Overlooked

After all the hand wringing, the embarrassment of a cathartic internal town hall meeting made public, the misinformed press stories about "soft diplomats," and the sometimes amateurish scramble by Human Resources to develop a policy and respond to concerns about directed assignments (the first time the Department had contemplated such a policy since the Vietnam War), it turns out there was no need for directed assignments after all.

Seems to me there was quite a bit of coverage of the original story, but for some reason I almost missed this bit of news. Don't know why that is, but it is...

By the way, that's from a State Department BLOG ENTRY. State has a BLOG. It's actually on a .gov site, even.

The author of this particular entry is Brian Heath, who adds

The Foreign Service I know and am proud to be a part of is an organization that invariably rises to meet a challenge. Indeed, more than 1,500 of my colleagues have served in Iraq since 2003. Three have been killed.

I am one of those who came forward in recent weeks and volunteered for assignment to Iraq, not because I received a letter euphemistically identifying me as a "prime candidate" (I didn't), but because I decided to take advantage of the opportunity to demonstrate to myself, the Department, and yes, even the Iraqi people, that my skills and talents could make a positive contribution in our combined efforts to bring stability to the country.

Kudos to Mr Heath.

Believe it or not, now that we've pretty much won this damn thing militarily one aspect of one of the many erroneous claims the war's detractors have made repeatedly over the past year is becoming valid* - in many ways the Army has done all it can to lay the groundwork, to create an environment where others can thrive. What's needed now is less combat skill and more rebuilding.

This is not to say that Iraq is a safe place - just that it is fast becoming one. But make no mistake about it, if the troops were brought home tomorrow all hell would break lose, in a manner as yet unseen even in this part of the world. The next crucial step in creating the world where many of those troops can come home is exactly this - a steady inflow of folks with skillsets other than combat arms who can help create an environment where fewer guns are needed. We are at the entry point of an upward spiral; increased security sets the stage for improved quality of life for Iraqis which means less need for security forces to maintain that quality of life; without despair people have less incentive to sow chaos.

We may have had a similar opportunity in 2003. Some have made that claim, though I'm not certain it's accurate. I'm more certain that at the time there were those who were bound and determined to violently oppose any effort on the part of the coalition to bring about a free and democratic Iraq. Only now can we gauge the depth of that commitment in the vast majority of the members of that group: death or about 4.5 years, whichever comes first.

I believe many are hesitant to acknowledge our military victory in this conflict in recognition (or even expectation) that we can still reignite that flame (or even ignite it within those who have been steadfast in support of our efforts) with a few very stupid actions (or inactions) on our part over the coming weeks and months. In a nutshell, if we don't take advantage of this relative peace and charge very swiftly up that spiral we will lose all those gains, perhaps as quickly as some think we achieved them.

I admit that when I first heard the stories (recounted by many of my fellow milbloggers, in fact) of FSOs wetting their pants at the thought of serving in Iraq I was deeply concerned - but one thing I reminded myself at the time is the ability of journalists to find exactly the one quote from some maladjusted member that isn't representative of the majority of the group to which he can only pretend to belong and trumpet said quote as exactly that which it isn't. After all, they do it to the military all the time.

Actions from folks like Brian Heath confirm my impression, and give me renewed hope that we can and will make that charge.

(But more on how we can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory later.)

*****

*But they were wrong then, and any post-facto claims of prescience should be dismissed as forthrightly as their original blunders, along with any claims that it's time to quit.

The Guardians.

In case you missed some of the best writing out there during your Holiday travels, let me point you to one of my favorite milbloggers, Sgt Hook (currently deployed), who has the talent to depict our heroes in their true light.

Note: Start from the bottom up.

WARNING: Do not attempt to adjust the blurry moniter, it will eventually come back into focus. Tissues help.

Happy Thanksgiving

To America from Baghdad, where the mission continues.

And to a special group gathered in a special place: miss you much, love you more, see you soon.

GIVING THANKS

THE ASY GIVING THANKS CAMPAIGN
This holiday season, America Supports You is giving you a new way to send your thanks to the troops - by text message! When you send your message of thanks to 89279 (TXASY) between November 17th and 22nd, you'll receive a special thanks in return. Also, we'll be displaying those messages on our ASY Giving Thanks widget far and wide across the internet. Just another way that you can support our brave military men and women serving in 177 countries around the world.

Preliminary Totals for Valour-IT and Many Thanks

The 2007 Annual Valour-IT Fund Raiser totals are coming in, however not all checks are yet accounted for and could change the outcome. (There's hope yet for the Air Force team ;~) )

To date, the totals are:

Army: $53,023.00
Marines: $39,673.00
Air Force: $26,322.00
Navy/CG: $20,081.75
And non-team donations $29,954.82

Congratulations to the Army Team, for a job well done. Marines were given a fighting chance at the lead, for a few days, but were trampled in the end. Congrats to the Air Force for not placing last place for the first time in the three years of competition. And Navy it was a close battle but no cigar.

The Valour-IT Auction was also a huge success, thanks to the many who donated items. I'd like to give a special thanks to those that donated to the Team Air Force auction. We may not have won the overall team competition but we took the lead in the auction. Starting off with John Cox of Cox & Forkum whose personal caricature brought in a whopping final bid of $1,011.00 followed by Chris Muir's print that brought in $1,000.00. Many thanks to all the auction bidders as well, John Of Argghhh! who set the bar on these two auctions (yes he's on Army team but we love him anyway :~) ) and to Mr Coombs who won both auctions (Believe it or not, he's also Army, Hooah!) . Congratulations and thank you for your generous donation. Thanks Zonker for setting this up with Mr Cox.

