Dawn Patrol

Welcome to the Dawn Patrol, our daily roundup of information on the War on Terror and other topics - from the MilBlogs, other blogs, and the mainstream media. 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. (We have a daily "Open Post" too, if you have something on another topic you can link there.)

IRAQ

Loss --[365 and a Wakeup - in Iraq]
As another day passed into memory the men of the Nightstalker Battalion gathered together to pay their final respects to SSG Alfredo B. Silva. In this world of growing shadows SSG Silva burned as bright as the morning star. Chamuco?s resplendent inner fire and fierce love for his men were beyond earthly measure ? he was the stalwart lighthouse whose radiance ensured others could navigate these troubled waters.

I wish with all my heart I had the ability to properly memorialize SSG Silva, but any words I could weave would be but a hollow echo of our fallen hero. Instead I will include part of 1LT Irish?s final respects.

On Killing --[A Soldier's Thoughts - in Iraq]
I remember back in Baghdad in 2003 when the 1st Armored Division had just arrived. I was in line at the PX (post exchange, it is the army's version of Walmart) and I overheard two soldiers from the 1st Armored Division talking about how they couldn't wait until they had killed someone.

AAV Armor --[Akinoluna]
I spent three hours this afternoon with four of our contractors tearing the armor off a busted up AAV, bolt by bolt. They had brought a generator and an air compressor to run some sort of tool thing that was supposed to help unscrew bolts quickly but the generator wasn't strong enough so we had to do it all by hand.

This was all during the hottest part of the day, out in the middle of nowhere, with no shade and I thought for sure the sun had roasted me red but I guess I got lucky because I only got browner.

ORIGINAL CYNICISM --[American Citizen Soldier]
(Must see pic here)
Fanbushed: Best of the Hotmail Hate Mail of the Week
Unsolicited Letter to the Editor in Chief Waves a White Flag, Opens Fire:
You are a beautiful and powerful writer. [Still], I have to ask.
What makes you sure that the good night's sleep you rough men leave us to enjoy is what we want? Because it is not your beautiful wives and lovely children who order you off to war, begging you to protect us and our way of life. It is your boss...
The Intrepid and ?Somewhat Fanatical? Buck Sargent Takes Cover, Returns Fire:
Thank you for the backhanded compliments. As for the rest of it, I find your lack of faith disturbing. You come across like a hybrid of my uber-liberal college professors and Cindy "America is not worth dying for!" Sheehan...
Mudville Gazette note - READ THE WHOLE POST!

the journey home, part 1 --[Blog Machine City - home from Iraq]
The journey began with a loud rap on my door, waking me from my nascent slumber. "We're leaving at 0200. Get packed up." I glanced at my alarm clock: it was about 2300 - three hours to get ready and move out. Luckily I was already mostly packed.

Response --[Ma Deuce Gunner]
I would like to respond to a comment left on my last post...
Anonymous said...
Do you think that what you are doing is worth the deaths of 25,000 Iraqis and 2,000 US soldiers, or, is this going to be like Vietnam - a completely pointless exercise?...

Assassination --[Treasure of Baghdad - an Iraqi in Iraq]
"An Iraqi working as a reporter for the New York Times was found dead in the southern city of Basra on Monday after being kidnapped by masked men, family members and a doctor said...Are we going to be killed like this? Does it become so easy for armed men to kidnap reporters and then kill them? Everyday I go out to work, I pray to God to keep me safe, not for me, but for the sake of my family whom I don't want them to be hurt.

Interpreting the war on the Shiites --[TigerHawk]
It has been obvious for months that the rejectionist insurgency in Iraq was waging war against the Shiite Muslim majority. However, the various factions of the insurgency had somewhat different objectives in this.

MSM REPORTS ON IRAQ

Five Soldiers Killed in Three Separate Iraq Incidents --[Washington Post]
BAGHDAD, Sept. 20 -- The military announced the deaths Tuesday of five U.S. soldiers in three separate roadside bomb explosions, pushing the number of U.S. fatalities since March 2003 past the 1,900 mark.
Four of the soldiers were assigned to the 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force in Ramadi, 60 miles west of Baghdad.

