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

Paying Respect to Those Who've Earned It -- [Michael Yon - back from Iraq]
Bruce Willis is one of the finest and most successful actors in the world. Further introduction would be redundant. Mr. Willis has been to Iraq with his band and the USO, and has been following the events in Mosul through my dispatches. He has expressed his desire to support our troops to me on numerous occasions. One need only read his website to see how strongly he feels about this: ...

Hit -- [WarriorsVoice - in Iraq]
My team and I have relocated, temporarily, to Hit. It does not have the comfort features as Camp Ramadi but then again we are not here to relax. The change of location is a welcome change to be honest. Hit, for those of you who don?t know, is further north from Ar-Ramadi along the Euphrates River. There are a couple units that I will be working with. There is an ODA team here who I?m working with and then there is the National Guard unit out of Mississippi who only has a couple months left. You will here about them in some later posts most likely.

Pugnacious Stupidity...A Demonstration -- [Argghhh!]
Dusty checks in:
What follows below is an all-too-frequent and all-too-common example of how the Left sounds when it lets it guard down and speaks its heart and mind.

I just saw this on Jason von Steenwyck's site, Countercolumn.

Jason's response was, as ever, pithy and to the point, but allow me to offer mine as well. Before I go on, I think it needs to be made clear that my comments are really not for the military reader...I hope our civilian visitors get to see this because they need to hear it, again and again from all of us.

False Alarm -- [Who's your Baghdaddy? - in Iraq]
Late last night as I was sleeping I was jolted back to consciousness by the screeching sound of the camp siren. The siren is referred to as the ?big voice? and it is used to sound the alarm in the event of enemy attack.

So here I am sound asleep and I hear the unmistakable sound of the sirens blasting in the dead of night. My immediate thought was,? Mortar attack!?

THE BREAK -- [One Marine's View - in Iraq]
COMBAT UPDATE (IRAQ)
Today has been tough for some of the Battalions as they have taken some wounded but dished out more to the enemy. We had found a strange amount of IED throughout the area today. Usually we only find them when they explode. I guess the men are getting better seeing those like the enemy would and spotting them before we get close. Counter battery rang out again today but

Ramadan and the Suicide Date Bombing -- [Pearls of Iraq - in Iraq]
In a report by Anas (raa), he said: "The Prophet (saas) used to break fast with fresh, ripe dates rutub, before he offered his Maghrib prayer. If they were not available, he would break with regular dates, or drink water if there were no dates." (Abu Dawud Tirmidhi).

This is the month of Ramadan, a time for fasting and spiritual reflections. Why did I bring up the topic of breaking fast with dates as advised by Prophet Mohammed, Peace be upon him?

November Videos -- [Open Fire]
With the month of November come two great videos involving air power exerted against the enemy in Iraq.

We at Openfire.us are constantly highlighting our courageous men and woman who are combating Islamic extremists in the ongoing war against militant Islam. This appreciation often comes in the form of raw footage from Iraq and/or Afghanistan. This month is no different. We have two great videos.

The wild west -- [Peace like a River]
Coalition forces continue to put pressure on the terrorists in the Euphrates river towns near the Syrian border in western Iraq.
...The US military, particularly the Marines of the II MEF, have been conducting operations in the area since last spring, operations intended to interdict the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq. There was Operation Matador in May, Operation Spear in June, operations in July, operations in August, and Operation Hunter in September and into October.

The difference is, and an important reason why such rapid successes are coming now, is that since Operation Iron Fist, ...

A look inside the Iraqi home -- [CenterDaily.com - Postcards from Iraq]
...I?ll begin by describing the typical Iraqi home. Virtually all the houses here are poured concrete walls with all concrete interior walls as well. The houses are actually pretty well-built homes. One major difference with these homes and ours is the electrical system. All appliances here run on 220 volts. In case you don?t know what that is like, it is similar to the power it takes to run a large air conditioner in your home. Even small appliances run on this amount of electricity, which is a common cause for frequent electrical troubles here. We definitely have dependable electric to be thankful for in our homes. Believe me!

The people of Iraq and our differences -- [CenterDaily.com - Postcards from Iraq]
Dear Centre County,

As always, I'd like to thank everyone for all the kind e-mails and insightful comments into Postcards from Iraq. I'd like to particularly thank Paul and his wife for the hard work and solicitude they've given by sending much appreciated care packages to us here in Iraq. To answer a question about toys and books for the children here: "Yes, we would definitely make sure the children received any books or toys that you're willing to send." It seems that readers are more interested than I'd thought, about the Iraqi culture and everyday life here.

