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. Hat Tips to the Dawn Patrol are greatly appreciated.

IRAQ

Bless the Beasts and Children -- [Michael Yon - in Iraq]
...Later in the day, some of the soldiers from the unit I share a tent with, the C-52, told me that one of their Kit Carson scouts (comprised of some of our previous enemies who have turned on al Qaeda) had pointed out an al Qaeda who had cut off the heads of children. Soldiers from C-52 say that the Kit Carson scout freaked out and tried to hide when he spotted the man he identified as an al Qaeda operative. Just how (or if) the scout really knew the man had beheaded children was unknown to the soldiers of C-52, but they took the suspected al Qaeda to the police, who knew the man. C-52 soldiers told me the Iraqi police were inflamed, and that one policeman in particular was crazed with intent to kill the man who they said had the blood of Iraqi children on his hands. According to the story told to me on 30 June, it took almost 45 minutes for the C-52 soldiers to calm down the policeman who had drawn his pistol to execute the al Qaeda man. That same policeman nearly lost his mind when an American soldier then gave the al Qaeda man a drink of cold water.

Fireworks Or Fortitude -- [Threats Watch]
Al-Qaeda Beheaded Their Children - We Must Ask Ourselves, What Is Worth Fighting For?
...It is therefor sadly understandable that when the words in our National Anthem include “the rockets’ red glare,” many will associate that with beautiful displays of entertaining fireworks. When, in fact, those “rockets’ red glare” written about so eloquently were the trails of destruction, seeking their targets and bringing death and carnage to those who were defending something worth fighting for in the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. Yet for many, little today seems to be worth fighting for at all.
Perhaps it is because the beheaded children are not our own. Perhaps because the slaughtered share not our names. But underlying, among those who refuse to engage our enemy where he slaughters without grief or remorse, is a clear disassociation with the distant victims of such horrors. Comfortably concluded is that we somehow brought the unspeakable upon them. Present also is a refusal to acknowledge that the distant ‘they’ are ‘we’ in a greater war we did not declare and did not seek.
It must be acknowledged that, if we disengage and leave Iraq and its children to the hands of al-Qaeda, millions will suffer the consequences of our ultimate decision.

IED ring broken by Operation Bastogne -- [MNF-I]
KALSU, Iraq — Paratroopers and Soldiers from Task Force Steel, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division detained 10 suspected insurgents during a raid July 1 near the town of Mahawil.
Operation Bastogne was designed to capture members of an improvised explosive device cell operating along Highway 1 and other roads in the north Babil province.
In addition to capturing the IED cell members, the operation captured two buckets of ammunition, IED making materials and an instruction manual on how to construct IEDs.
The insurgents are being held for further questioning.

US links Iran to Iraq attacks... "Official US Military release"...Brigadier General Kevin Bergner

The US military on Monday accused Iranian special forces of orchestrating an attack that killed five US soldiers in Iraq and of using its Lebanese Hezbollah proxy to help train Iraqi fighters

27 suspected terrorists captured in raids -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD — Coalition forces captured 27 suspected terrorists, including an alleged terrorist with ties to Iranian elements, during missions conducted across Iraq Friday as Operation Phantom Thunder continues, U.S. military officials reported.
Coalition forces detained a suspected secret cell terrorist Friday in Baghdad’s Sadr City section. It is believed the suspected terrorist has close ties to Iranian terror networks and is responsible for numerous attacks on Iraqi civilians as well as on Iraqi and Coalition forces in Baghdad.

US commander says operations in Anbar aid Baghdad Security Plan

Carl E. Mundy, US commanding officer of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit said on Sunday in Baghdad that their reason for the recent operations in the western Iraqi Anbar province is to contribute to the Baghdad Security Plan and prevent insurgents from contributing to sectarian violence in Baghdad.

