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

Gallows humor -- [An independent look at Iraq - in Iraq]
I interviewed an Iraqi army battalion commander this afternoon. I've been following his battalion around for a couple of days now. All in all, they're light years beyond what I saw of Iraqi soldiers in early 2004. But, as many have correctly pointed out, they have some ways to go before they're able to independently operate without American soldiers around.

Keeping the Euphrates Valley quiet -- [Peace like a River]
MNF-Iraq reports that Operation Koa Canyon is wrapping up in Hit, a city along the Euphrates west of Ramadi. This cordon-and-knock operation began Jan. 15, and was a search for terrorists and their weapons caches. It takes courage to conduct these kinds of operations. Though it isn't all out free fire combat, you never know what's waiting behind the next door, in the next cave. The operation involved both Iraqi and US forces, and is yet another example of how the Iraqi security forces are performing well.

Weather and War -- [wordsmith at war - in Iraq]
...In Vietnam, we called the enemy Charlie. In Operation Iraqi freedom, he has earned the moniker of Haji. I don’t mean it disrespectfully, but it’s easier than saying terrorist or enemy or insurgent or “freedom fighter,” so I choose to use it. Haji doesn’t like this weather. Apparently he doesn’t want to get wet. Coalition forces still get killed and injured. Iraq can still be a dangerous place. But in my little chunk of this ancient country, fewer mortars and rockets get fired at the FOB when the wind is gusting across this massive desert and the rain clouds hover like a foreshadowing of evil.

Barbwire and HESCOs -- [Fire and Ice - in Iraq]
This is an image which is played out over and over both here and in Afghanistan; combat engineers putting out barbwire and setting up HESCO barriers. HESCOs are large light gray foursquare bags, fitted into wire mesh receptacles and then filled with dirt. Think of a paper grocery bag with its top edges folded over lining a trash can. Urban legend has it that each HESCO is incredibly expensive. Based on the rumors, which I won't repeat, anyone who invested in their namesake company prior to 9/11 is standing in high cotton. Inside the perimeter of these HESCO fortresses a thick blanket of gravel is laid down over the dirt. As a result inside the wire one develops a certain way of walking, much like the bowlegged gait used when strolling across soft deep sand at the beach.

You are reckless and wrong and you need to reconsider your worldview -- [The Will to Exist - in Iraq]
So you are anti-war. You think we invaded Iraq “illegally.” You think we’re over here slaughtering innocents and trying to extend an American empire into the heart of the Middle East. You’ve protested. You want to impeach Bush. You believe America is headed down the wrong path. And you’re completely wrong about all of it. If you’re still willing to listen I’ll explain why…

Civilian casualties in Iraq soar to 250,000! Not. -- [TigerHawk]
Not content with the Lancet's extrapolated estimate (as of October 2004) that 100,000 Iraqi civilians in excess of the usual rate had died since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Attaturk (one of Atrios' co-bloggers) is now saying that the Lancet study underestimated civilian deaths by 60%. The supporting "analysis" is here.

Emails from the public -- [Courage without Fear - in Iraq]
...It seems that Theresa Thoma, in Elkader, Iowa thinks I should be home in the U.S. cleaning up after Hurricanes or doing some other civic duties. Well Theresa, I’ve got some news for you, I’m an Officer in the United States Army. I do what I’m told. And right now, I’ve been told to come to Iraq, fight a war against the insurgency and help the people of this once proud country to rebuild their government.

Here is one of the emails I have received from Theresa and my reply back to her.

MSM REPORTS ON IRAQ

MND-B SOLDIERS DETAIN KIDNAP CELL LEADER, 3 OTHERS -- {Centcom}
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Acting on a tip, MND-B Soldiers were moving to the house of a suspected kidnapping cell leader Jan. 28 west of Baghdad when they came across the decapitated bodies of three Iraqis on a soccer field.
The Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, detained the suspected criminal who lives just north of the soccer field. In the house, Soldiers found a pistol, a sniper rifle, improvised explosive device batteries, timers and circuit boards.

