A NOTE FROM FALLUJA

HERE IN FALLUJA, IRAQ, I have been following closely the series of articles written by William Kristol, Fred Barnes, Frederick W. Kagan, Reuel Marc Gerecht, and others. They have written the most accurate assessments of our current situation on the ground. I tell you with full certainty that we are at a true crossroads out here, and it would do the United States well to listen to the advice of such men as yourselves, advice that can be summed up in one sentence: Send more troops to establish real security in the cities so that we may provide more time and logistics for the Iraqi army and police to train effectively before they take control of those cities. I'm not sure this message is reaching those it should.

I have seen some dark days recently. Just this month, I attended two memorial services--one today for a female major (also a triathlete) who was killed in Ramadi last week, and another last week for two soldiers who were part of our Camp Vallejo Quick Reaction Force (QRF). The latter two were 20 and 22 years old, and the major, whom I knew as an acquaintance, was only three weeks younger than I. On top of that, I witnessed the killing of a civilian 75 meters from where I was sitting by a 120 mm mortar five weeks ago. Let me tell you, the impacts were loud! We knew it was incoming right away, but there was nothing to do: It is truly a helpless feeling to hear the incoming sirens after an impact.

About three to four weeks ago I had a series of conversations with numerous peers who all agreed that things must change on the ground. I also read Frederick W. Kagan's "No Third Way in Iraq" (Nov. 13), which concisely stated why we are here and why we have to stay no matter what. It was exactly what I needed to read at that point in this deployment. Kagan actually managed to change my thought process regarding our problems in Iraq.

At least someone is posing a plausible solution to the endless violence. Unfortunately, Kagan's predictions of what may happen if we abandon the cities too soon may indeed prove true if we continue on our current course. We have some serious problems, and unless we do something drastic to change our current course of action, unless we provide a secure environment, there is a good chance Iraq will succumb to the worst sectarian violence as soon as we leave. We need THE WEEKLY STANDARD's writers and thinkers to continue to press on in attempting to influence the quagmire that is Washington politics. Your efforts mean a lot to those of us on the ground who want to fight this reckless evil and crush it where it hides in the towns and cities.

From a Marine officer on active duty
(name withheld)
Falluja, Iraq

GO-TIME FOR GENERALS

REGARDING Frederick W. Kagan and William Kristol's "Time for a Heavier Footprint" (Nov. 27): It's about time someone criticized Gen. John Abizaid--in fact, Gen. George Casey should be included in the criticism, too. No True Glory, an account of the battle of Falluja by military scholar and Vietnam veteran Bing West, shows how many erroneous decisions were made by Gen. Abizaid and Paul Bremer. They had a chance to kill Moktada al-Sadr but didn't do it because they feared being wrong. They also delayed the attack on Falluja, which resulted in heavy Marine losses. Gens. Abizaid and Casey have had their heads in the sand long enough. I blame President Bush for letting these two lead American troops. Rumsfeld is gone; now they should be gone, too.

T. KEVIN MORIARTY
Libertyville, Ill.