The Marines, who had been awoken in surprise at 1:00 am and told to grab their bags, stared at the ground and clasped their hands as they heard the president's fiery speech come in over the radio.

"I'm happy it's finally starting and going to end soon," said Corporal Sophina Burnside, 22, from Arizona, expressing a sentiment common among Combat Service Support Company 115 which has been bunkered in the northern Kuwaiti desert since January.

"I'm nervous. I don't really know what it's going to be like."

Corporal Dan McDonald, 22, from Michigan, was pumped up by Bush's speech.

"It gave me a lot of confidence the president's speech that the president and my government have the willpower to go through with this mission," McDonald said.

Sergeant Kes Anderson, 23, was also revved up.

"I'm really excited. I'm glad we're not backing down," he said.

First Sergeant Ed Eagan, 42, a 23-year Marine veteran from New York called the president's speech a good one.

Although he was nervous for his wife and three children, Eagan was ready to roll.

"It's about time," he said.

WAR.WIRE