Is America Actually In A State Of War? -- (Boston Globe)...James Carroll
...Iraq is not a war, because, though we have savage assault, we have no enemy. The war on terrorism is not a war because, though we have an enemy, the muscle-bound Pentagon offers no authentic means of assault.

Iraq aims to boost oil exports -- (Gulf News /Reuters)
Davos: Iraq aims to boost crude oil exports by around 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.5 million bpd within six weeks, Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi said on Saturday.

Voices from Iraq: Stryker brigade 1st Lt. Mark Brogan -- (Ancorage Daily News) HT: [Stryker Brigade News]
... Many of the children I speak with know at least some English and are able to communicate with soldiers, always eager to converse and tell them their names. They bombard soldiers, asking questions about where we are from, what is our name, and many other small facts about soldiering.

Army Forces 50,000 Soldiers Into Extended Duty -- (New York Times on the Web)...Reuters
The U.S. Army has forced about 50,000 soldiers to continue serving after their voluntary stints ended under a policy called ``stop-loss,'' but while some dispute its fairness, court challenges have fallen flat.

Direct Talks—U.S. Officials And Iraqi Insurgents -- (Newsweek)...Scott Johnson, Rod Nordland and Ranya Kadri
American officials in Iraq are in face-to-face talks with high-level Iraqi Sunni insurgents, NEWSWEEK has learned. Americans are sitting down with "senior members of the leadership" of the Iraqi insurgency, according to Americans and Iraqis with knowledge of the talks

Millions In Iraq Aid Squandered -- (Houston Chronicle)...Jim Krane, Associated Press
Iraqi money gambled away in the Philippines. Thousands spent on a swimming pool that was never used. An elevator repaired so poorly that it crashed, killing people

Embedded With U.S. Marines -- (AP Correspondent Antonio Castaneda is embedded with U.S. Marines)
For all their armor and weaponry, the Humvees sharply turned away from each vehicle they passed, carefully steering away from both tiny, aging jalopies and large cargo trucks. The soldiers methodically scanned the vehicles and roadsides.

Shortly after we turned off onto a small paved road that led to a U.S. military base, a suspicious mound of trash lay beside the road. Our driver tried to stop, but he hit the brakes too late.

Wounded ABC Anchor Evacuated to Germany -- (AP)
NEW YORK (AP) - ABC's "World News Tonight" led its nightly broadcast with its own journalists in the news: Co-anchor Bob Woodruff and a cameraman had been seriously injured by a roadside bomb in Iraq. Woodruff and Doug Vogt both suffered head injuries, and Woodruff also suffered broken bones. They were in stable condition following surgery and were being evacuated to medical facilities in Germany, ABC News President David Westin said.

Body Armor Likely Saved ABC News Pair -- (New York Post/AP)
NEW YORK (AP) - Surgeons removed shrapnel from ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff's head and neck, a family friend said Monday, and a hospital official said body armor likely saved the journalist's life. Woodruff and cameraman Doug Vogt were seriously injured when a roadside bomb exploded Sunday while they standing in the open hatch of an Iraqi military vehicle. They underwent surgery in Iraq, then were flown to a U.S. military base in Germany for further treatment.

Bombs Strike Christian Targets in Iraq -- (AP)
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Car bombs exploded in quick succession Sunday near four Christian churches and the office of the Vatican envoy, killing three people and raising new concerns about sectarian tensions. At least 17 other people were killed in other violence around the country....

Saddam, Defense Leave Trial in Protest -- (AP)
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - A new judge cracked down Sunday in a chaotic session of Saddam Hussein's trial, ordering a co-defendant and a lawyer expelled from the courtroom. The entire defense team left in protest and Saddam was escorted out after a shouting match in which he yelled, "Down with America!" Despite the turmoil, chief judge Raouf Rasheed Abdel-Rahman pushed ahead, replacing the defense lawyers with court-appointed attorneys and hearing three prosecution witnesses before adjourning the trial until later this week.

