Dawn Patrol

Iraq

Shell Shock? [Confessions of a Caffinated Zoomie - in Iraq]
OK. Yes. I will admit it. I got a bit of shell shock right now. Last night I am driving to chow with one of the new guard guys. No not the goober. Well driving down the road, nice and quite like, a little drousy.... and WHAM! I'm like.... ok, what is EOD blowing stuff up for right now anyways? It is super late at night. Then another one... BLAM! Closer to us. When the next two hit back to back about a block behind us and to the right I realize this aint EOD, its an attack. I keep driving a bit faster, next thing you know....... BAM!!

MY GENERATION [Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum - in Iraq]
The days grow hotter and longer in this, my generations war. The heat rises, without mercy, by dawn as the sun engulfs the darkness of the night it burns away my hope for manageable temperature, the heat moves in so fast it is as if the night itself retreats from it. Two days ago I rose from my dreamless sleep to venture into the morning calm, a breeze blew past me and it chilled me. For the first time in months I was cold, the gentle caress of the breeze put a smile on my face for the first time in days.

Constitution update. [Iraq the Model]
Baha' Al-'Araji, a member of the constitution drafting committee told Al-Mada paper yesterday that there are going to be 5 spots in each Iraqi province where citizens can find designated boxes where they can put their opinions and suggestion as to the process of writing the constitution.
Only Baghdad will be an exception due to its high population so there will be 5 spots in each main quarter in the capital.

Marine survives sniper shot [Live in Iraq]
CAMP HURRICANE POINT, AR RAMADI, Iraq(July 1, 2005) -- The operation had gone smoothly. The Marines who the machine gunner with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment was providing security for were loading into their vehicles, when a lone shot rang out knocking him from his vehicle turret.
A sniper bullet deflected off his helmet and impacted on the armor of his turret leaving him dazed but alive.

Saddam's palaces to be cultural centers. [Free Iraqi]
The minister of culture Mr. Nouri Al Rawi announced today that all the 170 places that Saddam built for himself will be turned into cultural centers that will be open to all Iraqis.
From Radio Nawar (Arabic link).
I've never been to any of these palaces and it was scary to even get close to them. We used to hear many unfortunate stories about people being killed just because their cars broke down near one of Saddam's palaces or

The Endgame [365 and a Wake Up]
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
- George Santayana
I was looking at the spattered dust outside my room today when it hit me. Someday our soldiers will leave this ugly, barren FOB. The high guard towers will lay empty, their glowering profile softened by unruly nests of squawking birds. The sandbags will

Communication Blackout [Courage Without Fear - in Iraq]
Well, here it is, my first time to write on Micah's blog and boy do I have something to say! I mentioned the other day that maybe I should get my own blog to write about things from the other side of deployment and I guess Micah took it to heart.
<...>
I'm not just mad about the communication blackout, I'm mad about the safety of my husband. I can't believe someone would put our soldiers in possible danger by giving out information about their mission. Its hard enough to have my husband over in Iraq and not have a clue of what he might encounter from day to day, and now I have to know that the "bad guys" might be able to find him more easily.

Interview with GySgt Furczyk & PO3 Vollmer about their conversion to Islam [DVIDS Video]
Fox news talks to Gunnery Sergeant Anetra Furczyk (hometown: Pasadena, TX) a communications system manager, 2nd Force Service Support Group and Petty Officer 3rd Class Anthony Vollmer (hometown: London, Ontario, Canada) emergency room corpsman, 2nd Forward Service Support Group. Both converted to Muslim and are now stationed in Taqaddum. They talk about their reasons for converting and challenges they face because of their religion.

Meet Dr. Germ [The Quonset Hut]
Meet ?Dr. Germ,? the woman many consider the mother of all Iraqi biological weapons. She is Rihab Taha, an unassuming British-trained scientist who has been identified by United Nations arms inspectors as the driving force behind Iraq?s development of a weapons stockpile that, at least in the past, contained

Transformation, Nation Building, and the Federal Government [Alexander the Average]
...I?ve done several interviews and a ton of research. I?ve started noticing some patterns and trends in terms of reconstruction. Basically, we?re not very good at it. The political clamoring about ?no nation building? wasn?t just rhetoric. It?s a fact. We ?don?t do nation building? by design. And that?s a problem if we?re serious about winning the GWOT.

