Here, among the Marines, the general consensus is that they are ready: Ready to “go out” or go home.

Col. Juan G. Ayala, from El Paso, Texas, is one of those soldiers. As with most of these troops, he has never been to Kuwait before and acknowledged there’s a lot to take in.

“With all that we’re doing, it’s easy to have a sensory overload,” he told Arab News.

Asked how he felt about “being ready,” Col. Ayala said he and the Marines here “are pretty much a reflection of the American society. The emotions we have are just like anyone else. There’s apprehension and a tinge of fear. The unknown makes us all uncomfortable. Our biggest fear is that we’re probably going to lose some of our own guys, which is something none of us want to think about.”

Col. Ayala said the Marines also don’t want to kill any innocent Iraqis. “Actually, we don’t want to kill any of them. That’s a fear that something might happen to some guys that are innocent. There’s an apprehension that innocent civilians might die.”

Asked what has been done to address the “collateral damage,” or civilian casualty issue, Col. Ayala explained he works on logistics and is not an expert on the issue.

“But I can tell you that our leadership here, and throughout the armed services, all go through an incredible amount of effort to train our troops not to target civilians — it’s all part of the rules of engagement.”

“If you look at the rules of engagement brief for this theater of operations, it includes protection of historic places, mosques, public buildings such as schools and hospitals — unless, of course, our lives are threatened, and/or the lives of POWs and civilians are threatened.”

Col. Ayala explained that once someone becomes a POW, the US military is bound to ensure their security, too.

“We’re responsible for their well-being. There are security plans for the humane treatment of all captives and civilians.”

First Lt. Michael Loiacono’s mother’s side of the family is Syrian, and he learned Arabic at home. Currently residing at Camp Work Horse, up north, he spoke to Arab News yesterday while on a trip down to the air base.

He says he reads Arabic better than he speaks it, and his favorite Arabic plate is baked pita bread filled with spicy meat. “You can only get that in the Old District in Dearborn, Michigan,” he said, which is where he is originally from.

Lt. Loiacono said he’s not using his Arabic here, he and his men have been busy establishing base camps, building different units to house the troops.

“My job is to look at something where there is nothing, and build it from the ground up,” he said.

Asked his feelings about the president’s speech, Lt. Loiacono said the time has come to either act or go home.

“Because the longer my troops wait around, the more time they have to think. It’s important for their morale to keep them constantly busy. Personally, there’s no better job than to lead a unit of Marines into any theatre, but we still hope for a peaceful resolution. None of my Marines want to go to a war; many of us have reservations about that part. Above all, we don’t want to take anyone else’s life, but we all understand that we have a job that we have to do; and I am more than prepared to make what is necessary happen.”

Asked if his men know enough to distinguish between Iraqis if they go in, Lt. Loiacono said: “We’ve done some very extensive training for all of our Marines in our camp, from the highest rank to the lowest rank, to learn about Iraqis. We’ve even shown them pictures of the enemy forces in uniform and the different types of vehicles they may be using. As an educated force of power and before we fire any round of ammunition, we have to take into consideration what the target is and what the mission is. My Marines would never act aggressively toward a non-aggressor.”

Lt. Loiacono said his troops are prepared for anything, including hungry Iraqis.

“We have plenty of water and MREs for the Red Cross to hopefully use when they follow us in — to take care of the humanitarian issue. But if we see someone on the roadside in need, I can honestly say that we will help them out to the best of our ability at that time.

“The Marines understand that the enemies are not local people, but the Iraqi regime. They understand that most of the people in Iraq are being held captive by that regime. We take some pride in knowing that if we go in, part of what we are going to do is to help liberate them, so that they can enjoy a better life.”

Asked how he felt if they get the order to go in, Capt. Tai Le, of Orange County, California, said: “I do my job. I don’t think about political rational because I’m not in a position that affects policy. I’m in a position that affects what we do here.”

Reflecting a moment, Capt. Le said: “It’s strange. Part of me wants to get in there and get the job done, while the other part of me is concerned about the Marines in my squadron and the Marines in Kuwait, and making sure they get home safely.”