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

Final Countdown Part I -- [Faces from the Front - in Iraq]
Ali was dying. Pinned down by a 250 pound armored door and with diesel fuel burning underneath him, he knew it was over.

Ali wasn?t a Marine, but as an Iraqi interpreter he went outside the wire and wore the brown digital cammies?and that made him one of theirs.

Losing some -- [Blood and Sand - in Iraq]
You win some and you lose some. We recently receive a tip from a local about a HVT (high value target) whose car broke down one morning. We flew over, located the target, and followed him back to his palace. Over the next few hours, plans were made and assets were positioned to capture this wanted criminal.

MONKEY STOMP AWAITS -- [One Marine's View - in Iraq]
Today was a good day. However, one of our convoys was hit by and IED, there were no injuries. That was just one of many IED attacks beginning last night along with a single rocket impact (no factor). A couple detonations went off through the night but ...

Supposed Iraq experts again -- [IraqPundit - an Iraqi]
In the Los Angeles Times, respected thinker Edward Luttwak argues for a gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Luttwak says that it's wrong to pull the troops out in a hurry, giving the terrorists a victory. He says most Iraqis are not Sunnis and so he continues...
...First of all, please stop this absurd catogorization of the Iraqi population. Anyone who is new to the subject would get the impression that aside from the majority Shiites, there is this multicultural Kurdish community and little else. Kurds are nearly all Sunni, there is a tiny groups of Kurdish Shiites and Kurdish Christians (and there were some Kurdish Jews). But Luttwak ignores the rest of the Iraqis who don't fit into his tidy picture.
...Again, the misinformed professor makes it sound as though Saddam killed only Shiites and Kurds. If he really did know something about Iraq, he would know that Saddam killed plenty of Sunnis, Christians and members of all the communities.

Embedded media -- [Phil and Becky - Phil's in Iraq]
With Saturday's Constitutional Referendum fast approaching, our Brigade, like probably every other Brigade in country, is being flooded with journalists. Well, if not flooded, hosting more than usual. We got our slice this past week -- a TV journalist from a European TV station, a reporter/photographer team from Reuters and a scheduled-but-not-yet-arrived reporter from USA Today.

al Qaeda and Iraqi Security Forces -- [The Fourth Rail - Bill Roggio]
al Qaeda continues its ?Ramadan Offensive? of car bombings in an attempt to disrupt the upcoming election and sow defeatism in the heart of the American public. In an attack in Tal Afar, a suicide car bomber rams his vehicle into the center of an open market, killing thirty civilians and wounding forty-seven. Iraqi police and Army units are targets throughout the country as well.

IED Roll-UpBlogged -- [A Soldier's Perspective]
I wanted to inform everyone about the ?other? side of IEDs; the side that doesn?t explode or is found before it detonates. Many may feel like the only time we see or hear IEDs is when they go off and soldiers are wounded. As a matter of fact, many IEDs are found before they are able to be detonated against anyone. Some are found AS they?re being laid on the ground. And yet more are found in various stages of production. This is just a ONE WEEK sample.

Mosul, Iraq -Black Hawk Style! -- [Casper's Calamity - in Iraq]
This was one of many flights that I have taken over various cities in Iraq that wane form peaceful to hostile territories with every passing minute. I must admit, it has been quite an adventure and it hasn't ended yet.

Tagged... -- [Ma Deuce Gunner - in Iraq]
Jen, my blog-daughter, over at Jennifer's Musings tagged me yesterday...so here goes...

Seven things I want to do before I die:
1. Make it back to the US
2. Raise a family
3. Be the best husband I can
...

Still a Fugitive -- [Major K - in Iraq]
This scumbag, Fabian Urrea, murdered my friend and fellow Soldier, SPC Jorge Estrada in cold blood over four months ago. I wrote a post about it shortly after it happened. He is still out there somewhere,

A Room With A View... -- [There and Back Again - in Iraq]
This is the view from the balcony right outside of my room. Myself and my roommate live in the Victory Over Iran Palace. At first, I felt guilty about living in a palace, but how many times in life will I have the opportunity to say that I lived in a palace?

