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

Al-Qaeda tries and fails to stand up to concerned citizens -- [Blackanthem Military News]
BAGHDAD, Iraq — 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

Al Qaeda's War of Villages -- [OMAR FADHIL - Opinion Journal]
Signs that the terrorists are losing in Iraq.
BAGHDAD--The latest chapter in al Qaeda's war manual in their war against the Iraqi people and the Coalition is this: raiding remote peaceful villages, burning down homes and slaughtering both man and beast. It's a campaign of self destruction.
For about a year al Qaeda has been trying to build a so called Islamic State in Iraq. On several occasions al Qaeda has even declared parts of Baghdad or other places in other provinces the capital of this Islamic State.

The Sunni Insurgency Has Become a "Disaster": An Estranged Former Ally Lashes Out, Accusing Al-Qaida of Torture and Murder in Diyala -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
In a rather stunning development, the Iraqi Islamic militant faction known as Asaeb al-Iraq al-Jihadiya (a.k.a. "the Iraqi Jihad Union") has issued a new statement dated October 5 suddenly accusing Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq" of deliberately killing its fighters in Diyala province and mutilating their bodies: "To make things worse, they dug up their bodies from the graves, further mutilated them, beheaded them, and showed them off from their vehicles while driving through the towns. [The ISI] even killed our men’s wives and children."

Marines On Patrol Near Karmah - Iraq

"Marines with Lima Co., 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, set out on patrol through Karmah, Iraq. Interviews with Marines explaining the nature of their presence. By Pfc. Brian Jones, Regimental Combat Team 6."

The Best Police Force in Iraq -- [Michael Totten - in Iraq]
...Iraqi Lieutenant Colonel Jumaa Abdul Rahman, the man in charge of Al Majed, invited me, Captain Dennison, Sergeant First Class Kitts, and First Sergeant Rodriguez into his office for tea. He sat behind his desk, and the four of us sat on couches that circled the room. A young boy brought us dark brown tea with sugar in small plastic cups.
“Our success in this region is because of you,” Captain Dennison said to Lieutenant Colonel Rahman. His statement was completely sincere. He was not being perfunctory or merely polite.
“And also because of you,” Lieutenant Colonel Rahman said, also sincerely. “Please don’t leave us.”
...“We see Iraqis smile now,” Sergeant Kitts said to me on our way out. “And seeing Iraqis smile…that’s a big deal. These people haven’t had anything to smile about for a very long time. This is where we are finally earning our money.”

Makhmur -- [manrymission.com - in Iraq]
Yesterday, I took a couple of my Project Engineers and conducted quality assurance (QA) visits at a few ongoing projects. The first stop on our trip was in the vicinity of Makhmur, a village southeast of Mosul. In this village, we are working on two drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) that will provide clean drinking water to 22 different villages with a total population of about 44,000 people.

RAF Regiment helps Basra village get mains water for the first time -- [Ministry of Defence News]
Personnel from the RAF Regiment serving in southern Iraq have completed a project that will see a village near Basra City have mains water for the first time.
The personnel, from No 34 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment, are currently serving at the Contingency Operating Base in Basra. Project Aqua 4 saw them work with local villagers to complete the project in a village located approximately 10 kilometres from Basra City.

Top Iraqis Pull Back From Key U.S. Goal: Reconciliation Seen Unattainable Amid Struggle for Power -- [Murdoc Online]
While at first glance this appears to be bad news, the reality of a Kumbaya-free Iraq is what we face and at least some seem to see what needs to be done:...
...The first step, of course, is a relatively safe and secure environment. Though much headway has been made over the summer, there's a long ways to go before "safe" or "secure" will apply to Iraq. Until clean water and dependable electricity flows, even relative safety won't be enough for anyone to start thinking about getting along.

Pardon the Interruption... -- [Fightin 6th Marines - in Iraq]
...here is the long-overdue update I'm sure everyone's been fretting over. It's an article about 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. "America's Battalion." Well, it's not actually about them, it's more about some of the great progress they've been enabling in their area of responsibility. Pfc. Brian Jones reports.
“Be optimistic and you will find the good things.”
This is the notion of a prominent sheik in the city of Karmah, Iraq, who is working with Marines from 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, to create a peaceful today and a thriving tomorrow for a city that’s weighted down by conflict.

