Over 200 U.S. military members became citizens of the Republic today - here's coverage from the AP:
VP Biden celebrates July 4 with US troops in Iraq
BAGHDAD (AP) -- Vice President Joe Biden celebrated the Fourth of July with his son and other American troops in Iraq on Saturday, a day after warning Iraqi leaders that U.S. assistance will be jeopardized if the country reverts to ethnic and sectarian violence.
Biden began Independence Day by greeting more than 200 U.S. soldiers who were becoming American citizens at a naturalization ceremony in a marble domed hall at one of Saddam Hussein's palaces at Camp Victory, the U.S. military headquarters on the outskirts of Baghdad.
He then had lunch with the 261st Theater Tactical Signal Brigade from Delaware to which his son, Beau, belongs. Beau Biden stood in the back as his father greeted the troops. The vice president, who's known for his often colorful language, told the brigade about the naturalization ceremony.
"We did it in Saddam's palace," he said. "That S.O.B. is rolling over in his grave right now."
"It may sound corny," Biden told the assembled troops, "but damn I'm proud to be an American. Thanks for choosing us."
Hey, no need to apologize, Joe. You're among friends.
*****
Video highlights of the event:
*****
Update: Another slightly different version of the AP story begins with this paragraph:
BAGHDAD (AP) -- Vice President Joe Biden spent the Fourth of July with his son and other American troops in Iraq on Saturday, while the Iraqi government spokesman publicly rejected the American's offer to help with national reconciliation, saying it's an internal affair.
Ride along with the first Special Forces team to enter Afghanistan in November, 2001. The words are Stanton's, the voice and formatting are mine - the pictures and video were found all over the web and in most cases serve only as a reasonable facsimile, and not images of the actual individuals involved. Hopefully altogether they convey some of the sense of what it's like to fly a few hundred feet above the ground in a combat zone.
A militarywide recall has been issued for Dairyshake powders found in Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs) and Unitized Group Rations-Express (UGR-Es).
Plainview Milk Products Cooperative in Minnesota issued the voluntary recall after a Food and Drug Administration inspection found salmonella contamination on some of the facility's equipment, according to an FDA news release dated June 29. Plainview sells its products to distributors and manufacturers who may then use them in their own products, and not to the general public, according to the release.
The dairy cooperative might have shipped nonfat dry milk, fruit stabilizers, whey protein, and gum products contaminated with the bacteria between June 2007 and June 2009, according to the Defense Supply Center.
People should not consume the Dairyshake powder rations and should destroy any Dairyshake powders contained in the meals.
The products affected by the recall are the vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and strawberry-banana flavors of the Dairyshake powder.
"The remainder of the MRE/UGR-E menu is consumable and should not be discarded/destroyed," a DSC news release said.
No illnesses have been reported from consuming the powder, and an investigation to determine the source of the contamination continues, the FDA said.
On Monday, July 20, join NBC News for a groundbreaking television event when it sets forth on an international hunt for an accused terrorist with "The Wanted" at 10 PM ET.
"The Wanted" brings together an elite team with backgrounds in intelligence, unconventional warfare and investigative journalism. The show focuses on real operators, in search of real targets -- all in an effort to see individuals brought to justice.
"We hope this program sheds light on an overlooked story," said David Corvo, executive producer at NBC News. "It is surprising how many people with serious accusations against them are living openly and avoiding any sort of judicial process." <...> "'The Wanted' is about seeking justice for the many victims of terrorism and atrocity around the world," said Crane. "It will start a national conversation, an important dialog about war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and international terrorism, as well as the indifference and political cynicism that hampers international criminal law and the quest for justice. 'The Wanted' drives home the point that the rule of law is more powerful than the rule of the gun."
I've added multiple updates with quotes from news reports as they become available to the original story below. As you read, bear in mind that first reports are always wrong. Rumors and scuttlebutt are frequently passed on as news - they may or may not turn out to be completely (rare) or partly (often) true. I'll add only that a soldier can't just accidentally wander off a military installation in Afghanistan or Iraq. In fact, one shouldn't be able to exit without authorization for a specific mission. Determination or duress could overcome that obstacle. But any speculation as to how one apparently did get "outside the wire" in this case is just that - purely speculation at this point. I can confirm only that a soldier is missing, his family has been notified, and a massive manhunt is underway. Please keep that soldier and his family in your thoughts and prayers this weekend.
Need some help spreading the word on this. Below is a bit of info on the Gun Blogger Rendezvous IV, which is kinda like the milblogcon, but with gun bloggers. I went to GBR II, and spoke for a few minutes about valour-it, and the various bloggers all held a raffle and raised close to $2100 for valour-it. Last year they decided to make valour-it their dedicated charity, and raised over $2k again, both times from their own pockets. (When I was there, they numbered less that 25 bloggers.) This year GBR IV, and they are trying to do an internet raffle.
