Dawn Patrol

IRAQ

Paradise [A Day in Iraq - in Iraq]
I haven?t posted anything in the last month or so for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that we?ve been busy moving. We, meaning my Battalion, have moved from the somewhat friendly confines of Baquba to the ?restive? city of Ramadi. Restive is the term I most often see in the news describing this beautiful place. What the hell does restive mean anyway? Actually, I know what it means, but I just don?t think the term accurately describes this place. I looked it up in a thesaurus, curious as to what other words are synonymous with it. I found edgy, fidgety, high-strung, jittery, jumpy, nervous, nervy, overstrung, uneasy, uptight, in suspense, wound up, and aroused. Maybe it?s just me, but I?ve been here for two weeks and haven?t found anything remotely arousing about Ramadi. I think shitty would be a more appropriate description of this city, since it?s probably the biggest shit hole in Iraq, maybe in all the known universe. ?Two high profile targets were captured today in the shitty city of Ramadi.....?

THE POLITICS OF "OCCUPATION" THE CATCH 22 OF POST ?MAJOR COMBAT? IRAQ [Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum - in Iraq]
...My roommate, LT Irish, has been nearly killed for a third time today. The Durkas are tossing TNT at us now. A stick bounced off of LT Irish?s HMMWV, he told me that the first thing he thought as it bounced less than a foot from him, the only thing between him and it was thick armoured glass. He said he wondered why they were tossing road flares at him in daylight. Using them for signaling in broad daylight didn?t make sense. Then he realized what it was. Irish, is one of the most decorated soldiers in this BN, and to the chagrin of the Infantryman here, he is a Field Artillery Officer, (his Military Occupational Specialty is desperately trying to find relevance in post ?major combat? Iraq. He works as a pseudo politician, dealing daily with local Iraqi politicians. Dealing daily selfish, self-interested, local politicians. He by default is an ?ambassador? if you will. Yet he is allowed to make no official statements. I am also considered an ambassador of good will, and deal on a continuous basis with Kurds, their director of Intelligence, and various Sheikhs, and Imams. Yet ...

Village South of Bayji [Lost in Iraq - in Iraq]
Here are a few pictures from the other day when a few of us went into one of the poorer villages outside of Bayji to setup a medical tent for the medics to provide medical attention to people that may not be able to receive medical attention otherwise. This was a joint operation including Coalition Forces and elements from the Iraqi Army unit located here in Bayji with us. The medics saw a variety of different patients and treated kids with burns or other ailments. Afterwards we all passed out clothes, shoes and toothbrushes for everyone. It was personally rewarding

Castpost [MaDeuce Gunner - in Iraq]
I recently opened a CastPost Media Blog, which allows users to host video and audio for free. Go check it out.

Comrades in 48th, families mourn 4 [The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]
At midnight Monday, 200 soldiers from the 48th Brigade Combat Team gathered at Camp Stryker in Iraq to salute the caskets of their fallen comrades. Back home in Georgia, the families of four citizen soldiers killed over the weekend in the deadliest attack on the unit since it arrived in Iraq absorbed the heartbreaking news and began planning funerals. Family members released the names of two of the dead Tuesday...

One more drip [Six More Months - in Iraq]
The most rewarding part of my job here is the occasional opportunity to participate in Civil Affairs missions. Our unit is currently refurbishing a school near the base, and we are using some of the civilian expertise of our soldiers to help plan and execute infrastructure repairs to several villages in the area. I got to roll out on one of these missions today as part of the security element for several officers who were meeting with local village leaders to discuss their needs and how we can help. It was a...

If this is going to be the final draft, then I'm going to say "NO". [Iraq the Model - an Iraqi in Iraq]
This morning, Al-Sabah had the exclusive right to publish the current draft of the constitution.
This draft will be submitted to the national Assembly to get the Assembly's approval before putting it to the October referendum.
Of course the draft is tool long to fully translate and it would've taken me a few more days to do that so I have chosen the most important parts of it and translated them.
Here are they for you to read...

