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

The Ghosts of Anbar -- [Michael Yon - in Iraq]
Part One: The Paradox of Counterinsurgency
Iraq and this part of the world are complicated in the way, and by the way, that dysfunction always is “complicated.” Worse, in this labyrinth of history, where recent rumors have as much cache as ancient myths, facts fade quickly into mirage, granting mistakes and missteps a kind of perverse permanence. Fertile ground for paradoxes.

Interview with Lt. Col. William F. Mullen -- [Captain's Journal]
TCJ: How badly has the lack of political reconciliation harmed the efforts to pacify the Anbar Province and in particular Fallujah? It seems that there is still much animosity between Fallujah and Baghdad.
Lt. Col. Mullen: I cannot comment too much on the political situation in Baghdad, but the people here do not like the Iraqi Government and blame them for all the shortcomings in fuel, food and essential services. I will say also though that things are rarely as bad as the Iraqi’s make them out to be. They are prone to serious over exaggeration and always want to blame someone else. It is never their fault. For example, fuel arrives in the city, but to make extra money, the truck drivers sell it to “free enterprise” folks that then sell it curbside from plastic jugs - it is known as black market fuel where we come from. They charge much more than normal and keep the fuel from getting to the gas stations and city government in enough amounts to keep them open and operating. They also tap into electrical and water lines illegally to get better service, all of which seriously degrades the overall service provided. The city government is working on these things, but they all contribute to the problems Fallujah is having, and the Fallujans blame it all on the “Iranians” who make up the current.

Anbar Awakening -- [Matt Sanchez - in Iraq]
Anbar is at the center of the famous Sunni Triangle, the triangle of death. Just last September a "secret" intelligence report, that somehow reached the hands of the mainstream media, declared the former Baathist stronghold "lost" to American forces. Al Qaeda declared Anbar city of Ramadi, the capital of The Islamic State of Iraq.
Things have changed since the "spurge". Over the next few days, we'll bring you commentary and analysis of the people who have caused that change, as well as assessments of where things are heading in a place the media declared the "Key to Victory in Iraq"

Hugh Hewitt: Deputy on Iraq

They never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. -- [Iraq the Model - iraqis in Iraq]
In the last few weeks, the major political parties in Iraq have kept taking turns at damaging the political process and ultimately their own government. First, the ministers of both the Accord Front and Allawi’s bloc withdrew from the cabinet almost simultaneously, just as the unjustified summer recess was starting.
Last week, the Kurds and Shias added their share of the damage by announcing their new coalition of four parties. The move is wrong in both timing and principle; on the one hand, the date for Gen. Petraeus’ progress report in September is getting near. On the other, it’s a step in the exact opposite direction to what is needed in terms of the surge — the lifeline America has extended to save the country and allow the government in Baghdad to win the confidence of its people.
In fact I don’t know what those people were thinking when they formed this coalition; instead of trying to mend the rift and glue back the fractured unity government they come and officially reduce the government to a Shia-Kurdish alliance and further sideline reluctant Sunnis and seculars.

Audio Interview -- [Jim Spiri in Iraq]
Jim Spiri talks with Spc. Simon Valdez, from Albq, NM.

Citizen sacrifices life to thwart suicide bomber -- [MNF-I]
FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – An Iraqi man saved the lives of four U.S. Soldiers and eight civilians when he intercepted a suicide bomber during a Concerned Citizens meeting in the town of al-Arafia Aug. 18.
The incident occurred while Soldiers from 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, were talking with members of the al-Arafia Concerned Citizens, a volunteer community group, at a member’s house.
“I was about 12 feet away when the bomber came around the corner,” said Staff Sgt. Sean Kane, of Los Altos, Calif., acting platoon sergeant of Troop B, 3-1 Cav. “I was about to engage when he jumped in front of us and intercepted the bomber as he ran toward us. As he pushed him away, the bomb went off.”
The citizen’s actions saved the lives of four U.S. Soldiers and eight civilians.

