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

Spas (Thank You) -- [Iraqi Future, Iraqi Hope, Iraqi Dreams - Iraqi in D.C.]
I felt it very necessary for the first blog to be the true message that every Iraqi wants to tell the American soldiers, marines, airmen, sailors, and American public. That message is simple, it is thank you. We thank you for everything that you have endured in bringing up liberation and bringing us a chance to move forward for tyranny and oppression. After the decades of misery the Iraqi people had really given up all hope that anyone would come to help them but then one day we saw those stars and stripes waving in downtown Baghdad and everyone knew what that flag represented.

A day in the life of an American Soldier. -- [American Soldier]
This will be an ongoing story of a group of soldiers serving in Iraq. The names, places and at times the events will be modified to protect identity and OPSEC.
0645: The soldiers all gathered in the usual meeting spot to receive their pre-mission briefing. They called it the poop meet. SFC Goslin, the platoon sergeant took the floor and began with the days contact report. Detailing the encounters with the enemy, who got killed and who we were looking for. Some days were better than others. This particular day there were reports that the insurgency wanted to capture an American.
“Bullshit!” a soldier shouted out.
Subtle laughter came across the group of men. The lieutenant broke in and reminded everyone to keep their grenade battle ready. They all knew what that meant.

Another Firefight (One that Came Close to Never Being Blogged -- [Michael Fumento - journalist embed in Iraq]
I sure learned the hard way about the veracity of the Chinese expression that begins: "Be careful what you wish for . . ." We were told we might encounter the bad guys because you always "might," but by noon yesterday I would be a seasoned combat photojournalist.
...One brave soul, who turned out to be Sgt. Falk, risked his hide by jumping from his relatively safe position along the wall to pull me in. I yelled: "I'm okay! Go back!" But darned if he wasn't determined to rescue me! My lack of injury doesn't make him any less a hero in my book. As soon as I got to the wall I stood up all the way so everybody could see I was alright, but then another fellow apparently slipped and all eyes turned to him. But he was okay, too. He just needed water so I gave him my Camelbak water bladder to drink from, assuring him I didn't have cooties. The non-injured helping the non-injured!

REMF -- [Skull Nation in the Sandbox - in Iraq]
Well, John is back in the states. He hurt his back. Some crazy insurgent shot at him (We'll not at him but near him, many of our enemies don't aim well). So he did a double backflip with a triple gainer trying to get to cover. I hear his patrol mates held up signs giving him a decent score; 8.75, 9.25, and the Italian in the group gave him an 11 (even though we all know 10 is the best score possible).
...We killed alot of bad guys this week. They are acting up and making themselves more visible.

The Weekend Update. . .and What You Don't See on TV -- [The Desert Excursion - in Iraq]
I went out yesterday for the first time. It was a strange experience to finally be outside the comforts of a secure base, riding in the humvee (I write this phonetically) and seeing the workings of a society of people that we are here to protect. So what don't you see from the media?
Let me tell you what I saw on this patrol that I have never seen in the news. I saw ...

IRAQ’S NEW SAVIOR? -- [Blogging Baghdad - NBC journalist embed in Iraq]
Prime Minister designate Jawad al-Maliki survived an ambush here yesterday.
He was heading out of the bathroom after a meeting of parliament’s defense and security committee when we pounced. Our crew had been waiting for him. I reached out to shake his hand. It was still wet. Apparently there were no paper towels. He reached out his dry wrist so I could shake it. I shook it.
So you spoke to President Bush yesterday, what did he tell you? I asked without preamble.
You want to ask me here? Maliki wanted to know, turning to look at the door with an unmistakable little blue symbol of a man on it.
No, the bathroom might not be a great background for your network television debut, I conceded.
We walked into a small nearby office and talked about his priorities, the country’s unity government and militias.

