A Higher Calling than Duty
Mark Daily wrote on MySpace that he joined the Army to help the suffering people of Iraq. In death, his words have become a call to service.
By Teresa Watanabe
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-daily16feb16,1,4976271,full.story

"WHY I joined: The question has been asked of me so many times in so many different contexts that I thought it would be best if I wrote my reasons for joining the Army on my page for all to see."

Oct. 29, 2006. On the night before he deployed to Iraq, Army 2nd Lt. Mark Jennings Daily sat down at his laptop in his Texas apartment and began tapping out an essay for his MySpace Web page. Daily, a 23-year-old Irvine native who considered himself a liberal humanist, had decided to join the fight despite initial doubts about the war.

Before shipping out, he wanted to explain why.

The decision had befuddled some. After all, Daily was a UCLA political science graduate with a wide circle of friends and dreams of becoming a senator, or a history professor, or a foreign correspondent. Why join the Army?

His essay would turn out to be a last testament to one soldier's courage and convictions.

And that essay, in recent weeks, has ricocheted throughout the Internet, taking on a life of its own. It was read on the U.S. Senate floor and posted on the websites of columnists and talk show hosts. It has prompted hundreds of letters from strangers. Daily's words, his astonished parents say, seemed to resonate with all kinds of folks, stirring a common altruistic impulse.

He wrote it in just 20 minutes, his parents say, as he chatted with his family in his packed-up El Paso apartment near Ft. Bliss, Texas, where he was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.

"First, the more accurate question is why I volunteered to go to Iraq. After all, I joined the Army a week after we declared war on Saddam's government with the intention of going…. "

Daily's parents, John and Linda Daily of Irvine, didn't particularly want to see their eldest son ship out to Iraq. They would never tell him that directly. They respected their children too much to try to interfere.

"If not me, then who?" Linda Daily remembers her son asking, his earnest eyes leaving her with no good answer.

So the Dailys did what they believed parents should do: They embraced their son, affirmed his decision and sent him off, shielding as best they could their fears and doubts. His wife of just 15 months, Janet, did the same.

"Anyone who knew me before I joined knows that I am quite aware and at times sympathetic to the arguments against the war in Iraq. If you think the only way a person could bring themselves to volunteer for this war is through sheer desperation or blind obedience then consider me the exception."

Mark Daily, born on the Fourth of July, grew up in Irvine's Woodbridge Village, on a street of spacious homes and well-manicured lawns. His father, John, is an aerospace project manager; his mother, Linda, an audiologist.

His family says he became a registered Democrat who read voraciously and delighted in fervent debate. He read liberal intellectual Noam Chomsky, conservative Sen. John McCain of Arizona and everything in between.

His first passions were animal rights and environmental protection, prompting him to become a vegetarian and Green Party member in high school for a few years. He defended American Indian rights so loudly in one backyard debate that Linda Daily imagined the neighbors would think it a family brawl. His heroes were immigrants because "they risk their lives to achieve better ones," he wrote on his MySpace page.

Fascism and anti-Semitism particularly troubled him. If you really want to understand me, he wrote on MySpace, watch "Schindler's List."

He sought out neo-Nazis for online debates. In a string of e-mails, Daily invited one young man who featured swastikas on his MySpace page to explain his sentiments. After a wide-ranging discussion over German history, the Holocaust, African DNA, North Korean fascism and democratic values, Daily turned the Nazi lover around. "I think most certainly a lot, if not all of my beliefs have changed," the young man wrote. Daily, he said, was right. "Nothing was ever created with a system of hate."

After the 9/11 attacks, Daily was not convinced that a military response was the best option. In his MySpace essay, he runs through the gamut of reasons he used at one time or another to argue against confronting the Taliban and Saddam Hussein: cultural tolerance, the sanctity of national sovereignty, a suspicion of America's intentions. Weren't we really after their oil? he wondered.

Somewhere along the way, he changed his mind. His family says there was no epiphany. Writings by author and columnist Christopher Hitchens on the moral case for war deeply influenced him. A 2003 phone conversation with a UCLA ROTC officer on the ideals of commitment and service impressed him.

Ultimately, his family says, Daily came to believe that his lifelong altruistic impulses and passions for the underdog had to extend to Iraqis crushed under decades of oppression. It was time to stop simply talking about human rights and actually do something to help secure them.

And he decided that joining the Army was the best way to do that.

One thing is certain, as disagreeable or as confusing as my decision to enter the fray may be, consider what peace vigils against genocide have accomplished lately. Consider that there are 19-year-old soldiers from the Midwest who have never touched a college campus or a protest who have done more to uphold the universal legitimacy of representative government and individual rights by placing themselves between Iraqi voting lines and homicidal religious fanatics. Oftentimes it is less about how clean your actions are and more about how pure your intentions are.

Daily had read historian Stephen Ambrose's writings on World War II and the generation of soldiers who fought for freedom from the forces of fascism. If not Iraq, Daily thought, he wanted to help save those being slaughtered in Sudan.

