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

D鮯uement -- [RaMrOd's Blog - in Iraq]
How does one sum up a year of such a unique experience filled with such wide extremes of emotions and events? The friendships made, the bonds forged, unlike any other. The relationship formed on the battle field is unlike anything else in the world. From the camaraderie of the old and young, to the diverse races of the world coming together for a common cause, for the liberty and freedom for Americans and Iraqis both.

THE SPIRIT & THE SWORD -- [One Marine's View - in Iraq]
...The enemy knows he can?t beat the Coalition forces here in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, he will try to beat you back in the states; Scare tactics, threats and bad propaganda are just some of his tools. You have to respect the threats but squash the bad propaganda. Im tired of being nice, I don?t have to be nice, as a matter of fact Im getting to like being mean. Its about damn time you get a big ass belly full of anti American press and put your foot down.

Iraqi Pictures - Saturday, October 22, 2005 -- [Iraq Pictures - in Iraq]
CPT Daniel Hall comforts an Iraqi boy after a suicide bomber attack that killed 33 and injured 50 Iraqis in Tal Afar. Iraqi army security forces with assistance from the Army 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and 82nd Airborne are providing security for the region of Tal Afar in order to disrupt insurgent safe havens and to clear weapons cache sights in the area of operation.

ahem?! -- [It's a living... sorta - in Iraq]
To all those out there (mostly liberals) who said that the Iraqis would never be able to handle democracy and that we were wasting our time and the lives of brave Americans in a pointless war, I have a question for you.

Tikrit, Iraq -- [They Call Us, "Doc" - in Iraq]
Here, I'm standing just across the Tigris river from one of Saddam's many palaces within his hometown of Tikrit. The palace compounds there are scheduled to be turned back over from Coalition Forces to the Iraqi people, where their government headquarters will be located.

Surprise, surprise -- [MREeater - in Iraq]
The crew was emptying our green plastic dumpsters into the garbage truck today, and one of the workers reached in, lifted out a clear bag of trash, and dumped out the contents. He reached down, picked up a CD jewel case, inspected it, and threw it back in.

A Tale of Two Miqdadiyahs --The Fourth Rail
Miqdadiyah, a city located northeast of Baghdad in Diyala province with a population of 100,000, has quietly made the news over the past month. Iraqi troops recently arrested Ayub Ali, “who is believed to be responsible for a two-year campaign...

Iraqi Sunsets -- [jonjivan - in Iraq]
... Are freakin' sweet (pics),(pics),(pics)

Well good morning to you too -- [Salemonz News Service - in Iraq]
After finally finding my pace, there was this boom that happened off beyond the fence. Then this sort of whine ? like a police siren spinning down. Just hearing that, I thought a police car outside the gate had just been hit with an IED. Strange that the police siren hadn?t been going off before it was hit.

Then there was a louder boom to my left.

MSM REPORTS ON IRAQ

Iraqis approve new constitution -- (BBC News)
Electoral commission officials insisted the vote was clear of fraud
Iraq's new constitution has been approved, according to official results from the nationwide referendum held earlier this month.
Opponents of the constitution needed two-thirds of voters in three provinces to reject the document, and seriously delay the political process in Iraq.

3 Bombers Strike At Baghdad Hotels -- (New York Times)...Kirk Semple
A suicide bomber on Monday drove a cement mixer packed with explosives into the front courtyard of two prominent Baghdad hotels popular with foreigners, but failed to destroy his apparent targets when the vehicle became snagged in barbed wire as it headed for the main entrances.

Trial, tribalism . . . and momentum -- (Washington Times)
A Sunni grandmother watched the first day of Saddam Hussein's trial on television and scoffed that he should be charged at all. "I felt sorry," she told The Washington Post, "I almost cried. Every country in the world has terrorism. All the presidents in this region torture their people. Why, of all the countries, do they come after us?"

Poll shows Iraqis back attacks on UK, US forces -- (Reuters)
LONDON - Forty-five percent of Iraqis believe attacks on U.S. and British troops are justified, according to a secret poll said to have been commissioned by British defense leaders and cited by The Sunday Telegraph.

Less than 1 percent of those polled believed that the forces were responsible for any improvement in security, according to poll figures.

AFGHANISTAN

Burning Taliban Corpses and the Customary Law of War -- [Intel Dump - Dave Glazier]
Jon?s ?defense counsel? view of the current Afghan cremation furor (immediately below) has generated tremendous commentary about our military?s values, but curiously misses some of the core legal issues. First, as Charles Gittings notes in one of the comments, it selectively quotes from the full language of the relevant Geneva provision, article 17 of Convention (I) for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field. The full text of that article includes requirements for honorable interment ?if possible? according to the deceased?s religion, and where cremation does take place, the ashes must be collected and preserved for turnover to the home authorities. Only the most hardened cynic or one totally ignorant of Islamic culture could argue that incompletely burning a Muslim?s corpse and then using it for PSYOPS purposes could comply with these requirements.

