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

Suspected Sheik Sattar assassination planner captured -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces captured a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorist linked to the assassination of Sheik Sattar during an operation Sept. 15 west of Balad.
The captured individual, Fallah Khalifa Hiyas Fayyas al-Jumayli, also known as Abu Khamis, is believed to be responsible for the death of Sheik Abdul Sattar Abu Resha, founder of the Anbar Awakening, a coalition of tribes in Anbar Province committed to driving al-Qaeda in Iraq out of the area. Intelligence reports indicate al-Jumayli is involved in a plot to kill key leaders in the tribal awakening. He is also reportedly responsible for car bomb and suicide vest attacks in Anbar Province, and is closely allied with senior al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders in the region.

Sheik Sattar and America -- [ON Point - Andrew Lubin - in Iraq]
...In the hours after Sattar’s death, his murder united leaders across Iraq. "I can honestly say he was the first one who lit the candle in the fight against al-Qaeda in Anbar province," said Maj. Gen. Muhsen Abdul Hasan Lazem, Ministry of the Interior official who oversees border forces in Iraq. "Sheik Abdul Sattar Abu Risha, a martyr, proved to everyone that there is nothing more valuable than the homeland, and nothing is better than fighting terrorism."
His fellow tribal leaders, along with U.S. military officials, vowed to protect the Anbar Salvation Council and carry on his mission, and said they expected his death would galvanize further support. Ali Hatem Ali Suleiman, a leader of the Dulaim confederation, the largest tribal organization in Anbar, and a rival of Abu Risha's, lamented the loss. "His death has squeezed our heart and made us terribly angry.

Iraq Invades Washington -- [Iraq the Model - Iraqis in Iraq]
The American capital is going to witness intensified Iraqi presence and political activity in the coming few weeks.
First there are Sunni leaders who have been invited by members of Congress. The Sunni leaders are likely to make this visit coincide with former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi expected visit to Washington since the Sunni alliance with the Shia Allawi became more evident recently, especially after the latter confirmed that he had meetings with former leaders in the Baath Party to persuade them to join the political process.

A True Martyr -- [Acute Politics - heading out of Iraq]
Sheik Abdul Sattar Abu al-Rishawi, the founder and leader Anbar Awakening, was killed yesterday afternoon by a bomb planted near his home. Two of his bodyguards were also killed, and others, including a nephew, were wounded. Initial reports indicate that al-Qaeda terrorists took advantage of Sheik Sattar's gesture of charity at the start of holy month of Ramadan, infiltrating a gathering of local poor at the home of the Sheik in order to plant the bomb that killed him.

By The Numbers -- [Badgers Forward - heading out of Iraq]
Task Force Pathfinder and Team Badger are no longer responsible responsible for Route Clearance operations in Western Iraq. All of Team Badger should be safely out of Iraq. Here is what they accomplsihed.
To summarize in numbers Team Badger accomplished the following
Missions Performed - 647
Improvised Explosive Devices Reduced - 458
Kilometers Traveled - 51135

Sadr's movement pulls out of Iraq alliance -- [Rantburg]
The political movement loyal to anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr quit Iraq's ruling Shi'ite Alliance on Saturday, leaving Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's coalition high and dry in a precarious position in parliament.

The Surge: Security and Transition in Baghdad -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
I liked this story because it really gives a good, all-around picture of what the surge is all about and what our guys are accomplishing.
Security: By taking an "agressive stance" early on, the paratroopers of the 2-319th 82nd Airborne (“Black Falcons”) not only made the civilians feel safe, it also removed the major threats to coalition and Iraqi security forces which freed up manpower for reconstruction and training.

Detonation -- [Desert Flier - in Iraq]
The first one was different.
Not in the way you would expect.
It's not as if the first VBIED scared the religion into me, and all the rest got easier. No, quite the opposite, in fact.
With that first concussion wave dissipating, what I was about to realize was that as the reverberations faded, it was only the beginning of the experience. Of course I knew I was going to Anbar. Your gonna see some bad shit. Thought I was ready for it. Standard issue "bring it on" attitude: check. The false bravado fell to the wayside as soon as those casualties started pouring in. I was quickly reminded that "talking the talk" has nothing to do with "walking the walk". You just can't predict how you will react until the bodies hit the floor.