In the fall of 2003, he entered the UCLA ROTC program. The UCLA military science faculty selected Daily as cadet of the year for 2005. He was named a Distinguished Military Graduate, an honor given to 20% of cadets nationwide.

Lt. Col. Shawn Buck, who headed the UCLA military science department at the time, said Daily was a deep thinker and natural leader who persuaded many cadets to stick with the program. "Once he made the decision to join, he jumped in with both feet and gave it everything he had," Buck said.

In a 2005 videotape of his officers' commissioning ceremony, Daily told the crowd that the U.S. Army is one of the few militaries in the world that teach not only tactics but also ethics. "I genuinely believe the United States Army is a force of good in this world," he said.

He was not blind to military transgressions and fumed to his father that the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers at Abu Ghraib was a failure of leadership. But that was exactly why he needed to get over there, he said. He was going to make sure that his men upheld Army values of integrity and honor.

So that is why I joined. In the time it took you to read this explanation, innocent people your age have suffered under the crushing misery of tyranny.

Don't forget that human beings have a responsibility to one another and that Americans have a responsibility to the oppressed. Assisting a formerly oppressed population in converting their torn society into a plural, democratic one is dangerous and difficult business, especially when being attacked and sabotaged from literally every direction.

So if you have anything to say to me at the end of this reading, let it at least include "Good Luck."

Daily touched down in Iraq on Nov. 19 and was sent to the northern city of Mosul. In calls and e-mails home, he began asking for presents for his new Iraqi friends: cigars for the soldiers, candy and soccer balls for the children. He vividly described his adventures with them: a Thanksgiving Day game of musical chairs, a rooftop cigar session; his first Kurdish meal, his first local haircut.

In one video he sent, Iraqi soldiers surround him with grins, crowning him with a turban as a gesture of friendship.

In typical fashion, he sought out new points of view. In one discussion, he wrote that he asked a Kurdish man whether the insurgents could be viewed as freedom fighters. The man cut him off. "The difference between insurgents and American soldiers," Daily said the man told him, "is that they get paid to take life — to murder — and you get paid to save lives."

"That Kurdish man's assessment of our presence means more to me than all of the naysayers and makeshift humanists that monopolize our interpretation of this war," Daily wrote in a Dec. 31 e-mail.

He was equally expansive with his troops. His wife, Janet, says he was constantly asking for tea bags so he could invite his soldiers to his room for tea and talk. They asked him for advice about careers, finances and family problems, discussed politics and philosophy. His troops jokingly posted a sign on his door: "Mark's Tea Hour."

In January, Daily was transferred from a support operation to a security one. He told his family that if he should die, he would never regret a thing.

In an e-mail to his brother, Eric, Daily wrote: "I know it is hard for you knowing that I am over here in danger, but never forget that I came here on behalf of the countless brothers who were torn apart by the savage exploits of this region's tyrants."

On Jan. 14, the family received another e-mail:

"All is well. More war stories then I can fit in this e-mail. Having the time of my life!"

It was his last e-mail.

The next day, Jan. 15, Daily was killed when a roadside bomb detonated beneath his vehicle in Mosul. Three of his comrades died with him.

But his words have become a living appeal for his most treasured Army value — selfless service — as it rips through the Internet and reaches unimagined audiences.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) recently read part of the essay on the Senate floor. It has been posted on the websites of syndicated columnist Michelle Malkin and Los Angeles radio talk show hosts Larry Elder and Hugh Hewitt. It has traveled overseas to places as far-flung as Bulgaria, where it is being translated for publication in the local newspapers.

His family has received official letters of condolence from President Bush, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, California First Lady Maria Shriver, senators, congressmen, judges. Most touching to them are the hundreds and hundreds of heartfelt notes from ordinary folk, most of them strangers, who read Daily's essay and wanted to share how it inspired them to serve others.

One woman said she had begun volunteering in a children's cancer hospital. Others have donated to Make-A-Wish-Foundation and other charities in Daily's name. Trees have been planted, scholarships planned.

So many people reached out that the family scrapped plans for a 175-person memorial service and moved it to Mariners Church in Irvine instead. More than 1,600 people attended the Jan. 27 service.

The response has filled the Dailys with a strange mix of grief and pain, mingled with gratitude and awe. All of it, his parents muse, affirms Daily's faith in the decency of people and the value of community.

Which doesn't make his loss any easier to bear.

"I'd give it all back a thousandfold," his father says, "just to hug him one more time."


Mark Daily's Essay: 'Why I Joined'
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-daily16feb16_essay,1,3095349.htmlstory

All,
By the time you read this I am bound for you know where. If any of you are still curious, I threw together this short essay as to why I joined the Army. Hope it answers your questions!

Love,
Mark

The Best Way Out is Through!

"Why I Joined"

This question has been asked of me so many times in so many different contexts that I thought it would be best if I wrote my reasons for joining the Army on my page for all to see. First, the more accurate question is why I volunteered to go to Iraq. After all, I joined the Army a week after we declared war on Saddam's government with the intention of going to Iraq. Now, after years of training and preparation, I am finally here.