Back in Iraq [A Soldier's Thoughts - in Iraq]
Some of you are now relieved that I am back on the net blogging, others are perhaps angered, others still are excited and would like to know what will come next, and the rest are probably just sad that I am still around. To all of you, those who love me (my family and friends) to those who disagree with me, to even those that hate me, I would like to say that I am back in Iraq (I went home for 2 weeks to visit my family). The short time I was home was surrounded by the hell that is military travel.

New Sadr City Water Treatment Plant Opens
[Centcom News - U.S. Army Maj. Russell Goemaere 2nd Brigade Combat Team]
SADR CITY, Iraq, July 21, 2005 ? The first of 27 new compact water treatment units officially opened in Sadr City July 19.
"The compact water units bring needed water to the residents while the expanded water system for Sadr City continues to develop," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Gary Luck, commander of 3rd Battalion 15th Infantry, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, the coalition unit which works with Sadr City.

US Army Corps of Engineers rebuild essential services in Fallujah [Centcom News]
CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq -- The US Army Corps of Engineers, in partnership with the Fallujah City Council and the Fallujah Reconstruction Committee, has made considerable progress in restoring water, sewage and electrical service in the city of Fallujah to levels that existed prior to Operation New Dawn (Al Fajr) in November 2004.
Elevated water storage tanks have been repaired and water is now at pre-November 2004 levels. Projects are underway to increase the capacity of the current system to modern standards. These projects will upgrade the current capacity of fresh water in the city by three million gallons per day.

MSM REPORTS ON IRAQ

Iraq seeks quick withdrawal (USA Today)...Unattributed
BAGHDAD ? Iraq's transitional prime minister called Wednesday for a speedy withdrawal of U.S. troops and the top U.S. commander here said he believed a "fairly substantial" pullout could begin next spring and summer.

Illusions Of Iraq Echo Vietnam (Baltimore Sun)...Gordon Adams
...Our forces are seen as occupiers, much like the British before them, and the Iraqis want us to leave. The failure to understand this similarity to Vietnam is dangerous for U.S. forces and policy. The United States becomes less popular the longer it stays.

Baghdad blues (LA Times)... Robert Lloyd
"Over There," Steven Bochco's new American-troops-in-Iraq series, uneasily walks a difficult line ? just like its characters.
Showing the true horrors of war through fiction.
Premiering tonight on FX, "Over There" is the network's second series, after "Rescue Me," to have sprung, in a general way, from the events of 9/11.
Set in contemporary Iraq among the members of a small, variously employed combat unit, and to a lesser extent among the people they left behind, it shares with the earlier, FDNY-set series elements of unusual stress and heavy gear. Co-created by "NYPD Blue" mastermind Steven Bochco (who was approached by FX to develop the series) with Chris Gerolmo, it's technically accomplished, convincingly played and reliably diverting, and it raises a lot of questions

The Drama Of Iraq, While It Still Rages (New York Times)...Alessandra Stanley
Timing is the questionable element in "Over There," Steven Bochco's 13-episode series about soldiers fighting in Iraq. It is not only the first television drama about the conflict, but also the first American television series that has tried to process a war as entertainment while it was still being fought.

For Iraq Vets, Fiction That Rings True To The Bone (Washington Post)...Thomas E. Ricks
"Over There" gets a lot of the little things wrong but does a pretty good job of capturing the core feeling of the war in Iraq -- the ambiguity, tension and grinding difficulty of the mission.

Military Eyeing Bomb Busters For Road Threats (Miami Herald)...Drew Brown
As Iraqi insurgents become more skilled at hiding deadly roadside bombs, the Pentagon is scrambling to find new ways to protect American troops.

Veteran of Iraq, Running in Ohio, Is Harsh on Bush (New York Times)...JAMES DAO
CINCINNATI, July 22 - In the Second Congressional District of Ohio, which Republicans have controlled for the last two decades, the quickest route to political oblivion could be the one chosen by Paul L. Hackett: calling President Bush a "chicken hawk" for not serving in Vietnam and harshly criticizing the decision to invade Iraq.

