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

Islamic State of Iraq Posts New Video on 3 US Soldiers -- [Counterterrorism Blog - Jeffrey Imm]
Islamist web sites used by Al Qaeda have announced the release of a new video regarding three kidnapped US soldiers who went missing in May. "God willing, after some hours the Furqan Institute will present the clash and the detention of three Americans," the Web sites said, without giving further details. Furqan issues videos of attacks by Al Qaeda in Iraq, and serves as the media committee of the Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella insurgent group comprised of al-Qaeda and others.
...According to Laura Mansfield, "The Islamic State of Iraq Monday has released a video of the military identification cards of two missing American soldiers. There was no indication in the video whether the two soldiers are dead or alive, and there were no demands set for their release."

Death or Glory -- [Michael Yon - in Iraq]
In Iraq, I was allowed to accompany a British Army unit called “The Queen’s Royal Lancers,” whose motto is “Death or Glory.”
...Instructions had been disseminated and digested, and everyone had been told to be extra cautious today. And that’s when Major Edward Mack asked me if I wanted to go with the recon element, the guys who’d be going first in the unarmored Landrovers.
“Sure,” I answered. But what else was I supposed to say? I knew that Moqtada al Sadr, the crazy man, had been calling for violence, and M-JAM (militant JAM) had promised a spectacular attack. I knew the Iranians had exported their EFP technology (link to that) to insurgents. They would certainly qualify as part of a spectacular attack, given that EFP bombs are devastatingly powerful, punching through one side of a tank and still blasting out the other side after ripping through the crew. I knew what all this meant, but being the only American there, I couldn’t exactly chicken out, could I? And so, I crawled into the back of the Land Rover and sat next to the tailgate.

Back in [Blueish-Greenish-Grey] -- [Acute Politics - in Iraq]
Monday, June 04, 2007 - ...We ended up spending only three days out of Camp Falluja, and we managed to spend one night in the large logistical base at TQ (Camp Taqqaddum), which lies between Ramadi and Falluja on the shore of a large lake. All in all, the mission wasn't too bad. Even the Iraqi house we stayed in was better than last time. We did have to deal with two broken-down humvees in our Marine security element (part of the reason we went to TQ), and on the trip back into Camp Falluja we blew a tire on the BUFFALO. That day marked the second time we have had to recover the BUFFALO back to home- neither have been due to enemy fire. The last time we recovered the beast was just after we started working in Falluja- EOD had set up a controlled detonation of an IED, and

Securing the Perimeter - Winning Hearts & Minds (3)

A Different World -- [Jason's Iraq Vacation - in Iraq]
...I don't read much about the Iraqi's in the news. I sure don't hear much mention about the sacrifices THEY make, every day of every year, to make their country better. They literally risk their lives and the lives of their families by even associating with the democratic government of Iraq. It breaks my heart to listen to some of their stories; their lives are so different from mine I couldn't even pretend to relate. One such story came from one of the life support mechanics as we were working to fix a perpetually broken generator one day.

Operating in the dark -- [Desert Flier - in Iraq]
...Little known fact: Ar Ramadi is run entirely on generators. Every light bulb, DVD player, TV, you name it is run from a generator. Walk anywhere on base and you will quickly notice the maddening and inescapable drone of a nearby generator. Unlike the stable power grids in Western countries, generator power fluctuates, causing routine brownouts and surges. Brave is the soul who uses a computer on Ar Ramadi without surge protection. Generator power also happens to be a lot less reliable.

Patrol -- [Jack Army - in Iraq]
Our patrol yesterday took us into areas we've not been in before. It was a great patrol in that we got some great information, learned something about this part of Iraq and spent some quality time doing what we get paid to do: look for bad guys.
We stopped to confirm that we were where we thought we were, which we found that we were (lots of w's in that sentence!). It was a one-family compound with a man, four women and what seemed like two dozen children. Of course the toys came out and I don't know who was more excited, the women or the children. I think it was the women, they seemed to recognize how special it was for the kids to get presents from strangers like this, but the kids just seemed mesmerized by the huge trucks and men with weird stuff all over them.

