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

Iraqi Liberal Khudayr Taher: My Journey from Darkness to Light; America Is the Prophet of Liberty -- [MEMRI]
"Regrettably, I cannot pin down the first spark that ignited [my] radical ideological transformation towards rationalism, enlightenment, and orienting [myself] uniquely to Allah in feelings of love and obedience. Accretions of criticism pile up in the mind and the spirit over time… without your noticing them…
..."The foolish and the criminal never manage to see the sunlight and the hidden good that shines out… One needs a clear conscience and a mind free of criminal mob slogans before one can see America's good, shining face…
"Any noble Arab Muslim should be ashamed and should apologize to the American people for this crime [i.e. 9/11]. America deserves great love and recognition for its goodness and grace towards humanity."(4)

Sunnis, Shias put differences aside for peace -- [MNF-I]
KALSU, Iraq – The government of Musayyib hosted a celebration of security and economic growth at the city’s police station Oct. 8. In a move to help reduce sectarian violence in North Babil, leaders from the predominately Shia city of Musayyib came together with sheiks and representatives of the largely Sunni region of Jurf As Sukhr to share their optimism for the growth and development of the entire area.
With Sunni extremists influence such from the north and west, and rogue Shia militias from the south, the region surrounding Musayyib and Jurf has been a sectarian fault line for years. With the security celebration in Musayyib, the sectarian tensions are beginning to show real progress.
The chairman of the Musayyib Town Council, Thamir Thaban, and Sheik Fadel Yousif, a representative of the newly formed Jurf As Sukhr government, gave speeches praising the drop in violence and pledged to continue their work together to bring a lasting peace to the region.

The “Concerned Citizens”- The Locals Join Up -- [ON Point - Andrew Lubin ]
It may have taken four years, but the Iraqi people are finally taking the lead in the reconstruction of their own country. The combination of the extra American troops brought in through The Surge strategy, accompanied by the Iraqi revulsion to the brutality of Al-qada-Iraq and others is producing a resurgence of Iraqi local pride that may provide the tipping point in the war. OnPoint examines an area in the Diyala River Valley (north of Baghdad), a suburb in Baghdad, and talked...

IED Emplacers Strike

IED emplacers foiled by coalition forces

Iraq: Al Qaeda’s Quagmire -- [Captain's Journal]
After the turning of the tribes in Ramadi and the military defeat of the insurgents in Fallujah, coalition attention could be fully turned on al Qaeda with actionable intelligence. The tempo of intelligence-driven operations is steady and effective.
...Finally, al Qaeda in Iraq has lost a significant foreign fighter facilitator in Syria. Unknown gunmen murdered Muhammad Gul Aghasi - one of the key “theologians” of al Qaeda - at a mosque in northern Syria last month. Candidates for the fiery preacher’s killing include rivals within his own radical group, agents of the Americans - and his Syrian hosts. Whatever the truth, this is bad news for the already ailing al Qaeda.

Marine general: Freed Iraqis not rejoining insurgency -- [CNN]
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- None of the 1,000-plus Iraqi detainees freed in recent weeks have broken a pledge not to return to the insurgency, according to the Marine general who oversees the U.S. detention centers in Iraq.
Speaking in Arabic, Maj. Gen. Doug Stone on Wednesday reassured Iraqis about how the 25,000 detainees -- mostly Sunnis -- are treated after being taken into custody on suspicion of involvement in the insurgency.
Stone described the detention system as "open and transparent," saying it makes the detainees better citizens and helps break the cycle of violence and poverty in the country.

Local Iraqi leaders set recovery pace -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD — Security improvements in Fallujah are allowing Coalition forces and Iraqis to reinforce success, the city’s provincial reconstruction team leader said today.
A year ago, Fallujah was a battlefield between al Qaeda and Coalition forces. Today it is recovering, and local Iraqi leaders are setting the pace of that recovery, said Stephen G. Fakan, leader of the provincial reconstruction team in the Anbar province city.
“We have to find Iraqi solutions to Iraqi problems,” Fakan said during a conference call with defense reporters.

Iraq, Afghanistan offer new hope -- [The State]
At the end of September, I had the opportunity to visit with our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, which al-Qaida has identified as the central front in the global war on terrorism. I am grateful to report that, since my last visit at the beginning of June, there has been real success taking place on the ground.
When I visited Iraq back in June, I was briefed by Gen. David Petraeus on his new surge strategy, and we visited a joint security station in Baghdad. The station is a vital component of the new counter-insurgency strategy. While I have always respected Gen. Petraeus, I felt uncomfortable at the time that we were placing American and Iraqi troops in the explosive midst of an unstable city.

