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

Provincial Reconstruction Teams: The ‘Civilian Surge’ -- [MNF-I]
The recent surge of troops and embedded Provincial Reconstruction Teams (EPRT) to Iraq is providing unprecedented opportunity for Iraqi citizens, a Coalition commander said today.
“It really wasn’t until the EPRT, the ‘civilian surge’ … and the surge forces arrived that we began to make what I will call measurable progress along our lines of operations,” Army Col. Mike Garret told online journalists and “bloggers” during a conference call from Forward Operating Base Kalsu, south of Baghdad, shortly after he provided a televised operational update via satellite.

Civillian Tip Leads To Cache Discovery - Concerned Iraqi Citizen

Coalition forces degrade al-Qaeda in Iraq network; 3 terrorists killed, 11 detained -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces killed three terrorists and detained 11 suspects Wednesday and Thursday during operations to disrupt terrorist networks in central Iraq.
Coalition forces conducted an operation west of Tarmiyah Thursday, targeting an alleged al-Qaeda in Iraq leader operating in the Fallujah area. During the course of operations, Coalition forces observed four individuals emplacing objects believed to be improvised explosive devices into the ground near the target area. When the ground force approached, they were engaged by small-arms fire.

An Iraqi Parade Against al-Qaeda -- [Live Leak]
Osama bin Laden's latest call for Iraqi insurgents to unite against Americans fell on deaf ears this week in Ramadi, the city that al-Qaeda leaders once declared the seat of a new Islamic caliphate and capital of the Iraqi insurgency.
Rather than rise up against them, the people of Ramadi Tuesday invited U.S. forces to watch a massive parade — albeit one so tightly secured that no pedestrian traffic got close to it.
The almost surreal, two-hour martial procession was led by the city's children to commemorate the martyred leader of a tribal revolt that has virtually silenced al-Qaeda in Anbar Province.

"The darkness has become pitch black" - Osama bin Laden on Iraq situation -- [LWJ]
Bin Laden addresses a tactical failure of al Qaeda in Iraq's IED cells. He clearly is unhappy with their performance, and indicated the failure to employ IEDs efficiently against U.S. forces is due to "negligence." He is also concerned about the infiltration of Iraqi and American spies.

Usama Bin Laden... Message To The People Of Iraq

Waiting For A Miracle To Show Up -- [Strategy Page]
October 24, 2007: The sharp drop in violence (about 70 percent nationwide versus a year ago) is being seen as the result of the Sunni Arab terrorist organizations collapsing in defeat. Most of the Sunni Arab tribes have turned against the terrorists, and the al Qaeda organization, which is responsible for most of the suicide bomb attacks, has been torn apart. Most al Qaeda leaders are dead, captured or spending most of their time trying to avoid that fate. The system of safe houses and skilled technicians (bomb makers, trainers, supervisors) has been disrupted or destroyed. At the same time some U.S. commanders want to declare al Qaeda defeated in Iraq,

25 Oct 07: Rocket Attack [Update 0930 Baghdad time] -- [Michael Yon - in Iraq]
...There is very little al Qaeda left in this area. One known al Qaeda operative was found dead last week, shot in the head. Despite these attacks, violence continues to decrease.

Sounds -- [Those Wacky Iraqis - in Iraq]
No movie can make incoming fire sound right. It does not matter if it is artillery, mortars, rockets, or small arms, it just never sounds right. It may be because the film crews who conduct the Foley effects have never been under fire, then again live music always sounds different from recorded so maybe you just can't get it right, you get it close.
There is a marked "Crump" sound when a mortar lands. Sometimes you hear the tubes when they launch. That is a far away "POP" and you know it's coming.

Hunting al-Qaida in Iraq -- [Matt Sanchez - in Iraq]
Terror and anonymity go hand in hand. It's hard to be a terrorist when everyone knows who you are. An attack takes a certain detachment, stealth and a craven willingness to kill people you've probably never met. Ramadi, Fallujah, Baghdad – one by one, as neighbors learn who lives next to them and repel those who mean harm, terrorists have moved out of the cities and into the outskirts, the areas that have had little or no authority.
Operation Snake was slated to begin at 0200, 2 a.m.

