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

Three Marks on the Horizon -- [Michael Yon - in Iraq]
Almost everyone (by now) must have heard about the “lazy” Iraqi parliament members who, like so many Neros fiddling while Rome burns around them, are taking a month off. Yet comparatively few Americans will ever hear or read about IA Scorpion Company Commander Captain Baker; or Iraqi entrepreneur and community catalyst, “Tonto”; or the Mayor of Baqubah, who summoned the courage to step out of the shadow of al Qaeda and fight to get his constituents a warehouse-sized stockpile of food.

Operation Lightning Hammer in Diyala -- [The Fourth Rail]
Clearing operation launched against al Qaeda in Iraq in the Diyala River Valley
On the same day Multinational Forces Iraq announced Phantom Strike, a major operation against the networks of al Qaeda in Iraq and Iranian-backed Shia terror groups, Coalition forces announced the onset of a major clearing operation in Diyala province. Dubbed Operation Lightning Hammer, elements of two Iraqi Army divisions, Diyala police, five US combat brigades and a combat air brigade are striking al Qaeda positions in the Diyala River Valley north of Baqubah.

Iraq Briefing 13 August 2007 -- [Pentegon Channel]

Baghdad, part deux -- [Letters from the other side of the World - in Iraq]
...A few hours after we rolled in to the BIAP fortress, me and some other Joes had to go to the other side of the airstrip to meet with a VIP.
It seems a U.S. senator from the great state of Illinois -- not the one running for president -- was passing through and wanted to talk with troops from home.
I was really tired -- I'd only had about five hours sleep out of the last 48 -- and I think it showed. I felt like I creeped out the man.
...He went on to ask us where we were from, who was a Cubs of Sox fan -- the usual grip and grab stuff, but I felt like he had an agenda to push.
The senator, to me, seemed very keen on hearing the word "frustrated" come from the Joes when he asked about dealing with the Iraqi government. He also was quick to point out how much money the U.S. has spent and we're still having a tough go. The reporter in me had the thought of seeing a plug in the news about how the troops told lawmakers they're "frustrated" with the situation. That's when I opened my mouth. Paraphrasing, I babbled it's tough to get anything done in Iraq. But the hallmark of any society lies in part in its criminal justice system, and that if we could have some more time to help the Iraqis get on their feet, it'd be a feather in our cap.
The senator blinked and then it was time for some snapshots. At least he showed up to say "hi," which does give him a few points in my book.

Incognito to 180-Out -- [Desert Flier - in Iraq]
...by far, the most noteworthy information I have to share is the current state of Ramadi's security. A stark contrast to what we saw in February when we arrived in Anbar, Ramadi is now one of the top success stories coming out of Iraq in the past six months. Iraqi Police have been working hand in hand with our units in and around the surrounding Province, and attacks have been virtually non-existent for weeks on end. The media has also keenly picked up on our successes, and have been reporting that Ramadi, and the cooperation and open exchange of information with local Sheiks we have enjoyed, should be the model considered for transforming the unstable, hold-out Provinces left in the Country.

Marne Forward Part 2

Ambassador Crocker Visits Ramadi -- [Badgers Forward - in Iraq]
Remember when Al Anbar was a lost cause? Now people make comments like "he is lucky to be in Al Anbar."
Remember when Senator McCain visited Baghdad and characterized the situation as improved and received no end of grief because he wore a vest and had protection?
Here is an ABC News report of Ambassador Crocker visiting Ramadi recently. You will note that he walks around town wearing no vest.

Major attacks decline in Iraq -- [USA Todday]
The number of truck bombs and other large al-Qaeda-style attacks in Iraq have declined nearly 50% since the United States started increasing troop levels in Iraq about six months ago, according to the U.S. military command in Iraq.
The high-profile attacks — generally large bombs hitting markets, mosques or other "soft" targets that produce mass casualties — have dropped to about 70 in July from a high during the past year of about 130 in March, according to the Multi-National Force — Iraq.