Lt. Gen. Petraeus is the man... -- [Quill News]
DC got a chance to see a real war hero in the flesh this week with the visit of Lt. Gen. David Petraeus from his tour leading the training of the new Iraqi forces. You wouldn't know it from the reports in Media-ville but the progress that Petraeus and his commanders have made is astounding. He was welcomed at the White House, and spoke at a Pentagon briefing, and later at Princeton.

MSM REPORTS ON IRAQ

Al-Qaida No. 2: Get Set to Fill Iraq Void -- (AP)
WASHINGTON - In a letter to his top deputy in Iraq, al-Qaida's No. 2 leader said the United States "ran and left their agents" in Vietnam and the jihadists must have a plan ready to fill the void if the Americans suddenly leave Iraq.

Fakhri Shehab: We must think the unthinkable: the break-up of Iraq -- (The Independent)
If the temporary Iraqi Government - and behind it, the US-led Coalition of the Willing - are pinning their hopes on the (national) referendum to restore peace, they are in for a bitter disappointment. The fundamental causes of dissension have been left unaddressed in the referendum on the draft constitution. They have been swept under the carpet for too long. No lasting peace is built on force and forlorn hope. Both are symptoms of a bankrupt strategy.

Iraqi Parliament to Discuss Constitution -- (AP)
BAGHDAD, Iraq - A special session of Iraq's parliament was called Wednesday to discuss a breakthrough on the constitution reached by Shiite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish powerbrokers, reviving hopes of winning Sunni support for the charter in this weekend's referendum. But the National Assembly could have trouble forming a quorum. A monthlong legislative recess began Monday, and many legislators have returned to their provinces for Saturday's referendum vote and to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan with their families.

AFGHANISTAN

Gratuitous Afghan Photos III - The Return of the Photos -- [Miserable Donuts - back from Afghanistan]
"I dunno Sergeant, they seem happy enough that we stopped in their village."

MSM REPORTS ON AFGHANISTAN

Fighting in Afghanistan Kills 21 -- (AP)
KABUL, Afghanistan - Fighting across Afghanistan killed 10 suspected rebels, six police and five medical workers, and President Hamid Karzai said Wednesday he believes the insurgents are receiving support from the nation's booming drug trade. The suspected Taliban guerrillas were killed Monday by U.S. warplanes that bombed their hideout in Uruzgan province, which has long been a hotbed of militant activity, local Gov. Jan Mohammed Khan said Wednesday.

AFGHANISTAN: RICE IN KABUL, ROCKETS FIRED AT EMBASSY -- (AKI)
Kabul, 12 Oct. - US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice arrived in the Afghan capital Kabul on Wednesday morning on the fourth leg of her scheduled tour of Central Asia. She is also due to visit Pakistan. Just a few hours before her arrival, rockets were fired in the city, one of which hit the wall surrounding the Canadian embassy, injuring one security guard and damaging the building. The other rocket landed in an office of the intelligence department, causing some minor damage, police say.

OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Uri Party Chairman Speaks Up On MacArthur Statue Debate -- [GI Korea - in S Korea]
This is what the ruling Uri Party Chairman had to say in today's Chosun Ilbo about the MacArthur statue controversy in Inchon...

California National Guard General drains morale -- [Another Day in Paradise - in Kosovo]
A few months ago, some people (whose names are being withheld to protect their identities) decided that we could really use a swimming pool here; it would be a huge morale boost to the soldiers.

American-Speak -- [Barbavarian Envoy - in S Korea]
Listening to an NPR program on ?Americans and Learning a Second Language?, I heard some disturbing speculations about Americans? desire to learn a second language. One multilingual caller offereed a joke about Americans as a stereotypically mono-lingual people.There were other examples, though, of callers with multilingual ability. Three reasons were offered for second language learning: vocational, heritage, and hobby.

