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

Gear -- [Learning to Live - wife of a fallen soldier]
I am hesitant to even write about this topic but figured why not? There is once again more media coverage on the gear our soldiers are wearing or are not wearing. I believe that our soldiers deserve the best possible protection and that the government should provide for them. I also know that the gear is very bulky, heavy, and provides limited movement. I once put on some of Sean's gear without all the plates and it was very difficult for me to move . . . granted I am out of shape but the thought of wearing that day in and day out for over a year is amazing.

This issue has also rekindled my emotions about Sean's death. It was reported that about 80% of the soldiers who have died could have been prevented if they had this gear . . . would not have helped Sean.

A Letter to Senator Clinton -- [Dadmanly - recently returned home from Iraq]
Reading Senator Hillary Clinton’s recent remarks on body armor on ABC’s Good Morning America got me all fired up. Following the suggestion of Michelle Malkin, I wrote a letter to the Senator, text as follows.

Body Armor -- A Soldier Weighs In -- [Bantler in Atlanter]]
I'm sure that you have been subject to reports by the MSM by now that claim that our military personnel are not adequately protected by the body armor that they have been issued. On this subject, I am no expert, but it has been my experience that anytime the MSM tries to analyze technical subject matter, most of the time they get it wrong. So I defer to 1st Lieutenant Micah J. Garrison:

More Body Armor and Lower Casualties -- [Strategy Page]
January 12, 2006: The latest media created military scandal revolves around accusations of inadequate body armor for the troops. What these breathless accusations missed was that combat troops are already carrying too much weight in combat. Weight is a matter of life and death. Even the most fit troops are slowed down by trying to fight while carrying up to a hundred pounds of gear.

"Happy Gear" -- [They Call Us, "Doc" - recently returned from Iraq]
...I think there is a fine line between having tons of armor on and being totally protected and not being able to maneuver, thus compromising the security and safety of yourself, your team and the mission. I wanted protection so that I could make it back home to my family but I believe that if it's your time to go, it's your time to go and there's nothing you can do about it.

Fear, future weigh on Baby Noor’s family -- [The 48th goes to war | AJC Blog - journalist embedded in Iraq]
Abu Ghraib, Iraq — Family members of Noor al-Zahra, the baby with a birth defect who underwent lifesaving surgery in Atlanta this week, said Tuesday they were considering moving because of possible retribution by anti-American insurgents.

I'm Back But She is Gone... -- [A Treasure in Baghdah - an Iraqi in Iraq]
For almost a week before I returned back from the U.S., I was sad. I thought I am going to be happy to be among my friends and family. But what happened was shocking. I never expected it. “Jill is kidnapped and Alan is killed,” O. told me when I called him the moment I left the Baghdad airport going back home. I was shocked. I couldn’t believe him first or in fact, I did not want to believe him. “You must be kidding!” I said. “Do not joke with me now. This is not the time to joke,” I added. And of course, I was wrong. He wasn’t kidding. He was saying the truth.

Kidnapping and the ethics of blackouts -- [Counter Column]
As if we need more evidence that the journo class has uncoupled itself from reality, here's an incongrous pairing of statements from Sig Christenson, president of Military Reporters and Editors.

From Editor and Publisher: ...

Ar Ramadi -- [A Mobilized Year - in Iraq]
Traffic was “well behaved” when we drove into Ramadi. Vehicles stood off from our convey at least 100 meters and there were no threatening actions taken by the civilians we encountered. Just as I was about ready to relax as we moved through the entry control point gate at the Ramadi base, a VBIED (vehicle borne IED) rushed the gate just behind us. The gate guards lit them up with crew serve automatic weapons and killed the three passengers in the vehicle.
...Below are a few articles about the incident at the glass factory. If anyone doubts how the agenda or perspective of a reporter or periodical/news agency influences public opinion, compare your feelings after you read about the violence, chaos, blood and gore painted by the typical reports of the event by Reuters ...

Welcome to the war, part three -- [Fun With Hand Grenades - in Iraq]
...First you hear the explosion and feel the shockwave as it rattles the entire truck. Then everyone starts screaming various combinations of curse words, "f***" and "s**t" being the most prevalent. The blast was loud enough that I thought it was us that got hit, but since there was no giant fireball, no cloud of dust, and our gunner wasn't screaming bloody murder, we realized it wasn't us. All at the same time we knew it was the truck behind us and we were all turning around in our seats as if we could magically see through our Humvee to assess the damage. Immediately I started sweating very heavily.

