Dawn Patrol

Welcome to the Dawn Patrol, our daily roundup of information on the War on Terror and other topics - from the MilBlogs and other sources around the world. 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.

IRAQ

Some US Diplomats & Politicians Think MB = “Moderate” Brotherhood - They Should Think Twice -- [Counter terrorism Blog - Bill West]
...Today, a report surfaced in Adnkronos International (AKI) concerning a new terrorist group in Iraq calling itself “Iraqi Hamas.” Iraqi Hamas has apparently claimed responsibility for attacking and bringing down a US helicopter in Baghdad on Tuesday. The AKI report goes on to state that Iraqi Hamas is believed to be linked to the Islamist party in the Iraqi parliament (serious in its own right) and to the local branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.

IRAQ: 'WOMAN SUICIDE BOMBER' STRIKES -- (AKI)
Baghdad, 10 April - A suspected woman suicide bomber has blown herself up outside a police recruitment centre in Diyala province and local reports indicate at least 17 people were killed. The bomber targeted a police station in the mainly Sunni town of Muqdadiyah, 100 kilometres northeast of Baghdad, Iraqi state television said. Scores of others were reported injured. Women have undertaken suicide bombings in Iraq before. A major attack in February at a university in Baghdad was carried out by a female bomber.

Easter Eggs -- [Acute Politics - in Iraq]
Last Sunday was Easter, and so we went on an easter egg hunt. Eggs come in many shapes and sizes here, and almost all of them are deadly. We find them, sometimes we paint them, and rarely- we collect them.

Fierce fighting in central Baghdad. -- [Iraq the Model - Iraqis in Iraq]
Ok, let's go over what happened yesterday and today; last thing first. And please forgive me for the lack of chronological order, some information were received or corrected during the preparation of the post.

Iraq in the Balance -- [Opinion Journal - FOUAD AJAMI]
BAGHDAD--For 35 years the sun did not shine here," said a man on the grounds of the great Shia shrine of al-Kadhimiyyah, on the outskirts of Baghdad. I had come to the shrine at night, in the company of the Shia politician Ahmed Chalabi.
We had driven in an armed convoy, and our presence had drawn a crowd. The place was bathed with light, framed by multiple minarets--a huge rectangular structure, its beauty and dereliction side by side. The tile work was exquisite, there were deep Persian carpets everywhere, the gifts of benefactors, rulers and merchants, drawn from the world of Shi'ism.

Chlorine VBIED attack in Ramadi -- [Desert Flier - in Iraq]
Spent the past few days travelling in-theatre. As we shut down the Navy shock/trauma in Al Asad to make way for the Army's Level III hospital, the ortho/trauma team put together some critical supplies in Al Asad for the Ramadi mission. The supplies were supposed to convoy to Ramadi, but a logistical SNAFU kept them in Al Asad. So I flew up to hand carry our gear back to Ramadi.
Trying to get around in-theatre is an inconsistent process. All part of the adventure. I have to send an assault support request (ASR) through Marine Corps. aviation and wait for the request to run up and back down the chain of command.

IRAQ: TOUGHER CHLORINE MONITORING IN PLACE -- (AKI)
Baghdad, 10 April - After the use of chlorine gas for attacks by insurgents in Iraq, the authorities there are stepping up efforts to monitor chlorine supplies held by both private and public institutions in Iraq. According to regional daily Gulf News checks have been intensified because of fears of further chemical attacks. The Iraqi government has also ordered the health and industry ministries to take all neccessary steps to control storehouses after rumours that insurgents were seizing chlorine from state institutions.

COALITION FORCES CAPTURE AL QAEDA IN IRAQ SECURITY EMIR OF ARAB JABOUR -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces captured five suspected terrorists including the suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq security emir of Arab Jabour during an operation Wednesday morning.
Intelligence reports indicate that the security emir is suspected of involvement in planning attacks against Iraqi and Coalition Forces in the Arab Jabour area.

Iraq Travel Guide -- [Outside the Wire - in Iraq]
Tuesday, 10 April 2007 - After reading Michael Yon's RUBS about various locations, I thought I would offer my version of the Iraq travel guide for people who are not network TV celebrities.
This Guide follows my current travels through Iraq.