MSM REPORTS ON OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Syria: Interior Minister Commits Suicide -- (AP)
DAMASCUS, Syria -- Syria's interior minister, who ran Lebanon as security chief until 2003, died Wednesday, and Syria's official news agency said he had committed suicide....

Bush, Palestinians Met in Prelude to Abbas Visit -- (LA Times)
President Bush met with Palestinian officials last week at the White House as a prelude to a visit from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, a White House official said.

Schroeder Won't Be Part of New Government -- (AP)
BERLIN -- Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder told a trade union conference in his hometown Wednesday he will "definitely" not participate in Germany's new coalition government....

Liberians Jam Polling Places to Cast Ballots for President -- (LA Times)
A runoff is expected as a popular former soccer player, an ex-World Bank official and 20 other candidates vie for the top position.

MSM REPORTS ON KATRINA

Some Ideas in Search of an Author -- (New York Times)
It's been a month since President Bush offered a bold plan to rebuild the devastated Gulf Coast and so far there's been no action.

U.S. Pledges to Boost Minority Contracts -- (AP)
WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration said Tuesday it would boost the number of contracts given to small and minority-owned businesses for Hurricane Katrina cleanup work, calling the amount now awarded too low....

Losing Hope in Louisiana -- (Washington Post)...Jennifer Moses
Six weeks after Hurricane Katrina, most Americans seem poised for the next news cycle. But in Louisiana, jobs are as rare as snow in August and the hurricane just won't go away.

TERRORISM

Oklahoma Suicide Bombing: Sorting Through the Evidence -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
I posted a couple of times last week (original post here; update here) about Joel Hinrichs III, who died on October 1 after detonating an explosive device while sitting on a bench about 100 yards from a stadium that was packed for an Oklahoma University-Kansas State football game. The fact that Hinrichs chose to kill himself using explosives is in itself noteworthy; this case is even more noteworthy for the fact that Hinrichs attempted to purchase ammonium nitrate just a few days before his death. There have been

Remember the Cole -- [Indepundit - Smash]
ALAN GRAY reminds us of a grim anniversary...

MSM REPORTS ON TERRORISM

NYC Officials Question Subway Hoax Reports -- (My Way News -(AP))
NEW YORK - Mayor Michael Bloomberg and police officials questioned reports on Tuesday that an alleged subway bomb plot that spread fear through the city was a hoax.

Terror Suspect Confesses to Bush Plot -- (My Way News -(AP))
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A U.S. citizen accused of joining al-Qaida and plotting to assassinate President Bush said in a videotaped confession that he was motivated by hatred of American support for Israel. Ahmed Omar Abu Ali also said on the tape, played in court for the first time Tuesday, that a...

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS

Tribute To The Troops -- {Defense Link} (Bold empahsis is Mrs G's)
Country music fans phoned WMZQ radio throughout the day Oct. 8 asking one question: would the heavy rains stop the Tribute to the Troops?

Not to worry, the disc jockeys said. The show would go on. People with tickets for lawn seats at the Nissan Pavilion in Manassas, Va., could now sit inside the open-air concert arena.

...A newcomer on the country music scene, Luke Stricklin, an Arkansas National Guard specialist and Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, opened the show. After singing songs off his debut album, Stricklin sang his hit single ?American, by God?s Amazing Grace.?

Miracle Workers and Heroes -- [Andi's World]
The advancements made in medical technology over the past decade is paying off in spades for many of our wounded troops. If the resources we have now were available to us during the Vietnam War, many of our heroes would have survived. Not only survived - but thrived.

Support from the Kids -- [They Call Us, "Doc" - in Iraq]
This banner was sent to us from my Aunt, who is a teacher at an elementary school in Lewisburg, Tennessee and we hung it up in our MWR building. It's signed by

"These Backpacks are Great!"
On the Soldiers' Angels message board today, from Rene鮮.

