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 voting has begun! (updated) -- [Iraq the Models - Iraqis in Iraq]
Voting in Iraq’s second parliamentary elections has begun this morning; this coincides with the deadline for all campaigning activities by all lists and parties who are required now to enter “electoral silence”.
The first votes are coming from army bases, detention centers and hospitals. ...

Oh, the inhumanity! -- [Peace like a River]
Will the torture never cease?
Detainees in Multi-National Forces-Iraq Theater Internment Facilities were allowed to vote!
Are we beasts, to treat prisoners so?

The first decisive democratic election in Iraq -- [Hammorabi - an Iraqi in Iraq]
It is only 2 days to go for the first election which will bring a 4 years term government to power.
The parties intensified their campaigns during the last few days which were not without accusation against each other.
We believe that there is not going to be a one party or list winning the majority of voices.

My Trip to the U.S.A. Treasure of Baghdad's Diary -- [Treasure of Baghdad - an Iraqi currently visiting the USA]
...We had our breakfast and then went to a place where I really wanted to see during the day. It was the area where the World Trade Centers located. It was very cold to the extent that it was really hard to take off my gloves and take pictures. But I did it. When I arrived the metal fence surrounding the areas, I was really sad. I felt my heart sinking. Being familiar to violence and people crying for help, I imagined how these towers were falling and how horrified the people around them were. I kept asking myself, why?why?why? why there is no peace in this world? Damn you Osama. Damn you Zarqawi. You are bringing destruction to the world. But you will be finished, sooner or later. It’s just a matter of time.

24 Steps to Liberty, Each Took a Year. -- [24 Steps to Liberty - an Iraqi recently visited USA]
Today is my trip to New York. It is one of the trips I was waiting for because I wanted to see the Statue of Liberty. I wanted to touch it not only see it. This statue was always a legend in my mind. Since I was a child, I used to see it in movies. I wanted to see it. To be face to face with it. Given the life I lived before and the the freedom I never felt or the liberty I’ve never experienced, it was a must to go to New York.

Show the World the Purple Finger -- [The Iraqi Vote - iraqi Washington]
Members of the police force, the military and pateints began voting today in Iraq. Here are some purple fingers!

Iraqis are hopeful for the future -- [The Will to Exist - in Iraq]
We are going to win this war. By we, I mean the coalition. And the coalition includes Iraqis. I’m not one who lives by polls but I do find that some of them have value:

Iraq Pictures - 13 December 2005 -- [Iraq Pictures - in Iraq]
An Iraqi army soldier places his ballot into the ballot box after voting in Hayji Dec. 12, 2005. On Dec. 15, Iraqi citizens will elect their first permanent parliamentary government, which will lead the new democracy for the next four years. Iraqi security forces vote early so that they can provide security during the general election.

Iraqi Elections II -- [Alive in Baghdad - an Iraqi in Iraq]
...It is the end of yet another phase in this unfolding ugly drama. It is more serious this time: a new phase of democracy. This is no longer an “interim government” or “interim assembly”. This will be a fully fledged Legislative and Government that are meant to last for 4 years. Cronycracy Phase III?

YOU BETTER PRAY -- [One Marine's View - in Iraq]
...I eyeball our humble 4ft Christmas tree which is a representation of this place. Lacking ornaments for the most part, we used bullets, cigars, Marlboro packs and other things we like and hung them on the tree. (There goes a large explosion detonates off base/IED most likely). The tree looks like a freaking train wreck but its our train wreck. Above it a piece of paper size cardboard box flap that reads “Merry Christmas-USMC-Iraq 2005” in permanent marker duct taped to a cami net pole. Now multiple deep thump explosions off base characteristic of a MK19 grenade launcher….friendly. Today feels like when your about to take a test you have been dreading and are nervous about but you know your ready, you’ve done other tests just like it and you’ve done all you can for this one however, you will be relieved when its over. More MK 19 impacts. Marines must have some enemy off site and engaging them. “Surreal” That’s the word for this place.

Strange day in Bayji. -- [An independent look at Iraq - an Ind. journalist embedded in Iraq]
It was something I expected to see here but couldn't understand once it did. The setting it happened in made it seem absolutely sureal.

Abu Company's 3rd platoon was downtown (no, it's nothing like the song, unfortunately) escorting a local contractor as he emplaced jersey barriers around two schools. The barriers were to help secure a polling site for Iraq's parlimentary elections Dec. 15. No big deal. It looked to be a fairly uneventful day.