Reporter Working for Times Abducted and Slain in Iraq --[NY Times]
An Iraqi journalist and photographer working for The New York Times in Basra was found dead early Monday after being abducted from his home by a group of armed men wearing masks and claiming to be police officers, relatives and witnesses said.

Iraq denounces British rescue in Basra --[Reuters]
Iraq denounced British forces on Tuesday over a dramatic rescue of two undercover soldiers that could stoke hostility to the army in increasingly volatile southern Iraq.

AFGHANISTAN

The "Resurgence" of the Taliban --[The Fourth Rail]
After the Taliban failed to conduct successful attacks on Afghanistan's election day, the counting of ballots begins. al Qaeda?s number two in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, weighs in on the election. Apparently the will of six million Afghans is illegitimate.

MSM REPORTS ON AFGHANISTAN

Karzai Wants End to U.S.-Led Operations --[AP]
President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday challenged the need for major foreign military operations in Afghanistan, saying air strikes are no longer effective and that U.S.-led coalition forces should focus on rooting out terror bases and support networks.

Afghans count votes, al Qaeda rejects poll "farce" --[Reuters]
Counting of ballots from Afghanistan's landmark legislative elections began slowly on Tuesday after international observers praised the vote and al Qaeda's number two condemned it as a farce.

Quiet revolution underway in Afghan girls' schools --[Reuters]
A quiet revolution is going on in Afghanistan's schools, behind the high walls and the blue-uniformed police guards with their AK-47s.

OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

NoKo Deal? Stay tuned for November --[Austin Bay Blog]
The headlines are large: North Korea agrees to drop its nuclear programs. This is great news, though a closer look suggests the real deal amounts to agreeing to agree on talks in November. Still, China has stepped up and used its political influence. NoKo has said it will end nuclear programs ? but note Pyongyang specifies nuclear energy programs. Getting China to nudge the North has been a US diplomatic goal, so perhaps China?s push is a small plus for Washington.

"Peace In Our Time" --[The Stupid Shall be Punished]
I think most people recognize that today's announcement of an "agreement" on nuclear weapons in the Six-Party Talks over North Koreans nukes has all the historical import of Clement Attlee's "scrap of paper", but it's better than spiraling towards war now. (Not that I think the Administration is "appeasing" North Korea, unless "not destroying them immediately" is considered appeasement.) ...To me, this agreement actually shows that if all the "great powers" stick together, they can convince even the most wacko world leaders that they'd better play nice.

Korea Times Advocates Moving MacArthur Statue? --[GI Korea Blog]
This editorial in the Korea Times began by giving the same government talking points about the MacArthur Statue, that it should stay in Korea, that MacArthur with his faults still is the one that lead the Inchon Landing, blah, blah, blah, etc.

"Weekend Update" --[Way Down in Kosovo]
It has been a couple of weeks since I wrote about the bombing in Vitina. I had originally assumed that the bomb was a small clap-trap device. Turns out it was actually pretty big.

MSM REPORTS ON OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

N. Korea, U.S. Gave Ground to Make Deal --[Washington Post]
The unexpected agreement by North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program, announced yesterday in Beijing, followed decisions by both the Pyongyang government and the Bush administration to compromise on positions they had clung to during nearly three years of crisis over North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

North Korea Demands Nuke Reactor From U.S. --[AP]
North Korea insisted Tuesday it won't dismantle its nuclear weapons program until the U.S. gives it civilian nuclear reactors, casting doubt on a disarmament agreement reached a day earlier during international talks.

Iran Warns Against U.N. Council Referral --[AP]
Iran on Tuesday threatened to reconsider its promise of allowing unfettered inspections of its nuclear facilities if it is referred to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions over its atomic program.