A Letter for Grandma and Grandpa -- [Camp Katrina]
...And even if the Army had no other virtues, that would be enough for me to continue as its unwavering advocate. It's good to know that our military, in a time when good manners are going the way of the two-parent family, is still taking the time to grab a pen.

Letters From Home -(video)
By John Michael Montgomery

MILITARY LIFE

Living Alone -- [A Seabee & His Angel]
Over the past 14 months I have adjusted to living alone...I have lived alone before so it wasn't so hard. Except this house is big! My bed is big! My couch is big! I began to think about the things I have done to make it seem less big. The downstairs has been turned into storage, a huge family room, bedroom and full bath resigned to holding old toys, clothes, paperwork and boxes of things that I refuse to throw out but still don't want cluttering up my life!

MSM REPORTS ON MILITARY

Army Has Plan to Boost Signups in 2006 -- (AP)
WASHINGTON -- The Army has a master plan for recovering from this year's painful recruiting problems that includes new financial incentives for enlistees, greater use of computers, a new way for recruiters to make their pitch and a proposed finder's fee for soldiers who refer recruits....

For 2005, Only Army Missed Recruiting Goal -- (AP)
WASHINGTON -- Alone among the military services, the Army fell short of its 2005 recruiting goals - not just the active-duty Army but also the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard....

U.S., Japan seek resolution to military base feud -- (Reuters)
tOKYO - Japan and the United States appear headed toward settling a feud over where to relocate a U.S. military base in Japan, clearing the way for a broader deal that would help tighten military cooperation between the two allies, Japanese media and diplomatic sources said on Wednesday.

U.S. to Remain at Kyrgyz Air Base -- LA Times)
The Central Asian nation's president signs an open-ended deal during a visit by Rice.

POLITICS

Screw the Senate -- [Frooggy Ruminations]
There has been a lot of squawking from Hugh, Powerline, Cap?n Ed, and others on the right side of the blogosphere about how Harriet Miers should just be confirmed anyway because if not, it will damage the Republican majority now in place.

MSM REPORTS ON POLITICS

Mehlman Defends GOP Appeal for Black Votes -- (AP)
WATERBURY, Conn. -- The national Republican Party chairman on Tuesday defended the GOP's outreach to black voters, days after his Democratic counterpart questioned how he could make such an appeal in view of the Bush administration's tepid response to Hurricane Katrina....

Specter Decries Bush 'Pummeling' on Miers -- (AP)
PHILADELPHIA -- Conservatives are giving President Bush an unfair "pummeling" over his selection of Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court, Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter said Tuesday....

Bush Without Rove Is Hard to Imagine -- (AP)
WASHINGTON -- Karl Rove's fingerprints are all over everything at the White House, from politics to policy to the shape of President Bush's entire career in government....

For President Under Duress, Body Language Speaks Volumes -- (Washington Post)
..."Does it worry you," NBC's Matt Lauer is asking him at a construction-site interview in Louisiana, that prosecutors "seem to have such an interest in Mr. Rove?"

Bush blinks twice. He touches his tongue to his lips. He blinks twice more. He starts to answer, but he stops himself.

THE MEDIA

Media Bias -- [Watch Your Six - in Iraq]
I've written about the media's bias before. Their bias is towards what will sell the most copies and therefore make them the most money. America is supposed to win wars (we're 7-1-1 depending on how you keep score), so if we win, that's just a "dog-bites-man" story. The media saw its rise to prominence during vietnam and another quagmire war in a foreign land would elevate it even higher, right?

Kill, Kill, Kill? or ?Lie Lie Lie?? -- [A Soldier's Perspective]
A new book titled ?Kill, Kill, Kill? has been published claiming that U.S. soldiers got their kicks killing innocent, unarmed Iraqis. SSG Jimmy Massey writes that the fault lies in an ?exaggerated sense of threat.? I?m sorry, that?s FORMER SSG Jimmy Massey. And yet another in the long line of Bush haters.