Washington's too hot? Try Iraq (Washington Times)...Edward Cen and Guy Taylor
The mercury level in Washington crested at 99 degrees yesterday -- about 21 degrees below the high in Baghdad.
While Washington's summer swelter prompted complaints from tourists in shorts, tank tops and flip-flops, U.S. troops in Iraq face the desert heat in helmets, Kevlar vests and combat boots.
"If you're out on patrols and Joe takes his helmet off because he's got an itch, it's a team or squad-level infraction," said Army Lt. Col. Barry Venable, a Pentagon spokesman.

IRAQ: NEW CONSTITUTION PREVENTS CITIZENSHIP FOR JEWS, SAYS MP (AKI)
Baghdad, 27 July - The first draft of the new Iraqi constitution will prevent Iraqi Jews, stripped of their nationality in the 1940s and 1950s, from re-obtaining it, Mundhir al-Fadl, an Iraqi MP and member of the constituent assembly's constitution commisssion, has told Adnkronos International (AKI). Al-Fadl, one of the commision members responsible for drafting the constitution's chapter on "rights and duties" explained that one paragraph of the draft says that "the Iraqi nationality is a right acquired by every Iraqi, which cannot be withheld for any reason and is the basis of his citizenship."

Iraq, U.S. Need Allies To Pony Up (The Hill)...Albert Eisele
The U.S.-led effort to rebuild Iraq?s devastated infrastructure is falling short because of a lack of financial support from other countries, the head of the Army Corps of Engineers said.

AFGHANISTAN

Sonu Nigam's concert: an embarrassment to all Afghans? [Afghan Reality]
The residents of Kabul were eagerly awaiting the first ever arrival of one of the most popular Indian music icons, Sonu Nigam, in the Afghan capital.
Posters of the concert could be seen almost in every major intersection and on the main roads in Kabul. After the fall of the Taliban, this was seen as a major foreign musician visit to Afghanistan and obviously 'fun time' for the people, especially youths.

Closing out more projects [Martin in Afghanistan]
We closed out a few more projects today. We have only 5 left to complete. I will post a definitive list of what we accomplished in the next few days. It has been a long and busy tour, and I am looking forward to coming home. Already people are starting to leave, as new faces show up. Pretty soon, it won't be our show any longer, but rather under the command of the new people coming over.
I guess the highlight of the day was that myself and my Operations NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer) were awarded the Task Force Commander's Coin for our efforts while here. For those not in the know, a Commander's Coin is a decorative challenge coin presented by the Commander to people who have been selected for extra recognition.

Back to the 'Stan [The Fourth Rail - Bill Roggio]
As Afghanistan's September 18 election approaches, fighting intensifies in country and along the Afghan-Pakistan border. In an assault on a Taliban base camp, 50 were killed and 25 captured. Reports indicate more dead are being discovered. This follows on the heels of battles along the Pakistan border, as well as in Pakistan's tribal region of North Waziristan, where about 100 Taliban were killed or captured (Security Watchtower has the details). While Pakistan's efforts to secure the border leaves much to be desired, the murder of tribal leaders working with the Pakistani government indicates the Taliban/al Qaeda supporters view the cooperation as a threat.

MSM REPORTS ON AFGHANISTAN

Afghan Civilians, Not Soldiers, Provide Most Of Medics' Workload At FOB Sweeney (Mideast Stars and Stripes)...Jason Chudy
They?re trained to take care of wounded and sick servicemembers, but medics assigned to the small aid station at this base?s front gate spend much of their time treating Afghan civilians.

Crowd Rushes Gate At U.S. Base In Afghanistan (Washington Post)...Associated Press
More than 1,000 stone-throwing Afghans tried to break down an outer gate at the main U.S. base here Tuesday while demanding the release of eight detained villagers. Afghan troops fired warning shots and used clubs to beat back the mob, and U.S. troops fired into the air.

OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Egypt Got Tip On Bombing [Captain's Quarters]
The Scotsman reports tonight that Egyptian authorities had received a warning about the bombings at Sharm el-Sheikh that killed 88 people and injured hundreds more. Security officials misunderstood the intended target of the al-Qaeda terrorists, however, leaving the hotels unprepared for the attack:

Today's ROK And Roll [Barbarian Envoy - in S Korea]
Another 7-11 Clerk: Anthony Faiola interviews Korean War vets and gives another guy a chance to waste newsprint. I won?t quote it, but adoshi abuses the word, ?brother?, again in that special Korean way reminiscent of fascists at a revival, or a convenience store employer manual on holdups. Faiola also lets adoshi have the last word, actually a rhetorical question, which should be answered: what else can we do but give Pyongyang handouts? If this article is any indication, it?s South Koreans, who have a stunning lack of good ideas and common sense.

Which Countries Are on the Brink of Failure? [Outside the Beltway]
Foreign Policy has partnered with the Fund for Peace to issue the first annual Failed States Index. Here's the Top 20...
<...>
No real surprises here. What's equally unsurprising (though nonetheless appalling) is how little coverage the press is giving the high-ranking countries...

MSM REPORTS ON OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Our Extreme Makeover (Los Angeles Times)...Max Boot
Favorable impressions of the U.S. are being detected around the world, including inside Muslim countries.

Egyptian police 'identify bomber' (BBC News)
Egyptian security sources say they have identified a man suspected of being one of the bombers who carried out last week's attacks in Sharm al-Sheikh. The security sources said they believed Moussa Badran ...

OUT OF THIS WORLD

Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit [Dude, Where's the Beach]
Debris Spotted Falling From Discovery
A collective "Holy Shit" was heard echoing throughout NASA.

TERRORISM

Terror Attacks and ?Muslim Opinion? [Austin Bay]
I put ?Muslim Opinion? in quotes because there is no ?mass Muslim opinion? any more than there is ?an Arab street.? StrategyPage has been reporting for months on the change in spin by Al Jazeera and other Arab media regarding terror in Iraq. I speculated that the 7/7 attacks may have been a media/information watershed.

Getting a Hand on Jihad [Hurl's Blog - in Iraq]
This morning I stumbled across an article published by Daniel Pipes in the New York Post back in December 2002. Even though it is 2-1/2 years old, I think it is very useful in helping keep our eye on the ball regarding terrorism and understanding the underlying idea that drives it - the Islamic concept of Jihad.
I also think it is especially relevant given the recent trip of Condoleeza Rice to Sudan and the horrors that have been going on there for decades.

The 1 weapon necessary for victory [Redleg's Perspective]
Read this. I just got from Illinois from our little exercise break and this one screamed out at me.
It's the one thing the DNC and the "bush lied" people can't seem to get through their heads. We can't lose the war in Iraq or Afghanistan or anywhere else in the world. We can lose it right here at home. Check your history. It should be right under the title: Vietnam.

The 1 weapon essential for victory

Tipping Points, And a Slap in the Face With a Wet Haddock [The Daily Brief- Sgt. Mom]
Once upon a time in the West? during the eighties to mid nineties, to be specific? there was a sporadic but continuing rumble in the American news media about the so-called militia movement. The journalistic great and the good descended on occasion from their palatial bi-coastal aeries to frown gravely, and unreel serious and lengthy articles about the goings on in fly-over country. Basically, for about a decade, concatenations of good-old-boys in cammies and serious gummint surplus gathered in the woods to play war-games with everything short of light artillery, and bitch about the federal government, the ominous plans by the UN for one-world government, invasion by someone or other, the depredations of mysterious black helicopters, fluoride in the water, and for all I know, the banning of Pete Rose from the Baseball Hall of Fame. I suspect that mostly the guys bitched a lot, and drank a lot of beer. Before the massacres in Rwanda, and the Place Known as the Former Yugoslavia, the mighty military minions of the UN were seen as a potent threat? maybe all the beer would account for that, since in actuality, a brigade of Girl Scouts might have been more effective in some UN-sponsored situations.

"World's Top Terrorist Hunter" [Grim's Hall]
Did you know there was a "World's Top Terrorist Hunter"?
Did you know he was French?
The world's leading terrorist hunter is on a secret mission in Sydney to investigate Australian links to global terrorism[.]
A secret mission, you see...

