3/3 In Iraq: October 2007

Below is the message from LtCol Nastase, the Commanding Officer of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines. Again, Nastase nails a great message that demonstrates progress, hope, and high morale among our nation's finest. These words need to be read by every American, to counter the negativity that we are bombarded with.

When I listen to Bush, I get the feeling that his perspective changes on a weekly basis, depending on who has been to his office the most often. When I listen to the news or read the headlines, I get the feeling that all is lost and America would be wise to tuck tail and run like hell out of Iraq. I feel like Nastase has given us a more balanced view. It is optimistic and upbeat by design, but I also think it is informative and realistic. The message below is not a PR job, it is a well-written message from a Commander to his extended family. I think his words provide a balanced message that admits to hard times and plenty of work to be done, but also describes progress, improvements, and a building momentum among the grass roots in Iraq to live peacefully.

3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines

From the Battalion Commander

1 October 2007

Hello to Friends and Families of “America’s Battalion”,

We’re approaching two months into the deployment and I want bring you up to speed on what's happening. I am well aware that a lot of Americans are now throwing "Al Anbar" around in casual conversation like it’s a new sitcom. We have certainly had our share of attention of late. I guess it’s because everyone is beginning to see the progress that is being made out here. I'll tell you (from someone who has more than a few trips to Al Anbar under his belt), that things are better than I could have ever imagined. Let me try to put what your Marines and Sailors are doing into perspective because a lot has changed over the years.

What's changed? Mostly Iraqi attitude. And the surge has helped.

Attitude. The people out here have simply decided "enough's enough". They've had it with Al Qaeda in Iraq’s (AQI’s) brutality on fellow Iraqis. I'm not exaggerating when I say AQI has literally been terrorizing Iraqis for too long. Most every Iraqi I talk to these days has had someone, sometimes many members of their families killed or kidnapped by AQI. So we are riding the wave of the "awakening" started by Sunni tribal leaders over the last year or so (with no small amount of work by the Marines). This more than anything has changed everything. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" kind of thing. The realists among them, I think, foresaw the stark difference between a Taliban-like future dominated by AQI versus one of potential prosperity with the help of the Americans. And they’ve turned toward becoming part of the solution.

The manifestations of this in our area really just sprung up in the last 3-4 months and we have worked to expand it. But AQI wasn't giving up without a fight. The Area of Operations (AO) we assumed was only partly "pacified"--with the Sheikhs standing up and their men volunteering to secure their own neighborhoods and joining the police and army. We also inherited areas that remained AQI sanctuary, from where they continued to attack and tried to roll back the clock. What we have essentially done in this first month and a half was clear out those areas, hold them, and allow the fledgling (yet eager) volunteers and Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) to step up. Which brings me to the surge.

Surge. While Baghdad got all the early press, we had a Marine surge in Al Anbar as well. This has allowed us to finally stay in those areas we cleared, and in so doing, give confidence to the fence sitters that we would not leave them hanging as events in the past years forced us to do. Ironically, the "new" strategy is not new for us. What General Petreaus has advocated in Baghdad--get out and protect the populous--is exactly what the Marines did when we first came to Al Anbar in 2004 ("No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy" was and remains the motto). Unfortunately, what started out well back then, soon was overcome by events such as Fallujah I, Fallujah II, and the Samarra Mosque bombing which required us to move forces from cleared areas to address these hotspots. In those early years we didn't have the ISF to maintain security in great enough numbers. The areas we left became sanctuary and killing fields for AQI and eventually we had to go back in and clear again. The extra forces we've had over the last nine months, combined with the awakening of the Sunni tribes, has allowed us to clear, hold, and build. The build is truly key because with the improved security situation, we can now put resources (ie. Money) against the basic needs of the people so that they can actually see tangible results. This gives them incentive to keep standing up and remain a part of the security solution. It has also provided a security and economic umbrella under which the ISF have been able to further grow and mature. In addition, it has led to a resurgence of local governance to manage the daily processes of life here. Still strongly organized around the tribes, we are leveraging that historic organizational framework to forge government institutions you'd be more familiar with (mayors, city councils, etc).