Have You Ever Seen A Turbaned Man With A Tie! -- [24 Steps to Liberty - an Iraqi in Iraq]
...The Iraqis differ on how they reacted to the decision of making Maliki a PM. Some thought it was a “great news that would solve all the problems in Iraq.” Others said that “he is a tough man who would end three years of violence.” Some said “he is a Shiite. That is enough. Because the Shiites have to rule Iraq from now on.” And many said “why should we care? They don’t care about us, and we care no more.”
The reality from the ground is that Jawad al-Maliki is a Dawa member, therefore, he is a member of the United Iraqi Alliance. And that means

War Letters, Past and Present - Part III -- [Wordsmith at War - in Iraq]
The following letter comes from a website called “War Letters: Rochester Writes Home.” It was written from Vietnam by a man named “John.”
...Now here’s a fictional conversation of a modern day soldier telling his wife about a suicide bombing. He walks into the internet café, signs for a phone, and speaks to his wife over the internet for less than .2 cents a minute. He’s on a forward operating base in Ramadi, Iraq, and she’s at their home near the Rocky Mountains of Salt Lake City, Utah. The whole conversation lasts less than 20 minutes.

Iraq Pictures - 25 April 2006 -- [Iraq Pictures - in Iraq]
Soldiers of the 21st Military Police Company, attached to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, rally after a convoy to an Iraqi police station in the Al Rasheed district. The Soldiers travel to IP stations throughout southern and central Baghdad as part of efforts to help the Iraqi police operate independently in Baghdad.
...21-year-old female Iraqi Army solider who works in the brigade administration office of the 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, donates blood at a clinic at Forward Operating Base Justice near Baghdad. The event was the second time that the Iraqi Army has staged a blood drive. Between the two efforts, more than 350 pints of blood have been donated to the Baghdad Blood Bank.

Hurry Up and Wait -- [Running with the Bulls -- GX journalist embed in Iraq]
...So, I spent the morning pestering the PAOs (Public Affairs Officers) for both Brigades, trying to line up some missions, interviews, photo ops… anything. I only had one week left in country and sitting around with nothing to do was killing me. When it comes to getting my job done I am not, as you can see, a patient man.
Fortunately, with a good deal of help from CPT Lappegaard I arranged several missions over the next few days. There were still some large blank spots where I might well end up sitting around, but hopefully I can find ways to fill that time. Now, to be fair, I did have the opportunity to accompany several convoy escorts, but with my time left here so short, I was hesitant to wander too far from base.

The Mean Streets -- [Just Another Thunderhorse Roughneck - in Iraq]
The IZ, formally known as the Green Zone, is pretty peaceful compared to other parts of Baghdad. Today we decided to go through the nasty parts of the city to find some excitement. It’s thrilling because of the tons of traffic and the numbers of people. It’s also parts of Baghdad we don’t get to see every day. We came up with excuses to take the scenic route. Either I primary route was full of IEDs, closed, or taking small arms fire. Traffic was everywhere and a lot of the roads were blocked with cars. For some reason, there are no traffic lights over here. The city is full of traffic circles with Iraqi Police directing traffic.

sand storm -- [John's Iraq Blog - in Iraq]
...The last week or so offers nothing substantial to write about but I will run it down for you anyway. Lets see...some convoys came in and some convoys left, dito for planes, we had some sandstorms and rain, and we have had a couple of mortar attacks. We have not had any deaths so all in all it has been a good week.

A Certain Cachet -- [4 Mile Creek - in Iraq]
We find a lot of weapons caches around here. And there are reports of sectarian violence almost every day. But that's not always what gets reported.
A weapons "cache" is pronouned as "cash". Easy for me, one of my favorite fishing spots was along the Cache La Poudre river, and the word poudre is harder for me to pronounce than the word cache. Multiple weapons caches are pronounced as "cashes". Around here, you will hear many soldiers pronounce it as cachet. Both the singular cache, and the plural caches. I guess they want to add a certain je ne sai qua to the rather bourgeois work of reporting on caches.