Citizens turn in 4 caches -- [MNF-I]
MAHMUDIYAH, Iraq — Iraqi concerned citizens led Coalition Forces to four caches located in the southern belts around Baghdad Aug. 19.
Troops of Company B, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) out of Fort Drum, N.Y., and 4th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, were alerted Aug. 19 there were two caches near a highway in the Mahmudiyah area.
The call came after a contractor hired to clean out canals in the North Hargawi area found two caches along the Mulla Fayyad Highway that contained a DShKa heavy machine-gun barrel, receiver, mount, seat and tripod, 133 green flares and 54 red flares.
A local citizen took Soldiers of Co. D, 4-31st Inf. Regt. to another cache...

The Surge: Gunners on Patrol -- [The Fourth Rail - Joe Talley - in Iraq]
Forward Operating Base Loyalty, Baghdad, Iraq: The signs of war are never far from the men and women of the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, currently stationed at Forward Operating Base Loyalty in eastern Baghdad. Yesterday at lunch, a sergeant entered the building yelling, "ATTENTION IN THE CHOW HALL! ATTENTION IN THE CHOW HALL!" This is usually a command given when a high profile visitor such as a General or someone of similar distinction arrives in the building. Instantly, everyone seated stops eating, and everyone standing moves to the position of attention in military precision.

Conducting the surge, one raid at a time -- [The Fourth Rail - Joe Talley - in Iraq]
Forward Operating Base Loyalty, Baghdad, Iraq: Blacksheep's 1st platoon, led by 1st Lt. Alex Kerr from Murrysville, PA, begins to prepare for a mission to be conducted in a few hours. Around midnight, the platoon leader briefs the platoon on the specifics of tonight's raid -- they will raid a target house in their sector and hope to catch one of the battalion's HVIs or "high-value individuals." This target is a Mahdi Army leader responsible for attacks against 2/17 Field Artillery's own soldiers. The target heads a cell that also includes his brother and father.

US soldiers and Iraqi forces work together to battle insurgent in Adhamiyah, Iraq 2007.

Iraq Report: Sadr's Denial -- [Bill Roggio]
Muqtada al Sadr, the leader of the Mahdi Army militia, has been on the defensive over two recent reports in the media. Just one day after Britain's Independent published excerpts of an interview with Sadr, Sheikh Ahmed al-Shibani, Sadr's spokesman in Najaf, claimed the interview never happened.

Baathists "Disown" Al Qaeda -- [Weekly Standard]
From adnkronosinternational (AKI) we learn that the Iraqi Baathists, led by Saddam's former righthand man Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, have decided to “disown al-Qaeda.” It is in an interesting development in the insurgency since Saddam's Baathists have fought alongside al Qaeda since the beginning of this war. I don't know if this latest development is a result of the "surge" or not. It may be that al-Douri has realized that being on al Qaeda's team is a losing proposition given the success American-led forces have had in routing al Qaeda in places like Anbar. We'll wait to see if the new schism is temporary or more permanent. But in the meantime I'll just note that the Iraqi Baathists had to be working with al Qaeda in the first place in order to now “disown” them. (See Mark Eichenlaub’s Regime of Terror web site for a handy list of Baathists who have been working with al Qaeda.) Here is AKI's report:

Masked men set Iraqi child on fire

Masked men in Iraq set a 5-year old boy on fire, and his mother is desperate to see him smile again.
CNN's Arwa Damon reports.

More Please... [Jason's Iraq Vacation - in Iraq]
...I need to write about a conversation I had with my Iraqi counterpart this past morning.
It was a dusty morning, already approaching 95 degrees at about 8:45am. We were driving through the depot, talking about how to better organize certain warehouses and what work needed to get done. The conversation then turned to physical improvements that needed to be done, and I got excited because this is an area I have been working since we arrived here. We have already rebuilt the guard houses that used to be falling apart, impressed with them; he stated that the warehouses needed to be fixed in a similar fashion. I happily responded that we have already contracted out the work, which would begin soon, and that they would be as good or better. He then declared that we need power; I again responded excitedly that we have plans to run power all throughout the depot, including street lamps and power to all the warehouses. In addition, I continued, we are going to have the roads repaired and the spaces in between each warehouse graded and leveled for drainage. On top of all that,