Raids, Grenades, and Gunfire: The Last Few Days in Samarra, Part II -- [Jeff Emanuel - in Iraq]
The operations tempo here in Samarra has been so high lately that I haven't had a chance to write up many updates, so here's a quick overview of the last few days (more detail to follow).
I went on a pair of early-morning (2-3am) raids with Red Platoon, in the southeastern part of town (a very bad area). We didn't catch either of the guys we were looking for, but the drive back on both was pretty exciting, as we took a good deal of gunfire.

500 LB Bomb drop on insurgents building in Samarra

"Don't worry, we're not going anywhere" -- [Jim Spiri - in Iraq]
...As part of the Lt. General's visit here in Mosul, he was taken to Iraqi Police headquarters in a section of Mosul and had an extensive briefing from Col. Abid, an Iraqi Police commander here in Mosul. During the hour-plus long meeting with Col. Abid, Oderno heard many details on the situation here in Nineveh province. Odierno asked Col. Abid, "what is the threat of Al Queda in the Mosul area?"
Col. Abid, who is a former Iraqi Army officer with 18-years experience under Saddam Hussein's rule, replied, "The Al Queda threat here is not as big a problem as is the insurgency comprised of former Iraqi Army officers who were discarded by Paul Bremmer early on in the war after the fall of Baghdad". Lt. General Oderno, Col. Twitty as well as Lt. Col. Welsh all nodded in agreement.
Lt. General Odierno then said to Col. Abid, "We have found that Al Queda forces have been pushed out of areas such as Anbar province in the west, Baghdad, Baquaba, as well as other places and are trying to regroup, unsuccessfully here in Mosul."

Radio Interview -- [INDC Journal - in Iraq]
My interview with the Charles Adler show is up on YouTube. Really simple answers to extremely complex questions, but that's the broadcast medium:

Progress -- [Jason's Iraq Vacation - in Iraq]
Things are still frustrating in my little sector of Iraq. However, elsewhere, things are going well. So well, in fact, it seems that the Shia militia is taking some time off. This is good news! Why isn't there more coverage of it?? We didn't even know here, and we supposedly have a few members of JAM working for us (no, seriously, but that of course is rumor). In addition to that, I've talked to a few of my Marine buddies out West, and the reports there are even better. This is very positive news; news that shows a certain strategy is working.

Saddam’s Summer Palace -- [manrymission.com - in Iraq]
I went on another site visit recently. For this mission, I went first to Erbil, a city about 50 miles east of Mosul with a population of approximately 1,000,000. The entire city of Erbil is experiencing a construction boom. Among other projects, USACE is involved in the re-building of the Ministry of Interior government buildings, as well as the construction of the Erbil Police Academy. After spending the night at the office compound in Erbil, I went to Dahuk the next day. On the way to Dahuk, I visited a major electricy construction project in Akra. This USACE project involves the building of a power sub-station to receive electricity from Turkey and distribute it to transformers in various communities throughout the region.
After reaching Dahuk, I took a look at two sites for upcoming projects.

First Graduating Class of Iraqi Air Force Officers -- [Dude Where's the Beach - in Iraq]
Yesterday was a historic day for the Iraqi Air Force. The very first class of newly commissioned Officers graduated from the new Air Force Officer Training School here in Iraq. These 11 new second lieutenants are the first new Officers in the Iraqi Air Force since the fall of Saddam. They represent the future leadership of the Iraqi military, and have risked life, limb, and the security of their families to pursue their dreams of becoming military leaders.
Those that qualify from this class will make up the first batch of new Iraqi Air Force pilot candidates, and will start the newly established initial flight training school on 1 October of this year.