Smiles Are For Everyone [a Soldier's blog]
Its been a while since we last gave kids gifts from America. So, I organized a trip with another unit on my FOB, who was all about us joining them for a day. The school supplies, beanie babies, and toys were piling up so much that we were running out of room in our hooch...

A Marine Grunt's Wish List for Iraq [Winds of Change - Joe Katzman]
Over at In From the Cold, spook86 discusses a wish list submitted by a Marine in Iraq and passed up the chain of command recently.

A Soldier's Commentary on Troop Support [Marine Corps Moms]
...A U.S. Army Captain recently back from the sandbox wrote this editorial on his view of the support provided to our troops by America. His words mirror the sentiments I've heard from other returning troops who are amazed at the level of support they've received. It's well worth reading - and remembering, the next time you see a young man or woman in uniform. A quiet "thank you" will make their day. And yours.
Here are the words of Capt. Steve Alvarez:...

GIs building Iraqi army from scratch [The 48th Goes to War]
Mindful of Iraqi sensibilities, Sgt. 1st Class Joe Dyer of Cedartown avoids eye contact and motions women and a child to proceed.
Mahmudiyah, Iraq ? The bustling bazaar here has long been off-limits to Americans.
The crowded marketplace was considered too dangerous because it is at the center of a lawless, Sunni-dominated region south of Baghdad known as the Triangle of Death. Here insurgents plant roadside bombs every day and fire mortars and rockets at American military bases many nights.

Good News From Iraq [Balloon Juice]
It appears that Baghdad is becoming safe enough for more foreign embassies to re-open. Well... safe enough for the Syrians:...

The MSM Reports - on Iraq

Inside the Mind of an Iraqi Suicide Bomber (TIME Online ED.)
IN A RARE INTERVIEW, A TERRORIST IN TRAINING REVEALS CHILLING SECRETS ABOUT THE INSURGENCY'S DEADLIEST WEAPONS
One day soon, this somber young man plans to offer up a final prayer and then blow himself up along with as many U.S. or Iraqi soldiers as he can reach. Marwan Abu Ubeida says he has been training for months to carry out a suicide mission. He doesn't know when or where he will be ordered to climb into a bomb-laden vehicle or strap on an explosives-filled vest but says he is eager for the moment to come. While he waits,

Pace Of Troop Deaths Up In Iraq (USA Today)
U.S. military deaths in Iraq increased by about one-third in the past year, even as Iraq established its own government and assumed more responsibility for battling the insurgency.

America Held Hostage (New York Times)
...Despite everything that has happened, many Americans still want to believe that this war can and should be seen through to victory. But it's time to face up to three realities. First, the war is helping, not hurting, the terrorists. Second, the kind of clear victory the hawks promised is no longer possible, if it ever was. Third, a time limit on our commitment will do more good than harm.

As Usual, Rumsfeld Stares Down The Storm (Los Angeles Times)
...Yet in Washington's own brand of reality television, where Machiavellian intrigue is not a ratings game, Rumsfeld has done far more than survive. Five months into President Bush's second term, Rumsfeld's influence within the administration shows no sign of waning.

June Is 5th-Deadliest Month For U.S. Troops In Iraq War (Philadelphia Inquirer)
...At the close of 2003, U.S. commanders put the number of insurgents at 5,000. Yesterday in Baghdad, U.S. Brig. Gen. Donald Alston said there were 15,000 to 20,000 insurgents, though he said not all of them fight every day.

What Iraq Needs Is A Walter Cronkite (USA Today)
President Bush went on the air this week to pretend again that things are OK in Iraq. Shades of President Lyndon Johnson and Vietnam nearly 40 years ago.

2 Iraqis held trying to cross Mexico border [Washington Times]
Two Iraqis who paid alien smugglers in Mexico to help them gain illegal entry to the United States were arrested yesterday by Mexican authorities in a border town near San Diego.
The Mexican Attorney General's Office said Samir Yousif Shana and Munir Yousif Shana were taken into custody by Mexican federal agents, along with two suspected alien smugglers, in the Paso del Aguila district of Tecate, some 30 miles east of San Diego.

Saddam may sue over Sun pictures (The Guardian)
A leading London media lawyer is to advise on Saddam Hussein's prospects of success in a high court human rights claim over photographs of him in his underpants which appeared on the front page of the Sun.