U.S., Iraqi leaders reflect, give thanks -- [MNF-I]
TAL AFAR — When the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment moved into Tal Afar in 2005, the city had been reduced to a terrorist base of operations. Streets were deserted, businesses were closed and destitute citizens lived in fear of sectarian violence.
That changed when 3rd ACR arrived to work beside Iraqi security forces. Rations, not yet delivered by the local government, began to filter through to hungry citizens. Crime rates dropped when Soldiers moved into patrol bases around the city, and soon children were playing by the streets.

Iraq - The Ultimate Suckfest -- [Eighty Deuce On The Loose - In Iraq]
...Once we loaded up, we headed over to another market. As we were leaving there, we heard a loud explosion, and then the call came up over the radio that some mortars had been fired at the market. We rolled back over there to check it out. I guess only 1 or 2 had actually exploded and there were a couple unexploded ones. Almost immediately after pulling up to this IA checkpoint, one of the snipers from that one bad area started shooting. They constantly shoot at the IA, as well as the civilians just trying to shop in the markets. Its not very often that they do this when we are there, but this guy was ballsy enough to take a couple shots with us there. None of them were directed at us, but they were definatly shooting in our direction. We couldn’t see anything, or where he was, so we could do anything.

More Baghdad Summer Politics -- [Iraq the Model - iraqis in Iraq]
...Abdul Mahdi said during a press conference after meeting his eminence in Najaf that, “We support the elected government,” [to answer questions about replacing Maliki before they are asked] and added, “We have informed Sayyid Sistani of the new coalition that would soon be announced, and we reassured [him] during the meeting that there was no intent to undermine the current government.”
I think that the new-old Kurdish-Shia coalition needs to have something more than God’s blessings via Sistani. Seeking the approval of senior clerics, and similar shows of support, have become obsolete, boring, and likely as ineffective as they have been in the past.

U.S. Confirms CNN’S Report That Iran Has Sent It’s Hezbollah Soldiers Into Iraq -- [Pat Dollard]
BAGHDAD (AP) - Iran is using the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah as a “proxy” force in Iraq and Tehran’s Quds force was invloved in a January attack in Karbala in which five Americans died, a U.S. general said Monday.
U.S. military spokesman Brig. Gen. Kevin J. Bergner said a senior Lebanese Hezbollah operative, Ali Mussa Dakdouk, was captured March 20 in southern Iraq.

Kuwaiti Cleric Imprisoned for Inciting to Jihad Against U.S. Forces in Iraq -- [MEMRI Blog]
Kuwaiti cleric Jaber Al-Jalahma has been sentenced to 21 days in prison for inciting citizens to wage jihad against U.S. forces in Iraq. The Kuwaiti authorities have raised the level of alert at government institutions and oil facilities after an Islamist group called "the Guantanamo Returnees Association" threatened to target these facilities unless Al-Jalahma is released.

2D Battalion 5th Marines... Al Fallujah -- [The Gunner's World - in Iraq]
...We ride out in a six vehicle convoy along with the Commanding Officer of 2/6, a tall man of quiet professionalism, dedicated to his craft and his Marines. Today's journey we will visit various out posts within the city and stop at two Iraqi police stations. I watch as the CO meets with his Marines at the various stops and quietly talks with them, a shepherd of sorts tending to his flock, keeping their spirits up and letting them know what a great job they are doing. At one stop I watch a squad of Marines coming in off a patrol in the city, drenched in sweat, tired and hungry, the CO asks how they are doing and they respond with "Great sir". Some of these young men are not even 20 yet. Looking for America's best?...follow me and I will show them to you.

Voices from Iraq; Uniform Pride

You Knew That -- [Jack Army - in Iraq]
...Maybe you support the war. Maybe you believe we are doing the right thing in going after terrorist-supporting despots like Saddam and then trying hard to change his country into something democratic and peaceful. Maybe you, like me, believe that all that is worth dying for.
Maybe you just don't understand that nobody, even the Soldier, goes about life believing that they will die, despite knowing the possibilities. I take that back. There are those that believe they will die, plan to die, and then do so trying to kill others in the process. They are the terrorist assholes like the one that set off a VBIED just a few meters from me and my troops. But then, you already knew that, right?