General Petraeus: Iran's ambassador to Iraq "is a Qods force member" -- [The Long War Journal - Bill Roggio - in Iraq]
The war of words between the US military and Iran over Iran's involvement in terrorist activity in Iraq heated up on Sunday after General David Petraeus, the commander of Multinational Forces Iraq, said the Iranian ambassador was an Iranian intelligence agent.
"The ambassador is a Qods force member," Petraeus told a group of reporters near the Iranian border in Diyala province. Ambassador Hassan Kazemi-Qomi's rank in Qods Force was not disclosed. Qods Force is the covert foreign wing of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps which has set up and supported terrorist groups such as Lebanese Hezbollah, Hamas and several terrorist entities in northern and eastern Africa.

Shuffling paperwork to victory: The Evolution of the Fallujah Police Department -- [The Long War Journal - Bill Ardolino - in Iraq]
...“In the Iraqi judicial process, investigative judges are inquisitive rather than adversarial, the arbitrators of the facts,” added Law Enforcement Professional (LEP) advisor Rich Crawford. “They’re like a combination DA [District Attorney] and magistrate. Three things can happen when the guy goes in front of the investigative judge. He can say: 'There’s not enough here, he's released; he's bound for further investigation for a period of time; or, hey, the evidence is sufficient so I’m referring him to the criminal court.’ Once they go there, they go in front of a three-judge tribunal and … from there it’s two options: release or prison.”

Munchkin Land -- [The Unlikely Soldier - in Iraq]
The kids today all swarmed me. It's pretty much the only somewhat interesting thing about going out anymore, and even that gets old quick. Hordes of kids poking and prodding me, yanking on my gear, competing for my attention, all wanting to high five and handshake and facemake and babble to me in Arabic.

Students in Ramadi are able to continue studying due to security improvements

Students are able to continue their study this year in the western Iraqi city of Ramadi due to the security improvements in their city.

So Where Am I and What Am I Doing? -- [Badgers Forward - in Iraq]
I know that many of you want to know where I am and what I am doing, and more importantly, how does that help me give you a better picture of Iraq?
...For my situational awareness I rely on reports from the Soldiers that are traveling the roads everyday, but ironically, I have more daily interaction with Iraqis here than I did in Anbar.

AFGHANISTAN

Despite challenges, progress continues in southern Afghanistan -- [Blackanthem Military News]
NAWBAHAR, Afghanistan – A provincial-level shura, or meeting, took place in this small, remote district of Zabul Province Oct. 2.
Although the shura was facilitated by Provincial Reconstruction Team Qalat—a joint U.S. Air Force and Army unit stationed in the country since April—the meeting was strictly an Afghan affair.
More than 125 men and boys attended the shura, including six main leaders who spoke to the attentive crowd. The major topics of discussion were security of the area, the types of support and assistance the Afghan government can provide to the people, and what reconstruction needs are highest in the district.

6 October 2007 -- [Deployment Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
...A few days ago we went to a village to investigate reports of heavy enemy traffic. I ended up with a big crowd of kids, who tend to be the best sources of information in this country: They're honest and they're curious. One child told me he wanted to grow up to be a Talib. When I asked my terp to clarify if he meant 'student' or 'crazy murderous fanatic', the child responded for me. The kid said that he liked ANP and ANA, and he liked the Taliban. He liked all of them compared to us, the non-Muslim American Army, who all just ought to be killed. Enemy fighters with body armor and chest racks make me angry—children like this just take the wind out of my lungs.
...One of the kids in a nearby village (not the one who aspires to kill me) complained about the local school. He told me the Taliban recently stole the teachers' salaries and school equipment. As a result, school is now limited to a few hours a week. The kid looked disappointed

U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Happy Columbus Day -- [Jules Crittenden]
...Columbus Day may be the most unPC holiday of the year. That’s why I intend to celebrate it doing the most unPC thing I can think of. Working for a living.
Columbus Day celebrates the arrival of Europeans in the New World, which critics note marked the onset of a lot of death, power shifts, slavery and domination of the continent by new ethnic groups. Essentially, a continuation of history as usual as far as the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia were concerned, all of which had practiced those things repeatedly. Only in the Americas, an acceleration of history, something different.