Marines to Remove Their Forces From Iraq -- [NY Times]
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 — The Marine Corps is pressing to remove its forces from Iraq and to send marines instead to Afghanistan, to take over the leading role in combat there, according to senior military and Pentagon officials.
The idea by the Marine Corps commandant would effectively leave the Iraq war in the hands of the Army while giving the Marines a prominent new role in Afghanistan, under overall NATO command.
The suggestion was raised in a session last week convened by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and regional war-fighting commanders. While still under review, its supporters, including some in the Army, argue that a realignment could allow the Army and Marines each to operate more efficiently in sustaining troop levels for two wars that have put a strain on their forces.

Thursday, October 11, 2007 -- [Nancy in Iraq]
Well, we had another rocket attack last night here at Camp Victory (and Liberty). Smaller rockets than the one that killed the TCN Sept 11, but there were more of them...I was watching Roswell in my trailer when it happened. I heard a boom, felt the trailer shake, and heard several more, with the "incoming" alarm sounding in the distance.

Rain o'er me -- [Jason's Iraq Vacation - in Iraq]
...We are finally putting together a plan to transition this place over to Iraqi control. After 5 months and being the 3rd rotation through here, ya'd have thought that was done already. Nope. It's going to be tough to get alot of the tasks accomplished during our rotation, though. As rough as these Iraqi's have it because of the situation here and the constant danger their families are in, they sure have some sweet work arrangements. Get this - they get two weeks of vacation every month. That's right - they work 2 weeks, then take 2 weeks off.

Under Distant Stars -- [Michael Yon - in Iraq]
He was shot; four months ago—nearly to the day—in a stinging attack that caught the American soldiers driving Humvees through Mosul. But Command Sergeant Major James Pippin realized they were in a “nearside ambush,” and ordered his driver to assault directly into the RPG and machine gun fire. Riding the offensive momentum, the American soldiers dismounted their Humvees, moving into the attack, disorganizing the ambushers. Pippin shot one in the face. Then a bullet found him.

On Patrol in Ramadi -- [Michael Totten - in Iraq]
Join me and Army Captain Phil Messer on a walking tour of Ramadi, Iraq, in a 20 minute video shot during a dismounted foot patrol in early August, 2007.

The Story of a HET and Two Hercs - Part I Part II Part III
I arrived in Ar Ramadi, Iraq in the early morning hours of 2 October 2006 on a United States Marine Corps CH-53 Sea Stallion. My chariot out would be far less glamorous.
With the Relief in Place well underway and most of the Company in Falluja I had already said good bye to the Company. I left a few days before the Transfer of Authority because schedules had been changed and my new orders already called for me to be at my new assignment before then. I sought out Pathfinder 6 and thanked him for the job. We shook hands and bid adieu.

US Airforce UAV Airstrike on insurgents planting IED in Iraq

Why is the use of anthropology a contentious issue? -- [From an Anthropological Perspective - in Iraq]
The debate in a nutshell is as follows. The general objection to anthropologists working with the military is that research will be used to facilitate the capture, torture, and killing of Iraqis. The professional code of ethics we abide by states that we must not conduct research that will cause harm to research subjects or the subject population.
...My counter-argument is that anthropological research is used to better understand the population culturally, socially, and organizationally. This situational awareness leads to better decisions by soldiers on the street and in briefings such that there is a general reduction in kinetic operations due to knowing non-kinetic options. This is vital in countering an insurgency or civil war because US Forces may inadvertently support the wrong stakeholders or create negative second or third order effects that are mission defeating.

Security Contractors: A Necessary Evil -- [Defense Tech]
...Although it is not widely recognized, the protection of diplomats in dangerous places is a civilian function and has traditionally been carried out by civilian agents. With rare exceptions, military forces simply do not have the legal mandate or specialized training required to provide daily protection details for diplomats. It is not what soldiers do. A few in the U.S. military do posses s that specialized training, and they could be assigned to the work under the DSS, but with wars going on in Iraq and Afghanistan, they currently are needed for other duties.

AFGHANISTAN

Pushing for peace in North Waziristan -- [The Long War Journal]
As the fighting between the Taliban and the military in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal agency nears the end of the fifth day, the Pakistani military has halted attacks in the town of Mir Ali in order to allow civilians to bury the dead. Raids and airstrikes have been reported in the Mosaki, Hurmiz, Asokhel, and Hyder Khel. Multiple reports indicate the Pakistani government is seeking a negotiated end to the fighting.

