I can't believe it's July 1st already! Where did half of 2004 go? Well, I've got payroll finished and quarterlies are ready to mail. I'm early for a change, just a working machine lately.

I hate to just copy good e-mails on this blog, but I received another good one this morning from Iraq and I just have to post it:

Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2004 1:52 PM
Subject: Open Letter to Al-Qa'ida


From a Marine officer on the Iraqi warfront with Jihadistan...

(This is an open letter to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, "Islamic
Response," and the rest of the so-called al-Qa'ida "insurgents"
in Iraq and elsewhere. We don't have an e-mail address for these
swine -- though we are closing in on their snail-mail address,
but we are forwarding this letter to Federalist Patriots around the
world in the hope you good people will forward it to as many other
Patriots as possible to rally prayer and support for our fellow
Marine, Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun. Should these al-Qa'ida pigs
spill his blood, we want them to rest assured that the contents
of this letter will eventually be nailed to their foreheads. Thank
you for your assistance.)


To al-Qa'ida terrorists in Iraq:

I see that you have captured a U.S. Marine, and that you plan
to cut off his head if your demands are not met. Big mistake.
Before you carry out your threat I suggest you read up on Marine
Corps history. The Japanese tried the same thing on Makin
Island and in a few other places during World War Two, and came
to regret it. Go ahead and read about what then happened to the
mighty Imperial Army on Tarawa, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. They paid
full price for what they did, and you will too.

You look at America and you see a soft target, and to a large
extent you are right. Our country is filled with a lot of spoiled
children who drive BMWs, sip decaf lattes and watch ridiculous
reality TV shows. They are for the most part decent, hard working
citizens, but they are soft. When you cut off Nick Berg's head
those people gasped, and you got the media coverage you sought,
and then those people went back to their lives. This time it
is different. We also have a warrior culture in this country,
and they are called Marines. It is a brotherhood forged in the
fire of many wars, and the bond between us is stronger than
blood. While it is true that this country has produced nitwits
like John Kerry, Michael Moore, Howard Dean and Jane Fonda who
can be easily manipulated by your gruesome tactics, we have
also produced men like Jason Dunham, Brian Chontosh and Joseph
Perez. If you don't recognize those names you should. They are all
Marines who distinguished themselves fighting to liberate Iraq,
and there will be many more just like them coming for you.

Before the current politically correct climate enveloped our
culture one of the recruiting slogans of our band of brothers was
"The Marine Corps Builds Men." You will soon find out just how
true that is. You, on the other hand, are nothing but a bunch of
cowards. If you were men you would show your faces, and take us on
in a fair fight. Instead, you are cowards who hide behind masks
and decapitate helpless victims. If you truly represented the
interest of the Iraqi people you would not be ambushing those who
come to your country to repair your power plants, or sabotage the
oil pipelines which fuel the Iraqi economy. Your agenda is hate,
plain and simple.

When you raise that sword over your head I want you to remember
one thing. Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun is not alone as he kneels
before you. Every Marine who has ever worn the uniform is there
with him, and when you strike him you are striking all of us. If
you think the Marines were tough on you when they were cleaning
out Fallujah a few weeks ago you haven't seen anything yet. If you
want to know what it feels like to have the Wrath of God called
down upon you then go ahead and do it. We are not Turkish truck
drivers, or Pakistani laborers, or independent contractors hoping
to find work in your country. We are the United States Marines,
and we will be coming for you.

I want to share part of an e-mail I received this morning from Baghdad:

WE did it..... Power has been handed over to the New Iraqi government, great plan threw
the idiots off balance, now we are waiting for the news to hit the streets here in Baghdad
Celebratory fire will start any minute.....WOW lead flies....power was handed over 58min.
ago tanks are rolling ..choppers are in the air...and the Marines were brought in two
nights ago X200 for hit teams here in the Green Zone...What a RUSH, I'm 200 meters
from the new President.....I'm proud to be part of this/with my feet on the ground of a now
FREE country...The eyes of the world were upon us the "demo-media" looking for failure....The ANTI BUSH, supporters of the world can kiss my ASS, from where I'm
standing I see Iraqi's crying-hugging each other...dancing and shouting in Arabic and
broken English...Thank you.....BUSH...26 million people FREE!!

This battle far from over, we here in Baghdad and Iraq know this ....today is VICTORY
Pretty Lady, THANK YOU..for believing in me and my endeavors and supporting our
just cause.


Baghdad Mike
Green Zone
Baghdad Iraq

I don't think I need to say anything more!