SACRIFICE -- [One Marine's View - in Iraq]
While in this country of Iraq, I have seen a lot of great things transpire, people stand up and a country become proud and strong. I could tell you how your Marines brave small arms attacks; tracers in the cold night, IEDs exploding just feet from them, sometimes underneath them, nightly Islamic prayers played on loud speakers during sundown and intermingled with a low base IED explosions off in the distance. The smell of trash and tires burning continuously throughout the day. I could explain how during a cold brisk morning we went out and about through the city escorting a few more “passengers”. Life is good, things are just freaking chipper. The schedule is on track and we pause and stop to observe some

My new neighbor looks like an insurgent! -- [Treasure of Baghdad - an Iraqi in Iraq]
...Oh Oh!! He looks like an insurgent," I told my father. I did not go out immediately because I was carrying my laptop bag. I did not look like someone celebrating Eid. Instead, I looked like someone going to work. I was afraid this man might see my bag and then guesses where I work.

"Who is that man? I haven't seen him previously," I asked my father. He said, "These are our new neighbors." I was surprised. "What happened to Um Abbas and her handicapped son?" I wondered. Simply, my father said that she died and her son wasn't her real son. Inheritors rented the house to these new people and no one knows where they came from. But they look like they came from Falluja or Ramadi, my father said.

1 for the "Brain Bucket" -- [Casper's Calamity - in Iraq]
Often referred to, by those I know, as the "Brain Bucket" -this one saved a soldiers life recently in Tikrit!

Feeling an explosion -- [Daily News -Miner Blog - journalist embedded in Iraq]
We were just sitting there, waiting for the explosive guys to come check out and dispose of what the soldiers figured was an IED when the darn thing just blew up.

Shaking hands, Changing hands -- [Peace like a River]
...I'll reiterate, for the first time in the Ninewah Province, the provincial capital of which is the city of Mosul, the Iraqi Army assumed military control of a battle-space.

Progress is measured in steps, not in leaps, and this is a step forward.

Team update - 11 Jan 06 -- [Team Med-fah - in Iraq]
..Everyone is still doing well. It is still very strange NOT walking on missions. We have been here a month, so you’d think we would be used to it by now. You would be wrong. Speaking for myself, when we were in the mix of actually walking on the missions, our contribution felt more tangible, more concrete. We were right there outside the wire with the guys we were mentoring; we were often THE link between the American force we were supporting and the Iraqis of 3-2-1. We were leading by example by sharing the same risks as they, walking the same streets, engaging the same people and the same enemy. Now, our operations schedule is not NEARLY as busy as it had been in east Ramadi, or even Habbaniyah, but the strangest thing is still being a part of the plan as before, but waving the kids off to school when they mount up in the Marine MTVR trucks and head out on mission.

IRR Crack Down -- [Marketing in Iraq? - in Iraq]
...The last time the IRR was called up was in 1990 when the Army mobilized 20,000 soldiers to head to...you guessed it, Iraq.
Not only did I not expect the IRR to be mobilized, I certainly did not expect them to start mobilizing Broadcast Journalists. Now to be clear, I'm not exactly happy about being called up and I'm also not mad. This is where the decisions of my life led me and I'm confident I've made the right choices. I will say that it's also quite an honor to be here doing something so special.

In any event, when I heard that nearly 2,000 of the 5,700 IRR soldiers called up were not reporting for one reason or another I was absolutely livid. I mean, come on guys...we signed up for this, it needs to be done, and we're trained to do it. After all, isn't Integrity the sixth Army value?

Mud -- [Basic Training - in Iraq]
I guess we have entered the rainy season finally. The other night it rained pretty steadily for a few hours. The mud created is simply incredible. Even with just a light mist, it sticks to your boots and after taking 4 or 5 steps, you have a few pounds of extra weight on each foot - it even

Overworked and underpaid -- Fast Bunnies - in Iraq]
Well, maybe not underpaid, considering I just got another 3.1% raise.
Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh............