She Sat -- [Jack Army - in Iraq]
...When I saw that old woman sitting there, waiting for what must have been her daughter, I wondered, "what has she seen?" This old woman sat there not saying a word to anyone, not being spoken to by anyone. People just walked around her like she was a rock or a piece of furniture. I've seen that in America, too, but this woman sat there watching everything and everyone around her with a stoic yet intense look on her face. She watched men greet each other with the handshake and kisses on the cheek, watched mothers with little children in tow, watched businessmen and farmers and policemen pace about. She saw the children wave to the Americans sitting in their huge armored trucks bristling with guns. And she sat.

TERRORIST LEADER, NETWORK MEMBERS CAPTURED -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces detained 14 suspected terrorists in raids Monday morning targeting the al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leader networks in Mosul and Karmah.
Based on information gained from a previous successful operation in Anbar province, Coalition Forces captured a suspected senior terrorist leader in Mosul connected to the al-Qaeda in Iraq network. The individual is also suspected of making decisions on enforcing religious punishments and operating a smuggling ring transporting weapons and cargo.

Operation cuts down insurgent activity -- [MNF-I]
CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE — Marines and sailors assigned to Task Force Tarawa began Operation Southern Scimitar in the early morning of May 19, in order to sweep and clear their area of insurgent activity.

Soldiers improve school, create jobs -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD – Community leaders and Coalition forces re-opened a school in western Baghdad area of Al Swaib Sunday.
Three months ago the Al Swaib School was operating with overcrowded classrooms, a roof leaking in several places and extremely limited school supplies.

Morale Suppression Police ... -- [The Landlocked Sailor - in Iraq]
As I sit here on this late Saturday night, I feel compelled to write to my good readers of a grave injustice (I also feel compelled to write because the cable is out in my trailer, so there’s nothing to watch). Apparently, the Navy has sent over several Morale Suppression Teams to Baghdad (sailors should feel at home). These are small, elite teams whose sole purpose is to take a crew’s spirits and flush them right down the toilet. These are the men who coined the phrase, “The beatings will continue until morale improves.” I agree, it makes no sense to have these folks in theatre, but they are here and hard at work.

Mahdi rocket teams destroyed in Sadr City -- [The Fourth Rail]
The return of Muqtada al Sadr from his four months of self imposed exile in Iran has led to a spike in activity against his political leadership and the extremist elements of his fractured Mahdi Army. Over the past few days, U.S. and Iraqi forces have conducted multiple operations in Sadr City, and over the past 24 hours, killed 4 Mahdi fighters and captured 6 after attacking a rocket team in the northeastern district.

Friday, June 01, 2007 -- [Letters from the Desert - in Iraq]
Several months ago the force protection folks finally put T-walls in front of our building. T-walls are the handy dandy concrete barriers that keep mortar rounds and shrapnel from slicing through our walls. The walls, however, lack a certain aesthetic quality. So, my Chaplain Assistant put his rather formidable artistic skills to use and painted the Chaplain Crest on what we are calling the “UMT Rock”. I thought you might be interested in the symbolism of the crest.

Marines Maul The Brass Via the Net -- [Strategy Page]
...Senior marine generals now have senators and representatives peppering them with queries about why the marines in Iraq don't have the equipment they need, and the army already has. Marines have identified the Marine Corps procurement bureaucracy as the source of the problem. But what is really happening here is another example of how the Internet has changed the relationship between troops and their commanders. Since the late 1990s, when most people in the armed forces discovered the Internet, and how easily and cheaply it connected them with family, friends, and, most importantly, people like themselves, the troops have obtained a powerful new tool.

Understanding the Events of Haditha -- [The Captain’s Journal]
With regards to the events of Haditha, on the one hand we have John Murtha’s histrionics; on the other, the forthright, deadpan observation in recent testimony at Camp Pendleton:
...On that fateful day in Haditha, the Marines were engaging in room clearing tactics. It isn’t any more complicated than that. It was an approved method of battling insurgents, it was ordered, and given that fire was coming from the location of the rooms that were cleared, it was justified. As we observed in Haditha Events Coming to a Head:

AFGHANISTAN

01 June 2007 -- [Sgt Dub - heading home from Afghanistan]
I'm in transit now, heading back to the U.S. I'm not able to give any more details than that, but will keep you informed as best I can. The only other thing I really need to do is change my countdown counter, as my seat for my school could not be confirmed and I'm not in the mood to mess with it any more. There's another school in August and I'll try to get a seat in that one.

