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

Memorial Day -- [Shawn's (Highly) Motivated Life - in Iraq]
Memorial Day. I have an image in my head, one I actually got on camera. We kicked ass in Baghdad. It was early on. We took Richie to run a marathon for the Fourth of July. We rolled with six trucks, because we had so many passengers. Whole goddamn platoon was there, or at least the people that mattered. Strick was in the gun; just a ride to Victory. We all ate dinner at the big dining facility on Liberty.
Of course Strick is dead. And so is Saylor. And so is Dingler. The kid that ran a marathon has a two prong hook for an arm; he's 21. Alpha.
But there was a time, when we rode out and our boy ran a marathon and dove in Sadaam's lake when he finished, for the Independence Day. We were all together.

What Memorial Day means now... -- [Combat Medic In Iraq]
Hello again from Mosul. Today has been filled with many different emotions, anger, sadness, spite, discontent, malice...all that goes with sending an American soldier home after he falls in battle. This morning we put my friend Jeremy Loveless on an Army transport to be shipped home to his family. He was killed by enemy fire Memorial Day, while supporting his platoon as they hunted down a known insurgent. He went out doing what he loved, and told me he wanted to do that from the very start.

Memorial Day Thoughts and Reads -- [Those Wacky Iraqis - in Iraq]
Today is Memorial Day. It is just another holiday in the world but here it is something else. It is a time to remember those who don't get to go home. I knew some of them, I still remember them, I will never forget them.
...This year we went all out as usual for the troops with a whole pig roast and literally tons of meat being BBQ'd. I went early to the DFAC to get some pics of the preparation that is going on and I took hundreds but the photo I put in here says what this is all about.
The plate and bowl are turned upside down. The chair leans against the table. The place setting is undisturbed. It is a place for the soldiers who are not with us anymore to sit. It is a place to honor them and their memories. It was set up by another soldier, not a contractor, or a TCN worker. It was put there by an E-8. It is to remind us that Memorial Day is about more than BBQ and beer bashes.

SALUTE TO REMEMBER -- [2006 Tour of Duty - in Iraq]
This was taken at a memorial service for one of the soldiers who gave it all. He was suppose to be my replacement but he got killed from an IED attack. I salute all who died on the battlefield in the war against terrorists and those who died in prior wars in our nation's defense.

On This Memorial Day Weekend - [Grey Eagel - in Iraq]
These past 8 months, the visions of the wounded and of the dead, will forever change this holiday for me. In one particular moment, as I sought to prepare a soldier’s remains, I discovered a photo of his family within his helmet. On this weekend that moment burns in my memory and etches a meaning of this time deeply into my soul. I think that anyone who visits this website during this weekend should click on the Tributes, ...

Fighting with Honor -- [Wordsmith at War - in Iraq]
It seems to me, in this chaotic enterprise we call Operation Iraqi Freedom, that we’re providing a service to the entire planet. There’s a simple formula to prove this. The fewer terrorists there are planning and carrying out attacks on civilians — and for that matter, the fewer terrorists left alive — the better our world must exponentially become. By that barometer alone, we are doing a wonderful service to all those opposed to terrorism.

Trends You Don't Hear About -- [Strategy Page]
May 29, 2006: There are a number of trends in Iraq that you hear little, or nothing, about in the mass media. For example;
@ The economy. GDP doubled from 2003 to 2004, and was up double digits in 2005. Inflation and unemployment have both been falling steadily. Yes, the terrorists are still at it, but in the background you will notice all those people going to work, all the new cars and all the new construction.

“Iraq’s Most Wanted” -- [Daily Dispatch]
On May 17, acting from tips by Iraqi citizens, Coalition Forces raided a safe house in Ramadi. In the process, they destroyed a shop that was converting stolen cars into IEDs. Among the ordnance confiscated were machine guns, riles, artillery rounds, bomb making materials, rocket propelled grenades, and a suicide vest.
The troops took fire as they approached. They killed six terrorists in the ensuing battle, and detained three. They also found, and freed, a kidnapped 8-year-old child, who was being held as a menial by the group.

Iraq Report, 29 May/06 -- [Winds of Change]
At least 52 people are dead in renewed violence Khalis and Baghdad. An IED killed a U.S. soldier, two CBS news crewmen and an Iraqi in Baghdad Monday. Six soldiers and a CBS correspondent were wounded in the blast as well.