The sound and the fury -- [The Will to Exist - in Iraq]
The above image was taken yesterday as a rain/sand storm made it’s way across central Baghdad. The storm lasted several hours, and strong winds turned the sky a color I’ve not seen before. The accompanying thunderstorm sounded like the biggest mortar barrage I’ve ever heard.
Earlier in the day, I had heard several car bombs go off, and they were puny in comparison to the power of nature.

The Miserable Donuts Naval Attache to Iraq -- [Miserable Donuts]
Allow me to introduce the Brown Sand Sailor, in his own words:
"Always historically-minded, ever since a youth spent perusing a grandfather's academic library, the scribe was fond of the sea even before realizing it was salty. After obtaining a history degree, and working such related jobs as surveyor, sign maker and printer, the beginning writer slaved away at a Master's Degree in Soviet History, receiving it just in time to witness...

MSM REPORTS ON IRAQ

Corrections -- (Washington Post)...The Washington Post
An April 23 article about the alleged leak of classified information by a CIA officer incorrectly referred to an attack by U.S. warplanes on a chemical factory in Sudan. The factory was attacked by cruise missiles launched from Navy ships.

Iraqi troops monitored for death squad activity -- (Army Times/ AP)
A soldier speaks with members of the newly renamed Iraqi National Police at a checkpoint in Baghdad on Thursday.
BAGHDAD, Iraq — U.S. troops aren’t just training Iraqi forces, they’re also keeping an eye on them, watching for signs they could be moonlighting in the Shiite death squads that target Sunnis.

Senators: Prod Iraq On Cabinet -- (Philadelphia Inquirer)...Drew Brown
A bipartisan group of senators introduced a measure yesterday that would require Iraqi leaders to meet deadlines on forming a cabinet and appointing a commission to write new amendments to their constitution or face the possibility that U.S. troops would withdraw.

Rumsfeld, Rice in surprise Iraq visit -- (CNN News)
Looking to bolster relations with new government
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- On a mission to show support for Iraq's fledgling new government, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived Wednesday in Baghdad on unannounced visits

Senate Panel Considers Hearing On Rumsfeld -- (Washington Post)...Charles Babington
The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, underscoring lawmakers' concerns about the Iraq war's progress, said yesterday that he may invite testimony from retired generals who have called for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to resign.

Rumsfeld In Line Of Fire Of Eighth Retired General -- (London Financial Times)...Demetri Sevastopulo
Donald Rumsfeld, US defence secretary, yesterday came under more fire after another retired general joined the growing list of retired brass gunning for his resignation. Retired Lieutenant General Paul Van Riper, a three-star general who retired in 1997, told Fox News that Mr Rumsfeld was not capable of leading the Pentagon effort in Iraq.

Abuse Charge Set For A U.S. Colonel -- (New York Times)...Eric Schmitt
The Army plans to charge Lt. Col. Steven L. Jordan, the former head of the interrogation center at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, with dereliction of duty, lying to investigators and conduct unbecoming an officer, Army officials and a lawyer for the officer said on Tuesday.

AFGHANISTAN

Dasht-e-Margo -- [Michael Yon - journalist embed in Afghanistan]
“Desert of Death”
Lashkar Gah to Camp Bastion
As our bags were loaded into the Land Cruiser for the journey toward Dasht-e-Margo, the Desert of Death, a man wearing a bomb closes in. Before striking off, we again visit the PRT in Lashkar Gah, where Steve huddles with some Afghan employees. An entire British Army unit has defected, he said, with their weapons and equipment. The Afghans grow quiet, until Steve says, “And they joined the Taliban.”

U.S & Coalition forces weakness against Taliban -- [Afghan Lord - Afghani in Afghanistan]
Increasingly suicide bombing and attacks around the country especially in the southern against international and American forces made embarrassed those whom are involved in the game especially the U.S.A. This caused to an ill-considered action against rebels.
Military operations against Taliban and Alqaeda are nothing else but propaganda. What got the result of the latest operations and what were the previous operation results if did the operation?
Never heard the U.S military operation arrested the insurgents.