Yeah, underpaid. But technically not overworked either. Perhaps better defined as worked at a level generally higher than I would prefer.

Escape from Baghdad -- [Once Upon A Time In Baghdad - in Iraq]
I thought we might never make it out of Baghdad, what a nightmare!
Did I mention the engineers took one of the heads back to the States? (Ft. Stewart I hear)

FARMING ACTIVITIES -- [2006 Tour of Duty - in Iraq]
I like this picture because it captures various farming activities. You have the corn being harvested by hand and loaded in the pickup. Wheat fields getting watered. Vegetables are being planted. Cows in the alpha field along with the dogs in the planted field. The neighbors driving by to see what your doing... (pic)

MSM REPORTS ON IRAQ

Body Armor: Services try to find right mix of protection, mobility -- (Army Times)
Protecting troops is a top priority, but weighting them down with so much body armor that they are practically unable to move is not the answer to the continued deaths and injuries among armor-wearing deployed forces, military officials said Wednesday.

Army to Send Body Armor Plates to Iraq -- (AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Army plans to send thousands of ceramic body armor plates to Iraq this year to better protect soldiers while the Marine Corps already is delivering such gear, military officers said Wednesday. In a private appearance before members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the officers defended the body armor available to U.S. troops. A Pentagon study done last summer but only disclosed recently found that improved armor may have prevented or minimized torso wounds that proved fatal to Marines in Iraq.

Army's Iraq Work Assailed by Briton -- (Washington Post)
Senior Officer Points to Cultural Ignorance In an Essay Published by the U.S. Military
FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. -- A senior British officer has written a scathing critique of the U.S. Army and its performance in Iraq, accusing it of cultural ignorance, moralistic self-righteousness, unproductive micromanagement and unwarranted optimism there.

Senior British officer brands US soldiers 'racist' in Iraq -- (Scotsman)
A SENIOR British officer has launched a scathing attack on the United States army and its operations in Iraq. | Brigadier Nigel Aylwin-Foster accused the Americans of "cultural insen...

Poll: Iraq won't be governing itself soon -- (CNN)
Asked if it was worth going to war, smaller majority says no ((?)Mrs G's emphasis)
WASHINGTON -- Americans overwhelmingly lack confidence that Iraq will have a stable government in place within the next year, and more than half say that the war has not been worth its cost, according to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released Wednesday.

Leaders remain optimistic; Forces see continued success -- (Multi-National Force-Iraq)
BAGHDAD - Gen. George Casey, commander of Multi-National Force - Iraq, said the sectarian tension and terrorist violence in recent days was “an anomaly” and remained optimistic and hopeful of the democratic processes that took root in Iraq over the past year.

In an interview with CNN today, Gen. Casey stated, “(Iraqis) are in a vulnerable period during the formation of the government, but I don't think it's on the brink of civil war.”

Merkel to tell Bush Germany can do more for Iraq -- (Reuters)
BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel will couple criticism of the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay with a vow to do more to help stabilize Iraq when she meets President George W. Bush on Friday, a senior German diplomat said.

Local Insurgents Tell of Clashes With Al Qaeda's Forces in Iraq -- (New York Times)
The clashes present a rare opportunity to enlist local insurgents to cooperate with Americans and Iraqis against Al Qaeda.

AFGHANISTAN

Many adults in Afghanistan express optimism in the future -- [Afghan Reality - an Afghani in Afghanistan]
"Many adults in Afghanistan express optimism in the future, according to a poll by the Program on International Policy Attitudes released by WorldPublicOpinion.org. 83 per cent of respondents think things in the country are going in the right direction," reports Angus Reid Consultants.

The results of the poll reflect the reality in Afghanistan given greater role for Afghan youths in the areas of decision making, education, employment and opportunities for success.

Free Jack Idema Blogburst -- [Cao's Blog]
Each time I write about the plight of Jack Idema, the U.S. Special Forces soldier illegally imprisoned in Afghanistan along with his right-hand man, Brent Bennet, and Emmy award-winning journalist, Ed Caraballo, I’m conscious that I haven’t really talked, in detail, about Jack’s relationship with the Afghan troops he trained and fought alongside.

