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

Iraq MP found at al Qaeda meeting - U.S. military -- [Reuters]
A spokesman for the Iraqi parliament said the lawmaker was from the assembly’s main Sunni Arab bloc. The man was held after a raid in the Sunni Arab town of Sharqat, 260 km (160 miles) northwest of Baghdad, in volatile Salahuddin province on Sept. 29, the U.S. military said in an email in response to queries from Reuters. “The man being held is one of the 275 members of the Iraqi Council of Representatives,” the military said. “Officially, he is not considered a ‘detainee’ at this time. He is being held for questioning after being found at a suspected al Qaeda in Iraq meeting during a combined Iraqi Security Forces/Coalition operation,” it said.
The military said it would not release the man’s name. It is believed to be the first time a member of Iraq’s parliament has been detained by Iraqi or U.S. forces.

U.S. Kills 25 Shiite Militia North of Baghdad -- [Ace of Spades]
The operation took place several hours ago, and targeted a cell accused of smuggling weapons for Iran.
They were carrying rifles, RPGs, and one man was believed to have an anti-aircraft weapon. Also suspected to be a splinter group from the Mahdi Army, which was ordered by Mook to cease attacks on U.S. Forces and Iraqis.

More Anonymous "Authorities" Cited as Sources Claiming Civilian Deaths -- [The Tank - Steve Schippert]
When US forces came under attack from armed men in the streets of a town near Baquba, al-Qaeda's former Iraq headquarters, they called in airstrikes. The U.S. forces were there following up on yet more intelligence on yet another Quds Force facilitator in the area. That they came under attack can hardly be surprising. Some of the reporting of this operation is sadly not surprising, either.

Al Qaeda financier and foreign facilitator captured in Baghdad -- [The Long War Journal - Bill Roggio - embed in Iraq]
Just one day after the announcement of the capture of Muthanna, a senior al Qaeda facilitator of foreign fighters in the Sinjar region on the Syrian border, Multinational Forces Iraq announced the capture of a major financier in Baghdad. The yet to be named al Qaeda financier was captured by the Iraqi Army in the Baghdad neighborhood of Kindi.

Pulling al-Qaeda's Lynchpins in Iraq Is Counterterrorism, Senator -- [The Tank - Steve Schippert]
In a major development in the fight against al-Qaeda in Iraq, the United States has disclosed the Baghdad capture of a major al-Qaeda financier who funneled over $100,000,000 into Iraq this summer alone to fund al-Qaeda terrorists and purchase weapons and explosives.

Video Available: Al-Qaeda tries and fails to stand up to concerned citizens -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD – An al-Qaeda in Iraq effort to reestablish a position in the southern Baghdad province town of Hawr Rajab was repulsed when concerned local citizens engaged the terrorists with small-arms fire and called in U.S. forces for assistance Oct. 2.
While two concerned citizens were wounded in fighting and treated at a nearby hospital, four enemy fighters were killed, an additional two wounded, and multiple insurgent weapons destroyed. U.S. forces detained one of the enemy wounded and transported the other for medical treatment at Camp Cropper.
Events began mid-afternoon, when concerned citizens contacted Multi-National Division – Center Soldiers after spotting suspected AQI vehicles in the vicinity of Hawr Rajab.

I will never leave a fallen comrade -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Apache Troop, 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry, 1st BCT, 3rd ID fight off an insurgent ambush after a roadside bomb crippled one of their vehicles on July 26 near Fallujah.

The Reach of War: A Deadly Search for Missing Soldiers

Iraqi IED Gauge -- [Far From Perfect]
...So, I have sort of developed the Iraqi IED gauge. The idea is that you can gauge your chances of coming into enemy contact by where in your combined patrol the IA or the IP are located. I am sure other Coalition soldiers have come to the same conclusion (In fact, I read about 1a somewhere.), and I think its relatively accurate. The only corollary being the unusual true, hardcore Iraqi unit. They skew any results and then the odds are off. Anyway, here is the meter:

The Mesopotamian 6k -- [Sgt Hook - in Iraq]
I thought about the patrol I had been on the other day and wondered how the early days of civilization in this place, Mesopotamia, compared to today’s Iraq. How did the children of then spend there days? Certainly not chasing and waving to up-armored humvees driving past what one might term a village. Yet the children of Mesopotamia also knew war.
While dust filled my nostrils and sweat started flowing from my pores under the ever warming Iraqi sun, I recalled yesterday’s marathon visit I was party to with a handful of local sheiks all professing their sincere commitment to ending the violence against coalition forces in their areas. The very areas our patrol passed through earlier in the day, the children waving as we did.