An Overview of Kabuli Housing Options -- [Notes from a Surreal Life - expat in afghanistan]
A while ago I decided to stop by Tarsian & Blinkley and buy some new clothes. Tarsian & Blinkley is a women’s clothing store run by a woman with a very good understanding of marketing. The clothes are in the Western style (Western-type designs, some with short hems and no sleeves http://www.tarsian.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=28), but with an Afghan influence, and are made by Afghan women. This allows them to market them overseas as fashion with a conscious and a bit of the exotic. In Kabul, there is no other store like it,

False alarm -- [Pyjama Samsara - Aussie in Afghanistan]
Email from the Afghanistan NGO Safety Office (ANSO) this arvo:
The Afghanistan Islamic Revolution Day will be celebrated in Kabul city on the 28 April. For that occasion, a military parade will be held on that day and preparations have been ongoing for the last days. Please expect traffic problems as some streets (Southern part of Kabul) are blocked off in the morning for the preparations. The celebration will also include a gun salute by artillery guns and the crews are practicing that as well. So please do not be alarmed if you hear artillery fire from today up until the 28 April.

MSM REPORTS ON AFGHANISTAN

Leaks of Military Files Resume -- (LA Times)
Despite security efforts, flash drives stolen from U.S. base in Afghanistan are still sold at bazaar.
BAGRAM, Afghanistan — Just days after U.S. troops were ordered to plug a security breach at their base here, the black market trade in computer memory drives containing military documents was thriving again Monday.

Afghans' Uneasy Peace With Democracy -- (Washington Post)
In Discord Over Convert's Trial, Muslims Say They Identify With Islamic Law First
KABUL, Afghanistan, April 21 -- The Herati Mosque stands in one of the Afghan capital's most modern neighborhoods. Its imam, Abdul Rauf, was one of the few local clerics to criticize the rigid Islamic views and harsh punishments of the Taliban movement when it ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.

Escalating Violence Kills 13 In Afghanistan -- (Washington Post- World in Brief)
An airstrike by U.S.-led forces in southern Afghanistan, a Taliban assault on a police station and a roadside bomb attack on a military convoy left 13 people dead in escalating violence, officials said on Tuesday.

OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

President Roh Has Declared War Against Japan -- [GI Korea - in S Korea]
Does this mean that I need to start stalking up on rations, water, and batteries again as I await the end of the world due to the Dokdo crisis?:

Iran to world: "Drop Dead" Part II -- [Peace like a River]
Iran's top nuclear negotiator Dr. Ali Ardeshir Larijani, said today that Iran would consider withdrawing from the IAEA if sanctions are imposed. Larijani also once again warned that Iran might use oil as a weapon if pushed too far.

Nepal Ablaze -- [Miserable Donuts]
...I have a close friend who lives in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. He's watched the protests from the rooftop of his home. What started as a general strike a few days ago is rapidly becoming a revolution. The government has enacted a 'shoot-on-sight' curfew.
I urged my friend to post his observations on this blog so the world could see what's happening in Nepal.

MSM REPORTS ON OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Senior Iran Cleric Tells Sudan That Nuclear Aid Is Available -- (New York Times)...Nazila Fathi
Iran's supreme leader said Tuesday at a meeting here with the Sudanese president that Iran was ready to share its nuclear technology with other countries.

Russia Helps Israel Keep An Eye On Iran -- (New York Times)...Associated Press
Russia launched a satellite for Israel on Tuesday that the Israelis say will be used to monitor Iran's nuclear activities.

WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

Osama bin Laden calls Baghdad the "Epicenter" of Jihad just as the Iraqi Political Stalemate is Resolved -- [Counterterrorism - Bill Roggio]
The threat of a full-scale civil war in Iraq has receded after the disparate political parties have come to agreement on the face of the new government. After months of deadlock over the Shiite United Iraqi Alliance's selection of Ibrahim Jaafari as Prime Minister, Jaafari reluctantly walked away from the nomination and the UIA selected Jawad al-Maliki. The Iraqi Parliament quickly convened on Saturday and nominated al-Maliki. Jalal Talabani (a Kurd) has been selected as President and Mahmoud al-Mashhadani as the Speaker of the Parliament.

