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MARINES OUT TO AVENGE BLOOD OF 'EXECUTED' GIS
By VINCE MORRIS
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March 25, 2003 -- Reporting from a Marine helicopter base in the Kuwaiti desert
THE Marines at this chopper base near the Iraqi border are seething with rage and talking revenge over the treatment of American POWs - paraded on TV and some possibly executed.
"OK, they want to play that way. We can play that way," vowed one enraged pilot.
Marine after Marine had the same message - many of them warning that there would be "no second chances for those Iraqis now."
Virtually every conversation here touched on the POW's treatment and possible executions yesterday. It was discussed on chow lines, in the bomb shelters, outside the latrines.
Robert "Doc" Davenport, a Marine medic trained to both save people and kill them, was among those struggling to digest the appalling news.
"It makes it harder to do my job," he said, explaining he'll now think twice about dressing the wounds of injured Iraqis.
"If we run across one of them and he needs my help, it will be harder for me to do it," he added.
Many Marines on this desert base - affectionately known as "Snakepit" - said they believe they were sent to Iraq not to hurt people, but to free them from Saddam Hussein's ruthless grip.
"We want to help these people and look what they're doing to us," said more than one shocked Marine.
"What we should do is go in there and kill every last soul," growled Sgt. Mike Brady.
"If they realize that we are going to kill them like that, they'll be like 'OK, OK, we surrender,' " said the 28-year-old Texas native.
Brady, who mans the twin 50-caliber machineguns aboard a Sea Stallion chopper, said he'll be much more wary now when he's flying over Iraqi positions.
He'll no longer give enemy soldiers the benefit of the doubt when they start waving white flags.
"I'm going to be a lot quicker to pull that trigger if I think they're up to something," he said.
During an air raid yesterday - when everyone rushed into the bomb shelters with their gas masks and chemical and biological gear - one Marine's muffled swearing was heard above the din.
Repeating the sneering nickname used for Saddam Hussein, he kept saying, " 'So damn' insane, 'so damn' insane. I'm going to come up there myself and kill you."
Of course, not everyone on the base is calling for blood - yet.
Cpl. Joseph Michinki said he's not convinced the executions actually took place.
"They can fake all kinds of things with video," noted Michinki, 21, of Georgia.
"But if that really was Americans being killed, I'd be pretty pissed," he added.
MARINES OUT TO AVENGE BLOOD OF 'EXECUTED' GIS
By VINCE MORRIS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 25, 2003 -- Reporting from a Marine helicopter base in the Kuwaiti desert
THE Marines at this chopper base near the Iraqi border are seething with rage and talking revenge over the treatment of American POWs - paraded on TV and some possibly executed.
"OK, they want to play that way. We can play that way," vowed one enraged pilot.
Marine after Marine had the same message - many of them warning that there would be "no second chances for those Iraqis now."
Virtually every conversation here touched on the POW's treatment and possible executions yesterday. It was discussed on chow lines, in the bomb shelters, outside the latrines.
Robert "Doc" Davenport, a Marine medic trained to both save people and kill them, was among those struggling to digest the appalling news.
"It makes it harder to do my job," he said, explaining he'll now think twice about dressing the wounds of injured Iraqis.
"If we run across one of them and he needs my help, it will be harder for me to do it," he added.
Many Marines on this desert base - affectionately known as "Snakepit" - said they believe they were sent to Iraq not to hurt people, but to free them from Saddam Hussein's ruthless grip.
"We want to help these people and look what they're doing to us," said more than one shocked Marine.
"What we should do is go in there and kill every last soul," growled Sgt. Mike Brady.
"If they realize that we are going to kill them like that, they'll be like 'OK, OK, we surrender,' " said the 28-year-old Texas native.
Brady, who mans the twin 50-caliber machineguns aboard a Sea Stallion chopper, said he'll be much more wary now when he's flying over Iraqi positions.
He'll no longer give enemy soldiers the benefit of the doubt when they start waving white flags.
"I'm going to be a lot quicker to pull that trigger if I think they're up to something," he said.
During an air raid yesterday - when everyone rushed into the bomb shelters with their gas masks and chemical and biological gear - one Marine's muffled swearing was heard above the din.
Repeating the sneering nickname used for Saddam Hussein, he kept saying, " 'So damn' insane, 'so damn' insane. I'm going to come up there myself and kill you."
Of course, not everyone on the base is calling for blood - yet.
Cpl. Joseph Michinki said he's not convinced the executions actually took place.
"They can fake all kinds of things with video," noted Michinki, 21, of Georgia.
"But if that really was Americans being killed, I'd be pretty pissed," he added.