Detained Iranian an intelligence agent: US general (Press Release)

An Iranian arrested by US forces in Iraq's Kurdish region had been involved in Tehran's intelligence operations in Iraq for more than a decade, an American general said on Wednesday.

Odierno says surge working, urges caution in transitioning troops -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD — The surge of additional forces into Baghdad and other areas of Iraq is working, a top general commanding Coalition forces there said.
Even as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan continues, levels of violence in Iraq have dropped, Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multi-National Corps Iraq, said at the National Press Club here. The surge allowed Iraqi and Coalition officials to wrest whole provinces from extremist grasp.

Operation Cold Harbor

Footage of an AH-64 Apache helicopter engaging five armed individuals while U.S. Soldiers conduct an air assault raid on a possible al-Qaida safe house. Provided by Headquarters, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs.

Basrah cluster pump stations renovation bringing reliable power -- [MNF-I]
BASRAH ــــ In one of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers largest electricity projects in southern Iraq, cluster pump electrical substations are being renovated in a $76 million effort to help increase oil field production in the North Rumaylah Oil Field.

Iraqi Insurgent Faction Breaks Silence, Accusing Al-Qaida of Fanaticism, Torture, and Murder -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
A breakaway Sunni insurgent faction from the 1920 Revolution Brigades known as "Hamas in Iraq" has issued a formal response to recent allegations by Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the leader of Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq." In an official communiqué dated October 2, Iraqi Hamas accused Al-Qaida of inflicting "great suffering" on ordinary Iraqi Sunnis: "every day they witnessed heads or headless bodies lying in their streets. Each one of these victims had been accused of a so-called ‘crime’ prohibited by Al-Qaida fatwahs...

What's the Frequency Kenneth -- [Jason's Iraq Vacation - in Iraq]
I do have plenty to write about. For example, I haven't given the Aussie's here near the amount of attention they deserve. The group of Australian Soldier's we have working with us here have been awesome. Besides the fact that I am picking up all sorts of new phrases, like "Cheers", "bloke", and "choco" (which is a derogatory term for a reservist, which I'm not. You hear that Maj H??), they really do an outstanding job and add much needed humor to our daily operations. They are sort of like advisors to the advisors, or our advisors, since they stay out of the daily grind and focus on the 10,000 foot view.

Working the Night Shift -- [Iraq Pictures]
U.S. Special Forces members provide security while Iraqi Special Operation Forces led U.S. Special Forces conduct a night raid in Baghdad, Iraq.

AFGHANISTAN

Ivory Tower corpse eating -- [CDR Salamander]
...Praise for SECDEF and praise for the military opening its mind to any tool available to bring victory. More than that, praise to Tracy.
In interviews, American officers lavishly praised the anthropology program, saying that the scientists’ advice has proved to be “brilliant,” helping them see the situation from an Afghan perspective and allowing them to cut back on combat operations.

Persian Gifts -- [Peace Like a River]
There have been a few stories like this in recent months, but here is another one:
Iran is supplying the Taliban in Afghanistan with the same bomb-making equipment it provides to insurgents in Iraq, according to British military intelligence officers.

Academic -- [Lex]
The US Army has introduced an innovative way to reduce the violence and bring the fruits of good governance to rural Afghanistan - tactical anthropology:...
...Who could find fault with a program that brings an academic approach to understanding cultural sensitivities? Who would oppose the efforts of volunteer scientists whose knowledge reduces the violence afflicting a wretchedly poor populace that has been brutalized by theocratic thugs? That not only saves their lives but enhances their quality of life?
Why, other academics of course:...

Officer Commanding and Squadron Sergeant-Major’s Monthly Update -- [Lord Strathconas Horse (Royal Canadians)]
...While we cannot divulge too much about the nature of our operations, we will tell you that your soldiers have met the enemy well at every turn. They are very confident in all their equipment. The Squadron through their deeds and not words has made a very prominent contribution to the Battle Group and the greater mission in Afghanistan. We are both very proud of how the Squadron has performed and have every confidence in every soldier. As we indicated to you the Sqn has spent very little time at Kandahar Airfield (KAF), and those soldiers that have had to return there for any number of reasons have quickly asked to rejoin the Squadron, as the life in KAF is very different from Forward Operating Base.

NATO Launches New Afghan Offensive -- [Military.com]
BRUSSELS, Belgium - NATO and Afghan army forces have launched an operation against the Taliban designed to keep pressure on the insurgents through the winter, the alliance announced Wednesday.
Operation Pamir began Tuesday and is expected to continue until the spring, said NATO spokesman James Appathurai.
"It will maintain pressure on opposing militant forces," he said.
Appathurai declined to say how many troops were taking part, but said it would involve actions in all parts of the country, apart from the relatively peaceful north.