On a more personal note, I met Joe and Barb Huffman while I was there. Their nephew was at WRAMC while I was there, and it was the second time I'd met them, Their nephew, unfortunately, did not make it. Joe writes the View from North Central Idaho, and is a must read for 2A information and constitutional rights in general.
Hello from Camp Victory just outside of Baghdad. I landed about an hour ago on Vice President Biden's C-17 for what will be the most extensive visit to Iraq by a president or vice president since the war began in 2003.
Before we landed Biden called a few of us traveling with him into his aluminum sided airstream trailer strapped to the floor of the C-17.
"This is the moment," he told us, "we have to make sure the Iraqis don't take their eyes off the ultimate prize."
He then explained the latest job President Obama has given him. A few weeks ago he was talking to the president about the challenges Iraq would face after US troops began to withdraw from Iraqi cities on June 30th and what the US needed to do about it. The president got right the point, Biden said, "Quote: Joe, go do it."
Do what exactly?
"Help the Iraqis resolve what they have to resolve."
"He was greeted upon landing by Gen. Ray Odierno, commanding general of Multi-National Forces in Iraq" - Chris Hill (U.S. Ambassador to Iraq) does not appear in this story.
CNN: "Soldier's family has been informed". (I've heard this from sources in Afghanistan, too.)
I'm adding quotes from news reports as they become available below. As you read, bear in mind that first reports are always wrong. Rumors and scuttlebutt are frequently passed on as news - they may or may not turn out to be completely (rare) or partly (often) true. I'll add only that a soldier can't just accidentally wander off a military installation in Afghanistan or Iraq. In fact, one shouldn't be able to exit without authorization for a specific mission. Determination or duress could overcome that obstacle. But any speculation as to how one apparently did get "outside the wire" in this case is just that - purely speculation at this point. I can confirm only that a soldier is missing, his family has been notified, and a massive manhunt is underway. Please keep that soldier and his family in your thoughts and prayers this weekend.
KABUL -- Insurgents have captured an American soldier in eastern Afghanistan, the US military said Thursday.
Spokeswoman Capt. Elizabeth Mathias said the soldier went missing Tuesday.
"We are using all of our resources to find him and provide for his safe return," Mathias said.
Mathias did not provide details on the soldier, the location where he was captured or the circumstances.
Here's the U.S. Forces Afghanistan statement (via their Facebook page):
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 2, 2009
Release Number 20090207-01
KABUL, Afghanistan - A U.S. Soldier, who has been missing since June 30th from his assigned unit, is now believed to have been captured by militant forces. We are exhausting all available resources to ascertain his whereabouts and provide for his safe return.
We are not providing any further details at this time in order to protect the welfare of the Soldier.
I was in Iraq for a similar event - the rescue effort was unprecedented in intensity and number of people involved. I expect the same is happening in Afghanistan now.
(CBS) A Taliban commander told CBS News' Sami Yousafzai Thursday that militants had captured one U.S. soldier and three Afghan nationals in Paktika province, near the Pakistani border. <...> The Taliban commander, who spoke to Yousafzai via satellite telephone from the region, said a group of militants cornered the American soldier and his Afghan counterparts near a U.S. military base and took them hostage.
He said the captives' fate would be decided by Taliban leaders, but that the Islamic extremist group "would not mind an exchange of prisoners in this case."
The BBC and other British news sources are reporting "The US has just begun a major operation against the Taliban in the southern Helmand province, but the captured soldier was not involved in this."
Military officials in Afghanistan, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the situation, said the missing soldier appears to have walked off his base into an unsecured area.
A U.S. official in Afghanistan said the soldier's absence was discovered when he did not show up for morning formation. It is highly unusual for a U.S. soldier to leave a military base unaccompanied by other American troops. <...> "Our leaders have not decided on the fate of this soldier." the AFP quoted the Haqqani commander, identified only as Bahram, as saying. "They will decide on his fate and soon we will present video tapes of the coalition soldier and our demand to media."
While the AFP report quoted the Haqqani commander as saying that the soldier was captured with three Afghan "guards," the U.S. official said the Afghanis who reportedly were seized do not appear to have been soldiers.
From Afghanistan, Vampire 6: "we are
conducting operations in an attempt to locate the missing soldier."
U.S. forces from the region have been diverted to the area where the soldier went missing. The region borders the South Waziristan tribal areas , where the Pakistani military has launched an offensive to capture top Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud.
Maj. Jose Aymat, the executive officer at Camp Clark, said reports from Paktika indicate that the soldier was captured by two individuals in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. He said battalions deployed across eastern Afghanistan have each committed one or two platoons to join the search effort and they have cordoned off the area where they think the soldier is being held.
"All the roads (in and out of the area) are pretty much under the control of U.S. forces and the ANA (Afghan National Army)," Aymat said. "All activities in the region other than force protection have ceased because the effort now is to find our soldier."
Information heard over radio communciations indicate that the Taliban is considering whether to negotiate a deal or ransom in exchange for the soldier's release, Aymat said.