We ARE Winning -- [Bandit.three.six - in Iraq]
I was watching the news a couple days ago and saw a lady, I can't remember her qualifications, look into the camera and say, "The American public is unhappy with the war because we're losing." My first reaction was to put my fist through the screen and it took me a bit to calm down, but once I did I realized how foolish it was of me to let myself get so angry since what she was saying was so rediculous. I really hope people don't believe her.

Wild Bill, part one -- [Fun With Hand Grenades - in Iraq]
Normally we gunners remain seated in the swing seat, everything from the neck down shielded by the armor of the truck. Standing outside the Humvee you can see only our heads. The only time we stand up is when we’re stopped or immediately after taking contact so as to return fire. However, after having kids sneak up on trucks and throw hand grenades at other units, we’ve taken to standing up in the turret when we roll through the city. I can only take a few minutes of that, knowing that any second I could get shot in the face, take shrapnel from an RPG or a grenade, or simply explode in a red mist if an IED explodes next to my truck.
...Another quote that constantly replays in my mind is what my old squad leader told me: “You have to become someone you don’t want to in order to survive over there.” I now know how right he was.

Of Marines and Congress"men" -- [T.F. Boggs - in Iraq]
...The thing to understand about combat veterans is that they can grow tiresome of the day-to-day bullcrap that they have to put up with i.e. ever changing Rules of Engagement, an unidentified enemy, and the restraints placed upon them in the name of “winning hearts and minds.” Oftentimes it can become too much to continually watch your buddies die or get hurt when there is nothing you can do in their defense. Such is the nature of IED’s. When convoys are hit with roadside bombs there is oftentimes nothing that can be done at the moment. Terrorists or criminals, however you want to look at them, hide some distance away out of sight and detonate IED’s or even place the IED’s in such a manner that they are victim detonated i.e. land mines, trip wires, and laser beams. It is a frustrating situation when someone you know gets hurt and there is nothing you can do about it.

Aborted Mission -- [Just Another Thunderhorse Roughneck! - in Iraq]
We had some terps ride along with us today, a male and a female. I’m not sure where they’re from. They’re probably of Middle Eastern decent judging from looking at them. They were new so we really didn’t know them. Anyway, we were getting ready to roll outside the wire this morning when the female jumps out of the vehicle. She starts going hysterical. We were clueless as to why. She just started getting all of her belongings and getting out.
After we calmed her down we came to find out that the other terp had called someone right before we left. He was speaking to someone in Arabic on his mobile phone. He gave away all types of sensitive information like the time and place we were leaving, the number of vehicles we had, and our destination. She was in the same vehicle at the time and overheard him give this info away.
She immediately got upset and jumped out. ...

The Best and Worst Signs I’ve Seen in Iraq -- [Midnight in Iraq - in Iraq]
The twelve best and worst signs I’ve seen on bases in Iraq. All misspellings and grammar errors are reproduced exactly as seen.

Iraq Pictures - 27 May 2006 - [Iraq Pictures - In Iraq]
Iraqi Army Soldiers form 2nd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Iraqi Army Division are on the move during the second phase of operation Lion in Quayarrah.
...Staff Sgt. Catherine Frazier, 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, guides Military Working Dog Rico around a vehicle during random security measures.

Go to War. Do Art. -- [Fire and Ice]
This article appeared in The New York Times on March 8, 2006 and is copyrighted by Michael Fay and The New York Times.
I’m a warrant officer-1 in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Warrant officers are hybrids, not fully commissioned officers, and although drawn exclusively from the non-commissioned officer ranks, no longer enlisted Marines. We are by and large the duty experts in a particular field; think of us as consultants. I am a combat artist for the Marines; a Winslow Homer in camouflage. I work directly for the Historical Division of the Marine Corps University and my orders from them are simple. Go to war. Do art. My output goes into The Marine Corps Combat Art Collection, which houses over 8,000 works of art. I think I’ve got the best job in the military.

Juxtaposition -- [A mobilized year - in Iraq]
One of the things that I did not expect when I was home was that I had a strong feeling that the area was really insulated, and in some regards insular as well. The events of September 11 took away much of the “insulation” that people felt that we had prior; that is, that the World’s significant problems happened “elsewhere” and our ocean borders insulated us from much of the World’s extremism. We were insular in the sense that while we cared about many of the World problems, we only infrequently intervened or intervened only in a way that did not impact the day-to-day lives of American people.
...Well, I think for many people, things have in large part now changed back to the pre-September 11 time. People are focused on ...