After German Election, Deadlock Hardens --[NY Times]
Key party leaders rejected some of the coalition solutions that might otherwise lead to the formation of a new government and the selection of a chancellor in Germany.

HURRICANE KATRINA... & RITA

Rotten Eggs --[From My Position..On The Way!]
If one out of every one hundred people that were displaced by hurricane Katrina are ass hats, that means that there are well over 1,000 ass hats we're trying to help. A ratio of 1 out of every 100 means at least $2 million was wasted. Go here to read more. Remember what I said about Girls Gone Wild being one of the few notable things that New Orleans is good for? Apparently some (okay a very few) of the displaced citizens are so addicted to the welfare state that they believe any money they get is ?free money? that is to be thrown away on luxury items, strippers, and other "bare necessities" (no pun intended).

Rita might be a problem --[Mostly Cajun]
So three weeks after Katrina, Rita has a bunch of eyes on her. Like mine.
I?m not worried about flooding. I?m thirty-one miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico, in an area that didn?t flood from the storm surge of Audrey in ?57. So I won?t float away. I do have some big oak trees in the yard. Trees fall. Might be prudent to go buy a couple of those blue plastic tarps, just in case.

Rita Aims at Houston --[ROFASix]
The press is pushing the Hurricane Rita is gonna hit New Orleans angle. "The levees will never hold!" say the talking heads. It makes great sensationalisitic press stories, but does a tremendous disservice to those who are actually at risk.

Still trying to speak with one voice --[Tidewater Musings]
Turns out the various email addresses the Coast Guard had for Katrina information was too much.

Effects of Hurricane Katrina Felt in Minnesota --[Soldiers Angel - Holly Aho]
I went to the lumber store today (Menards...kinda like Home Depot) to purchase roofing supplies for our house and found this sign hanging everywhere, "Due to Hurricane Katrina all sales will be CASH and CARRY 'in stock' items. No building supplies will be ordered for the next several weeks. If we don't have it we're currently out of stock."

MSM REPORTS ON HURRICANE KATRINA... & RITA

Rita Upgraded to Category One Hurricane --[Washington Post]
KEY WEST, Fla. Sept. 20 -- The National Hurricane Center upgraded Rita Tuesday morning from a tropical storm to a category one hurricane and projected that it would produce dangerous "battering waves" and flooding in the Florida Keys in a matter of hours before heading westward into the Gulf of Mexico over the next few days towards the region devastated by Katrina.

Bush Proposes Vouchers for All Displaced Students --[Washington Post]
Under President Bush's plan to cover most of the cost of educating students displaced by Hurricane Katrina, parents could enroll their children in a private or religious school this year at federal expense, even if they had gone to public schools back home, administration officials said yesterday.

Mayor Suspends Reopening of New Orleans --[AP]
Bars, restaurants and shops had just begun showing signs of life when the mayor suspended the reopening of the city and ordered nearly everyone to leave town again as a new hurricane headed toward the Gulf of Mexico. The call for another evacuation came after repeated warnings from top federal officials, including President Bush himself, that New Orleans was not safe enough to reopen.

TERRORISM

Spineless terrorists --[Phil and Becky]
Yesterday morning, we sent a patrol down to the city of Narwan to attend their weekly city council meeting. Narwan is the site of a VBIED strike on September 17th that killed over 30 civilians. It was a terrorist attack, cut and dried -- no inkling of insurgency to be found.
The distinction between a terrorist attack and an insurgent attack, of course, lies in who the attack is directed against.

Al-Zarqawi declares "Total War" on Shiites & US --[ROFASix]
Watching Al-Zarqawi?s latest ?warning? audio on the sub-titled video, it is hard to decide whether what you are hearing is a desperate plea from a beaten man or a scene from ?One Flew Over the Cuckoo Nest.? The fact that Al-Zarqawi is real, as is this transcript, gives you a surreal sense of how dangerous these zealots are.

Zarqawi Being Forced to Dig Deep --[Andi's World]
Think all is well for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his cowardly thugs? Think again.

