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

The Sulemani -- [ThreatsWatch.Org - Bill Roggio - in Iraq]
Airstrikes, a Meeting with Sheikhs, a Cache on the River and a Trip to Camp al-Qaim
HUSAYBAH, IRAQ: Thursday morning started off with strikes at undisclosed locations near the Syrian border by “the task force”, presumably Task Force 626, the group assigned to hunt Zarqawi and the leaders of al-Qaeda in Iraq. Bombs and gunfire rained from the sky in the early hours during darkness. No information is available about the targets or the results of the attack.

Rebels Without a Pause -- [Kevin Sites - Journalist embedded in Iraq]
They are some of the toughest fighters around. But will they give their loyalty to the new Iraq?

NORTHERN IRAQ -- The peshmerga know a thing or two about insurgent warfare. The Kurdish militia have fought the Iraqi government for nearly half a century using hit-and-run tactics, dating as far back as 1961. They attacked Iraqi forces then took refuge in the rugged terrain of Mt. Halgurd, Iraq's highest mountain, and other mountains in the region.

Iraqi Commandoes and Coup Protection -- [Strategy Page]
December 2, 2005: As the Iraqi military and police are rebuilt, they have found their greatest success in forming specialized units. The troops are paid more, and recruiters are very selective. One of the most elite of these units (commandoes, SWAT and the like) is the Emergency Response Unit (ERU). Used for hostage rescue, EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) and any high-risk missions, the ERU gives the government some troops for missions that previously had to be left to the Americans.

Thursday, December 01, 2005 -- [THE MESOPOTAMIAN - an Iraqi in Iraq]
Hi,
Long time no see. Your friend Alaa is still alive and well by the grace of God. So many things are happening that I was kind of jammed not knowing what to comment on. The speach by President Bush was great. It should be clear to anyone with even minimum amount of intelligence, that if anybody has the facts it is the President; he does have more that one hundred and fifty thousand men and women on the ground to report to him.
And I am always astonished at people wondering about how the Iraqis feel about the American and allied presence in Iraq. Was not the present Iraqi Goverment elected by 8 million people at the risk of their lives? Are the more that two hundred thousand soldiers and police not Iraqis, or perhaps they came from Mars?

Do we see progress in Iraq? -- [Ask the Soldiers - in Iraq]
How do the Iraqi people respond to the American Soldier's presence?

What kind of progress to you see in Iraq?
Kristi

Gigotti78- Well, Kristi, as far as how do ppl respond to us, they seem to warm up to us as each passing day. They now realize that we are not here for any other reason but for their independence and for them to be able to be free and have a voice. We as soldiers, reach out to the Iraqi people every chance we get to show them our gratitude. Now, progress, I was waiting for this question....this is a fun question. If you just read the daily paper and watch the MSM, you would think that we are losing this war on terror and that we are making no progress whatsoever. I say BULLSHIT!

The Great Debate -- [A Female Soldier 2 - in Iraq]
...We believe our cause is just not because of whether they didn’t find WMD, or that the administration did or didn’t have other motives, or as in your argument, oil. It doesn’t matter what my political views are. We believe our cause is just simply because at the end of the day, there will be one less suicide bomber to force his views on others though terror, destruction and murder. There will be one less terrorist to murder at random, who met his fate at the hand of a U.S. soldier. A soldier is a soldier, we don’t make policy, we carry out our mission, and leave the debate of its merits to those that have been elected freely by the citizens to decide its course in history. This is where you and I so strongly disagree. In your opposing argument you...

Who elects these idiots? -- [Basic Training - in Iraq]
LATROBE, Pa. - Most U.S. troops will leave Iraq within a year because the Army is "broken, worn out" and "living hand to mouth," Rep. John Murtha told a civic group.First of all, of course most US troops will leave Iraq within a year because deployment rotations are usually a year long at most. Maybe just a bad choice of words...

Second. I look around me and see everyone doing their jobs, doing them well.