RAF AFGHAN DIARIES: 7th May 2007 -- [ royalairforce ]

The 37th in a new series from RAF Recruitment -- After a 12 hour break Paul has caught up on his sleep and is preparing for another gruelling 2-day patrol. The troops sleep out in the open on overnight patrols and are understandably nervous, especially as this one will be covering new, unknown territory.

The Senlis Council: "Canada in Afghanistan" -- [The Torch]
I attended an "event" by the Council in Ottawa this morning (thanks to Babbling who gave the impetus) to mark the opening of their Ottawa office. Norine MacDonald (a Canadian), President and Founder, and Lead Field Researcher, gave a presentation based on this policy paper, "Canada in Afghanistan: Charting a New Course to Complete the Mission" and took questions.

Afstan: Senlis Council, Canada and the media -- [The Torch]
Further to this post May 28, the media coverage in fact reflects what Ms. MacDonald said--but certain things receive rather less coverage (if any) than I gave them. And I think those things are vital to the Canadian public's understanding of the situation.

U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

U.S. Urges Swiss Banks Not To Deal With Iran -- [MEMRI Blog]
A senior U.S. Treasury official was in Switzerland urging Swiss banks not to deal with Iran because Iranian officials often conceal their identity to carry out transactions in connection with Iran's uranium enrichment program.
The official said that the U.S. has provided evidence about the involvement of Iranian financial institutions in supporting uranium enrichment.

WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

The Poison Branch -- [Strategy Page]
June 4, 2007: There are several important issues to consider now that many terrorist groups are claiming ties to al Qaeda. To begin with, are they actually connected to Osama's gang or merely proclaiming themselves his henchmen? If they do have a real tie to al Qaeda Central, it's probable that information, money, and even personnel will be passing back and forth.

The Threat of "Homegrowns" -- [Counterterrorism Blog - Jonathan Winer]
The reported plot in New York to bomb Kennedy International Airport, like the terrorist attacks in London and Madrid, last year's terrorist plots in Toronto and Ottawa, and the plans of a group led by a Miami Haitian to blow up Chicago's Sears Tower, featured not foreigners specially imported by Al Qaeda, but homegrowns, members of foreign Diaspora groups now based locally and seeking to demonstrate their political attitudes through a spectacular attack.

Immigration Ramifications of the JFK Plot -- [Counterterrorism Blog - Bill West]
The take-down of the suspected radical Islamic terror cell threatening to blow up JFK airport yesterday highlights, yet again, key national security issues related to our immigration system. The alleged ringleader of the plot, Russell Defreitas, is reported to be a 63 year old naturalized US citizen from Guyana. It is not yet clear from released information when he naturalized; however, information gleaned from the criminal complaint indicates he developed his Islamic-inspired hatred for America years ago. The question, of course, is did he harbor such anti-American feelings before he became a naturalized US citizen? If he did, he likely would have lied in the process of becoming naturalized.

Busted: NYC terror plot - Updated with criminal complaint -- [Michelle Malkin]
Update: Courtesy of Robert Nardoza at the United States Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of New York, I've received the 33-page criminal complaint. We've posted the whole thing at Hot Air (scroll down at HA for PDF link). A few excerpts:

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

Fisher House Update, Pre-Marathon Training Complete -- [Half a World Away - in Iraq]
Well, my Fisher House pledge drive is off to a great start. Many, many thanks to everyone that has stopped by and donated. After just a few days I'm already 38% there. Much better then I had expected.

Cutting Red Tape: Laptops Sent to Baghdad Hospital -- [The Tank - Steve Schippert]
The 28th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad needs laptop computers for their training room, with their current machines old, slow and incapable of efficiently handling newer software. If you've ever experienced the slog of military procurement and equipment request in the massive military bureaucracy, you know it is a process of hurry up and wait. So, the good people of Adopt A Soldier Platoon took the initiative in typical American can-do, will-do fashion. In short order, they gathered enough kindly contributed money to purchase and send four laptops to their (one of many) adopted Baghdad unit.

You Just Say "Yes" -- [Andi's World]
On Saturday, I had the privilege of spending the day with some soldiers who were taken from the Walter Reed campus to participate in "Operation Fresh Air," which was the brainchild of two Marine wives, Carrie Costantini and Cyndi Juarez. Operation Fresh Air was held at a local park and was designed to get the Walter Reed patients, and their families, out of the hospital and into the fresh air and sunshine. It was a day to rejuvenate, recharge the batteries and relax. Operation Fresh Air featured a catered lunch paid for by The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, wonderful fellowship, sunbathing, volleyball and fishing.