Travels Through the Souk in Suliamaniya, Iraq -- [Moderate Risk - Patrick S Lasswell - in Iraq]
If you've never been through a real middle-eastern market before, you've missed a wonder. Especially for those of us accustomed to shopping in strict rectilinear grids laid out according to the results of exhaustive market research.
...Malls are encroaching on this way of life and soon these markets will be extinct. Our troops in Iraq rarely get to see and never get to wander carelessly through them. Come with me, get jostled by the crowd, surprised by unseen steps, and be amazed by the simultaneously chaotic and orderly splendor of it all. You'd hardly know there is a war on only one hour away.

Anti-Iran Front in Iraq -- [Scott Sullivan - Persian Journal]
Iraq is full of good news this week. The tide is beginning to turn against Iran.
First, The US-Iran alliance is in the open, finally. This open alliance between the US and Iran will galvanize an anti-Iran alliance between the Iraqi people, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Russia. That a US-Iran alliance exists is evident from the passive US stance on UK hostages; the passive US stance on Iranian nukes; the passive US stance on PKK terrorist attacks against Turkey from their bases in northern Iraq; the UK turnover of Iraq's strategic port of Basra to pro-Iran forces this week; and, finally, the high profile Kurdish verbal attacks on Turkey over the Kirkuk referendum, in which the US and Iran back the Kurds.

POETTs help secure Iraqi-Syrian border -- [MNF-I]
All eyes are on them — heads turn and people nudge one another for a better look. This isn't just a routine patrol and they aren't your average cops. They are members of the Point-of-Entry Transition Team, or POETT, and their “beat” is to help secure the border between Iraq and Syria.

Joint operations root out terrorists -- [MNF-I]
TIKRIT — Iraqi and Coalition forces began major operations to root out known terrorists at Mujamma and Ad Dawr, Iraq, March 28.

Young Americans And Something New -- [Pat Dollard]
Stay tuned. I’m going to have an announcement tonight. As long as a few other people are cool with it. If not, I’ll announce in a couple days. But probably tonight. Stay tuned.
...Airstrikes were never allowed in Ramadi until 3/7, the batallion I was with, talked higher up into letting them do it. They were a resounding success, and I can tell you first hand, the accuracy was stunning. Can’t recall one incident of collateral damage issues. This is Rudy, one of the three guys who actually called in the strikes for the whole city, on the roof of OP Horea, a small roof, which was literally the most dangerous spot on earth at the time.

Moqtada Sadr's "Peaceful" Protest -- [Living Intentionally - in Iraq]
It's interesting to read the news and a few other blogs describing the Moqtada Sadr Jaysh Al Mahdi protests in Najaf as peaceful.
This was another public relations/brainwashing event.
What constitutes "peaceful?" The fact that nobody was killed by the protesters? I'm not sure what the people using the word "peaceful" would have expected. Najaf, where the protests occurred, is a Shi'a holy city.
...I have low expectations, based on experience, of the level of understanding by people in the media whose job it is to propagate information on which worldviews are formed.
The orders throughout the Jaysh Al Mahdi militia movement last week were to increase attacks against coalition forces, and to increase the killing and intimidation of Iraqi citizens and Iraqi security forces who don't support Jaysh Al Mahdi.

Iraqi Spokesman: There's no Civil War, Just a War Against Civilians -- [Weekly Standard Blog]
I had the opportunity this afternoon to sit in on a session at the Heritage Foundation with Dr. Ali Aldabbagh, the spokesman for the Iraqi government. Dr. Ali is in the United States to address both institutions and government officials. His message is that Iraq is making progress on reducing violence and building institutions, and that the premature withdrawal of U.S. forces would help no one but the terrorists.
Dr. Ali began by talking about the success so far of the Baghdad Security Plan. He cited a significant drop in both the number of assassinations and suicide bombings, and he put forth as further evidence of progress the dramatic increase in the number of 'tips' to police about insurgent activity, and the fact that many checkpoints within the city have been dismantled to facilitate commerce.

Civic Action -- [Badgers Forward - in Iraq]
We are just outside a Marine outpost somewhere between Habaninyah and Khalidiya. Teflon Don told you about this place not too long ago. There were a couple of little girls killed here and we found more than our fair share of that scourge we seek. But not today.
The Marines have this place locked down tighter than a drum. To do that they have engaged the local militia. The Sheik's men have turned out in droves. Ah - the challenge of counterinsurgency. Some of these men look none-too friendly, others give us an easy wave; they are not in uniform and they all carry AK-47s or the machine gun variant there of.

