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

In Between! -- [24 Steps to Liberty - an Iraqi in Iraq]
...Their excuse is that Iraq is occupied. Well, wake up. Iraq is occupied by you too. F*****s. I want to scream it. I want to scream. I want to talk to Zarqawi and his coward henchmen, and to the government also. Wake up sleepers. Iraq is occupied by the terrorists. Just forget about the multinational forces now. At least we can see them and talk to them, negotiate, and argue. But what the f**k is happening with these terrorists. I never heard someone saying Iraq is occupied by terrorists. I want to hear this term (OCUUPIED BY TERRORISTS) so I can rest!!

Appearances -- [Michael Yon - in Iraq]
Much has occurred since my brief return from Iraq. I have so far been unable to post a dispatch about the return of the Deuce Four, and Bruce Willis? appearance at the Deuce Four Ball where he was so warmly welcomed by the soldiers.

We don't use a crutch -- [From the Halls to the Shores - in Iraq]
Happy Birthday Marines, and greetings to you all from Iraq! Though my absence from the site has been prolonged, I assure you, it has not been without reason. We?ve set up shop and gotten to work about the business of combat. Now, I?m not going to sit here and tell you about the toils of war and the horror of it all. In my particular case, ?the business of combat? looks a hell of a lot like ...

Where are you M?? -- [An Average Iraqi - an Iraqi in Iraq]
His phone was being reported shut down. This sometimes happened if the cell coverage is poor. But after the 15th try, I gave up trying. Feeling helpless, I retailed S.
...I hung up again. Feeling helpless again. I had to go to sleep since I was going to wake up early the next day. When I went to college this morning. M didn't show up. S was a mess. I don't know how he could show up at all. Right now. It is 9:00 Pm. More than 24 hours since he went missing. I called S a few minutes. He told me that strangers has called his uncle's house, and told them that they have kidnapped M.

November 10, 2005 -- [While Away - in Iraq]
Happy 230th Birthday Marines!
...The phone call I received in the middle of the night was from my mom. She was worried because of the bombs that occurred in Amman. I'm sure everyone has heard about them by now, but if not, they happened at three major hotels. One of the suicide bombers actually managed to walk into a wedding before detonating himself. Can you imagine? I can't believe someone would actually do that! The bride and groom both lost their fathers. Horrible.

SEMPER FIDELIS -- [Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum - in Iraq]
Greetings,
How does a former Marine (still very much so at heart), celebrate the birthday of the United States Marine Corps? Well, without specifics, I was in the air above the barren night landscape of Southern Baghdad, with Delta Company 1/184th on a combat mission, what the Army calls an Air Assault. CPT D, of "Demon" Company asked me to tag along and lend a hand where I could, despite my reservations, it was my duty to oblige, thus I went.

Wednesday, November 09, 2005 -- [Who's your Baghdaddy? - in Iraq]
This was probably the last time I will interact with the local Iraqi people. My unit will be going back home soon, and I need to focus all of my efforts on redeployment activities.

Regardless of how many times I go on these types of missions, their impact is always the same. I am continually impressed and frustrated with the local populace, and I am always a sucker for the kids.

Can't we do better? -- [Peace like a River]
First, the Pentagon has released the identity of the Marine killed Sunday in Husaybah during Operation Steel Curtain. He is Lance Cpl. Ryan J. Sorensen, assigned to 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II MEF.
...Here are many, but not all, of the casualties announced just since November 1. See if you find what they have in common.

Thursday -- [Mike's Iraqi Adventure - in Iraq]
We had a fairly laid back day today. Today we observed Veterans Day. That means we get an extra ten hours on our time cards, YAY!! So today actually counted for 19 hours! Christina and I took a long lunch and did some laundry this afternoon. We heard a big blast this morning around 9:45am, apparently there was a suicide bombing at a restaurant frequented by Iraqi police officers. This happened out in the RED zone, nowhere near where we are, despite what the news might say.

Army economics -- [Fun With Hand Grenades - in Iraq]
The last few days have been very hectic and somewhat unnerving. Not necessarily from the work load so much as the bullshit that comes with it. I spent almost three days waiting on the welders to take a flame cutter to the undercarriage of my Humvee to rip out the old bolt on armor.