Australian Army Engineers Train Afghan Army

Say it with me...DE-VEL-OP-MENT -- [The Torch]
Graeme Smith of the Globe & Mail writes a much-needed article on the economic situation in Afghanistan. While this is a military blog, pretty much every Canadian soldier who has served over there understands that they can't win the long battle to make Afghanistan safe without significant improvements to the lives of individual Afghans. That tie between economics and security is a strong one - not to the hard-core ideologues who fight for some sort of fanatical Islamic theocracy, but to the the millions of ordinary Afghans who will support whichever political movement helps them put bread on their own table.

U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Did Russia Stage the Father of All Bombs Hoax? -- [Wired News]
Western media reacted with alarm. An editor for Jane's told the BBC it was likely that FOAB indeed represented "the world's biggest non-nuclear bomb." UPI claimed the device "would enormously boost Russia's conventional military capabilities."
But close analysis of the video reveals inconsistencies that have led some U.S. experts to question the veracity of the Russian claims, and to downgrade assessments of the weapon. It's possible, they say, that the video was partially faked, and that the test was hyped for political reasons.
"You've got to approach Russian claims with skepticism," says John Pike, an analyst at the think tank GlobalSecurity.org in Alexandria, Virginia.

A Deadly Brew: Iran & the United States -- [ON Point - Andrew Lubin]
The Iranian problem is far worse than their trying to build a nuclear bomb.
Not that a “Persian Bomb” is a good thing, but legitimate sources say that they are 3-5-6 years away – assuming the Israeli’s don’t launch a pre-emptive strike like they did against the Iraqi reactor at Osirak.. The real danger is the continued Iranian de-stabilization of Iraq, and their de-facto control of the southern oilfields, the pipelines, and Iraq’s only seaport- Basra.
This would give them control of 80 % of Iraq’s oil exports, which would certainly roil the economies of the free world.

“Spirit of the June 15 Joint Declaration” is Alive and Well -- [GI Korea]
Here is the photo op that President Roh has poured billions of South Korean tax payers money into securing:
Is it just me or is Roh the only enthused about this moment?
Now that the summit is over we can now begin to take stock of the damage done. A joint declaration has been issued from the summit and here is the preamble to this declaration:

With the Commander of the National Police -- [The Tank - W. Thomas Smith Jr. - in Lebanon]
BEIRUT (Headquarters of Lebanon's Interior Security Forces) – Had tea this afternoon with Maj. Gen. Achraf Rifi, the commanding general of Lebanon's national police forces, the Interior Security Forces (ISF).
Spoke at length about his country's internal security problems — who's responsible for the assassinations, etc. — as well as the ISF's counterterrorism capabilities

WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

Al-Qaeda's Afghanistan chief says bin Laden alive -- [AFP]
WASHINGTON (AFP) — Al-Qaeda's chief in Afghanistan urges Muslims around the world to come fight for the country's "independence" and insists that Osama bin Laden is alive and well, according to an audio clip released by a US-based monitoring group.
...He also says that bin Laden, the Al-Qaeda terror network's chief, supervises all activities and is alive and in good health.

Corruption and the War on Terror -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
The disheartening story in the Washington Post today highlights one of the greatest vulnerabilities in fighting terrorism anywhere in the world-high tolerance for corruption and the disgust this fuels in the populations.
Having covered wars several continents, there has never been an armed conflict where those in rebellion did not have legitimate concerns, anger and frustration over the level of corruption and impunity for the corruption, in the regimes they were fighting

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

Cox and Forkum -- [Fuzzilicious Thinking]
Valour-IT was just getting off the ground John approached Cox and Forkum for assistance in spreading the word. Forkum stepped up with some anonymous design work that was spot-on perfect; as is true with his wonderful drawings, pictures said more than words ever could.
...Cox and Forkum were a huge part of getting Valour-IT off the ground, giving it an online presence that has endured; just search Google Images for "Valour-IT" and see what you get...

Sergeant Grumpy's Warrior Store -- [Sergeant Grumpy]
Sergeant Grumpy is announcing the opening of Sergeant Grumpy's Warrior Store in an attempt to do something for a great organization that truly supports America's fighting men and women - Soldier's Angels. I have set up a separate account just for this, and every cent of commission earned, less what I have to pay out in income tax, will be donated to Soldier's Angels.