Is the terrorist pool from Middle-Eastern countries running dry?

How ecumenical of him ... --[Winds of Change]
There was some discussion, primarily from Eric Martin over at Liberals Against Terrorism, as far as how Zarqawi's personal bigotry against Shi'ites (highlighted in his "total war" saber-rattling) is contrasted with bin Laden's more ecumenical view that sectarian conflicts are to be avoided in favor of a united front against the West. In the discussion that followed, I noted that even Zarqawi's "total war" rant appeared to distinguish between killing Shi'ites under the justification that they're collaborators versus killing them for sectarian purposes.

MSM REPORTS ON TERRORISM

Translation of bin Laden Speeches Released --[AP]
The only way to defeat the enemy is to know the enemy. But in the case of Osama bin Laden, the public doesn't know enough, says the author of a new book on America's No. 1 nemesis.

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

A band from Alaska asks for help! --[Soldiers Angels Germany]
Following e-mail I received from ALASKA!
If anyone can help Becky by the tour please contact her directly!

High Desert Heroes Ride --[A Soldier's Perspective]
Anyway, in the few minutes I?ve had between missions I?ve been trying to organize support for the ride. A couple of days ago I had enough time to call the local papers and get them to cover the event. It was published in the Sunday edition of Barstow?s Desert Dispatch and Victorville?s Daily Press. I?ve been trying to get sponsorship so we could raise the $600 needed to purchase shirts for some of the participants, but I haven?t been around during business hours to call businesses directly.

All the money we?re raising from this ride is going directly to family support groups for the soldiers and marines: Blackhorse Association, the Family Wellness Center, and the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. I?ve been lucky enough to have some help from one of the Marine?s in Barstow. He?s taken a lot of the load off of something that was becoming a lot bigger than me. I had to go through extensive sessions with JAG, talked to more Colonels than I knew were on this post, and agonized over what the route would be (which I still won?t know until this Friday, since that?s when rotation ends). Either way, it?s finally happening and you can donate by clicking the image to the right.

A Personal Thank You --[Fortunate Son]
Click the link for the video. (pic)

We have been inundated with kindness and generosity from the folks back home recently. Last week I received nearly twenty care packages from my collegues at Noblestar, my family and from strangers through the AnySoldier.com program. I wanted to do something to show everyone back home who has been sending toys, school supplies and candy that their generosity is bringing smiles to the faces of the children of Afghanistan and directly impacting the lives of others. Thank you all, but especially my "Memaw", Ann and "The Happy Meal Lady", for your generosity...and I can't forget my mom and my wife.

If you feel like sending more, please do. We'll put it to good use. We're adopting a 1000-student girl's school down the road soon. We should have no problem giving away toys and school supplies!

Magic Johnson Visits BAMC --[Patriot Voices]
FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas -- NBA legend Earvin ?Magic? Johnson scored a slam dunk with wounded servicemembers during a visit to Brooke Army Medical Center Sept. 10, thanking them for their numerous sacrifices, courage and dedication.

MSM REPORTS ON SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS

SOFT fundraiser for Tuesday rail --[The Hawkeye Newspaper]
Supporting Our Families and Troops also will sell shirts, car magnets, jewelry and other patriotic items. In addition, Wendy's will contribute a portion of its food sale proceeds during that time to the organization.

Funds raised through SOFT are used to support troops and their families.

"Support Our Troops" Week --[WTAP News]
All week long, some local college students are paying special tribute to U.S. soldiers serving overseas.

West Virginia University at Parkersburg's Student Government Association is sponsoring "Support Our Troops" week.

Christmas for the Troops to hold fun fund-raiser --[Muscatine Journal]
MUSCATINE, Iowa - A Wilton organization is offering area residents a taste of military life in exchange for their support of a Christmas campaign designed to cheer U.S. service people in Iraq.

Groups plan troop support rally Saturday -[Lima Ohio News]
Two veterans groups will hold a rally Saturday to remind troops in Iraq they are supported at home.