Commandant Downplays A Shift Of Marine Mission From Iraq To Afghanistan -- [On Point]
Some widely reported speculation about the motivation behind a proposal to shift Marine Corps responsibility to Afghanistan is blatantly wrong, the Marine Corps commandant told local service members and retirees Wednesday.
...But, he said, the idea that the Corps is looking to take over a four-star general billet in Afghanistan is "absolutely untrue."
"It has been said that we want to leave the Al Anbar province (in Iraq) while the leaving is good," he said, but that is also wrong.
"In many ways, this is not about Afghanistan," he said, but rather about Iraq.

Cav Country 49 - Newscast 1st Air Cavalry

The New Iraqi Air Force -- [Dude, where's the beach? - in Iraq]
Putting the 'Kinetic Hurt' in Counter-Insurgency Operations (COIN)
Mi-17 - All new aircraft, but it's the 'Old Faithful' helicopter the Iraqis have used for decades. They're good at flying it, fixing it, and it'll be bringing some pain to the bad guys very soon thanks to some outstanding IqAF-Coalition team work. (Patting self on back)

Inshallah -- [Sergeant Grumpy - in Iraq]
...Anyhow, during our first meeting, the Major was discussing some issue the Iraqis want our help with, and he was saying we would do what we can to look into it, being careful not to make any promises. Major M thought he would show a little cultural sensitivity and threw in “Inshallah”, which means God willing, and is used to avoid taking any accountability for your commitments, since if you fail to deliver it was God’s will. And who are you to question God.
Of course, this is not the Iraqi’s first rotation – he has been here dealing with Americans since we arrived. His response:
Is that an American Inshallah or an Iraqi Inshallah?

AFGHANISTAN

Operation Rock Avalanche In Afghanistan -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
The 173rd Airborne Brigade, along with Afghan forces, are conducting offensive operations in the Korengal Valley of northeastern Afghanistan bordering Pakistan. An unknown number of Taliban fighters - by some reports up to 20 - were killed in the battle.

Jihad Commander in Afghanistan Sheikh Al-Ustadh Yasser in New Al-Sahab Video: -- [MEMRI]
'The American is an Infidel Fighting the Muslims – Hence, the Muslims Must Fight Him Everywhere'
On October 21, 2007, the Islamist website Al-Ekhlaas, hosted by Layered Technologies, Inc. in Texas, USA, posted a 90-minute video, produced by Al-Sahab, featuring an interview with Afghani jihad commander Sheikh Muhammad Yasser (known as Sheikh Al-Ustadh Yasser). The sheikh was released from an Afghan prison in March 2007 in exchange for an Italian journalist abducted by the Taliban. According to the video, he served as a minister in the three governments that preceded the rise of the Taliban, and later resigned from politics to become a lecturer at the Da'wa and Jihad University in Peshawar. The video further states that he supported the Taliban when it came to power. The following are the main points of the video:

Shoes!!! -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
These photos were sent along by my friend Bob Connolly, whose wife Cynthia knitted and sent about 40 caps to our Soldiers for the children in Afghanistan. Photos of the kids with their new caps to follow in another post.
But first, the shoes...

NATO in Afghanistan - part. 1/2

Canadian and British soldiers in Afghanistan. Canadian forces in Shah Wali Kot district are seen firing artillery at distant Afghans ... all » 'suspected' of spying; firing warning shots at motorcyclists and vehicles, which causes a bus to crash. British troops mentoring Afghan National Army call in close air support against insurgents; captured Taliban suspect will be 'abused' by ANA, says British officer.

NATO drums up more troops for Afghanistan -- [Murdoc Online]
...I can see why several NATO nations are unwilling to do much to assist with the campaign in Iraq. I don't agree, but I can understand. The general lack of interest in doing anything in Afghanistan continues to baffle me, however.
NATO commanders are hoping to double the number of training units in Afghanistan, but it's slow going.