Welcome to the Hotel Camp Fallujah -- [firemedic009]

This is a slide show of what me and my unit have been up to the past year. A Co 2-136 (more)

Blackout -- [All Quiet on the Southwest Asian Front - in Iraq]
Due to a very bad week for some of the other battalions, we've been on multiple end-to-end blackouts. The IEDs have been bad, and the snipers too.
...Tomorrow is April 9th, the fourth anniversary of the fall of Baghdad in the initial invasion. Muqtada al-Sadr has called on his militia to march in the streets protesting the American occupation. Thousands and thousands of angry young men with AK-47s, walking around in the sun and yelling about the evil Americans....that's just asking for something to happen in Baghdad these days. Even if their march is relatively peaceful, a crowd of Shi'a that large will make quite a tempting target for Al Qaeda to attack with a VBIED or suicide vest. I foresee trouble.

Fire in the Sky -- [Calvey in Iraq - in Iraq]
Greetings from Baghdad!
Strange weather we are having here today! It rained last night. The rain must have stirred up some dust to create this type of sky.

Shaking the Squirrel

U.S. Army and Iraqi army soldiers deliver toys and engage in a fire fight with insurgents in Baqubah, Iraq, March 3, 2007. Afterward Iraqi soldiers talked and provided medical care to local residents

Jeffrey Ake Missing Two Years -- [Jawa Report]
It was one year ago today that Liliana Ake went public with her story on CNN. at that time no one had heard any word from Jeff’s kidnappers in 11 months. Sadly, there is still no word of what happened to him.

Deployment, Week .56 Welcome to Iraq - Patrick - in Iraq]
Our last couple of weeks in Iraq, we were attacked several more times, and we racked up another three kills. Pretty wild, as usual, and the new guys were all in awe of the machine in action. We spent most of our time piling into the flatbed humvee, and rolling out to the mounts with all the new techs, and getting them up to speed on all the quirks of each system, the things we learned during our tour, and the differences between the land-based systems and the ones they're used to working on in the fleet. Most of their crew is all gung-ho about the mission, and they seem equally capable of performing. We believe that we've left our weapons in good hands, but their achievements over the next year will tell that tale.
...Out last test fire, slow shutter. Gorgeous (pics)

AFGHANISTAN

Tuesday, April 10, 2007 -- [Sgt Dubb - in Afghanistan]
...I mentioned the other day that I was glad that a shopkeeper called the police when he thought another person was suspicious. I told you this was a good sign as it meant the people were giving a little trust to the police, who have been corrupt for too long. We had another small humanitarian drop for a very select and limited group of Afghans just down the street a couple of days ago. One of our mission statements is to "put an Afghan face" on every mission we do. The people need to see Afghans helping Ahghans.

Week 12--Khowst Province -- [Richard's Deployment to Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
This week I was thinking about our neighborhood, Khowst Province and Khowst City. Around here, paved roads are the exception rather than the rule. There’s a lot of money flowing in to Afghanistan, and lots of improvements are evident, but there is still a lot of work to be done. This picture of the road outside the FOB is typical; a dirt road, but with construction and improvement evident.

CONGRESSIONAL VISIT TO CAMP ALAMO -- [Afghanistan JAG - in Afghanistan]
Today we hosted a visit with congressmen from several different states including Mississippi, Nebraska, California and Georgia. Here I am pictured with Georgia Representative Hank Johnson. His district is just outside Atlanta. We're holding a Georgia National Guard patch that I gave him.

Afghanistans Secret Allies -- [Strategy Page]
April 11, 2007: India has been a silent partner in the Afghan War. For example, there are Indian engineers providing reconstruction assistance, who are being guarded by Indian paramilitary police. The Indian security personnel were brought in after the Taliban began to go after Indian workers and technical experts. Neither India, nor the Afghan government, have made a big deal about the presence of the Indian security personnel. That's because, while many of the Indian police and aid workers are Moslem, many are not.

HUMANITARIAM MISSION IN DOWNTOWN KABUL -- [Afghanistan JAG - in Afghanistan]
A few days ago I posted a story about our humanitarian mission preparation on Easter. We delivered those clothes and that food today.
Before I go any further, I want to thank everyone involved in sending clothing donations and helping pay to have them shipped here.