83 Arrested at Denver's Columbus Day Parade (Protest)

Al Qaeda Losses in Lebanon -- [Strategy Page]
October 7, 2007: Four months ago, Lebanese security forces found themselves battling some 500 al Qaeda terrorists in a Palestinian refugee camp (actually a walled town of over 31,000) outside the northern city of Tripoli. The three month battle left over 400 dead (220 terrorists, 168 Lebanese soldiers and police, plus 47 Palestinian civilians). Some 200 terrorists were captured, and a few dozen escaped. Most of the Palestinian civilians were forced to flee the camp.

Iranian Students Protest "Dictator" Ahmadinejad at University! -- [Gateway Pundit]
The students were shouting, "Death to the dictator!"
Unlike the Columbia students, the university students in Tehran were not as polite with the president of the regime.

Pakistan elections -- [Peace Like a River]
In Pakistan, President Musharraf was unofficially reelected.
...However, the election was boycotted by major parties.
The results are still unofficial until the Supreme Court considers a petition challenging Musharraf’s eligibility.
The fuzziness is symptomatic of the fissures present in Pakistan. Musharraf is in a weakened position, and he is being pushed by Benazhir Butto to step down as Army Chief. The Supreme Court defied Musharraf’s efforts to remove the Chief Justice. The violence at the Red Mosque showed how bold the radicals have become.
In the tribal areas the militants continue to attack government troops. Three Pakistani soldiers were recently beheaded and dozens are still held captive.

WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

British study - 9/10 posture key to winning GWoT -- [Q and O]
...Of course, as everyone recognizes, that's the "law enforcement" strategy for fighting terror. It essentially claims terrorism is a law enforcement issue and that law enforcement and good security measures can "minimize" the impact of terror. Or said another way, terrorists are a part of your life, they're going to succeed in blowing you and others up and we'll try to minimize that without actually going after the "root causes" even though we'll give "root causes" and their elimination lip service.
And, of course, that's precisely what ORG did without really meaning it. The nut of their argument is that law enforcement and security are adequate to the job of seeing only an occasional bombing succeeding.

Suicide Bombings and Jihadists' "Love of Death" -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
How does America fight an enemy in a war, when the enemy embraces death?
This is one of the major unresolved questions that a tactical "war on terrorism" fails to address, because the larger, more vital strategic issues of America's policy on Jihad and America's policy on political Islamism also remain unaddressed, as previously discussed. Afghanistan Jihadist Maulana Inyadullah put it succinctly and clearly: "We are not afraid of death. The Americans love Pepsi Cola, we love death" ... "We fought for the cause of Islam, because Allah commanded us. We embraced death, we were willing to be martyrs".
The very nexus of the current war, the 9/11 attacks, were themselves a series of mass-casualty suicide bombings on the American homeland. Suicide bombings provide a defining difference between the Jihadist enemy and other threats to America.

Suicide Bombers can Only Be Stopped by Attacking the Networks -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
...As Bob Baer, formerly of the CIA, recently wrote,, there is little defense against these "children of death."
As Baer points out, "this is an ideological battle that will be won, or lost, at the local mosque, at the family dinner table or between friends across the Islamic world. Suicide bombing will be defeated not by a gun or a fancy scanner but by the religious principles of Koran itself."

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

Prepping for Valour-IT Fundraising Competition -- [Castle Argghhh!]
We are in the early planning stages of the 2007 Project Valour-IT Veterans Day Fundraiser. Begun in 2005, this has become a yearly event in support of Valour-IT, a Soldiers' Angels project that helps supply voice-controlled laptops to severely-wounded troops. Here are the outlines for this year:

To The Fallen Records and Cliff Hudson -- [SpouseBuzz - Andi]
If you missed last night's show, you missed a fantastic show, but you can still listen by clicking here. Our mystery guests were wonderful! Sidney MeMello, co-founder of To the Fallen Records, joined us to talk about how she and her partner, Sean Gilfillan, developed their record label. Also joining us was one of their featured artists, a Marine named Cliff Hudson (below).