NATO in Afghanistan - part. 2/2

Canadian and British soldiers in Afghanistan. Canadian forces in Shah Wali Kot district are seen firing artillery at distant Afghans ... all » 'suspected' of spying; firing warning shots at motorcyclists and vehicles, which causes a bus to crash. British troops mentoring Afghan National Army call in close air support against insurgents; captured Taliban suspect will be 'abused' by ANA, says British officer

U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Army Helping Attack Wildfires -- [
Army National Guard helicopters were attacking southern California's ferocious wildfires Tuesday as Soldiers on the ground were manning traffic control points and were prepared to provide people who had lost their homes with ...
National Guard helicopters carrying big Bambi water buckets were trying to bring under control the firestorm that has forced some 500,000 residents to flee the devastated, seven-county region since last weekend.
"This is true and pure homeland defense. This is my home. I live here. This is what I joined to do," said California Army Guard 1st Lt. Robi Yucas, who was coordinating the Guard's aviation assets even as his wife and daughter and dog were preparing to evacuate their fire-threatened home in Oceanside, Calif.
Bill Richardson: Outrageous And Absolutely Incorrect -- [Riehl World View]
You'd think politicians would be mindful of living in the new media age. This from Gov. Bill Richardson at the Huffington Post, calling the Iraq War lost and blaming California's shrinking National Guard on the war. He should have called ABC first - see below.

Thank you Gubernator!!!

Additional nuclear sites in Syria? -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
While proof of a Syrian nuclear site is trickling down, including in this Washington Post article, the question now remains: what exactly do we know about the Syrian nuclear program?

Morality in counterinsurgency: Coercing the desperate -- [TigerHawk]
Humans rights NGOs have their panties in knots over the Israelis pressuring sick Palestinians to rat on the militants in their midst:

WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

Exclusive: Bin Laden’s Frustration with His Lieutenants -- [The Family Security Foundation]
Yes, Bin Laden’s latest audiotape aired on al Jazeera is unique. Not in its ideological party line or in the Salafi doctrinal roots; they haven’t changed nor are they expected to. Surely, in a previous speech he inserted some neo-Marxist and Trotskyite rhetoric but that was part of his “American” discourse, and possibly at the request of his Gringo advisers.
...Incredibly, the leader of al Qaeda said the “Mujahidins” in Iraq committed “mistakes.” This was the first time the man used these words in this context: self criticism. In fact he criticized the emirs for the recklessness of their Jihad in the land of the two rivers. If one reviews the public statements of Bin Laden, at least since 1996, this is the first time he has mentioned the Jihadists’ mistakes, not the errors by Muslim rulers in general. Now, these are his own fighters who are at fault.

Usama Bin Laden... Message To The People Of Iraq

Al-Qaida Distributors Accuse Al-Jazeera of Distorting Bin Laden's Message on Iraq
Al-Qaida's official online distribution network responsible for disseminating messages from Usama Bin Laden--known as the "Al-Fajr Media Center"--has issued a new statement strongly criticizing the Arabic-language Al-Jazeera satellite television network, which it has accused of "deceitfully manipulating" the latest audio recording from Bin Laden regarding the growing infighting within the Sunni insurgency in Iraq. According to the Al-Fajr Center, "Aljazeera editors in chief have counterfeited the facts by making the speech appear as exclusively targeting the brothers and sons inside Al-Qaeda organization. It looked as if it was an acknowledgment of their mistakes, a renunciation of their jihad and their loyalty to it." The letter went on to condemn the directors of Al-Jazeera for "shamefully choosing to back the crusaders’ side, and the defenders of hypocrites and the thugs and traitors of Iraq.”

U.S. Announces New Sanctions Against Iranian Military, Banks, Leaders -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
Today, the State Department designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) for their proliferation activities. The Treasury Department also designated numerous Iranian parties for proliferation concerns: nine IRGC-affiliated entities and five IRGC-affiliated individuals; two state-owned banks, Bank Melli (its biggest) and Bank Mellat; and three individuals affiliated with Iran's Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO). The Treasury Department also designated the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) under for providing material support to the Taliban in Afghanistan and other terrorist organizations, and also designated Iran's state-owned Bank Saderat as a terrorist financier.