Rest and Relaxation -- [Pass the Brass - home on leave from Iraq]
Apparently R&R is a very sensitive time for most troops.
Being away from “the norm” for so long we pick up habits that may end up causing some form of conflict with either family, friends…or just society in general. I myself heard all the stories and kept telling myself, “I don’t see what the big deal is. It’s just like any other vacation.” But I have caught myself choking on my own words.
There are so many things that soldiers will feel upon returning to the states. I’m not going to go into all of them right now. That would be a little more complicated than my current “One Year of Public High School Psychology” degree would cover. So I’ll just give you my perspective.

MSM REPORTS ON IRAQ

Let Your Enemies Crumble -- (Time)...Peter Beinart
The U.S. forgot the lessons of the cold war when it came to Iraq
For those of us who mistakely supported the war in Iraq, it is tempting to say we were betrayed by the facts. After all, we backed a war to rid Saddam Hussein of weapons he didn't have.
But, in truth, it was not merely our information that proved faulty; it was also our state of mind. In the run-up to war, the Bush Administration repeated one message again and again:

Losing the Long War -- (Middle East Online)
In Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, Egypt, Somali and elsewhere, the Bush administration's policies in pursuing its "Long War" on terrorism have proven catastrophic. Tom Porteous argues that this war will not be won militarily but through genuine political accommodation and compromise based on a modicum of justice and fairness.

Ambush Kills Sunni Chief Who Allied With U.S. To Fight Al Qaeda -- (Chicago Tribune)...Kim Gamel, Associated Press
A tribal chief who challenged Iraq's most feared terrorist and sent fighters to help U.S. troops battle Al Qaeda in western Iraq died in a hail of bullets Sunday, the latest victim of an apparent insurgent campaign against Sunni Arabs who work with Americans.

AP Blog: End of Deaths Uncertain in Iraq -- (Star Tribune -Robert H. Reid)
AP Correspondent Robert H. Reid is based in Baghdad and writes about events in Iraq.
Allegations that American Marines massacred two dozen civilians last November in the city of Haditha are making big news in the United States but causing hardly a ripple in Iraq.
That may seem unusual, considering the firestorm that was unleashed two years ago when pictures surfaced of abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison. And the Haditha allegations may yet hit Iraq's front pages after Navy investigators announce their findings sometime next month.

Sources: Lawmakers told to brace for Haditha fallout -- (CNN)
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Some members of Congress have been told to brace for the fallout from potential charges of murder and cover-up stemming from an inquiry into an alleged massacre of Iraqi civilians by U.S. Marines, sources say.

Parents: Marine sons told to take Haditha photos -- (CNN)
HANFORD, California (AP) -- Two Marines were severely traumatized after following orders to photograph corpses of unarmed Iraqi civilians that members of their unit are suspected of killing, their families said Monday.

Drone's Video May Aid Marine Inquiry -- (Washington Post)...Thomas E. Ricks
Military investigators piecing together what happened in the Iraqi town of Haditha on Nov. 19 -- when Marines allegedly killed two dozen civilians -- have access to video shot by an unmanned drone aircraft that was circling overhead for at least part of that day, military defense lawyers familiar with the case said in interviews.

General Pledges 'Appropriate Action' In Probe Of Iraqi Deaths -- (USA Today / AP)
The chairman of the military's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday that “it would be premature for me to judge” the outcome of a Pentagon investigation into the killing of as many as a dozen Iraqi civilians by Marines. However, Marine Gen. Peter Pace said he believes it's critically important to make the point that if certain servicemembers are responsible for an atrocity there, they “have not performed their duty the way that 99.9% of their fellow Marines have.”

On A Marine Base, Disbelief Over Charges -- (New York Times)...Carolyn Marshall
In this "company town" where everything and everyone caters to the well-being of the Marine Corps, there is no shortage of people, both military and civilian, who are willing to give the benefit of the doubt to the troops accused of unjustified killings last November in Haditha, Iraq.

Bush Gets More Bad News From Iraq -- (AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Just when President Bush was trying to accentuate the positive in Iraq and declare a new beginning in the war on terror, a rash of bad news comes from multiple fronts in the global struggle....

U.S. Will Reinforce Troops In West Iraq -- (Washington Post)...Ellen Knickmeyer
The U.S. military said Monday it was deploying the main reserve fighting force for Iraq, a full 3,500-member armored brigade, as emergency reinforcements for the embattled western province of Anbar, where a surge of violence linked to the insurgent group al-Qaeda in Iraq has severely damaged efforts to turn Sunni Arab tribal leaders against the insurgency.