"A very special day" -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
That's how long-time Soldiers' Angels member Matt Dick described this past Saturday when over 100 volunteers converged at Ascension Catholic Church in Bowie, MD to make blankets for the wounded and ill troops at Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany.
Looking at these photos Matt's wife Lisa sent to me, I couldn't agree more. I had called in to give a "pep talk" to the group (during which I of course choked up) and could hear there were lots of people there, but I never imagined anything like this.

Walter Reed's Military Advanced Training Center -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Ross Colquhoun, a fire arms instructor, helps Army Staff Sgt. Ramon Padilla learn to fire using his prosthesis in the Fire Arms Training System at the new Military Advanced Training Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Soldiers can relearn to fire a 9 mm pistol and M-16 and M-4 rifles. Photo by Fred W. Baker III

Army Ten Miler ~ October 7 ~ It's Race Weekend -- [Gazing at the Flag]
Missing (Parts) In Action returns for its fourth Army Ten-Miler Race and with five military amputee teams – two from Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), two from Brook Army Medical Center (BAMC), Fort Sam Houston, TX, and one team from San Diego Naval Medical Center (SDNMC).
The team is headed by Major Dave Roselle, who lost his foot in Iraq, the first amputee in recent military history to resume a dangerous command in the field. In addition to being awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and the Army Commendation Medal, MAJ Rozelle is an avid athlete, participating in Ironman competitions, triathlons, skiing, snowboarding, and mountain climbing.
Captain Wesley Knight, an active-duty Army officer who has had a partial hand amputation, feels that he does not have to face as many challenges in training for the Army Ten-Miler, but...

If we no longer respect our fighting men and women, the future of Britain itself is in peril -- [Rogue-Gunner]
Just imagine that you are a British soldier returning from a tour of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan. For the past few months, you have been putting your life on the line for your country. Every day, you have faced the risk of death from bomb and bullet.
As you arrive back in Britain, you feel a mixture of relief, exhaustion and pride in your service.
Yet your return seems at best to be a matter of supreme indifference to the public. There are no crowds at the airport, nor any large parades.

MILITARY

Army Recruiting Soaring -- [OPFOR]
U.S. Army Meets Expanded Recruiting Goals....Again:
Anti-war types, always the military experts, love to write these positive numbers off as the Army "lowering its standards." Nice, huh? Those dudes support us so much it hurts.
In reality, it's a mix of things. Enlistment bonuses, heightened sense of patriotism since 9/11, more effective recruiting campaigns, etc. One that's often overlooked is the fact that the Navy and Air Force are shrinking faster than the Army and Marines are expanding. That drives potential recruits over to the grunt services, while programs like Blue to Green allow Airman to trade their blue uniforms for green Army ones.

Hold Up On The Latest Military Scandal -- [Riehl World View]
The media has it and the politicians are weighing in, but there's something missing in the reporting:
National Guard Troops Denied Benefits After Longest Deployment Of Iraq War
Without getting into what's behind the formula for allowing benefits, I'd support a max in that regard - but how long is 22 months, the time they served?

Are U.S. troops being force-fed Christianity? -- [The Christian Science Monitor]
A watchdog group alleges that improper evangelizing is occurring within the ranks.
At Speicher base in Iraq, US Army Spec. Jeremy Hall got permission from a chaplain in August to post fliers announcing a meeting for atheists and other nonbelievers. When the group gathered, Specialist Hall alleges, his Army major supervisor disrupted the meeting and threatened to retaliate against him, including blocking his reenlistment in the Army.

POLITICS

Congress to Allow New Internet Taxes? -- [Weekly Standard]
Ever since 1998 the U.S. Congress has, under Republican leadership, extended the Internet Tax Freedom Act. That statute forbids states and localities from enacting taxes on internet access, with few exceptions. That moratorium is scheduled to expire on November 1, and Congressional leaders can't agree on how to extend it. In fact, rather than coming together to pass legislation, the Senate committee of jurisdiction recently canceled a vote on the bill with little warning.

RE: Losers -- [The Tank - Steve Schippert]
Kathryn points to a poll in which nearly one in five Democrats responded that "the world would be better off if the United States loses the war in Iraq."
My first reaction: Well if that's so, then why aren't 4 in 5 Democrats trying to win the damned thing?

Obama Will No Longer Wear American Flag Pin -- [PJM]
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama explained in an interview Wednesday that he doesn’t wear the American flag lapel pin because it has become a substitute for “true patriotism” since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

THE MEDIA

Trivializing Torture -- [Weekly Standard]
Andrew Sullivan is yet again calling the president a "war criminal." This time in response to today's New York Times article revealing that the Bush administration has subjected terror suspects captured abroad to 'severe' and 'brutal' interrogations.
Sullivan has a history of trotting out the charge of "war criminal," sticking the label on George Tenet, Donald Rumsfeld, Pentagon counsel Jim Haynes, and Berkeley law prof John Yoo.