Shake and bake -- [Fast Bunnies - in Iraq]
I have no problem using incendiary artillery rounds against human targets, though I also hold to the much maligned notion that destroying the enemy is all part and parcel to the conduct of warfare, and that should an enemy persist in fighting, it is their own tough luck when they die a horribly painful death at our hands

Thursday, November 10, 2005 -- [Iraqi Bounty Hunter]
Iraqi soldiers and U.S. Marines have found numerous weapons caches - 17 of which were "substantial in size" -- during the four days of Operation Steel Curtain in Iraq's Anbar province, military officials reported today.
Weapons, munitions and bomb-making material for the construction of roadside and car bombs have been some of the more commonly found items at the cache sites, officials said. One cache discovered in central Husaybah today consisted of large amounts of medical supplies and rocket-propelled grenades and launchers.

Happy Birthday, Marines! -- [One Hand Clapping - Donald Sensing - Blue Star Dad]
This is the best Marine-birthday present I could have received.

Today is the 230th birthday of the US Marine Corps. I browsed to the USMC?s main site to look for the commandant?s message and paged through the photo gallery pages. It was an ?ohmygosh!? moment to see this picture and caption on the third page or so...

Blood!!!! -- [A Soldier's Diary - in Iraq]
I gave blood today at the hospital nearby. That was lots of fun. Actually I didn't give much blood, they took the platelets out of my blood and then put the blood back into me. It is pretty neat. Apparently the platelets are needed to help stop bleeding and are more important that actual whole blood. Pretty neat, eh? I got a T shirt and a key chain, I plan on going every couple weeks from now on, it is for a great cause...

MSM REPORTS ON IRAQ

Bush Aide Fires Back at Critics On Justification for War in Iraq -- (Washington Post)
The White House went on the offensive in the debate over the Iraq war yesterday, insisting that U.S. intelligence had compiled a "very strong case" that Saddam Hussein harbored banned weapons and accusing congressional critics of hypocrisy because many of them voted for force three years ago.

The Deabate -- (Washington Post)...Emily Messner
Abuse at Abu Ghraib: Just Having 'A Little Fun'?
I recall receiving this "message from the ghost of General Patton" (warning: it's a stomach-turner) by e-mail several months ago, and it disturbs me as much now as it did then. (If you can handle looking at it, I'd be interested in your take.)

Rice Urges Iraqis to Bridge Differences -- (AP)
MOSUL, Iraq - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a personal appeal Friday for Iraqis to bridge sectarian differences, venturing to a majority Sunni Arab region of the country to ask for cooperation in the coming election. "I want to talk about the importance of reaching across sectarian lines," Rice said on her unannounced visit to this northern Iraqi city, which is about 60 percent Sunni Arab.

OPERATION STEEL CURTAIN MOVES TO KARABILAH -- {Centcom}
CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq ?Iraqi Army Soldiers and U.S. Forces have begun clear and hold operations in the city of Karabilah, approximately two kilometers east of Husaybah, as Operation al Hajip Elfulathi (Steel Curtain) enters into its sixth day.

Iraqis Seek Normalcy Amid Chaos -- (AP)
BAGHDAD, Iraq - In the early morning sun, 12-year-old Walid Salim strides to the yard of his school, kisses Iraq's flag and hoists it high. At a lunchtime cafe, three 18-year-old friends gather to eye girls and talk cars. Free to surf the Web, a university professor gleefully searches for news from afar. In a small house, a mother worries for her sons as news of a suicide bomb flashes across town

AFGHANISTAN

Straight from dust to mud -- [Orlando Sentinel Reporter Roger Roy in Afghanistan]
BAGRAM ? Yesterday?s posting disparaging the puny raindrops here must have angered the weather gods. Early this morning, I heard the rain still coming down on the tin roof of the building I slept in, and the drops didn?t sound so little any more.

Sure enough, it was the heaviest rain anybody here has seen in months, and it kept up at least a drizzle through much of the day.

MSM REPORTS ON AFGHANISTAN

Cargo Plane Crashes Into Afghan Mountains -- (Yahoo News)...AP
KABUL, Afghanistan - A cargo aircraft with 10 people on board crashed into mountains near the Afghan capital Kabul on Friday, a spokeswoman for NATO-led peacekeeping forces said.
Squadron Leader Annie Gibson-Sexton, a spokeswoman for NATO's International Security Assistance Force, said the plane did not belong to the NATO force, and a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition said it was not one of theirs. There were no further details immediately available on the aircraft

AFGHAN, U.S. PATROL KILLS FOUR ENEMY DURING AMBUSH NEAR DEH RAHWOD -- {Centcom}
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan ? Afghan National Army and U.S. forces killed four enemy fighters who had ambushed an Afghan National Police patrol yesterday.

TERRORISM

November 11, 2005: Terrorism close to home -from Andrew Breitbart - a guest post -- [Roger Simon]
Last night I received an instant message from my friend Andrew Breitbart. I asked him to post about it on here.

Al Qaeda Killed My Friend...