At Clark, there was a sense of frustration at the situation created by the soldier's capture. Troops wondered not only why a soldier would take such a risk, if his disappearance happened as reported, but also whether he'd indicated to his fellow soldiers his plans. Many questioned why the soldier's leadership was not aware that he was in distress.
Other soldiers said they were concerned that the concerted effort to find the soldier was putting so many forces at risk, while leaving other areas with less forces to carry out their own missions. Several missions were canceled because so much air power was diverted to Paktika.
More from Bill Roggio: "Late last year, the Haqqani Network kidnapped a reporter for the New York Times and brought him to North Waziristan in Pakistan. The reporter escaped from the compound last month."
Once again, the words are Stanton's, the voice and formatting are mine - the pictures and video were found all over the web (and in most cases serve only as a reasonable facsimile, and not images of the actual individuals involved). I hope you enjoy the end result as much as I enjoyed putting it together.
Some of you may have noticed I didn't post my own thoughts on yesterday's elections. My reason is simple: it wasn't my day. I watched through tearing eyes. Yes, this old trooper shed a few tears of joy at what had happened. Like the amazing fall of the Berlin wall, the peaceful "revolutions" that freed Eastern Europe, this was another great victory in my lifetime, and one I felt a little bit involved in. This wasn't George Bush's victory, this wasn't America's victory, this certainly wasn't my victory, this was a victory for the people of Iraq and those who love freedom everywhere. I was an observer, a very close observer, but an observer nonetheless.
I liked what I saw.
Now note the header above. The work has just begun. I see bent and broken, scarred and ruined things here every day. Many were damaged years ago. 1991? 2003? In between? After? It's often hard to tell. Many will be fixed in time, others are beyond repair. Now substitute the word "people" for "things" in the preceding and read it again. Meet a group of Iraqi people and one will tell you how grateful he is that we have given him freedom. He will tell you he lived in fear for his life every day under Saddam. His joy is real, and fundamental, and obvious. Then the next will tell you he lost his entire family in the invasion. He's glad Saddam's gone, but he's paid a price that few would be willing to pay were they given the option.
What would you say to him? "Sorry about that. But cheer up, old boy! Other than that you must admit this freedom thing is pretty great, eh?" No - there's nothing that can be said. He may or may not hate the United States, he may blame Saddam for what happened, but here is a man with the rest of his life before him, and he'll live each day without his family.
The greater good, of course, is served. Many Americans died in this endeavor too; such things temper the celebration. I think Iraqi blogger Alaa offers the right perspective:
My condolences to the Great American people for the tragic recent losses of soldiers. The blood of Iraqis and Americans is being shed on the soil of Mesopotamia; a baptism with blood. A baptism of a lasting friendship and alliance, for many years to come, through thick and thin, we shall never forget the brave soldiers fallen while defending our freedom and future.
So amidst the triumph, I saw yesterday as a Memorial Day, of a sort, for those many who fell to make it possible. Some might try and use those deaths for their own ends, or to justify their belief that we should never have walked this path. Such people don't believe in heroes. They can't even comprehend this simple fact; no one is more opposed to war than the soldier. He knows the cost and has seen the carnage. But as I wrote at the top of the sidebar long ago: The Mudville Gazette is the on-line voice of an American warrior, who prefers to see peaceful change render force of arms unnecessary. Until that day he stands fast with those who struggle for freedom, strike for reason, and pray for a better tomorrow.
Today we re-build broken things. Grab a hammer or get out of the way.
ABC's Martha Raddatz has been filing an awe-inspiring series of reports on LTC Col Tim Karcher. This is from her latest:
LTC Karcher was riding in an MRAP just before noon on Sunday, June 28th. The MRAP is considered the Army's heaviest and safest personnel carrier. But the multiple and powerful EFPs (explosively formed penetrator), those Iranian made shaped charge that penetrate metal, struck the door near where Karcher was seated. His legs were gone. Normally a medevac helicopter would be called, but the soldiers were socked in by a dust storm, and nothing was flying.
I keep looking at the pictures I took of Lt. Colonel Tim Karcher a few months ago in Sadr City, Iraq. Even though we are walking through alleyways of raw sewage and rotting vegetables, Karcher has a soft smile on his face in every shot. In the interview we did he is optimistic, but realistic about Iraq's future. No spin.
Now this big bear of a man is lying in a hospital bed fighting for his life, both his legs blown off above the knees. It breaks my heart, and judging from the tons of emails I have received from soldiers, reporters and others who knew him, many feel the same. LTC Karcher was on his 3rd deployment to Iraq. He felt a profound responsibility to his soldiers, and two years ago despite a gunshot wound to his shoulder that ripped out much of his deltoid muscle, he fought hard to get back to the point where he could return to his soldiers. He said he felt guilty if they were in the fight and he was not. He also profoundly loves his family -- his wife and daughters aged 14, 12 and 9.
