Dawn Patrol

Iraq

INDEPENDENCE DAY [The Mesopotamian]
BELATED CONGRADULATIONS TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ON THE OCCASION OF INDEPENDENCE DAY. MAY THE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE BETWEEN OUR PEOPLES LAST AND BECOME STRONGER AND STRONGER TO BRING THE FINAL DEFEAT AND EXTERMINATION OF ALL THE VERMIN AND TERRORIST SCUM IN THE WORLD.

A special July 4th edition from Duke in Iraq: [Broken Masterpieces]
I witnessed an interesting event at the dining facility the other night and thought it was perfect to share for the Fourth of July.
The dining facility here holds probably 1000-2000 people. There are multiple cafeteria style lines to get food from. There are tables lined up that hold about eight people each and there are TVs that are set up in the corners of the rooms usually showing news or movies on Air Force Network. The TVs are largely ignored except by those who are close to them. However, on this night it was
different. After I had picked up my food I noticed that almost everyone in the facility was watching the TV. It was relatively silent so the dialogue could be heard even from far away. And many like me stopped where they were to watch what was on.
So what show had quieted the room. It was...

Happy 4th of July [Lost in Iraq] (pics)
Happy Fourth Everyone!!! It?s crazy to think that this is our second 4th of July on deployment. It?s nice to see the end of all this madness drawing closer and closer. We?re all enjoying ourselves as best we can and couldn?t have picked a better group of people to be here with.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY FROM ABU GHRAIB, IRAQ!!! [Ghraib Danger - in Iraq]
Happy Independence Day everyone! We didn't do much special here other than have our friday night fights moved up to tonight. It's not much, but it's entertainment, and everyone on the FOB loves them. We have boxing matches every Friday night. Anyone can join in, and it appears the more amateur the better.

Independence Day [The "Mike Golf's" OIF3 Blog - in Iraq]
All said, today was a good day for the guys in my group.
We started finial preparation for the ?Grillin? in the Grotto, ?05? cookout at 2 hours until grill time with a couple of my right hand men going to the chow hall to acquire more goods. We had a bunch of beef burgers and kosher hot dogs that had already been picked up the night before. They were able to get sodas and condiments to add to the meal. A half hour past grill time and the fire was in full blaze and people were waiting in the grotto for their share. All said and done, it was a good cookout with a lot of stories and laughs being shared. A few of us stayed and talked about the first OIF into the night and the crazy stories of last time we were here. Then we went up to the roofs to watch the battalion set off fireworks. Actually was quite a lot of little rockets and poppers. It was pretty cool being for the fact that we are over here and it could have been just another day in the cycle of OIF3, but it wasn?t. We actually got to sit back and relax some.

Our Fourth [Neptunus Lex]
I felt like I was obligated to write something patriotic yesterday, like somehow I owed it to someone. But I guess being on leave put me out of sorts for obligations, even of the self-imposed kind. And a quick wave of the flag, some thoughtless gesture of patriotism, didn't seem right to me either, although I don't condemn how others deigned to celebrate the holiday.
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The 4th of July has always seemed to me too much of a holiday except at those times when it is too little.

Thoughts drift overseas at Freedom Fest [Stryker Brigade]
BY HEATHER WOODWARD, THE OLYMPIAN
FORT LEWIS -- The sun was out, the air smelled of funnel cakes and the sound of children's delighted shrieks echoed across the U.S. Army post.
But as carloads of families arrived at Fort Lewis on Monday for Freedom Fest -- a daylong festival to celebrate the Fourth of July -- many couldn't help but think about those who were absent.

Today's "Doh!" from Iraq [Chrenkoff]
If you are an insurgent who wants to stash a large quantity of weapons and munitions at their house, please make sure that you don't paint the building's outside walls with anti-Coalition slogans.

That can, sort of, attract the attention.

Insurgents do the darndest things [Chrenkoff]
Insurgency in Iraq might be a relatively sophisticated operation, but some of the participants are certainly a few fuses short of a working Improvised Explosive Device and consequently are likely to end up way short of the promised 72 virgins.

Item 1: If you are an insurgent who wants to stash a large quantity of weapons and munitions at your house, please make sure

Trouble sleeping... [Who's your Baghdaddy? - in Iraq]
We received some intel last night that our base was going to be mortared (a mortar is an indirect fire weapon which has a range of approximately 3 to 7 kilometers depending on the size). Our area has been relatively quiet for a while now. We've had a few incidences outside the wire, but there has not been a direct attack on this base for about 10 months. However, ...