There are two, conflicting, accounts of Jack’s involvement with the Afghan military: ...

Bad pipes and all -- [Misadventures of a Not-So-Intrepid Explorer - Aussie in Afghanistan]
Today has been quite warm, and the snow has been melting. But for a few days there, it was getting damn cold (well for an Australian anyway). Like -25C at night. And our pipes froze. Yep, I'm not the only one with bad pipes.

So we were without water for three whole days. Enter our Plumbing Dream Team... whose objective was to insulate our pipes.

Taliban Reorganize to Stave off Defeat -- [Strategy Page]
January 11, 2006: Over the past few months of the Taliban has undergoing a reorganization, in response to widespread defections at all levels, as well as a general lack of effectiveness against Afghan and Coalition security forces, coupled with a decline in recruits and shortfalls in revenues.

MSM REPORTS ON AFGHANISTAN

Dutch must send troops: US -- (The Australian)
WASHINGTON'S former administrator in Iraq Paul Bremer has warned the Dutch they could face economic penalties in the US if they fail to send troops to Afghanistan.

AFGHANISTAN: Year in Brief 2005 - Chronology of key events -- (IRIN Asia)
[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]
4 January - More than 100,000 mt of ammunition will be collected from across the country under a new programme, the United Nations backed Afghanistan New Beginnings Programme (ANBP) confirmed. Although a huge programme of heavy weapons' collection, disarmament of militia forces and land mine clearance is already under way, the existence of such a sheer quantity of ammunition stockpiles is another major challenge for the post-conflict country.

OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Catch & Release -- [Michael Yon]
He was only 23 years-old but by any measure he was a man. A real man who stood up to the terrorists who were savagely torturing him on an airliner. Those same terrorists shot the young Navy diver and dumped his body onto the tarmac. I remember the day in 1985 that Robert Stethem was murdered.

Fast forward: More than 20 years later, one of Robert’s murderers, who was in a German prison, apparently was used by the German government as currency to pay other terrorists to release a German hostage.

Hard Line, Hard Times -- [In The Hot Zone - Kevin Sites]
...KS: What about the Russian proposal in which they would do the uranium enrichment for you, ensuring that the fuel is not enriched to weapons-grade, but only for energy applications?

KJ: If the intention of the Russians is to share the efforts then we can talk. But if it's about prevention, then it's a ridiculous suggestion.

KS: How far have you gone in your enrichment process?

KJ: We have reached the UF6 [depleted uranium] process and reached the capability of centrifugal technology. But since we suspended our technology development [in November 2004] as a goodwill gesture, we haven't moved beyond that.

NY Times Take on the HK11-- [GI Kores - in S Korea]
The NY Times has a good article about everyone's favorite Korean rioters. I like the Hong Kong government's response to the demands from the Korean government, movie stars, and others for the immediate release of the criminal rioters:

MSM REPORTS ON OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

SYRIA: ASSAD WILL NOT MEET UN INVESTIGATORS -- (AKI)
Cairo, 12 Jan. (AKI) - Syrian president Bashar al-Assad will not meet United Nations investigators probing the assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri, Syria's information minister said on Thursday. The minister, Mehdi Dakhlallah, made the announcement in an interview with an Egyptian radio station. On 2 January the UN commission of inquiry into the Beirut bomb attack that killed Hariri and 20 others on 14 February 2005 indicated it wanted to speak...

IRAN: NEWSPAPER INVITES READERS TO CHOOSE HEADLINE FOR 'SHARON'S DEATH' -- (AKI)
Teheran, 11 Jan. (AKI) - The first issue of a newspaper that went on sale in Iran on Wednesday invites its readers to submit "the best headline for a story on [Israeli premier] Ariel Sharon's death." Published by Ansar Hezbollah, a group which represents the most extreme wing of Iran's radical Islamist movement, the publication is edited by Bagher Kharrazi, the nephew of Iran's interior minister, Kama Kharrazi.

Russia Won't Block U.S. on Iran -- (Washington Post)
The Bush administration, working intensely to galvanize international pressure on Iran, has secured a guarantee from Russia that it will not block U.S. efforts to take Tehran's nuclear case to the U.N. Security Council, American and European officials said yesterday.