What Islamic Radicals and Iraqi Christians Have In Common -- [Strategy Page]
January 30, 2006: The major Sunni Arab resistance groups have formed a council for negotiating with the government and American forces. Such negotiations have been increasingly common over the past year, as more and more Sunni Arabs turned against the al Qaeda terror campaign.

AFGHANISTAN

An Open Letter to Arianna Huffington -- [Fire Power Forward - in Afghanistan]
Now I normally don't let the simpering drivel of the left wing bother me too much, but a column regarding the stability of Afghanistan by Arianna Huffington showed up in Stars and Stripes the other day and it is so far off the mark that it demands a response.

If -- [Fire Powere Forward - in Afghanistan]
I suppose that the reason you area reading more and more of the politics of the GWOT here than before is that it is a function of where we are in the deployment cycle. Our time remaining here is in the single digits now and I think it is normal that when you reach a juncture such as this, you cast a retrospective glance at the things you have both accomplished and endured.

Afghan Dining -- [Miserable Donuts]
One night at dinner, my son asked me if we could pretend we were at a restaurant. "Sure Kiddo, we can". I was scurrying back and forth to the kitchen, so he thought it would be fun to pretend he was ordering from the cook - me. Then he looked up and asked, "Daddy, do they have restaurants in Afghanistan?"

Base in the clouds!! -- [The Siegrist Blogs - in Afghanistan]
Bad weather and more bad weather! The bowl here has been dishing out some nasty WX the last few days. So not much flying going on at all. As I watched a Russian fixed wing land today I had to hlod my breath. I heard the IL-62 before I could see him.

OPERATION ENDURING BOREDOM - EPISODE VIII - [American Citizen Soldier - in Iraq]
...Suffice it to say, no one exactly “beat feet” to go comply with his ultimatum. The village elder eventually turned up and, seemingly eager to curry favor with the generous but gullible Americans, announced: “We don’t have any of your missing equipment--but our rival village over there does!” (Points to area roughly two klicks away). Wouldn’t you know, our leadership actually fell for that one.

MSM REPORTS ON AFGHANISTAN

Afghan Province's Problems Underline Challenge For U.S. -- (Washington Post)...Griff Witte
...As one senior U.S. military official describes it, Uruzgan is "the last frontier" -- a place that exemplifies why the international mission to secure Afghanistan still has a long way to go, why well-intentioned foreign assistance often ends up in the wrong hands, and why -- more than four years since the defeat of Islamic Taliban rule -- the insurgency has proved so difficult to defeat.

New optimism in Afghanistan -- (Khaleej Times)
AS AFGHANISTAN changes for the better in many ways, that gets reflected in the people's responses. A survey conducted by BBC in Afghanistan shows an overwhelming majority of the people there are optim...

Afghan Suicide Attacks Foiled -- (London Times)...Associated Press
Seven Afghans and two Pakistanis allegedly plotting suicide attacks were arrested in southern Afghanistan yesterday, officials said.

OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

The Hamas Gate.. -- Counterterrorism Blog]
Walid Phares
As soon as the Palestinian commission for elections declared Hamas as a winner of the legislative elections in Gaza and the West Bank, a hurricane of questions slammed international media, Governments, politicians, and analysts. Among officials of the Palestinian Authority: what's next? Will Hamas ruin the advances in international recognition? Within Israel: Is the Peace process dead? How can we deal with a Terrorist Government?

Hamas - past, present and future -- [The Will to Exist - in Iraq]
My advice to Hamas leadership: less dressing up of the babies. More reading variety. Reading is good for your brain.