July 3rd update: "Today, for the first time since he was transported from Iraq to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, Lt. Colonel Tim Karcher woke up." He'll soon transfer to Walter Reed.
While serving in Afghanistan with the U.S. Army Reserve, Leon Batie Jr. dodged roadside bombs and scrambled to safety when rockets pierced the night sky.
When he returned to Dallas in early 2006, another battle loomed. Batie learned he was being stripped of the two Subway restaurants he bought before mobilizing.
The stores were sold to Subway insiders, with one transaction yielding a Subway executive a $100,000 profit, according to a lawsuit. One issue in the case is set for trial this week.
The suit, which alleges violations of the U.S. Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, seeks more than $6 million from the Subway affiliate that controls leases.
<...>
Larry Fowler, an attorney for Subway Real Estate Corp., the main defendant, said, "Corporate policy is not to comment on pending litigation." The company has filed a motion to dismiss the suit.
An employee with the Subway area developer in Dallas and a spokesman at the chain's headquarters in Milford declined to comment.
I've read this three times and it still says the same thing:
"There will be difficult days ahead," Obama said. "We see that already in the senseless bombing in Kirkuk earlier today. And there are those who will test Iraqi security forces and the resolve of the Iraqi people through more sectarian bombings. ... But I'm confident that those forces will fail."
There are those who will test Iraqi security forces, but I'm confident those forces will fail? Maybe the speechwriter is disoriented or something... I hear that's been going around there lately.
The news in a moment, but first, to properly set the stage - a quick flashback to April, 2007. "The surge" had been announced, the Senate had unanimously confirmed General Dave Petraeus as Commander, Multi-National Force - Iraq. Just two of the surge brigades were actually operating in Iraq, the others were in transit or still stateside. Then-Senator Joe Biden declared the effort a failure, claimed "no one" in the Army agreed with Petraeus that violence could be reduced, and proposed destroying the Iraqi Constitution and rebuilding their government in a manner more to his liking. Here's all that in a three minute video:
The full version can be found through this link. (Biden looks even worse in the finer details to those who know what was going on at the time. For instance, his claims of increased violence in "the belts" around Baghdad were likely made in full knowledge that those locations were where the remaining surge brigades were to be deployed.)
As the U.S. military met its deadline to withdraw from Iraqi cities, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said President Obama asked his No. 2 to work with Gen. Ray Odierno, the top commander in Iraq, and Ambassador Christopher Hill on mending fences in Iraq. <...> But his call for a partition of Iraq angered Iraqi leaders a few years ago. <...> In a May 2006 New York Times column, he and former Council on Foreign Relations president Leslie Gelb argued that Iraq could follow the Bosnia model by being divided into "ethnic federations."
If that doesn't get your blood pressure up - here's an even more egregious example of bad behavior by Obama's number two. This time in September, 2007, when in the immediate aftermath of General Petraeus' "progress report" to Congress, Biden went to Iraq. While there, he addressed a group of leaders of the Anbar Awakening movement, and told them that if the Iraqi Government didn't support them, we wouldn't either.
[West] describes a September, 2007 meeting in Anbar Province, hosted by the governor and presided over by Iraq's deputy prime minister. By that time the Awakening movement had turned the tide of the war in Anbar, and economic recovery and rebuilding were next on the agenda for what had been the deadliest quarter of Iraq. But while the purpose of the meeting was economic planning, West says "the real guest of honor was Sheik Sattar" - the Iraqi leader of the movement.
But someone else was in town, too - and he wanted to send the Sheiks a message on behalf of the American people: "Not good enough".
Senator Joseph Biden, who visited Iraq frequently, then took the podium to issue a blunt warning. "The American people can't want peace more than the Iraqi people", he said. "It's encouraging to see central government assisting you in Anbar. In America we are waiting to see how extensive that cooperation will be. If it is [extensive], you can count on America to stay. If it is not, you can say goodbye now."
After the meeting, the sheiks mingled, nibbling on chicken and pita bread. Several were puzzled by Biden's lecture. They had expected to be congratulated for having thrown out al Qaeda. When I chatted with [Iraq's] Deputy Prime Minister Salh, he was annoyed. "It took your country thirteen years," he said, "to get a constitution and a set of laws. Why are you talking defeatist?"
Bear in mind that it wasn't, strictly speaking, up to the Shieks at all if the Iraqi government was going to support them or not - they were just a bunch of potential insurgents trying to decide if they were going to stick with the U.S. or not. (Excerpt from Bing West's 2008 book The Strongest Tribe: War, Politics, and the Endgame in Iraq.)
Certainly the Iraqis aren't looking forward to having him back for more milk and cookies. So given the history, don't you think maybe it would be better for all parties if he did this job from that closet under the stairs that everyone told him was Dick Cheney's bomb shelter? As long as he had no communications gear (okay - maybe one of those "help I've fallen and I can't get up" things...) I'd be okay with that. Otherwise this is FUBAR.