TERRORISM

Iranian Military Plane Crash: Act of Sabotage? -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
On Monday, an Iranian military plane crash killed eleven top commanders in Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Gen. Ahmad Kazemi, the commander of IRGC's ground forces, died in the crash. The dead also included a number of other military notables whose names were released by the Islamic Republic News Agency, including the commander of Rassoulollah Army Division 27, the deputy commander of ground forces for operation affairs and the official in charge of information for ground forces.

MSM REPORTS ON TERRORISM

TERRORISM: GERMAN COURT CONVICTS IRAQI IN HISTORIC RULING -- (AKI)
Munich, 12 Jan. (AKI) - An Iraqi man has been sentenced to seven years by a German court for helping smuggle suicide bombers from Europe to his native country in what is considered a landmark ruling. Amin Lokman Mohamed, 31, was convicted by Munich judge, Bernd von Heintschel-Heinegg, of "belonging to a terrorist association and recruiting militants to send to Iraq."

Bush Signs 2-Year Terrorism Insurance Extension -- (Architectural Record)
President Bush has signed into law a bill to continue the federal terrorism insurance program for two years. The program had been set to expire Dec. 31

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

John Murtha Cozies Up to Code Pink -- [Andi's World]
Congressman John Murtha has crossed the line by "partnering" with Code Pink to help "support" our wounded troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. This is an outrage.
...I'd like to know if Congressman Murtha arranged for Code Pink to have access to Walter Reed. Wonder if he knows they view our troops as "killers"? Lots of questions for Congressman Murtha to answer.

Hear Yea, Hear Yea!!! -- [Random Bits of Pomposity]
I'm putting this back on top, and I now have the "thumbs-up" from not only a MIGHTY WARRIOR, but a beneficiary of Project Valour-IT; THE Chuck Ziegenfus!
This item has now been listed on e-Bay (thank you, bloggy momma, for dealin' with THAT!).
A very special "thanks" to Soldier's Angels, and all that you do.
"Project Valour" was created in memory of Chuck's dad.
PLEASE, folks, it's for a GREAT cause!

Can You Knit or Sew? -- [Soldiers Angels Forums]
Hand and Foot Coverings Needed for Wounded Soldiers on Medevac Flights Back to the US. Simple Fleece or Knitted Coverings Used to Help Keep Critical Patients' Extremities Warm...

Making a Difference -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
From Soldiers' Angel Christina:
I got home this evening and was not even home 5 mins and the phone rang. So I answer and this strange lady's voice comes on and says, "Hi is this Christina?" And I say yes thinking "great, telemarketer".

She then tells me "Hi this is Xxxx and I am the wife of Xxxx. You wrote to him in Iraq when he was deployed" - I did not know what to think at this point. ...

MILITARY

American Death Star Coming to a Universe Near You (or so MSNBC would have you believe) -- [The Officers' Club]
More sloppy military reporting from MSNBC has fired up an old debate: the weaponization of space. Today MSNBC ran an article claiming that the US is on the cusp of employing space-based directed energy weapons (read: frickin' lasers). The truth is we are nowhere close.

POLITICS

Abramoff Scandal - Details -- [Right Side Redux]
Per FEC records here is the list of monies received by Republicans and Democrats by Abramoff:
...Dan Boren (D-Okla) $2,000
Charles W. Boustany Jr (R-La) $2,000 ...

Ms. Alito Walks Out of Hearings Crying (VIDEO) -- (Political Teen)
Judge Samuel A. Alito’s wife Martha left the confirmation hearing room in tears this evening, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned...

This will have to be short -- [Neptunus Lex]
(he said, and she nodded knowingly)

Can’t watch the SCOTUS hearings on account of the fact that I don’t have a TV at work, do I? So I’m pretty much forced to follow the show on the SCOTUS blog and occasionally over at the National Review online. The NRO folks are cheering Judge Alito on of course, which is to be expected I suppose, but the SCOTUS bloggers seem to be fairly even-handed about the whole thing.

Durbin on Alito -- [Pajamas Media]
Illinois’ Dick Durbin symbolizes what’s wrong with the Senate. The Springfield senator has spent most of his adult life either as a legislator, or working for one. For instance, he spent many years working for the late Paul Simon. In short, Durbin’s never held what most people would call a real job.