CLIFF HUDSON CDS NOW AVAILABLE!!!" -- [Cliff Hudson's MySpace]
After his final deployment with the Marine Corps as a Squad Leader in 3rd Battalion 8th Marines to Ar Ramadi, Iraq Cliff Hudson has brought back songs that tell of one person's experience, yet represent far more.
His music and voice sing of everything from a longing for his now wife Ashley, to the simple appreciation of air in his lungs and all of the emotion that any of us can appreciate and experience on any given day.
Musically located anywhere from standard country to a, "boot through the door style" of country rock, he hopes to expand upon his experiences and musical style to bring the type of music that makes you raise your drink and appreciate the moment...all the while screaming at the top of your lungs.

This Flag - The War Brewing in America - Deuce Four

America.... from a combat soldier's point of view after he comes home from Iraq.

Daily Kos just hating openly on soldiers now -- [Uncle Jimbo - BlackFive]
...Remember back when the bastards at least lied about supporting the troops. We knew it was horse shite, but at least they had the decency to know they were wrong for hating the military. Now the facade has been abandoned and the hate that was there all along is out front for everyone to see.

Standing Up for 1LT Hegseth -- [Forward Deployed]
Published October 7, 2007 in Hating the Troops.
I find it quite ironic how worked up the usual suspects from the left were when Rush Limbaugh made his comments about “phony soldiers”, yet they some how find it acceptable to call real soldiers that are actually serving in the military such as General Petraeus a phony. Well the depth they are willing to sink to has only grown as the Daily Kos has launched the lowest slime job I have seen yet on 1LT Peter Hegseth.
...As usual with these people the diarist over there at Kos dlawbailey who has made an appearance before on this blog has no idea what he is talking about in regards to the military. I will quickly go through his claims.

MILITARY

New chairman re-enlists 31 Soldiers in Baghdad -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD — Just four days after pledging his own commitment to the highest position in military service, the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited Task Force Marne troops today to administer the oath of re-enlistment to 31 U.S. Army soldiers and prepare them for the challenges that lay ahead in the war on terrorism.
“I believe (you are) the best military in the history of the world,” Adm. Michael G. Mullen told troops at Camp Victory. “You are in possession of combat experience, combat capability, combat strength to a degree that has never been seen in our armed services.”

Marine Recruiing Excels in Difficult Times -- [ON Point]
Corps Exceeds '07 Recruiting Goal
ARLINGTON, Va. - The Marine Corps ended fiscal 2007 with more than 186,000 Marines, surpassing its goal of 184,000, Corps officials said. That means the Corps is on track to grow to 202,000 Marines by fiscal 2011, which will help give Marines two months at home for every month in combat, officials told reporters on Thursday.

Outreach Effort Ensures Guard and Reserve Members Stay Covered by TRICARE Reserve Select -- [Blackanthem Military News]
FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Monumental outreach efforts are ensuring that nearly all of the 11,000 TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) members under the “tier” version of TRS will stay covered under the restructured program. As of October 1, approximately 90 percent had either switched over to the new program—or were in the process.

Disgusting treatment of U.S. Veterans, you bet... -- [AWTM]
My friend, and recent National Guard enlistee, RSM, pointed out this article in my comment section below...
National Guard Troops Denied Benefits After Longest Deployment Of Iraq War
MINNEAPOLIS, MN (NBC) -- When they came home from Iraq, 2,600 members of the Minnesota National Guard had been deployed longer than any other ground combat unit. The tour lasted 22 months and had been extended as part of President Bush's surge.

TRICARE Seeks And Listens to Input on Its New Web site -- [Blackanthem Military News]
FALLS CHURCH, Va. – When the TRICARE Management Activity launched its new Web site in July, their objective was to make it easier for beneficiaries to find the information they need about their benefit. With close to 900,000 visitors in its first full month, the Web site appears to be quite popular; and valuable feedback from many of those visitors is helping TRICARE to make the site even better.