Welcome to the Dawn Patrol, our daily roundup of information on the War on Terror and other topics - from the MilBlogs and various sources around the world. If you're a blogger, you can join the conversation. If you link to any of these stories, add a link to the Dawn Patrol too and your trackback will be added to the list. Hat Tips to the Dawn Patrol are greatly appreciated.Refresh for updates.
Support Our Troops, Read Their Stories
----------UPDATING------------------
IRAQ
Surreal -- [The Writings of a Man's Man - in Iraq]
Yesterday was quite the experience, sitting in a room surrounded by my Iraqi National Police counterparts tuned into CNN watching reports saying that there were no more US troops in any of Iraq's cities, towns and villages. We watched the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al Maliki, give a speech declaring that this is truly a great day for Iraq, National Sovereignty Day. It was hailed as VI day (Victory in Iraq) by the international media. I am pretty sure they may have their story wrong. I can look around from my Joint Security Station, and still see plenty of built up areas, factories, houses, and markets surrounding us. Thus it was quite surreal to read and watch numerous reports declaring all US forces are out of the Iraqi villages and towns and wonder exactly where I am.
Nothing New Here.... -- [Mungadai Days - in Iraq]
The June 30th deadline has no major effect on us, we're doing the same thing for the next few months as we have done for the past several months. Our role hasn't changed but every kid on the block with an MRAP is trying to muscle into our action. In order for them to roll they need the Mungadai to partner them up with our Iraqis.
A Family's Valor, a Nation's Freedom -- [WSJ]
Why would a 61-year-old civilian surgeon volunteer for Iraq?
When stories had been told, tears wept, and grief expressed, Mr. Bush asked if he could do anything. At that, Bill Krissoff spoke.
"Yes," he said. "I'm a pretty good orthopedic surgeon. When my younger son is deployed to Iraq next March, I would like to be working as a Navy medical officer, but they won't let me because I am 61 years old. Will you give me an age waiver, Mr. President?" ...
July 1, 2009 -- [S4 at War - in Iraq]
As we've been conducting our withdrawal from the cities the phrase of the month has been "holistic change in mindset," meaning we need to entirely shift the way we approach our mission. By in large my unit has been doing this since we got here. We've been doing all we can to try and return some semblance of normalcy to the area throughout our deployment. Part of that has been adjusting the way in which we interact with our Iraqi counterparts, the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi Police.
DVIDS Patrol In Abu Ghraib -- [Sour Swinger - in Iraq]
These pictures are from a patrol conducted in Abu Ghraib by my platoon. The Iraqi Army was there to assist. We run so many of these missions they all blur together. The Army has been occasionally embedding Combat Camera in our missions.
Hussein Pointed to Iranian Threat -- [Washington Post]
Saddam Hussein told an FBI interviewer before he was hanged that he allowed the world to believe he had weapons of mass destruction because he was worried about appearing weak to Iran, according to declassified accounts of the interviews released yesterday. The former Iraqi president also denounced Osama bin Laden as "a zealot" and said he had no dealings with al-Qaeda.
FBI Releas Secret Interview Notes Taken While Saddam Was In US Custody
Saddam Hussein Considered 'Security Agreement' With U.S. To Counter Threat From 'Fanatics' In Iran -- [Think Progress]
ThinkProgress relied on the Washington Post's interpretation of the recently-declassified FBI files on Saddam Hussein's interviews with the Bureau to make the claim in this post that Saddam "let the world believe he had weapons of mass destruction because he feared appearing weak to what he considered his country's real threat, Iran." However, ThinkProgress has since reviewed the actual documents, and they do not explicitly state that Saddam wanted Iran to think Iraq had WMD. A document dated June 11, 2004 states that Saddam did not want to allow U.N. weapons inspectors into Iraq because he was "concerned about Iran discovering Iraq's weaknesses." According to the document, Saddam describes those weaknesses in conventional military terms, such as specific targets in Iraq open to attack. Therefore, at best, the documents only suggest that Saddam wanted Iran to think Iraq had WMD because another fair interpretation of the "weaknesses" Saddam refers to could be the fact that Iraq did not have WMD.
And then the clouds parted and a single ray of sunshine broke through... -- [Greyhawk]
Hello from Camp Victory just outside of Baghdad. I landed about an hour ago on Vice President Biden's C-17 for what will be the most extensive visit to Iraq by a president or vice president since the war began in 2003. Before we landed Biden called a few of us traveling with him into his aluminum sided airstream trailer strapped to the floor of the C-17.
"This is the moment," he told us, "we have to make sure the Iraqis don't take their eyes off the ultimate prize."
He then explained the latest job President Obama has given him. A few weeks ago he was talking to the president about the challenges Iraq would face after US troops began to withdraw from Iraqi cities on June 30th and what the US needed to do about it. The president got right the point, Biden said, "Quote: Joe, go do it."
Do what exactly?
