Dawn Patrol

Iraq

Chuck Update as of 28 June [From my position]
Thank you all, again for your kind words, encouragement, support, etc. I tell Chuck daily that all of you are out there and I think he really "feels" the power of the prayers. I know I do! In the next few days you may "hear" from Chuck. Tonight he asked me if he could dictate something to post to all of you. I told him I would when he was ready.

Ryan's column for June [Ryan and Christie'sPlace - Ryan is in Iraq]
Here's Ryan's column, as it appeared in the Chattanooga Times Free Press on June 29.
QURI CHAY, Iraq ? When Ahmed Faraj Muhammed looks at soldiers with the 278th Regiment Combat Team's 2nd Squadron, he doesn't see the faces of occupiers. Instead he is reminded of the five sons he lost at the hands of former dictator Saddam Hussein.
"The U.S. Army saved us and the village," Mr. Muhammed, 73, said through an interpreter. "The spirit of my five sons lives in these soldiers."

Grab Bag [Hurl's Blog]
Today is my last full day at my current location out in western Iraq. I expect to be moving back to al Taqqadum tomorrow. There has been a lot of flying out here - mostly escorting convoys, but also a few interventions, border recce's, and raids in a nearby town. Oh.... and the occasional casevac. Those are missions nobody wants to do....
Civilian traffic along the main East/West highway seems to be picking up - certainly heavier than a month ago.

Duke's Latest Thoughts on 3 Conversations [Broken Masterpieces]
The other day I had the privilege of having three great conversations on the same day. The first was with a Marine Corporal who had been on the front lines going house to house looking for bad guys and weapons. The next person was an Iraqi Colonel and to finish the night I talked to a female Marine who was in the back of the truck that was hit by a suicide bomber.

The Hotbox [365 and a Wake Up - in Iraq]
My soldiers spent the bulk of the morning loading our armored LMTV with supplies ? a thoroughly unpleasant mission made all the worse by the feverish sun. By time the truck was loaded the had painted their uniforms with thick, dark whorls of sweat. They took a few minutes to wring out their saturated tops and swallow long draughts of cold water and then they settled in front of our blustering air conditioner.

Last night [Phil and Becky]
Last night we sent out a company on an early-morning raid to confirm or deny reports of some bad people doing bad things.
The short version: we caught some bad people with some items that would facilitate them doing future bad things.
The boss went on this raid, which actually made for an easier night for me because...

Talk less, think more and do more. [Iraq the Model]
It's visible to everyone that debates over the war in Iraq, war on terror, invasion or occupation or whatever you may name it are at peak levels right now.
The process is being questioned, criticized and discussed more profoundly than at any time in the last two years but you know what?
That's not happening in Iraq; you can find such discussions and accusations in America but you can't find them in Iraq.

In Modern Era, Defeat Rarely Stems From the Battlefield [In Modern Era, Defeat Rarely Stems From the Battlefield]
There is great talk around the blogosphere and the MSM (thanks to Karl Rove) about the potential that we could lose the fight in Iraq. There is one conclusion that arises, and it is repeated by the Generals and soldiers they lead, and the vast majority of the American public.

History Repeats Itself in Iraq [Chaotic Synaptic Activity]
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
We invaded Iraq, and it was difficult, yet we managed to militarily subdue a nation is a very short time. The troops fought well against some dedicated opposition.

And Then You Have This [Ballon Juice]
If you ever wondered why credibility is in short supply in Washington, read this:
Republican congressman from North Carolina told CNN on Wednesday that the "evidence is clear" that Iraq was involved in the terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001.

Iraq War Takes Toll on Army Marriages [Assumption in Command - in Iraq]
The issue of strengthening and maintaining fragile military (not just Army) marriages is of utmost importance. These men and women sacrifice so much for us... be it life or limb... and the last thing they should return to is an empty home.
From my point of view as a Commander here in Iraq, I can say without doubt that yes this deployment is harming marriages of my troops. This deployment is exposing all of the weaknesses of a relationship. If there were any cracks to start before the deployment, these cracks get blown open.

Please indulge me in a rant [Far East cynic]
Definition of a Military Divorce: That is where you pay a former spouse not to live with you, for the rest of your natural life, regardless of fault, merit, remarriage, or individual circumstances. Remember this definition, there will be a quiz at the end.

The MSM Reports on Iraq (Editor's Note: Some subscriptions may be required)

Troops Put Lives On Line To Be Called Americans (USA Today)
It is the hardest way to become an American citizen: fighting for a country that is not yet yours, and in some cases dying for it.

Dangerous Incompetence (New York Times - BOB HERBERT )
The president who displayed his contempt for Iraqi militants two years ago with the taunt "bring 'em on" had to go on television Tuesday night to urge Americans not to abandon support for the war that he foolishly started but can't figure out how to win.