An E-Mail From Iraq Can Make Dad's Day (Washington Post)
This is the first war in which an American stationed many thousands of miles from home has been able to shop for a used car online, consult with his dad back in Southern Maryland and settle on a 2002 Volkswagen Jetta for $14,975 -- all negotiated in a flurry of e-mail flying from Baghdad to Waldorf and back.

Afghanistan

Something is going on, news, detective, image and quote [Going Down Range - in Afghanistan]
I hate to tell some people back in America but there is still a war going on in Afghanistan. Right now American forces are going after the Taliban and they are killing lots of them. Remember that the Taliban ruled Afghanistan and an overwhelming majority of Afghans do not want the Taliban and their al Qeada overlords back. All they are trying to do is discredit the Afghan

A Lost Platoon [Froggy Ruminations]
Over the past few days the SEAL community has been in a state of shock and painful anticipation to hear the full measure of our loss. I have been trying to use the blog as a clearinghouse for updates and information as it became available from media and confidential sources. While the details are not known (and may never be) it seems apparent now that we have lost 12 of our brothers on the field of battle.

Nebi the Barber [stardotstar - in Afghanistan]
Nebi is a Turkish barber. He works at the ?beauty salon? instead of the barber shops, though. Like most of the TPN?s he hardly speaks English. TPN is ?Third Party National.? There have to be thousands of them here. They are brought in from all over the world. I usually ask people where they are from and mostly I get these answers: Phillipeans, Turkey, Sri Lanka, India

Iran

Iran's Terrorist President [Smash]
(updated)
IRANIAN PRESIDENT ELECT Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a terrorist.
Soon after the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Ahmadinejad, who was studying in Tehran?s University of Science and Technology, became a member of the central council of the Office for Strengthening of Unity Between Universities and Theological Seminaries, the main pro-Khomeini student body.

U.S. Calls on Iran to Release Imprisoned Journalist Ganji [Regime Change Iran]
U.S. Department of State, The Washington File:
The United States has called on Iranian authorities to release Iranian journalist Akbar Ganji from prison, where he is being held, the State Department said, for his political views and peaceful activities in support of free speech and journalistic integrity. Ganji is known for his efforts to uncover information on extra-judicial killings by Iranian security forces. READ MORE
This is a major development. The U.S. government appears to be preparing to support the Iranian dissidents in much the same way as it did with the Soviet dissidents in the past. The blogosphere can help remind the world of the corruption of the Iranian government and the bravery of its dissidents. We need to make the names and faces of the leading dissidents know to the world. You can help

Fallen Heros

Fallen Heroes Funerals Protested [BlackFive]
This is so wrong and sad. While SSG Christopher Piper was laid to rest properly and honorably (thanks to the Marblehead Police)... Protest at Soldier's Funeral Brings a Massachusetts Town Together A big turnout and police bagpipes drown out a..

Support for our troops.... For Real

Toby Keith : American Soldier

Video

Recruiting

I'd Still Do It... Here's Why [NEW MilBlog Ring Member! - Politics of a Patriot]
One of the reasons all of my family who are anti my decision to join the Navy is because they just know that everyone is "lying" to me. They tell me I can't believe anything the recruiters say, that they will make all these wonderful promises and I will be in for a rude awakening. Can I tell all of you something? It may come as a shock to you.
If everything they told me is lies, I'd still do it.
If they weren't paying me a dime, I'd still do it.
If I could never go to college, I'd still do it.

Happy Mission Day! [Making Tomorrow's Military Today]
I am going to get down to the nitty gritty with this article. This is an editorial at least. My first problem is that the writer is attacking the President's one line: "To those watching tonight who are considering a military career, there is no higher calling than service in our Armed Forces." I applaud the man for putting the idea out there in such a public manner.
Then the author then puts his uneducated 2 cents in:

Enlistment is down. What is the solution?

Our troops in Iraq are stretched thin. [Current events and news from the right]
Enlistment is down.
What is the solution? What about the draft?
Would it really be such a bad thing? Maybe it would even be a good thing?
Maybe we need to go one step further.....
Read the following article..

The Media

Victory disregarded... [Major K - in Iraq]
The UK's Guardian manages to snatch a defeatist headline from the jaws of a true victory. The arhabi threw everything that they had at the local Iraqi Security Forces in our sister Battalion's sector, in one of the largest coordinated attacks that we have seen since we got here. They failed. We had a few patrols nearby that jumped in just to help out, and they caught the bad guys with their pants down, big time. Read the article. LTC Funk is right. I'm sure any reporter can find someone to complain after the shooting stops. Once again, they also fail to report that a nearby mosque was used as the primary coomand and control center as well as weapons cache for the terrorists.