Much has changed in the last three years. The criminal Ba'ath regime has been replaced by an insurgency fueled by Iraq's neighbors who hope to partition Iraq for their own ends. This is coupled with the ever present transnational militant Islamist movement which has seized upon Iraq as the greatest way to kill Americans, along with anyone else they happen to be standing near. What was once a paralyzed state of fear is now the staging ground for one of the largest transformations of power and ideology the Middle East has experienced since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Thanks to Iran, Syria, and other enlightened local actors, this transformation will be plagued by interregional hatred and genocide. And I am now in the center of this.

Is this why I joined?

Yes. Much has been said about America's intentions in overthrowing Saddam Hussein and seeking to establish a new state based upon political representation and individual rights. Many have framed the paradigm through which they view the conflict around one-word explanations such as "oil" or "terrorism," favoring the one which best serves their political persuasion. I did the same thing, and anyone who knew me before I joined knows that I am quite aware and at times sympathetic to the arguments against the war in Iraq. If you think the only way a person could bring themselves to volunteer for this war is through sheer desperation or blind obedience then consider me the exception (though there are countless like me).

I joined the fight because it occurred to me that many modern day "humanists" who claim to possess a genuine concern for human beings throughout the world are in fact quite content to allow their fellow "global citizens" to suffer under the most hideous state apparatuses and conditions. Their excuses used to be my excuses. When asked why we shouldn't confront the Ba'ath party, the Taliban or the various other tyrannies throughout this world, my answers would allude to vague notions of cultural tolerance (forcing women to wear a veil and stay indoors is such a quaint cultural tradition), the sanctity of national sovereignty (how eager we internationalists are to throw up borders to defend dictatorships!) or even a creeping suspicion of America's intentions. When all else failed, I would retreat to my fragile moral ecosystem that years of living in peace and liberty had provided me. I would write off war because civilian casualties were guaranteed, or temporary alliances with illiberal forces would be made, or tank fuel was toxic for the environment. My fellow "humanists" and I would relish contently in our self righteous declaration of opposition against all military campaigns against dictatorships, congratulating one another for refusing to taint that aforementioned fragile moral ecosystem that many still cradle with all the revolutionary tenacity of the members of Rage Against the Machine and Greenday. Others would point to America's historical support of Saddam Hussein, sighting it as hypocritical that we would now vilify him as a thug and a tyrant. Upon explaining that we did so to ward off the fiercely Islamist Iran, which was correctly identified as the greater threat at the time, eyes are rolled and hypocrisy is declared. Forgetting that America sided with Stalin to defeat Hitler, who was promptly confronted once the Nazis were destroyed, America's initial engagement with Saddam and other regional actors is identified as the ultimate argument against America's moral crusade.

And maybe it is. Maybe the reality of politics makes all political action inherently crude and immoral. Or maybe it is these adventures in philosophical masturbation that prevent people from ever taking any kind of effective action against men like Saddam Hussein. One thing is for certain, as disagreeable or as confusing as my decision to enter the fray may be, consider what peace vigils against genocide have accomplished lately. Consider that there are 19 year old soldiers from the Midwest who have never touched a college campus or a protest who have done more to uphold the universal legitimacy of representative government and individual rights by placing themselves between Iraqi voting lines and homicidal religious fanatics. Often times it is less about how clean your actions are and more about how pure your intentions are.

So that is why I joined. In the time it took for you to read this explanation, innocent people your age have suffered under the crushing misery of tyranny. Every tool of philosophical advancement and communication that we use to develop our opinions about this war are denied to countless human beings on this planet, many of whom live under the regimes that have, in my opinion, been legitimately targeted for destruction. Some have allowed their resentment of the President to stir silent applause for setbacks in Iraq. Others have ironically decried the war because it has tied up our forces and prevented them from confronting criminal regimes in Sudan, Uganda, and elsewhere.

I simply decided that the time for candid discussions of the oppressed was over, and I joined.

In digesting this posting, please remember that America's commitment to overthrow Saddam Hussein and his sons existed before the current administration and would exist into our future children's lives had we not acted. Please remember that the problems that plague Iraq today were set in motion centuries ago and were up until now held back by the most cruel of cages. Don't forget that human beings have a responsibility to one another and that Americans will always have a responsibility to the oppressed. Don't overlook the obvious reasons to disagree with the war but don't cheapen the moral aspects either. Assisting a formerly oppressed population in converting their torn society into a plural, democratic one is dangerous and difficult business, especially when being attacked and sabotaged from literally every direction. So if you have anything to say to me at the end of this reading, let it at least include "Good Luck"

Mark Daily


Mark Daily's E-Mails to Family and Friends
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-daily16feb16_emails,1,5469752,full.story

10/31/06

pardon the bizarre typing but these german keyboards are crazy. I have arrived in leipzig and am waiting a couple of hours before continuing to kuwait. all is well so far. no real sleep yet as the plane is crammed with weapons, bags, and boots. still hasn't hit me that i will be gone for a year. hope all is well with all of you. I'll keep in touch as much as possible. should be in kuwait in the next 7 hours or so.

much love!

