Letter from Commando Camp, Kuwait
This US Marine officer in Commando Camp, Kuwait, definitely knows what he is talking about. His email on The Ornery American is long but engorssing. Some nuggets:

Everyone carries a weapon and full combat load of ammunition at all times. Everyone carries their gas mask at all times. The gas masks come with a standard issue of three sets of Atropine and Pralidoxime Chloride injector kits. They are two large needles capable of penetrating your chemical protection suit and uniform. If you are exposed to nerve agents you jam the injectors into your thigh.
. . .
You want to be the hardest target out there so the bad guys will pass you up for an easier target. Fortunately, we have a lot of Air Force people running around the country. Their command won’t let their airmen carry weapons inside their compounds because they are afraid they might shoot themselves. Soft mentality, soft targets.
. . .
Through out the camp there are concrete bunkers wrapped in sand bags. Everyone has an assigned bunker but as past drills have demonstrated, it is every man for himself. You just grab the closest one, mask up and wait it out. Last week I was in a briefing with 15-20 people from different commands and agencies. There were two OGAs (Other Government Agencies – read CIA). They are on their own agenda and don’t follow any force protection rules. We were all around a large table in an open-sided tent when the siren went off declaring some sort of chem-bio attack. We all assumed it was another drill until there was a declaration that it was not a drill and to don your gas masks. Everyone remained fairly calm and thought, “Well, here we go…” Once we masked up we noticed that the OGAs were just sitting there with worried looks on their faces. One of them asked if it was in fact a real alarm. A Lt. Colonel next to me, yelled through his mask in all seriousness “Well, we will know for sure when you two fall over dead!”.
. . .
A fully mechanized Army Division is simply mind-boggling. On our left (western) flank is the 3rd Infantry Division that recently deployed from their base in Germany. Marines are tough but we don’t win the big wars. The Army wins the big wars. They do it because they are massive and can bring an incomprehensible amount of firepower to a fight.

The most important fact to remember is that one Army Mechanized Division has more firepower than most countries.
. . .
We can put up an interconnected dome style tent that can shelter 100 fully function terminals hooked up to satellite feeds with in 4 hours. Large, projection screens can display real-time satellite imagery and video feeds from unmanned aircraft.
. . .
Our path north will take us into the Mesopotamia Valley that is the cradle of modern civilization. The ruins of the Tower of Babel, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and Assyrian ruins are all there. Interestingly enough, Hammurabi’s Code was written in the area. King Hammurabi ruled the region from 1792-1750 BC. This was the first sophisticated code of law put into writing. It gave commercial structure so merchants could prosper. The position of women, marriage, divorce, rent, administration of justice and labor conditions were written down in Hammurabi’s code. Separation of religion and secular authority was also a main theme. Sadam claims to be the modern embodiment of ancient rulers like Nebuchadnezzar and Saladin. Their claim was conquering ancient Judah, destroying Jerusalem and throwing out the Christian, Medieval Crusaders. Sadam is selective in his history of his region.
. . .
Tyranny left unchecked by apathetic people is why Hitler was able to see the Cliffs of Dover from the shores of Western France.

Grant Williams
Major U.S. Marines
Commando Camp, Kuwait