In Iraq, Veteran Marine Gunner Sees A War To Be Won
HABBINIYAH, IRAQ - Marine Gunner Terry Walker says the Iraq war is still America’s war to win.
As pressure builds on the Bush administration to give the war its final push, Gunner Walker is a stalwart. This 51-year-old marine, on his third tour in Iraq, is the face of members of the US military who say the job can still be done, despite the odds.
Walker, a wiry intellectual with glasses and a chirpy exuberance, joined the Corps at age 17, straight from high school in Rittman, Ohio. Now, he directs training for the Iraqi security forces at a US base in Anbar Province, driven by a personal quest to help transform the Middle East. A serious guy, he says the US war in Iraq will have a “revolutionary” impact on the region.
“It’s how to inculcate within these people the idea that you can win this fight,” he says, referring as much to the Iraqi soldiers he trains as the American public that he knows still needs convincing. “It’s about vision.” Here in Habbaniyah, a former British air base distinguished by its Western-style barracks and palm tree-lined roads, Walker leads a group of about 50 trainers and interpreters, which grew from about 15 American instructors that he handpicked to come here and, quite literally, teach Iraqi soldiers and policemen how to shoot straight.
Largely motivated by their love of shooting, the US trainers take Iraqis who have already graduated from basic training to refine their marksmanship, safety, and weapons-maintenance skills. The hope is that the Iraqi students take these newfound abilities back to their units, making all the Iraqi security forces stronger and more professional – and able to defend their own country, Walker says.
But it’s not clear that everyone shares Walker’s optimism about his Iraqi students.
An independent panel commissioned by Congress to assess the Iraqi security forces recently gave mixed marks to those forces, but said that even with more improvement over time, the Army and police will still not be able to operate independently anytime within the next 12 to 18 months.
“The panel finds that, in general, the Iraqi Security Forces, military and police, have made uneven progress, but that there should be increasing improvement in both their readiness and their capability to provide for the internal security of Iraq,” the report concluded.
The report was portrayed by some US lawmakers as proof that progress in training Iraqi security forces has become a losing proposition.
At this, Walker bristles.
“Are you telling me that after five years, we would cut the fish loose as soon as we got him to the boat?” he asks.
On a recent day, after several Iraqis finished shooting at paper targets at a rifle range, Walker darted to one of the targets after someone had shot a particularly tight “grouping” of rounds, ripping it from its wooden stand to make a point. “As marksmen, they’re equals,” he says.
Full CSM article By Gordon Lubold HERE
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See its men like Walker that this country needs over there, and then when this mission is complete he needs to run for congress and bring that same sense of duty to better this country on the other end of the spectrum. These are the people thats keeping this country great. God bless him and the rest of the forces over there, you’re making us all very proud to be Americans
October 15th, 2007 at 8:59 pmAnd before the MSM MISS QUOTES him - He means its not a job, its NEVER a job, its a life.
October 15th, 2007 at 10:59 pmThat Marine, sports fans, is what makes America great. Geeze, 51 years old, maybe 50 is the new 30.
October 15th, 2007 at 11:39 pm“cut the fish loose as soon as we got him to the boat” After 58,000 dead by ‘73 the daaaveocrats did exactly that in ‘75. Now, there not even going to wait until you get back, they’re going to try to do it while you’re on the ground.
October 16th, 2007 at 2:09 amnever forget the aility of the democrat party to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory
October 16th, 2007 at 3:06 am[…] In Iraq, Veteran Marine Gunner Sees A War To Be Won — Pat Dollard […]
October 16th, 2007 at 4:52 amIts guys like this CWO that make up the personnel in companies like Blackwater. And it is these same tough guys that have made the US military into the force that it is today. Those that stuck it out during the VN era and post-VN era are the ones who put together the military of today.
Hooah…And I gotta agree that this gent can still do more for the USMC. He’s too good at what he does to just say ta-tah to. Something tells me the world will be seeing more of this guy in the DOD contracting field somewhere…unless Blackwater is smart enough to snatch him up…and they are…
October 16th, 2007 at 6:21 amrush’s letter fm the phony senators is up to $50,500 and he will mathch the selling price with the proceeds going to the MARINES (kia) scholarship fund,,
October 16th, 2007 at 9:58 amGah, the time-slipping and cherry-picking! That “recent” report is, IIRC, months old and was months out of date when written. In any case, the time scale is actually blindingly fast by historical standards.
One of the things that trainers in many areas are reporting (e.g., medical techs) is that the dedication and speed of learning of many of the Iraqis has to be seen to be believed. One lesson, perfect duplication and application the next day, hungry for more.
Once these guys get the bit between their teeth, all the anti-liberationists in America won’t be able to hold them back.
October 17th, 2007 at 1:58 amHis response to his retirement letter from the office of his 4-star General: “If I thought this was going to be a part-time job, I never would have joined.” Heh. That’s 34 yrs., non-stop.
But he should have let me edit it; it means:
October 17th, 2007 at 2:06 am“If I’d known this was going to be a temporary job, I never would have joined.”
There, all fixed.
Boat means “on board” with U.S. policy? Mao said “A fish on board soon dies of asphyxiation.”
Now, Vietnam is a ‘major trading partner’ with the U.S. not that anyone on this list will benefit.
I presume he means ‘they are our equals’ like our former friends the anti-Soviet Afghan mujahideen who also are remarkable marksmen.
October 17th, 2007 at 12:02 pm