Mark


11/01/06

All,
So far so good here in beautiful Kuwait. We have 24 food (good buffet style), access to the internet (hence this email) and lots of other things to make the first few weeks of deployment tolerable. Of course, a great deal of this will change once we cross the berm, but until then I will write as much as possible.

The weather here is hot and humid. There is a certain mildewy smell that hits you when you get off the plane very typical of tropical climates (think Jamaica sweetheart). So far I haven't seen any camels but I think that will change once we get out to the weapon ranges. No precise date on when we are heading it but it shouldn't be too long. I'll keep you all posted as often as possible. Thanks to everyone who shot me emails and myspace comments. Makes me feel much closer to home!

With Love,
Mark


11/05/06

Mom,
Forward this email to anyone who is interested...


Received the email at 1251 on Sunday. I probably would have checked sooner though but I was so damn busy I couldn't make it to the internet center. Thank you so much for making Janet a key. That will mean so much to her! And do take her to see Borat because it will definitely make her laugh. As for reading, I am in the middle of Thomas Paine's The Crisis. You could probably find all the text online for free but I know that is not as fun. You will be amazed at his writing and how many great quotes there are. Needless to say he is one of my favorite writers.


So I know you like details about what I am doing day to day and what my life is like so I'll give you the last 24 hours as well as the next 24 hours. Yesterday we had a battalion sized weapons range with a variety of weapon systems that my company had to support. So I had to wake up myself and half my platoon at 3 am (me at 2) to go to the ammunition holding area to transport the ammo to the range. Interestingly enough, the range was outside of the base so we were driving on Kuwaiti roads past camel herders and the like. I definitely didn't feel like I was in Kuwait until I saw a flock of sheep being herded across a highway and a herd of camels near our range. Anyway, after we fired all of our weapons we headed back to the base (our escort got us lost!) and finally made it home. After producing an excel spreadsheet showing how my platoon in Iraq was to be organized, I showered and passed the hell out. Woke up this morning at 4 and went to the gym with a fellow LT and the Commander. After lifting I had breakfast (bagel, omelet, fruit bowl, juice, oatmeal with strawberries) and took my guys back out to the ammo holding area to turn in the remaining ammo. After that, I read for about an hour and went to the lunch with the Commander and the 1st Sergeant (NCO equivalent of a captain). My lunch consisted of 2 egg rolls, 2 tacos, an orange, and a hot dog with sauerkraut. The food here is comparable to the soup exchange, lots of variety and quite good (though disastrous when you mix the way I do!).

The next 24 hours will consist of me completing some paperwork and planning to take my platoon through convoy live fire exercises where we practice what to do in case of an emergency (flat tire, ambush, etc) Things constantly come up that require my tending to, and many of my soldiers are starting to get nervous, so I've experienced an increase in cot side conversations about war, life, and whatnot. The weather is quite temperate, but the wind is what gets you. The sand is so fine that you don't really feel it hitting you but suddenly your eyes become irritated and your vehicle looks like someone shoveled sand on top of it. There have been some beautiful lightning storms in the distance and the occasional light shower, but that is about it. Still trying to avoid buying goods from the merchants who visit our base, but I figure I have to send something home to prove I'm here and not secretly partying in Fiji.

Anyway, hope all is well with the fam. Love ya lots and I'll call you later as it is a little past midnight where you are.

Just happy to be here,
Mark


11/12/06

All,
Just about finished with my time here in Kuwait. Tomorrow I will be taking my platoon through convoy live fire exercises in which we fire real rounds while moving, sometimes near each other. Very precise and realistic training. Should be quite beneficial.

Kuwait has been pleasant though full of work. Highlights include a visit from one of my favorite bands, Shinedown, as well as the various other corporate outlets which help us feel more at home. Nothing is more bizarre then walking through the sand whipped rows of tents, with blackhawk helicopters buzzing above, and entering an air conditioned coffee house with jazz music and frappaccinos. Sometimes I feel like I am the only one working, but that is because my job is particularly useful and demanding. Some lieutenants actually complain about having too much time to sleep and watch movies! I am now well versed in the art of biting my lip.

Excitement and nervousness creep throughout the barracks. What the soldiers really need is to actually GO already so that they can replace the guessing and the rumors with facts on the ground. Work has become particularly intense because we are packing up whilst conducting 24 hour operations. You go to get some spreadsheets printed up only to find out that the printer is halfway to Iraq by now. I really just need to go and get settled in already.