French interests possible targets of Zarqawi and GSPC -- [Counterrorism Blog]
After the attacks on Jordan by the Zarqawi network, France is even more on a higher alert than last month. Already at that time Nicolas Sarkozy, Interior Minister had declared that the risk of a terrorist attack against France was 4 on a scale of 5. In light of Zarqawi's deal with the Algerian GSPC and their view as France as their number 1 enemy, Sarkozy does not sound paranoid.

MSM REPORTS ON TERRORISM

Furious Jordanians take to streets -- [CNN]
AMMAN, Jordan -- Calling the al Qaeda in Iraq leader a "lowlife," Jordanians on Thursday flooded the nation's capital in bitter protest of the triple suicide bombings that shook the city a day earlier and killed at least 56 people, most of Arab descent.

"Burn in hell, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi!"

Group: Four Iraqis Carried Out Bombings -- (AP)
AMMAN, Jordan - Police said Friday they had arrested 120 people, mainly Iraqis and Jordanians, in the nationwide manhunt for those behind the triple Amman hotel bombings. Al-Qaida in Iraq claimed the bombings were carried out by four Iraqis - including a husband and wife team. The al-Qaida in Iraq Internet statement was the third it had issued since the nearly simultaneous bombings Wednesday night at the Grand Hyatt, Radisson SAS and Days Inn hotels. Jordanian officials said the death toll stood at 57, excluding the bombers

Jordan Arrests 120 in Search for Suspects in Hotel Bombings -- (NY Times)...AP
Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia said the bombings had been carried out by four Iraqis, including a man and his wife.

LEBANON: SEVEN TERROR SUSPECTS ARRESTED -- (AKI)
Beirut, 11 Nov. - Seven people have been arrested in Beirut suspected of involvement in "terrorist activities". Lebanese interior ministry sources say they include five former activists close to the al-Murabitun group, an official of the Saiqa Palestinian militia controlled by Damascus, and a member of the popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-general Command (FPLP-CG). Local media on Friday suggested that those arrested had taken part in operations by the secret services "aimed at creating chaos" in Lebanon and had received orders and money from colonel Jamaa Jamaa.

INDONESIA: TERROR THREAT REMAINS SAY EXPERTS -- (AKI/Jakarta Post)
Jakarta, 12 Nov. - The death of Azahari bin Husin, one of the most wanted terrorists in Southeast Asia, has dealt a serious blow to the al-Qaeda linked Jemaah Islamiya (JI) terror network, but officials and experts cautioned that it would not eliminate the terror threat in this country. "Each time the security forces arrest a top leader of a terrorist group, the network will be weakened. But that doesn't mean that terror attacks will not occur again," said vice-president Jusuf Kalla. "Therefore, I would ask the public to remain vigilant," he added.

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS / Veteran Day

Across Generations And Continents, One Message -- [Iraq Pictures - in Iraq]
Across Generations And Continents, One Message: Support The Troops
By Bob Dole and Lonnie Moore
The two of us were born more than 50 years and nearly 160 miles apart. But we are connected to each other - and to our fellow Americans - in ways that transcend age and geography. Both of us are Army veterans, born and raised in Kansas. And both of us nearly lost our lives on the battlefield. We were wounded near Castel dAiano, Italy on April 14th, 1945, and in Ramadi, Iraq, on April 6th, 2004. We were struck down by Italian bullets and Iraqi rocket propelled grenades.

Calling All Vets ... -- [Daisy Cutter]
Happy Veteran's Day. Man, what a week. Yesterday's post brought forth some of the best comments ever, and it led me to some other great posts and tributes. Some of you (and you know who you are) brought some tears to my eyes. And I thank you.

Today, we pause to remember the nation's veterans. In particular, my thoughts are with those who have fought in the nation's wars. It is good that we remember ... and are reminded to remember.

Veteran's Day - How Will You Spend It? -- [Soldiers' Angel - Holly Aho]
Here's a few things to do on Veteran's Day:

Visit the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project. You can listen to audio interviews and watch video clips of veterans who have great stories to tell. You can also read 100's of great stories from veterans of all branches.

LAST ORDERS -- [Soldiers for Truth]
Veterans Day 2005 is Hack's first birthday that he and I will have spent apart in sixteen years. My husband often told me that soldiers who'd spent any time out on the killing fields cared more than a little about good food the rest of their lives and his birthday proved no exception to his rule.

...On his deathbed Hack charged me with certain tasks. It was a short list, much of it quite daunting: to finish and produce a family comedy screenplay he was consulting on for me; to get his leadership book published; to buy a new car ? he even picked out the make and the model ? because he thought our old ones were unsafe; and to keep Soldiers For The Truth going to protect the grunts.