The Military & Propaganda Messages in Zarqawi's Tape -- [Counterterrorism Blog - Bill Roggio]
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's 34 minute long video tape not only includes numerous political messages, as Dr. Walid Phares explains; but also contains information on al-Qaeda in Iraq's propaganda and military capabilities. Several of the military and propaganda aspects are covered below:

Defiant Zarqawi -- [4 Mile Creek - in Iraq]
Good ol' CNN. If Zarqawi can expect a soft landing anywhere, it's on CNN.
Like last month, when everyone else was reporting that there were major fights breaking out all over Iraq between Sunnis and Al Queda in Iraq, CNN was reporting that al Zarqawi was "gaining ground"! The first two sentences could have come straight out of the opening of a spy/war novel:

Torture Numbers Unclear -- [Stop the ACLU]
The Washington Times has an excellent piece in today’s issue (and posted online) concerning the fuzzy math used in figuring out how many actual torture cases actually are based in fact. We here at Stop The ACLU have been saying since this all blew up last year when groups like Human Rights Watch, the ACLU, and others, started crying that the Bush Administration was condoning the torture of detainees that these charges are completely baseless and are only an issue because these groups like to demonize the United States.

MSM REPORTS ON WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

IRAQ: ARAB PRESS DIVIDED OVER SPACE FOR NEW AL-ZARQAWI VIDEO -- (AKI)
Baghdad, 26 April (AKI) - Newspapers in the Middle East varied widely in their coverage on Wednesday of the rare video apparently featuring al-Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, posted to the Internet on Tuesday, in which he reaffirms allegiance to Osama bin Laden and warns his terror network has its sights set on Jerusalem. The only regional paper to lead with the story is the pan-Arab Al-Quds al-Arabi - always highly critical of the US administration's foreign policy. Its editor Abdel Bari Atwan, takes a similar line to that of al-Jazeera Arabic satellite TV network, which aired an interview with Atwan on the new video as the story broke on Tuesday

Va. Terror Case Sent Back To Lower Court -- (Washington Post)...Jerry Markon
The case of a prominent Muslim spiritual leader convicted on terrorism charges was returned to a federal judge in Alexandria yesterday after his attorneys told an appeals court that they believe the man was a target of President Bush's warrantless eavesdropping program.

Jury Convicts California Man Charged With Attending Al-Qaeda Camp -- (Washington Post)...Sonya Geis
A Pakistani American in Lodi, Calif., was found guilty Tuesday of attending an al-Qaeda training camp in Pakistan, hours after another jury deadlocked on charges that his father lied to the FBI to protect him.

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

First 'Official' Book Review -- [Soldiers' Angel - Holly Aho]
I received word of my first official book review of From Here To There over the weekend. The book review is up at Gloomwing, Review by Steven M. Ulmen. Here's the official review:

MILITARY

Some Things Just Aren't Right -- [Guidons, Guidons, Guidons]
There are some things that just shouldn't be done. This is one of them...aparantly West Point has something called the Cavalry Scout Club...as you can see by the picture above, I guess that entitles some of the members to dress up like real Cav Soldiers and wear a stetson. Are there no CAV Officers serving at West Point who can straighten these guys out?

MSM REPORTS ON MILITARY

Warriors Of The Future Will 'Taste' Battlefield -- (Local6.com)
PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Military researchers believe the tongue could be key in their quest to create the super warrior of the future.
In a quest to create the super warrior of the future, some military researchers aren't focusing on organs like muscles or hearts. They're looking at tongues. By routing signals from helmet-mounted cameras, sonar and other equipment through the tongue to the brain, they hope to give elite soldiers superhuman senses similar to owls, snakes and fish.