I wish I had more to say about Kuwait but we have been largely confined to our base. The post exchange, which acts as our 7-11, carries male interest magazines (non pornographic, all women are in bathing suits), yet they are still covered up as if they are playboys. It is an interesting collision between western and Muslim cultural demands. A particularly interesting event was the Shinedown concert, in which soldiers were crowd surfing with their weapons securely in hand (the way we were trained in case a boat flips over), while the countless third world nationals who man the stores watched with faces pushed up against the glass in intrigue and perhaps subtle disdain (or envy for that matter). Interaction with them is far too complicated to address in this short email.

All in all the past 2 weeks have been useful for acclimatizing and finalizing. The big leap is upon me. I will write to you all before I go if I have the chance. If not, you'll be hearing from me soon enough. Wish me luck!

Mark


11/17/06

All,
Normally I would send my update on a Sunday but something tells me I may be to busy to access a computer at that time so pardon my early email. Normally I would be quite nervous at this moment, contemplating the adventure that is now upon me. I have been so busy squaring away some last minute issues concerning ammunition that I have had literally no time to stop and ponder the specter of war. So now that I have a moment to gather my thoughts and write an email, I shall catch up with myself:

I am more eager then nervous. I need to see what it looks like so that I can discard the countless premonitions I have constructed in my mind and stacked on my heart over the past four years. Soon, I will have the real deal right in front of me, and my imagination will be able to take a much needed leave of absence. Because I will have eyes on the ground, you too will have a new perspective on this war. With the exception of my good friend Matt (sorry bro, no BIAP- straight to my AO), you all have had to rely on television images and editorials to paint a picture of this conflict. Now, you will have me as an embedded correspondent, so I hope you aren't sick of my emails yet because they will start flowing with much more detail. Of course, I will need to be selectively vague for operational security reasons, but hopefully I will be able to contribute to everyone's collective view of Iraq.

As for Kuwait, I am beyond ready to get out of here. Sure, I'll miss not having to worry about mortar attacks, but at least I will feel like I am somewhere. When I was at the National Training Center in California, I knew I was in California. Here, I feel more like an unfortunate tenet of some forgotten moon base rather than a military outpost on earth. The skies are emotionless and drab, with the only variation being the velocity of the sand hitting your face. At least where I am going will have geography so that I can get my bearings! But enough about Kuwait.

For all my family and friends who wish to send me care packages, I promise to get you all a mail address ASAP. There is about a 2 week delay from the moment it is picked up by the mail to when it reaches my hand, so don't plan on sending any baked goods. Not sure what I'll want, but I can assure you that a variety pack of random creature comforts will always be welcomed. Anything that you wish to give directly to the Iraqis can also come to me, though I'd rather advise you on that before you put anything together. I have greatly appreciated all the myspace comments and email. It is so much easier being an American soldier in the 21st century vs the mid 20th century because I have so many ways to communicate with all of you. I am sorry if you did not receive this email first hand. I am backed up on updating my email roster and will do so as soon as I have more time at the computer.

With all that said, wish me luck and I will contact you all as soon as I can. Take care and keep sending your love. It is keeping this soldier going!

Mark

P.S. 365 days and a wake up!


11/19/06

All,
I have safely touched down in Iraq and am ready to give you my initial estimations of the country. I will call these my 'initial estimations' because that is the title of the first chapter of Sun Tzu's The Art of War in which a soldier is supposed to measure his environment, the enemy, and his own strengths and weaknesses. Well, haven't had much contact with the enemy, but I will tell you of the environment. To begin with, close your eyes and imagine what you think Iraq looks like. Does it include green hills and full, leafy trees? How about thunderstorms and rain? Well, that is what I am surrounded by. After a long day of waiting, we boarded the same type of plane that I jumped out of at airborne school and flew in the dead of night to the Forward Operating Base. Let me just tell you that the procedure for landing the plane required so much evasive flying that at one point I was floating in my seat, feeling like the plane was doing barrel rolls. Once we exited the plane, the History Channel was there filming our exit. Actually, they have been with us for months but they chose to visit our group at that particular time. About five guys vomited during the landing, which isn't that bad until you consider that the plane was so crowded I literally couldn't touch my knee with either hand nor turn my head from left to right. It was designed for about 64 soldiers, soldiers not wearing layers of body armor, ammunition, and assault packs. We were literally laying on top of each other at times. I got some great pics which I'll send home later. Like zombies, we were led through the darkness to our assembly area where we linked up with the advanced party who took us to our temporary quarters. Two mortar rounds could be heard erupting in the distance, but it did not feel close and I didn't particularly care.

This morning consisted of a much needed breakfast (by the way, the food here is amazing, there is no way I am not going to come back fat), followed by a LONG training brief, and then another great meal. My gunner took me around the base and introduced me to all the Turkish and Kurdish merchants who inhabit our base, showing me all the things I could buy (if I feel like burning cash, which many of us have and will). Now, I am writing this update email, so my update ends about here.