Everything You Need To Know About The Murtha Vote [Faces from the Front]
Democrats say having an actual debate and Roll Call vote on whether the troops should be brought home now is a stunt, but proposing a resolution complete with press conferences and talking points that the troops should be brought home now is not a stunt?
From the Associated Press:
"Just a day after Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., stoked a surging political fire over President Bush's Iraq policies by proposing that troops return home now, Republicans brought a measure to the House floor urging that a pullout begin immediately." [Emphasis Added]

I watched Bush speaking on television last night. It was my first day off since arriving in theater one month ago.

Please, America, listen to the man. -- [The Will to Exist - in Iraq]
The moment anyone puts a timetable on coalition forces leaving, we’ve lost the war. You can’t put a timetable on the good guys unless you can put one on the bad guys too. That’s ridiculous. You can’t put an exact timetable on training up the new Iraqi military and police forces. It would be irresponsible.

Team update - 01 Dec 05 [Team Med-fah - in Iraq]
An hour later, there we were, the entire team, all of the terps, in the back of LMTVs, heading downtown. Great. Long story short: everyone did well, got to enter a mosque, of course the electricity was out, so it was flashlights and NVGs. The two strange moments of the night: first, getting out of the LMTV, sprinting to the side of the street, looking around to get oriented and seeing through NVGs about 100 meters away… a ferris wheel. I knew this place was a circus, complete with clowns, and looky here, in downtown Ramadi: indisputable proof. Second, ...

Come On Now -- [BradleyGunner6-8Cav - in Iraq]
In the comments:
30,000 dead Iraqis and counting - you guys are doing a great job in the tradition of the GI baby killers of the Vietnam era.

Record Setting
To save everyone some time I'll paraphrase the article here, if you think that I may intentionally misquote it, you are welcome to follow the link and read it for yourself.
About 26,00 Iraqi's have been injured, or killed by militant actions since 2004 as published in a Pentagon report for the US congress. ...
...Right on their homepage a small box has the numbers and a scrolling list of the events which make up their numbers, I watched it for a bit and the vast majority listed were VBIED's (Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices. . . a carbomb) or just your run-of-the-mill IED's.
...The Iraqi Body Count group's study shows that only 8.2% of the 37% of the total deaths, can be attributed to small arms fire (i.e. M-4, M-16, M-249, M-240, M-2 HB) by US-led Forces.

Iraq Pictures - 02 December 2005 -- [Iraq Pictures - in Iraq]
Soldiers from B Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Cavalry discovered a large weapons cache in an Abu Ghraib chicken coop. The Soldiers found two Dragunov sniper rifles, two 130 millimeter artillery rounds, six anti-tank mines, a pipe bomb, two hand grenades,16 82 millimeter mortar rounds, 19 rocket propelled grenades, three rockets, five rocket launchers, one mortar tube, three AK-47s with twelve magazines, one RPK rifle, a 9 millimeter pistol, one 50 caliber machine gun, 20 primers, 20 SKS magazines, seven rifle grenades, and 10 pounds of various ammunition.

The Heroes Beside Me -- [Guidons, Guidons, Guidons!]
The following is a newspaper article written about my Brigade, that I just found ...
TAJI, Iraq - The Black Hawk helicopter flew low and fast over the bright lights north of Baghdad, then suddenly the lights were gone. In the darkened cockpit, the two pilots could make out an expanse of date palms through their night-vision goggles.

In a clearing 50 feet below, an infantry soldier began twirling a chemical light - mimicking a glowing circular saw - to signal his unit's position to the helicopter.
Memories -- [It's a living... sorta - in Iraq]
This story caught my eye by the headline. I couldn't help but wonder if they were talking about an assault on the base where I was, or one of the other bases in the area. It wouldn't be the first time terrorist thugs had tried to storm in and take over. It happened at least three times while we were there. A couple of Marines and officers have been nominated for medals for valor because of their conduct during those attacks, too. Oh, there was a story a few months ago about this "huge protest" in the streets of Ramadi demanding that America leave Iraq forever. To tell the truth about that one; it was about 40-50 bad guys grouped in front of cameras to make the "crowd" seem much bigger than it was and as soon as Humm-Vee's rolled up to the scene, they scattered and seemingly vanished. Yeah, tough dudes alright. It's not the truth when you hear stories about American troops losing control of the city or being overrun by "insurgents" as they are often called.