MSM REPORTS ON TERRORISM

A Deadly Summer (Washington Post)...Unattibuted
THERE MAY NOT be specific connections between the bombings in London and Egypt, or the relentless wave of suicide attacks in Iraq, or the near-collapse of the Israeli-Palestinian cease-fire following a terrorist strike. But the overall pattern this summer is plain: The forces of Islamic extremism, which at the beginning of this year appeared significantly weakened by the war against terrorism, have managed a counterattack of surprising strength.

MILITARY

Victory For The BSA [Stop the ACLU]
Last Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist introduced an Amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill. Well, it came to a vote tonight. And we have some excellent news via FoxNews.com.
...I congratulate all 98 Senators who voted on their wisdom and common sense in appoving such a neccessary activity. Both for our youth and our Armed Forces.
The Democratic Underground compare the Boyscouts to the Hitler Youth Army.

Ranting again... [A Peek into my Insanity]
...They are soldiers, through and through, and they deserve that respect. If a woman signs up and then pusses out, throws the "I'm a girl" card to get out of the hard work, she deserves to get her ass kicked. I depend on the soldiers in the Army to protect my husband in battle, to have his back if shit goes down. A girl who admittedly cannot even shoot straight is not able to do that. That is BULLSHIT.

Here is the site I'm talking about. When I stumbled upon it I immediately felt my blood pressure rising, because this "woman" is a disgrace to my sex, and a disgrace to the Army. I pondered how to deal with my anger at this pitiful display, since I'm a big believer in clicking that little X at the corner, or hitting the back button. Free speech and all that, this is the internet after all. However, I couldn't shake the words from my mind, the arrogance of this writing, and the insults to military families everywhere.

Profiles: The CO [Dadmanly - in Iraq]
This is the start of a series profiling the people I work with here at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Iraq. Today's profile: The Company Commander (CO).
Many MILBLOG readers will no doubt have a good handle on the role of the CO and his or her importance to the Army, and my regular readers probably have a good sense of it, too. As a First Sergeant, I work directly for the Company Commander, and represent his primary means of implementing any decision he makes. The CO directs, the 1SG makes it happen.

Don't Make Me Whip Dis Out [Baldilocks]
Let me see.
Talking about conditions under which WMD might be used is out; talking about using WMD in the event that one or more is used on us is definitely out. And talking about potential targets of WMD in the event that one or more is used on us is mega-out and bigoted to boot.
So why don't we just dismantle them all right now?

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS

LETTERS OF SUPPORT [2005 Tour Of Duty - in Iraq]
This picture is taken to say thanks for all the support from the American people back home. These are letters sent from the Costa Mesa area in California. We appreciate you guys for sending us letters to cheer us up...

PATRIOTISM

Patriotic Art Show to Counter Attorney General's Exhibit (SacUnion.com)...Staff Writer - (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
A painting titled "T'anks to Mr. Bush!" by attorney-artist Stephen Pearcy, is displayed in the Department of Justice cafeteria in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, July 19, 2005.
This coming Thursday the heated political debate surrounding an art exhibit co-sponsored by State Attorney General Bill Lockyer will intensify when conservative opponents of the Lockyer-sponsored exhibit put on their own, counter exhibit.

Mark Williams to Protest Attorney General (SacUnion.com) ... Mark Williams -(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
A painting titled "T'anks to Mr. Bush!" by attorney-artist Stephen Pearcy, is displayed in the Department of Justice cafeteria in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, July 19, 2005.
The tone in the bully?s voice was almost exuberant; it was certainly smug and self-satisfied. The bully is a creep named Steven Pearcy, and he was trying to buffalo his way onto my Sacramento talk show on KFBK 1530 AM to bask in the glory of the attention he felt due him.

A Terrible Idea [Neptunus Lex]
(Note: This entry being moved back to the top temporarily, since the Milblogfather has a post up to which I'd like to lend support.)
And a way to fight it...
Like most of you, I've been dimly aware of the brouhaha surrounding the International Freedom Center, planned by its organizers to be a major element of the World Trade Center Memorial Complex. Although it's obvious that no one needs a history lesson on this, the WTC attack, and the attack on the Pentagon, were the straws that broke the camel's back - they roused a

POLITICS

AIR AMERICA: STEALING FROM POOR KIDS?! [Michelle Malkin]
Air America is being investigated in New York for diverting federal funds--possibly "hundreds of thousands of dollars"--meant for inner-city kids and senior into the station's coffers.
Um, why isn't the New York Times, which has spilled tons of adulatory ink on the liberal radio network, covering this scandal on its front page?