We had other successful auctions, The Lemon Stand donated the extraordinary quilt Gone But Not Forgotten.” and other great items, her donated items brought in a total of $627.34. Laurie from Soldiers Angels New York also brought in over $150.00. To anyone I may have missed, please accept my apologies, I don't have the list of all the auctioneers since the auction site has been emptied of all completed auctions, but thank you for donating your items. And I must include a huge thank you to all the auction bidders for all the team auctions.

I predict once the checks come in and get processed we will come close to the $240,000 goal we projected. According to the Valour-IT donation site we have already surpassed the $200,000.00 mark.

Although the competition is over, you may still donate to Soldiers' Angels Valour-IT Project

I want to personally congratulate my fellow Air Force team members for their remarkable fundraising efforts and thank them for a job well done. I hope Team Air Force can count on you next year.

The Mudville Gazette
Soldiers' Angels New York
Conservative Thinking
chrisshort.net
THIRDWAVEDAVE
Stop The ACLU
MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
Bear Creek Ledger
James Hudnall (Hud's Blog-O-Rama)
Right on the Right
Ironic Surrealism II
OPFOR
jCircadian
Charlie Foxtrot
Gazing at the Flag
No Angst Zone
The Splatter Zone
One Happy Dog Speaks
Townhall Blog
Banter In Atlanter
Thunder And Roses
Hot Air
SoldiersDad
ArmyAirForces.com
Exile in Portales
The WatchCat
Media Mythbusters
The Radio Patriot
Diary of the Mad Pigeon
The AnarchAngel
pjcountry
Moultrie Creek
Tink's Tribulations
The Lemon Stand
baldilocks
Murdoc Online
CoInSide
JTB in Texas
Greg from the Left
Unto the Breach
Lawyers, Guns and Money
get stewed
Air Force Pundit
Nice Deb
Leslie's Omnibus

And last but not least, want to give a heartfelt thank you to not only those that donated thru the Air Force Team but to all those that supported Valour-IT. We at Soldiers' Angels, not to mention, Valour-IT recipients are eternally grateful.

THANK YOU, for giving our troops the capability stay in contact with their family and friends, thank you for giving them the capability to go back school, thank you for allowing them the capability to manage their finances, thank you for reconnecting our wounded warriors with the world!

"One team, one mission!" "One over all!"
GO AIR FORCE!
Mrs G

We've Won - Let's Abandon Iraq

Or: "How the War was Won" (Part 2)

The previous installment in my on-going rambles from Iraq is here (But you can press on - this piece works as a stand-alone, too...)

*****

1. In the Gardens of Stone

So I'm walking to the gym. Under my feet: four inches of gravel pave the way. When the rains come that will be better than mucking through the sort of muddy paste that the sands of Iraq become when mixed with the slightest bit of water, but in the dry season (and it hasn't really rained here since May) it's just another feature. You want to experience some aspect of life in the camps in Iraq? Find an area with four inches of gravel on the ground (shallower gravel doesn't count - you don't get the full effect) and walk around in it for a half hour or so. Repeat several time a day, sometimes carrying something heavy. Do it every day for a year, then do it for three more months...

But I digress. So I'm walking to the gym. Under my feet: four inches of gravel pave the way. Concrete t-wall sections form unbroken fortress walls on either side of my path. They are a relatively new feature; at least, we didn't have them in any significant number on my last trip here. Then we lived in tents, with sandbags stacked knee-high around them. Hypothetically these would afford us some protection from shrapnel should the odd mortar or rocket detonate nearby - or close enough to send the shrapnel flying but far enough to spare us death in the initial blast. Back then politicians in the States were screaming hysterically about armor and how we didn't have enough, but their utter ignorance of conditions in the real Iraq meant they missed an even greater vulnerability. Perhaps they were blinded by the flash of cameras. Or perhaps the fact that large concrete walls can't easily be manufactured in the home district by voters working hard for donors and then shipped overseas led them to establish other priorities. Anyhow, too late now. Even though things weren't perfectly exactly right upon our arrival in Iraq we rather quietly made those particular improvements without congressional hystrionics to spur us on. The walls are up and our camps are thoroughly sub-divided into blast-containment areas and we can all sleep a little more soundly at night - or day, or whenever we get the chance to sleep. And home front ignorance of the real Iraq has certainly caused more significant problems then that one...

But I digress. So I'm walking to the gym. Under my feet: four inches of gravel pave the way. Concrete t-wall sections form unbroken fortress walls on either side of my path. It's early in the morning, so the shadow of the wall on my left is shading that half of the road.

But there's a bit of pep in my step, of pride in me stride...

*****

2. We've won the war.

Folks thought I was a bit bold (other adjectives may apply) for saying that on October 6. After all, the BBC wouldn't acknowledge the possibility until last week...

Over the past three months, there has been a sharp and sustained drop in all forms of violence. The figures for dead and wounded, military and civilian, have also greatly improved.

All across Baghdad, which has seen the worst of the violence, streets are springing back to life. Shops and restaurants which closed down are back in business.

People walk in crowded streets in the evening, when just a few months ago they would have been huddled behind locked doors in their homes.

Everybody agrees that things are much better.

Along with the Associated Press:

BAGHDAD--Twilight brings traffic jams to the main shopping district of this once-affluent corner of Baghdad and hundreds of people stroll past well-stocked vegetable stands, bakeries and butcher shops.

To many in Amariyah, it seems little short of a miracle.

Just six months ago, this mostly Sunni neighborhood was one of the centers of al-Qaida in Iraq operations. The district in western Baghdad was hit by more than a dozen bombings and shootings some days. Few people dared to venture onto the streets.