Courage and judgment -- [Donald Sensing - Blue Star Dad]
The Briton is 74-year-old retired Prof. Norman Kember, a “life-long pacifist even made it to the door of No 10 before the 2003 invasion to present a petition warning of disastrous consequences for Iraq and its people.”
Six months ago, he wrote: “Personally it has always worried me that I am a ‘cheap’ peacemaker. Being in Britain talking, writing, demonstrating about peace is in no way taking risks like young servicemen in Iraq. I look for excuses why I should not become involved.”

I Saw No Torture in Iraq -- [Faces from the Front]
Army Captain Ian Fishback and Anthony Lagouranis, a former Army Specialist (E-4) say they are witnesses to a pattern and practice of abuse against terrorists--I'm throwing the B.S. flag.
...And like all the upstanding citizens in prisons, the detainees always said they were framed and that the Marines abused them. One even said he was sodomized with a wiffle ball bat. But, the medical exam he received upon book-in to the detention facility showed no bruising, scraping or lacerations to his spread cheeks.

But, a lawyer was still dispatched to question the Marines--and that is the situation I know.

There is no pattern and practice of abuse and it is definately not condoned by the commands. In fact it is the opposite.

Artist's Statement -- [Fire and Ice - in Iraq] HT: Holly Aho
".. sent into harm's way with one basic order, do art. This official directive has no subject matter, medium or quantity attached. The Marine Corps simply makes it possible for the combat artist to create from one of the most elemental visual sources, people and places in time of war. We Marines who have been honored with the opportunity to be combat artists are absolutely free to follow our own creative instincts."

The Mundane and the Murderous
"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." George Orwell

Combat is a paradoxical dish whose recipe asks for generous dollops of the murderous garnished with a few dashes of the mundane. I was with Fox Company, 2nd Battalion of the 1st Marine Regiment from November 8th through the 19th for Operation Steel Curtain. These were 12 uninterrupted days and nights of combat against a devious and determined foe well apprised of our intention to do them harm. The local population was informed in no uncertain terms 24 hours ahead of time that the Marines would be attacking the following morning. There was no element of surprise. Civilians had to be taken into consideration and given the opportunity to exit from neighborhoods generously salted with foreign fighters; ...

Police Training Tightrope in Iraq - Watch Out -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
An objective review of police training in Iraq shows a remarkable flight path, and real gains. But watch out. Weather ahead. Even after a good flight, absence of a landing plan will spoil your day ... The premier training center for Iraqi police was established in Jordan in November 2003, by the State Department's Bureau on International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL). Designed to support General Petreaus' effort to build security forces in Iraq, the Jordan-based school, located outside Amman, has been the unheralded "salt mine at the bottom of the sea." As of December 1, 2005, this school - led by an American civilian but boasting 17 nations' participation - has trained 24,742 police and deployed them back on to Iraqi streets. But there is rough water ahead ...

Governor Visits 48th BCT While On Visit to Iraq -- [PARTAMIAN REPORT]
Hooah to Governor Perdue! (pic)
Governor Sonny Perdue returned from the Middle East yesterday evening following a six-day trip to visit Georgia servicemembers serving in Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Thursday, November 24, 2005 -- [Birding Babylon - in Iraq]
The weather in Iraq has cooled down considerably. Many of the winter resident birds have returned to Iraq. The huge flocks of rooks, the most social of the crows, have come back as well as the ducks and shorebirds. The nightly spectacle of thousands upon thousands of rooks returning to their roosts after a day of foraging in the surrounding farmland will treat both the residents of the surrounding villages and towns and some of the new troops at LSA Anaconda. Sometimes the rooks would gather in large groups and form a tight spinning column as they rode a thermal.

Last year around this time I gave an interview on NPR about my birding in Iraq.