WELCOME HOME

Home Sweet Home -- [Jack Army - home from Iraq]
light blogging will continue as I get reaquainted with the most beautiful woman on the planet and the best girls a father could have.
thanks for your well wishes and I'll be back soon.

Troops Return

POLITICS

Clintonista Sandy Bergler Back With The Clintons -- [Ian Schwartz]
Sandy Berger, who stole highly classified terrorism documents from the National Archives, destroyed them and lied to investigators, is now an adviser to presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton. Berger, who was fired from John Kerry’s presidential campaign when the scandal broke in 2004, has assumed a similar role in Clinton’s campaign, even though his security clearance has been suspended until September 2008. This is raising eyebrows even among Clinton’s admirers.

US appears guilty of torture, says Pelosi

Moonbat protester at Walter Reed: “My union made me come here;” Plus: Revolt against Code Pinkos in the Bay Area…and SF mayor Gavin Newsom goes on the attack -- [Michelle Malkin]
...A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of joining folks from the Gathering of Eagles and Free Republic for the weekly pro-troops rally at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Who’s on the other side of the street with the tiny contingent of Code Pinkos protesting the war? Look for the union label!
According to FR’s Albion Wilde, at least one of them is a union worker who was told to show up. The Code Pink protest outside Walter Reed is led by one Bruce Wolf, chair of the “Social Justice Committee” of the AFL-CIO-affiliated union O.P.E.I.U. Local 2, who has referred to soldiers as “scabs:”

Protest Warriors

A segment from MTV about a conservative protest group taking on the anti-war movement.

THE MEDIA

Al Qaeda In Haditha: The Battle The Media Ignored -- [NewsBusters]
If this exclusive is completely accurate then it is a bombshell story that the media completely ignored or overlooked. It probably didn’t line up with their narrative for the war. According to the report, the Time reporter that broke this story played the fool to an al Qaeda operative and the actual attacks were done by militant operatives led by Al Qaeda. Others were quick to echo the propaganda , overlooking key facts and evidence as the MSM does so well, from the New York Times to Congressman John Murtha.

‘Journalists’ Tell Howard Kurtz Why Good News from Iraq Shouldn’t Get Reported (updated w/video) -- [NewsBusters]
As CNN's Howard Kurtz accurately pointed out on Sunday's "Reliable Sources," few media outlets seemed at all interested in giving much attention to the great news out of Iraq last week regarding September's sharp decline in casualties.

WashPost: Charles Gibson Marched in Vietnam Protests -- [NewsBusters]
Washington Post media reporter Howard Kurtz's new book excerpt on the network anchors led with some news in Monday's Post:

Left of Boom -- [Badgers Forward - in Iraq]
I have read "journalism is the first draft of history." As far as this war has gone I would tend to disagree with that, if anything has been the first draft of history it has been the Milblogs. (Yes, I understand that on a Milblog that probably sounds self-serving.)
...This is top notch reporting and a true first draft of history. I highly recommend it to you.

BLOGGING/ MILBLOGGING

Kithbridge The company that connects your organization with new media communities -- [Kithbridge] HT:Glenn
Kithbridge, Inc. was launched as an evolution of one of the blogosphere's original and most successful blog-tracking sites, The Truth Laid Bear. While The Truth Laid Bear provides a portal and blog search engine for individual bloggers and blog-readers, Kithbridge provides customized technology, services, and strategies for businesses, political campaigns, nonprofits, and other organizations which seek to fully engage with the growing and dynamic world of the blogosphere and new media.

Help Blackfive Win a Scholarship -- [Blackfive]
There's a $10,000 scholarship available for bloggers who are in school full time (I also work full time) and I happen to be one of the finalists.

HUMOR / SATIRE

Bush Touts Benefits of Artificial Life Creation -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-10-08) — Despite his reported ‘war on science‘, President George Bush celebrated this week’s announcement that DNA scientist Craig Venter has created a chromosome from lab chemicals and inserted it into a parasitic bacterium, altering its genetic code and thereby inventing the first man-made life form.

Day By Day

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