Brits can fight - when their leaders let them. -- [John of Argghhh!]
Of course, we might never hear about it... unless their leaders let them.
AN Army sniper hero has beaten an MoD ban to reveal the true story of the most epic battle fought by British troops in Iraq. Sgt Dan Mills has told of the bloody, six-month Siege of Cimic House, which defence chiefs tried to conceal.
...Given the gag order they've imposed, at this point they're following the script, and if the Sergeant published in the face of the ban, yeah, okay.
Of course, the ban, as imposed, is just stupid, with no accounting for nuance. It's typical bad-commander-covering-his-butt over-broadly written.

Maliki Gives Calm Response To U.S. Criticism -- [Pat Dollard]
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) - Iraq's prime minister lashed out Wednesday at U.S. criticism, saying no one has the right to impose timetables on his elected government and that his country "can find friends elsewhere." Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki blamed the U.S. presidential campaign for the recent tough words about his government, from President Bush and from other U.S. politicians. Bush on Tuesday said he was frustrated with Iraqi leaders' inability to bridge political divisions. But he added that only the Iraqi people can decide whether to sideline al-Maliki.

How to Spy in Iraq -- [Michael J. Totten - in Iraq]
BAGHDAD – American soldiers arrived in Iraq in 2003 with not much of a plan and little idea what to expect. The Iraqi government, military, and police were overthrown and disbanded under de-Baathification. Most Iraqis who knew how to run the country were either sent home or imprisoned. Americans were in charge of just about everything even though they had no experience running even their own country let alone a traumatized and suspicious Arab society. They were confounded by its exotic and dysfunctional ways. When Sunni and Shia militias launched wars against each other and against the Americans, confusion turned to bewilderment.

The End Times -- [Acute Politics - in Iraq]
We're living in them. No, not those end times... I don't know anything about those.
Our time here will soon be up, as I've mentioned. It doesn't seem that way; no matter how much gear I pack up and turn in, this desert still feels normal, still feels like home. A year doesn't seem that long- twelve months, less than five percent of my life to date- but I barely recall what "normal" life is like. It feels so distant to me now that it might as well be a second lifetime, an earlier incarnation of myself. Leave wasn't that long ago, of course, but that was only two weeks, lived under the specter of impending return.

Sleep Comes Down -- [Major Andrew Olmsted]
When we returned to our FOB I headed down to the battalion HQ to see if anyone was there. It turned out the battalion XO was there, but he was sleeping. Iraqis nap in the afternoon, an understandable pasttime given the intense heat of Iraq, but frustrating to us Americans who are used to working during the day. (Iraqis work much later into the evening than we do, which leads to really messed up sleep schedules for us US guys.) So we came back after he was done napping. He impressed me at once by noting that he had observed some of the same problems I had seen. We agree to set up a meeting with his commanders later that week to talk about those issues.
The next day ...

Nothing for Anybody -- [Strategy Page]
August 22, 2007: The government has issued a list, of former Saddam cronies and officials, to Interpol, and asked for their arrest. Those on the list, including one of Saddams two daughters, are accused of financing and planning the Sunni Arab terror campaign inside Iraq. Jordan has refused to turn over Saddams daughter, Raghad, who was given refuge by the king of Jordan in 2003. Jordan has a lot of Islamic conservatives, Palestinians and Iraqi refugees, and the king must carefully negotiate the constant potential for terrorist violence, or open insurrection. But ...

KBR and Team Blinky -- [Desert Flier - in Iraq]
The ensuing week brought both insight and bemusement to how KBR HVAC guys work. Most are from Turkey, and we have a hard time communicating with them. I have a harder time understanding where the credentials came from. Several "teams" show up on various days to fix our AC unit and compressor, each with their own brand of comprehensive HVAC know-how:

AFGHANISTAN

Better Found at Police Checkpoint... -- [ETT PA-C - in Afghanistan]
We've been checking on a lot of checkpoints lately. Got a few pics to share of one of the checkpoints. We were doing our stuff. Checking on the police blah blah blah and Allman and I went down into this underground part of this checkpoint and saw some gifts pictured above. Chinese origin. We figured, better found here than elsewhere...