In terms of the overall nature of our area of operations, it is too soon to tell. What I can say is that the men are motivated and eager to get to work. I am glad we are where we are as it is infinitely more interesting than Kuwait. As events unfold I shall forward them to you. In the meantime, I have a mailing address which shouldn't change any time soon:
2LT Daily, Mark
4BCT - 1CAV - F CO/2-7 CAV
FOB MAREZ
APO AE 09334

I will try to email you all as much as possible. Just know that I am being as safe as possible and having the time of my life. Love you all!

Mark


11/24/06

All,
Hope everyone had a great thanksgiving! Aside from some technical difficulties, the day was enjoyable for me, complete with a huge thanksgiving feast beyond what you'd expect from the Army. In the evening, the Morale Welfare Recreation department put on a "party" of sorts which involved loud music, cheesy games, and absolutely no alcohol. However, the mix of US service members and Iraqi interpreters and volunteers made for a fascinating scene. One particular display that stuck in my mind was a game of musical chairs which involved US and Iraqi soldiers. With typical club style rap music blasting in the background, these men circled the chairs, occasionally 'bumping' or 'holding' the other guy back trying to thwart any attempt to grab a chair when the music stopped. Of course, when the music did stop, it always became tackle musical chairs, but everyone remained good natured about it. The most interesting interplay was when there was only one chair left and the two remaining players were US and Iraqi. They circled the chair like sharks, staring at the handle waiting for the music to stop. Then, the Iraq decided to add his own rule which allowed him to actually pick up the chair and have it circle him, ensuring that the seat was always facing his direction. At first, the US soldier tried to wrestle it from his hand, but the Iraqi persisted. Unable to get the Iraqi to adhere to the rule, the service member stepped away from the chair, waved his hand as if to say "whatever, I don't care anymore" and grabbed his own chair and sat down. The music stopped and the Iraqi sat down as well. It was all very amusing, but being bored, I allowed myself to over analyze the game's outcome, and found a hint of symbolism in the whole thing. The Iraqi was eager to play, but didn't want to adhere to the American's rules. The American was patient at first, tried to adjust to his unconventional approach, but eventually agreed to disagree and found his own chair, leaving the Iraqi to his. This may be a stretch, but perhaps it was a microcosm of our current and future relations with this country. We are striving to get them to play by our rules, while learning to cope with their own agenda, but ultimately we may just need to go our separate ways and return to our "own" chair. I don't know, I was really bored and I let my mind put that together. Sorry if that is the most ridiculous thing you have ever heard.

Anyway, thanks to everyone for wishing me well this thanksgiving. If you are interested in sending a care package, and i know you are, then please email my parents at *****@*****.*** and they'll tell you how to do it : )

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Love,
Mark

MOSUL, IRAQ


12/02/06

All,
Because the recent meeting in Jordan between the Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki and President Bush produced a surprising call for a possible troop withdrawal as soon as June of 07, I thought I'd weigh in on the matter.

The key player in this international drama is the Iranian cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Essentially the forward commander for the Iranian push into Iraq, al-Sadr commands the largest militia in Iraq (the Mahdi Army) and a sizable portion of Baghdad, as well as close to 70 percent of the seats in the Iraqi parliament. Spawned from Iran, he has consistently pushed for a complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, as well as the establishment (or perhaps extension) of an Iranian style regime in Iraq. Maliki, who personally commands no militia powerful enough to counter the Mahdi Army, must choose between the American led coalition or Sadr. This is a tough bind to be in, for an eventual withdrawal of U.S. troops is inevitable (with the exception of a small garrision in the outskirts of the city), making it political suicide to openly defy Sadr in hopes that the U.S. will stick around to protect him. Additionally, the majority of his political legitimacy is derived from the Sadr bloc, making him reliant on their support and thus bound to their political whims. Previously, this has led him to discourage U.S. attempts to disband the Mahdi Army and expel Sadr, placing him at odds with his U.S. backers. Now, at the urging (command) of Sadr, he is claiming that he will be able to secure his country in a mere seven months. The question is: with whose Army? If U.S. forces leave Baghdad, the Mahdi Army will certainly fill the void. If Baghdad is controlled by Sadr's military, than the Maliki government will become but a figurehead. If Iran's cleric/general is allowed to control Iraq's capital, then Iran will successfully be able to partition (overtly or covertly) everything East of Baghdad, a resounding victory for the fundamentalist state.

The Bush Administration has publicly declared on more than one occasion that they will withdraw troops when the Iraqis are ready. The Iraqi's elected representative, Maliki, is claiming that the time is upon them. Even if the President can extend that deadline a couple of months, the end state will ultimately be a lighter U.S. footprint, maybe too light to keep Iran out of Baghdad.

That is, unless the U.S. pushes for one more final attack on Sadr City and his Mahdi Army. Like other urban assaults the past 3 years, this will be bloody and chaotic. Sadr will be killed, captured, or expelled, and his Mahdi Army will slither back behind the unaligned Iraqis. No one knows if this confrontation will happen or not, but to not send a clear message to Sadr would be a tactical and ultimately a moral defeat. The question is, if we do attack Sadr and his Army, that defacto expeditionary force from Tehran, will that be the final shot...or the opening volley?