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

Collateral Damage -- [Castle Argghhh!]
In prior wars, children of soldiers and Marines killed in action would have medals, stacks of letters, perhaps a few photographs or, if they were very lucky, a faded clipping from the local newspaper to help keep the memory of a lost loved one alive. To such meager artifacts would be added endless quiet recountings of birthdays, vacations, holidays and the thousand shared moments - trivial, poignant, or hilarious - that make each family happy in its own unique way.
But the children of today's fallen warriors are growing up in a digital age, surrounded by often disturbing images and multimedia Is it too much to ask that when these smallest Americans look for traces of their missing fathers or mothers, the first image to spring to their minds should comfort, and not horrify?

Knock, knock... who are you??? -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Here's a good one. Several Soldiers' Angels have been receiving lovely thank you emails from soldiers to whom they never sent anything directly. One of the Angels finally fessed up and told the Soldier she didn't know who he was...??

Marine’s Father Sues Church for Cheering Son’s Death -- [New York Times]
...The Westboro protesters, whose church is in Topeka, Kan., frequently picket the funerals of military officials and soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan because church leaders assert that God is killing soldiers to punish America for condoning homosexuality. The lawsuit, which is being tried in Baltimore, is believed to be the first against the church by the family of a fallen serviceman.

Code Blue for Code Pink? [The Tank - Steve Schippert]
Many will enjoy reading Eli Lake's latest at the New York Sun, End of a Movement.
The Freepers who stand regular watch outside Walter Reed surely will take particular pleasure in Ms. Benjamin's lamentations and exasperations. The way they see it, she and her crews are owed some anguish for what they do to the troops on a regular basis. And they are, of course, absolutely right.

WELCOME HOME

Welcome home, Dan! -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
About 15,000 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers are beginning to come home to Ft. Bragg, and here's the first 267 at Pope Air Force Base last Friday.
This group is mostly from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team’s support and special troops battalions.

Dagger Brigade Soldiers start coming home -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — After spending most of the last 15 months in one of Baghdad’s most dangerous neighborhoods, 126 members of Task Force 1-26 got to go home Sunday night.
The task force is among the first wave of Schweinfurt, Germany-based troops expected back from Iraq this week and throughout October and November.

MILITARY

Axe: Disband the Air Force!
Fed up with unnecessary gold-plated fighter jet programs, the service’s impatience with counter-insurgency and its anti-China rhetoric, back in August I proposed the disbanding of the U.S. Air Force. The air service’s missions could be folded into the Army, Navy and Marine Corps without any loss in national power -- and we’d benefit from cuts to Pentagon overhead.
Now Robert Farley over at The American Prospect has taken up the cause in a new piece, “Abolish the Air Force.” To complement the piece, Farley has solicited input from a number of bloggers, including yours truly.

Chairman Asks Straight Questions, Gets Hard Answers -- [Defense Link]
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen yesterday heard some hard truths when he asked hundreds of soldiers about their service.
“We need something better. That’s just not good enough,” another captain said of the 12-month home-station time between deployments.
Still another young officer said he was planning to end his military service, not because he was ready to be finished, but because his family was.
...“I think we’re going to change everything about the military,” he said, including how the force trains, recruits, educates and develops its troops.

POLITICS

Bill Richardson: Outrageous And Absolutely Incorrect -- [Riehl World View]
You'd think politicians would be mindful of living in the new media age. This from Gov. Bill Richardson at the Huffington Post, calling the Iraq War lost and blaming California's shrinking National Guard on the war. He should have called ABC first - see below.

Stark apologizes for saying troops die for Bush's 'amusement' -- [Jake's Life]
It's not the blatant stupidity and insensitivity of this remark that is getting my blood boiling, its Starks' blanket assumption that everyone fighting in Iraq A)is a political pawn of President Bush B) doesn't know what they are fighting for C) somehow didn't volunteer for the ALL VOLUNTEER MILITARY and D) doesn't want to be over there.

Code Pinkos run wild on Capitol Hill again -- [Michelle Malkin]
Update: The White House smacks the Dems over Code Pink.
The Democrats refuse to rein in the Code Pinko thugs and vandals who continue to disrupt hearings on Capitol Hill. Earlier today, it was an unhinged protester who attempted to smear red paint on Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

MILBLOGGING/BLOGGING

I Do it so can you! -- [Northern Disclosure]
For those of you that didn't know, I was invited to speak at Brown University for a Watson Institute forum involving frontline media, writers and filmakers. I was honored by the invitation but it was hard to attend since I am over here. I did participate via webcast and found that in itself very entertaining.
I was able to watch the panel before the one I spoke on which had Colby Buzzell, a kid that was a specialist in the same unit I was in the first time over, and also Matt from "Blackfive". They spoke of military blogs and how they have changed.