"Help the Iraqis resolve what they have to resolve."
Anti-US protest marks start of Biden's Iraq trip -- [AFP]
A fiery protest marked the start on Friday of US Vice President Joe Biden's visit to Iraq, with supporters of the Shiite anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr burning the Stars and Stripes.
Biden met General Ray Odierno, the top US officer in Iraq, and Christopher Hill, Washington's ambassador in Baghdad, who briefed him on the military and political situation, three days after a major US troop pullback.
VP interviewed on Iraq status -- [Politico44]
FAIR TO SAY WHITE HOUSE NOT SATISFIED WITH POLITICAL PROGRESS? "Well, look, I think the Iraqis are not satisfied."...There's a lot left on the agenda and I think all Iraqis acknowledge that."
AFGHANISTAN / PAKISTAN
Missing Soldier in Eastern Afghanistan -- [Afghanistan Shrugged - in Afghanistan]
As many of you may now know from news reports a soldier is missing in
Eastern Afghanistan. No one from Team VAMPIRE is missing and we are
conducting operations in an attempt to locate the missing soldier.
Missing Soldier Update -- [Greyhawk]
I've added multiple updates with quotes from news reports as they become available to the original story below. As you read, bear in mind that first reports are always wrong. Rumors and scuttlebutt are frequently passed on as news - they may or may not turn out to be completely (rare) or partly (often) true. I'll add only that a soldier can't just accidentally wander off a military installation in Afghanistan or Iraq. In fact, one shouldn't be able to exit without authorization for a specific mission. Determination or duress could overcome that obstacle. But any speculation as to how one apparently did get "outside the wire" in this case is just that - purely speculation at this point.
U.S. Marines Launch Major Offensive
Operation KHANJAR -- [SWJ - Brig. Gen. Larry D. Nicholson, USMC]
Our focus is now and will remain the Afghan people. We have worked closely with local Helmand government officials and many tribal and local leaders in the detailed planning of this major offensive. While the initial focus will be on security, the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) working with Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and Coalition Forces will rapidly move to introduce the initial essential aspects of governance and economic development into these newly secured areas. These efforts will be focused upon providing immediate assistance to the population, and in setting the conditions for successful elections in August. Today's operation is designed to separate and isolate the Taliban from the population who has long suffered the effects of their presence.
This large scale operation is not without risk to the many thousands of brave and dedicated Afghan and coalition troops participating.
Op Khanjar photos -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
...A U.S. Marine from 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, RCT 2nd Battalion 8th Marines Echo Co. takes up a fighting position after off loading from a helicopter during the start of Operation Khanjari on July 2, 2009 in Main Poshteh, Afghanistan.
Russia Opens Route for US to Fly Arms to Afghanistan -- [New York Times]
MOSCOW - The Russian government has agreed to allow American troops and weapons bound for Afghanistan to fly over Russian territory, providing an important new corridor for the United States military as it escalates efforts to win the
US Troops Push Further into Southern Afghanistan -- [Voice of America]
US Marines pushed further into southern Afghanistan Friday, meeting little resistance as they moved to capture villages and population centers controlled by Taliban militants. The US offensive is being led by 4,000 Marines who poured into southern Helmand province on Thursday. The operation is aimed at driving out militants and securing the area ahead of presidential elections August 20. Marine spokesman Bill Pelletier says US troops have engaged in only sporadic fighting, but he warned that could change. He said the US is focused one keeping the Taliban militants out and winning the people's trust.
US marines face a 'hell of a fight' in Helmand surge -- [Telegraph]
United States Marines storming into southern Afghanistan are facing a "hell of a fight" in some districts while others are "suspiciously" quiet,
The Uprising Changes Everything, Part III: Exposing Iranian Treachery In Afghanistan -- [Terry Galvin]
"The Iranian government has finally exposed itself as a theocratic, totalitarian regime," says Afghan student leader Mohammed Faqiri, at Herat University. That's fast becoming the mainstream view among young Afghans, says Faqiri, 23. "Iranian leaders are trying to hang onto power by killing people and destroying their free media." In Kabul, meanwhile, Tehran's malignancy has been coming under increasing fire in mainstream Afghan society, owing to the operations of the sinister cleric in the photograph, Mohammed Asif Mosehni, Tehran's ayatollah in Kabul.
U.S. Uses False Taliban Aid Charge to Pressure Iran -- [IPS]
The Barack Obama administration has given new prominence to a Bush administration charge that Iran is providing military training and assistance to the Taliban in Afghanistan, for which no evidence has ever been produced, and which has been discredited by data obtained by IPS from the Pentagon itself.
The new twist in the charge is that it is being made in the context of serious talks between NATO officials and Iran involving possible Iranian cooperation in NATO's logistical support for the war against the insurgents in Afghanistan.
