Dawn Patrol

Greyhawk here. Mrs G's Dawn Patrol mission this morning involves hand to hand combat at the Exchange. So I'll do my best to fill her (size 6 1/2) shoes with my own (14) efforts today. Some may think it can't be done, but I'll start small and add more through the morning. Without further ado...

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

Bloggers in Iraq - [The Will to Exist -In Iraq]
As a blogger, I find pleasure in meeting other bloggers. My job in Baghdad gives me the opportunity to do so, because I am the guy who credentials members of the press embedding with our military.

Bill Roggio, of The Fourth Rail and Threats Watch, is here to embed with a unit and cover some of their activities.

Operational Issues - [Bill Roggio, ThreatsWatch - in Iraq]
A “terrorist hideout” on Bayji Island, which lies on the Tigris river north of Saddam’s hometown of Tikrit, a “previously untouched area”, is the subject of an air assault operation called Old Baldy. The mission was conducted by members of the 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division and the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division.

The new election law [Iraq the Model - Iraqis in Iraq]
We received several e mails from readers inquiring about the laws that are going to be used in the December elections and whether these laws have changed from what was used back in January or not. So, here I’ll share the little information I know in this regard.

BE THE ONE [One Marine's View - in Iraq]
What are you thankful for? This time of year things get crazy in the states. Family members come to visit, gifts are bought, stress, excitement and fun wrapped up in one. But I ask, what are you thankful for?
...Your Marines are kicking serious butts here in Iraq and in Afghanistan. I was just out and about and visited with a few of the Marines.

Thankful [Major K - in Iraq]
Much to my surprise, everyone here is acknowledging Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving has been the greeting of the day. This is in contrast to most other holidays since I have been here...
I am over 9000 miles from home, and missing it intensely, yet I am very thankful today.

ABU GOBBLE GOBBLE [2005 Tour of Duty - in Iraq]
Wish everyone back home a Happy Thanksgiving and I hope you enjoyed the Abu Turkey.

Surgery went well... [From My Position... On the way!]
Me again. Chuck's surgery went well... he is once again sleeping soundly in his room. He went to surgery around 11:35 and was done about 1:30. I saw one of the docs on the surgical team shortly thereafter and he said everything went well. He was in the recovery room (PACU) until about 4:00. He was quite talkative and wide awake when he came up to his room. Then he snarfed (a word my mom always uses) down his dinner... full tummy plus surgery plus meds equals sleepy time!!

MSM REPORTS ON IRAQ

Military blogger: His way of serving Philadelphia Inquirer
Roggio, 35, left for Iraq on Saturday, but he's not in uniform. He's a military blogger - milblogger for short - embedded with the Second Marine Division in western Iraq. The Marines invited Roggio to spend a month with them after they and thousands of others took note of his work at The Fourth Rail, one of several milblogs following events in Iraq.

Bomber Bloodies U.S. Toy Giveaway (Washington Post)
BAGHDAD, Nov. 24 -- A suicide attacker steered a car packed with explosives toward U.S. soldiers giving away toys to children outside a hospital in central Iraq on Thursday, killing at least 31 people. Almost all of the victims were women and children, police said.

Iraq seizes booby-trapped toys (News24)
Baghdad - The Iraqi army said on Thursday it had seized a number of booby-trapped children's dolls, accusing insurgents of using the explosive-filled toys to target children. (ht: Powerline)

Red Crescent thanks U.S. with $1 million for Katrina relief (Washington Times)
Iraq's Red Crescent relief organization found its own way to mark the Thanksgiving holiday yesterday by announcing that it had sent a $1 million "thank you" donation to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The sum, transferred by wire on Sunday, amounts to 20 percent of the organization's annual budget.

"I wish we could have a billion dollars to give," Said Hakki, the organization's president, said by telephone from Baghdad. "Even then, it is not enough to show our appreciation for what the U.S. has done for Iraq and is still doing."

