Apr 26, 2005: The Marines speak out: "The New York Times ran an in-depth article describing the problems with armor, manpower and moral in Iraq. The sunny picture the White House has tried to paint is unfortunately obscured by the truth. Working halfway around the world with no timeline or exit strategy, many are breaking their silence to speak out about the lack of supplies and the toll on life-long soldiers."

...

"The experiences of Company E's marines, pieced together through interviews at Camp Pendleton and by phone, company records and dozens of photographs taken by the marines, show they often did just that. The unit had less than half the troops who are now doing its job in Ramadi, and resorted to making dummy marines from cardboard cutouts and camouflage shirts to place in observation posts on the highway when it ran out of men. During one of its deadliest firefights, it came up short on both vehicles and troops. Marines who were stranded at their camp tried in vain to hot-wire a dump truck to help rescue their falling brothers. That day, 10 men in the unit died."

(Via DNC: Kicking Ass.)