MILBLOGGING / BLOGGING

Two New Debates -- [Dadmanly - in Iraq]
Be careful what you wish for. "May you have what you wish for." (Ancient Chinese curse)

...Some highlights of the various discussions (don't ask me where these came from, I have lost track).

Kevin suggested that I am censored and reviewed for content based on some of the recent policy letters and focus on blogging and OPSEC, I responded:

Shield law won't protect bloggers -- [CounterCoulumn]
If that's the case, then it makes a sham out of the shield law.

And a government that can grant de facto licenses to journalists is also big enough to strip them of their licenses on the whim of a prosecutor. Maybe it will fly in court, maybe it won't. But it will be more than enough to cause a reporter to look over his or her shoulder.

Ralph, did you call me a whining coward? -- [CDR Salamander]
Looks like Ralph Peters is going to be a regular contributor to Navy Times, and probably the other service times as well.

...UPDATE: Still don't think blogging under your real name is a dangerous game? Totally outside the military (Civilian Best Practices there, natch) - read the blood train here, here, and here. Dan Drezner's story hurts the worst. He hoped against hope this wouldn't kill him. Perhaps it didn't, but reading between the lines, I think he wished he didn't use his real name.

MSM REPORTS ON BLOGGING

Blogs Offer Cyber-Catharsis -- (Washington Post)
Logging intensely personal experiences on the Web has become a new form of therapy for millions.

SAD / PATHETIC

CNNN - On the Streets of America
CNNN host asks average Americans which countries United States should invade next in order to curb terrorism.

Many Americans can't even find these so-called "terrorist" states on the map, and they proved their own ignorance by placing markers on the continent of Australia.

The Cruelty of Men -- (Newsweek)
If only the story about live dogs being used as shark bait on a remote French island could have been a hoax. Sadly, it isn't.

HUMOR / SATIRE

TERROR FASHION -- [Open Fire]
With the autumn season comes a wave of new fall fashions from Europe. This year we have "terror fashion" taking the western world by storm! Yes, it's so cool!

Specter: Senators Not Qualified to Question Miers -- [Scrappleface]
Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter, R-PA, announced today he will delay confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers until he can locate some Senators who are intellectually qualified to question her on the finer points of Constitutional law.

Strange, but interesting... -- [Speed of Thought](EN: this has been around but still a good Laugh)
Here is the story:

This is a car advertisement from Great Britain. When they finished filming the ad, the film editor noticed something moving along the side of the car, like a ghostly white mist. They found out that a person had been killed a year earlier in that exact same spot.
The ad was never put on TV because of the unexplained ghostly phenomenon.

CONGRATS

Anniversary -- [Dip into the mind of the Cupcake Queen!]
Well yesterday was my husbands and my anniversary!! Two years! I know that doesn't seem like a lot but I am so proud of the two of us! I am sad that we have to be apart, but it comes with the territory.

Happy Belated Blog B-Day -- [Neptunus Lex]
To me!

Dern, I?ve always been bad at anniversaries.

7 OCT 2003, I joined the burgeoning ranks of the pajama clad unwashed...

WELCOME HOME

Out of Ghraib Danger -- [Ghraib Danger - home from Iraq]
Good morning, afternoon, or evening, depending on where you're located around the world. It's been some time since I've posted, and since most of you (my friends and family), who faithfully read this blog know that I am back in the U.S., I don't know how great the audience will be for this final blog entry. For those of you who are still reading, please say a prayer for Martha, Brian, Rob, Paul, Wayne, Mike, and Katie (my friends still in Iraq), and for all the other troops U.S. and Coalition who are still in country. May they all return home safely. I've been home now for almost a month. I've mostly settled back into the way things were before I left, but some things are still weird.

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