Ramadan begins... -- [Eighty Deuce On The Loose - In Iraq]
...Now this is an extremely holy time and it actually bans fighting, unless there is an actual war going on. Well this is a problem for us coalition forces, because well there IS a war and so they have every "right" during this time to attack us. The additional problem is that during this time the gates of Hell are closed and the gates of Heaven are opened. Anything they due during this time is extra holy, especially on the day (I forget the name) that the texts of the Koran were delivered. On this day anything they do in the eyes of Allah (God) is multiplied 10,000 times. The only problem for them is that they are not totally sure of what day it is. All they know is it is during the last 10 days of Ramadan and that it fell on an odd numbered date. Most people celebrate the 27th day, but many practice on all the days just to be safe. The problem comes for us, because if they were to kill an infedel or an occupier or whatever, it is like they killed 10,000 on this day. Also the potential for suicide bombers and people wishing to achieve martyrdom is greately increased.

Another First -- [Major Andrew Olmsted]
Coming back from a visit to one of our battalions, our lead vehicle comes to a sudden stop. There's a civilian vehicle stopped in the middle of the road ahead. That's a classic sign for an IED attack, so we set up security to check things out, machine gunners scanning the area for any signs of a trigger man or shooters. Mac moves up to get a better look and sees a man on the ground, his dishdasha dark red. Looks like someone has been ambushed, so we roll up quickly to survey the site and see if we can help.

Balad, Iraq: War is Hell -- [Iraq Partii - in Iraq]
...So much has changed on this base in four years that I hardly even recognized it when I landed. Curious to find out what my old barracks looks like today, I went over and took a look. There was my old building, a former Iraqi Air Force barracks, surrounded by blast walls and looking sleeker than ever. I walked away laughing to myself knowing that my friends and I were the first ones to occupy it in its original decrepit state of broken glass, no A/C, rusted metal, and mold.
I’m here for a few more days and then I head to Taji where I’ll spend the rest of my 9-month to 1-year tour. I heard they made a lot of improvements there too, so this will probably be a more comfortable deployment than my last.

U.S. Soldiers Demonstrate in Iraq -- [Democracy Project]
Sometimes, the less said by way of introduction, the better. Army reserve chaplain Maj. Jim Higgins, from Atlanta, Georgia, wrote this from Iraq back on May 14, 2007.
...Here, you could have heard a pin drop. Every Soldier stood at attention. Suddenly there was a lone voice, then a dozen, and quickly the room was filled with the voices of a thousand Soldiers:
And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
It was the most inspiring moment I have had here in Iraq. I wanted you to know what kind of Soldiers are serving you here.

AFGHANISTAN

C sqn The Light Dragoons - Afghanistan

U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

What was Israel doing in Syria? -- [Peace like a River]
On Sept 6, Israeli jets struck a target inside Syria. The exact nature of the target is not known. There is, of course, speculation. (See also here.)

Iran Battles Arab Terrorists -- [Strategy Page]
September 15, 2007: There is a growing anti-government terrorist movement in southwest Iran. The government blames it on the U.S. and British, but the local rebels, nearly all local Arabs, blame the non-Arab Iranians. Although Arabs comprise only about three percent of Irans population, they constitute much of the population an area that produces 70 percent of the nations oil. Arabs used to be the majority in this area, but in the last 80 years, more ethnic Iranians (linguistic cousins of Indians and Europeans) have moved into the oil territories, and are now the majority.

Are We At War? -- [Strategy Page]
September 12, 2007: China has been rattling the saber a lot this year. This has been in the form of numerous live fire exercises along the coast opposite Taiwan. This is seen as China's way of warning Taiwan not to go ahead with a referendum, next year, on applying for UN membership, and to shut down Taiwanese politicians advocating declaring the island nation sovereign. China considers Taiwan a wayward province. In the past, training exercises with live ammo were rare. This was an old Soviet custom, picked up by the Chinese. But it's since been realized that training with live ammo is more realistic, and effective, and China has been doing more of it.