On Tuesday, women shopped and men drank tea in sidewalk cafes. Occasionally, U.S. soldiers walking the streets were greeted with salaams and smiles.

What is happening here reflects similar trends across Baghdad and parts of Iraq, where civilian and U.S. military casualties have dropped sharply in the past two months. But the speed of the turnaround in places such as Amariyah has taken almost everyone - including U.S. military forces in the area - by surprise.

"The progress that we made is almost unbelievable," said Capt. Brendan Gallagher, 29, of Columbia, Md., who serves with the Army's 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.

That's the real Iraq.

There's also a Make-believe Iraq, and the BBC and the AP have spent time there. We're going to look at make-belive Iraq and the real Iraq. You see, we won the war in the real Iraq, and few people in America are familiar with anything other than its make-believe version.

And that's the Iraq that should have been abandoned long ago.

*****

3. Veterans Day

Veterans Day, 2004, Vermont - From the Mudville Archive collection:

Kyle Gilbert, her only child, was 20 when he died. He was a top-ranked karate black-belt and a car aficionado who proudly drove a red 1969 Chevelle. He enlisted in the Army shortly after graduation from Brattleboro Union High School, following the example of his father, Robert, who served 20 years earlier.

Gilbert's unit, the 82d Airborne Division, was among the first to enter Iraq in March 2003. He died five months later, on Aug. 6. Even before official word came, his mother had pieced together the news from reading a brief item in USA Today about deaths in his unit.

"I turned to a co-worker and said, 'I don't feel so good about this,' and just then the phone rang," Regina Gilbert said.

The idea of naming the newly rebuilt bridge spanning Whetstone Brook for him surfaced in a column in the Brattleboro Reformer written by Judith Gorman, an opponent of the war. "The president has been way too busy to do more than pay lip service to the casualties of his war or to personally honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice on his behalf," Gorman wrote. "Let's do it for him."

Momentum built quickly, and the town assumed oversight of fund-raising and planning the $10,000 memorial.

Yet the process was difficult from the start. Opponents criticized etchings of an eagle and two American flags on the granite memorial as jingoistic.

They also objected to the inclusion of the phrase, "Freedom is not free." That phrase was eliminated and replaced with Kyle Gilbert's last words to his mother, uttered in a truncated satellite telephone conversation on July 18: "Just don't forget me."

But most objectionable to some residents was the inclusion of the name Operation Iraqi Freedom.
<...>
As Brattleboro prepares to dedicate a downtown bridge to Gilbert on this Veterans Day, the engraving of an accompanying stone memorial has exposed a philosophical and cultural rift in this town of 12,000 in southeastern Vermont, home to both hippie vestiges of 1960s communes and more conservative natives in the rural outlying areas. Veterans groups are dismayed by town officials' decision to jettison a reference to Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Pentagon's name for the invasion, after a group of residents complained that the name endorsed the war in Iraq and President Bush's policies.

''It's not endorsing Bush; that was the mission," Frank Wetherby, 57, a Vietnam veteran who lives in nearby Vernon, said as he shopped for hunting gear at Sam's Outdoor Outfitters. ''Where do they get off? That's the sort of thing that turns this into 'them against us.' Support your troops; I don't care what your philosophy is."
<...>
For Gilbert's parents, the dispute over the memorial has been a source of consternation.

''I am the mother, and I think with my heart," Regina Gilbert, 41, a receptionist at a chiropractor's office in nearby Guilford, said in an interview this week. ''I just wanted my son's name on the bridge."

Later, these same Vermonters would pretend they had been sacrificing for the war:

In a debate that echoed in at least 50 other Vermont towns holding their annual meetings this week, Dummerston passed a resolution asking the State Legislature to investigate the impact of National Guard deployments on Vermont's readiness for a natural disaster or other emergency. The measure, which also asks Congress and the president to "take steps to withdraw American troops from Iraq," was part of a new effort by antiwar activists to take the debate over the war down to a distinctly local level.
<...>
"This shows that the antiwar movement is different for this war than it probably has been for every war before," Mr. Lems said. "What these people are demanding is accountability, and they have this incredibly strong message - their sons, their daughters and their parents in some cases have had their lives torn apart by the war. It's probably the most powerful message we have right now."

Fortunately, a Vermont Guardsman with some knowledge of the real Iraq had a counter-message:

I am a Vermont Guardsman and have been for the past 17 years. I can only give my perspective. What I will say is that the people who supported the demand to withdraw from Iraq in these towns don't reflect the opinions of the troops who we have deployed and some who have returned. Our soldiers are proud of their service and did their duty. They are proud of what they have accomplished, both in Iraq and in Afghanistan. Last June I attended the funerals of three Guardsmen who were killed in action. Without exception all three families were proud of their loved one's service and sacrifice. All three families had met one another through the family support net program and attended the funeral services for their new found friends' loved ones, in spite of their own grief and pain. I learned to love and hate Toby Keith's "American Soldier" from those funerals. Each family had that song played during the services. That says an awful lot. That is also reflective of how most of the troops and their families feel. When the unit returned from theater last week, I know two, if not three, of the families of our fallen soldiers were there to greet their loved ones' comrades as the got off the jets at the return ceremony at the VTANG airbase. That was at 0500 and in the front end of a snow storm that day. That says an awful lot too.