MSM REPORTS ON POLITICS

President's job gets harder when 10 senators want it (USA TODAY)...Susan Page
WASHINGTON ? Add to President Bush's list of worries: the 2008 presidential race.

Operation Coverup (LA Times)
Scandals metastasize. That is the pattern since Watergate. What starts out looking like a small, isolated incident gradually reveals itself to be part of a larger abuse of power. Meanwhile, an unraveling coverup adds new elements. Is that happening now with the scandal over White House leaks of the identity of a CIA agent?

Threading the Needle (NewsWeek)
The Democrats' dilemma: Fight now, or save their fire for the next round?
Aug. 1 issue - Wait for the subway in the Capitol and the press will inundate you on the platform. As a former senator, Fred Thompson knew that, which is why he steered Judge John G. Roberts Jr. onto the sidewalk that runs beside the tracks. On rounds of Senate drop-bys last week they were an odd couple: the shy, almost diminutive judge; his towering, foghorn-voiced bodyguard. Amiable but cautious, Roberts chatted about benign matters of Washington establishment life as he strolled...

THIS FALLS UNDER POLITICS OR BLOGGING, CAN'T DECIDE

Clinton Angers Left With Call for Unity
Senator Accused of Siding With Centrists (Washington Post)... Dan Balz
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's call for an ideological cease-fire in the Democratic Party drew an angry reaction yesterday from liberal bloggers and others on the left, who accused her of siding with the centrist Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) in a long-running dispute over the future of the party.

THE MEDIA

Britain - Dangerous Biased Media [USS Neverdock]
Next to Muslim terrorism, Britain's biased media is the most dangerous challenge facing Britons.
Due to its sheer reach of viewers and listeners, the BBC poses the most danger of all. If you've never visited Biased BBC you owe it to yourself to do so. Be sure and read the comments section as there is a lot of spirited debate from both sides of the Atlantic. I also recommend The Case Against the BBC which contains links that document the BBC's bias.

HUMOR

Mullah Omar Answers Call Of "Allah Allah Oxen Free!" [The Nose on Your Face]
The Nose On Your Face has received information that world- renowned "hide-n-seek" champion Mullah Mohammed Omar will be retiring from international competition sometime this fall.

Omar issued the following statement during a recent cave-side press conference...

It?s Amazing, the Desperation [A Soldier's Perspective]
It seems that almost no matter what I do, these people will never see through me. I got another letter from my friend Joy. This is the next step in any African nation scam. First they make contact with a sappy story of tragic loss, then they push you off onto someone else. Next, they?ll most likely be asking for account numbers and Western Union. Here we go with her response to my last email:

CONGRATS

Happy Birthday to Me! [Phil and Becky - Phil's in Iraq]
That's right, today is my birthday! I turned 28 today. It's been a pretty good day, all things considered. I got "happy birthday" phone calls from my Mom, Grandma and Papa, and Phil's mom this morning. And this evening I got to talk to my Dad and my sisters (Shelly and Jenny), too. Phil said that he would give me a call tonight at his usual midnight calling time.

Day 203 - Happy Birthday to STACY!!! [Big Al's Army Life - Al's in Iraq]
Hey y'all! Guess what? It's my deployment buddy's birthday today!! Whoo Hoo!! I have wanted to tell you for a long time what a special person she is, and how she makes this deployment bearable for me, but I have been waiting for her birthday to tell you --- so I could make a big, sappy post about it and embarrass the heck out of her. LOL.

Back in the States [CaliValleyGirl]
I have been back in the States for exactly one week now. And it feels good. It's like I have become hyper-aware of all things American. And super proud and happy of the support towards soldiers. I love seeing cars with ribbons on them, and houses with flags flying out front.

Very soon to be Mrs Dustman [Doc in the Box] (pic)