Iraq Report: Surprising Drop in Civilian Deaths -- [The Fourth Rail]
The civilian death toll in Iraq dropped sharply in June, by over 35 percent from May's totals and reached the lowest number since July 2006. This occurred despite the launch of Operation Phantom Thunder in mid-June. Iraqi Security Forces absorbed 222 deaths in June, more than twice the number of U.S. military deaths in Iraq over the same time period. The sharp drop in civilian casualties and the reduction of sectarian-related murders in Baghdad are encouraging signs, but it is too soon to draw conclusions on the effectiveness of the Baghdad Security Plan.

So This is Kuwait -- [Major Andrew Olmsted - in Kuwait]
...We dropped the National Guard unit at another camp before heading north to Buehring, where we will spend about ten days training before we leave for Iraq proper. The training here is intended to reinforce what we learned at Fort Riley, focusing on items considered of particular importance. We'll refire our weapons, conduct some convoy and IED training, and get some more Arabic training, among other things. There are a total of eight days of training scheduled for Camp Buehring.

AFGHANISTAN

Friday, June 29, 2007 -- [ETT PA-C - in Afghanistan]
While I'm attempting to upload a single picture (cross your fingers) I'll elude to an interesting/awkward situation that occurred last night. So, Corrigan, A. Johnson and I went to have Chai tea with the interpreters in the camp. Some of these guys live on camp and have small rooms they live in. Well, they are a very social bunch and like us Americans being in the camp because we treat them well and respect them. (Hold the trust, please) Anyway, they love to have us over for tea and discussions. Anyway, they have satellite TV in their room. Corrigan and I are talking to them and watching them flip channels. Of course there are a plethora of channels, some Russian, Indian, British, the US White House Channel (what the hell) and numerous other adult channels that come in fuzzy etc... Well the guy with the remote stops for about a minute on a Televangelist channel. Some lady was on there talking about Jesus and salvation etc.... they were all fascinated and just looked at it. It reminded me of the RCA dog watching the sun rise. Corrigan and I were looking at eachother in bewilderment. How weird it was to see a bunch of devout Muslims checking this TV show out.

Shura leaders ask for ISAF support -- [ISAF - in Afghansitan]
URUZGAN, Afghanistan (July 1) – More than 40 tribal elders of Mirabad district met with ISAF officials in a shura to discuss ways to support the provincial government and move forward now that Taliban extremists have been expelled from the area by Afghan officials.
Meanwhile, 25 tribal leaders of Chowreh district had a meeting with Maulavi Abdul Hakim Munib, Uruzgan governor; Gen. Dan K. McNeill, ISAF commander; and Maj. Gen. Jacko Page, Regional Command South commander. Also attending the June 30 meeting were the district chief and the district chiefs of the Afghan National Security Forces.
A RC-South spokesman said the shura is a positive development.

Search of IED factory turns up weapons -- [ISAF - in Afghansitan]
URUZGAN, Afghanistan (June 29) – A suspected improvised explosive device-making factory was cleared during an operation here June 28.
“The clearance of this compound hinders the ability of the Taliban extremists to make IEDs and bombs used for suicide bombings that have cause death and injury to Afghan civilians,” said Maj. John Thomas, ISAF spokesman.
ISAF, in support of Afghan National Security Forces, conducted the operation. During a search of the compound a number of weapons and bomb-making equipment was found.
“Successful operations of this nature have an immediate positive affect on the local population,” said Thomas.

News of Afghanistan - The Return IV (Edition 60) -- [Miserable Donuts]
I am grappling with some sort of minor aliment, so this one will be brief, and maybe a little different. I'm still waiting for the Dayquil and Alokozay Tea to work their magic, you see..