Iraq Report: Assassination campaigns -- [The Fourth Rail]
Both the Mahdi Army and al Qaeda in Iraq appear to have conducted bold assassination attempts on Iraqis working with the Coalition. Both attacks occurred on August 11, one in Baghdad and the other in the contested city of Diwaniyah.

Coalition Forces Capture Key Financier of Special Groups Terrorists -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces captured a key financier of Special Groups terrorists during a pre-dawn raid Monday in Western Baghdad. The detained individual is believed to be a Special Groups leader for the Bayaa province in Western Baghdad.

No shots were fired when Coalition Forces conducted a ground assault to capture or kill a suspected key financier of the “Special Groups” that are believed to have direct ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps – Quds Force (IRGC-QF). These Special Groups terrorists are suspected of killing Iraqi citizens, directing attacks against Coalition Forces, and promoting sectarian violence.

General expresses optimism about Iraqi Police progress -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD — The deputy commander of the Civilian Police Assistance Training Team operating in Iraq said Friday that he’s feeling “very, very optimistic” about progress over the past several months.
U.S. Army Brig. Gen. David D. Phillips told civilian defense experts he’s seen big changes since 2004, when he helped stand up the Baghdad Police Academy as commander of the 89th Military Police Brigade.
“I’ve seen significant differences in the way the academy is run,” he said via teleconference from Baghdad.

Ashes and Dust -- [Jeff Emanuel - in Iraq]
"You may get to see some action today after all," he said to me, sardonically, as we walked back to the vehicle. Once we were safely inside, and he had made his request for a helicopter, Geiger said to me, "We have to let the National Police handle this – we can give them backup and moral support, but this is their show, for two reasons. One, we don't have enough people to go running into a situation that we just don't have enough information about." (The squad he had brought with him consisted of six total dismounted soldiers – the rest of his platoon was carrying out a different tasking at the northern camp of Rustamiyah.) "Second, did you hear the woman saying that the NPs couldn't do anything? We're going to be gone from here sooner or later, and we have to leave a police force that is used to taking on things like this – and a population who knows that they are capable of it."

The Ligers -- [Jason's Iraq Vacation - in Iraq]
...I continued on, "It's like this: If we fail to make a mission here, our coalition HQ comes down on the coalition advisor's here. Who, then, is coming down on the Iraqi's? That's supposed to be our job in a way, but do you really thing the Iraqi's are paying much heed when they know we'll be gone in 8 months?"
No response, so I drove forward. "What needs to happen is our HQ needs to put aside their arrogance and start letting the Iraqi's command the Iraqi's. Then, when a mission fails, have an Iraqi general come down hard on the Iraqi commanders here. These guys are lifers - you better believe they care when their commanding officers bring a shit storm down on them!"

Good News and Operational Energy -- [The Tank - W. Thomas Smith Jr - in Iraq]
AL TAQADDUM — There is so much more to the story of Iraq — specifically Al Anbar — that I've yet to have time to get into here at "The Tank:" Good news about amazing progress that I can't wait to explain once I begin my more detailed NRO stories over the coming weeks.

Courageous Iraqi Kidnapped -- [Michael Yon - in Iraq]
Associated Press journalist Talal Mohammed has been kidnapped. Although I learned this information earlier, I did not report it out of concern for his safety. Now that the Associated Press has officially reported his kidnapping, the need for secrecy is diminished.
I met Talal on the first day of Operation Arrowhead Ripper. There was a shootout going on somewhere very close. Many shots could be heard, yet Talal had come in to report on the operation. He saw my camera and walked up showing his press ID.

Welcome Back! -- [Assad Baghdad - in Iraq]
...what I found in my conversations with people at home, but in a nutshell, if I can give a quick assessment, it's that Americans are simply hungry for straight talk about Iraq from all sides--they just want to know, what is really happening.
So, I'll close for today simply by saying that it is good to be back in Bagtown. Seriously, it is. What motivates me here is knowing that I have an important mission to accomplish. After being at home, I'm further motivated by the encouragement and good wishes of so many Americans who want us to succeed. With an eye toward next spring when this deployment will come to a close, I'll do my best to honor those good wishes, make a difference here, and come home safely.