Activists return to Bush's ranch (AP)
'Peace mom' joins protesters on Thanksgiving Day
CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) -- The fallen soldier's mother, whose August vigil near President George W. Bush's ranch helped reinvigorate the anti-war movement, returned to Texas on Thursday to resume her protest.
After arriving at the airport in nearby Waco, Cindy Sheehan hugged about three dozen cheering supporters before traveling to Crawford.

Iran and Iraq reopen trade (Reuters)
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Once a bitter enemy, Iran is emerging as a trade lifeline for Iraq as Baghdad seeks to rebuild an economy shattered by years of sanctions, neglect and corruption under Saddam Hussein and since his overthrow.

AFGHANISTAN

The Swirl of the Whirlwind [A Storm In Afghanistan] Greyhawk says: A must read.
First, the trip home. It was mixed with both a sense of speed and molasses. Speed as I had the military version of the "Golden Ticket". Priority 1, Emergency Leave. Translated: No one left Kandahar before I did. Wherever I went, I was first in line. Even had a personal escort through the system in Qatar. The downside?

MSM REPORTS ON AFGHANISTAN

Afghan girl has chance to live, thanks to GIs from Indiana (Associated Press)

INDIANAPOLIS -- When the frail girl arrived at a U.S. military base in Afghanistan, she weighed scarcely 35 pounds, was sluggish and prone to episodes of bluish skin if she so much as walked briskly.

Basira Jan was born with a malformed heart that left her body starved of oxygen and faced a bleak future amid the country's poverty.

Then, Indiana National Guardsmen heard about her plight and vowed to help.

OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Orange--Kenya-Style [baldilocks]
Kenya’s opposition demanded early elections today after President Mwai Kibaki dissolved his cabinet in response to a humiliating referendum defeat.

...I can’t wait to read what my biological father—Kenyan op-ed writer Philip Ochieng--has to say about this. But, from his stance as an unabashed communist—a while back, someone hilariously referred to the old man as ‘Chomsky without the charisma’—I get the feeling from this incredibly cynical commentary that he couldn’t care less who wins.

MSM REPORTS ON OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Wisdom prevailed at UN atomic meeting: Iran cleric (Reuters)
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Influential Iranian cleric Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said on Friday the U.N. nuclear watchdog's latest statement on Iran's disputed atomic program was a step in the right direction but still had elements of "harassment".

Oil firm apologizes for toxic slick (CNN)
China's largest oil company has apologized for an explosion that led to a toxic slick of benzene entering the Songhua River and the suspension of water services to the northeastern city of Harbin.

OTHER NEWS

Global browsing after U.S. disaster (AP)
NEW YORK - (AP) -- More than half of U.S. Internet users went online for news and information about Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the vast majority having visited the websites of traditional news organizations such as CNN and MSNBC, a study has found...
Though nearly three-quarters of the online consumers of hurricane news went to the website of a major U.S. news organization, 54 percent did turn to an alternative source, including international outlets, Web journals or nonprofit relief organizations.

Xbox 360 Crashes - MS Offers Troubleshooting, Repair or Replace
Some Xbox 360 owners are starting to report problems with their brand new next generation gaming console. Messages posted to gaming forums and discussion groups mention that consoles have crashed during play thanks to several different errors. The crashes were reported as happening with a variety of games including Perfect Dark Zero, Project Gotham Racing and Need for Speed. Microsoft acknowledged the reports but said incidents were "isolated".

HUMOR

Chavez Sends Oil, Cocaine to Massachussetts Poor [ScrappleFace]
Rep. William Delahunt, D-MA, announced today that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez would add to a previous agreement to ship low-priced oil to the poor in Massachussetts, by including a substantial quantity of cut-rate cocaine as well.

Newdow on the roof [Protein Wisdom]
From the Sacramento Bee’s review of a one man musical play by controversial atheist Michael Newdow:

(More to come. Need more now? The previous Dawn Patrol is here.)