‘WHY DIDN’T WE FINISH THE F***ING JOB?’: A SEAL, Marine & Soldier Sound Off On ISIS Capturing Ramadi

How are those who served in Ramadi reacting to the toppling of this important city? Check it out…

IJReview reached out to three veterans who served in Ramadi and asked them to share their insights regarding the toppling of the crucial Iraqi city. Here’s what they said:

1. USMC Sergeant Gabe Rangel:

“You don’t like to say that anyone died in vain. But it’s almost like what we did over there was neutralized when Ramadi was taken over by ISIS.”

2. U.S. Army Specialist Luis Deras:

“The news of Ramadi’s fall caught me by surprise. I thought the ISIL threat had been weakened and was no longer a credible threat..then the news broke on CNN.

It’s a different feeling, nothing like being a New Yorker living in New York on 9/11. But, you do feel something. Ramadi was a city in Iraq that will always bring memories. I set “boots on ground” there for the first time, interacted with the Iraqi military for the first time, saw the kindness of the Iraqi soldier, heard his stories, struggles, and hardship, and during the Arab Spring I saw the fear in his eyes.”

3. Navy SEAL Sniper Mark Matzeldelaflor:

“It’s not so much why we were there in the first place. It’s more, why didn’t we finish the f****n’ job? It was a political move and they left it unfinished. It was able to happen because we didn’t have an effective strategy and now it’s free for the taking.”

Read more: IJ Review