Soldiers on Patrol in Kabul

Bad Manners and Tribal Politics -- [Strategy Page]
October 11, 2007: In Afghanistan, more foreign terrorists are showing up. One group of these was hit with a smart bomb recently, called in by police responding to a tip that "foreign fighters" were preparing an attack in the area (Paktia province). Of the 22 men in the group, sixteen were killed by the bomb, or gunfire before and after the explosion. The other six were wounded, and five of them got away in the dark. But one, a Uzbek, was captured, and confirmed that most of the group were Uzbeks or Chechens, the rest Pakistanis.

Iran Inaugurates New Air Base -- [Fars News Agency]
TEHRAN - Iran has inaugurated a new air base near its eastern border with Afghanistan to protect against a possible strike by enemy forces operating in the neighboring country.

High maintenance -- [Yellowhammering Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
In the military, few things are as critical as maintenance.
We are a mobile fighting force with some high-tech gadgetry and heavyweight machinery. Couple that with the dusty, dry climate and rocky, rough terrain of Afghanistan and you have the makings of a disaster.
We rely a lot on the maintenance guys to keep our up-armored Humvees rolling and our radios and computer equipment functioning. We often complain that the work is taking too long, but the reality is the maintenance men and women here in Ghazni and throughout Afghanistan are doing great work considering the demands placed on them.

Picture Time -- [Bill and Bob's Excellent Afghan Adventure - in Afghanistan]
Here are a few pictures of some of the recent happenings in The Valley.
The Valley has a lot of farms. They primarily grow wheat (already harvested,) corn (pictured,) potatoes, tomatoes, onions (they LOVE onions,) melons, and cotton.
On patrol with the ANP. This guy's carrying a 120mm Russian mortar round that we captured. We blew it up later. BIG boom. This round can be used to create a powerful IED
...The radio operator during an operational pause in The Valley. We didn't know it then, but he had about a month to live. He was killed by the IED that claimed four of our ANP in September, 2007. He was the guy who was always right there when I turned to talk to the ANP Commander. Good, hardworking kid. This is what an Afghan hero looks like.

Some Pics -- [ETT PA-C - in Afghanistan]
Above.....home, for now. Right.....a doll that my daughter sent over to give away. Below......SGM Allman with Georgia, our monkey.

U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Iranian Weekly Says To Pressure U.S. By Abducting U.S. Citizens In Iran -- [MEMRI Blog]
The Iranian weekly Sobh-e Sadeq, which is the mouthpiece of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei circulated among Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), has written that in order to dissuade the U.S. from abducting Iranian representatives in Iraq, U.S. citizens in Iran should be abducted and foreign detainees should be used to pressure the U.S.

WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

U.S. Congress Takes Steps to Protect & Inform Terrorism Victims -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
In recent months, one or both houses of the U.S. Congress have passed measures designed to protect the victims of terrorism and to punish countries for their involvement with terrorist groups. Last week, the Senate attached "The Justice for Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Act" to the bill authorizing Defense Department programs. According to the office of Sen. Frank Lautenberg, one of the co-sponsors of the Victims of Terrorism Act, it would:

Jawa PWNS Wanted Terrorist's Website -- [Jawa Report]
The personal website of Najmuddin Faraj Ahmad, better known as Mullah Krekar, the man who founded the terrorist organization Ansar al Islam, is down. Thanks to all who wrote the American ISP to complain. You can make a difference.

Giuliani 'doesn't deserve to live' -- [WorldNetDaily]
— Terrorists threaten presidential candidate, cite Rudy's war stance, Arafat treatment — Saying Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani "doesn't deserve to live," Palestinian terror leaders are threatening to harm the former New York mayor …

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

The Real Stars-

It is truly heartwarming to see a respected intellectual such as Ben Stein express sincere appreciation for brave men and women serving in the military and their families all of whom are making great sacrifices fighting the War on Jihadism.

Mom’s home… -- [Noble Duty] HT: A Soldiers PerspectiveJulie-Mom-has agreed to tell her story here so we can all come to understand what REALLY goes on in the lives of our Soldiers, and educate us beyond all the headlines and political football we have to contend with day in and day out.
They have lives, they have families, and they have good and bad days. We owe them a great deal more than we give them when you consider what they do for us…and what LITTLE they ask of us in return.

The Camp Stryker crowd rocking out with former Poison front man Bret Michaels. -- [Nancy in Iraq]
This is the second photo I took with Bret Michaels. The first one wasn't great, so he insisted on another. He was awesome. His handlers were trying to get him to knock off signing autographs to go do some other gig he was scheduled for, but he wouldn't leave until every last person got their hat, guitar, paper, reflective belt, t-shirt, poster, orders, or whatever other crazy thing they could scrounge up signed by the legendary rocker.