MILITARY

Profiles: Cooks and Contractors [Dadmanly - in Iraq]
Much has been made of the ?outsourcing? of many military functions, and nowhere is that so pervasive as the current situation with Dining Facilities (DFAC) in Iraq. For Army cooks do not cook in Iraq and many other forward areas, they ?supervise? those who do. That means, Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR) contractors. Well, more precisely, foreign national (but not host country) subcontractors for KBR.

MOSBY MANIFESTO --[Jack Army]
This is a set of recommendations for improving the Army's personnel policies. I developed them based on my own experience as an infantry officer in the 80's and 90s, including the first Gulf War, as well as my experience in various civilian occupations, including defense contracting and law enforcement special operations. The guiding principle is that a 21st-century Army needs to rid itself of 18th-century habits while still providing effective senior leadership. I have tried to keep this as short as possible. Further debate is much encouraged.

POLITICS

Blogging Porkbusters --[Dadmanly]
In another dramatic prototype for the Blogosphere, Glenn Reynolds and N.Z. Bear of The Truth Laid Bare have teamed up on an excellent project attacking Big Government spending.
Porkbusters may very well change forever how Big Government operates, and represent yet another way that the Blogswarm can help restore "small d" democracy to governance.

Numbers Game --[Baldilocks]
USA Today Headline:
Bush's disapproval rating now at record 58%
Wait. A record? Doesn?t the headline indicate that the president?s approval rating has gone up? The last I heard, the approval rating had dipped below 40% in a poll taken just last week.

?Bush understands money?? --[The Anchoress]
Bogus Gold highlights a very, very interesting and unusual take on President Bush?s spending habits, posted by Nick at Red State.

Here I am going to spout heresy. I am going to argue that the fiscal policies being followed by President George W. Bush represent a breakthrough in conservative ? yes, conservative ? thinking. They represent good policy; and even better strategy.

MSM REPORTS ON POLITICS

Immigration Nominee's Credentials Questioned --[Washington Post]
The Bush administration is seeking to appoint a lawyer with little immigration or customs experience to head the troubled law enforcement agency that handles those issues, prompting sharp criticism from some employee groups, immigration advocates and homeland security experts.

Democrats Face Pressures on Roberts Issue --[AP]
Senate Democrats face conflicting pressures as John Roberts' nomination as chief justice advances, prodded by liberal groups to oppose the appointment yet considering whether a vote in favor might temper President Bush's choice for a second Supreme Court vacancy.

Specter backs Chief justice nominee Roberts --[Reuters]
The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said on Monday he will vote for John Roberts to be U.S. chief justice even though it is uncertain what the conservative appeals court judge will do on the Supreme Court.

THE MEDIA

Broussard Episode: Readers' Respond --[The Media Blog]
First of all, credit to John from WuzzaDem for tracking this story and in all likelihood prompting the MSNBC investigation. Who knows how much bad information went uncorrected before the blogosphere?

FALLEN HEROES

A Marines last letter home --[Disgruntled Grunt]
Marine Cpl. Jeffrey Starr's last letter arrived home more than two months after his flag-draped casket.

It came unexpectedly, weeks after his parents had placed his dusty, worn combat boots on the fireplace ledge.

HUMOR

Kerry Slams Bush for Failure of 'Big Government' --[Scrappleface]
Sen. Kerry noted that in his own 2004 presidential bid, he garnered 78 percent of the vote in Orleans Parish where some 27 percent of the population lives below the poverty level.

"These people are so accustomed to losing in the game of life, that the vast majority naturally picked the losing candidate," Mr. Kerry said.

WHAT?S YOUR REDNECK ASTROLOGICAL SIGN? --[Mostly Cajun]
Some Rednecks are pretty skeptical of horoscopes and the people that read them. If we are to ever fully understand all the star signs and the people they represent, we need symbols that are true Rednecks.

(Need more? The previous Dawn Patrol is here.)