While the enemy continues to try and test us, it has largely been ineffective. But I continually remind the Battalion not to get complacent—there is still some fight left in our foe, although thankfully, it is a fraction of what it was only months ago, and certainly nothing like what we experienced in the last three years. Even the youngest Marines in the Battalion walk this fine line between being ready for anything and treating the Iraqi people with respect everyday. I am very proud of their ability to grasp the fundamentals of counter-insurgency--no easy task despite how much we trained for it. We spend a lot of time patrolling the towns, villages, and farms--a lot of it on foot, up close and personal. The heat is oppressive still (we have yet to have a daytime temp below 100)! But we've had very little problem adapting due to good leadership and planning at the lowest levels. I am repeatedly impressed with the maturity and attitude of our Marines and Sailors. I've watched them enter countless Iraqi homes, collect information, ask about their needs, hand out sweets and school supplies, and treat people with respect. The response from the locals is overwhelmingly positive...they are so thankful that it is us knocking and not AQI. The true sign that we are winning is the kids. I have been all over this area in past tours and rarely saw a kid outside, and even more rarely had any adult male do so much as glare back at me. Now everyone waves, barefoot kids line every street and road when they see us approach--clapping, giving thumbs up and dancing. Even young girls in their flowered dresses are out. Boys (and men too) can often be seen swimming in the canals in the afternoon. I've been invited to more meals than I could ever accept...even from the poorest of the poor. Marine patrols are routinely served tea in Iraqi homes.

Despite the positive atmospherics, it remains sad to see how poor a lot of these families are. Open sewage, mud floors, and limited electricity are still common. It is a very basic existence for most. But life goes on...”In sh'allah”...it is God’s will...as they say.

But for the first time, many Iraqis have told me they finally have hope for a better future. No one expects even a fraction of what you and I enjoy in America. But they see some light at the end of the tunnel. And I guess that's what counts.

Our Marines and Sailors, and especially our leaders spend an inordinate amount of time doing "engagement". That is, meeting, greeting, and sometimes eating with our local tribal, government, and security counter parts. It is harder work than it sounds and there is always heavy security in support. There is much talk, plenty of drama, but always with the best Arab hospitality. It is time consuming but it is really the only way to build the kind of relationships with the people we need to build to be successful. Trying to figure out who's who and what their agendas are, while shaping things appropriately for the future, is the biggest challenge we face. Marines are still doing Marine things, but embedded in each infantry mission (to include the hundreds of squad level patrols) is economics, governance, human relations, city management, agriculture, essential services, census operations, police work, etc, etc. We’re relying some on the counter-insurgency training we've done, but mostly on the fundamental knack Marines and Sailors seem to have for seeing every challenge as a problem to be solved. They thrive on cracking the case, seeing behind the curtain, and winning. It's too early to say how this will all turn out in the end. But, for now, it is promising and we'll keep moving the ball down the field as best we can.

We’ve had to send a few folks home for some unfortunate non-battle injuries. Our thoughts and prayers are with those Marines and their families for speedy recoveries. We’ve also celebrated more than a few new baby arrivals—congratulations to all! And by all accounts, all of you back home continue with your unending support which is immensely appreciated. Take care of each other and we will do the same. Thanks for all that you do for us.

Semper Fidelis,

LtCol Nastase

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Last updated 2 October 2007

The Examined Life

If you are paying attention to my tags at the bottom of my posts, you will find many of them are tagged with "The Examined Life". Those of you who have some classical training probably get it immediately. For those of you who wonder what it means, at least to me, read on.

Socrates is credited with the principle of "The Examined Life" and the idea that the unexamined life is not worth living. Socrates is famous for asking questions. He asked fantastic questions in context, but it is not the questions he asked that made him great. It is the fact that he asked questions as his method of learning that made him great.

Socrates asked questions in situations where he probably knew, and knew that he knew, the answers. The act of questioning was often Socrates' method of arguing. There was nothing he could have said to convince his opponent of their errors, but by questioning them he could help them see their own errors.

How many people have you crossed paths with who were living a shallow, trite existence and slowly killing themselves while avoiding the opportunities that would provide them with happiness and fulfillment? These are people who are not examining their life, who are either not looking into their motivations and considering the consequences of their actions, or who have not asked and answered the right questions yet. Conversely, perhaps they are examining their life but not accepting the answers.

I have always lived the examined life. I have always looked inward and questioned if what I was doing and where I was going lined up with my value system and intentions. I have always questioned and updated my value system. Examining my values, motives, actions, thoughts, goals, past, present, and future has not prevented all possible mistakes, though.

I have made many mistakes because I was not experienced and knowledgeable enough to ask the right questions. I also made mistakes because I refused to examine areas of my life, or refused to accept the answers I found there. I knew for a long time that my drinking did not align with my values and goals, and that it was in fact deterring me from my goals, threatening my freedom and family, and making me fat and lethargic. It wasn't until I accepted those facts that the examination of my life paid off.