...I've been here so long I can tell how the day will go just by a knot in my stomach. It's almost as ifyour body has some internal bullshit detector.

An Interview with Major General Huck -- [ThreatsWatch - Bill Roggio - in Iraq]
“The kinetic piece is checkers, the stabilization and reconstruction piece is chess”
RAMADI, IRAQ: Here in Ramadi, where the insurgency is at its strongest, Major General Richard A. Huck, Commanding General of the 2nd Marine Division, leads the fight against the insurgency and reconstruction efforts in the bulk of Anbar province. The 2nd Marine Division’s area of responsibility is vast: it spans from east of Fallujah all the way out to the Syrian border, and as far south as Rutbah on the Jordanian border.

G.I.s Resist Becoming Crime Investigators -- [Strategy Page]
December 13, 2005: About 500-600 suspected terrorists arrested are in Baghdad each month, many of them caught in the act. But many of these guys get released for “lack of evidence” (even when they were captured, often wounded, after a firefight with American or Iraqi troops). This is hurting morale among American and Iraqi troops, and causing a decline in tips from Iraqi civilians (who see the bad guy out on the street, not long after his arrests, and looking who whoever turned him in.)

Haifa Street -- [Major K - in Iraq]
...The pre-election campaign is in full swing as candidates are campaigning openly this year rather than quietly submitting their names for the ballot as they did last year and hoping they did not get assasinated for doing so.

The overwhelming majority of Mosques are preaching participation in the election this time as the consequences of boycotting elections have been deemed to be undesireable.

Ma’Sallama, Sadiqi -- [Six More Months - in Iraq]
If someone had told me 14 months ago that I would consider an Iraqi one of my closest friends, I would have called them crazy.

It has been a tough couple of weeks since I last posted. The day after my last post, 2 soldiers I knew were killed by a massive IED, and another was gravely wounded. He will survive, minus an arm and a leg. I can’t bring myself to describe the event, but I will talk about the emotions I had, and why I am ashamed by some of them.

Abu Ghraib school supplies -- [Basic Training - in Iraq]
Update to the Abu Ghraib elementary school children collection. A few people have asked questions about deadlines, and this is not a holiday event. It is an ongoing process and supplies will be distributed as long as they are comming in.

Our Commander -- [They Call Us, "Doc"]
A great piece in the TENNESSEAN:
For the past two decades, architect Jeffrey Holmes has helped shape the landscape of Middle Tennessee by building skyscrapers, hospitals and corporate headquarters.

But for almost two years, he's been helping build a nation.

Iraqis Tell German Sissies to Take a Hike -- [Camp Katrina]
Looks like the newly-liberated Iraqis are figuring out on their own what we could have told them from the beginning: Europeans aren't the best dudes to go to for military training. According to an article in some German rag, Iraq police recruits will no longer participate in a German training program, saying they are seeking "training programs which were more serious and more effective."

Saddam Captured! -- [The Officers' Club]
Remember who got pulled out of a spider hole two years ago today?

MSM REPORTS ON IRAQ

Bush says 30,000 Iraqis killed since war began -- (Reuters)
By Tabassum Zakaria. PHILADELPHIA - US President George W. Bush said on Monday about 30,000 Iraqis have been killed since ...

New constitution curbs my power - Talabani -- (Independent online)
Baghdad - Iraqi President Jalal Talabani will not seek re-election after Thursday's parliamentary election because the new constitution has curbed his powers, his office said on Tuesday.

Iraq instability merits U.S. presence -- (Newsday)
Too much is at stake in Iraq for the United States to just pick up and walk away. | Although Iraq is not yet a failed state, it is undergoing radical change that could break down at any time if the...

A war and its fearsome consequences: How the world has changed post-Iraq -- (Independent)
Iran | The Iraqi elections provided a classic illustration of the law of unintended consequences: the Americans overthrew the hated dictator, Saddam Hussein, only to see ...

How a triumphant invasion turned into a disastrous occupation -- (Independent)
Timeline

Backstory: 1,000 Days In Iraq -- (Christian Science Monitor)...Daniel Enemark
Tuesday marks the 1,000th day of the war in Iraq. Apart from the debate over its purpose and progress, here are some basic facts about the conflict.

Two Views On The Iraqi Battlefield -- (Christian Science Monitor)...Jill Carroll
American and Iraqi security forces differ in how best to deal with insurgents.