The million man march... -- [Eighty Deuce On The Loose - In Iraq]
...In general, when approached alone or in small groups, most Iraqis seem to show that they are happy to see us and glad we are here. But as soon as you get a big group of them together, then apparently it is cool to hate on Americans and that seems to be the trend. I guess it doesn't help that the route the were taking meant that most of the pilgrims we were seeing were coming from Sadr City, know to be quite anti-American.
The rest of the day was uneventful, with what I would consider "busy work" for us to do, because, well they didn't really have anything for us to do. Unfortunately they had enough of this to keep us busy well in to the night and by the time we finished and head to go to sleep, we were looking at about 6 hours. Thats before you factor in the time to settle down, fall asleep and also waking up for an hour guard shift. Fun fun!!
The next day the vechicle ban was lifted but there wasn't much traffic. This was the last day of the holiday, so there were still a decent amount of people in the street and not really much else going on.

Sadr Traffic and the Future for a Departing Soldier -- [Matt Sanchez - in Iraq]

Knocking On Doors -- [The Unlikely Soldier - in Iraq]
It's still dark out and one eye sees dimly with whatever moonlight there is. No power in this neighborhood, and that's the norm. The other eye sees with the NODs, the night vision, in shades of green with skewed depth perception. Nearly a dozen of you walking down the streets. Heel-toe, heel-toe. Quietly as possible. Don't kick rocks or trash. Speak in rare hushed whispers and hand signals.
The gate is locked. This isn't your standard American style gate on a flimsy chain link fence. The walls are five to six feet high and the gate is cheap metal, but it's still solid. There is no reaching through, and this one is locked. Breaching it would make way too much noise.
"Psst! Suspect! Up and over!"
I hand my M4 to a buddy and step on the plate on someone else's back as they get down on their hands and knees and hoist myself over, silently as possible.

My Head Still Hurts -- [All Quiet on the Southwest Asian Front - in Iraq]
I felt a CRACK of the shockwave, then a cloud of dust and shards or what I guess were concrete pelted my back and neck. Luckily, no shrapnel, thanks to a slight misalignment of the next T-wall which shadowed my spot from the worst of the blast. I still couldn't hear very well for several minutes, and wasn't sure that I'd escaped more than that.
The door guards at the PX Threw on their body armor as six or seven of us that had taken shelter in the entrance-way huddled for a moment, then made a dash for one of the real impact shelters across the street the other way. But as soon as we got there, the calls for medics started behind us, so I whipped out my flashlight and ran into the dust cloud around the impact point with two medics right behind me. We called as we ran, "Who needs a medic? Anyone there?" "Medic! Here! I'm hit!" came back with a Spanish accent. I led with its beam to the first voice we could zoom in on, an bleeding SGT stumbling along calling to us. He was none too steady on his feet. He said he could feel he'd been hit, but wasn't sure where. I ran my light over him,

Iraq Update: Part 5 -- [ON Point - Andrew Lubin]
The political and military situation in Iraq continues to veer in different directions. As the military situation continues to improve in many parts of the country ( Anbar, Diyala, and other northern areas ), Prime Minister Maleki’s government continues to implode. On the political front, with the resignation Monday of four more ministers, the total is now 17 cabinet ministers who have either resigned, or refused to work within the framework of the Shia-heavy government of Nouri Al-Maleki....

Prisoners and Sun bathing. -- [Matt Sanchez - in Iraq]

"Is this Juarez?" -- [Jim Spiri - in Iraq]
...As anyone else would imagine, why are border patrol agents from the US here in Iraq, while our own borders
are still a major problem? What I saw however today, is that what is being done here, is not just a learning process for the Iraqi authorities who eventually will take over the process one day on their own, but it is also a highly intensified border control experience that will benefit the controlling of our own borders back home.
This is an excellent opportunity to not only stem the flow of foreign fighters into the Iraq war zone, but also an excellent opportunity to train up in such an intense environment that deals with every aspect of border control in a
war environment.