Russia Drops The Bigger One -- [Strategy Page]
September 14, 2007: Russia has tested a ten ton conventional bomb, which it claims is twice as powerful as a similar U.S. weapon, the MOAB (Massive Ordnance Air Blast). The American weapon was ready for service four years ago, but has never been used. MOAB is pushed out the back of a SOCOM (Special Operations Command) MC-130E aircraft. The blast can be felt several kilometers away, and the mushroom shaped cloud (that rises to over 10,000 feet) can be seen more than 40 kilometers away.

WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

Impediments to Making Us Safer -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
On September 12, I posted an article on the Counterterrorism Blog addressing the question “are we safer as a nation now than we were before 9/11”. I stated that we were safer but not safe, which is a prevailing theme. I attributed our safety, in great part, to the government agencies at the federal, state and local level, which are responsible for protecting us against the threat of terrorism. Unfortunately, there are impediments which make protecting us a more difficult task, thereby jeopardizing our safety.

Terror in Tampa Update: Iraqi Terror Angle -- [Jawa Report]
In addition to the following news posted below, let me clarify something a source told me: that Youssef Megahed and Ahmed Mohamed were probably not planning to commit acts of terror within the United States, but that they actively helping promote violent jihad outside the US--specifically in Iraq.

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

Cold weather is coming, our wounded need blankets -- [Soldier's Angels - Medical Support]
One of my medics wrote that it is getting cooler in Iraq...only 115 degrees yesterday. Still, the fall is coming and it does get cold there. Even more so in Afghanistan, where we also have many American troops. Every wounded soldier who is evacuated by helicopter or airplane needs a blanket to keep warm, and an amazing group of Angels has made thousands of them. The "Blankets of Hope" project provides guidelines for volunteers, collects the blankets and gets them into the hands of medics all over the world for use by our wounded and sick American soldiers.

BACK FROM IRAQ - UPDATES AND NEWS -- [TalkingWithHeroes.com]
This is a quick update since we returned from our Third Trip to Iraq:

1. You can see online a list of people we interviewed in Iraq and some places we were at:
http://talkingwithheroes.com/product_info.php?cPath=28&products_id=373

2. Read text and see pictures of what we were experiencing from Iraq on our new Blog:
http://talkingwithheroes.blogspot.com/2007/08/back-to-iraq-to-talk-with-heroes.html

March across New Jersey -- [
BREINER TO MARCH ACROSS NEW JERSEY AGAIN!
THIS TIME TO RAISE MONEY FOR "INTREPID FALLEN HEROES FUND"
He's at it again! United States Marine Corps Sergeant Craig Breiner (inactive reserve) will once again be marching across the state of New Jersey to raise the morale of our troops serving abroad. This time though, he's put money where his feet are. Breiner will be raising funds for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund with every step he takes.

Missouri Kids Kick Off "Operation Adopt a Military Hero" -- [Gateway Pundit]
George Lauer sends this terrific story from Middle Missouri:
This high school project to collect money and useful items for the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan was the idea of Jefferson City High School students.
Santa arrived at the kickoff today in a military vehicle.

WELCOME HOME

And Then, We Were Home… -- [JusticeSoldier.com - home from Iraq]
Well, my deployment is now over, and I am home safe. I have been home almost a month now, and a lot has gone on. My return home like every soldier started with a long flight across the ocean, and into the arms of the Bangor greeters. And incredible organization of Veterans, patriots and people who just truly care about the path we have just concluded - it is really overwhelming to come through their welcome home line. Here are a few pics from their reception for us and a link to their website

MILITARY

Poll shows slim majority believe a mandatory draft should not be reinstated -- [Matt-Sanchez - in Iraq]
The latest Matt-Sanchez.com Poll results have been tallied and a slim majority of those participating believe a mandatory draft should not be reinstated. Here are the results of that poll and a map showing where the votes originated. Note: Map limited to locations within the United States only. Other votes that were included in the finally tally came from Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Should a mandatory draft be reinstated?

