harsh
fighting, killing many terrorists, and forcing the remaining butchers
to flee the city like rats to the surrounding areas,
where the bravery of other 3d ACR soldiers in Sinjar, Rabiah, Zumar
and Avgani finally destroyed them.
I have met many soldiers of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment; they
are not only courageous men and women, but avenging angels sent by
The God Himself to fight the evil of terrorism.
The leaders of this Regiment; COL McMaster, COL Armstrong, LTC
Hickey, LTC Gibson, and LTC Reilly embody courage, strength, vision and wisdom.
Officers and soldiers alike bristle with the confidence and
character of knights in a bygone era. The mission they have
accomplished, by means of a unique military operation, stands among the
finest military feats to date in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and truly
deserves to be studied in military science. This military operation was
clean, with little collateral damage, despite the ferocity of the
enemy. With the skill and precision of surgeons they dealt with the
terrorist cancers in the city without causing unnecessary damage.
God bless this brave Regiment; God bless the families who dedicated
these brave men and women. From the bottom of our hearts we thank the
families. They have given us something we will never forget.
To the families of those who have given their holy blood for our
land, we all bow to you in reverence and to the souls of your loved
ones. Their sacrifice was not in vain. They are not dead, but alive,
and their souls hovering around us every second of every minute. They
will never be forgotten for giving their precious lives. They have
sacrificed that which is most valuable. We see them in the smile of
every child, and in every flower growing in this land. Let America,
their families, and the world be proud of their sacrifice for humanity and life.
Finally, no matter how much I write or speak about this brave
Regiment, I havent the words to describe the courage of its officers
and soldiers. I pray to God to grant happiness and health to these
legendary heroes and their brave families.
NAJIM ABDULLAH ABID
AL-JIBOURI
Mayor of Tall Afar,
Ninewa, Iraq
> -------------------------------------
Obviously a kind and caring individual, aware of the sacrifices made
by our warriors for the freedoms he and his town now enjoy (and for
which they in his town are also fighting for). He is a good-hearted
person of excellent character that we are unlikely to ever see
interviewed on our news media. Regretfully.
Semper Fi,
Lonnie
"A man must love a thing very much if he practices it without any hope of fame and money, but even practices it without any hope of doing it well." G.K. Chesterton
Flame away, friends
Subject: Letter from Mayor of Tal 'Afar, Iraq to 3rd ACR - this is what
>it is all about folks (many thanks and Semper Fi to General Axtell for
>this great forward)
Our 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment has been serving in Iraq (its
second deployment there) for the past year.
As the regiment prepared to come home, it received the letter pasted
below, from the Mayor of the key city of Tal Afar, that lies within
their Tactical Area of Responsibility. I believe many of you will find
it an interesting counterpoise to much of what we read in the press.
R. Ren Hart '56,
Colonel, US Army, Retired
http://www.west-point.org/society/wps-mp/
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Mayor of Tall Afar, Ninewa, Iraq
In the Name of God the Compassionate and Merciful
To the Courageous Men and Women of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment,
who have changed the city of Tal Afar from a ghost town, in which
terrorists spread death and destruction, to a secure city flourishing with life.
To the lion-hearts who liberated our city from the grasp of
terrorists who were beheading men, women and children in the streets for many months.
To those who spread smiles on the faces of our children, and gave us
restored hope, through their personal sacrifice and brave fighting, and
gave new life to the city after hopelessness darkened our days and
stole our confidence in our ability to reestablish our city.
Our city was the main base of operations for Abu Mousab Al Zarqawi.
The city was completely held hostage in the hands of his henchmen. Our
schools, governmental services, businesses and offices were closed. Our
streets were silent, and no one dared to walk them. Our people were
barricaded in their homes out of fear; death awaited them around every corner.
Terrorists occupied and controlled the only hospital in the city.
Their savagery reached such a level that they stuffed the corpses of
children with explosives and tossed them into the streets in order to
kill grieving parents attempting to retrieve the bodies of their young.
This was the situation of our city until God prepared and delivered
unto them the courageous soldiers of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment,
who liberated this city, ridding it of Zarqawis followers after harsh
fighting, killing many terrorists, and forcing the remaining butchers
to flee the city like rats to the surrounding areas,
where the bravery of other 3d ACR soldiers in Sinjar, Rabiah, Zumar
and Avgani finally destroyed them.
I have met many soldiers of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment; they
are not only courageous men and women, but avenging angels sent by
The God Himself to fight the evil of terrorism.
The leaders of this Regiment; COL McMaster, COL Armstrong, LTC
Hickey, LTC Gibson, and LTC Reilly embody courage, strength, vision and wisdom.
Officers and soldiers alike bristle with the confidence and
character of knights in a bygone era. The mission they have
accomplished, by means of a unique military operation, stands among the
finest military feats to date in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and truly
deserves to be studied in military science. This military operation was
clean, with little collateral damage, despite the ferocity of the
enemy. With the skill and precision of surgeons they dealt with the
terrorist cancers in the city without causing unnecessary damage.
God bless this brave Regiment; God bless the families who dedicated
these brave men and women. From the bottom of our hearts we thank the
families. They have given us something we will never forget.
To the families of those who have given their holy blood for our
land, we all bow to you in reverence and to the souls of your loved
ones. Their sacrifice was not in vain. They are not dead, but alive,
and their souls hovering around us every second of every minute. They
will never be forgotten for giving their precious lives. They have
sacrificed that which is most valuable. We see them in the smile of
every child, and in every flower growing in this land. Let America,
their families, and the world be proud of their sacrifice for humanity and life.
Finally, no matter how much I write or speak about this brave
Regiment, I havent the words to describe the courage of its officers
and soldiers. I pray to God to grant happiness and health to these
legendary heroes and their brave families.
NAJIM ABDULLAH ABID
AL-JIBOURI
Mayor of Tall Afar,
Ninewa, Iraq
> -------------------------------------
Obviously a kind and caring individual, aware of the sacrifices made
by our warriors for the freedoms he and his town now enjoy (and for
which they in his town are also fighting for). He is a good-hearted
person of excellent character that we are unlikely to ever see
interviewed on our news media. Regretfully.
Semper Fi,
Lonnie
"A man must love a thing very much if he practices it without any hope of fame and money, but even practices it without any hope of doing it well." G.K. Chesterton