By examining my mistakes, I have accelerated my knowledge. I now know more about myself, my strengths and weaknesses, my "real" values, and my habits and tendencies. I can better predict outcomes, and I can leverage myself to set better goals and ensure success. I would argue that I have learned more by examining my mistakes than I have from any person, book, system, institution, or other source.

The examined life is one of freedom. I know, for a fact, that I have chosen my path, every step of the way. I will not look back on 80 years full of regret, pondering all the missed opportunities. I take satisfaction from knowing fairly well what I am doing, why I am doing it, and what the result will be. I have expectations of results, I have goals, I have desires and preferences; I am better assured of achieving the life I desire and creating my preferred environment by examining my life.

The examined life has spiritual ramifications. I believe that all spiritual belief systems have at least one idea in common. Whether the system is Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Humanism, or Ethical Atheism/Agnosticism, these systems all aim to limit our negative impact and increase our positive impact on our fellow humans.

In addition, this is the aim of most political movements, to include American liberalism and American conservatism (contrary to each movement's claims about its opponent). By regularly examining our life as a habit and a spiritual/political/ethical/philosophical exercise, we avoid regretting our actions to others, and we get warm, fuzzy, satisfying, fulfilling, self-actualizing feelings by discovering opportunities to benefit others. The added benefit is that, due to the symbiotic nature of society, when we benefit others we also benefit ourselves.

I do not know for a fact if the unexamined life is worth living or not. I have never lived it, and never intend to. I do know that ignorance is not bliss; you eventually find out areas where you were ignorant, and that is a horrible realization. I hate finding out later that I was butt of a joke, or that everyone was talking behind my back about my choice of shirt. I really pity that guy who is madly in love, while we all know his girlfriend is...friendly. In that light, I seek to discover as much as I can about how I live my life to avoid such disturbing revelations.

A person will wake up today and find out that their 60 years of smoking has led to cancer, or their drinking has lead to cirrhosis, or their unrestricted sweet tooth has lead to diabetes, or their neglect of their family has left them alone, or their neglect of their career skills has left them without options, or their neglect of their savings has lead to a bleak retirement, etc... Don't be that person. Wake up today, find your opportunities to improve your condition, and live The Examined Life.

How To Quit Smoking

Quitting Smoking is easy; I have done it hundreds if times. Yes, that was an attempt at humor. The fact of the matter is that it is tough to quit smoking, and you have to be tougher. Do you have it in you? Do you really want to eliminate the odors of being a smoker (breath, hair, clothes, car), the sick feelings and headaches, the breathlessness, the colds, the cancers, and the stigma? Would you like the freedom of relaxing on a cold winter day without having to go out and shiver through another cigarette? If so, read on. If you are a weak, sniveling little pansy who has no control over their own destiny, you may go back to your solitaire game now.

I was born addicted to nicotine thanks to the wonders of second-hand smoke, and started smoking my own cigarettes as a teenager. I have also been hooked on chewing tobacco and cigars. Currently, I can go days and weeks without hardly a thought of tobacco. Other days, it is a little more difficult. However, it is possible to walk away from tobacco forever. The choice is yours, but the choice will have to be made many times.

The first time I quit smoking was for the three months of Marine Corps boot camp. I had dreams about just smoking: the lighting, the drag, the flick, watching the stick burn down, etc. I could smell a cigarette from 300 yards away. All the smokers would gather and fantasize aloud about smoking cigarettes while playing pool, watching TV, driving, after sex, after a run, first smoke in the morning...we tortured ourselves. This is the worst method of quitting smoking. I had lit a cigarette within an hour of graduation. Because I had not chosen to quit, and did not have the freedom of resuming my habit, I could not build up the inner muscle that allows you to stay quit.

The second time I quit smoking was for a pile of reasons. I had begun going to church, I perceived that attractive women would not want to date a smoker, and I wondered if my Marine Corps runs would be faster and less painful without tar in my lungs. I switched to Skoal exclusively (which I already chewed when I was in the field, since smoking can be seen and smelled by the enemy) figuring it would be easier for me to quit chewing than smoking. I was way off on that one. I found I could hide my chew habit easier and satisfy nicotine cravings in class, in movies, on planes--everywhere that cigarettes were not allowed. I switched to a stronger chew: Copenhagen.