'Get It Done' -- [Opinion Journal]
Gen. Petraeus is a man of "straightforward decisiveness" who values "action with results."
In the lives of interesting people, there are bound to be interesting events. This is about one in the life of Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. troops in Iraq.
Gen. Petraeus of course will be all over television in September, reporting to Congress on the war, and America will be getting used to him. He is not in an easy position. The left and most Democrats are invested in the idea of Iraq as disaster. The right and most Republicans placed their bets on the president and the decision to invade

AFGHANISTAN

The Taliban Ducks and Decentralizes -- [Strategy Page]
August 13, 2007: The Taliban is changing its leadership arrangements, after losing two top military commanders in the last few months. Rather than trying to reconstitute the top command, the Taliban have told local commanders to run their own show, without any orders from a central command. There is still a central Taliban leadership, but it is mainly a political one. Any centralized resources (cash, weapons) will be allocated to whichever of the local groups (one or two per province) appear to have the best prospects of success. The senior Taliban political leadership will set overall goals, but not provide any military direction on how to carry out that strategy.

Afghanistan Complaint Department -- [The Tank - Steve Schippert]
What reads like a screed at the Daily Kos or the Democratic Underground actually comes from "a former U.S. diplomat and staff reporter at TIME," Edward M. Gomez, in a semi-coherent entry at the San Francisco Gate.
Just what is anybody doing anymore - U.S. troops, British and Canadian soldiers, other NATO forces - in George W. Bush's war (or whatever it is) in Afghanistan? Does anybody know what its aims and strategy once were or are now supposed to be? Does Bush himself know or, as he sets off on the month-long vacation his handlers have renamed, with their usual, Orwellian touch, a "recess," does he even care?
Interestingly, the above was apparently edited after its initial posting, as the cached Google reference that sent me there read "George W. Bush, Jr.'s war," which explains even more accurately the intent behind the usage of "recess" by Gomez. As the open appeared in the Google News cache link:
Meanwhile, back in Afghanistan...

On the Road to Jalalabad -- [Opinion Journal]
Don't believe the naysayers. Afghanistan is doing as well as anyone has a right to expect.
AFGHANISTAN--Sen. Hillary Clinton has cynically charged that we are "losing the fight to al Qaeda and bin Laden" in Afghanistan. But on my eighth trip to Afghanistan (last month) I saw that the trend lines are up, not down.
The first encouraging sign came in Dubai as I boarded my flight for Kabul. Afghanistan's main private air carrier, Kam Air, has recently added a second daily round trip between Kabul and Dubai.

Shootin an ied in afghanistan

IED found in road shot with 240

The Future . . . -- [Richard's Deployment to Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
In our hospital we have Soldiers and Airmen who are here for a variety of tour lengths; 90 days, 120 days, 180 days, 365 days and even some for 15 months. It makes for quite a diverse work environment. Some are planning to go home while others are not even half-way through their tour! We bond quickly, and separate painfully, and then the cycle begins again.
By the time I finish this deployment I will have worked with four different USAF rotations and four different USAR rotations, plus all the individuals who backfill during R&R leave. In all, after 12 months here with my 45-man hospital I will have worked with over 100 different individual staff members!

Eagle Scout -- [A JAG in Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
...As you may recall, he did his Eagle Project collecting school and humanitarian supplies, made hygiene kits, collected toys, clothes, backpacks and other great things for the kids. He organized the Scouts and they collected items from all over our area. Janae can give you the exact number but they easily sent over 60 boxes of supplies over here. For a month or so the guys at the Post Office “hated” me because I received so many boxes.
His donations were distributed in two different missions. I’ll post some pictures from both. I know that lots of kids were benefited by his efforts as well as the efforts of all those who donated.