I found some Canadians! [Courage without Fear - in Iraq]
After almost 4 months in this God forsaken place I finally found some Canadians!
While waiting for one of the other Lieutenants to get a haircut at the PX, I was sitting in the lobby minding my own business. I happen to look up and see 2 men walk into the store with a small flash of red and white on their left shoulders.

The Left - No Clarity, No Ideas,....No Clue [Hurl's Blog - in Iraq]
Earlier today I read a Washington Post column by William Raspberry titled No Clarity on Iraq, but I think what it clarifies most is the fact that the Left in America just doesn't "get it." Like all arguments and articles I have read from the Left, no solution is ever offered other than - Quit. Of course, they usually embellish it a bit with the F word....
Raspberry asks at one point: "In what way does our engagement in Iraq make us stronger and more likely to be taken seriously?
<...>
Well, if we don?t Quit Mr. Raspberry, but demonstrate resolve, strength, and courage in helping Iraq become a free, democratic country, how does that make us weak and less likely to be taken seriously?

Commander's Message - 02 July 05 [TASK FORCE DRAGOON - in Iraq]
More recently, elements of the TF uncovered a large weapons cache just north of the FOB which included a number of Improvised Explosive Devices already prepared for use. One of our new units, the 173rd Long Range Surveillance Detachment was instrumental in this capture along with the TF Scouts and our Infantry companies

Hundreds of Iraqis demonstrate against terrorism in Mosul [Small Town Veteran]
From my Iraqi American friend Haider Ajina:
Greetings,
The following is my translation of a headline and article in the July 6th. Edition of the Iraqi Arabic newspaper ?Shabab Al Iraq?
Hundreds of Iraqis demonstrate against terrorism in Mosul
Hundreds of Iraqis gathered in Alqiar area south of Mosul in a demonstration showing opposition to terrorists and terrorism....
<..>
A turnaround of attitude has taken place along with the recognition that terrorism leads to defeat and loss of representation and legitimacy. This fundamental change in the common Sunni Arab?s attitude is drying up the recruiting grounds for the terrorists, and...

Armor kits for trucks ready [Lance in Iraq]
This is a surprisingly straight forward take on the armor issue from the AP (via Army Times):
Since February, he has worked many strings of seven-day weeks, with only a couple days off in about six months. Basically, he worked, ate, slept and then worked again.

Vietnam vet deploys to Iraq [CMR Salamander]
Yep, there are still a few of these guys around. You find a lot of them in the National Guard; and they are still serving.

The MSM Reports - on Iraq

Sandstorms Disrupt Daily Life in Baghdad (Guardian - AP)
Blinding sandstorms swept across the Iraqi capital Tuesday for a fourth straight day, disrupting air travel, slowing traffic and blanketing the city in a gritty film.
A gray dust hung over Baghdad early Tuesday, making it impossible to see across the Tigris River which divides the city.

We Must Be Patient About Progress In Iraq (Seatle Times -Donald Rumsfeld)
One year after World War II ended ? a leading news magazine published an article about postwar reconstruction efforts in Germany. It was titled: "Americans are Losing the Victory in Europe."
The author despairingly wrote: "Never has American prestige in Europe been lower. People never tire of telling you of the ignorance and rowdy-ism of American troops, of our misunderstanding of European conditions."
The year was 1946. In retrospect, it was not a time to despair but to build ? as they did.

Spin Vs. Reality In Iraq (Washington Times)...Harlan Ullman
Make no mistake. Despite the president's speech last week at Fort Bragg, N.C., the United States and Iraq are not winning the battle to make that country into a democracy. Worse, we may not be winning the struggle to bring peace, stability and the rule of law to Iraq.

Escaped Hostage Ready To Go Back (Washington Times)...Guy Taylor
...A truck driver for KBR, a major contractor for U.S. forces in Iraq, Mr. Hamill, 44, was held 24 days before escaping his shedlike prison and flagging down a group of passing American soldiers

In Baghdad, Uncertainties Of War End In A Fatal Error (Philadelphia Inquirer)...Nancy A. Youssef
...Many Iraqis say they understand why U.S. forces must be here - to keep the country intact, protect its fragile new government, and stop the violence. But enough civilians have been killed in one-sided encounters with frightened U.S. troops that Baghdadis often cower when Americans are near. Whenever U.S. troops leave their bases, they say, everyone is vulnerable.