Two senior officials killed in Afghanistan -- [Afghan Lord - an Afghani in Afghanistan]
Two days before, bombs planted by suspected Taliban rebels killed a top policeman and a senior intelligence officer in Afghanistan.
The police director of southwestern Nimrooz province and a guard were killed later Thursday when a remotely denoted car bomb tore through their vehicle as they were going to evening prayers, as interior ministry spokesman said

MSM REPORTS ON AFGHANISTAN

Operation Pil Targets Taliban In Kunar Province -- (MIdeast Stars and Stripes)...Steve Mraz
...Two Marines were hit with shrapnel and a third suffered a gunshot wound to the arm. The incident was one of roughly 12 engagements during Operation Pil, a seven day, battalion-reinforced operation aimed at disrupting enemy activities and sanctuaries in Afghanistan?s volatile Kunar province. In recent weeks, U.S. troops have come under fire and been subject to roadside bombs in Kunar province.

Women Perform Unexpectedly Well In Afghan Polls -- (London Financial Times)...Jo Johnson
Women fared unexpectedly well in Afghanistan's first parliamentary elections since 1969, but will be heavily outnumbered in an assembly dominated by warlords, druglords and socially conservative religious leaders.

U.S. Extradites Accused Drug Dealer From Afghanistan -- (Washington Post)...Associated Press
A Taliban-linked man who allegedly sought to poison U.S. streets with millions of dollars of heroin in a deadly "American jihad" has become the first person extradited from Afghanistan to face federal charges, officials said Monday.

Violations raise ire against US soldiers -- (Taipei Times)
INCENSED: TV footage of US troops burning the bodies of Taliban militants has enraged Muslims and ordinary Afghanistanis alike, causing talk of a `jihad' to surface

S ASIA EARTHQUAKE

On Break From the War -- [Firepower Forward - from Afghanistan to Pakistan] (pics)(pics)(pics)
As far as an emotional impact, yesterday has to stand as the most significant of the deployment to date.

Monday night Craig and I received a warning order to be prepared to move to Pakistan. We didn?t know exactly what the mission would be other than logistics support to the Task Force Griffin, the aviation unit flying the helicopter relief missions out of Islamabad. We didn?t know how long we were expected to be there, only that the relief effort would become more urgent as the weather deteriorated. So on Tuesday, we packed our bags and prepared for a Wednesday departure.

OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Carnival of Liberty XVII -- [Eric's Grumbles Before The Grave]
Welcome to the 17th edition of the Carnival of Liberty. We've had this going for just about 4 months now. The first edition was on July 4th, 2005, the 229th anniversary of the unanimous Declaration of Independence of the 13 united States of America. During this week, in 1774, the First Continental Congress was finishing up and would adjourn on October 26. Fittingly, Congress and politics figures into this Carnival of Liberty. We also have a discussion of the appropriate role of government and coercion during a deadly pandemic, as we may soon face if the Avian Flu mutates. And much, much more.

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

Friday Night at Walter Reed -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Here's the latest from GunnNutt on the Friday night show of support for our recovering Heroes at Walter Reed including a visit to Malogne House.

More photos and full report at FreeRepublic.

Thanks to all who make sure the troops see more supporters than protesters each Friday night at Walter Reed.

TERRORISM

al Qaeda] Attack on the Palestine Hotel -- [The Fourth Rail]
After remaining silent during the referendum on Iraq's constitution and over one week afterwards, al Qaeda in Iraq launches a coordinated attack on the Palestine Hotel. The target choice was carefully chosen by al Qaeda for maximum media exposure...

MILITARY

ACLU Accuses Military of Murder -- [Stop the ACLU]
...The analysis, released Monday, looked at 44 deaths described in records obtained by the ACLU. Of those, the group characterized 21 as homicides, and said at least eight resulted from abusive techniques by military or intelligence officers, such as strangulation or ?blunt force injuries,? as noted in the autopsy reports.
Notice the leap to calling these deaths homicides. The ACLU bases these allegations on what? Their own word? They cherry picked 21 deaths from 44, and slapped them with the label of homicide. What I want to know is how this is any of the ACLU?s business anyway, and who is funding this attack on the military.

MSM REPORTS ON MILITARY

Humvees With Better Armor Slow In Coming -- (Salt Lake Tribune)...Matthew D. LaPlante
...The Army says it will have all of those vehicles armored to at least a Level 2 standard by Oct. 31. But even as it closes in on that goal, troops are finding systemic problems with Level 2 Humvees.

POLITICS

I oppose the Miers nomination -- [Dadmanly - in Iraq]
While I have strong confidence that Ms. Miers, based on what has been reported of her religious practice and faith, would cooperate in scaling back the dramatic and unconstitutional overreach that is Roe v. Wade, that is not a reason to support her nomination.