MSM REPORTS ON IRAQ

Murtha Assesses Army As 'Broken' -- (Washington Times)...Rowan Scarborough
Rep. John P. Murtha is continuing his assault on the Bush administration's Iraq war policy, asserting this week that the U.S. Army is "broken, worn out" and "living hand to mouth." The Pentagon and a senior Republican senator sharply disagreed with his assessment.

. U.S. Turns Over Control Of Two Big Power Projects To Iraqis -- (Mideast Stars and Stripes)...Anita Powell
Weeks before Iraqis head to the polls to elect a national government, U.S. forces are pushing hard to give more power — quite literally — to the fledgling Iraqi government.

Army General Sees Brighter Days Ahead For Iraqi People -- (San Antonio Express-News)...Scott Huddleston (subscription)
...Yet today, as more than 20,500 soldiers with Fort Hood's 4th Infantry Division prepare to deploy by Dec. 31 for a second rotation in Iraq, Metz said he's convinced that the nation can prosper, once the political and economic rebuilding process is no longer undermined by terror.

Instant democracy -- (Iraqi, Salam Pax writng for the Guardian Unlimited)
On the street there doesn’t seem to be much interest in the elections either. You just don’t feel the spark. Last year newspapers dedicated large sections to debating democracy and the elections. Television stations had endless programmes about the same issues. It was all so exciting.
These days ...

Official Removed Amid Detainee Torture Scandal -- (Los Angeles Times)...Richard Boudreaux
The Iraqi official responsible for investigating human rights abuse and corruption among Interior Ministry police said Thursday that he had been removed from his post in the aftermath of a scandal at a detention center where some of the 169 prisoners had been tortured.

Joint chiefs chairman faults military for not explaining Iraq war ... --(San Diego Union Tribune)
WASHINGTON – The military hasn't done a good enough job of explaining to the American people what is going on in Iraq and the political and military progress ...

Baghdad's Haifa Still No Easy Street -- (Los Angeles Times)...Ashraf Khalil
...But a brief visit to Haifa Street also provides a reminder that "safe" remains a relative concept in Iraq. Suspicion of outsiders continues to run high. So does antipathy for U.S. forces. Some residents said the newfound peace has been due less to the presence of Iraqi troops than to the absence of American soldiers to shoot at.

Iraqis Doubt Bush Plan As Insurgents Flex Muscle -- (Washington Times)...Sharon Behn
Iraqis shrugged off President Bush's speech outlining his strategy to win the war, pointing at the brief takeover by hooded gunmen yesterday of the western city of Ramadi.

Arab Papers Wary Of Bush Words -- (Washington Times)...David R. Sands
Arab press outlets reacted with caution and suspicion yesterday to President Bush's new blueprint for victory in Iraq, saying the president's ambitious words still must confront the messy realities on the ground in Iraq.

Ramadi Insurgents Flaunt Threat -- (Washington Post)...Ellen Knickmeyer
Armed fighters claiming allegiance to Abu Musab Zarqawi took to the streets of a western Iraqi provincial capital Thursday in a fleeting show aimed at intimidating Iraqi Sunni Arab leaders taking part in dialogue with U.S. Marines in a stronghold of the insurgency, provincial officials, residents and other witnesses said.

Coalition Troop Withdrawals Add Pressure For U.S. Pullout -- (Houston Chronicle)...William J. Kole, Associated Press
Two of America's allies in Iraq are withdrawing forces this month and a half-dozen others are debating possible pullouts or reductions, increasing pressure on Washington as calls mount to bring home U.S. troops.

Covert Media Offensive In Iraq Sparks A Furor -- (Los Angeles Times)...Mark Mazzetti
The White House demanded Thursday that the Pentagon hand over information about a secret U.S. military operation to plant news stories in the Iraqi news media, and senators plan to meet behind closed doors with military commanders to learn about the information offensive underway in Iraq

AFGHANISTAN

Digging a Well -- [Miserable Donuts]
The Summer of 2004 was a dry one in Afghanistan - little did we know or even hope that the drought would be broken that winter. Drought hurt everyone in the area I was stationed, and also ewncouraged people to plant poppy, since that plant did well in a dry season, and the farmers had to do something to sustain their familes.