Saying bye to those finishing their deployments -- [Afghanistan my Last Tour -- in Afghanistan]
We said goodbye to the four Air Force individuals in the picture. They were here for almost one year. We and some of the new Air Force personnel who recently arrived are their replacements. During the past year, their ETT team only encountered one IED. But one IED experience is too many. Apparently one of their HMMVWs rolled over the IED and then it activated when the ANA truck passed over it.
U.S. Faces Resentment in Afghan Region -- [NY Times]
The mood of the Afghan people has tipped into a popular revolt in some parts of southern Afghanistan, presenting incoming American forces with an even harder job than expected in reversing military losses to the Taliban and winning over the population.
On mentoring and the ANA -- [Flit]
..."Putting the Afghan face", not vase, on military operations, is pretty much a cliche in Afghan security force mentoring efforts at this point. The chronic lack of Afghan security personnel, for reasons which I will get to downrange, compared to the numbers of Western troops means what is on the books a go/no-go requirement of all kinetic operations has too often reduced in practice to grabbing a couple of Afghan soldiers or police at the last possible minute and throwing them on the helicopter so that it could be said in the press release that Afghan forces were involved in the operation. In 2008-09 in Kandahar Province, any time we on the ANA mentoring side heard someone talking about Afghan faces, we knew we could safely assume ANSF capacity-building, meaning the effort to bring them closer to the day when they won't need us anymore, had long ceased to be a deliverable of the operation in question.
Children Of The Taliban
The city of Peshawar is on high alert. The Taliban are closing in, regularly attacking police convoys, kidnapping diplomats, and shooting foreigners. The fighting across this volatile region has driven thousands of families from their homes and many have found shelter in Peshawar.
Correspondent Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is traveling across her fractured homeland to investigate the rising popularity More.. of a new Pakistani branch of the Taliban, now threatening the major cities, blowing up girls' schools and declaring war on the Pakistani state. ..."We saw the dead body of a policeman tied to a pole," an articulate young girl named Qainat tells the reporter quietly. "His head had been chopped off. It was hanging between his legs. There was a note saying that if anyone moved the dead body, they would share its fate."
...When the sound of mortar fire cuts the conversation short, the film crew leaves quickly, passing through the main square. Locals have renamed it "Khooni Chowk" ("bloody square") for all the public beheadings the Taliban now carry out there.
EXCLUSIVE: Taliban buying children for suicide bombers -- [Washington Post]
Pakistan's top Taliban leader, Baitullah Mehsud, is buying children as young as 7 to serve as suicide bombers in the growing spate of attacks against Pakistani, Afghan and U.S. targets, U.S. Defense Department and Pakistani officials say.
U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD
China babies 'sold for adoption' -- [BBC]
Dozens of baby girls in southern China have reportedly been taken from parents who broke family-planning laws, and then sold for adoption overseas.
Honduran Democracy Protesters Bash Obama & CNN -- [Gateway Pundit]
Thousands of Hondurans protested in support of democracy, the military and the Micheletti government this week in Honduras. The US media has been ignoring these protests.
Honduras and the Bolivarian Revolution -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
Make no mistake. Giving the military a leading role in a political drama in Honduras may be akin to giving a pyromaniac matches and can of kerosene. It can end badly. I covered Honduras for 20 years and reported extensively both on the military's egregious human rights abuses and voracious economic appetite that sucked the national coffers dry, although the troops have stayed in the barracks for more than two decades. But look at the alternatives. Zelaya was illegally attempting the same political move successfully executed by Chávez and Morales-a constitutional change that would allow him to stay in power indefinitely-always among the first actions of the Bolivarian leaders.
A 'coup' in Honduras? Nonsense. -- [Christian Science Monitor]
Don't believe the myth. The arrest of President Zelaya represents the triumph of the rule of law.
Report: U.S. to block Iran sanctions at G8 summit -- [Haaretz]
The United States is opposed to enacting a new set of financial sanctions against Iran that are due to be discussed in the G8 summit next week, diplomatic officials in New York reported Friday. -- According to officials, sanctions against Iran are expected to top the G8's agenda.
WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM
Terror from the Right -- [SPLC News]
75 plots, conspiracies and racist rampages since Oklahoma City
What follows is a detailed listing of major terrorist plots and racist rampages that have emerged from the American radical right in the years since Oklahoma City. These have included plans to bomb government buildings, banks, refineries, utilities, clinics, synagogues, mosques, memorials and bridges; to assassinate police officers, judges, politicians, civil rights figures and others; to rob banks, armored cars and other criminals; and to amass illegal machine guns, missiles, explosives and biological and chemical weapons. Each of these plots aimed to make changes in America through the use of political violence.
Decade of domestic terror documented by Center (2005) -- -- [SPLC News]
A pre-publication copy of the Intelligence Report's list was provided to the office of Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), who is the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Homeland Security. Thompson included many of the incidents compiled in the Intelligence Report into his staff's report, 10 Years After the Oklahoma City Bombing, the Department of Homeland Security Must Do More To Fight Right-Wing Domestic Terrorists, which he released on the 10th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. Signed by all of the Democratic members of the committee, Thompson's report credited the Southern Poverty Law Center for its expertise in monitoring right wing domestic terrorist groups. Thompson's report also called on the Department of Homeland Security to establish an advisory council that would include the Center.