Our Worsening Terrorism Problem (Washington Post)
...We all hope American and Iraqi forces will contain the insurgency there, but what happens then? The answer, unfortunately, is that the terrorists go elsewhere -- as did Osama bin Laden's Afghanistan recruits.

Echoes Of Vietnam (Washington Post)
...But unless Bush rethinks his strategy, fires some people who long ago earned dismissal, examines his own assumptions (what's the point of continuing to isolate Iran and Syria when we need them both to seal Iraq's borders?) and talks turkey to the American people, he will lose everything good he set out to do, including the example Iraq could set for the rest of the Middle East. I know Iraq is not Vietnam. But Tuesday night it sure sounded like it

They Shoot Women, Don't They? (Yankton Daily Press)
...American women in Iraq are dying unnecessarily. And no, I'm not suggesting that men should die necessarily, but that women who are not supposed to be in or near combat are being placed in situations that increase the likelihood of death or injury.

The Speech

DEMOCRAT CRITIQUE OF BUSH'S SPEECH IS FALSE: Congressional Resolution HR [Astute Blogger]
RES #114 - authorizing war on Saddam - cited BOTH 9/11 and al Qaeda
Many Lefties and Democrats - like Senators Boxer and Rockefeller - have critized Bush's speech last might because it - in their opinion - incorrectly conflated 9/11 & al Qaeda with Saddam and Iraq. They further argued that Bush was cynically USING 9/11 to shore up public support for him and the war in Iraq.
What is so mind boggling to me is that both 9/11 and al Qaeda WERE IN THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION CONGRESS PASSED TO AUTHORIZE THE WAR. I quote:

After Speech [baldilocks]
From an unsigned editorial in the New York Times:President Bush told the nation last night that the war in Iraq was difficult but winnable. Only the first is clearly true. Despite buoyant cheerleading by administration officials, the military situatuation...

The MSM Reports on Bush speech (Editor's Note: Some subscriptions may be required)

Iraqis' Opinion Is Divided On Bush Speech, Promises (AP-Miami Herald)
...Iraqis on the street and the country's politicians seemed divided over Bush's refusal to provide a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops, along with his promises for a better life in this country of 26 million people.

A Subtle Shift In Goals (Washington Post)
...One of the greatest handicaps the administration still confronts is a self-imposed refusal to listen to Iraqis about doing things the Iraqi way. From trying to build a new Iraqi army on U.S. specifications and prejudices to preferring to contract with foreigners rather than employ Iraqis, U.S. officials have often made the perfect the enemy of the good.

Bush Jumps In Polls After War Speech (New York Daily News)
President Bush's instant poll numbers climbed following Tuesday night's Iraq speech, halting for now a steady slide in public support for the war.

Afghanistan

Night Stalker Down! [ROFASix]
Reports are now that the Chinook that was shot down in Afghanistan was a MH‑47.
That means it was a Night Stalker bird. Our hearts and prayers go out to the comrades and families of those superb aviator warriors of the 160th SOAR and the SOF soldiers they were transporting.

Other Parts of the World

Relax and enjoy a game of 3-D chess for oil: Unocal vs. Chevron vs. Cnooc
Quillnews urges all concerned about China?s potential take over of Unocal to take a deep breath. (IHT) We can expect some fear-monger chicken littles in DC to get whipped up and read worrying statements into the Congressional record about falling skies. (WSJ) Ignore that stuff.

The Alliance: U.S. & India Sign Major 10-Year Defense Pact [Winds of Change -Joe Katzman]
Yesterday, in my article on Bangladesh, I noted that the behaviour of its rising Islamists "is slowly forcing the US and India together over common strategic concerns."
Actually, Bangladesh is just one of many - and this week, The United States and India signed a 10-year agreement paving the way for stepped up military ties, including joint weapons production and cooperation on missile defense.

Despicable: UN Cemetery in Busan Vandalized [GI Korea Blog - in Korea]
This story is truly despicable. A group of people has vandalized the UN Cemetery in Busan:
A giant anti-U.S. President George W. Bush message apparently written in herbicide has appeared on the lawn of the UN Memorial Cemetery in Daeyeon-dong, Busan. The site is reportedly on the itinerary of visiting national leaders attending the APEC summit in November.

Military Tributes

My Own Video Montage....Made by me! [Soldiers' Angel - Holly Aho] (Editor's Note: This takes time to load but is Awesome, Thanks Holly)
I was inspired by several video tributes I've seen online, and wanted to do something similar without covering the same old ground. So I made one with a slightly different theme. I like it (and for my very first video I'm proud of it so be nice... ). I hope you enjoy it to!