Medical Supplies Have Arrived! Your Donations At Work! -- [Fortunate Son - in Afghanistan]
...The medical supplies have arrived and are awaiting the short ride to San Antonio-- soon to be off to Afghanistan--all due to your generous donations!

Kiwis in Afghanistan -- [Travels with Shiloh]
Speaking of New Zealand reminded me that there was a contingent of New Zealand soldiers in Afghanistan when I was there. Two things really stood out about them. The first is that they used a rifle that looked like something out of Star Wars. I don't know if they're any good or not but they look cool as hell. You kind of expect laser beams to shoot out of them or something.

The second thing about the Kiwis (which is I'm pretty sure they're called) that caught my eye is that they had ...

MSM REPORTS ON AFGHANISTAN

Ex-CIA Allies Leading Afghan Fight Vs. G.I.s -- (New York Daily News)...James Gordon Meek
Two former CIA allies in Afghanistan are now fearsome warlords responsible for killing scores of American troops in the escalating border war, intelligence experts told the Daily News.

U.S. Aid To Afghanistan To Reach $5.5 Billion -- (Washington Post)...Unattributed
U.S. development assistance to Afghanistan is expected to reach $5.5 billion in the next five years, the Afghan finance minister said Thursday as the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on aid agreements.

OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Americans Banned from Syria -- [Outside the Beltway]
Michael J. Totten was denied entry to Syria. I presumed it was because they read his blog but, alas, it was just his passport:

2ID Soldiers Share Thanksgiving with Orphans -- [GI Korea - in S Korea]
Here is a good news story, that USFK will never get credit for in the Korean media, that was published in the Stars and Stripes:
Orphans from Dongducheon got a taste of holiday fun here Thursday at a Thanksgiving feast served up by 2nd Infantry Division soldiers. ...
This is a common event throughout USFK spending time with children from the orphanages not only during the Holidays but also during regular weekends. ..
...However, all the good will these soldiers create is always seems to be negated by a couple of idiots getting drunk and standing on top of a taxi and the story is spread all over the Korean media.

Paranoid Fantasies Persist -- [Strategy Page]
December 2, 2005: North Korea is trying to crack down on its young adults, who are increasingly lawless, and more interested in having a good time, than in being good little followers of their Great Leader Kim Jong Il. The strict control that the communists enforced for so many decades, is weakening, and has been for over a decade. It's getting very noticeable, and the North Korean leadership live in fear of a popular uprising similar to those of Eastern Europe in 1989.

A Note to My Readership -- [Incoherant Ramblings - in Kosovo]
I just wanted to let you all know how much your comments meant to me. I found out I was deploying to Kosovo in October of Last Year and had been gearing up for it through November. I didn't know what would really come of my blog, which I had already had for three years before that. In fact, I thought it would probably die and I wouldn't use it that much. My blog has been on its deathbed before where I wouldn't post much of anything for a few months at a time.

Picture of the Day - Kosovo -- [KOSOVAREPORT]
Originally uploaded by kosovareport. Former ethnic Albanian rebel commander Fatmir Limaj, addresses the cheering crowds celebrating his acquittal from the allegations by U.N war crimes court of torturing and murdering Serbian and Albanian civilians at a prison camp during the 1998-1999 war, in Pristina on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2005. Thousands of cheering supporters and celebratory gunfire greeted ...

MSM REPORTS ON OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Top General Lashes Out At The West -- (Moscow Times)...Simon Saradzhyan
The chief of the armed forces' General Staff, Yury Baluyevsky, accused the West on Thursday of trying to weaken the Russia-led Commonwealth of Independent States and of using nonproliferation regulations to sideline Russia on the world arms market.

TERRORISM

Police, Not Armies, Stop Terrorism -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
In the final analysis, there is a piece missing from the current debate over Iraq, and for that matter over Afghanistan. As MacArthur and others realized decades ago, police prevent, deter and stop terrorism in any democracy. Armies do not.