U.S. Is Sending Reserve Troops To Iraq's West -- (New York Times)...David S. Cloud
...Although some soldiers from the 3,500-member brigade in Kuwait have moved into Iraq in recent months, Gen. George W. Casey Jr. has decided to send in the remainder of the unit after consultations with Iraqi officials in recent days, the officials said. The confirmation that the number of American forces in Iraq would grow came on a day of soaring violence in Baghdad.

Number Of Brigades May Fall, But Troops To Stay At 133,000 -- (Washington Times)...Rowan Scarborough
U.S. troop levels in Iraq will likely stay around the 133,000 mark in the coming months even if an Army brigade or two is cut from the current number of 15 total combat brigades, defense officials say.

Ex-POW Hears From His Iraqi Questioner -- (Washington Times/ AP)
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) -- A retired Air Force officer held as a prisoner of war by Iraqi forces 15 years ago has received an unusual reminder of his days in captivity: A letter from his Iraqi interrogator.
Jeff Fox, a retired lieutenant colonel, said he was surprised when a single-page, handwritten note arrived this month from Ibrahim Abd Al-tialb. In the letter, the former Iraqi army colonel recalled the day the men crossed paths at a prison near Baghdad and said he still has a few items that Col. Fox gave him, including his watch.

What We Need To Get Right -- (Newsweek)...Fareed Zakaria
If the new prime minister fails, Moqtada al-Sadr will become the most powerful man in Iraq.

Inside Iraq's hidden war -- (The Guardian)
As a new 'national unity' government prepares to take power in Baghdad, Ghaith Abdul-Ahad reports from behind the lines of a vicious sectarian conflict rapidly spiralling towards civil war

Iraq Is A Deadly Assignment For Journalists -- (New York Times)...Marc Santora and Bill Carter
By some reckonings, the death of two journalists working for CBS News on Monday firmly secured the Iraq war as the deadliest conflict for reporters in modern times.

Killing Blair over war justifiable: Galloway -- (Australian Broadcasting Corp)
British politician and Iraq war opponent George Galloway has triggered a storm of protest by saying it would be morally justified for a suicide bomber to kill Prime Minister Tony Blair in revenge for the war.

AFGHANISTAN

Security in Afghanistan -- [Rahilla Live From a Free Kabul - Afghani in Afghanistan]]
This morning, Bilal Q and I were talking about the security situation in Afghanistan and just generally, living overseas in a post-conflict or developing country with not a lot of freedom of movement. I was explaining to him that the upsurge of violence in Afghanistan had to do with resistance to the wide spread poppy eradication (State Dept employee killed in Herat was working in anti-narcotics, the DIAG program asking militant groups to hand over their heavily explosive weapons, and Taliban members entering southern Afghanistan through Pakistan's border.

Combat in Southeastern Afghanistan; Mullah Dadullah not captured -- [Counterterrorism Blog - Bill Roggio]
The fighting in southeastern Afghanistan continues as Coalition and Afghan forces press into previously unpatroled Taliban strongholds. Over the weekend clashes occurred in Kandahar, Helmand and Ghazni provinces. These provinces have been the scene of the majority of the fighting over the past few months.

Week #21 (21-27 May 2006) -- [Bruces Deployment]
Our training program with the Khost Provincial Hospital continues to flourish. Our operating rooms have been full all week as we continue to teach surgical and anesthetic procedures to their staff. They are so grateful for the opportunity and experience. They even got to watch us in action as we provided trauma care to some afghan local civilians.

Xenophobia Rules -- [Strategy Page]
May 30, 2006: Although their spring offensive has not been particularly successful, the Taliban continue to press it with some vigor. The Taliban has come closest to making a serious impact in Helmand Province. This seems to be the result of a combination of some excellent leadership which has used close ties to clan and tribal groups in the province, who provide considerable support and assistance.

Afghanistan: The Long View -- [Celestial Junk Blog - Canadian Troop]
If Canadians rely on the MSM to assist them in forming educated opinions on Afghanistan, they’ll be waiting a long time. As usual, the liberal dominated media is focused on issues that in the long run mean little. Journalists, in typical self-absorbed fashion are all a tizzy over whether or not they’ll be allowed on Canadian bases to film the memorial ceremonies for fallen soldiers. Yet, they seldom give more complex issues a thought. Local petty politics drives the MSM, not the greater geo-political issues of the day.

News of Afghanistan VIII -- [Miserable Donuts]
...DOZENS MORE INSURGENTS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN
Continuing days of violence, some 60 suspected neo-Taliban insurgents died along with five men from Afghanistan's security forces in fighting in southern Afghanistan on May 24, AFP reported. The latest clash began on May 23, when insurgents attacked an Afghan army convoy on patrol in Oruzgan Province.