Terrorist Watch: 23 Plots Foiled Since 9/11 -- [Heritage Foundation]
Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, 23 terrorist plots against the United States have been foiled. This report updates a November 2007 report from the Heritage Foundation that described 19 plots that had been foiled to date since 9/11. Less than two years later, the U.S. has foiled four more plots aimed at Americans. While some trials have ended in mistrial and charges against some suspects were dropped, significantly more individuals have been convicted and sentenced for their crimes.
These victories make the case for continued U.S. vigilance against terrorism around the globe. While these particular attacks have been disrupted, the threat remains.
NEFA Foundation: AQIM Threatens Attacks on France over Veil Controversy -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new communique from Al-Qaida Committee in the Islamic Maghreb threatening to carry out terrorist attacks against France in revenge for the recent decision by the French government to ban the niqab (a full body veil worn by some conservative Muslim women).
SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT
SecDef at Landstuhl -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Nice writeup of the SecDef's visit to Landstuhl with a lot of other interesting background information, so I'm posting the whole thing. Just one quibble: the person the writer calls Dr. Raymond Funk is actually Dr. Fang. And a big shout out to SFC Lawrence, who has been on staff at the MTD as long as I can remember. Good to see him mentioned here. And how cool that Secretary Gates brought two patients back to the US on his plane!
Heartfelt thanks -- [Misuchan's Milblog - in Afghanistan]
Misuchan and the Soldiers in her unit would like to send out a heartfelt thanks and appreciation for all the things that Soldiers Angels, Operation Shoebox, Adopt-a-Soldier, GI Woodshop, Stacy, Mr. Nordloff and family members of the Soldiers for helping us get through very difficult times by sending us the comforts of home. Without your wonderful caring and support, I know quite a few Soldiers who would have some pretty low morale.
Thank you so much for what you do and it will never be forgotten.
MILITARY
Sailors In A Bad Mood Over New Uniforms -- [Strategy Page]
The U.S. Navy, bowing to loud and sustained complaints, now allows sailors living off base, on their way home from work, to get out of their vehicles to perform short errands (picking up dry cleaning, groceries, day care, and so on), while wearing the new navy work uniform (shirt and pants in a gray, blue and black camouflage pattern). Prior to this, navy personnel were forbidden from leaving their vehicles while outside the base, and wearing the work uniform.
WELCOME HOME
Melbourne soldiers back from Afghanistan -- [Florida Today]
Family members and friends waved American flags and held up welcome home banners as the soldiers arrived about 10:30 am to the Melbourne Armory
Early Word: A Snafu at The Washington Post -- [NY Times]
Official Washington business may be closed for the holiday weekend, but the city is still buzzing about the news that The Washington Post made, and then had to cancel, plans to charge lobbyists and trade groups as much as $250,000 off-the-record access to "those powerful few" - a group that included the paper's top reporters and editors as well as members of President Obama's administration and Congress.
Media Swing from Protests in Iran to the Passing of the King of Pop -- [Journalism.org]
...So many Google users searched for information about the dead singer that the popular search engine mistook the interest as a potential malware attack. For a short period of time, Google users were greeted with a message that read, "We're sorry, but your query looks similar to automated requests from a computer virus or spyware application."
The popular communication site Twitter crashed, and Wikipedia experienced more than 500 edits to Jackson's profile in less than 24 hours. AOL's popular instant messenger service went down for approximately 40 minutes and the company released a statement that read, "Today was a seminal moment in Internet history. We've never seen anything like it in terms of scope or depth."
...There were other stories in the news last week. The fourth largest, at 7%, was health care reform, largely focused on negotiations in Congress over President Obama's proposals. The fifth story (also at 7%) was the U.S. economy,
The Mudville Gazette is the on-line voice of an American warrior and his wife who stands by him. They prefer to see peaceful change render force of arms unnecessary. Until that day they stand fast with those who struggle for freedom, strike for reason, and pray for a better tomorrow.
MediaMentions: This should come as no surprise, but if you need read more
Paul Melody: I was Tim's battalion commander in Germany and later his read more
mike d: i hope Biden is talking to Maliki et al about read more
Dave Thul: I'm rather curious about the three Afghan 'guards' mentioned early read more
USCitizen: Thanks for spreading the word about GBR-IV. Alan Gura has read more
Smitty: Whwere are the Afgan Soldiers that were with him...did they read more
Greyhawk: I wonder if the Obama admin is trying to get read more
Greyhawk: Mav Muse, I've heard conflicting reports on the driver story. read more
LTC John: This seems just this side of a calculated insult to read more
Grumpy: Greyhawk, *There is no criticism of you or this post read more
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