The Three Curses -- [Strategy Page]
August 21, 2007: Over the past six years, the United States, and the Afghan government, have built up an informer and intelligence network along (and across) the Pakistan border. This is providing more information on Taliban and al Qaeda activities. This makes it easier to go find and destroy enemy camps (or villages where the bad guys are hanging out.) The large number of UAVs available also make it much harder for the enemy to pass unnoticed, or sneak up and attack or ambush you. All this led to the recent operation around the old Taliban base area at Tora Bora.

Human Shields in Afghanistan -- [Strategy Page]
August 22, 2007: About 1,100 civilians have died in Afghanistan during the past three months. Civilian casualties have doubled in the past two years, largely as a result of more civilians resisting the Taliban with force. A major reason for that is the continued Taliban use of civilians as human shields. As word of this practice got around, and general dislike of the Taliban grew, more villages organized to repulse Taliban attempts to visit.

U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

U.S. Incomes Are Falling ... Nope, They're Not -- [U.S.News]
"More Americans making ends meet with less money," was the headline atop a Boston Globe story Tuesday morning. The newspaper went on to tell its readers that Americans in 2005 earned a smaller average income, when adjusted for inflation, than in 2000, $55,238 vs. $55, 714.
What the story notably failed to tell readers is that incomes have been on the rise since 2002, a fact I gleaned from a different version of the story on the New York Times website. (The original version of the Times story had a misleading headline "Average Incomes Fell for Most in 2000-05," but it was later changed to "2005 Incomes, on Average, Still Below 2000 Peak." The Globe story also said that Americans' total income in 2005 was $7.43 billion. I'm pretty sure it's "trillion," not "billion.")
It might have also been nice had either story mentioned the great likelihood that the Internal Revenue Service data the newspapers relied on will show further income gains for 2006 and 2007, given the state of the economy and the continuing rise in real wages.

The Show Must Go On, but Not the Summit -- [GI Korea]
Published by GI KoreaAugust 22, 2007 in Inter-Korean Issues and North Korea. 5 Comments
I think Nomad is on to something with the fact that the North Korean Arirang Mass Games are going to continue despite the flooding, but the Second Inter-Korea Summit has been delayed. Someone else who is on to something is OFK who finds the damage statistics from the flooding very suspicious:

WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

The Web of YouTube Terrorism -- [Jawa Report]
You'd think with a name like "Mujahidin Media" that Youtube would, you know, kind of figure out who they are allowing to use their platform. You know, the enemy.
Youtube is an American owned company, right? Or should we call it by its proper name, Jihadtube?
There is quite a web of interconnected jihadis on Youtube. Hundreds of them at least.
The channel which features enemy propaganda and Jewish conspiracy videos has 216 subscribers, 3 of which are similar pro-terrorism "channels" with their own videos up.
...So, is Youtube still in denial that they are hosting enemy propaganda ...

Attention, John Does: Have you seen these men? -- [Michelle Malkin]
Take a close look:
The FBI is asking for the public’s help two identify two men who have been seen acting strangely aboard Washington State ferries recently.
Update 11:15am Eastern. John Does are coming forward to assist the FBI. The feds say they have been flooded with tips.

CAIR’s Reputation and Incredibly Fluctuating Membership Roll -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
By The Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT)
Much has already been written about the amicus brief filed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in the case against the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF), naming the CT blog (specifically this post) as part of an effort to defame the organization.

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

"Thanks for your service." -- [From an Anthropological Perspective - home from Iraq]
I'm currently in transit with my team and today I was impressed at the number of people in airports that stopped the soldiers on my team and said, "Thanks for your service." I have an Army Combat Uniform (ACU) pattern rucksack that my sergeant told me to buy and in the past couple of months I have been stopped in the airport and thanked as well. I really got to thinking about this though today because while we were at the gate, the check-in staff made an announcement that there were some special guests in the waiting area who either were coming back from Iraq or on their way to Iraq and would passengers give a hand in appreciation. So most everyone clapped for a while, some stood and clapped, and my sergeant blushed self-consciously which was neat for me because he can get scary.