MSM REPORTS ON OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Palestinian Gunmen Take Over EU Office -- (AP)
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Masked gunmen on Monday briefly took over a European Union office to protest a Danish newspaper's publication of cartoons deemed insulting to Islam's Prophet Muhammad, the latest in a wave of violent denunciations of the caricatures across the Islamic world. The gunmen demanded an apology from Denmark and Norway, and said citizens of the two countries would be prevented from entering the Gaza Strip.

Merkel, threatening aid cut-off, to meet Abbas -- (Reuters)
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has threatened to cut vital European Union aid to the Palestinians, said on Monday President Mahmoud Abbas should urge Hamas to recognize Israel and renounce violence.

WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

Monday's Winds of War: 30 Jan 2006 -- [Winds of Change]
Members of the terrorist organization Hamas captured 76 out of 132 parliamentary seats in the Palestinian elections, while the ruling Fatah party won only 43 seats. In response, thousands of Fatah members rioted in Gaza and the West Bank, Israeli authorities gathered for a security meeting and expressed serious concerns, while the United States is expected to review their foreign aid to the Palestinians.

Let's Accept Osama's Olive Branch -- [Andi's World]
John Arquilla, a professor at the Naval Postgraduate School, is advocating taking bin Laden seriously and negotiating with al Qaeda.
Arquilla is concerned with the suffering of the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.
...Apparently, little thought was given to this:

MSM REPORTS ON WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

Fewer Terror Assets Frozen -- (USA Today)...Kevin Johnson
The amount of assets frozen by U.S. anti-terrorism units is declining dramatically each year, prompting a former Bush administration official who helped oversee the program to suggest that a “lack of urgency” is hurting efforts to block terrorist fundraising.

Pakistan 'delay' let Bin Laden escape US strike -- (Gulf News)
| Karachi: Prevarication by the Pakistani Government cost America the chance to kill Osama Bin Laden in an airstrike near the Afghan border two years ago, the Sunday Telegraph has said.

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

HEARTS FOR HEROES PICTURES -- [Yikes]
This is a picture of me & Brie sorting and counting the V-day cards.. we are still counting....

Bad Timber -- [SandGram - in Iraq]
There is a fellow back home In California, who is doing his job. Writing. I would say that he is very successful and with his last little OpEd piece, will get a lot of attention for a long time. I give him credit because he did his job, right, wrong or indifferent on how you feel, emotions aside, he has you talking. Now I feel sorry for the S.O.B. because what he wrote might be the straw that broke the “Camels” back for some guy that has been over here in Iraq fighting and he might go pay this nameless person a visit one night. I believe that he wrote this to get people fired up and mad on purpose. Why?

Free to Rock at Walter Reed -- [Gunn Nutt]
There were no commie Pinkos blighting the entrance to Walter Reed again this week. In their place were happy, cheering supporters on All Four Corners delivering their thanks to the wounded warriors, caregivers, and families.

MSM REPORTS ON

5 States Consider Bans On Protests At Funerals -- (Washington Post)...Kari Lydersen
At least five Midwestern states are considering legislation to ban protests at funerals in response to demonstrations by the Rev. Fred Phelps and members of his Topeka, Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church, who have been protesting at funerals of Iraq war casualties because they say the deaths are God's punishment for U.S. tolerance toward gays

MILITARY

Could We Stop Being So Dramatic Please? -- [Officer's Club]
Al-Reuters....
Army Forces 50,000 Soldiers into extended active duty.
For god's sake, knock it off Reuters. The army "forces" soldiers to do things all the time, the more appropriate term for it is "orders." That's what the military is, that's what they do. That's why service is a sacrifice, and that's why soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines are so special to the American people.

MSM REPORTS ON MILITARY

Corrections -- (Newport News Daily Press)...Newport News Daily Press
The Military Update column in Sunday's newspaper incorrectly stated, "Combat-zone tax exclusions, combined with changes to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and child tax credits, have reduced - even wiped out - the tax liability of thousands of military families." Combat-zone exclusions don't affect Social Security and Medicare taxes.

