 |
|
 |
| [-] |
| [−] |
| [−] |
| [−] |
| [−] |
Prev | List | Random | Next |
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.
A Good Afternoon -- [Zen Traveler - in Iraq]
We returned to the Baghdad Ballet School to deliver some gifts that were generously donated by a similar school in Mobile, Alabama. It was a great afternoon and I got a chance to interact with a lot of the kids. I laughed because the only English that they could speak was to sing the "ABC song" and count to ten, which they did relentlessly.
Sons of Iraq Transition -- [Soldiering On - in Iraq]
One of the weapons employed by GEN Petraeus during the surge was an Iraqi Organization that came to be known as Sons of Iraq (SOIZs). In many cases these SOIZs were former insurgents (nationalists and rejectionists) who had spent the previous two years fighting Coalition Forces and the Iraqi Government. Yet, their ideology was never the same as the nihilist visions of Al Qaeda and the sweeping destruction and bloodshed that it brought. Rather, they wanted a voice in the new Iraq.
Ramblings -- [Bad Dogs and Such - in Iraq]
We’ve reached kind of a confusing point in our involvement here. And by our I mean not only the Civil Affairs effort, but the Army in general. The Status of Forces Agreement is scheduled to go into effect 1 January. More changes will follow.
Blackwater CEO on the role of security contractors -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Today's Wall Street Journal carries a piece contributed by Erik Prince, former Navy SEAL and founder and CEO of Blackwater Worldwide.
There are a lot of misperceptions about contractors in Iraq. The majority of contractors provide a wide variety of support functions such as transport, laundry and garbage disposal services, for example.
Blackwater is in the business of providing security. For State Department employees.
PVC Pipe? -- [S4 at War - in Iraq]
I spend a significant amount of government money with Iraqi and thrid country national vendors who can get supplies I need quickly. I recently had to purchase a monumental amount of PVC pipe. A resourceful Indian guy who we sometimes work with said he could get us what we needed. A few days later he showed up with 4000 ft of coiled up plastic hosing, nothing even remotely close to PVC pipe. I told him I couldn’t use it, that its not PVC pipe to which he replied, “I know sir, the PVC pipe is very expensive, this much cheaper.” I
Burn Before Reading -- [The War on Big Tobacco - in Iraq]
This is better read by watching this:
...I am standing at our company’s burn barrel. The burn barrel is a 55 gallon drum that is used to burn sensitive documents. One of the jobs in the TOC on the night shift is to burn sensitive documents that were created during the day. I am burning documents and smoking simultaneously.
“First sergeant,” I respond. “What you are saying is that I can’t smoke a cigar while I am burning documents.”
“No” he says. “I’m saying that FOB rules state that you can’t smoke within 50 feet of any equipment.”
Well Now, Ain’t This Something… -- [The Gun Line - in Iraq]
I escorted a working party of young Iraqis who were day laborers… They were all young, and they reminded me so much of any typical American teenager, ...
… I felt very encouraged that these young fellows would be the ones to wake up and realize how full of potential their futures are. They will be the ones to take charge of their communities, and decide that they would not allow themselves to be manipulated by religion, by politics, by other countries…
… Perhaps it will happen. I hope it does…
We’ll see if I’m as optimistic at the end of the tour as I am now, but, right now, I am where I need to be, doing what I need to be doing… I’m happy to be here.
Afghanistan Today - Michael Yon Interview -- [NRO]
Michael Yon, courageous independent reporter and author of Moment of Truth in Iraq, has just returned to the United States from Afghanistan. National Review Online editor Kathryn Jean Lopez checked in with him about the president’s trip there this weekend and his own findings
The Clinic -- [Michael Yon - in Afghansitan]
As for the clinics, they are just a small start to meeting the nation's vast health care needs. The sad truth is that for the majority of Afghan peasants, the pathetically small amount of medical care that they received over the war years when they languished in the refugee camps of Pakistan -- occasional inoculations, rehydration salts to prevent deaths to children and infants from diarrhea, antibiotics that we Westerners take for granted, a modicum of hygienic assistance with childbirth -- were the first instances of modern medicine available to them. These clinics, which are pretty basic by our standards, represent a huge leap forward across most of this poor, war-torn nation.