Back in Tikrit -- [sandboxmedic - in Iraq]
Kirkuk is a city with a mixed ethnic heritage- some folks there like us, some don?t. The ones who didn?t were a little rowdy at times and we had bunker call several times during my stay there. It started on the second day I was there when I had a rocket go overhead (luckily it was a dud) and involved several more including one that exploded at the wire while I was standing on the flight line waiting to climb into a Blackhawk. It was neat looking explosion though.

More Fire -- [What is Truth? - in Iraq]
A group of Iraqis arrived at the hospital a few days ago. Their injury happened to be my specialty: burns. As we all recall I can empathize with a burn victim quite easily due to my own experiences. The group came from an Iraqi Army unit to the north of my area. There truck was hit by an IED and they lost three of the comrades at arms. The rest had second degree flash burns over there face and hands nearly identical more or less to my own ancient injuries. None were quite as deep as myself or Naqeeb?s burns had been in the face at least. On the arms however some got burned on the under side of the arm where my own burns had been on top. The area they were burned on was decidedly more painful.

We have lost a lot of people? -- -48th Goes to War - AJC.com]
Yusufiyah, Iraq - The Iraqi soldier wears a green mask over his face to work. He reveals only his brown eyes as he mans his checkpoint.

Dozens of Iraqis see Mahmud Abdul Karim when they cross the bridge he guards each day. He dons the mask because he doesn?t want them to recognize him when he goes on leave to his home in Nasiriyah south of here.

"The New Iraq" - Treasure of Baghdad's Diary -- [Treasure in Baghdad - an Iraqi in Iraq]

Usually, when I finish work at night, I visit my friends who gather everyday at the house of A.L., to have fun and forget about the tiring day we spend. My friends are a mixture of sects and cities, Sunnis and Shiites. All of them were born in Baghdad but originally are from other cities. Having friends from Kirkuk, Samarra, Falluja, Mosul, Najaf, and Baghdad, we call ourselves "The New Iraq". We never talk about our sects or religion when we meet each other. What we care about is how we share our happy times together.

back from Iraq -- [Boots in Baghdad - back from Iraq]
...With every passing day it becomes clearer and clearer that the insurgency in Iraq has realized that their biggest advantage is an American population with dwindling support for the occupation, thus providing the insurgency a light at the end of the tunnel. We need to crush that tunnel.

Plot or Blunder? -- [Baldilocks]
Several commentators are wondering why the CIA sent a non-operative like Joseph Wilson to Africa in order to verify the British report of possible illicit yellowcake sales to Saddam Hussein. Why would the CIA send someone over whom they had no control on such a sensitive trip? And why would they send a man whose relationship to one of their "secret operatives" was so close that any public disclosures from the man could endanger that operative?

MSM REPORTS ON IRAQ

IRAQ: 'CHILD' BOMBER DIES AS US MILITARY RAISES ALARM OVER ROADSIDE ATTACKS -- (AKI)
Baghdad, 1 Nov. - A child thought to be just ten years old, wearing an explosives belt, has died in a roadside explosion at the al-Quds intersection, near the oil rich city of Kirkuk. The 'suicide' attack occurred as a car carrying a senior Iraqi police official, Colonel Khatab, passed by. The official and his driver were wounded and are being treated in hospital. The report of such a young child being used for terror attacks comes as the US military issued a report showing how difficult it can be for its soldiers to prevent roadside bombs.

U.S. Issues Report on Iraqi Roadside Bombs -- (AP)
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A U.S. Army soldier was killed by a roadside bomb in central Iraq, the military said Tuesday, raising to at least 93 the number of American service members who died during October, the fourth deadliest month for the troops in the Iraq war....

October Toll Is 4th Highest For U.S. Troops In Iraq -- (Washington Post)...John Ward Anderson
...The U.S. military said American warplanes bombed "a terrorist safe house" before dawn near Karabilah, a village near the town of Qaim, which is about 200 miles west of Baghdad on the border with Syria. The town lies in the Euphrates River valley, which stretches from the border almost to the Iraqi capital. U.S. military officials say it is a key corridor for the smuggling of foreign fighters and materials from Syria into Iraq.