Eventually, those religious reasons caused me to work up enough will to quit Copenhagen, cold turkey. When you remove a habit, you have to replace it. I did so with exercise, prayer, and study. For several years, I was nicotine free - through good times and bad. However, when my need for religion died out, and my stress built up, I did what many of the happy people around me were doing: I smoked. I did not find myself happier; rather, I was probably less happy. But the siren song of nicotine is difficult to resist when you are already frolicking in weakness, stress, and unhealthy lifestyles.

I quit again on New years Eve, 1999. I planned on spending the 2000's without the nicotine anchor around my neck. Also, I did not want my newborn daughter to be influenced by my bad example. This time, I chewed Nicorette. It got me through the first month of rough patches, and soon enough I felt I didn't need it anymore. I spit out a piece in my mouth and stayed smoke free for over a year.

When I quit drinking and was attending 100 AA meetings, all of which were smokier than any bar I had ever been in, I started smoking again. I quit smoking exactly one year later, this time for health reasons in addition to reasons for my kids. I switched to a cigar every day or two, and eventually down to a cigar a week, or so.

I then went through a difficult week and was offered a new brand of chew to help me out. That hooked me on chew for about a year. Again I quit using Nicorette, this time for the reasons of my kids and my own health. Within a month or so, I decided I did not need that crutch anymore. I now chew an occasional cigar, and I have desires for nicotine when I am stressed, but I am finding that I can manage the stress to make the cravings go away.

Did you see my pattern? I found a reason to quit, found a method to quit, and then stress caused me to return to a filthy habit. Have you had the same problem? Or are you having a problem of getting to being tobacco free for more than a month?

Here is how to get over the addiction and accumulate a month or two without tobacco. First, find some great reasons. Religion is not good enough. Your own mortality, the mortality and morality of your kids, a marathon goal, and sex are better motivators: those needs are a constant companion. Religious ideas often change, ebb and flow, or break your heart. The reason to quit smoking will replace the huge commitment you've made to nicotine thus far, so make sure your reasons are big and are yours (you can't quit smoking because your spouse wants you to, you need to quit because YOU want to.) Next, think about your reasons often. If you really want to quit, and you really want to achieve your reason for quitting, then the more you think about it the easier quitting will become. At this point, you are still continuing in your habit without restraint.

These first two steps are mental prep work. Your will power is like a muscle--if you haven't used it in a while (or ever) then you need to build it up slowly. Each time I quit tobacco, it was the culmination of a month or so of thinking about my habit and my reasons for quitting. The saying goes, "When the student is ready, the teacher appears." A similar saying can be made for quitting a habit: when you are ready your will power appears, stronger than you ever imagined. Above, I did not write about the millions of times I tried to force myself to quit and didn't last a day or two; sometimes I did not last an hour. You cannot quit when you are not ready. Be patient and let your subconscious do its job. Eventually, you will find yourself too disgusted with your habit to continue it for one more day.

There is a time when you want to quit but cannot. Then you get to a place where you have to quit. Now, do it! Throw away your smokes, lighters, ash trays, and assorted paraphernalia. Do not drink the drinks you drank when you smoked for a few days. Do not sit in your smoking chair for awhile (throw it out if it is ratty and hated by all but you). Avoid your smoker friends, especially at break-time, lunch, and Friday nights! Get your car cleaned. If the weather allows it, drive with the windows down and the music up loud. Go for a walk with a non-smoker, preferably a dog. Go to bed. And now you are through your first day.

Replace your habit. This is by far the most important. You need something to do when you NEED a smoke, or when the desire to chew has drawn blood on your lip. Habitually replace your habit: do it whether you are nic'ing out or not. However, especially engage in this activity when you are nic'ing out. Have two or three backup plans. If exercise is your number one, but you are injured, have a number two: hug your kids. Or read an inspirational text in bite-size pieces. Eating isn't a healthy replacement, but it'll do in a pinch. Find a computer game that seizes your concentration. Paint a room. Dig a hole for no reason. Take your main-squeeze into a private place and focus on them for an hour or two. Do what works for you.

And then there is the failure. I have met many people who have quit. Some of them are smoking or chewing today. Some of them are not. However, all of them have failed. No one on the planet quits smoking only once. Either you never smoke to start with or you quit many times. Some people quit 100 times and then go forty years without cigarettes. Others die from their habit, having attempted to quit a thousand times. I am sure by now you have heard about how Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, and Thomas Edison all had long lists of failures before they were successful. When you fail, learn from it. I have learned to master my stress better, and over time I will remove that as a reason to begin smoking or chewing. Find your weakness and whoop its ass!