Storm and Stone -- [Fire and Ice]
In the early part of May of 2005 I went out on a "presence patrol" with the re-inforced 3rd Platoon of Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. This jaunt, commanded by 2nd Lt. Weiss, was destined for the foothills of the Tora Bora Mountains. We left Jalalabad, Afghanistan under a broad expanse of perfect blue on May 6th and headed towards a particularly spectacular place on the border with Pakistan called Wazir Pass. Our primary mission was to scout alternative pathways into and around this rugged tribal region for an upcoming operation.

MSM REPORTS ON AFGHANISTAN

Brake Failure on U.S. Truck Caused Crash -- (AP)
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The U.S. military said Tuesday that the brakes on an American truck caused the deadly traffic accident that sparked the worst violence in the Afghan capital since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. Hundreds of Afghan and coalition troops took up positions around Kabul on Tuesday to prevent further rioting. The city of 4 million was calm as stores reopened and residents commuted to work.

U.S. Traffic Accident Sparks Afghan Riot -- (NY Times)
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Violent anti-foreigner protests raged across the capital Monday after a U.S. military truck crashed into traffic, touching off the worst rioting since the Taliban's ouster. At least eight people died and 107 were injured before Kabul's streets calmed.

Afghan army patrols Kabul after anti-US riots -- (Reuters)
KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan troops patrolled the streets of the capital of Kabul on Tuesday after the worst anti-U.S. riots since the fall of the Taliban in 2001 killed at least eight people.

The Death of Innocents -- (Yahoo News - Kevin Sites)
The conflict in Kashmir has cost the lives of thousands. Some of the latest: four children and teenagers on holiday with their parents.

World economies -- (Dawn)
ACCORDING to western economists, Afghanistan’s economic outlook has improved significantly since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 because of the...

AFGHANISTAN: AT LEAST 50 TALIBAN KILLED IN U.S.-LED AIR STRIKE -- (AKI)
Kabul, 29 May (AKI) - At least 50 Taliban fighters have been killed in a US-led airstrike in the southern Afghan province of Helmand on Monday, regions news reports say. "The Taliban were meeting when the bombardment took place," according to Amir Mohammad Akhundzada, deputy provincial governor who was quoted in a report on the Pakistani television channel GEO TV. "More than 50 of them have been killed," he said.

Iran, Afghanistan Pledge Drug Crackdown -- (Washington Post)
TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran and Afghanistan pledged to crack down on drugs passing over their shared border as Afghan President Hamid Karzai visited Tehran, Iranian ...

U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Dear Family Members of 4 th PSC -- [4th Provisional Security Company - in Djibouti, Africa]
Things in Djibouti are continuing to go well as we hit the two-month mark. We have all settled in and begun to focus on the real job of being here. We have our new website running and you can find it at www.4thpsc.com We are updating the site and posting new pictures as we get them organized, please be patient we will try to add a few every week, it's a work in constant progress!

Four are dead from weekend protest violence in northwest Iran -- [Gateway Pundit]
SHAME ON THE WESTERN MEDIA! When 200 Islamist thugs are bused in from across the country by the Islamic Republic to hold a rally outside the Danish Embassy the western news medias (BBC, CNN, AFP, Reuters...) are quick to cover the story live on TV making it seem like Iranians are crazy fanatics!
When tens of thousands of Iranians come out denouncing that very same regime that is doing these kind of acts, condemning them for the oppressive rule!!! EVERYTHING GOES SILENT!
...Reports from Iran claim that thousands of Azeris are leaving the northwest for the capital to protest against the regime: ...

United States Marine Takes Knife to Gun Fight....Wins -- [Banter in Atlanter]
A group of thugs picked the wrong person to mess with this Memorial Day evening, and one of those idiots is currently sleeping with the fishes.
NOTE TO THUGS - when you choosing your victims, it is generally considered to be a life threatening mistake to pick someone who carries a knife - ESPECIALLY if that individual happens to wear a Eagle, Globe and Anchor!!!
One more tip, if you pull your shotgun on a Marine and he shows you his war face you should probably pack it up and call it night.

MSM REPORTS ON U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

US sends $2.5 mln aid for Indonesian quake victims -- (Reuters)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration said on Saturday the United States had sent $2.5 million in aid to Indonesia after a powerful earthquake struck the main island of Java earlier in the day, killing several thousand people.