THANK A VETERAN... -- [Soldier's Mom]
I have written before about the members of my family that have served honorably in the Armed Forces of the United States and how proud I am of them.
...The horrible sadness that came over me the night we learned Noah was wounded now pokes at my heart, stabs at my eyes. It will be impossible not to feel guilty that my son is here and her's is not. Impossible to find words to comfort the young widow who spent the 10 months her husband was in Iraq making plans for the rest of their lives...

Salute to Veterans -- [Cool Blue Blog]
Last Saturday the town of Vergennes hosted a Veterans Day Parade sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America.

Thursday, November 10, 2005 -- [Daily Life of a Marine Mom - Blue Star Mom]
I want to say a big, huge THANK YOU to all our Veterans on this eve of Veteran's Day. If you are a Vet, be sure to visit your nearest Golden Corral for a free meal tomorrow (Friday) between 5-9.

Happy Veterans Day! -- [Updates on my soldier - Blue Star Mom]
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15
Thank God for our veterans.
I want to wish all of our veterans a happy Veterans Day. May God bless you on this day with many of heartfelt thanks, from our grateful nation.
...To my special veteran who is serving in Iraq, I want to say, we love you Dan we miss you and we are praying for you.

Thank You, Vets -- [Open Fire]
Today we look back in time to honor our military veterans. Today we recognize the supreme valor, the highest dedication and the willingness to risk life and limb which saved the world from fascism in WW II; heeded this nation's call to combat the spread of Communism in Korea and Vietnam; deposed some worthless shits in Panama and Grenada; showed Saddam Hussein in both Gulf Wars the true meaning of power; and which between conflicts demonstrated the willingness to stand between our nation and its enemies.

Veteran's Day Musings -- [Miserable Donuts]
At 18 years of age, in March of 1985, I walked into a National Guard recruiter?s office in Urbana, Illinois and told the startled NCO sitting there, ?I want to sign up, what do you have?? It wasn?t an impetuous or rash decision, for I had thought for a while about doing just that thing.
My family had always answered when the nation called ? my father and my maternal grandfather were both WWII Navy. My Uncle Jack was an astonishing hero. The Explorer leader that taught me to shoot was an Army Ranger that had fought through Nazi occupied Europe. Being surrounded by these men, it was never a question of serving or not, rather a question of how.

Remembrance Day, 2005 -- [Winds of Change]
On the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month, the guns ceased. Today, the British Commonwealth countries remember those who came before, and those who came after, and all who have...

Veterans Day Messages -- [dougpetch.com]
President George W. Bush - Americans owe a great debt of gratitude to those who have sacrificed for our liberty and for the security of our Nation. We expre

Veterans' Day -- [Stryker Brigade News]
We would like to take a moment to thank all of the veterans, past and present, who have sacrificed so much on our behalf. Your efforts represent a debt that cannot easily be repaid, if at all. During this time...

Go Thank a Veteran -- [Camp Katrina]
It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given...

Vietnam Vets and the Left -- [Euphoric Reality
Vilmar has an interesting point about how the Left portrays Vietnam Vets.
why is [it] when left wing liberals hold a protest of any type they drag out Vietnam Veterans who look like down and outs? Up until John Kerry ran for the presidency, the Democrats always portrayed Vietnam Veterans as men who couldn?t cope with society and had trouble adjusting to everyday life. They have problems getting and holding jobs, always have long hair and are scraggly beards, and are still wearing their jungle fatigues and complaining that the Veterans Administration is screwing them over. And,...

Veteran's Day -- [Neptunus Lex]
In case any of you missed Bills post over at the Castle, go ye there and get thee right. Then listen in here - not for how its told, but for what is said, for the meaning behind it. And take a knee or two, if that's they way

Veterans? Day? -- [Mostly Cajun, All American and Opinionated]
I am a veteran. This post is about me and millions of others who went before and followed after me. I?m no hero. There are many others who braved far greater dangers and lived to tell about it, or to hold in dark secret recesses within the memory. And there are those who didn?t live. Their stories are ours to tell.

Veterans Day -- [PARTAMIAN REPORT]
It's Veterans Day again. Rather than talk about the number of casualties or to use that number for some political gain... because you are a member of NORML or the Sierra Club, or you think that the Right may overturn Roe v Wade... Just freaking get over it today, ok? Instead of using them to get at the current administration, thank them and let them know that a grateful nation appreciates their contributions in creating a future world free from fear. The point is, if you really care about "The Troops", then you will knock it off. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, DO THE RIGHT THING FOR ONE DAY.