The Taliban Cash Cow -- [Strategy Page]
July 2, 2007: The reason you hear so many reports of battles with the Taliban in Afghanistans Helmand province, is because that one area (south of Kandahar and on the Pakistani border), currently produces over 40 percent of the worlds heroin. With less than a million people, Helmand has long been a Taliban stronghold. The Taliban are basically a coalition of Pushtun tribes from southern Afghanistan. The Taliban were unpopular in most of Afghanistan because non-Pustuns (about 60 percent Afghans), and many Pushtuns, did not like having the Taliban lifestyle and customs crammed down their throats

U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Why The South No Longer Fears the North -- [Strategy Page]
July 2, 2007: A major reason for North Korean desperation is the disappearance of its support from Japan. The Korean community in Japan, descendents of slave laborers stranded there after World War II, are prosperous and, until the 1990s, about half of them supported North Korea (mainly because North Korea was more vehemently anti-Japanese.) At its peak, in the 1990s, the pro-north Japanese-Koreans were sending about half a billion dollars worth of cash and goods to North Korea each year.

NK Reactor Shutdown Needs More Six Way Talks -- [GI Korea]
What is so interesting about this is that there is already a date set for the reactor shutdown that was agreed upon in the February 13th agreement between the US and North Korea. In the deal North Korea agreed to shutdown their reactor 60 days from signing the deal. April 13th came and passed with no signs of North Korea shutting down their reactor without receiving first $25 million dollars in money frozen by the US Treasury Department in a Macau bank due to the money being obtained through counterfeiting and money laundering. The return of the money was never in the original agreement and was something North Korea added after signing the February 13th deal.

Our brothers in the UK and the price of liberty -- [Fightin 6th Marines]
As I'm sure most of you are aware, a planned dual car bomb attack was foiled in the early morning hours (EST) in downtown London. I'm watching FoxNews/SkyNews on AFN here and it's horrible to watch. Two car bombs (here in Iraq we call them "suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices" or SVBIEDs... pronounced "ess-vee-bid") in different blocks of the city. They were only foiled by the vigilance of an ambulance crew and alert police.

WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

Bin Laden Was Right: America Is Weak -- [Outside the Wire]
In 1996 Osama bin Laden wrote:
"the extent of your impotence and weaknesses became very clear."
...After Senator Richard Lugar's speech; After Senator Harry Reid's speeches; After several U.S. Representatives declared we should withdraw from Afghanistan....
Is there any doubt that what bin Laden said in 1996 is true?
And if the United States of America cannot withstand the forces of Islamic Terror, what hope is there for the rest of the Western nations?
What happens when once again Islamic Terrorists attack the United States? They know that any threat of force is a just a charade as long as the likes of those above hold elected office.

Al Qaeda Adapts -- [Strategy Page]
July 1, 2007: Al Qaeda continues to take a beating, but you can ignite a media firestorm just saying that. One of the most irritating things about the war on terror, is trying to keep score. Unlike a conventional war, where you can measure territory won and lost, as well as casualties, the current conflict does not really lend itself to those measurements. But there are things that can be measured.

The Car Bomb Jihad: Is Britain seeing clearly? -- [Counterterrorism Blog - Walid Phares]
With each revelation made in Britain and in the West about a foiled plot or after an actual attack, a shower of questions is raised within the mainstream media, some of which contradict the other. The June 29 British success in averting two (maybe more) car bombs in London has also been accompanied by an endless series of issues, revealing among other things how the counterterrorism culture within Western democracies is still lacking in terms of cohesiveness. By comparison with previous conflicts, the analytical behavior of the global war on terror deserves a serious review. Following are a few questions I suggest we consider:

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

Drowning Pool, IAVA & Lizzie Palmer Launch 'This Is For the Soldiers' Campaign -- [IAVA]
Rock Band, Veterans Group and Ohio Teen Ask Young People to Support America's New Veterans
NEW YORK - In what may seem like an unlikely alliance, hard rock band Drowning Pool, non-profit organization Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and 15 year-old YouTube video producer Lizzie Palmer are teaming up to encourage young people to support expanded health care for veterans returning from Iraq & Afghanistan. They are launching a campaign called 'This Is For the Soldiers' and asking Americans to support legislation currently before congress which addresses the urgent need to improve mental health care for veterans. The campaign includes a website (http://www.thisisforthesoldiers.org/) which hosts a petition urging Congress to support the Lane Evans Mental Health Care Reform bill along with a powerful music video created by Palmer.
While 'This Is For the Soldiers' officially kicks off the week of July 4th, supporting the troops is nothing new for those involved. Rockers Drowning Pool toured with the USO and performed for troops in Iraq, Kuwait and South Korea in 2005 and 2006. "We have had the opportunity to meet the troops overseas, come back to the States and get invited to different bases in difference cities. We have spent countless hours with soldiers who do what they do without question and you can't help being touched by that," said Drowning Pool lead singer Ryan McCombs.