Noam Chomsky: Why it's over for America -- (The Independent)
An inability to protect its citizens. The belief that it is above the law. A lack of democracy. Three defining characteristics of the 'failed state'. And that, says Noam Chomsky, is exactly what the US is becoming. In an exclusive extract from his devastating new book, America's leading thinker explains how his country lost its way

WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

New Terror Group Busted -- [Interested-Participant]
(Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia) The Darul Islam is being characterized as a new terrorist organization when, in reality, the group was suppressed for decades and just recently became re-energized.

Fighting in Uruzgan; Osama bin Laden sighting in Pakistan -- [Counterterrorism Blog - Bill Roggio]
...ABC News' Alexis Debat reports Osama bin Laden has been sighted in Pakistan's Kumrat Valley. While ABC News reports Kumrat Valley is in the Kohistan district, The Pakistan Guide from Satellite and the NWFP website indicate Kumrat Valley is in the Dir District, which resides on the Afghan border. The Afghan provinces of Kunar and Nurestan, and the Pakistani district of Bajaur border with Dir.

MSM REPORTS ON WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

MALAYSIA: NEW TERRORIST GROUP UNCOVERED -- (AKI)
Kuala Lumpur, 30 May (AKI) - Malaysian police have uncovered a new terrorist group which was planning to carry out attacks on neighbouring countries, local daily The Star reported on Tuesday. The terrorists were based on the Malaysian part of Borneo island, which is politically divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. The ten Indonesian and two Malaysian nationals were nabbed off Borneo's coast, while on their way to neighbouring countries. "The Malaysian police had been tracking their movements over the last six months, then they moved in to smash the militant group before it could carry out its plans," The Star reported.

Does Islamic Law Need Modification? -- (Arab News)
Adil Salahi, Arab News Q. I would like to raise the question of compensation in the case of accidental killing. I want to know why Islamic law seems to discriminate between Muslims and

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

NFL players, commissioner salute injured troops at Landstuhl -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Here read the story and look the pictures!
Tagliabue, Strahan, others sign autographs during visit

PGR Trip Report -- [Soldier's Angel New York]
I met up with some other folks at Exit 45 for the 200 mile trip to O-burg. We were blessed with great weather. Diane, Bill, Andy and I arrived at VFW Post 2936 about 7:30 p.m. The VFW graciously opened their doors to us, offering food and accomodations.

OPERATION: THANKS FOR FREEDOM!! -- [Devil Dog Marines]
Let's show our troops we love and support them!!!! Let's celebrate freedom and those who protect that freedom for us! For the next several weeks, I will be collecting cards to send to troops stationed in high-combat areas in Iraq. Mail from home helps to keep our troops' morale strong, making a very real difference in their lives! If you wish to participate in the Operation: Thanks for Freedom! Fourth of July card drive, please send cards to the address below:
Mrs. Kat Orr Thanks For Freedom! Campaign 740 Thompson Lane Loganville, GA 30052

MILITARY

RANGER SCHOOL -- [What's Happening]
I made it. We're done. Finito. Finished. Over and out.
Here's the story of the whole thing, minus the "lost entries" that I'm still working to get back from Florida, and I want you all to know I lost a TON of sleep writing this so you damn well better enjoy it.
I give to you...

Celebrating over 50 years in Ramstein -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
See the video!
For more than 50 years Germans and Americans have lived together around Ramstein Air Base. A1C Peter Mellon shows us a special exhibition of the area’s history and culture.
RANGER SCHOOL

MSM REPORTS ON MILITARY

Letter On Korean War Massacre Reveals Plan To Shoot Refugees -- (Washington Post)...Charles J. Hanley and Martha Mendoza, Associated Press
More than a half-century after hostilities ended in Korea, a document from the war's chaotic early days has come to light -- a letter from the U.S. ambassador to Seoul, informing the State Department that U.S. soldiers would shoot refugees approaching their lines. The letter -- dated the day of the Army's mass killing of South Korean refugees at No Gun Ri in 1950 -- is the strongest indication yet that such a policy existed for all U.S. forces in Korea, and the first evidence that that policy was known to upper ranks of the U.S. government.

Bush Signs Measure To Prevent Protests At Military Funerals -- (Boston Globe)...Nedra Pickler, Associated Press
President Bush passed a startling sign on his Memorial Day drive into the burial grounds for thousands of military dead -- ``Thank God for dead soldiers," it read. Bush took action yesterday in hopes that no more families see similar sentiments when they bury loved ones who died in the war.

Beyond Bars And Strip Clubs, City Beckons Sailors On Shore Leave -- (New York Times)...Anthony Ramirez and Kate Hammer
After being cooped up for months in giant rolling tin cans in the Persian Gulf, the sailors dock on the West Side piers of Manhattan and stay for a few days. New Yorkers see them move about in groups or in pairs, their crisp summer whites against the gray of the asphalt.