Chris Matthews: Bush Admin Has Finally Been ‘Caught In Their Criminality’ -- [Ian Schwartz]
We all know Chris Matthews dislikes Bush and absolutely hate Cheney, so it should come as no surprise that he went on tirade against this administration:

NBC Sees Scandal in 'Abusive' Interrogations; MSNBC: 'More Lies' -- [NewsBusters]
Presuming Bush administration dissembling and illegality, NBC anchor Brian Williams considered it “big” news Thursday night that the administration “secretly authorized abusive interrogation techniques for terrorism suspects, including torture, despite denial from everyone from President Bush on down. And the policy remains even though the Supreme Court ruled against it.” Picking up on the front page New York Times disclosure of the classified documents, which neither the ABC nor CBS evening newscasts considered newsworthy, the NBC Nighty News ran a very slanted story that, other than one short soundbite from White House Press Secretary Dana Perino about how “they were safe, necessary and lawful, these techniques, and have helped save American lives,” aired only condemnatory comments as reporter Andrea Mitchell assumed the methods are torture

CNN: McCain: "Limbaugh should not have said phony soldiers"

Rush Limbaugh Gets Swiftboated! -- [Gateway Pundit]
Heroes of Truth from the 2004 election are back to defend Rush Limbaugh!
SWIFT & POW's FOR TRUTH SPEAK OUT AGAINST PHONY SOLDIERS!
Swiftboat Veteran For Truth member and patriot John E. O'Neill comes to bat for Rush Limbaugh at Human Events today.
And, once again O'Neill's truth and honesty ring out above the dishonest attacks on Rush by Hillary Clinton's Media Matters.
John O'Neill points out the phony...

Video: Sgt. Mark Seavey Cut Off When Explaining Rush’s Remark -- [Ace of Spades]

I really enjoyed how Norah O'Donnell asked him why Rush had referred to phony soldiers -- plural -- and then when Sgt Seavey attempted to explain there were plural phony soldiers, she immediately cut him off and invited the VoteVets prick to change the subject.

From the Mouths of News Babes -- [Jules Crittenden - PJM]
I thought then, when the leggy leightweight went to Iraq to establish her street cred, that she might actually emerge as the anti-Cronkite.
She alone among our nation’s premier news anchors recognized that progress in Iraq was the story of the hour, of the day, of the week, month, year and decade, and she went there. Then, she reported that undeniable progress was being made.

Vent Checking up with The New Republic -- [Michelle Malkin]

Still Waiting -- [Confederate Yankee]
Just how long does it take to pen a retraction?
I only ask because it's been roughly a month since The New Republic had their first solid chance to interview Scott Thomas Beauchamp since he returned from duty at COP Ellis.
Since then, he's been online--hence, available--at least several days every week, including today. Beauchamp even had time to talk with Laughing Wolf from Blackfive as recently as September 30. Why not TNR?

BLOGGING

SpouseBUZZ Blog Series: Blog Etiquette -- [Andi - SpouseBUZZ]
Before we get into "blog etiquette," I realize that the information in this section may seem harsh, but there really isn't a way to write about blog etiquette in a happy-go-lucky manner. That's because we have to use examples of bad blog behavior (usually mine) in order to demonstrate good blog behavior.
I'm having visions of my mother standing over me with a hickory switch saying, "this is going to hurt me more than it hurts you." Seriously, we want to help bloggers, particularly new ones, avoid some common pitfalls. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I've been guilty of all but two of the following offenses and trust me, I would have preferred to read a post like this before I began blogging. It would have saved me a lot of embarrassment. Just remember that most of us have exhibited bad blog behavior at one point or another, and many times, we didn't even realize it. If you feel a sting, or have an "oh gosh" moment while reading this, don't take it too personally. Just note it and keep on bloggin'.

HUMOR / SATIRE

ACLU Defends Limbaugh, Sharpton Demands Reid Apology -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-10-04) — The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) today offered free legal services to defend talk radio host Rush Limbaugh, whose civil rights, the ACLU contends, “are in jeopardy from powerful officials in the U.S. government.”

Bush Vows to Win ‘War on Science’ -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-10-05) — Criticized by Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, for waging a “war on science” by limiting taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research and refusing to sign the Kyoto protocol on climate change, President George Bush today vowed to “win that war too.”

Day By Day

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