Lost.......uh......um......what the H........You had me at hello. -- [ETT PA-C - in Afghanistan]
Found at checkpoint. Lost something. Cross between inner city crack addict, chuwawa and hyena. Kind of reminds me of my future brother-in-laws dog. You should see that thing!

U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Majority Backs Getting Invaded -- [Strategy Page]
A recent opinion survey showed that 58 percent of Iranians would support a foreign invasion to overthrow the current religious dictatorship. However, nearly 70 percent would prefer a popular, but non-violent, revolution, like the one that tossed out European communist dictatorships in 1989-90. Worse, 92 percent do not approve of how their government operates. Only eleven percent oppose democracy, and 72 percent did not support the "Islamic Revolution" that has dominated the country for 28 years. Still, most Iranians are not willing to fight, knowing that the minority of Iranians who do support the government are armed and willing to kill Iranians that oppose them. The survey also showed that 78 percent of Iranians believe the country should have nuclear power, but only

The ACLU sues JetBlue on behalf of a passenger who happens to be an Arab -- [TigerHawk]
In the category of bad cases having the potential to make bad law, consider the case of Raed Jarrar v. JetBlue (complaint(pdf)). On August 12, 2006, Jarrar -- an Iraqi architect and well-trafficked blogger -- arrived for a JetBlue in New York sporting a t-shirt that said in Arabic and English "We will not be silenced." August 12 was two days after the discovery of the plot by Arabs in the United Kingdom to blow up aircraft flying across the Atlantic, so the United States was at a high level of vigilence. Not surprisingly, an Arab-looking person wearing a confrontational Arabic political message unnerved some of the passengers, and the TSA intervened:

WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

Jihadist/Islamist Websites and Their Hosts (List II): Websites Supporting the Jihad in Iraq - Hosted in the U.S. -- [MEMRI]
As part of their warfare against the Coalition forces in Iraq, terrorist organizations have been using cyberspace to enhance the psychological effect of their attacks within their ranks, to enhance recruitment, and to extend the reach of their propaganda.
The following is a list of active Jihadist/Islamist websites supporting the jihad in Iraq, divided into four categories. [1]
All the websites, forums, and blogs supporting jihad in Iraq are hosted by companies in the West, mostly in the United States.

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

Darryl Sharratt on life after Haditha -- [Pundit Review]
Darryl Sharratt, father of innocent Haditha Marine Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt, returned to Pundit Review to tell us about the great news the family received this week.

Helping Life Go On -- [The Tank - Kathryn Jean Lopez]
From the Orange County Register:
SAN ONOFRE BEACH, CAMP PENDLETON - Chuck Hayter stood in front of a new beige handicapped-access cabin with light blue trim overlooking the Pacific Ocean here on Friday and said he would love to stay in it.
The Marine captain with the recently activated Wounded Warrior Battalion – West, who was injured in Afghanistan, was among about 100 who attended a dedication service for what is believed to be the first such cabin put on a U.S. military installation using non-government funds.
"So when Marines come out here to use the beach, they're going to see the support from the community in this building here," Hayter said.

The Launch of the 2008 Calendar - Benefit Calendar for Veteran Hospitals -- [Pin Ups for Vets]
People ask me all the time how the “Pin-Ups For Vets” calendar project came to be...
A few years ago, I started seeing news articles about under-funded Veterans’ healthcare programs. Then, there were stories about older Veterans who lay in bed day after day, never receiving any visitors. Reports started surfacing on TV about the severe injuries sustained by our troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Good News Friday(B*N*S*N)1 -- [Tanker Brothers]
Remember a while back how the msm vultures were all over the stories of how bad things were at Walter Reed? The media fell all over each other in their haste to inform the public of whatever negative stuff they could dig up. Here, of course, we shared a letter from a Chaplain who was there and knew Walter Reed well. This week, there was a good news story out of Walter Reed that I only found on the Army site. I don't waste my time scouring the msm, but often it is hard to avoid. No surprise - this story hasn't made it to msm as far as I can tell:

IN MEMORY OF...