Independence Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan

Afghan Government Bans Al-Jazeera’s Broadcasts -- [Sweetness & Light]
Afghan gov’t bans Al-Jazeera English TV programs
Apr. 10, 2007 - The Afghan government ordered a TV station to suspend broadcasts of all Al-Jazeera English language programs, the station’s director said Tuesday.
A statement from Lemar TV said the Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture did not provide reasons for the order. The station, which for five months has featured about three hours of Al-Jazeera news programming per day, suspended the shows Sunday afternoon, but contested the order before the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
Unfortunately this ban only covers broadcasts, especially since most people over there probably have cable or satellite television.
But since the ban applies only to the English programs, it would appear they are trying to protect the US and UK troops from their propaganda.

Welcome to Firebase Torkham Gate. -- [ON Point - Andrew Lubin - in Afghanistan]
Afghanistan is a different war than that in Iraq. The highways are full of cars, trucks, and brightly colored “Jingle busses.” The shops are stocked with food, vegetables, computers, shoes, and other consumer goods. Banks advertise their services, and compete for business. The national cell phone service actually works.
Located less than two miles west of the historic Khyber Pass, Firebase Torkham Gate houses the combat advisors to the 1st Afghan Border Police. Residents near the bases say they take pride in building a new Afghan country.

Life, the Universe, and Everything -- [Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Afghanistan]
...Drew, Hamid, and I were eating lunch together, when Mike stormed in and announced that this was his worst day in Afghanistan. I won’t go into details, but it did involve corruption, cronyism, and the frustrations we face here. This helped kick off another session of “Bear and Hamid Decipher the Universe.” I will add that Mike was in good form, and after he vented, we all ate in silence, fearing for our lives. He did regain that famous Toomer composure, and when he and Drew left, I no longer felt we’d need to take his weapon away from him.
Once they left, Hamid and I began discussing corruption. It would be very easy to start bashing the Afghan leaders for the way things are run over here, but the only difference between corruption over here and back home is that most folks back home are far more careful and discreet....

Better To Be Feared Than Loved -- [Strategy Page]
April 10, 2007: The Taliban have decided that it's better to be feared than loved. The Spring floods in Afghanistan were worse than usual this year, and thousands of people in remote villages had their homes and food supplies destroyed. But government efforts to bring in food and other supplies are being halted by Taliban attacks on the trucks.

The Dancing Video is out and FIXED -- [Bouhammer's Aghan Blog - in Afghanistan] (VIDEO)
Several days ago I wrote about the party that the terps threw for us. Afghans love their music after being oppressed by the Taliban and not allowed to have any. This video is a large one (44 mb) and is a little under 8 minutes long. It consists of two songs which essentially split the video into two parts.
The first part is of the terps only and is a video I got off of one of their cameras when I was downloading pictures. They shot this video earlier that day before they started setting the room for the party. I guarantee that part will have you cracking up as you see some crazy dancing based on he influence from the west. This includes Madonna-style vogue dancing, mosh pit slamming and some other stuff I have never seen.

Gods Will and Land Mines -- [Strategy Page]
April 11, 2007: Afghanistan's poppy production grew over fifty percent last year, to some 400,000 acres (160,000 hectares). The yield is estimated to be 6,100 tons of poppies, that can be refined into 610 tons of heroin (90 percent of the world supply, mainly because of low price). Farmers earn about $1,700 per acre of poppies, which is the highest price for any crop grown in Afghanistan. Actually, the middlemen, often tribal leaders, make far more per acre, and the farmers often end up in debt if the poppy crop fails

Buying the poppy crop could put paid to Afghan problem -- [The Independent]
Is it possible that there is an economic key to the problem of Afghanistan that will prove more effective than the military methods applied so far? As the rundown of UK strength in Iraq comes nearer, our commitment in Afghanistan looks ever more open-ended, and the prospect there increasingly alarming. Current policies to defeat the Taliban by military means and cut the flow of heroin to Western countries by destroying the poppy crops have...

U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Iran, Civil War Brewing -- [James Dunnigan - Strategy Page]
April 10, 2007 -The government is not happy with the way things are going. The UN refuses to back down on economic sanctions, or demands that Irans nuclear weapons program be shut down. Inside Iran, a majority of the population still opposes the government, and attempts to cajole or bully this majority into changing their mind, have not worked. The problem is that most Iranians are fed up with the "Islamic revolution," and want less religion and corruption, and more democracy, in their government.