MILITARY BIRDHOUSES FUNDRAISER FOR SOLDIER' S ANGELS -- [Soldier's Angels - Medical Support]
I got the idea to build these when one of my CSH's asked me to send them bird seed to feed the insurgent sparrows that flocked around their place.
I'm retired, with way too much time on my hands, I build birdhouses as a hobby, and it all sort of clicked.

WELCOME HOME

HOME -- [Afghanistan JAG - home from Afghanistan]
I am finally back home from Afghanistan.
...Prior to my arrival home, Allyson went to a local printer to have the banner made. When she tried to pay for it, the clerk told her that another customer had seen it being made for a soldier, and paid for it anonymously. That was a wonderful gesture.
We will take some vacation time together and then work on restarting my law practice.

IN MEMORY OF...

In Focus: Homes For Our Troops -- [SpouseBuzz]
...Two years ago today, I lost my best blog friend when Mike Reed died suddenly of a heart attack. His last blog post was a link to me. His passing left a hole in my heart and my life that still hurts to this day.
His obituary suggested that memorial donations be made in his name to Homes For Our Troops. It is because of my friend's death that I know about this wonderful organization, which is why I want to share it with you today. It's Mike's legacy, in a sense.
Homes For Our Troops is another stroke of genius from a regular American who wanted to fill a need for our servicemembers.

Tiananmen Square Remembered -- [Blogs for all]
Today marks the 18th Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown by the Chinese against protestors. That bloody crackdown included thousands of arrests, with many never to be heard from ever again.

The Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a pivotal naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II. It took place from June 4 to June 7, 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea, about five months after the Japanese capture of Wake Island, and six months after the Empire of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor that had led to a formal state of war between the United States and Japan. During the battle, the United States Navy defeated a Japanese attack against Midway Atoll (located northwest of Hawaii) and destroyed four Japanese aircraft carriers and a heavy cruiser while losing a carrier and a destroyer.

POLITICS

The Ignorance Of John Murtha Is Staggering -- [Flopping Aces]
The cowardly ex-Marine John Murtha was up to his old tricks again this morning on the George Stephanopoulos show. Really, the ignorance of this man is startling. Check out some clips I put together. The first one is Murtha responding to what President Talibani said earlier

Seven Veterans on Politics in 2008 -- [Intel Dump - Phillip Carter]
This month's issue of the Washington Monthly features essays from seven Iraq and Afghanistan veterans on politics and the 2008 election. I wrote an introduction to the package, which includes articles from Nate Fick, Andrew Exum, Melissa Tryon, Garth Stewart, Ross Cohen, and Clint Douglas.

THE MEDIA

LIFE in a FISHBOWL -- [THE ONE WIRE - in Iraq]
...The troops over here are good people and are effected emotionally by devastating events too. These guys really are trying to do the "right thing" and the media, in some regards, is a bigger threat to the well being of our troops than any insurgent. I would recommend that a reporter or media venue...not come anywhere near me for a long while. I am just that upset with the whole ordeal. I would recommend that U.S. citizens not turn so much of their anger against our government but turn it against the media outlets.

A guest blogger -- [My Desert Adventure - in Iraq]
...The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the president.In essence 2/3s of the citizenry just aren't happy and want a change. So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, ''What are we so unhappy about?'' Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?

Taking the Names of Our Soldiers in Vain -- [Sgt Stryker]
A number of families of fallen service members are upset with the use of the names and images of their deceased loved ones by anti-war groups. And some states are listening. Oklahoma and Louisiana have passed laws making it illegal to use the name or image of a fallen service member without the permission of their family. Texas, Florida and Arizona are all considering similar legislation. The constitutionality of these laws is already in question and there is no telling if these laws will stand up to judicial scrutiny, but it is a step in what many believe is the right direction.

Military Cluelessness at the AP -- [CounterColumn]
Six long years of war and the Associated Press still can't find a damn reporter who can tell the difference between officers and NCOs.

HUMOR / SATIRE

NY Times May Exhaust Ways to Undercut War Effort -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-06-04) — Editors at The New York Times are reportedly concerned that the nation’s “paper of record” may run out of ways to undercut the U.S. war effort in Iraq before the November 2008 presidential elections, and perhaps much sooner.

Day By Day

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