Strange Days for U.S. Army Recruiters -- [Strategy Page]
September 16, 2007: All four branches of the U.S. military met their recruiting goals in August. The army, which has the hardest time recruiting, because of the war, exceeded its goals for two months in a row, after coming up a bit short in May and June. The army appears ready to meet its recruiting goal, of 80,000 new troops for the year. Reenlistment goals have also been met. The biggest problem recruiters have is not with anti-war activists (who get the most attention) but a booming economy. Since most (over 80 percent) of the jobs in the army have nothing to do with combat, recruiters are basically competing with the civilian job market. For the educated, energetic young people the army is seeking, there are often lots good jobs out there that don't require extended visits to places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

POLITICS

Victory Caucus meets Gathering of Eagles (update: and crazy anti-war protestors!) -- [Victory Caucus - NZ Bear]
Latest September 15, 2007 10:42 am
I'm pleased to be on site at the Gathering of Eagles rally on the mall in DC. Great folks and a great crowd. Here's a few quick photos that I've taken; check back for more throughout the day...

Gathering of Eagles 3

Photoblogging Gathering of Eagles 3: Us and Them…plus bonus Rolling Thunder vs. Code Pink video…and more photos added -- [Michelle Malkin]
Update: Gee, which side do you think the protester charged with felony possession of an incendiary device was on…Us or Them? Via ABC News (hat tip - bpmonaco): “Thousands of anti-war protesters holding black and yellow signs saying “End the War” filled the park in front of the White House today demanding an end to U.S. occupation of Iraq. Police said they arrested 189 people, one of them on a felony charge of carrying an incendiary device.”

Eric Egland blast MoveOn.org ad

Slam! -- [Media Blog - Greg Pollowitz]
Here's the headline up on the WCBS website (via Drudge):
Hillary Slams Giuliani Over Moveon.org Comments
This constitutes a "slam?" Kind of more like "Clinton Responds to Rudy Giuliani" if you aske me.
Since Clinton was one of the 81 Senators who voted for the confirmation of General Petraeus, maybe she can elaborate on her unqualified support for President Bush's hand picked general, chosen to implement said "failed Iraq strategy" in her next slam.

Betrayal of Trust

THE MEDIA

Frank Rich Paints Petraeus as Coward -- [NewsBusters]
The gravest charge you can level at a military man, as MoveOn.org essentially did to Gen. Petraeus with its infamous "General Betray Us" ad, is to call him a traitor.
But close behind in the catalog of calumny is to call a soldier a coward. And that's what Frank Rich did in his [p.p.v.] New York Times column of today.
Writes Rich [emphasis added]:...

"If MoveOn.org existed 65 years ago".... -- [Jeff Emanuel - in Iraq]
Courtesy of Erick at RedState (and reminiscent of MoveOn.org's pathetic, spiteful, and anti-American "General Petraeus or General Betray Us?" ad from Monday's NY Times):...

Danger Room=Classless Jackasses -- [Guidons, Guidons, Guidons! - in Iraq]
First of all I recognize that everyone has the right to an opinion. As I stated when I commented about the blog of a deployed soldier, who had soured against the war, he has that right...it doesn't mean however that I have to agree with it. Or sit by while people use pictures of dead/injured soldiers to illustrate their point. Which brings me to these clowns and their story, "2 of 7 Soldier-Critics Dead".
The story links an ARTICLE from Editor and Publisher which details the unfortunate deaths of 2 soldiers who had been some of the authors of the editorial critical of the conduct of the war featured in the New York Times. The soldiers died in a vehicle accident in Baghdad earlier this week. This is the picture Danger Room chose to illustrate the story with...

Well then, if hearsay and "fake but accurate" are good enough for you... -- [Jeff Emanuel - in Iraq]
...So you would rather take the word of people who not only aren't even seeing things there with their own eyes, AND who lie to you about their own biases and "objectivity," over someone who is an eyewitness -- and who dares to be honest about their own background and point of view?

'History' Teacher Asks 14-Year-Olds to Renounce U.S. Citizenship -- [NewsBusters]
Keep your eye out for this story. It has the potential to go big… IF the MSM will report it wider than just by the local paper that broke the story. But, since it is a story that once again reveals the anti-American propaganda so prevalent in our government funded schools, will it get the coverage it deserves?

HUMOR / SATIRE

Day By Day

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