Iraqis Uneasy With Bush's Handling Of War (Detroit Free Press)...Niraj Warikoo
...In the run-up to the war, former Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz visited Iraqi Americans in Dearborn and then repeatedly cited in public their support as a reason why the United States should invade Iraq. But now, the Defense Department and other federal agencies aren't in touch as often, except to recruit Arabic speakers to work in minor jobs, said Al-Husainy.

Afghanistan

RIDE ALONG WITH AUSTIN BAY IN AFGHANISTAN [Instapundit]
as he discusses the war with veteran war correspondent Mike Hedges in this video. (Quicktime version here).

The MSM Reports on Afghanistan

Wounded Paratrooper Recounts Attack (Fayetteville (NC) Observer)...Kevin Maurer
Spc. Derrick Christianson couldn't see the enemy fighters, but he could see the blood as he launched grenade after grenade at their position in a ditch near the Afghanistan border.

Navy SEAL From The District Died Leading Rescue Mission (Washington Post)...Allan Lengel
...Kristensen, 33, a lieutenant commander in the Navy SEALs, was leading a mission to rescue other SEALs on June 28 when his CH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down by Afghan insurgents in Konar province. All 16 Navy and Army personnel aboard died.

A Hot Afghan Summer (Washington Times)
THE DEATH of 16 U.S. Special Operations troops and at least two members of a reconnaissance team they were seeking to rescue last week in Afghanistan was the largest American combat loss in that country since the beginning of the U.S. intervention there in 2001. It was also a jarring reminder for anyone who has not been following developments in the smaller of the two ground wars the United States is fighting. As in Iraq, violence by local insurgents and foreign terrorists has been surging in Afghanistan this spring and summer, along with American casualties. And once again, confident declarations by senior U.S. officials that the enemy was nearly broken have proved premature.

Other Parts of the World

NASA forgot to consider her 'feelings' [doubleplusgood infotainment]
Russian Astrologer Sues NASA Over CometNASA's mission that sent a space probe smashing into a comet raised more than cosmic dust - it also brought a lawsuit from a Russian astrologer. Marina Bai has sued...

China vs. Unocal: Lost in Translation? [Quill News]
That's what I mean by China's communist rulers not being quite up to speed on how to get along with the other kids in the sand box. (QN) Like an immature school yard bully, China still doesn?t quite get it yet. China? A word of advice from Quillnews: Nix with the threats. To be successful, you are just going to have to learn how to play well with others. China walked right into it yesterday.

ChickenHawks

Atrios - All Chicken And No Hawk [BlackFive]
Armed Liberal at Winds of Change responds to more claims of "Chickenhawks" from the left side of the aisle...but first a definition of "Chicken hawk":...

Arlington West, the "chickenhawk" fraud and false individualism in the antiwar argument [TigerHawk]
A week ago, in the opening days of the TigerHawk family California vacation, we visited Santa Monica. There I happened across "Arlington West," an anti-war demonstration that purports to honor the American soldiers who have died in Iraq. Arlington West is a project of the Veterans for Peace, but the crosses were built by one Andy Manoff, an "honorary member" (presumably because he is not a veteran, rather than because he is not for peace). The demonstration occupies a huge proportion of the beach, which is public land, only because the city fathers of Santa Monica allow it to

Beinart Makes An Oopsie [Chapomatic]
So Peter Beinart is the New Republic editor who is getting beat on by Michelle Malkin for remarks he made bashing a bunch of talk radio guys going to Iraq:

My last minute thoughts on our trip. [Voices of Soldiers]
On this 4th of July as I am taking care of last minute details and packing for my trip to Baghdad, I was sent a copy of a news story calling our ?Voices of the Soldiers? tour a ?propaganda tour?, and once again I am torn by the divide in our nation over the Iraqi war. In the news article ?left? leaning journalists contend that anyone who is not of ?their mind set?, meaning anti-war, anti-Bush, can?t report fairly about the war in Iraq and the War on Terrorism.

Chickenhawks Get Feathers Ruffled Over Iraq Trip [Wonkette]
Peter Beinart, the editor of The New Republic, is taking some heat from the right side of the blogosphere for daring to pooh-pooh the morale-boosting visit of some pro-war commentators to Iraq. Quoted by Fox News, Beinart called the visit "pathetic" and declared, "They have no idea what journalism is, and to pretend they are journalists is laughable...You do not achieve victory by not facing reality."