What Do The Iraqis Really Want? -- (Time)...Time-ABC News
Although Saddam Hussein's trial has become must-watch TV for many Iraqis, a majority of citizens say they have little interest now in dealing with members of his ousted regime, according to an exclusive poll by TIME, ABC News and several other organizations. What interests Iraqis more is this week's election for the National Assembly, in which some 7,000 candidates will be competing for 275 seats. More than three-quarters of the Iraqis polled expressed confidence that the election will create a stable government.

Iraqis Living Abroad Vote, Express Hope -- (AP)
LONDON - Iraqi expatriates turned out to vote Tuesday in national elections, leaving voting stations with ink-stained fingers and expressing hope for the violence-torn country many fled during Saddam Hussein's brutal regime. Voting abroad began first in Australia, where up to 20,000 registered Iraqi voters live. They are part of a group of 1.5 million voters living outside Iraq who will cast ballots at polling centers in 15 countries, including the United States and Canada.

Insurgents Kill Sunni Candidate in Iraq -- (AP)
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Gunmen killed a Sunni Arab candidate for parliament and militants tried to blow up a leading Shiite politician in separate attacks Tuesday, the last day of campaigning for Iraq's election. More than 1,000 Sunni clerics, meanwhile, issued a religious edict, or a fatwa, urging Sunni Arabs to vote in Thursday's balloting - offering a seal of approval as members of the disaffected minority are expected to turn out in large numbers after mostly boycotting the landmark Jan. 30 polls.

A Unit's Fitful Year at War -- (Washington Post)
For Men of the 7th Cavalry's 5th Battalion, Iraq Tour Meant Long Days Broken by Startling Violence
BALAD, Iraq Long before he came to Iraq, Spec. Russell Nahvi hoped to save the world. In a spiral-bound notebook filled with math equations, he jotted his secret yearnings: "I PRAY one day I can make the world proud of me. I hope I can restore an unknown peace to wartorn nations, peoples, families, friends."

EX-General Says Iranian Led Torture Of Detainees -- (Washington Times)...Paul Martin and Maria Cedrell
An Iraqi general formerly in charge of special Interior Ministry forces said yesterday that a senior Iranian intelligence officer was in charge of a network of detention centers where suspected insurgents were routinely tortured and sometimes killed.

AFGHANISTAN

Earthquake in Afghanistan -- [The Hooker and his Girl - Hooker's in Afghanistan]
My husband just buzzed me over the messenger and told me that they are all alright but they just had an earthquake at BAF. It is about 10 min ago that he told me. All the other pilots they are living with him in one hooche woke up too and run outside and met the other soldiers outside the hooches. He told me that no one got hurt but it was a little scary when the bed started shaking. He also told me that they will ...

OPERATION ENDURING BOREDOM - EPISODE VI -- [AMERICAN CITIZEN SOLDIER - in Iraq]
This is the continuation of a series of selected excerpts from my Afghanistan war journal recorded from October 2003 to August 2004. All OEB entries are previously unpublished.
...Whenever we dismount in the midst of a village or populated area, we are swarmed by all the little boys and girls while the men gaze from afar or stroll by nonchalantly, doing their best to feign indifference. Any woman over age twelve will always keep her distance, however, less from fear of us than fear of being caught staring in our direction by their watchful men. Still, it’s usually not difficult -- especially when wearing sunglasses -- to catch a glimpse of young scarf-clad Afghan girls peeking over the tops of walls or around cracked doors at us. Still, Taliban or no Taliban, women here are to be neither seen nor heard publicly, and certainly not by a group of infidel American soldiers.

What will $800 get you these days? -- [Miserable Donuts]
35 meter deep well and a hand pump. In Parwan Province Afghanistan, that is... (pic)

MSM REPORTS ON AFGHANISTAN

Quake Hits Afghan-Pakistani Border Region -- (Newsday)
KABUL, Afghanistan -- A strong earthquake struck remote northeastern Afghanistan early Tuesday, shaking the ground for hundreds of miles and bringing frightened survivors of October's devastating quak...

Powerful earthquake causes panic in South Asia -- (Khaleej Times)
ISLAMABAD - An earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale struck Pakistan and Afghanistan early Tuesday, triggering panic among survivors of October’s tremor that killed more than 70,000 people in ...

Afghanistan suicide bombing wounds four US soldiers -- (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
| A roadside bomb has hit a vehicle of US-led coalition troops in insurgency-hit southern Afghanistan, injuring four soldiers, according to coalition forces.

OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

My Letter to Santa -- [So Far From Home - in the Balkans]
Dear Santa,
I am writing you from a place that is probably just as cold and snowy as the North Pole. Although we don't have flying reindeer, we do have helicopters that fly around at night with their red lights on, just like Rudolph's nose. You will probably need to file a mission trip ticket with our Airfield should you decide to fly in on Christmas Eve. However given the extreme fog here, you might find it impossible to land that night. As a secondary plan, I would suggest driving in and using Gate 1. Remember you will need your KFOR ID when entering. Oh, as a side note do not forget to clear any weapons you may have at the clearing barrel before proceeding. Don't worry there are gate guards that can walk you thru the procedure.

Pro-US Demonstrators Show Up In Force at Osan Protest -- [GI Korea - in S Korea]
Pro-American Activists Outside of Osan Airbase (pic)
Anti-American protesters gathered this weekend at the Pyoengtaek Train Station to protest the US military's base expansion at nearby Camp Humphreys:

About 4,500 demonstrators, according to police estimates, rallied outside the Pyeongtaek train station to protest the American plan to move forces to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek. A group called The Pan-Korean National Task Force Against Expansion of U.S. Bases in Pyeongtaek organized the protest.

Good News You Won't See in the Korean Media -- [GI Korea - in S Korea]
Some Yongsan soldiers are doing some great work helping out Amerasian children in Itaewon:

Park Kuk-wha felt good on Saturday, despite being tired from studying for a recent final exam at school.

The 15-year-old was upbeat because he got to see some old friends at an annual Christmas party given by Pearl S. Buck International Korea and U.S. soldiers from the 524th Military Intelligence Battalion.

Mehlis Report II -- [ThreatsWatch - Steve Schippert]
Second implicates Syria further as anti-Syria Lebanese MP killed by bomb
The collision course of events continued as another anti-Syrian Lebanese was assassinated on the same day that Detlev Mehlis submitted his second written report to the UN Security Council on the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The report further implicated Syria with fresh evidence from new witnesses and confessions that Syrian intelligence had burned documents related to the bombing that killed Hariri.

Confusing cause and effect -- [TigerHawk]
Caption:
Two school girls look at statues representing victims of famine at an anti-World Trade Organization educational booth set up in Hong Kong's Victoria Park Monday, Dec. 12, 2005.

Presumably, the asinine idea that trade causes starvation, rather than alleviating it, is unlikely to gain traction in Hong Kong.

MSM REPORTS ON OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Riots Rage Again in Suburbs Of Sydney -- (Washington Post /AP)
SYDNEY, Dec. 12 -- Scores of youths of Middle Eastern descent drove through predominantly white suburbs of Sydney in a second night of violence Monday, smashing windows of cars, homes and stores and raising fears that racial unrest would spread.

TERRORISM

U.S. House Should Pass Border Protection Act -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
The U.S. House of Representatives is preparing to vote on H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. Here is a link to the act from the House Rules Committee website (Acrobat file). I hope that it passes. While admittedly it does not deal with all of the issues that need to be dealt with to secure our nation against illegal immigration and vulnerabilities in the immigration system that will still remain, this legislation represents a very good first step in the right direction.

Showdown Coming on USA PATRIOT Act and Expiration Is a Victory for Terrorists -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
Sixteen provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act expire at the end of this month, and Congress has been debating, drafting, and voting on the future of the provisions for months. The two top Republican lawmakers, Rep. James Sensenbrenner and Sen. Arlen Specter, have agreed to a conference report, and the House will vote on the measure on Wednesday. Here are highlights in the report from the House Judiciary Committee website, where you can see the text of the report and more highlights:

MSM REPORTS ON TERRORISM

Osama may not be in command: envoy -- (Dawn)
Dec 12: US Ambassador Mr Ryan C. Crocker suspects that Osama bin Laden and his second–in-command Ayman Al-Zawahiri are no more in operational command of Al Qaeda.

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

Honoring the honorable -- (TownHall.com)
...Although I will never be able to fully express my gratitude, I can guarantee you my unwavering support. As you continue to work for the best prize that life has to offer, never underestimate your contribution or forget how much your efforts mean to the American people.

Congressman Joe Wilson is Co-Chair of the Victory in Iraq Caucus and a member of the House Armed Services Committee. He has visited Iraq 5 times and served in the National Guard for over 31 years.