Court-Martial Recommended for U.S. Soldier -- (AP)
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait-- A U.S. military investigating officer on Tuesday recommended a court-martial for a National Guard soldier charged with killing two of his superiors in Iraq and raised the possibility of a death sentence....

IRAQ: ZARQAWI'S GROUP CONFIRMS KIDNAPPING OF TWO MORROCAN NATIONALS -- (AKI)
Baghdad, 1 Nov. - The terrorist group Al-Qaeda in Iraq, led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of two employees of the Moroccan embassy in Baghdad captured on 20 October and said that two men would now be subject to "proceedings". The two Moroccan embassy staff were kidnapped while they were travelling on a highway, considered to be extremely dangerous, that links the Iraqi capital to Amman, the Jordanian capital.

Florida Man Is Highest-Ranking Soldier Killed In Action In Iraq -- (Miami Herald)...Jennifer Kay, Associated Press
A Florida Panhandle soldier killed in an explosion in Baghdad has been posthumously promoted, making him the highest-ranking soldier killed in action in the Iraq conflict, according to the Pentagon.

AFGHANISTAN

OPERATION ENDURING BOREDOM - EPISODE V -- [AMERICAN CITIZEN SOLDIER - currently in Iraq, was in Afghanistan]
American Citizen Soldier *Extra*
This is the continuation of a series of selected excerpts from my Afghanistan war journal hand-recorded from October 2003 to August 2004. They are along the lines of a conventional weblog in that they captured the daily events and my thoughts about them in real time. All OEB entries are previously unpublished.

THE BREAK (Afghanistan I) -- [One Marine's View - currently in Iraq, was in Afghanistan]
This is a story I remember from my tour in Afghanistan a few months prior coming to Iraq. It?s a look back as these events which you may find interesting. From time to time I will cover the Afghanistan experiences as well. I hope you enjoy them.

Gratuitous Afghan Photos Return XVI -- [Miserable Donuts]
Continuing the winter is coming theme. A scene from along the road, about 5 miles from the Salang Tunnel...please be sure to place a tarp or other cover on your anti-aircraft artillery. (pic)

MSM REPORTS ON AFGHANISTAN

2001 journalist killings: Two more Afghans sentenced to death -- (Daily Times)
KABUL: Two more men were sentenced to death last week for killing four journalists who entered Afghanistan to cover the 2001 toppling of the fundamentalist Taliban regime, a court official said Sunday.

More troops 'may be sent to Afghanistan -- (Telegraph )
Britain could send more troops out to Afghanistan, John Reid, the Defence Secretary, has said.

Afghanistan: Blast Aimed At U.S. Convoy Kills Afghan -- (Reuters)
KABUL, Oct 31 (Reuters) - A blast aimed at a convoy of U.S. troops killed an Afghan civilian and wounded five others on Monday in the eastern province of Nangarhar, a government spokesman said.

OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

North Koreans May Start Nuclear Weapons Inspections of USFK Facilities -- [GI Korea - in S Korea]
Seoul may give in to North Korean demands to conduct nuclear weapons inspection of USFK bases in South Korea:

South Korea?s top diplomat has indicated that Seoul could review Pyongyang?s possible request for a nuclear inspection of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) to verify the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Building a medical facility in the middle of nowhere is difficult; watching people die is harder. -- [Kevin Sites - in Africa]
Imagine this: one of your older children is looking after your two-year-old while you are outside working the garden.
The little boy is running around and knocks a pot off the table.
Scalding water splashes over his back. He screams. You come running inside. You wrap him in a blanket and head for the nearest medical facility.

MSM REPORTS ON OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Syria: UN resolution "very negative" -- (Reuters)
DAMASCUS - Syria sharply criticized on Tuesday a U.N resolution ordering it to cooperate fully with an international inquiry into the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri or face unspecified action. Full Article

U.N. Tells Syria To Stop Impeding Slaying Inquiry -- (New York Times)...Warren Hoge
The Security Council voted unanimously on Monday to compel Syria to stop obstructing a United Nations investigation into the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri or face unspecified "further action."

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

Support our troops! -- [Updates on my Soldier - Blue Star Mom]
Rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:7
This Marine could use some cheering up! Click the link or title and find out how you can do just that. Tell him thanks.