Iran to make movie, book about UK sailors -- [Jihad Watch]
"In a bid to disclose the whole truth." And why not? A flick about their humiliation of the once-proud British will probably perform spectacularly at the box office all over the country.
"Iran Makes Movie, Book about UK Sailors," from Novinite, with thanks to the American Israeli Patriot:

It’s Good to Be the King: Kim Jong Il’s Home and Office via Google Earth -- [One Free Korea]
Remember my March 28th post, a stream of consciousness that washed against the subject of EU sanctions against North Korea? Among the items sanctioned were pure-bred horses, which are the kind not even North Koreans would dare eat — because of who owns them. That led me to the one location in North Korea where I suspected that such horses might be kept. I had recently found that location on Google Earth while spying on an area a few miles east-by-northeast of Pyongyang. Because of the extraordinary security surrounding this complex, I had speculated that it was probably the pleasure dome of Korigula himself:

Google Earth Maps the Spread of Genocide in Darfur -- [KTLA 5 -
Apr 10 - Google Inc., whose motto is "Don't Be Evil," has launched an initiative designed to highlight some. A scan of the globe using the Google Earth satellite mapping program shows a large swath of Central Africa trimmed in orange.

WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

Dangerous Liaisons -- [Threats Watch]
Dismissing al-Qaeda – Hizballah Cooperation Fosters Dangerous Misconceptions
Understanding the nature of the enemy is fundamental to successfully engaging that enemy, be it on the battlefields of metal and flesh, the battlefields of ideas, or the battlefields of information and communication. To this end, it is absolutely critical that the West – and the American public in particular – understand that, unlike the way the American political landscape so often appears, our terrorist enemies are often more willing to lay aside their fundamental and substantive differences for the purposes of engaging a mutual enemy. There is no greater example of this than the cooperation between Sunni al-Qaeda leadership and that of Shi'a Hizballah and their Iranian masters.

It Takes a Village, and a Good Publicist -- [Strategy Page]
April 11, 2007: Suicide bombers are a creature of the media, and a way to maintain morale while fighting a hopeless battle. This aspect of suicide attacks is generally overlooked. That's because suicide bombing tactics are designed to take advantage of mass media weaknesses, and needs.

"Catching Suicide Bombers" -- [INDC Journal]
I've long wondered whether science will ever catch up to and truly defeat asymmetrical terrorism, or whether tactics like suicide attacks in large population centers will remain practically indefensible. Now one company is claiming a new technology that's a step in the right direction:

Al Qaeda's Self-Proclaimed Branches -- [Strategy Page]
April 10, 2007: The northwest African radical Moslem terrorist movement, the GSPC (Groupe Salafiste pour la Predication et le Combat) tried hard, during the '90s to establish an Islamic regime in Algeria. But has been pretty much marginalized by effective government anti-terrorism operations. In what appears to be a pitch to gain prestige and perhaps material support from international Islamic groups, the GSPC (or "Salafists") proclaimed themselves "Al Qaeda in the Maghreb." The Salafists are not the first Islamic group that, finding itself on the ropes, has declared itself an affiliate of Al Qaeda.

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

Free Computers that Hear and Speak Arabic -- [Strategy Page]
April 11, 2007: IBM made s splash recently when they donated $45 million worth of their MASTOR Arab/English translation software to the U.S. military. The Department of Defense was already evaluating the software, with about 30 systems operating in Iraq. The donation was prompted partly by the knowledge that nearly 200 IBM employees, plus many more sons and daughters of employees, have served in Iraq or Afghanistan. But IBM was also aware that MASTOR worked, and that another 10,000 copies of the software (including a thousand laptops to run it on) would speed up the Department of Defense decision to get more of it into the hands of the troops.

Drag Racer Supports Troops -- [Soldiers Angels New York]
Soldiers' Angels officially debuts in drag racing this weekend, thanks to Kebin Kinsley and "Wild Child". Wild Child is a Top Alcohol Funny Car which now proudly displays the Soldiers' Angels logo. Kebin is racing in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, South Central Division, April 13-15 at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas. It is the fourth of seven Lucas Oil Series events on the division calendar.

Bush Thanks Troops, Legionnaires -- [America Supports You]
WASHINGTON, April 10, 2007 - President Bush today praised the troops defending the United States and the veterans who set a powerful example and continue to support them.
Bush traveled to American Legion Post 177 in Fairfax, Va., to recognize the spirit of service and volunteerism he said makes the United States a shining example for the rest of the world. “There’s something to be said for a country where people serve something greater than themselves, where people in this era volunteer in the face of danger to defend” it, he said.