POLITICS

Geez, Who's Advising This Guy? Kos? -- [4 Mile Creek - in Iraq]
It was never about the charges made by the Swift Boat Veterans, or whether he saved a drowning SF soldier, or whether he inflated his own actions during war to get a medal or two. It was always about his Ghengis Khan speech in the Senate, his claim of widespread war crimes among his fellow vets, and his actions as a leader in Vietnam Veterans Against the War and the Winter Soldier Hoax, and what he did with those medals later on.

Government attempts to take care of it’s own, screw private sector “wage slaves” again - minimum wage increase and “Fair Tax” proposal (TRUE “Fair Tax) time folks… -- [The Gun Toting Liberal]
...Here is yet another policy where the “conservatives” prove themselves to be at LEAST as much in favor of high taxation and social welfare as the “liberals” are. Look at it this way - by keeping the Federal minimum wage down to $5.15 per hour, the net result is a burden upon the taxpayers, and we all know who they are - those of us who pay 25%-35% of our paychecks to pay for the poor in our country, and folks - that ain’t the wealthy folks doing it, it’s poor, and the so-called “middle class” themselves footing the bill.

MSM REPORTS ON POLITICS

Source: Treasury Secretary Snow Resigns -- (AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Treasury Secretary John Snow has resigned and will be replaced by Goldman Sachs Chairman Henry M. Paulson Jr., a senior administration official said Tuesday. It is the latest chapter of a White House shake-up aimed at reviving President Bush's presidency. Bush was to announce the changes in a White House ceremony later Tuesday

Analysis: Democrats Wary of November Vote -- (AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republicans are three steps from a November shellacking - each a grim possibility if habitually divided Democrats get their acts together....

THE MEDIA

Lost in translation? -- [Iraq the Model - Iraqis in Iraq]
Does the CNN have problems with translation from Arabic to English or is it a case of deliberate twisting of facts?
Yesterday Iraq's and Iran's foreign ministers had a joint press conference in Baghdad after which the CNN ran a headline that reads "Iraqi minister defends Iranian nuclear program" and wrote:

Three stories from today's Business section in the New York Times: -- [Hugh Hewitt]
...Three stories from today's Business section in the New York Times:

HUMOR /SATIRE

I'm part of an elite squad, sir. That's a special issue patrol vehicle. -- [WuzzaDem]
...I'm part of an elite squad, sir. That's a special issue patrol vehicle.

MILBLOGGING/BLOGGING

Press Briefing for Bloggers? -- [Newsbusters]
New York University journalism professor Jay Rosen writes about what he thinks the Bush administration should do to improve the flow of information to the public. One of the items he proposes is a "Bloggers Briefing" for "stand-alone" and citizen journalists.

CONGRATS

Whoa Nelly!!!! -- [Chris's Blog - in Afghanistan]
...Yeah, that's right, Mary is pregnant, if you are a newcomer to the show, and she's due to have a csection on June 1st. Why a Csection, you ask? She had one with our first, Anna, AFTER she was in labor for 30 hours. So, to "cut" out the 30 hour part, she elected to do the second one sans the struggle. So, to make it there on time, I'm "planning" on being home on the 30th. Why quotes around planning? Because, as any Soldier knows, a plan never survives two things: 1. Enemy contact, and 2. The Army Transportation System. So, I gave myself a day to spare, which should be good, and then it'll be baby time!

IN MEMORY OF.../ MEMORIAL DAY

Sixty-Two Years and Two Hard Words - THIS IS NOT SATIRE -- [ScrappleFace]
She places the stems in the green plastic vase, and lightly pushes the blooms around until six colors work together. She approaches the stone, careful to avoid treading on the area directly before it. She pushes the spiked end of the vase into the rain-softened soil next to the stone. Her fingers flit across the petals, making slight adjustments, until she brings unity from diversity again. It pleases her to do so.
...Around her, perfect rows of identical stones radiate out, so it seems, from this one. As if they all come together at this point.
“It’s a shame the children can’t be here. Busy lives.
... “It’s a national holiday, you know. We’re remembering the sacrifice of all of them.” “But I didn’t know the others. I knew you.” “And I can’t remember the sacrifice. It’s not in the past yet. Because you’re gone, the sacrifice lives on. For me, it’s not a national holiday. It’s your day. It’s my day.”
“Sixty two years I’ve come on this day to say these hard words. It takes me all year to recover the strength to say them again.”
“Thank you.”
“And just in case I don’t make it back next year…”
“Thank you.”