Walking Man-New Prosthetic Knee -- [Bear Creek Ledger]
Hugh Herr who lost both of his legs below the knee has created an artificial knee with a microprocessor:
...Ironically, the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan bolster the odds that Herr and his team of 15 researchers will continue to make quick progress. “If you look at the history of prosthetic development, after every major war comes a spike in innovation,” says Herr, who is helping to develop new equipment for combat-injured amputees through a $7.2 million Department of Veterans Affairs research project. “Because I’m an end-user myself, I understand the importance of advancing these technologies.”

The Issue of Support V. Political Beliefs -- [Soldiers' Angel - Holly Aho]
I've posted on this in the past, but I think it needs to be done again. The issue of supporting our troops if you are a conservative/liberal/Republican/Democrat/whatever. There are many debates on the issue, from the intellectual debate that you cannot support our troops if you do not support their mission....blah blah blah. I've always had my own opinion of what supporting our troops is, and that has not wavered. Supporting our troops is a verb - it means doing something tangible so that your support is felt by those you claim to be supporting. This can be as simple as a card or a comment on a blog, it doesn't have to be 100 carepackages. But it has to be more than intellectual debate or lip service.

MSM HOMETOWN MEDIA REPORTS ON SUPPORTING THE TROOPS

Job Well Done -- (Florida Today)...Pam Harbaugh
Grateful civilians find ways to salute the military personnel with spontaneous acts of kindness.

Students Spread Holiday Cheer to Troops --( WSAW)
The messages don't have to be elaborate.
"Merry Christmas, and I hope you come home safe," writes 7th grader Amanda Schenzel.
"[I'm] writing to the troops to let them know we care so they don't get scared," says 7th grader Mitch Sherfinski.

Workers unite to bring soldiers holiday cheer -- (Allentown Morning Call PA)
... employees sending gifts to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, my first reaction was to pass ... was that we need to keep reminding our readers that good things are ...

MILITARY

Can’t Pay for the War? Take the Money from the Military Retirees -- [Outside the beltway]
Up, up and away

The Department of Defense is feeling the pinch of the increasing cost of health care, so the solution is to drive as many retirees who were promised life-time heath care (OK, an entitlement) out of the system as possible by making those that remain pay over triple their current costs.

MSM REPORTS ON MILITARY

Military Recruiters Met Goals Last Month -- (USA Today)...Associated Press
The Army exceeded its recruiting goal in November, the sixth consecutive on-target month, but it has fallen off the pace for meeting its re-enlistment goal for the year, the Pentagon said Monday. The Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps also exceeded their recruiting goals in November, although their targets are much lower than the Army, which is aiming to sign up 80,000 new active-duty soldiers during the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30, 2006.

War's Trauma Wears On The Children Left Behind -- (USA Today)...Gregg Zoroya
Pentagon programs aim to soothe anxieties of the young ones whose moms or dads are away at war.

POLITICS

AT MY COMMAND, FIRE FOR EFFECT -- [Smash]
TARGETS are U.S. Congressmen under pressure from the enemy to endorse a precipitous and premature plan for withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq (add contact information for your own "on-the-fence" Congressmen in the comments).

Call or write, and urge them NOT to support any plan to withdraw U.S. military forces from Iraq before the Iraqis are prepared to assume responsibility for their own security.

American Soldiers Terrorize Iraqi Children -- [Open Fire]
The following image shows an American soldier "terrorizing kids and children.” Well, that's according to former Democratic presidential hopeful, John Kerry.

Are We the Enemy? -- [America's Son - in Iraq]
I am disgusted. I am disheartened. I am ashamed. I am angry. According to Senator John Kerry, I am a terrorist. According to him, I bust into Iraqi houses in the middle of the night and terrorize women and children. I am not making this up. So as not to be accused of misquoting or misrepresenting his words, I will include them:

MSM REPORTS ON POLITICS

Fight looms if Republicans change Senate rules -- (Reuters)
WASHINGTON - Democratic Sen. Robert Byrd warned on Monday that he would bring the U.S. Senate to a virtual standstill if Republicans carry out a threat to change its rules by outlawing filibusters on judicial nominations.

Bush's Job-Approval Rating Rebounds From Record Low -- (USA Today)...Susan Page
...The president's series of speeches on Iraq over the past two weeks hasn't convinced Americans that he has a plan for victory: 38% say he has one, 58% say he doesn't. That's a bit worse than when the question was asked on the night of his first speech. Even so, by 63%-34%, those polled say Iraq has made “real progress” toward establishing a democracy.