Honoring the dead -- [Fightin 6th Marines - in Iraq]
Honoring the dead from wars past isn't something that stops once hostilities end. When Marines from 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines, rolled up their tents and packed their wagons to head home earlier this month, the last thing they did before they left was clean up a British cemetary from World War 2. Our correspondent with 3/6, Lance Cpl. Christopher Zahn, writes to tell us how that effort went.

Convicted Marine Hutchins Gains Public Support -- [Salem News - HT: Gateway Pundit]
Thanks to Papa Ray for sending this story on the court marshal of marine Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins from the Salem News:

Entertainer, Businessman Griffin Dies -- [AP]
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Merv Griffin, the entertainer turned impresario who parlayed his "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune" game shows into a multimillion-dollar empire, has died. He was 82. Griffin died of prostate cancer, according to a statement from his the family that was released by Marcia Newberger, spokeswoman for The Griffin Group/Merv Griffin Entertainment.

MILITARY

Rubber-Stamp RAND Report Excuses Women in Land Combat -- [The Tank - Elaine Donnelly]
The long-delayed RAND Report on the issue of women in combat, quietly released last Thursday in the absence of Congress, is an affront to the military. It denies the clear meaning and even the existence of a key Defense Department (DoD) regulation, called the “collocation rule.” That regulation, which remains in effect, exempts female soldiers from involuntary assignment in support units that physically remain or embed with direct-ground-combat units, such as the infantry. The Rubber Stamp RAND Report also ignores the Army’s willful disregard of the law requiring formal approval by the secretary of defense and notice to Congress in advance of regulatory changes affecting our female soldiers.
The Department of Defense should demand a refund for this mess of a report, delivered almost a year and a half beyond the delivery date mandated by Congress.

Where Have All The Gunners Gone -- [Strategy Page]
August 12, 2007: Iraq has been good news and bad news for American artillerymen. On the bright side, the cannoneers finally got "smart" (GPS guided) shells and rockets. No more firing dozens of shells per target, to make sure you took it out. Now, one or two smart shells or rockets, and the job it done. The smart shells are important in Iraq, because a lot of the action is in residential areas, where accuracy is critical. Before the smart shells and rockets showed up last year, the troops had to use smart bombs or missiles. The smart bombs were often too big (the smallest one was the 500 pounder), and you had to call in the air force (an air controller on the ground, was not always handy). The missiles were regularly carried by army attack helicopters, but the hundred pound Hellfire was often not large enough. The smart shells and rockets were just the right size, and they were under the control of the army.

H&I Fires* 11 Aug 07 -- [Castle Argghhh!]
Yesterday's meeting of the Veterans and Military Affairs Advisory Council that Congresswoman Nancy Boyda has established went well. She's pulled together a broad assortment of people with relevant expertise, from retired general officers of multiple services and components to people with specific specialties in military affairs, to family members and multi-component non-commissioned officers. A decently diverse group covering the ground that the council title lists.

WELCOME HOME

Welcome Home Party Pictures -- [Rmychk's Oh So Optimistic Blog - home from Iraq]
Thank you to all who could make it! I had a great time seeing you and meeting some of you for the first time.

POLITICS

· BREAKING: Karl Rove To Quit, He Tells WSJ -- [PJM]
Karl Rove, President Bush's close friend and chief political strategist, plans to leave the White House at the end of August, he told Wall Street Journal's Paul Gigot. PJM will be tracking the reaction.

President's Radio Address -- [WhiteHouse Press Release]
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. In America, August is considered a slow news month. But in the war on terror, America and our allies remain on the offense against our enemies. And this month, we've had some encouraging news from both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Earlier this week, I had a good meeting with President Karzai of Afghanistan at Camp David. He updated me on the work his government is doing to help build a more hopeful future for the Afghan people. He told me that senior officials and tribal leaders from Afghanistan and Pakistan are meeting to discuss how to deal with the extremists who are targeting both their countries. And he explained why he's confident that his government will prevail against the Taliban remnants who continue to launch attacks throughout his country.
Here's how President Karzai put it:

Success In Iraq Rains On Democrats’ Plans For ‘08 -- [SoCalPundit]
The Power Point presentations produced by Democrat campaign strategists for the 2008 election cycle are about to hit the recycle bin. What was thought just one month ago to be the way for Democrats to build their majorities in the House and Senate and recapture the White House look anything but certain today.