The left is developing quite a flair for bathos. [Baldilocks]
"This is the most pathetic thing I've heard in a long time. They should be ashamed of themselves," Peter Beinart, editor of left-leaning The New Republic magazine, said.
What?s Mr. Beinart talking about? Why a group of talk-radio hosts who are headed to Iraq to see what?s going on for themselves and report back, that?s what.

The Power to Name is the Power to Define [Rox Populi]
One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter and all that.
Anyway, Malkin has whipped her idiot minions into a slow news day frenzy over this non-story as part of the Right's ongoing effort to discredit all of MSM. Because, you know, there was absolutely no real news this holiday weekend!
Yep, keeping the proles focused on the irrelevant is the oldest trick in the book and yet it's amazing how it still works its magic in the information age.
[Yeah. I know. Comparing Michelle Malkin to Leni Riefenstahl is quite unfair. Riefenstahl had talent.]

Politics

Connected Blogs: 7/5/05 (VIDEO) [Political Teen]
Connected?s Tony Maciulis gives out links to blogs that are talking about Valarie Plame and 100 people that are screwing up our country...

Two Constitutions: Republican and Democrat [Outside The Beltway]
Brett Marston, guesting at PoliBlog while the Taylors vacation, links an academic paper on the views the Republicans and Democrats have of the Constitution. The Republicans have frozen their constitution at Brown. It is the by gone world of ...

They are more like our enemy, Part II [Daily Kos]
Last night I wrote "How the Islamic crazies are like the Right" to hammer home how fundamentalist Islam has more in common with the radical religious right, the American Taliban, than it does with the American Left.
...The reasons we hate the American Taliban are the same reasons we hate fundamentalists of all stripes -- they seek to impose their own moral code on the rest of society, and do so with the zeal and moral absolutism possible only from those who believe they are doing "God's work".

Kelo before Kelo was Kelo [Starboard]
For a little more than a week now, the Blogosphere and airwaves have been inundated with all things Kelo. While it is impressive to hear and see such an uproar regarding personal property rights, Kelo's much more sinister second cousin has been quietly eating away at the right most Americans cherish

The Media

Damned if We Do, Damned if We Don't [Iraq Ear News]
Came across this early this morning, on the MSN home page, and had a "Stan-from-South-Park-pinch-the-bridge-of-the-nose" moment...
"Who's in the Army Now? - Why we can't send more troops to Iraq" -By Fred Kaplan (Slate)
This "military analysis" plays off of the fears of the draft, sings the old "Bush's world domination" song - all the usual goodies.

The Sky is Falling! [Parrot Check]
Yes indeed. The sky is indeed falling. The world as we know it is coming to an end. Atleast that is what I get from the Main Stream Media and the defeatists on the left. So I have decided to coin a new name of the MSM. They shall henceforth be known on this blog as the CLM. Or the Chicken Little Media. After all, all we get is the bad news of how the U.S. is failing in the unfaltering power of the minute men freedom fighters insurgents terrorists. Don?t forget that we lost more soldiers today. Don?t forget that support for the war at home is faltering. Don?t forget that we, the CLM, will continue to question in every way possible why we are fighting until it becomes blatantly obvious that we, the CLM, want the U.S. to fail.

Just read this article from the founder of USA Today. An excerpt follows:...

Blogging

The Fourth Of July, 2005 [Kim du Toit]
My sadness comes because I wanted to write a piece about Independence Day, and what it means to me as an immigrant, and how I value the principles of the Republic which were established by the Founding Fathers.
But, like George, I find myself facing this year?s July 4th with a feeling of utter desolation. Consider just these (there are more), and ask yourself whether the Founding Fathers would have approved:...
<...>
don?t trust the Congress, no matter which party controls it; I don?t trust the decisions of the Supreme Court; and I no longer trust the Presidency?regardless of who sits in the Oval Office.
This is not the country I wanted to live in. This is not the country I agreed to support when I swore my allegiance to the Republic, and dedicated my life to its defense.
This blog will be closed until further notice

An open letter [Bloodletting]
I had origanally intended to write this to Kim DuToit, but then I found Misha going along the same lines, and figured that I had better just address it to everybody out there who feels a bit morose this Indepence day.

MSM editor on bloggers "who... hate" MSM [John in Carolina]
In his July 3 column, Raleigh News & Observer public editor Ted Vaden said:
Let's don't get so spooked by the current animus against anonymous sources, much of it fanned by talk show hosts and bloggers who love to hate the "mainstream media," that we deprive readers of information that can't be obtained any other way.
What Vaden calls "the current animus against anonymous sources" is actually a well-founded and growing public distrust of how MSM sometimes use anonymous sources.

