Marines Back in Beruit!!

Message sent to the President of the United States:

At 2347 on Wednesday July 19, 2006 US Marines returned to Beirut, Lebanon for the first time in 23 years. CNN Correspondent Barbara Starr did a great job of reporting the event. Reporting from aboard a landing craft with Marines from the USS Nashville, Barbara Starr broadcast live via phone to the world that the 46 Marines were 10 minutes away from landing at Beirut harbor. After the landing craft landed, Barbara went on to describe all she was seeing and that the Marines had several security measures in place and several back up naval craft standing by. Yes, the Marines are on a mission in Lebanon to rescue Americans from the hostilities between Israel and the Hezbollah. Yes, our news media are doing a great job of reporting the events. But DAMN the Embedded Reporting giving away troop strength, movements, positions, and security planning!! The same great reporting can be done without providing everyone in the world watching CNN a heads up on our Marines!! Or do we just want to give the Hezbollah great intelligence on what we are about to do? Not only has this endangered the Marines, but the very Americans they are trying to rescue. Hezbollah would like nothing better than to strike at this landing party to inflict casualties in an attempt to draw the United States into the fray.

Those that have given Embedded Reporting approval has again put our Marines in more danger than they already were in. I realize some have indicated that Embedded Reporting is the greatest thing since popcorn, but there is also common sense that needs to be applied during operations to protect troop movements, etc.

Semper Fidelis,
Russ Eaglin
Former Marine Sergeant