Thanks for reading my musings. Sorry for the typos. Not enough time at the internet center to proof read!

Mark


12/06/06

All,
Hey everybody. Just wanted to check in with all of you and let you know that I am doing well and still enjoying every day of this deployment. I spent the last hour conversing with some local national interpreters about the Iraqi soccer game (Iraq is up by 4, going to win for sure) and the future of Iraq. Missions have been exciting and I can honestly say that I have learned more about the region and the war in the past month then my entire tour of duty in college. Everyday reaffirms my decision to pursue this deployment, as it has been nothing but a positive experience thus far. This simply cannot be replicated. I've been trying to write a couple of articles here and there about what is happening around me and how it relates to the bigger political picture for Iraq as well as our own country but it is very difficult without a computer (and I have very little time!) But I'll try to pump words out as time permits. Matt - glad to hear you made it back home safe and I would say that I am jealous but I have to earn my return as you have. As my ammo NCO says, do the time, dont let the time do you. With that said, hope all is well and you'll hear from me soon.

Love,
Mark


12/16/06

All,
I think it has been a while since my last update so here is a reader's digest version of the past week or so...
I have been incredibly busy conducting missions on and off the base, with every mission being more exciting and memorable than the last. For instance, the other day I had dinner at an Iraqi Army base with a group of Iraqi and American officers to include hot Arabic tea and traditional Kurdish food. Afterwards, we climbed the stairs of the building until the walls and roof gave way to smoldering bricks and the expanse of Mosul. Once we were on the roof, which used to be the second to last floor, we smoked cigars and discussed the area while the Iraqi soldiers grounded their AK 47s, lit fires, and began the process of consuming their cigarettes.
Day to day sights include BMW dealerships with piles of trash in the center, upon which stray cows, donkeys and dogs feast around the clock. The Iraqi children always run to the sides of the streets to jump and wave as we drive by, whereas the adults feign disinterest or throw subtle glares of dissatisfaction, seasoned with curiosity. On one mission, we visited an abandoned Iraqi mountain post from which the snow peaked mountains of Turkey can be seen (on a clear day). Nestled in the side of the mountain is an old Christian church, which could easily be mistaken as a Buddhist monastery.
As for me, I have finally settled into my room and have initiated the process of making it feel like home, which is no easy task out here. On that note, thanks to everyone for the care packages! Not to be greedy but keep them coming! They are a huge morale booster and force multiplier for my troops and I (yes, I do share).
Currently, USO has brought a cluster of VIPs from the states to entertain us, including various country singers, dallas cowboy cheerleaders (which I am soundly ignoring honey) and, last but not least, Al Franken! Surreal is a good word to describe this evening.
All in all I am doing quite well. I have made a ton of new friends, both American and Iraqi, and am settled into a good routine. Time seems to fly most of the time but homesickness is definitely setting in.
And last but not least, I am so freaking excited that my Sister and Ryan are engaged! I have yet to call and congratulate either of them (I think there may be a time difference between Iraq and US...) but will call ASAP. I'll save all of my excitement and good wishes for when I get to talk to both of you.

Well, with all that said, I must sign off now. Hope everyone is planning on seeing family this holiday season. Personally, I will be on top of a huge mountain, probably shooting tracer rounds into the sky for celebration. Watch out Santa!!!

Mark


12/19/06

All,
Nothing all that new from the last update with the exception of something that happened about an hour ago. So I was getting my haircut by a local national in a shop called "Pop Omar's," when I encountered one of the strangest innovations in the haircutting industry. After all my hair was cut, he pulled out some tongs and picked up a rather larger cotton swab with it and dipped it in a bowl of rubbing alcohol. At this point I am thinking that he is going to use it to maybe rub on my head or temples to close the pores. Well, when he pulled out a lighter and lit the thing on fire, my only guess was that he was sanitizing the tongs. Not quite. He proceeded to rub, I repeat, rub the fire over my ears, pulling it away right before it would really hurt, only to bring it back to my ears. You can imagine me staring straight into my own eyes in the mirror, silently trying to convince myself that this was normal. When it finally ended, I got up, paid and walked out, half expecting to hear an eruption of laughter from the barber shop. It turns out, they do that to all their customers to remove all of the tiny hairs which exist in and around the ear. Had no idea that this was a necessity, and my ears still feel slightly cooked, but I must admit, I kind of liked it. Wonder if I'll be able to convince the barbers back in the US to do it...

Well, that's all I have to report as of now. I am currently writing a short piece about how disappointing it is that the political leadership back in the states is talking so candidly and enthusiastically about defeat and retreat. Shouldn't we lose some military engagements with the insurgents first? Guess not.