Ted Kennedy, Russ Feingold Discuss Impeachment -- [Open Fire]
Those pesky democrats just keep looking for a chink in the Bush armor. The problem is that in the process they seem to be undermining the war against militant Islam.

Our President continues to catch shit for ordering wiretaps on calls made outside the country to suspected scumbags.

Scott Ritter’s debate…Audio -- [Baghdad Dweller - an Iraqi in the Netherlands]
The debate of 22-December but it’s the first time you can listen to it.

MSM REPORTS ON POLITICS

Kerry cautiously backs India-US nuclear deal -- (Reuters)
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - United States Senator and leading Democrat John Kerry gave cautious backing on Thursday to a controversial deal granting India access to civilian nuclear technology.

George Bush, Diplomat -- (Newsweek)
The civilized world is now united against Iran. Can the American president exploit the opportunity?
...In fact, Ahmadinejad, who has piled idiocy upon idiocy in a series of offensive remarks that have alarmed the world, has achieved a truly amazing feat. He has made George W. Bush look like a statesman. Since Ahmadinejad has embraced his role as this era’s Muammar Kaddafi, the Bush administration mustered international unity against Iran of the kind that hasn’t been seen since right after September 11.

Bush's would-be assassin begins life term -- (The Guardian)
· Man who threw grenade in crowd sentenced
· Attacker says he would try to kill US president again
A man who tried to assassinate President George Bush with a hand grenade was yesterday sentenced to life in prison. Vladimir Arutyunian threw the grenade at a podium from which the US leader and Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili were addressing crowds during Mr Bush's visit to Georgia last May.

Alito Turns Aside Democrats' Criticism -- (AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Long hours of Senate questioning seem to have done little to alter Samuel Alito's prospects for a seat on the Supreme Court, with Republicans confident that the conservative jurist is well-suited for the job while skeptical Democrats warn that President Bush's nominee could help overturn abortion rights. In a contentious Day 3 of hearings Wednesday that at one point left Alito's wife in tears, the federal appeals court judge remained unflappable under persistent questioning by Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats who attacked his credibility

Alito Leaves Door Open to Reversing 'Roe' -- (Washington Post)
The once-sluggish confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Samuel A. Alito Jr. turned confrontational yesterday, as the nominee signaled he might be willing to revisit the ruling that legalized abortion nationwide and Democrats pummeled him over his membership in an alumni group that wanted...

THE MEDIA

FOB Warrior is too cushy... -- [Ma Deuce Gunner - recently returned from Iraq]
...The article leads with audio quotes from the author and from the soldiers he profiles. In his audio quote, he can't even get the division's home station correct.
He then heralds the accomplishments of the 101st Airborne during the initial liberation of Iraq. The 101 did a great job accomplishing their mission, and there is nothing wrong with singing their praises.

He immediately brings up body count,...

ABC Distorts Bush’s Admonition on “Lying/War for Oil” Rhetoric About Iraq War -- [NewsBusters]
At an event in Louisville, Kentucky Wednesday afternoon, President George W. Bush said that “I expect there to be an honest debate about Iraq” and he urged people to be “mindful about what messages out of the country can do to the morale of our troops.” He went on to “welcome the voices of people saying, you know, ‘Mr. President, you shouldn't have made that decision,’ or, you know, ‘you should have done it a better way,’” but castigated those who say “‘he lied.’ Or, ‘they're in there for oil.’ Or ‘they're doing it because of Israel.’ That's the kind of debate that basically says the mission and the sacrifice were based on false premise.”

MILBLOGGING / BLOGGING

William M. Arkin obviously hasn’t read my milblog -- [The Will to Exist - in Iraq]
This guy I don’t know, William M. Arkin, of the Washington Post, writes a long editorial on the military’s consideration of “exclusive editorial content” for some milbloggers. He opines:
Blogs, however, are the epitome of independence, perspective, and rebellion. For the Army to blog, its bloggers would need to have an opinion, show some emotion, make a joke, make a case. We all know that the moment some public affairs flunkie strayed from the official happy talk and openly engaged in the information fight, he or she would get nuked.