The majority of our soldiers here are from the rural areas of the state and these area are predominantly conservative types who like their guns, hunting, fishing, snowmobiles and four wheelers. I know this for a fact as I had commanded one of the armor battalions in the most rural area of the state. The people behind the so called peace resolutions are pretty much from what I call the bohemian proletariat. They are trust fund babies. They have come from MA, NYC, NJ etc. They brought their liberal politics with them. This influx of liberals have moved up into Vermont since the late '60s. Since many do not have to work for a living they need things to do, like get active in the local politics, and have taken it over. I realize that I will get some flak but in the town where I live, about half the population of 2500 do not have to work. The very liberal speaker of the Vermont House is also from my town (go figure). These people are not the true Vermonters.

If people look back in history, Vermont, Maine and NH were the only three states who voted against FDR in the presidential election of 1940, and that was after 8 years of the New Deal! If you dig back farther, the Vermont Brigade had a reputation in the Army of the Potomac similar to the Jackson's Stonewall Brigade. These were the ancestors of our troops, no exaggeration.

So if you take a swipe at Vermont-please do not slight the troops. We are as disgusted with the stupidity and ignorance and anyone with good sense.

Last point, one of our young officers who did a tour in Afghanistan stood up in the town meeting on Tuesday and told the crowd in attendance what he and our troops did there and the good that was being accomplished. He even spoke to what was going on in Iraq and the good being done there and how our guys feel about it. He was given a standing ovation and the town voted down the resolution.

That brought forth comments like this one:

I'm currently serving in Afghanistan and have run into a bunch of the "Green Mountain Boys" serving here with TF Pheonix. I'm glad to see them for many of them I've got a bond with from my college days at the "Military School of the Great White North", more commonly know as Norwich University. Be assured that the men and women of the Vermont Guard are living up to their reputation and taking the fight to the enemy. Not to mention they arrived just in time! It's going to be a bitter winter here in Afghanistan and they'll feel right at home (I kinda feel bad for the Florida Guard troops that are here).

I remember the liberalism of Vermont and how they HATED having a private military college right in the middle of the state. But I did run into many of the native Vermonters who were true woodsmen of the north.

James Lynn
CPT,QM
CJTF76
Afghanistan

Which brings us to Veteran's Day, 2007:

NORTHFIELD — An eight-member delegation of high-ranking Iraqi officials began to chuckle as they toured the Norwich University museum Thursday.

The source of their amusement, a giant Baghdad road sign bearing the oversized image of former president Saddam Hussein, had been procured by a contingent of Vermont National Guardsmen during a tour of duty in Iraq.

"It says 'Saddam Hussein: Great leader, great people,'" one of the Iraqis said of the Arabic caption. "He is not a great leader, but they are great people."

In an unlikely Vermont appearance by the Sunni leaders of Al Anbar province Thursday, the moment reflected their unflagging support for the United States' war in Iraq.

"Thank you for all your assistance to your friends in Iraq," Rafe Al-Essawi, former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, told Vermont soldiers through an interpreter.

The Iraqi delegation, fresh off meetings in Washington with President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, declared they had achieved victory over al-Qaida insurgents during a visit with Vermont veterans at Norwich University Thursday afternoon. Though insurgent violence is largely quelled, they said, continued U.S. support is necessary to rebuild infrastructure and the economy in Al Anbar province.

"We have defeated al-Qaida in this very large province of Al Anbar as a result of our cooperation with your forces," Mamoon S. Rashid Al-Alwani, governor of Al Anbar, said through an interpreter. "This victory came as a result of our cooperation with your forces and our bloods have spilled together."

The Iraqis, accompanied by representatives from the U.S. State Department, are on the tail end of a two-week swing through the United States aimed at familiarizing the men with American citizens and government. Their itinerary had until now consisted of meetings with federal administration officials in major metropolitan hubs. But a friendship forged between the Iraqis and leaders of Vermont's Task Force Saber prompted the visitors to include Vermont in their trip.
<...>
In a nondescript room inside the Guard's brick armory at Norwich, the delegation spoke to about two dozen Vermont veterans wearing their tan desert fatigues.

"For people who served in Al Anbar province, if they returned today they would see a dramatic shift in the security situation," Al-Essawi told the veterans. "The province has changed completely. Security is no longer a challenge. Rebuilding and development is now the real challenge."

Anbar has in recent months been held out as a beacon of progress in the war-torn nation. The Western province had been considered a hotbed of the al-Qaida forces in Iraq. But an increase in the number of U.S. troops, and a grass-roots uprising by Iraqi clans against the insurgents, have helped restore stability.

"The secret behind our success in Anbar province was the shift in mentality in how people now reject members of al-Qaida," Al-Essawi said. "In the past, people of Anbar provided logistical support for these fighters thinking they were fighting in the name of God. When they realized they were no more than criminals and killers, their mentality shifted."

A good hard jolt of reality can do that. Whether that awakening will ever occur in the United States is yet to be determined, the story included no comments from Vermont's al Qaeda support platoons - perhaps they aren't quite ready to abandon make believe Iraq.

Meanwhile, Vermont's veterans of the real Iraq spoke out again:

Vermont veterans said Al-Essawi's assessment served to vindicate their long deployments during tougher times.

"It's a huge improvement compared to where we were four years ago," said Cindy Freudenthal, a 22-year-old Norwich nursing student.

Freudenthal, of Littleton, N.H., is a sergeant in the U.S. Army. She served a year-long tour in Iraq protecting fuel trucks for most of 2006 and said it was heartening to hear from Iraqis declaring success.

"We're improving, probably not as fast as everyone would like, but even a baby crawl is better than nothing," she said. "We can't fix this overnight. But we're making progress."

Spc. Jason Keeter, a 23-year-old Norwich senior, served with Task Force Green Mountain in Iraq. He said he was happily surprised by the upbeat assessment.