Ah...... -- [Mom in America 2]
I launched my little blog into cyberspace and began looking around, meeting people and linking up. I have a military background and tend to have a lot in common with others who are serving or have family who are. I've done that and I share a lot of years of common experience with them. I began noticing that a lot of the soldiers who blog get a lot of really nasty stuff written on their blogs. That really made me stop and think. Upon reflection, it really disgusted me, so I decided to start going to these soldiers I had linked to regularly and just let them know that somewhere in America someone is reading what they write and is thankful for them doing their jobs. Twice a day, morning and night, I began doing this everyday. Through time, reading what they write and their reading what I write, friendships have developed. It was a natural thing to happen.

San Diego Says "Thank You" to Marines -- [Smash]
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, dozens of men, women and children gathered outside the North Gate of Miramar Marine Corps Air Station to deliver a simple message to the Marines, Sailors, and families who work on the base

Wireless Phone Discounts -- [Brown Hound]
This was in my recent Reserve Officers Association (ROA) newsletter.

Cell Phone Discounts for Military/Federal Employees
A member recently sent us this note (edited for length and style):

Did you know that military and federal employees can receive discounts on their cell phone service, according to the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996? Well, it's true.

Don't Ask -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
(pics)(pics)(pics)

POLITICS

Being Alger Hiss: The Striking Parallel Between Scooter Libby and His Unlikely Predecessor -- [Bobby's World]
Decades ago, in the aftermath of World War II and the beginnings of the Cold War, the rising power of the Soviet Union stood as the greatest threat to international peace and freedom. The presence of Soviet tanks ensured that tens of millions of Eastern Europeans, Central Asians, and (not to mention) Russians would have no influence over the political affairs of their own people, and provided a significant enough threat to coerce Western Europeans and North Americans into unprecedented international cooperation.

Kerry?s 180 -- [Cao's Blog]
John Kerry sees America as an occupier, not a liberator. Critics pounce on that, ?aren?t you aware,? they sneer, that President Bush has used the term ?occupiers??

Do they mean when the president said this?? ....

People Who Don't Understand The Constitution

Noticed a nice little poll over at AOL which includes the question: -- [The stupid shall be punished]

"What choice should Bush make regarding Cheney?"
--Let him go
--Keep him

MSM REPORTS ON POLITICS

Both parties prepared for 'Armageddon' fight -- (Washington Times)
Senate Democrats and Republicans -- along with interest groups both for and against Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr.'s Supreme Court nomination -- fell into formation yesterday to begin the battle they've been expecting for more than a decade.
"This one is going to be Armageddon," said Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, Utah Republican and former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

White House Rebuffs Calls for Shakeup -- (AP)
WASHINGTON -- The White House on Monday rebuffed calls for a staff shakeup, the firing of Karl Rove and an apology by President Bush for the role of senior administration officials in the unmasking of CIA operative Valerie Plame....

THE MEDIA

Tell The Media What You Think -- [WarriorsVoice - in Iraq]
One of my readers informed me of a petition that allows you to tell the media what you think. Demand that they tell the truth and stop their bias and lies. It does not take much. Almost all of the media outlets are guilty. FNC, CNN, BBC, NYT, NewsWeek and just about all of them. Here is the link below:

CBS' Mary Mapes, in 'Vanity Fair,' Defends Role in 'RatherGate' -- (Editor & Publisher)
NEW YORK In the upcoming December issue of Vanity Fair, Mary Mapes, the CBS News producer who lost her job after the disputed "60 Minutes II" Bush/National Guard report, writes, "I must answer the bloggers, the babblers and blabbers, and the true believers who have called me everything from 'feminazi' to an 'elitist liberal' to an 'idiot.'

CONGRATS

I'M 32 & A GRANDMOTHER!!!! -- [Yikes]
shortly after 4:00 p.m. , Grandbaby Clayton Lee __________(last name omitted) was born! 8lbs, 8 oz, reportedly lots of red hair, and 21.5 inches long. Note.... I AM ONLY 32 AND AM NOT REALLY OLD ENOUGH TO BE A GRANDMOTHER...this would be hubby's youngest daughter's baby (hubby is 40, his youngest - who does NOT live with us - is 18).

MILBLOGGING / BLOGGING

Help Wanted -- [BlackFive]
I'm in the middle of putting a book together about MilBloggers and I'm coming to the realization that I can't keep posting prolifically and focusing on the book at the same time.

At least not alone.

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