Journalists: Evolve or die. [Counter Column]
Via The Last Call, Gary Trudeau is buying into the media misinterpretation of the blogging phenomenon:
Isn't blogging basically for angry, semi-employed losers who are too untalented or too lazy to get real jobs in journalism...
I mean, if half the market really valued what you say, wouldn't somebody pay you for it?
I suppose it's human for journalists who've been stung, or who have seen their friends stung, by blogger criticism, to sort of lash out. You know, like spoiled children. But this sentiment misses the mark in a lot of ways.

Trudeau Makes Everything Better [365 and a Wake Up - in Iraq]
There is no military secret to overcoming the inner struggles that come with living in this broken land. All that you can do is square your shoulders and keep moving forward, even when your actions seem bereft of purpose. Or maybe I should say especially when your actions seemed bereft of purpose.
I finally managed to pull out of the tailspin this morning ? and oddly enough it was a comic strip from Gary Trudeau that did the trick. Our ?daily? newspaper, The Stars and Stripes, usually arrives 1 to 2 days late, so the Doonesbury strip I read this morning was actually a cartoon from July 3rd. The comic accused bloggers of being ?angry, semi-employed losers who are too untalented or too lazy to get real jobs in journalism?.

New Milblogger: Smith [Jack Army]
Already has some great pics up on his blog, check them out.
His profile is particularly interesting to me. I hope he succeeds. Of course, I offer any help I can provide, as limited as it may be. One thing I can offer in limitless amounts is encouragement. You can, too!

New Blog Alert! [Righty in a lefty state]
Welcome new blogger MSG Keith to the blogworld, over at My Army Life. If you have been hanging around Castle Argghhh!, you will recall that Keith was in Afghanistan this past year, and was a wonderful source of great news from there. Now he can tell his stories directly for us to link!

Congrats

PROMOTION [Trying to Grok]
One time at a military ball, we sat across from a MAJ Hook. My husband leaned over and whispered, "I bet it was a long seven years as CPT Hook." I nearly spit my wine across the table.
Some names and ranks just go together. And some you just get so used to hearing that it feels weird when they change. But a promotion is a wonderful thing, even if we have to learn a new title. So I guess we'll just have to get used to calling the sweetest woman on the planet MAJ Patti now.
Congrats on your promotion, MAJ Patti!

Tributes

Geez ...Can We Be Any More Cluto? [Major Mike]
...Wake up America, there is a war on, and brave men and women are holding the line against terrorism and oppression...get the clue!
A personal note to Tom from Peoria...there are people who get up at 0300 everyday to protect your 0900 sleeping ass, and I hope you choke on the squadron's CO's reply, you smart ass.
<...>
Blockquote>Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base: Whom do we thank for the morning air show?Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 a.m., a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our good fortune!Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns' early-bird special? Any response would be appreciated.
- Tom MacRae, Peoria
Flyby honored fallen comrade Jun. 28, 2005 12:00 AM Regarding "A wake-up call from Luke's jets" (Letters, Thursday):On June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four-ship of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt Jeremy Fresques.Capt.

A Tribute (to our rescuers) [John of Arabia - in Iraq]
It starts with a single drum tapping, beating subdued time through a black cover. One pipe sounds a note, then is joined by others, swelling into a mournful wailing. The song is always the same, the departments? anthem, more suited to happier times.
<...>
I can feel the tension in the ranks behind me, even though all of these men have been to dozens more of these in the past few weeks. I have heard their angry comments, felt ashamed when they have asked me, ?When are we going to get these bastards??. I am powerless to do anything, merely clench my teeth, hold my useless weapon in front of me, squeeze the plastic and steel as the coffin passes. I can do nothing but render honor, and wish it had been us, the trained soldiers, and not them, the rescuers.

In Memory Of...

VADM James Stockdale dies at age of 81 [Backcountry Conservative]
...Stockdale was also President of The Citadel. The school issued a release over the weekend about the death of Lt. Gen. George M. Seignious. I have heard that the school's relationship with Stockdale hasn't been good since he was on campus. I'll be interested to see if any mention of Stockdale's death is mentioned on the school's website.

Memorial Service for SEAL Team TEN Operators That Perished in Operation Red Wing [Froggy Ruminations]
There will be a memorial service held at the Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, VA theatre on Friday July 8th at 10:00 am to honor the fallen members of SEAL Team TEN. Unless you have a military ID or ...