The jasmine mind of a terrorist -- [Peace like a River]
The Moscow News has an enlightening interview with a terrorist. He is Shukhrat Masirokhunov, and is said to be the former chief of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) counterintelligence service. (One past operation he was involved in is described here.)

He is to stand trial for taking part in the events in May that led to the deaths of several hundred people. (Masirokhunov denies he was involved.)

MSM REPORTS ON TERRORISM

Showtime tackles terrorism -- (Detroit Free Press)
... family's comfy lifestyle. "Sleeper Cell," which plays off post-9/11 dread of terrorism, is sure to stir some controversy. But besides ...

Car Crashes Kill Many More People Than Terrorism -- (Forbes)
... by traffic crashes in the United States and other developed countries is nearly 400 times greater than the toll taken by international terrorism, notes a study ...

TERRORISM: ITALY WARNED OLYMPICS AND ELECTIONS COULD BE TARGETS -- (AKI)
Rome, 2 Dec. - Italy's Interior Minister, Giuseppe Pisanu, has warned that the 2006 Winter Olympics being staged in the city of Turin in February and the campaign ahead of April's general elections could be targeted by terrorist organisations. However, he reassured the Italian parliament, in a briefing on the country's new anti-terror legislation, that so far they have not seen any "clear signs of preparatory activities" for terror attacks. Pisanu affirmed...

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...

Little Things Can Mean A Lot -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
A Thanksgiving day email exchange between a Soldier in Iraq and Soldiers' Angels.
Dear Soldiers’ Angels,

I just re-submitted my name and info because I was trying to get help on how to contact my buddy's Angels. He was seriously hurt in an accident and I'm sure he would like them to know what’s going on. His name is...

Soldier's Family Asks for Help for Iraqi Children -- [Holly Aho - A Soldier's Angel]
Received notice of this story on WTOL News via email:
TOLEDO -- A US Army sergeant from Toledo is on his second tour of duty in Iraq. While Sgt. Nicholas Mielke faces the challenges of war, he's now challenging his family and his city to make his Christmas wish come true. All he wants is a little help for a whole lot of Iraqi children.

CHRISTMAS IN IRAQ ~ THE FINAL COUNT -- [Yikes]
...this year, I set out to collect as many cards as possible to send to three units in Iraq ~ one of them being my own local Dear Heroes of Georgia's 48th National Guard Brigade Combat Team, along with two other units that have sustained heavy casualities and many wounded in action. Well, all of y'all came through in a HUGE way... so much more than I ever expected!!! You are all wonderful, and PROOF that miracles still happen!!!!!
Between the christmas greetings I received via email, and the actual "regular" christmas cards people sent to me via snail mail, we were able to collect.... **drum roll please**

The NFL Reaching Out to Our Wounded Troops -- [Andi's World]
We often hear about the dark side of professional athletes and organizations, but today I'm going to tell you about the bright side.

...At Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and other hospitals across the country, our wounded heroes are fighting yet another war. A war for survival and recovery. Many of these soldiers have severe burns, amputations or other serious injuries which prevent them from doing something as simple as getting dressed. Luckily, there's an organization which helps gives these wounded warriors some comfort and dignity. A small army of seamstresses comprise the organization Sew Much Comfort.

POLITICS

Duke, how could you? -- [Neptunus Lex]
The naval hero of Vietnam era fighter aviation may well go to jail, having admitted to taking bribes to direct federal moneys to favored contractors - potentially against the interests of troops in the field, fighting and dying in another war, in another place. Not just small time venality either: $2.4 million worth.

I’ve met the man, dined at his table, listened to him recount the famous (in our circles anyway) tale about his fifth and final air-to-air victory on the way to becoming the first ace (and only one of two ace crews) of the Vietnam War. It was a story he told well, relished in the telling and had clearly had the opportunity to polish over the years.