Nurses Week Tribute: Grace under fire [GruntDoc]
Excellent article about Military Nurses in Iraq: NursingCenter. WE SEND OUR American patients home—sometimes on their feet, sometimes in wheelchairs or on crutches or stretchers. Some of our patients are badly disfigured, and some have horrendous

Recruiting

Letter to the EditorPUBLISHED in today's San Diego Union-Tribune: [Smash]
Regarding "The new call-up" (News, June 6):
I appreciate that every American has a right to express his or her views regarding war and military service, but I feel that Rick Jahnkow and the Project on Youth and Non-Military Opportunities are doing our local students a great disservice. For many young people, the military provides a unique opportunity to learn valuable skills and earn a decent living, not to mention the pride that comes from serving one's country.
<...>
I wrote this letter a week ago, in response to an article that cast a local counter-recruiting group in a positive light. I'm not sure why the Union-Trib waited so long to publish it.

Make Mission, Go Fishin' - and - Contact Clueless's Mom [Jack Army]
Somebody is making it. It feels good when you are rolling, it's damned stressful when you aren't. Thankfully, some recruiters out there are finding young men and women out there willing to step and and serve. Thankfully, there are recruiters out there slogging it out even though our media and part of Congress is telling Americans it's OK not to support our country and telling our enemies that they'll do what they can to help them defeat America.

The MSM Reports on Recruiting (Editor's Note: Some subscriptions may be required)

Army expects rosy recruiting numbers for June (CNN.com)
The Army is expected to exceed its active-duty recruiting goal in June after significant shortfalls in the last four months, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesday.

June recruiting goals exceeded (Army Times)
The Army has exceeded its recruiting goal for June after four months of shortfalls, Pentagon officials said Wednesday. Still, the service is far behind its annual goal of 80,000 recruits.

Army Surpasses Its June Recruiting Goals but Says Much Work Remains(Washington Post)
The Army has exceeded its monthly nationwide recruiting goals for June, stopping a four-month slide and giving recruiters hope as they try to make up a significant deficit in the remaining three months of the fiscal year.

Army Recruiting Up In June But Still Down For Year (USA Today)
The Army cut into its recruiting deficit slightly in June but still faces a daunting battle to meet its annual goal of 80,000 new enlistees.

U.S. Invades Kids' Privacy (USA Today)
...There's no excuse for violating the privacy of children. There's no governmental purpose to collecting their grades, much less their races. There's no legitimate reason to ignore the rights of parents to restrict strangers from contacting their children. There's no way to justify a wholesale database of likely targets from a pool of minors.

Gitmo, Gitmo, Gitmo

Profiles in Cowardice - A New Series [Roger Simon]
Considering the story was buried in typical NYT fashion on page 15, Senator Ron Weyden, D-Oregon, or his minions, must have been pretty panicked to insist on the following correction to the paper's "Senators Laud Treatment of Detainees in Guantanamo":

Changing Stories, Hearsay And Hyperbole At Guantanamo [Small Town Veteran]
The Moscow Times reports on a Russian muslim who was released in March from Guantanamo. Airat Vakhitov claims that prison guards put copies of the Quran in toilets, used "unspecified gas" and allowed dogs to attack inmates.
The problem is, Vakhitov was singing a different tune not too long ago.

The Remedy [BlackFive]
I knew that Durbin's comments would keep reverberating throughout the military community. For all of you that wanted to let it go, there are simply those who will not or cannot let it go. I think the storm is still...]]>

The MSM Reports (Editor's Note: Some subscriptions may be required)

Officers: Gitmo Detainees Abuse Guards (FOX News)
... After visiting Guantanamo Bay (search) over the weekend with 15 other lawmakers, Chairman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., told the hearing that Gitmo is not a "gulag ...

Republicans Praise Gitmo But Block Those Who Disagree (Capitol Hill Blue)
Republicans sing the praises of the Guantanamo prison in Cuba while blocking testimony from anyone who disagrees with their rosy view of the detainee camp that human rights advocates call a "gulag."

At hearing, Guantanamo wins praise and criticism (Boston Globe)
WASHINGTON -- US lawmakers just back from visiting the Guantanamo prison compared it to a resort, but Democrats complained of a ''whitewash" at a hearing ...

Long-Silent Detainees Talking (Washington Post)
...Several members of the committee visited the Guantanamo Bay facility last weekend, and yesterday they almost unanimously spoke favorably about what they had seen

The Media

Hardball Blogging [Swanky Conservative]
It seems as if MSNBC?s Chris Matthews is practically licking Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean?s shoes on tonight?s Hardball. He calls Howard Dean a clear voice in the wilderness, remarks on how credible he is in his opposition antiwar, etc. Matthews is completely accepting of Dean?s stances on the War on Terror, yet he is cynical and critical of President Bush. Matthews accepts without question the Democratic meme that the President is lining Sept. 11 with Iraq, nevermind the President never said so last night or in any other time; he puts the blame for a poll a few years back that said many Americans believed Iraq was behind Sept. 11, and he doesn?t see the War on Terror as including Iraq.

U.S. Army Probes Death Of Iraqi Correspondent (Philadelphia Inquirer)
The U.S. Army is investigating Friday's shooting death of a special correspondent for Knight Ridder, which owns The Inquirer.