GI Bill Now Unfair For Reservists -- (Honolulu Advertiser)...Tom Philpott
Reserve and National Guard members mobilized for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are discovering an inequity in their GI Bill education benefits that needs to be fixed, says Rep. Vic Snyder of Arkansas, senior Democrat on the House Armed Services subcommittee on military personnel.

'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Suit Dismissed -- (Boston Globe)...Shelley Murphy
A federal judge in Boston dismissed a lawsuit challenging the military's 'don't ask, don't tell" policy, ruling that Congress has the authority to exclude gays from the armed services.

Military Plays Serious War Games -- (Newport News Daily Press)...Stephanie Heinatz
...Somehow, someone has used a ship to sneak a nuclear bomb dangerously close to the country. How will authorities respond? That's the question posed by Unified Quest 2006, an annual war game that kicked off this week and is co-hosted by the Army and the Hampton Roads-based U.S. Joint Forces Command.

POLITICS

Annnnnnd herrrrrrrrrresss TONY! -- [The Gun Toting Liberal]
Let me be one of the first to reach across the aisle to congratulate Mr. Snow on securing his new job as the “new face” of one of the most, if not THE most controversial Administrations in the history of the United States.
I have very high expectations of Mr. Snow. I expect him to uphold his journalistic standards to the upmost degree. I will lose all of the respect I hold for the man, which if you’ve followed the links I’ve provided, you’ll know are extremely high, if he tries to play “Scotty McClellan II” on us. I expect the man to answer the questions.

Steele Attacked By Democratic “Hate Politics” (VIDEO) -- [Expose the Left]
Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele appeared on FOX News’ Hannity & Colmes tonight to discuss the recent hate politics Democrats have deployed on his candidacy for the Senate. Steele, a black Republican, has received many attacks from the Democratic party, you know, the “tolerant” party.

MSM REPORTS ON POLITICS

Fox Host to Be Named White House Spokesman -- (AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Conservative pundit Tony Snow will be named White House press secretary, Republican officials said Tuesday night, in the latest move in President Bush's effort to remake his troubled White House....

'Giuliani Time' an Unflattering Film -- (AP)
NEW YORK (AP) -- With Rudy Giuliani considering a run for president in 2008, a documentary aimed at tearing down his Churchillian image since Sept. 11 is about to be released....

THE MEDIA

Fairy Tales at War -- [Strategy Page]
American journalists and politicians, who are hostile to American operations in Iraq, are pushing a story that the U.S. is planning to use nuclear weapons for an attack on Iranian nuclear weapons facilities. They offer no proof, and no explanation of how an American president would hope to survive the diplomatic fallout from using nuclear weapons for the first time since 1945.

Stories not carried by CNN -- [Those Wacky Iraqis - in Iraq]
While I was in Dubai the USS Ronald Reagan was in town. I went into a bar full of sailors and they saw the 1st CAV patch on my 3-Day bag. We got into discussions about the war and I was not surprised to hear from them that they only hear the worst of what happens here. Just like everyone at home, they don't read anymore, they just get all their news from electronic sources like CNN, and CBS, et al.
These MSM entities don't publish good news because "If it bleeds, it leads". Bad news is page one, good news is page three filler. As a result most people don't know about the good that has been done here or how the Army goes about it's day to day business.

Cheap-skate Media Stilts Iraq Coverage -- [Daily Dispatch]
Bruce Kesler, writing in Editor & Publisher asks, “Is the Media Covering Iraq On the Cheap?”
As one who has been an embedded reporter in Iraq, I would answer in the affirmative.
Kesler writes, “Ironically, the same media that criticizes the U.S. for sending too few troops to stabilize Iraq send too few reporters to cover much more than the dramatic bombings around Baghdad.”