You Cannot "Desperately" Support The Troops -- [Riehl World View]
All I could think after reading the quote below from Armed Services Committee member Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher (D-Calif.) via the WaPo , was how terrifically sad it is that such a person serves on said committee at all. She could have used many words - intensely, incredibly, immensely, etc. But she didn't. She chose desperately and without going through the various definitions of the word, if you believe that language is an important indicator of the way we view and think about the world, you're all but forced to conclude she and her liberal colleagues like Speaker Pelosi don't genuinely support the troops at all. They are simply desperate to appear supportive because of their fear of having their genuine sentiments exposed.

How things have been -- [American Soldier - injured in Iraq]
soldierswife says,
Hello to everyone. It has been sometime since anything new has been posted here. We have been busy. I want to let you all know how things have been going.
AS has finally finished all of the physical testing they wanted to do in order to determine how well his brain has healed. He was having some extremely bad headaches as well as the occasional slip ups with his speech and tremors. As you all know he went to Walter Reed in the spring for a battery of tests. The results from there came back at pretty normal ranges. Since being home he most recently underwent an MRI and a PEDS scan. They both concluded that there was no swelling, no bleeding, and no blood clots, and ultimately normal brain function. So he is in the clear physically. That was a big relief for the both of us.

WELCOME HOME

Back in the States -- [Pro Deo Et Patria- An Army Chaplain - home from Iraq]
Well, I'm sitting here in the Philadelphia airport, after a long nights of flights from Kuwait to the US via Germany. It's hard to believe I'm here.
We were welcomed at Fort Dix, New Jersey by a group of USO volunteers and Vietnam Vets. As one man spoke, it occurred to me for the first time that I'm a veteran now.
It's not like I didn't know it before, but as he spoke, I realized I was part of that group. It is an odd feeling.

MILITARY

Naval Reactors: Still No Sense Of Humor -- [Bubblehead]
[Intel Source: The Sub Report] Lately, it seems like carrier Sailors have been turning out humorous "music videos" to improve morale and unit cohesion. So what happens when Sailors trying to do something to make their lives more enjoyable draw the attention of NR? Pretty much what you'd expect. From an article in today's San Diego Union-Tribune:
The Navy has pulled the plug on a YouTube video shot aboard the San Diego-based aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan because it shows sailors inappropriately using safety equipment, a Navy spokesman said.

168,000 to Lose TRICARE Prime Coverage -- [Military.com]
More than 168,000 TRICARE Prime enrollees -- those in managed care networks set up more than 40 miles from a military base or a base closure site -- could lose access to those networks and therefore pay higher out-of-pocket costs under new TRICARE support contracts to take effect in 2009. Read the full story at Military.com.

MILBLOGGING

Political Discourse: MilBlogger Interpretation -- [The Tank - Steve Schippert]
Mix politics, war and MilBloggers and what do you get? Well, to be honest, I don't know. But there's not a lot of fluff. Sure, he may not have been the first in chronological emergence, but he was close. So why do I refer to an Air Force officer currently serving in Iraq (again) as the Godfather of MilBlogging?

Winning The Information War -- [Laughing Wolf - BlackFive]
It is you who can make much more possible: Wesley Morgan, Joe Talley, Bill Ardolino, David Tate, the Blackfive JSOTF-P embed, and myself. Shorter visits, but specific targets and a larger area can be covered. Each of us can only be at one place at any given time, so the more that are there, the more that can be covered.
To support this information war surge, Public Multimedia Inc. is attempting to raise $20,000 in the next three weeks. If you want to support a particular embed, simply note that it is for that person; or, you can note that it is for the Blackfive embeds. Personally, I would like to see the $20,000 not just raised, but exceeded so that other embeds can get out there as quickly as possible.