Mark


12/24/06

All,
Happy Holidays from Mosul! I hope that you are all enjoying yourselves this holiday season. Just wanted to let you all know that even though I am away from my family and away from home, I am still enjoying every minute of this deployment. The key has been to embrace the moments that are radically different from anything I would do in the states. For example, before this deployment I had never smoked a stale Cuban cigar from Kurdistan on Christmas eve. And it was quite surreal to walk through a shopping mall in the progressive city of Dahok with a sidearm, passing the animatronic Santa Claus dolls barking "Merry Christmas!" in Kurdish. So, I guess it is all about appreciating that which people back home would never believe, and constantly reminding myself that this will all be over in 10 months so I'd better enjoy it while it lasts. I know that seems like a strange way to deal with war, but there is so much more to this conflict then IEDs and long hours. I hope to share it all with you when I get home.

Until then, just know that I am doing great. All the care packages have been a huge morale booster, and the big joke in my company is that if I didn't get mail, then the mail must not have come. Enjoy your families everyone and I'll enjoy my family away from home here as well.

Much love and seasons greetings!
Mark


12/31/06

Happy New Years! You all still have about 19 hours to go but I can tell you that 2007 is looking good so far. As for me, I have some exciting news. There have been some changes and I am taking on a new platoon with a more 'interesting' mission. I'll have to leave it at that but needless to say I will be right in my element. And don't worry, it is not more dangerous then my last platoon, it just has a better focus. More to follow...

As for updates from Iraq: we are still working to build the Iraqi Army and Police so that we can transfer full authority to the Iraqi authorities. Due to Saddam's execution they have restricted the number of patrols so as not to appear insensitive to an event that by and large has been celebrated by the Iraqis. I wish I was in the Kurdish city of Dahok when his execution was announced, as I am sure the parties were wild. Not to far from where I am stationed is the city of Halabja, which was marked for exctinction by the Ba'ath party after an assassination attempt by a Kurdish rebel back in the late 80s. The town was gassed and the survivors were rounded up and executed. The only ones who survived were those who fled to the Kurdish mountains, where the Kurdish Pershmerga have defended their people from the Turks, Syrians, and Iraqis for decades, giving birth to the Kurdish proverb: "The Kurds have no friends but the mountains." Well, they view Americans as friends, and when we go into their cities, our gunners can sit down in their vehicles and we can take off our body armor. I forget if I have told this story but I'll tell it again nonetheless. I was having a conversation with a Kurdish man in the city in Dahok (by myself and completely safe), discussing whether or not the insurgents could be viewed as "freedom fighters" or "misguided anti-capitalists." Shaking his head as I attempted to articulate what can only be described as pathetic apologetics, he cut me off and said "the difference between insurgents and American soldiers is that they get paid to take life- to murder, and you get paid to save lives." He looked at me in such a way that made me feel like he was looking through me, into all of the moral insecurity that living in a free nation will instill in you. He "oversimplified" the issue, or at least that is what college professors would accuse him of doing. He, an Iraqi Kurd who lived under Saddam, subtely begged for me not to leave his city, or to at least promise to return, and to never abandon the Iraqis. Another Iraqi explained that before we came, Iraq was a "prison," and that the Iraqis are having trouble adjusting to choice and responsibility the same way a person being freed after 50 years of internment would. Saddam is now dead, and that Kurdish man's assessment of our presence means more to me than all of the naysayer and make-shift humanists that monopolize our interpretation of this war.

So here we are at the beginning of a New Year. We are fast approaching that limit of advance, when our military can no longer influence the culture and values of the Iraqi people, requiring a transfer of authority and eventual pullout. So is America's next year going to be filled with pithy arguments about our legacy in Iraq and the value of our sacrifice? Are we, as Americans, going to detox this apparent "defeat" from our bodies and mind and turn our attention to the "real" national successes such as Angelina Jolie's campaign to save Africa? Well, possibly, but since we are still over here and we are forever bound to this region currently defined as Iraq, I can tell you that there are people here who still believe in our mission, and their futures can still be shaped for the better by our attitudes and efforts. Berlin was made the sister-city of Los Angeles following World War II in an effort to include it in the future of industrialized nations, and programs were created to share ideas and resources with each other. I have to join the great Christopher Hitchens in asking why no American mayors have stepped forward to offer Baghdad, or Mosul, or Dahok such diplomatic graces? I'm not sure if Irvine has a sister-city, but I am going to personally contact the mayor and ask him to extend his hand to Dahok, which has been more than hospitable to this native-son. My New Years resolution is to initiate this, and I hope that all of you, in determining your own New Years resolutions, can make room to help me with this.

Well that is enough ranting out of me. Sorry for extending what should have been a short email. Drink some champagne for us and toast our safe return. Happy New Years America- be proud of what you have done over here. We cant fix everything, but we have done more than any other nation could have. We carry a new world in our hearts, so nourish yours in this New Year.

Love,
Mark

P.S. EVERYONE GO HERE: www.theotheriraq.com


01/14/07

All,
I have moved to a new company and therefore have a new address:

Lt. Mark Daily
4BCT, 1CD (C CO, 2-7 CAV)
FOB MAREZ
APO AE 09334

All is well. More war stories then I can fit in this email. Having the time of my life!

Mark