Surrender Is As Surrender Does -- [Jules Crittenden]
Surrender enthusiasts may finally be surrendering. Dem candidates say getting out of Iraq may take years:

THE MEDIA

Wrong Way -- [Jules Crittenden]
Genocide-preferring NYT ed board, noting that Britain’s slow exit from Basra has left serious problems in its wake, takes a firm stand for a more responsible rush to abandonment. Aptly headlined “Wrong Way out of Iraq” is short, sweet, and utterly chilling in its cold willingness to relegate U.S. troops to encircling Iraq and watching the mass murderfest, with a mandate only to lob bombs at questionably identifiable targets:

Thunder Run Radio! -- [Thunder Run]
Well not exactly.
I am not starting a segment on Blog Talk Radio, not yet at least, but I will be on the Andrea Shea King show Monday night at 9:00 pm EDT to discuss my interview with LTC Fred Johnson and any other topic that comes up during the hour.
Information on the show can be found at her web site, or you can listen live by clicking on this link or the button below.

Why The New York Times Can Legally Help The Enemy in The War on Terror -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
In July 2007, the Washington Post gave a Hezbollah supporter full coverage of an online column on Jihadism, and in June 2007, both the New York Times and the Washington Post printed editorials by a Hamas figure.

The Army Responds -- [Bill Roggio]
I recently emailed Col. Steve Boylan asking for whatever information he could provide regarding the status of the investigation of Scott Thomas Beauchamp. Here is his response:
His command's investigation is complete. At this time, there is no formal what we call Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) actions being taken. However, there are other Administrative actions or what we call Non-Judicial Punishment that can be taken if the command deems appropriate. These are again administrative in nature and as such are not releasable to the public by law.

Words of Wisdom - Let the Warfighters Focus on the Real Issues -- [SWJ]
An e-mail recieved today from Colonel Steve Boylan, MNF-I CG PAO. The subject line: The Issues with Beauchamp...
It doesn't matter anymore. An investigation was completed at the unit level and it was found that there was nobody that could support his claims. The young PVT has now decided at least for the time being from what I have been told, not to engage with the media whether they be traditional media or alternative media (blogs/online pubs, etc).
That is his right.
This has become a huge distraction for the unit and those above him. The issue has been taken care of within the unit as it should be. I ask that all that feel compelled to continue this discourse to STOP. Enough is enough. We have a lot more to worry about than what one young albeit perhaps wet behind the ears Private chooses to write about that turns out not to be very accurate and made its way into the online world of media. This should have never, never made it over to the main media and should stop.

LA Times Item on Art Students Painting Their Anti-War Politics -- [NewsBusters]
Today's Los Angeles Times op-ed page item "The art of war" contains drawings on the subject of the Iraq war done by students of visual arts teacher Steve Brodner at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. The drawing displayed here, of Pres. Bush in a bubble floating over a mound of skulls, typifies the attitudes expressed, all of which are opposed to the war and the Bush administration in one form or other

HUMOR / SATIRE

Rove Quits White House to Run Hillary Campaign -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-08-13) — Karl Rove, the chief adviser to George Bush since 1993, in a new interview with the Wall Street Journal, said he would resign from the Bush administration effective August 31, to spend more time with family and to head up the presidential campaign of Democrat front runner Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY.
Mr. Rove called the move “a cold calculated decision to remain in charge of the U.S. government indefinitely.”
“I crave power,” Mr. Rove told the Journal, “and I can’t get my fix working for a lame duck president.

British Morale In Iraq

Day By Day

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