Some Patience, Please... [Ma Deuce Gunner - in Iraq]
Now, my wife will laugh when she reads this, because when it comes to some things, I am NOT the most patient individual around -- not by a long shot. But I believe a little patience is called for here.
I have seen, over the past couple of days, items in the news that are to this effect: "One Year After Sovereignty, Iraq Still Violent" or "Iraq: A Year Later...What Has Changed?" (These are not quotes, but generalizations of what I have seen or heard.) Come on, people, gimme a break...

BRIAN WILLIAMS SAID WHAT? [Michelle Malkin]
Durbinization alert:
Tons of readers are e-mailing me about NBC News anchor Brian Williams' comments tonight in which he apparently compared the Founding Fathers to modern-day terrorists. The remarks seem to pooh-pooh the story about Iranian president-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's alleged involvement in the 1979 hostage crisis at the U.S. embassy in Tehran.

Williams previewed his argument on his MSNBC blog:

Idiot of the Day [In From The Cold]
A number of bloggers offer weekly awards to the liberal politician, Hollywood celebrity, or MSM twit who offers the most idiotic or absurd comment during a specified period of time.
Given the hysertia that currently engulfs the American left and its media wing, there is never a shortage of worthy candidates for an idiot award.

Troops Silence at Fort Bragg Starts a Debate All Its Own - New York Times [Outside The Beltway]
Some critics of the Bush Administration are taking the lack of applause from the Fort Bragg audience at the presidents speech Tuesday night as a sign that the troops do not support the war. Defenders say the troops thought they were under

Reuters anti-american? Nahhhh... [KadNine]
I know I'm not the first to stumble across this today, but this has got to be the most blatant example of Al-Reuters-speak I've seen yet.
"AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A Dutch woman who swears by a daily helping of herring for a healthy life celebrated her 115th birthday on Wednesday as the oldest living person on record.
Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper, a former needlework teacher, was born in 1890, the year Sioux Indians were massacred by the U.S. military at the Battle of Wounded Knee."
Huh? Is that the most germaine factoid that they can

Blogging

Packing My Bags for Bono-Blogging! [Reasoned Audacity]
Reasoned Audacity is headed on the road. . . with U2 to the G8 Summit!
On Sunday, I'll be meeting up with Josh Trevino of Redstate.org, Steve Beard of Thunderstruck.org, and Joe Aravosis of Americablog.com, to join Bono, U2 and the Live8 crew to fly to Gleneagles, Scotland for the G8 summit. . .We'll be there covering the summit all week long.

Blogger My Ass, I'm Respectable [Ballon Juice]
I regret to inform you that as of right now, Balloon Juice is no longer a weblog. This is now a web magazine:

Blogs Becoming Online Magazines [Outside The Beltway]
Apropos the ongoing controversy over bloggers and campaign finance laws, Duncan Atrios Black asks, Why is somebody who prints up and mails out weekly vanity newsletter entitled to the media exemption but not me? Why is Michael Sa

On Blogging - from AIM [ROFASix]
How blogs are changing advertising, the media, and how we communicate is addressed in Sherrie Gossett?s, ?Citizen Journalism Growing,? article at Accuracy In Media. It just makes one want to hug ol? Al Gore for inventing the Internet!
The growing popularity of blogs and citizen journalism is only increasing as inventive citizens collaborate on news ideas to improve their offerings,

So Long And Thanks For All The Fish [Ipse Dixit]
There's a very nice article about a number of local bloggers on the front page of today's Courier-Journal. A couple of the bloggers mentioned are old pals of mine, so it's good to see them getting some attention.*
And on that note, it's time for me to retire. I don't particularly want to, but it seems I pretty much have to. I'd very much like to explain why here but, unfortunately, I cannot. My friends are welcome to email and I will explain in private. Perhaps some of you can even help.

FIRED [Ragged Edges]
I can't believe the truth of the words I am about to type: Today I was fired from my job as an assistant prosecutor with the Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office. The reason? - my opinion as expressed in my blog post immediately preceeding this one: "I Hate Cowardice."
At the risk of giving satisfaction to those who orchestrated my demise, I admit that I am wounded . .