No thank you, Mrs. Speaker -- [My Desert Adventure - in Iraq]
Recently, the Speaker of the house reiterated her desire to pull out American forces from Iraq. She stated that withdrawal was the best way to support the troops:
“Democrats are committed to an American military that is second to none. That is why in this Congress we have made huge investments in America's military readiness. And we will always do whatever it takes to support our troops. But we believe that the best way to support our troops in Iraq is to bring them home.”
Funny, no politician ever asked me how they could help. I hate being away from my family, but right now, my place is here. If I have to stay another year, I will.

Good News For Yaderlin Jimenez -- [One Nation Under Blog]
The wife of Alex R. Jimenez, one of the two U.S. soldiers kidnapped and feared dead after an Al Qaeda-led ambush in May in the Triangle of Death, has been issued a green card and can stay in the U.S. indefinitely.
Yaderlin Jimenez, like her husband, is a native of the Dominican Republican, but she entered the U.S. illegally prior to marrying him in 2004. She had been listed for deportation despite being married to a naturalized U.S. citizen because she did not apply for a green card.
Alex Jimenez helped her apply for a green card when he was home on leave from Iraq, but an immigration judge refused the request. The Army then intervened and asked that an exception be made on a hardship basis.

MILITARY

Inept Bureaucrats Screw Soldiers -- [Strategy Page]
July 2, 2007: The U.S. Army has a major morale problem on its hands, and it has nothing to do with combat or overseas service. This time, it's a purely bureaucratic screw up, having to do with unpaid insurance premiums, for insurance the troops didn't want. It all started when the Veterans Administration made available Family Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI). This provides low cost coverage for troops' spouses and children. Great idea, but the army managed to screw it up by not getting permission of all the troops before enrolling them in the program. That was compounded by not collecting premiums for 25,000 troops, for up to six years. This was a purely administrative error. But now the army is trying to collect some $25 million from about 26,000 soldiers.

Officer Found "Not Guilty" in Shooting of Air Man in 2006 -- [The Middle Ground]
"Anonymous" left a link in my original post regarding Air Man Carrion who was shot in February 2006 by a San Bernadino Deputy Sheriff.
Apparently, a jury decided that the officer was "not guilty" for attempted manslaughter and assault with a firearm.
...I have nothing against the officer or police in general, but this is a miscarriage of justice. Drinking, car chase, cursing, etc neither excuses nor validates this officers actions.

IN MEMORY OF...

A hero falls -- [Eagle1]
On his submarine's battle flag was the symbol of a railroad train which his crew "sank."
...Fluckey passed away on June 29. He was one of the most daring and successful submarine skippers of World War II -- he was credited with sinking 29.3 enemy ships totaling more than 146,00 tons -- Eugene Fluckey helped lead and inspire our Navy to victory. He inspires us still today. We will miss him sorely.
In addition to the Medal of Honor, they pinned upon his chest four Navy Crosses, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit and a host of other unit and campaign awards. He was known for his audacity and courage, on more than one occasion

POLITICS

If Bush And Cheney Don’t Cooperate With Subpoenas He Will Push To Find Them In Contempt Of Co
Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee

Leahy: If Bush And Cheney Don’t Cooperate With Subpoenas He Will Push To Find Them In Contempt Of Co
Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Patrick Leahy, (D-VT) was on “Meet The Press” this morning to discuss the ongoing DOJ and White House scandals. and clearly states that if George Bush and Dick Cheney continue to withhold requested documents and ignore the subpoenas they have been issued, he will hold a vote to hold them in contempt of Congress. If the Democrats are paying any attention to their miserable poll numbers and the blogs, they will see that America is clamoring for them to stand up to our out of control Executive Branch and force them to comply with the law. Leahy did well this morning, calling Timmeh out on his RNC, straw man question right out of the gate

The DCCC's Independence Day Attack -- [RedState]
...Among those on the list, the targeting of Kirk is particularly ironic and, one could argue, dishonest. Yes, Kirk represents a fairly liberal district on the Northshore that is upset about the war in Iraq. And yes, Kirk got more of a race from Dan Seals last November than he initially expected, prevailing 53-47. Seals announced last week he's signed up to take another run at Kirk in '08, and the DCCC is doing its part to keep Kirk as soft and fat of a target as possible.
...As I said, Kirk is vulnerable over his initial support for the war, but trying to attack him as neglecting US soldiers and veterans is exceedingly dishonest - and doing it over the Fourth of July holiday only makes it that much more shameful.

THE MEDIA

Why is it the some of the most ardent supporters of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are the very men and women who have actually been and fought there?
...Throughout my second tour I kept a blog at www.boredsoldier.blogspot.com and came to realize the need for the American public to hear the truth about what is really going on in Iraq. Ever since I returned home I have been reminded of this fact day in and day out as I encounter people from both sides of the political spectrum who don’t have the slightest clue what is really going on in the Middle East. As I try to explain why they don’t need to be entirely discouraged about the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan I wish there was some place I could point them to where they could find out what is really going on. We all know (at least I hope) that it is near impossible to glean the truth from the MSM when it comes to reporting on Iraq and Afghanistan. Whether this is the fault of the reporters or of the higher ups doesn’t really concern me. What does concern me is that a biased media is misleading the world at large.

William Arkin Dips His Toe Into Sub Waters Again -- [The Stupid Shall Be Punished ]
Back in early 2006, Washington Post National and Homeland Security writer William Arkin (best known in the mil-blogosphere for his recent "the troops have obscene amenities" article) wrote about USS Virginia's initial deployment to SOUTHCOM; his story had so many errors that he was forced to devote another column to correcting them a few days later. (My responses to those articles can be found here and here.)
He's venturing back into the submarine waters again with today's post, based on an E-mail he received from an alleged Trident JO with a bad attitude who was responding to his post earlier this month expressing horror at the SSGN conversion program.

In what many are calling a final act of spite, BBC cut off Blair’s final speech [Media Blog - Tom Gross]
Attacking him to the last, the BBC cut off British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s final speech to the House of Commons on Wednesday. The BBC – which as a state-funded organization is meant to be impartial – has never forgiven Blair for Iraq. No wonder Blair recently called the British media a “feral beast ”.

CNN Rediscovers Saddam's Govt Backed Terrorism, Notes Clinton Airstrike Anniversary -- [NewsBusters]
On Tuesday's The Situation Room, CNN's Wolf Blitzer noted that it was the 14th anniversary of a cruise missile attack on Iraq, ordered by then-President Clinton, in retaliation for a plot to assassinate former President Bush in Kuwait earlier that year. CNN also played a clip of the CNN correspondent from June 26, 1993 in which, referring to President Clinton's speech to the nation, Blitzer relayed the Clinton administration's desire "to make sure that the Iraqi government does not engage in what the U.S. describes as state-sponsored terrorism." (Transcript follows)

HUMOR / SATIRE

Obama, Clinton Redistribute Campaign Cash to Poor Rivals -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-07-02) — Senators Barak Obama, D-IL, and Hillary Clinton, D-NY, today turned presidential campaigning on its head when they announced that the combined $52 million in primary campaign cash they raised in the second quarter would be redistributed to less fortunate candidates like Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel, and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich.
In a joint news release, Senators Obama and Clinton said, “The fundamental principles of the Democrat party say that the rich and powerful have an obligation to help the poor and downtrodden.”

Day By Day

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