The Left Continues Its Celebration of the Murder of American Troops -- [Redstate]
It's The Only Way They'll Win
Let's not mince words. The left celebrates every death of every American soldier in Iraq. Let me just repeat it so that it sinks in. The left celebrates every death of every American soldier in Iraq. They are a means to an end. The means is incitement through propaganda. The end is the repudiation of President Bush and the military -- the two institutions in this country the left hates.

MILITARY

A Quiet Step Forward for the Rule of Law -- [Austin Bay - Strategy Page]
April 11, 2007 - Arguably, Col. Mark Martins runs the most multifaceted, pressure-packed and press-scrutinized law practice in the Middle East.
Martins serves as staff judge advocate for Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I), which makes him Gen. David Petraeus' top legal adviser.
He's prepared for the job. Martins' military career began with a tour leading an airborne infantry platoon.

Marines Ejected From Target For “Recruiting” -- [Iowa Voice]
The manager says they weren’t told to leave, but he wasn’t there when it happened:
Two Marines in their dress uniforms - the ones with white hats, khaki shirts and blue trousers with red stripe - say they were accused of recruiting at a Target department store here and told to leave.

POLITICS

Military Families Angry Over Congressional Inaction
McQ, a Vietnam vet himself, does a great job of highlighting the growing disgust of America's military veterans towards an arrogant and feckless Congress that has lost touch with the men and women who guarantee their freedoms:...

Moms of Fury visit their congressman -- [HT: Soldiers' Angels Germany]

THE MEDIA

Busted!... Multi-National Force Iraq Scores on Mainstream Media -- [Gateway Pundit]
It's refreshing to see the world's finest military win a battle on the media front!
Of all of the 1,800 plus articles published yesterday on the Al Sadr Anti-US-occupation protest in Najaf, Iraq, not one mentioned that the turnout was way below what was expected and hoped for by the media and the pro-Iranian Muqtada al-Sadr.

Does this photo prove Sadr’s protest in Najaf was poorly attended? -- [Hot Air]
Er, no, because it’s not a photo of Najaf. It’s a photo of Baghdad. I thought that circle looked familiar.
How did this nonsense even get started? The caption on the MNF page explicitly identifies the location

Doing The Job American Media Won't Do -- [Jawa Report]
Italian television doesn't shrink from showing the barbarity of our enemies.
Rome - An Italian television channel aired footage on Tuesday of the beheading of a driver for an Italian journalist, who was held for about two weeks by Afghanistan's Taliban until Kabul negotiated his release.

About "Couric's" Plagiarism -- [Jonah Goldberg - The Corner]
Today Howie Kurtz informs us that Katie, sweet, sweet, Katie ripped off someone else's work for a personal commentary. Kurtz writes:
Katie Couric did a one-minute commentary last week on the joys of getting her first library card, but the thoughts were less than original. The piece was substantially lifted from a Wall Street Journal column.

MILBLOGGING / BLOGGING

Last Post to 4MC -- [4 Mile Creek]
Three years and 1537 posts later, I say goodbye.
To the readers of 4 Mile Creek, I say thank you, it has been a fun time and I appreciate that you have taken a few minutes of your day to read my ramblings. And thank you for your support during my time in OIF.
It is now time for me to concentrate on other endeavors.

Internet Pioneers Propose Blogger Code of Conduct -- [Top Tech News]
Some of the rules in the new Blogger's Code of Conduct -- proposed by Tim O'Reilly, a technology publisher, and Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia -- include banning anonymous comments, taking responsibility for abusive blog postings, pointing out when blog visitors are acting badly, and not saying anything on blogs that you wouldn't say in person.

HUMOR / SATIRE

Genteel Blogs Offer 'Civility Offsets' to Vitriolic Bloggers -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-04-09) — A draft proposal circulating in the so-called blogosphere would allow family-friendly blogs to sell “civility offsets” to vitriolic bloggers who prefer to pay for “nastiness indulgences” rather than to tame their bitter tirades.
Advocates say that unlike a proposed “blogger code of conduct,” the new civility offsets will not slash the number of blatant death threats or reduce comparisons between President George Bush and the common chimpanzee, but

Day By Day

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