"I didn't think it would come this far so soon," the Massachusetts resident said. "It's definitely a good thing. We need to help them out now as much as possible."

As security conditions in Al Anbar improve, attention has shifted to the dire economic straits in the region. Redevelopment has been stunted by damaged infrastructure, and the Iraqis on Thursday said they need the financial aid and economic opportunity in addition to military support.

James Soriano leads the U.S. State Department's Provincial Reconstruction Team in Al Anbar.

"We are in a very gray transition area from war to post-conflict," Soriano said during an interview Thursday. "The conversation now isn't about security as much as it is about the economy, education and other aspects of life."

Soriano said the ebb in violence in Al Anbar has altered dramatically the prospects of its residents.

"This could not have been done nine months ago because of the insurgency," Soriano said. "The demands of physical security were so great they overwhelmed all other aspects of engagement with Anbar province."

The Iraqi delegation told veterans they would look to the U.S. as a model in crafting their own unity government.

"You managed to unite all 50 states in one country despite your diversity and different religions," Al-Alwani said. "You managed to build this country despite those differences."

When the reconstruction is complete, the Iraqis said, Vermont veterans will be their guests of honor.

Said Al-Essawi, "We will welcome you and your families to come and visit Iraq."

Vermont is probably much like the rest of America - a privileged class sheltered and protected by a warrior class it will never comprehend. Their fear that those warriors won't be there to shovel their roads and driveways for them if the snows fall too heavy is valid, they will have to find another way. But feigning concern for the lives and livelihood of their proletariat neighbors is neither helpful or convincing.

As for that privileged class: we've won the war. We've won the war without them. We've won the war in spite of their best efforts to bring the troops home now. We've won, and it's time to abandon Iraq - at least, it's time for them to abandon make believe Iraq.

They should have abandoned make-believe Iraq long ago.

*****

4. Speaking of schools...

NORTHFIELD — An eight-member delegation of high-ranking Iraqi officials began to chuckle as they toured the Norwich University museum Thursday.

Back to the BBC:

But there is no doubt that it has lost out massively in Baghdad.

One resident of the mainly-Sunni area of Dora, in the south of the capital, summed it up.

"The Islamic State in Iraq (the umbrella name adopted by al-Qaeda groups) used to control most of the area like a phantom presence. I know Shia shopkeepers who were shot dead in their shops."

"They put up notices warning people to wear strict Islamic dress. Everybody was frightened. When we called the police to report bodies on the street, they said it was a no-go area and they couldn't come."

"Now, the Islamic State elements have disappeared. Shops have reopened. My daughter can walk to school without wearing a headscarf. Some Shias who fled have come back. And most important of all, we haven't heard of anybody being killed since July."

Also from Britain, The Observer:

Packed classes hint at peace in battered Iraq

It begins and ends with the children. They stayed away from the al- Gazaly school in southern Baghdad when the streets were murderous - their parents moved out and their PE teacher was shot dead during the mundane act of having a haircut. Now, one by one, cautiously, determinedly, noisily, they are returning to their desks, bringing the school back from the brink. Their hopeful faces reflect, perhaps, the new and fragile optimism dawning in Iraq.

It began as a whisper, but every day the voices grow louder, daring to believe that a country which threatened to tear itself apart is coming together. American deaths are down; Iraqi deaths are reported to be down. Refugees are returning home; shops and businesses are reopening. US generals, whose army was said to be 'broken', now give upbeat assessments that they are nearing a 'tipping point' - not merely the end of the beginning, but the beginning of the end.

They urge everyone to temper their enthusiasm, of course: "And yet, touring one of Baghdad's most violent districts last week, The Observer found ordinary Iraqis making a stand against the insurgents and death squads. Exhausted by grief, they appeared to have made the pragmatic choice that, however unwelcome the American occupiers might be, they still offer the least worst option when compared with suicide bombers and nihilism."

But that's perhaps a last feeble grasp at clinging to some faint shred of make-believe Iraq, as later paragraphs in the same story make clear:

One of the impressive men and women trying to bury the nightmare of the past four years is Khaled Nuge, head of the al-Gazaly school and its adjacent Shams al-Mahaba school, down a street of rubble, rubbish and fetid green pools in once affluent al-Hadar. Three months ago he was facing the closure of both schools, which have a combined capacity of 2,000 pupils but where attendance had fallen to 250 as pupils were kept at home or families fled. Today that number is 900 and climbing, partly thanks to Nuge's determination to keep the doors open.

'The children would be sitting in the classroom, opening their books, then they would hear a shooting and they'd cry and want to leave,' Nuge said, sitting in a sparsely furnished office. 'Some families were displaced from the neighbourhood because they were afraid of shootings. Some pupils' fathers were killed and I tried to comfort them, giving them presents during the holidays. Teachers have also suffered intimidation and been threatened with violence.' Last year a PE teacher was having a haircut when a gunman murdered him. His offence: being Christian in a predominantly Sunni area. Another teacher fled after her husband and sons were killed and her car stolen; her house has since been looted. Other teachers have been forced out. 'The terrorists want to push education aside and go backwards, but now it's much better and the number of pupils is increasing,' Nuge said.

Last Thursday US soldiers, wearing body armour and carrying M4 carbine assault rifles, stopped at the school and threw sweets to eager, smiling 11-year-olds. Nuge pleaded with the troops to protect them. 'We would like a constant presence. The Americans stay a couple of hours, then move on. We still have terrorists walking the streets, although they're not threatening anybody now. I would like the Americans to be here a long time and set up permanent points.'

Of course, there isn't an election year looming in England.