MSM REPORTS ON POLITICS

Some Republicans Returning Cunningham Money -- (AP)
WASHINGTON -- Some congressional Republicans, seeking to distance themselves from former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, are donating to charity political money that he gave them over the years....

Court Orders Schwarzenegger to Remove Video -- (AP)
SACRAMENTO, Calif.-- A judge Thursday ordered Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration to remove a state-produced video intended to look like an objective news report from a government Web site....

THE MEDIA

Apart from that, we stand by our story -- [Neptunus Lex]
From the corrections page in today’s Chicago Tribune:

- A Page 1 article Friday about Gen. George Casey, commander of multinational forces in Iraq, contained a sentence in which Casey was misquoted as saying “the debate at home doesn’t take a toll on the soldiers and their families.” In fact he said that the debate “does take a toll on the soldiers and their families.”

Update:
In other news, the New York Times responds to the President’s speech at Annapolis yesterday by insisting, on this, ...

Thursday, December 01, 2005 -- [Salem Pax - an Iraqi in Iraq]
First rumours about bombing al-Jazeera and today this:
U.S. Is Said to Pay to Plant Articles in Iraq Papers.
The US administration isn’t having a particularly good media week here in the Middle East.

Being my own propaganda operation I have been planting articles in the Western press. Instant Democracy was on the Guardian’s Newsblog ...

Being Objective = Being Critical, Round 3 -- [Open Fire]
Early yesterday morning my alarm clock goes off as usual and as always, it's set to News Radio WBBM so I can get a taste of the mainstream media's lead topics for the day. Today's lead was a war "controversy" in regards to our American Army helping Iraqis publish a series of news articles, which will run in many newspapers throughout Iraq. What appears to be getting some people's panties in a bunch is that such stories paint the terrorists as "bad" while at the same time paint the Americans as "good." A truly shocking and controversial plan, I know. This item is news worthy apparently only because...

Thank God, It Ain't Necessarily So -- [Wayne's World 2005 - Blue Star Mom]
...After a lifetime of research examining the molecular mechanisms by which cells process information, Lipton proves that genes do not, in fact, control our behavior. Instead, he purports, genes are turned on and off by influences outside the cell. These influences include perceptions and beliefs.

In layman’s language, Lipton’s research shows how beliefs — true or false, positive or negative — affect genetic activity and actually alter our genetic code. In other words, how perception affects reality.

So what?

So what difference does it make to the men and women with boots on the ground in Iraq if the preponderance of mainstream media focuses on seemingly hopeless causes and a growing lack of support for the mission to help Iraq establish democracy?

From a soldier in IRAQ -- [My Daddy is a Soldier in IRAQ - Blue Star Family]
...The News Media. I have no faith in the news media back home. They always point out the negative, never talking about the positives. Why aren't they filming the town meetings showing democracy at work? Why aren't they looking at the life support projects that are under way here? Did you know that the country of Iraq now has more electrical power for its people than prior to the war, why don't you see that in the news? It was a major subject when it was negative, now that it's positive, you don't here about it. I find myself ashamed as an American of the political bickering in our congress and among our people at the expense of those who suffer. The media basically fuels strife and division. It points out and focuses the differences in public opinion, rather than unifying our country and creating ...

CONGRATS

Line Number 3553 -- [Resurgemus - in Alaska]
I sewed on a new stripe today. It's now Technical Sergeant JP. That's E-6 for those unfamiliar with Air Force rank.

This photo was taken by my buddy Brandon yesterday at the Commander's Call.

HUMOR / SATIRE

U.S. planning surprise attack on insurgents -- [Riding Sun]
BAGHDAD, Dec. 2 (NYT/Rooters) — Code-named “Operation Silent Strike,” a U.S. surprise attack scheduled to take place tomorrow will aim to eliminate insurgent forces in the city of Mosul.

“Armed insurgents, 40-50, large multistory stone building, southeast quadrant, sector 7G”, the formerly secret plan began. “Recon Team Alpha rooftop insertion 0200 hours, neutralize sentries. On Alpha signal, Fire Team Bravo perimeter breach, eliminate remaining enemy."

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