Olbermann Attacks Bush Admin "McCarthyism" Against "Scapegoat" Mary McCarthy -- [NewsBusters]
On Monday's Countdown show, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann raised the term "new McCarthyism," as he accused the Bush administration of engaging in a "witch hunt" against leakers "it does not find politically expedient." Olbermann referred to the "Red Scare witch hunt of the 1950s" during which Senator Joseph McCarthy went after communist sympathizers, as the Countdown host formed a pun on the famous Senator's name and the name of recently fired CIA analyst Mary McCarthy, whom on Friday he had sympathetically referred to as a "whistleblower," on grounds she leaked classified information about secret prisons in Europe being used in the War on Terrorism.

MILBLOGGING / BLOGGING

Mil Blog weekend -- [Sandgram]
I traveled from Texas to DC this weekend for the first MilBloggers conference, and I must say that at first I didn’t know what to expect. “Capt. B” from “One Marines View” drove up from North Carolina and I figured that we would get together; tell war stories, drink some beer, smoke cigars, and rant and rave about our time in Iraq. It was all that and more! This was one of the most professional, well-orchestrated conferences I have ever attended. Andi, from “Andi’s World” must have slaved 24/7 to pull off such a flawless show.

If you' re a PAO you NEED to be in on these conversations -- [Nine to Five - Military PAO]
First, you may have missed the 2006 First Annual Mil Blog Conference. You can check out some of the AARs at Op-For, SGT Hook, and the main conference organizer, Andi, has a great roll up of all the AARs here. My recommendation: don't miss this next year. For your own professional development and for the betterment of our Army, even if you have to participate online as more than 800 others did this year. You can keep up with it at Andi's world.
The BBC also covered it here.

One of the most interesting things to come out of the conference, at least from a PAO standpoint, is this conversation, which you should be a part of.

Another version of a similar conversation appears over at John Donovan's blog. He's an awesome guy whom I had the pleasure of meeting. He and Beth are intimately involved in Project Valour IT, which provides voice activated laptops for our servicemembers too wounded to use computers normally.
The milblogging community is one that we should definitely be forging a relationship with.

Milblog Conference - Friday -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
The atmosphere was... incredible. There were diners doing the limbo under a crutch. I saw Paul Wolfowitz sitting at a table. A Marine at the bar desperately needed his missing right arm to complete the hand motions for a dance, and yelled "arm!" His wife (also a Marine) stood behind him and provided the arm, matching the movements of his left arm with her right. We were all hysterical, and Capt B said it was the most awesome thing he'd ever seen. Later, she 'lovingly' offered him a cigarette. Each time he opened his mouth for it, she quickly attempted to stick it up his nose.
In the Ladies' room, a young woman at the sinks holds her hand out to another. There's an engagement ring on her finger. "Oh, honey, I am so happy for you!", says the second woman. They embrace. "Of course", the first woman says, "we're going to be here a while longer. Jim needs to have another 4 inches removed from his stump. The femur has deteriorated." "Oh, I know how that is."
It's like a big family, where everyone can just be themselves.

CONGRATS

the goings on... -- [Gypsy Life - in Iraq]
...My 27th birthday is on the 26th of this month and I couldn't care less. I could truly stop the aging process now and be happy with it...but time marches on doesn't it.

IN MEMORY OF...

Rememberance -- [Fire and Ice]
...His father told me the story behind finding the drawing. His stepson Matt was up late unable to sleep thinking about his dead brother. So he did what many of us do during dark midnights of the soul, we google. Matt googled Nick's full name and up jumped a half dozen websites where the drawing is featured. A ray of light entered the dark night. I know this is not about me, but I must tell you again how profoundly moving it is for me to know that those closest to him find him alive in this drawing.

Yom HaShoah -- [Counter Column]
Today is Yom HaShoah ... Holocaust Remembrance Day.
...The woman, whose face is not visible, is everywoman. Her child everychild. I hope the child was too young to fully understand what was about to happen. Somehow I doubt it. But to the very end, this mother has her body between the rifles and her child.
So that's why I went to war willingly. To quote one of our founding fathers, I have sworn eternal enmity against every form of tyrrany over the mind of man.