*****

5. Back in the Garden of Stones

But I digress. So I'm walking to the gym. Under my feet: four inches of gravel pave the way. Concrete t-wall sections form unbroken fortress walls on either side of my path. It's early in the morning, so the shadow of the wall on my left is shading that half of the road. A breeze is blowing, and in the shade in the moments just after dawn that breeze hits me in my shorts and t-shirt and chills me just enough that I take a few steps sideways and into the sun.

And then it hit me - I'd been walking in the shade because that's what I - and everyone else here - had done throughut the 120 degree summer and on into the merely 90 degree days of early fall. And while the change has been gradual, it was only today that I noticed it, as I broke a time-worn habit and passed from the too-cool shadows into the glowing warmth of the morning desert sun.

And I'm whistling a tune...

*****

More to follow.

Update:
Dadmanly remembers his Garden of Stones

Over There — and Gone Forever

I'm pulling this from the Dawn Patrol, I think it should have some direct light.

From non other than (surprise) the New York Times

BY any conceivable measure, Frank Buckles has led an extraordinary life. Born on a farm in Missouri in February 1901, he saw his first automobile in his hometown in 1905, and his first airplane at the Illinois State Fair in 1907. At 15 he moved on his own to Oklahoma and went to work in a bank; in the 1940s, he spent more than three years as a Japanese prisoner of war. When he returned to the United States, he married, had a daughter and bought a farm near Charles Town, W. Va., where he lives to this day. He drove a tractor until he was 104.

But even more significant than the remarkable details of Mr. Buckles’s life is what he represents: Of the two million soldiers the United States sent to France in World War I, he is the only one left.

<...>

Ken Burns notes that 1,000 World War II veterans are dying every day. Their passing is being observed at all levels of American society; no doubt you have heard a lot about them in recent days. Fortunately, World War II veterans will be with us for some years yet. There is still time to honor them. But the passing of the last few veterans of the First World War is all but complete, and has gone largely unnoticed here.

Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised. Almost from the moment the armistice took effect, the United States has worked hard, it seems, to forget World War I; maybe that’s because more than 100,000 Americans never returned from it, lost for a cause that few can explain even now. The first few who did come home were given ticker-tape parades, but most returned only to silence and a good bit of indifference.

<...>

A few years ago, I set out to see if I could find any living American World War I veterans. No one — not the Department of Veterans Affairs, or the Veterans of Foreign Wars, or the American Legion — knew how many there were or where they might be. As far as I could tell, no one much seemed to care, either.

Eventually, I did find some, including Frank Buckles, who was 102 when we first met.

An extraordinary man, an extraordinary life. You must read the whole story.

Medals of Honor

I think many have been earned since September 11, 2001, but few awarded. Others agree.

Guess the Sources

One:

Over the past three months, there has been a sharp and sustained drop in all forms of violence. The figures for dead and wounded, military and civilian, have also greatly improved.

All across Baghdad, which has seen the worst of the violence, streets are springing back to life. Shops and restaurants which closed down are back in business.

People walk in crowded streets in the evening, when just a few months ago they would have been huddled behind locked doors in their homes.

Everybody agrees that things are much better.

Two:

BAGHDAD--Twilight brings traffic jams to the main shopping district of this once-affluent corner of Baghdad and hundreds of people stroll past well-stocked vegetable stands, bakeries and butcher shops.

To many in Amariyah, it seems little short of a miracle.

Just six months ago, this mostly Sunni neighborhood was one of the centers of al-Qaida in Iraq operations. The district in western Baghdad was hit by more than a dozen bombings and shootings some days. Few people dared to venture onto the streets.

On Tuesday, women shopped and men drank tea in sidewalk cafes. Occasionally, U.S. soldiers walking the streets were greeted with salaams and smiles.

What is happening here reflects similar trends across Baghdad and parts of Iraq, where civilian and U.S. military casualties have dropped sharply in the past two months. But the speed of the turnaround in places such as Amariyah has taken almost everyone - including U.S. military forces in the area - by surprise.

"The progress that we made is almost unbelievable," said Capt. Brendan Gallagher, 29, of Columbia, Md., who serves with the Army's 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.

Answers below:

One: The BBC. (Via Rand Simberg, who adds "How long will it take the Gray Lady and the networks to figure it out?")

Two: The Associated Press.

(And in both cases, you'll want to read the whole thing.)

Rememberance Day - Veterans Day - Armistice Day

Today is the day that we honor, thank and remember our men and women Veterans, those of yesterday and those of today, those that came home and those that didn't, those that stood up and answered the call.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

— John McCrae (1872-1918)

Thank you for your service, thank you for your sacrifice, thank you for our freedom and thank you in helping make this the greatest damn country on this planet.

Remember for many newly-returned troops, this is the first Veterans Day they will spend as veterans. This weekend, thank them and help us welcome them home.

For those that have been injured help us help them with Project Valour-IT - Voice Activated Laptops for OUR Injured Troops.
We, have been granted a reprieve, Valour-IT donations will continue thru Monday Nov 12

I want to thank all of our donors and team members for their generous support in this worth while program.

Others express thanks to our Veterans:

I love this quote by Lucianne Goldberg: “There are only two life forces that have offered to die for you. Jesus Christ and the American G.I.”

What is a vet?

Google Finally Honors Veterans Day ; Having ignored Veterans Day since 1999, Internet behemoth Google has finally chosen to commemorate this holiday by decorating its logo.