Handful of Veterans Left Who Remember Armistice Day -- [FOX News]
"For the servicemen there were lots of hugs and kisses," recalls Brown, of Charlotte Hall, Md., a teenage seaman aboard the battleship USS New Hampshire, in port stateside when the fighting stopped. "We were so happy that the war was over."

The History of Veteran's Day -- {Military .com}
1918
World War I, then normally referred to simply as The Great War (no one could imagine any war being greater!), ended with the implementation of an armistice [temporary cessation of hostilities?in this case until the final peace treaty, the infamous Treaty of Versailles, was signed in 1919] between the Allies and Germany at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of November, 1918.

Veterans Day Has Fresh Meaning for Iraqi Freedom Vets -- {DefenseLink News}
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2005 ? Retired Navy Rear Adm. Greg Slavonic was visiting wounded coalition soldiers in Baghdad's International Zone hospital last year when he started a conversation with a badly wounded soldier. That day, the soldier was being prepared for evacuation to Germany to receive critical medical care.

MSM REPORTS ON MILITARY

Military hits October recruiting targets -- (USA Today)...AP
WASHINGTON ? The Army, which missed its recruiting goal for 2005 by a wide margin, got off to a strong start in the new budget year by exceeding its October targets for the active-duty Army as well as the National Guard and Reserve.

THE MEDIA

No WMDs? Nah, just NO REPORTING... -- [The Deployment Diary]
I am so tired of the "Bush Lied" agenda. I'm tired of hearing there were NO WMDs found in Iraq. If you search hard, you can find reports of WMDs being found in Iraq. The problem seems to be that there is just no reporting of the WMDs that have been found. The MSM cannot report it because it would interfere with their political agenda and hatred of all things Bush.

Finally, an Apology -- [Right in Raleigh]
Jason VS posts an apology letter from newspaper editor Rex Smith regarding the Jimmy Massey debacle. Massey, you may remember, is a former Marine who has been making exaggerated claims of U.S. atrocities in Iraq. A number of players in the MSM printed these claims (I do not believe the N&O did so), and not many of them have apologized now that the stories have been proven to be lies.

MILBLOGGING / BLOGGING

Milblogs Get Mentioned on the Senate Floor -- [Andi's World]
On Wednesday I, along with three other milbloggers, attended a press conference hosted by Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference (SRC). The purpose of the press conference was to highlight the other side of the War on Terror. The side that you rarely hear about. The side that knows firsthand that accomplishments are indeed taking place.
...I was pleased to see that a Senator is actually wrestling with the issue of how to get the real story out, something that many of us have been doing for quite some time. Milblogs are a very powerful tool and are loaded with information about the reality of the situation on the ground. People are starting to take note. In my presentation, I commented that I thought Senator Santorum was "smart" to highlight milblogs.

CONGRATS

Miracles -- [Major K - in Iraq]
I am back from leave. The time at home was way too short and literally flew by, but first things first. I SHALL CALL HIM, "MINI-ME!!" Actually his name is Sean Andrew. He was born on the 24th and came in at 8 lbs. 2 oz. meausuring 21 3/4 inches long. He is happy, healthy and doing great. My lovely wife delivered him

Nov 11, 2005 - Anniversary -- [A Long Strange Trip - in Iraq]
Today is a day I have been excited about for awhile now, and being in Iraq has helped me learn more about myself, but it has also helped me learn more about the LOVE I have for my wife and family! Most people that know me just know how much EVERYTHING revolves around family for Mis and I, and I guess tht is what drew us together 11 1/2 years ago. We were at the same point in our lives and were looking for the same thing. Well, if some don't know that the first time I met her was in our NG unit(She was in the Army as well).

Nov 11, 2005 - Birthday -- [A Long Strange Trip - in Iraq]
Yes, it IS my 34th birthday today, and I have not hidden that fact that it is my birthday, but really this day does not excite me for the reason of my birthday, but for my anniversary, and I don't really get off on the Bday celebration thing. But, nonetheless, it is, so I took a picture of ME on my birthday! I will show the collage my wife and kids sent me as well! Thanks kids, I LOVE IT, and I LOVE YOU!!!!

WELCOME HOME

The sweetest reunion -- [Ryan and Christy's Place - Ryan's home from Iraq]
...Last Friday, he came back. I stood with hundreds of soldiers' family and friends at his National Guard armory in Tennessee, waiting on a bus that carried Ryan and about 50 other soldiers. We waited. We clutched flags and signs. Children ran around, yellow balloons bobbing above their heads, writing messages in sidewalk chalk on the pavement.

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