European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 17, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes monday december 17,1990 f or i Ai 5 la Jaxk t j v \ a Marine assigned to operation Sharp Edge holds a baby upon arrival in Sierra Leone As part of a Rescue Mission. An unidentified woman accompanies the Marine. A a a a Quot a a in 1 would Tike to Clear up a serious mistake in a recent letter. The writer states that the . Marines entered and conducted an evacuation of american citizens from tire country of a a Monrovia in Africa. The country is Liberia whose capital happens to be Monrovia. He also stated that the . Marines Are gone. Who am i then the marines including myself Are still Here protecting and supporting the . Embassy. R v the . Embassy the Only embassy which remained open when fighting reached the City has been the Only Means of communication Between the warring factions. With the assistance and patience of the . , cease fires have been worked out Between some of the factions \ a a a a  Quot a v a Progress is now being made by the eco Mog East african control and monitoring group peacekeeping Force to drive the combatants away from the City and reopen Freeport to shipping and the Spriggs Payne Airport to aircraft Relief agencies have now been Able to enter the country with the help of the eco Mog and also the . Marines and Navy if the writer knew All the facts on which Side would he have intervened the Apfl National patriotic front of Liberia under Charles Taylor a convicted fugitive from the United states with ties to Libya who invaded several african embassies holding Quot the diplomats hostage and hunted Down Krahn and mandingo tribesmen executing men women and children or the i Apfl Independent National patriotic front of Libe Ria under a Prince Johnson a habitually raving drunk who also butchered Krahn and mandingo tribesmen broke two cease fires and treacherously captured and slowly tortured to death president Doe and placed his mutilated Corpse on display like a trophy or perhaps the Al armed forces of Liberia formerly under president Doe who massacred several Hundred people in a Church and daily executed go and Mano tribesmen by hacking them apart with machetes furthermore All three on one or More occasions threatened the lives of american citizens including the marines protecting the embassy 1 think the Best ded Sion was made thank you for letting me get the facts straight. �?2nd it. Seth a. Weinstein operation Sharp Edge. His statement that the Murines came and went is totally untrue. We the sailors and marines of operation Sharp Edge have been at sea for Over 73 Days. Our Mission is to provide Security for the . Embassy Here As Well As to evacuate non combatant personnel . Civilians. The misconception is in my opinion largely based on the fact that this a a Small operation does not receive the credit it deserves from the press including the stars and stripes. I have not seen an article on our Mission since the initial evacuation in Early August. The marines ashore face the risk of being struck by St Ray. Bullets Here we have americans risking their lives for their country because our country told us we were needed. We have for the most part not been ashore for the entire deployment and do not enjoy desert shield bennies such As free postal service. All our supplies Are airlifted just like theirs except for u underway replenish ments. A a a v. Sure people complain every Price in a while but Overall morale is High and we Are doing our jobs. A Petty officer 2nd class . Yves phase operation Sharp Edge. I am part of a gtd 3-90 Marine air ground task Force in Liberia West Africa. We Are Here As part of operation Sharp Edge. We have been on station since aug. 21 and have eaten to Date Over 700 cases of res. We Are a 75-Man contingent Here to protect the american embassy and keep it running with water fuel and supplies and evacuate foreign nationals to Freetown Sierra Leone. The people involved in operation desert shield have had Many interesting stories written about them but  Here in Liberia Are tired of hearing about their food problem. We eat res All the time and no one is hearing us complain. They complain about losing their committed rations. Marines and sailors  constantly when they Are. Deployed. Good Luck to the marines sailors soldiers and airmen in the Gulf Region a. A sol John a Owens operation Sharp Edge i would like to respond to a letter titled a inmates get too  v first you and i Are not in America therefore american Law in no Way shape or form was broken. Second most important of All we a a criminals Are still citizens of the United states of America. You say you see a extreme double standards Quot but in order for an american  to be even considered for the German Legal system it bust involve a Cermet National and not occur during a military Mission there is a very Large Gap Between american and German judicial systems. I advise you to go to your local Legal office or Library and request a copy of the nato sofa agreement. Read it and learn because dependents can be jailed also a these people who voluntarily come and spend their valuable time with us yes 1 said valuable understand More or less what its like Here on the inside of these German prisons its not As comfortable As you seem to think breakfast 25 Grams of Jeisy or one boiled egg lunch Rice with sauce or noodles with sauce and potatoes dinner 12 slices of bread with whatever. Lunch is the Only hot meal served. Bread from dinner must be saved until morning for your Jelly. Those other luxuries you mentioned such As stereos tvs etc., i wont mention because they done to exist Here talk to the people who assist us. Find out what a really going on. Remember it could happen to you or someone you care about. Note lunch is not a Choice of these items. That is w hats served monday through sunday. A Douglas , Mannheim Germany. I m going on my third Christmas Here and have to beg to receive my so called mandatory visit from the military the american consulate refuses to come see me a a. A 1 a. A yes we have books. A very Small selection mostly dating Between 1930-1965. I be even read a Book from 189 l no jokes suppose this is also too much. To movies radios once a year if you re Lucky. Sports program is , in your cell a push  sit   example i could give you of German prisons is to lock yourself in a very Small bathroom for 23 hours but done to take a Shower. You get that once a week if you Are Good. Also done to forget there a no hot water. But again i suppose this is also top much. A Lee welliver Berlin