MILITARY

Iraq Buys American -- [Strategy Page]
October 11, 2007: The Iraqi armed forces has placed another order for American weapons and munitions. This one is worth $2.2 billion, and includes 135,000 M-16 and M4 assault rifles, along with 142 million rounds of ammo. All ordered were 18 million rounds of 7.62mm ammo, 760,000 12.7mm rounds, 10,000 40mm grenades, 74,000 mortar shells (most of them 60mm), plus stun and smoke grenades, shotgun shells and signal flares.

The Air Force's Crappy New Language -- [OPFOR]
...One thing I learned to hate about the way Air Force personnel handled the media was their fierce determination to be as rigid and uninformative as possible in press releases. Here, I'll give you an example:
...You could pratically write a formula for these obtuse canned statements. Acknowledge the overall mission, define impact, and outline your contribution to the overall good. I remember a colonel calling my friend (a PAO) into his office and delivering a 30 minute ass-chewing over an article in which the colonel felt he was misquoted. Turns out he wasn't misquoted, my friend had simply used the parts of the interview that were pertinent. He had quoted the boss word-for-word. Probably left out the part where "Air power is crucial to setting the conditions for stability in Iraq."

How Defense Appropriations Really Work -- [Dude, where's the beach? - in Iraq]
Just received a 'Washington Weekly' update on the latest and greatest in Air Force and military funding. If you really want to know how the Air Force gets funded, just read the highlights below.

WELCOME HOME

Drinkin' Beers -- [Acute Politics - home from Iraq]
A Gooseberry Wheat beer, to be exact, brewed by Scottish monks. Strange, but tasty. I've also stopped smoking (actually, I stopped the day I stepped onto the plane in Kuwait), and haven't craved a smoke yet. I've gotten used to wearing my seatbelt and using my turn signals again, and I've almost stopped reacting to debris/cracks/etc in the road. I still miss Iraq, though, and if it weren't for my knowledge of how life goes on without you during deployment, I'd volunteer to go again.

Hey There -- [Half a World Away]
Being home is fantastic, better then I could have imagined. Erika and Ben are wonderful, I'm so thankful to be home safe and be back home with them. My wife is the real hero, how she kept things going around the house without me I'll never know. Truly God has blessed me with a strong, capable, loving wife and mother. Ben grows every day, he is so much fun to be around and to spend time with. Work has been good as well, ConAgra has gone above and beyond continually and made the transition easy for me.

POLITICS

Jimmy Carter Admits His Mistake During Iranian Hostage Crisis -- [Gateway Pundit]
After attacking Bush, Cheney, Rudy Giuliani, and making up things about torture at Abu Ghraib and Gitmo, Jimmy Carter discussed the one mistake he made during the Iranian Hostage Crisis.

Carter launches attack on Bush

Clinton vows to check executive power -- [Boston Globe]
— Would curb use of signing statements — Senator Hillary Clinton said yesterday that if she is elected president, she intends to roll back President Bush's expansion of executive authority, including his use of presidential signing statements to put …

THE MEDIA

Cuomo, Kurtz Revel in Media's Ability to Push Anti-war Agenda -- [NewsBusters]
On Tuesday's "Good Morning America," co-host Chris Cuomo and media critic Howard Kurtz ignored the role that liberal bias has played in the decline of ratings for the network evening newscasts. At the same time, Cuomo and Washington Post reporter seemed to be proud of the media's ability to turn Americans against the war in Iraq. Kurtz, who has written a book on the subject, asserted, "I believe that these newscasts in 2005 and 2006 played the biggest single role in helping to turn public opinion against the war."

De Palma Furious Dead US Soldiers Cut From Vile Film (Video)
During an interview on his recent anti-American film, "Redacted", showing US soldiers raping and killing a woman in Iraq, Brian de Palma was furious that photos of dead US soldiers were cut from the final production!

Left of Boom -- [Acute Politics]
I'm a few days late to this party, but I'll post it anyway:
The Washington Post has an excellent piece of journalism entitled Left of Boom: The Struggle to Defeat Roadside Bombs
The article is a series of four parts, chronicling the appearance of IEDs and how the often frantic efforts to counter them have finally moved "left of boom"- neutralizing IEDs and IED networks before the bombs send more young men home.
...The author covers nearly every portion of the IED fight of which I am aware, with one glaring exception- route clearance. He relates that the human eye and the soldier behind it is "more adept at finding bombs than any machine", but does not follow the thought through to the logical conclusion- make teams of soldiers to hunt IEDs, arm them with specialized equipment, and turn them loose.

HUMOR / SATIRE

Day By Day

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