POLITICS

Party of Rage -- [Jules Crittenden]
Can’t we all just get along?
Rep. Bob Filner is facing an assault and battery charge after an incident at Dulles Airport where he allegedly pushed an United Airlines bag claim employee as first reported by ABC7/Newschannel 8.

THE MEDIA

WHEN AND HOW? -- [Trying to Grok]
I know everyone's BS detector is running on high after Scott Beauchamp, so maybe I'm treading heavily. But I'm puzzled by a Newsweek article on MSNBC today. The reporter's cousin just came home from Iraq, so a homecoming article was in order. It seemed like an ordinary tale of happiness and relief until she delineated her family's fears during the previous year. And then this odd paragraph appeared:
I’d read reports of some female soldiers allegedly being raped by Iraqi insurgents—some 50 to 75 rapes, according to The New York Times. Alexia assured us that several male soldiers had volunteered to walk her home after she stood post at night. But that reassurance still couldn’t erase the images of assaults, bombs and corpses.
In the quiet words of the Virgin Mary...come again?

A Little Exaggeration? -- [Dadmanly]
Sarah at Trying to Grok links to a Newsweek/MSNBC article on a soldier’s homecoming. Sarah picks up on a highly suspect factual statement (Fabulism ala Beauchamp) hidden in the reunion piece. But I found something else that seemed a bit exaggerated, too.
Allison Samuels writes of her 24 year old cousin returning from a tour in Iraq, her family’s anxieties in her absence, and relief with her safe return home. Here’s how she introduces us to her ordeal – not her cousin’s, but Samuels:

August 22, 2007: TNR - Changing the Story -- [Roger Simon]
Changing the story when you're under attack is such an overused and obvious technique that you'd think people would be embarrassed to employ it. But not Jonathan Chait at The New Republic who jumps into the fray with a largely ad hominem attack on William Kristol in order to deflect criticism of TNR in the ongoing Scott Beauchamp scandal.

CNN’s Upcoming Miniseries Equates Christian Activists with Taliban? -- [NewsBusters]
--CNN's upcoming miniseries "God's Warriors," hosted by left-wing bias exemplar Christiane Amanpour, looks like it will play the old liberal game of moral equivalence. Amanpour reportedly compares Christian chastity advocates to the Taliban in the miniseries. Even the promos for the miniseries which have been running on CNN for the past few weeks demonstrate the probable "game plan" that Amanpour and CNN have in mind, grouping together pro-life Christian college students protesting in front of the Supreme Court, Jewish settlers on the West Bank, and Islamic radicals.

You had me up until “risk” -- [Neptunus Lex]
I was reading this NYT summary of the internal investigation of the CIA’s processes leading up to 9/11 with a fair degree of agnosticism. After all, the Agency’s many dedicated public servants do critically important work for the Republic, hard work involving long hours, superior technical expertise and civil servant pay, not to mention the additional discomforts and hazards attaching to those in the clandestine service. It’s easy to be a critic in retrospect,

Getting the Narrative Right While Ignoring the Story -- [Thunder Run]
Lately the Beauchamp affair has exposed the lengths that the leftist media will go to, to paint a particular picture about the war in Iraq. The phrase that was coined lately is, “Getting the Narrative Right, but the Facts Wrong” and it applies to pretty much all that comes out of the media establishment concerning Iraq, political correctness, global warming and any other cause de jour.
Today the big news out of Iraq is the crash of an Army Blackhawk helicopter while on a night mission killing all 14 personnel on board and once again we find the news media and especially the Associated Press getting the narrative right but getting the facts jumbled with their desire to paint Iraq as a lost cause.

HUMOR / SATIRE

CIA: U.S. Nearly Out of Americans to Blame for 9/11 -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-08-22) — A recently released two-year old analysis shows that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) under George Tenet lacked an overall strategy for fighting al Qaeda, and missed key opportunities to thwart the 9/11 terror plot.
As America approaches the sixth anniversary of the attacks which killed nearly 3,000 people, this latest report shows the country may be perilously close to running out of Americans to blame for the events of September 11, 2001.

Day By Day

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