HUMOR / SATIRE

Battle of the White House Comedy Shorts -- [CounterColumn]
The defending champion:
Clinton's last days

Santa HAS to be a woman! -- [The Hooker and his Girl - his girl in Germany]
I hate to be the one to defy sacred myth, but I believe he's a SHE.
Think about it. Christmas is a big, organized, warm, fuzzy, nurturing, social deal, and I have a tough time believing a guy could possibly pull it all off.
For starters, the vast majority of men don't even think about selecting gifts until Christmas Eve. Once at the mall, they always seem surprised to find only Ronco products, socket wrench sets, and mood rings left on the shelves. On this count alone, I'm convinced Santa is a woman.

THE MEDIA

Postal -- [Desert Odssey - in Qatar]
...the MSM is killing me here. This week 15.5 million Iraqis are going to the polls in a major historic event—electing their first permanent parliament. What a lot of people just don’t grasp, or aren’t interested in, is the sheer bravery it takes for those people to go do that. We need to hold special campaigns at home to convince people to vote, and then barely half of us do. These people a risking death and they still go. So something that monumental is the top story, right? Nope.

Images of 2005: Courage, Hope, Pain & Freedom -- [Gateway Pundit]
TIME magazine has released its "Pictures of the Year" for 2005.
Some missed images...
...Shifting Sands in the Middle East. (pic)
...Missouri Welcomes Home a War Hero (pic)
...The Nomads Arrive to Vote (pic)
...Ode to George W. Bush (pic)

Remind me what "good news" means again -- [Peace like a River]
ABC News has released a poll from Iraq that can only be encouraging to anyone whose last name is not Moore, Sheehan, or Murtha. (Oh, so that's what MSM means!)

Poll: Broad Optimism in Iraq -- [Lance in Iraq]
"Surprising"? I was there 11 months and it does not surprise me in the least. I suppose if you actually believe what you see on CNN or read in the New York Times you might be surprised.
...Surprisingly, ABC does not know very basic facts about the war in Iraq, such as most insurgent activities are centered in just four of Iraq's 18 provinces. With network news credibility in tatters, one would think ABC would try to be a little more objective.

5/7 Cav back from "Fitful Year" in the Quagmire -- [Uncle Jimbo - BlackFive]
I knew in my heart that the few instances of good news slipping past the MSM censors couldn't last, and today the WaPo delivers a beaut. They have a feature story called "A Unit's Fitful Year at War" and stunningly everything that happened to them was bad, all the (several) soldiers quoted appear to question the cause, and their relatives, even more so.

NY Times Whining, Inaccurately -- [Banter in Atlanter]
Today the NY Times not only makes some misleading claims but also does some whining on behalf leftists. Makes the word demagogue come to mind by the NYT publishing this piece.

THE MEDIA CORRECTIONS

For The Record -- (New York Times)...The New York Times
A front-page article on Saturday about a widening split between Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut and his fellow Democrats over his support for the war in Iraq misstated the Connecticut membership of the liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org, which says it may organize a primary challenge against Mr. Lieberman. It is 50,000, not 10,000.

MILBLOGGING / BLOGGING

Reining In the Blogs of War -- {Military Information Technology}
Army warns that warfighters’ online diaries can place lives at risk and degrade the effectiveness of operations.
The popularity of online blogs kept by warfighters in Iraq and Afghanistan has touched off renewed debate over operational security and the free flow of information in the Internet age.

“The enemy aggressively ‘reads’ our open source and continues to exploit such information for use against our forces,” Army Chief of Staff General Peter J. Schoomaker wrote in an August memo. “Some soldiers continue to post sensitive information to Internet Web sites and blogs, e.g., photos depicting weapon system vulnerabilities and tactics, techniques and procedures. Such OPSEC violations needlessly place lives at risk and degrade the effectiveness of our operations.

WELCOME HOME

Home -- [Who's your Baghdaddy? - home from Iraq]
Our plane finally touched down at Ft Hood, Texas at approximately 3:30 in the morning on December 4th. This was a full twelve hours later than we were originally scheduled to arrive. The major part of our tardiness was due to the plane out of Kuwait being delayed by nine hours. By the time we actually landed, all 250 soldiers on the plane had been traveling by either bus or plane for over 43 hours. Needless to say we were all a little travel weary by the time we touched down, but it wasn't enough to quell the elated cheers of of every man on the plane as soon as we felt the Texas terra firma beneath the landing gear.

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