Via email - Haider Ajina

Greetings,
Today November 11th is Veteran's Day. This is an opportunity to honor, recognize and thank our men and women who have served in the armed forces. Especially our men and women who have liberated Iraq, from the clutches of a brutal fascist dictatorship, and are now working tirelessly with enthusiastic Iraqis to bring Iraq into the 21st century. In free Iraq the law protects Iraqis’ lives, dignity and property. Free Iraqis’ religious practices, their free speech and their human rights is guaranteed by a constitution. Free Iraqis vote for their leaders, criticize them and live to tell about it. Free Iraqis are not systematically brain washed, not exiled, not tortured, not abused, not gassed and not killed by an abusive government.

Free Iraq’s economy is booming, commerce is flourishing, unemployment is plummeting, wages are rising, health care is improving, medicines are available, foreign investment is coming in. In free Iraq political debate is celebrated, free thought is encouraged, hundreds of newspapers have sprung up. In free Iraq, civil servants, teacher and doctors make 25 to 50 times what they used to. The number of vehicles on Iraqi streets has tripled in the last 3 years. Irrigation canals are carrying water again. Farmers are free to sell their produce in markets. The marshes have been 80-90% restored with wild life returning and Marsha Arabs returning to their old way of life. City folk are returning to their urban towns because they now have drinking water and power they did not have.

Iraqi schools have been modernized and rebuilt; school curriculum does not teach children to read by reading “I love Saddam”, curriculum no longer calls for bigotry, ethnic polarization and enticing violence and war nor is it anti-Semitic. History is not distorted. Just to list a few of the countless achievements in Iraq.

To all the men and women who have served and serving in Iraq, to all the families of those who have paid the ultimate price to all those who have suffered during their service in Iraq, my family’s and my deepest thanks, gratitude and pride both from my family in the U.S. and my family in Iraq for all the sacrifices, endurance and service for our great country and Iraq and the Iraqis. God bless all of you and keep you safe.

Regards
Haider Ajina
Mckinleyville.

Happy Birthday Marines!

Today is the 232nd birthday of the Marines. “Ooh-rah”

The Marine Corps traces its beginnings back to Nov. 10, 1775.

Marines at Landstuhl celebrate Corps’ birthday

Wounded Marines receiving treatment at Landstuhl, including one who was in a wheelchair recovering from a roadside bomb blast, also attended the ceremony, which drew a standing-room-only crowd of soldiers, sailors, airmen and civilians to the hospital’s auditorium.

“Having the ceremony at the hospital is our way of showing our wounded Marines here how much we appreciate what they do,” said Marine Sgt. Scott Bullard, who now is with Marine Force Europe but formerly worked as a Marine liaison at Landstuhl.

A massive cake decorated with the Corps’ eagle, globe and anchor was wheeled up to Marine Maj. Gen. Cornell A. Wilson Jr., commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe. The cake was then sliced with a sword.

From the Halls of Montezuma,

To the Shores of Tripoli

We fight our country's battles

In the air, on land, and sea;

First to fight for right and freedom

And to keep our honor clean;

We are proud to claim the title

Of United States Marines.

Our flag's unfurled to every breeze,

From dawn to setting sun;

We have fought in every clime and place

Where we could take a gun;

In the snow of far off northern lands

And in sunny tropic scenes;

You will find us always on the job--

The United States Marines.

By Mary Baskerville

Semper Fi!

Dropping da Bomb for Valour-IT

We have sanctioned blogs to enforce donations, we have tried diplomacy thru diplomatic emails, but time after time resolutions are not being met.

We have no other recourse but to authorized the use of the
Air Force's most Secret Weapon.

This will render enemy teams ineffective, and distracted with FABULOUS decorating ideas; and their WMD's (Weapons of Mass Donations) frozen.

The only peaceful countermeasures are to donate to Valour-IT thru Team Air Force. You have only two days to comply.

"One team, one mission!" "One over all!"

GO AIR FORCE!

Chatter (and numbers that matter)

Or: "How the War was Won (Part one)"

Preface:

Military policemen patrolled the tracks and bus stations to watch for deserters. The Army in the past six months had charged more than 2,600 soldiers with desertion and convicted 90 percent of them. Indiscipline also plagued units that had been staging in southeast Virginia for weeks. So many men were sentenced to the crowded brig at Solomon's Island in Chesapeake Bay during amphibious training that there was a waiting list to serve time; on October 3 alone, thirty men had been court-martialed for various infractions.

This week in military history: Operation Torch, the allied invasion of North Africa began.

It's a wonder we won that war.

"The idea of huge armies rolling along roads at a fast pace is a dream," Cavalry Journal warned in 1940, even after the German blitzkrieg signaled the arrival of mechanized warfare. "Oil and tires cannot like forage be obtained locally." The Army's cavalry chief assured Congress in 1941 that four well-spaced horsemen could charge half a mile across an open field to destroy an enemy machine-gun nest without sustaining a scratch... The last Regular Army cavalry regiment would slaughter its mounts to feed the starving garrison on Bataan in the Philippines, ending the cavalry era not with a bang but with a dinner bell.

*****

Let's move on to the present day, somewhere in Iraq: I drove to the Local Air Force Base earlier this week to pick up some new guys. This is always an exercise in patience - planes are never on time and information is sometimes unreliable. So you wait. And sometimes you wait some more. But today I didn't have to wait too long until learning that my guys didn't get to their waypoint in time to catch their flight in, so I only spent about 3 hours (including driving time) achieving nothing. I've had worse days.

Elsewhere:

Iraqi citizen leads Coalition Forces to EFP factory

HUSSEINIYAH, Iraq – A citizen of Husseiniyah led Coalition Forces to a building where explosively formed penetrators and improvised explosive devices were being constructed Oct. 31.