Taliban desecrate body of slain opposing tribal leader -- [LWJ - Bill Roggio]
Pir Samiullah, the main leader of the tribal opposition to the Taliban in Swat, was killed in fighting. The Taliban dug up his body and hanged it to intimidate his followers.
U.S. Military to Launch Pilot Program to Recruit New Local Afghan Militias -- [US News]
KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN—The U.S. military will soon launch a pilot program to raise local militias, paid by the Pentagon, in an effort to improve security throughout the country.
The plan is modeled in part on a similar program in Iraq to build up Sunni neighborhood militias. But
AFGHANISTAN IS NOT IRAQ!!! -- [Bouhammer]
I don’t think this is a good idea and I have to say I am not looking forward to seeing the outcome. The Afghan military and in fact the entire government is corrupt to the highest levels. This is a known fact and not a new revelation from the Bouhammer. The steps that worked in Iraq were great for Iraq. AFGHANISTAN IS NOT IRAQ!!! It isn’t.
Self-Preservation In The Tribal Territories -- [Strategy Page]
After a spurt of success in finding and hitting (with UAV launched Hellfire missiles) Islamic terrorist leaders in Pakistan, there has been a sharp drop-off in such activity. The recent spurt of successful attacks (at least five senior al Qaeda leaders, and many more mid-level guys were killed) was apparently the result of a sudden boost in good intelligence. Now, nothing. Something interesting is going on.
Firefighter under fire for flag on helmet -- [HT:Chromed Curses]
NEWTON, Mass. -- A local firefighter is under fire for painting an American flag on his helmet.
Richard Busa, an Iraq war veteran, is refusing to get rid of the spray painted flag on his helmet, which is said to be against department rules.
OPEC makes deepest oil cut ever to rescue prices -- [Reuters]
OPEC oil ministers agreed on Wednesday to remove a record 2.2 million barrels per day from oil markets in a race to balance supply with the world's rapidly crumbling demand for fuel.
Russian Warships Causing No Ripples in Pentagon -- [FOXNews]
..Russian Warships Causing No Ripples in Pentagon, Russian warships have been plying the waters off Venezuela and Panama in recent weeks and are now heading ...
Cheney Defends Waterboarding: "It's Remarkably Successful" -- [Gateway Pundit]
Video: How To Reach A Soldier -- [Any Soldier.com]
We have volunteer Soldier "contacts" on the "Where to Send" page. Click through the names and select the one(s) you wish to support. They list what the folks they represent want and need. We even have a search capability so you can easily identify what the troops need most.
All the Soldiers involved in this effort are military volunteers stationed in areas that are in harm's way. You send your support (letters and/or packages) addressed to them and when they see the "Attn: Any Soldier®" line in their address they put your letters and packages into the hands of Soldiers who don't get much or any mail first. Everything is shared.
Guilt, Guilt, Guilt -- [Chromed Curses]
I have a soldier I adopted, a young engineer who is serving with Marines. He’s from WI and just adorable. I’ve been sending him the occasional box when I can and also stuff for the two soldiers under him because none of them are getting mail from anyone. So when I sent the last 2 boxes to him, I had some warm fleece blankets. Three to be exact. One for Chris and two for him to give to his guys but I didn’t say that specifically. I just said that he could dispense as he sees fit. This is his response:
List of links for VA and other Veteran Resources. -- [John of Argghhh!!!]
In addition to my post on the subject: [link] I've uploaded two documents to the Group, one a Word doc, the other an HTML doc, of all the links I provide in my post. Feel free to download 'em and email and post 'em. The utility of the docs is they...
Army's new manual warns of 'persistent conflict' -- [AP]
The Army has released its first new training field manual in six years, highlighting the need for units to be ready to conduct stability operations after traditional combat has ended.
The manual, titled "Training for Full Spectrum Operations" and written at Fort Leavenworth, explains what soldiers can expect when in combat.
Marine Dad Surprises His Son By Coming Home From Iraq
Newsweek's hero, part 2 -- [Powerline]
The current Newsweek cover story by Michael Isikoff identifies one of the major sources for the New York Times article blowing the government's terrorist surveillance program. He is one Thomas Tamm. Newsweek asks: "Is he a hero or a criminal?"