AMERICA DOESNT FORGET! -- [One Marines View]
This Memorial Day is the first one I have been home at since I deployed to Afghanistan for 8 mos, then Iraq for a year. A lot has happened in that time, to me, my family and my fellow Marines but I haven’t forgotten.

Those Magnificent Men and their flying Machines -- [SandGram]
...This is what I will do on Monday, flying my 1929 Fleet biplane and saluting all the veterans below who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. I urge all American to reflect on what our military has done for this OUTSTANDING country; for without their sacrifices, we might be speaking German or Russian as a national language, or in this day and age, our enemy would like us to be Muslim or dead.

Two American Heroes -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany - MaryAnn]
This is a Memorial Day tribute for two members of the Soldiers' Angels extended family. As part of the Soldiers' Angels deployed soldier support program, these two young troops were "adopted" by Angels who sent them letters and packages.

A Memorial Day Thank You -- [Yikes]
Yesterday, I went by the cemetary where Mike is buried. I left a batch of red, white & blue silk flowers on his grave - I was happy to see there were many, many other flowers there as well. I had bought 8 bunches of those flowers, so after I gave Mike his, I wandered around the cemetary and left the remaining bunches on graves of other veterans, mostly World War 2 veterans. There were more veterans than I had flowers, unfortunately - I didn't realize there were so many!!! Note to self: Bring about 20-30 bunches of flowers next year!!!!!! There were even several graves from the Civil War, as well, which I had not noticed until yesterday, when I went wandering through the cemetary for the first time. Heretofore, I'd never gone any farther than Mike's grave. But I noticed several Confederate Flags on several old, old graves, and went to investigate.

Tre -- [Sgt Hook]
...Tre could always be counted on, with his easy going, dedicated attitude you never doubted that he’d come through. He always did, and usually with a “shit eating” grin on his face.
Some of the fondest memories from my days as a crewdog involve Tre Ponder.
In Afghanistan, Tre hung up the phone with his family, showered and went to bed. Later, he was awoken with an urgent message. There were four Navy Seals trapped on a mountaintop, surrounded by enemy fighters. The Seals had called for support, knowing they were outnumbered. Even though it was the middle of the day, an unusual occasion for Night Stalkers, they took a chance so that these soldiers could be rescued.
Tre was in Afghanistan only to train and had no obligation to go on the flight, but he signed up as a crew member because they were shorthanded.

They Did God's Work -- [The American Spectator - Ben Stein ]
Remarks delivered on Saturday evening in Arlington, Virginia, at the Memorial Day weekend seminar and grief camp of TAPS -- the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME be a part of your family. This is the most important family on the planet right now. There is a First Family on Pennsylvania Avenue, but this is the real first family. The family of those who have paid the ultimate price to keep us free and dignified and alive.

Google Ignores Memorial Day -- [NewsBusters]
...if you go back through the Google archives, you'll find that, although it has over the years commemorated Shichi-go-san being celebrated in Japan, Bastille Day in France, and Korean Liberation Day, it appears that Google has never dressed up its logo for Memorial Day.

MSM REPORTS ON MEMORIAL DAY

Bush Invokes The Fallen, Past And Present -- (New York Times)...Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Michael R. Gordon
...Though polls suggest the public is uneasy about the war in Iraq, none of that unease was evident in Arlington on Monday. More than 4,500 people gathered in sweltering sun to catch a glimpse of the president, who was introduced by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld as "an historic leader, a selfless leader."

Despite initiative, national moment of remembrance hasn't caught on -- (USA Today)
A tiny White House commission has spent the past five years and $1.5 million trying to bring a new American tradition to Memorial Day's barbecues, parades and sales: A moment of remembrance, a sigh, perhaps a prayer. Just a 30-second pause.

Toll Of War Heaviest Here -- (Colorado Springs Gazette)...Tom Roeder and Annie Mullin
Fort Carson soldiers, including 50 killed since last Memorial Day, have died in Iraq at a rate nearly double that of other Army posts around the country.

Choose Your Battle -- (Washington Post)
She's a Pacifist. He's A Warrior. But Even In the Shadow of Iraq, Their Love Soldiers On
One minute Stacy Bannerman is stuffing envelopes to promote an upcoming peace workshop. The next her husband, Lorin, unexpectedly appears in her office.
"I got the call," he says.
"What call?" she replies.
Does she have to ask? Don't they both know their life is poised to turn completely strange at any moment? Possibly even tragic?
"I'm going to Iraq."