New header and sadness -- [Lance in Iraq Lance Frizzell - Back from Iraq]
Bill Hobbs has created a great new header for this site but, by announcing his respite from blogging, has brought about a black day in the blogosphere. He will be missed. His was the first blog I read regularly and he single-handedly improved coverage of the Tennessee General Assembly.

HUMOR / SATIRE

Jihad's Funniest Bloopers -- [Peace like a River]
Helmet Hair'd Announcer: And now, the host of Jihad's Funniest Bloopers, Bob Saget!

*wild applause from audience whipped into a frenzy by a 20-year old production assistant*

Bob: Welcome to Jihad's Funniest Bloopers! I'm your host, Bob Saget, and the next person to point out my initials are B.S. will be taken out and shot.

*laughter*

Bob: Our first video is sent in by this comic duo. Well, sent in by their next of kin, actually. As you'll see, their act...bombed.

*groans from audience*

Kennedy Quizzes Alito on ‘One Fetus, One Vote’ -- [ScrappleFace]
During an emotional barrage of questions about 20-year-old written statements by Judge Samuel Alito, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-MA, today inadvertently asked the Supreme Court nominee if he “believes in the principle of one fetus, one vote.”

CONGRATS

Wednesday, January 11, 2006 -- [Bravo Battery Friends and Family]
Meet Nicholas, he was born while his father was at Camp Atterbury. nicholas is attending his first Family Support meeting. Looks like his mother Tara is very proud of him. I bet Bobby Biddle has a smile on his face just as big. Congratulations Bobby and Tara.

WELCOME HOME

The Men Will Cheer, The Boys Will Shout... -- [Some Soldier's Mom]
UPDATE: ALL BUT ONE OF THE GUYS ARE HOME!! Rob, Mike, Kevin, Pat all arrived... but our Guy Vinny is still in the Sandbox... he volunteered to take a special detail... might be home some time next week.... So, still waiting... but this morning's phone call sure was glorious!! Nothin' like, "Hey, Ma!" to get your day started!

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig -- [All Quiet on the Southwest Asian Front - home from Iraq]
A long, long flight, a breif stop in Shannon, Ireland, and an even longer flight, and finally I'm on US soil again. Cool and foggy at the Ft. Benning airstrip, and it was so good to be on the ground again.

Helping soldiers reintegrate into civilian life -- [The Patriette]
Okay, so Josh hasn't even been gone a week, but I'm already trying to look forward to when he'll be coming home. On that note, I found this article today describing efforts by the Minnesota National Guard to help soldiers adjust to civilian life as they return from Iraq. I suspect this program will be modified and changed prior to my husband's return to Minnesota in just over a year, but at least it's good to know that the Guard is attempting to meet not only the needs of those going to war, but the troops coming home as well. Read the article about the efforts to help ease the transition back to civilian life here: A proper welcome home for Iraq vets

IN MEMORY OF...

In Memoriam - Sgt Adam Cann/USMC -- [America's Son - in Iraq]
It's been a tough week for me. America lost a great warrior this week, and I lost a very close friend and fellow dog handler. On the morning of the 6th of January, Sgt Adam Cann was killed in action in Ar Ramadi while conducting security operations at an Iraqi Police recruiting station. The coward that took Sgt Cann from us, walked into the crowd of recruits and detonated his suicide vest, killing Sgt Cann and many others. ...

While his brave passing has hit me like a ton of bricks, I have a cherished memory of him that I will carry with me on every future battlefield that I am on. He was my roommate at Camp Lejeune while we were preparing to deploy, and it was there that he shared with me a part of his heart. He told me that if he wasn't able to come home with us, that he wanted us to press on without him.

Honoring A Fallen Comrade: 1SG Tobias Meister -- [Fortunate Son - in Afghanistan]
...1SG Meister was truly a soldier's soldier being named the "U.S. Army Reserve Drill Sergeant of the Year" in 2002, he was at one time head of the Drill Sergeant school at Ft. Jackson, SC. To have made the rank of First Sergeant before the age of thirty is truly a remarkable accomplishment that indicates just what a tremendous asset he was to our team and equally what a devastating loss his death has been to his family, his friends and to us.

He was traveling between our PRT here at Jalalabad and his PRT just a few hours north of us in Asadabad when his vehicle was hit with an IED.

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