George Galloway on Food for Oil Scam: "Oh, you mean THAT $600,000." -- [GM's Corner]
Do you remember George Galloway testifying to a U.S. Senate committee on the U.N. / Saddam Hussein Food for Oil scheme and the huge hissy fit that he threw in the hearing when questioned about illegally profiting from it? Well, consider these...

MSM REPORTS ON POLITICS

Peace Mom's Grim Death-Toll Vow -- (New York Daily News)...News Wire Services
Peace mom Cindy Sheehan vows to tie herself to the White House gates when the U.S. death toll in Iraq hits 2,000.

Cheney Told Aide Of C.I.A. Officer, Lawyers Report -- (New York Times)...David Johnston, Richard W. Stevenson and Douglas Jehl
...The notes, taken by Mr. Libby during the conversation, for the first time place Mr. Cheney in the middle of an effort by the White House to learn about Ms. Wilson's husband, Joseph C. Wilson IV, who was questioning the administration's handling of intelligence about Iraq's nuclear program to justify the war.

CIA Leak Linked To Dispute Over Iraq Policy -- (Washington Post)...Glenn Kessler
...As the investigation into the leak reaches its expected climax this week with the expiration of the grand jury's term, the internal disputes have been further amplified by a recent string of speeches and interviews criticizing the administration's handling of Iraq, including by former national security adviser Brent Scowcroft, the former chief of staff to Secretary of State Colin L. Powell and State Department diplomats, and other officials involved in the early efforts to stabilize Iraq.

THE MEDIA

Burning Americans Alive - Media Yawns -- [Open Fire]
There was some recent commotion about U.S. soldiers cremating two dead Taliban bodies in Afghanistan last week. The repeated story is hardly worth commenting on other than the fact the liberal media is attempting to find another club to bash the military by desperately promoting the false notion American soldiers do bad things to innocent people.
...Imagine if an American within Iraq was dragged from his vehicle, doused with gasoline and set ablaze. Do you think the media would provide much coverage for such a story?
...Well, according to this report, Four U.S. Contractors Killed in Iraq, an American contractor working in Iraq was burned alive just last month.

NPR Now Officially Advising Dems -- [Right in Raleigh]
For those still out there defending NPR as an unbiased source of news, here are NPR commentators cheering on the Democrats and offering advice in the upcoming elections (from the Media Research Center): ...

Ben Stein's Last Column... -- [Iraq Pictures - in Iraq]
For many years Ben Stein has written a biweekly column called "Monday Night At Morton's." (Morton's is a famous chain of Steakhouses known to be frequented by movie stars and famous people from around the globe.) Now, Ben is terminating the column to move on to other things in his life. Reading his final column is worth a few minutes of your time.

Ben Stein's Last Column...

MSM REPORTS ON MEDIA

It Wasn't Just Miller's Story -- (Washington Post)...Robert Kagan
...Many critics outside the Times suggest that Miller's eagerness to publish the Bush administration's line was the primary reason Americans went to war. The Times itself is edging closer to this version of events. There is a big problem with this simple narrative. It is that the Times, along with The Post and other news organizations, ran many alarming stories about Iraq's weapons programs before the election of George W. Bush.

HUMOR

Iraq Constitution Approval Another Setback for Bush -- [ScrappleFace]
In yet another setback for the Bush administration, Iraqi electoral officials announced today that voters have approved the new Iraqi Constitution by a margin of 78-to-21 percent.

MILBLOGGING / BLOGGING

Another Blogger Meeting -- [Ma Deuce Gunner - in Iraq]
On the afternoon of the 22nd, I went over and met with Caelestis. I enjoyed meeting him, and we had a great conversation.

Caelestis is a VERY well learned and intelligent guy. He spent time in the Army, and now works as a contractor for the Army. He and I talked for almost an hour, and I learned A LOT from him in that short amount of time. He has some very good posts about the referendum, here and here. Go read.

Programming Your Blog or Website - How To Stuff Part 5 -- [ Holly Aho - A Soldiers's Angel]
Ok, if you're new to this stuff and missed the first 4 parts of this article you can read them here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4. Ok, in part 5 here we will go through the process of installing a PHP program that requires a database. If you have not yet done so, create a MySQL database with your webhost. You need to name the database, and choose a username and password for the database. Have that information handy for installing programs that need to use your database.

IN MEMORY OF...

Rosa Parks dead -- (New York Daily News)
The mother of America's civil rights movement died last night. Rosa Lee Parks, who inspired an entire race to stand up for its rights by refusing in 1955 to give up her bus seat to a white man in Alabama, was 92.

Rosa Parks -- [baldilocks]
One day you're an unknown Negro seamstress in the segregated South. The next day, you're a legend whose very name evokes hope and change for the better in an America that lives up to her ideals.DETROIT - Rosa Lee Parks,...

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