Crunch Time -- [Outside the Wire - JD Johannes - in Iraq]
We are hearing that the violence in Iraq is decreasing.
And we all hear the phrase 'The Surge.' But what is the surge? How has it worked to decrease the violence?
In my upcoming movie, the viewer will get to see the surge from the inside, riding along with an Army infantry company in Baghdad's West Rashid district. An infantry company that is a true 'Surge Unit.'
But this may movie may never be completed. I am tapped out.
I need $3,000 more dollars to complete this DVD.

THE MEDIA

Ted Rall: Death of 'Idiot' Soldiers Raises U.S. IQ -- [NewsBusters]
I don't normally follow Ted Rall's work. But when J.M., a member of our military serving in Iraq, wrote NB about Rall's recent column and cartoon, I had a look. I'd say our soldier was being restrained in describing Rall's work as "particularly offensive."

Beauchamp and the Rule of Second Chances: Pass it Along -- [Michael Yon- in Iraq]
...I was at a reconciliation meeting between Sunni and Shia in the West Rashid district of Baghdad on 24 October, and it happened by complete coincidence that I was with Beauchamp’s battalion. In fact, I was with his old company commander for much of the day, although I had no idea for most of it that I was with Beauchamp’s old company commander.
At the reconciliation meeting, Beauchamp’s battalion commander, LTC George Glaze, politely introduced himself and asked who I wrote for. When I replied that I just have a little blog, the word caught his ears and he mentioned Beauchamp, who I acknowledged having heard something about. LTC Glaze seemed protective of Beauchamp, despite how the young soldier had maligned his fellow soldiers. In fact, the commander said Beauchamp, having learned his lesson, was given the chance to leave or stay.

That Took Foerever: Beauchamp Story Collapses -- [Weekly Srandard]
The Drudge Report has posted a a series of documents that reveal the lengths to which the New Republic’s editors, specifically Frank Foer and Peter Scoblic, went to cover up the truth about the Scott Beauchamp stories. This is the end of the road, and a long road it's been.
When we started looking into Beauchamp's stories back in July, we believed that the New Republic had simply been taken in by a huckster--that despite being over-eager to publish a story that cast our troops in a negative light, TNR's editors had done so good faith, believing the stories to be true. So we emailed Frank Foer, who agreed to provide us with some of the corroborating details in order to demonstrate his author's credibility.

Foer, TNR accuse the *military* of "selective leaks" of information they tried their best to suppress -- [Jeff Emanuel]
Said TNR's Franklin Foer, "It's maddening to see the Army selectively leak to the Drudge Report things that we've been trying to obtain from them through Freedom of Information Act requests," Mr. Foer said. "This fits a pattern in this case where the army has leaked a lot of stuff to right wing blogs."

Knight Ridder, Night Rider you got some ID Chump? -- [Uncle Jimbo - BlackFive]
...The Americans, however, are the absolute worst. I had a testy exchange Tuesday with an American soldier at an entry checkpoint into the Green Zone.....

Remember Iraq? Who can forget? -- [Badgers Forward - in Iraq]
Remember when Paul Krugman worked for Enron, Maureen Dowd was a pouty little girl, and Thomas Friedman was a respected writer? Me too. Then the New York Times created Times Select and those of us unwilling to fork over money were then deprived of their musings. Sadly Times Select was apparently a colossal failure and they are back and available to us, the unwashed masses.
During that two year public hiatus Mr. Friedman must have started channeling Ms. Dowd as his column today demonstrates.

HUMOR / SATIRE

New Tape: Bin Laden Calls Insurgents ‘Pack of Sissies’ -- [ScrappleFace]
In a newly-released audiotape, al Qaeda leader Usama bin Laden spoke directly to Muslim insurgents in Iraq, calling them “a pack of sniveling sissies for collapsing in the face of the recent U.S. military surge.”

Day By Day

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