...It's all worth reading and very helpful in rounding out the portrait Newsweek paints. It should be recalled, however, that Tamm was only one of the "nearly a dozen" sources cited by the New York Times for its story blowing the NSA terrorist surveillance program. Russell Tice outed himself as a source soon after the publication of the Times story. One wonders why the government has brought no prosecution to date in connection with the incredibly damaging crimes committed by Tamm, Tice and the others. One also wonders whether such treachery will continue to be the subject of adulation in the age of Obama.
Nuanced Views on Muntader the Shoe Thrower -- [Weekly Standard - Bill Roggio]
...turns out Hazim Araji isn't just your average Iraqi "man." He is in fact a senior aide to Muqtada al Sadr. Araji organized today's protest in Najaf that called for the release of the shoe-throwing "journalist."
Why didn't the Times stringer point this out? Did the stringer ever leave the Sadrist protest in Najaf? Why didn't the Times's layers upon layers of editors catch this? Perhaps their editors should look a little closer at the stringers they are using in Iraq. Perhaps they are practicing the same form of "journalism" as the feted shoe-thrower.
Sick... LA Times Compares Shoe Chucker to Joe the Plumber -- [Gateway Pundit]
This is just twisted...
In the eyes of the mainstream media-- Joe the Plumber and shoe-chucker Muntather Zaidi are one and the same.
Another one who just doesn't get it. -- [Grim's Hall - Eric]
Quite a while ago, I fisked the same sort of academic who was upset over the fact that the US no longer conscripts its troops. (I note for the record that we never actually did hear back from that professor.)
Any way, the writer of this article, one Danielle Allen (who has some sort of post at the Institute for Advanced Studies at Princeton) manages to observe this:
An Investment in Balanced Media -- [Outside the Wire - JD]
Are you a libertarian/conservative millionaire frustrated by the bias of the media?
Are you looking for a business opportunity that may or may not make money?
hen I have a deal for you. How would you like to buy your own ABC affiliate?
That's right. You can be the proud owner your own TV station in Topeka, KS. Forget Twitter Tweets, and blogs, and streaming video, you can have your own broadcast signal and have a direct impact on North East Kansas.
More importantly, you can have a larger impact nation-wide.
AP Photogs and Journos Withholding Bylines; World Somehow Survives -- [NewsBusters]
No, it's a not a story from the Onion. It's AFP reporting on the actions of Associated Press photographers and journalists:
US news agency staff stage 'byline strike'
Journalists and photographers at the US news agency the Associated Press (AP) are withholding their bylines to protest management's stance in contract talks, their union said.
Phase VI -- [Neptunus Lex]
Phases I and II for Operation Iraqi Freedom were deployment and battlefield preparation. Phase III was major combat operations - it was over in weeks. Phase IV - post-MCO stabilization and force drawdown - took a very great deal longer and cost more in blood and treasure than most people expected. With the signing of a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the Iraqi and US governments, planning for Stage V - redeployment of forces home - has already begun. Now it’s time for Phase VI.
You won’t find Phase VI in any Joint CONPLAN. Phase VI is a battle for hearts, minds and history texts. It’s not happening in Iraq. It’s happening right here at home:
The Truth About Bush and the Military -- [Peter Wehner]
Posted on Commentary magazine’s Contentions
Lawrence Di Rita, who served as an aide to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, published a piece in the Washington Post on retired Army chief of staff Eric Shinseki, President-elect Obama’s nominee for Secretary of Veterans Affairs. General Shinseki is best known for his supposed clashes with the Bush administration on its Iraq war strategy. Di Rita attempts to clear away what he claims are myths about Shinseki, including that Shinseki opposed the war plan (Di Rita says he did not) and he was snubbed by Rumsfeld at his retirement ceremony (Rumsfeld was never invited to attend). For the sake of clarifying history, Shinseki, who has served his nation honorably and who so far has remained silent about these matters, should be asked about them during his confirmation hearing.
But as a friend pointed out to me, there’s an important point that Di Rita doesn’t make...
(Need more? Dawn Patrols Archives are here.)