Army to Investigate Gay Porn Allegations-- (AP)
...Martha Rudd, an Army spokeswoman at the Pentagon, said soldiers accused of homosexual activity might be removed from their units, although she did not have specific information about the investigation of the 82nd. When asked if the soldiers involved had been moved out of barracks, Hannah declined to comment.
"We are concerned about the privacy and rights of each trooper involved and that they are treated with dignity and respect," Hannah said.

Clarification -- (European Stars and Stripes)...Stars and Stripes
In a Jan. 28 story that reported the U.S. could soon reach an agreement to establish shared military facilities in another country, Maj. Gen. Mark Hertling, U.S. Army Europe’s deputy chief of staff for operations, was asked about bases in Bulgaria. In his response he did not mention the nation by name, instead saying “areas of the world, but I won’t say where.”

Army's Rising Promotion Rate Called Ominous -- (Los Angeles Times)...Mark Mazzetti
Struggling to retain enough officers to lead its forces, the Army has begun to dramatically increase the number of soldiers it promotes, raising fears within the service that wartime strains are diluting the quality of the officer corps

Military Family Relief Fund Goes Untapped. -- (LA Times)
The National Guard is blamed for a lack of awareness but says the rules are too restrictive SACRAMENTO — A year after it was launched to help activated National Guard families suffering financial hardships, the California Military Family Relief Fund has been a major disappointment to its sponsors.
In 2005, the fund paid out only $7,687 to just three families from among the 7,000 soldiers activated for federal duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and other postings that year.

Few Seeking Repayment For Gear, Military Says -- (New York Times)...John Files
Fewer than 70 service members have sought reimbursement for the cost of combat equipment they bought for use in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of a program that the Pentagon originally opposed.

DoD May Outsource Mail Delivery -- (Federal Times)...Karen Jowers, Stephen Losey and Dan Davidson -LINK UNAVAILABLE
The Defense Department is starting to move forward on a plan to outsource its billion-dollar-plus mail operation, which would be one of the government's biggest privatization projects in recent years.

POLITICS

Sheehan Considers Challenging Feinstein for Senate -- [Outside the Beltway - James Joyner]
Cindy Sheehan is considering a run for Dianne Feinstein's Senate seat, arguing that California needs someone "in touch" with the voters.

Kissing A Commie -- [Stop the ACLU]
Update: Kender says he will sponsor a prize to make this a caption contest. The prize will come from our store. So, caption away.

Cindy Sheehan on Military Training -- [Andi's World]
I would like to see the military training manual which teaches our troops that the Hajis of Iraq are "less than people."

MSM REPORTS ON POLITICS

Chavez Backs Sheehan Plan for Bush Protest -- (AP)
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Cindy Sheehan, who gained international fame when she camped outside President Bush's ranch in an anti-war protest, plans to pitch her tent again, Venezuela's president said Sunday as he urged activists worldwide to help bring down "the U.S. empire."...

Bush State of Union part of election-year strategy -- (Reuters)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush's State of the Union speech will stress his optimistic vision for Iraq and the U.S. economy in a strategy aimed at giving Republicans a potential road map to victory in November and boosting his own weakened standing.

THE MEDIA

No Media Bias? -- [Outside the Beltway - Leopold Stotch]
For those of you who disbelieve the evidence that the mainstream media slants leftward, please explain to me what exactly is being "reported" here:

"It's turning into our Vietnam"

The Associated Press: Smothering the voice of the victim -- [Counter Column]
There's no other way to put it.

Saddam Hussein gets the dramatic photo. He gets top billing. His brother gets fellative press in the top few graphs for being dragged out of the courtroom after calling the court "the daughter of a whore."

WELCOME HOME

Welcome Home, James! -- [Soldier's Angel - Germany]
A very special welcome home, thank you, and well done from all of us at Soldiers' Angels!

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