Soldiers of Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., discovered a large cache of explosives at the home, including about 10 fully assembled EFPs of various sizes including one 12-inch EFP – the largest found in Iraq – approximately 90 copper plates of various sizes, more than 200 pounds of C-4 explosive, other explosive materials including TNT and numerous other materials used in manufacturing EFPs.

“In our area of operations the EFP threat is significant, and there was enough material there to make 150 EFPs, so we may have saved the lives of 50-75 people over two months,” said Lt. Col John Drago, 2-12 FA, 4th Stryker BCT, 2nd Inf. Div. commander, noting that the discovery would not have been possible without Iraqi help.

There's a large, outdoor waiting area available at Local Air Force Base, and even a couple of seats for the hundred or so folks to sleep on while awaiting transportation. Those not fortunate enough to get one of the benches can sack out on concrete, dirt or gravel, whichever they prefer.

Sometime before finding out I was completely wasting my time I wandered into one of the larger outdoor waiting pens. For a moment I thought the ground was filled with backpacks and rucksacks, but on closer examination I realized it was filled with backpacks, rucksacks, and people in matching uniforms using them as pillows.

Tip leads Iraqi National Police to cache

FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – Based off a tip from a concerned citizen, officers with the 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi National Police Division recovered a cache in the courtyard and surrounding areas of the al Mustafa mosque in the Mualameen neighborhood of eastern Baghdad Nov. 1.

The cache included two explosively-formed penetrators, eight rocket-propelled grenades, three rocket-propelled grenade launchers, seven rocket-propelled grenade motors, three rockets, 14 mortars, one sniper rifle with a scope and a 10-round magazine. A spool of wire, body armor and old Iraqi Army uniforms were also recovered.

This is the fourth cache found in less than two weeks by Iraqi Security Forces.

“Residents are concerned about their neighborhoods and are taking a greater interest with the help of increased security by Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army Soldiers. Protecting their livelihood and family is of utmost importance to them and the ISF. Every tip from local residents is a small victory,” said Col. Jeffrey Bannister, the commander for the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

The discovery comes as U.S. and Iraqi forces continue to sweep out insurgent strongholds in eastern Baghdad. This includes setting up combat outposts and Joint Security Stations as part of the Baghdad Security Plan.

But I saw a lot of folks up and around, too, wandering about the area. This is where people come and go, in ones and twos for leave and in massive groups as Brigades swap out. And if you check their shoulders you'll see patches from a lot of storied military units; the "1" (not red on the new ACU) of the 1st ID, the Indian head of the 2nd, the stripes of the 3rd. You'll spot the screaming eagle on the sleeves of guys from the 101st who are swapping stories with a couple Joes sporting tropic lightning patches from the 25th. In this corner: the Cav; over there: 10th Mountain; over there the 82nd. And here and there are Ranger tabs, and here and there are bare right sleeves on crisp new uniforms: welcome to Baghdad, Joe.

Large weapons cache located by Concerned Local Citizens

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Concerned Local Citizens found a large cache in Arab Jabour Nov. 1.

The CLCs told Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division about the cache site.

Soldiers investigated the site and discovered three barrels buried in the ground containing rocket-propelled grenade rounds, mortars and various munitions.

The items found included eight 60mm mortars, two 82mm mortars, 25 OG-7 RPG projectiles, three RPG-7 propellant sticks, one RPG sight, an unknown sight, 3,000 14.5mm rounds, 200 7.62mm rounds, one AK-47, one 14.5mm gun barrel and receiver, one RPK light machine gun, three hand grenades, 15 fuses and 15 pounds of C-4 explosive.

“When we take these items away we make it safer for both the citizens and the troops,” said Sgt. 1st Class Gerald Newton, 1-30th Inf. Regt., tactical command post NCO.

Newton said such discoveries help build trust among the communities. He said when citizens see Soldiers taking dangerous weapons off their streets, it demonstrates that Soldiers are acting to make the area safe, leading to further cooperation.

The cache was destroyed in a controlled detonation by an explosive ordnance disposal team.

Hang around such places and you pick up intel. You hear about life in the remote outposts, on the convoys, and in the streets and neighborhoods of Baghdad and elsewhere. You hear exaggerations, too - and rumors passed as fact. That's human nature. Back in July a soldier waiting for a flight home for leave told me of horrible losses his Brigade had suffered. The numbers were inflated - slightly - while low enough to be believable they were high enough to have brought huge front page headlines to every newspaper in America, and those headlines never were. GIs exaggerate and inflate and tend to pass rumor as fact, but at the base of all that is truth, and the truth is that combat in the early summer months here was intense - some of the roughest fighting of the war. And not far from where we stood was another gateway home: the mortuary.

But fewer and fewer passed through that gate in the weeks since that day in the middle of summer. And this week while standing in the same location I heard a different story.

Concerned Local Citizens find large cache in Hawr Rajab

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Concerned Local Citizens in Hawr Rajab reported a large improvised explosive device cache to Coalition Forces at Entry Control Point 20, a patrol base in the area Oct. 31.

The cache consisted of 34 83mm mortar rounds and 72 57mm rounds. All of the rounds were filled with homemade explosives and primed with detonation cords.

The rounds would likely have been used as IEDs for dismounted patrols and mortar attacks against Coalition Forces.

Soldiers from 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division were at ECP 20 when the CLCs told them about the cache. The 1-40th Cav. Regt. is currently attached to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.

An explosive ordnance disposal team was called to ECP 20 to assess the cache.

"Hey, I'm heading to {remote combat outpost} - how are things there?

"Not bad, really. We haven't been attacked this month at all, and last month we were attacked only once. IED's are down, too. We're doing heavy route clearance. I can't remember the last time an IED hit us..."

Soldiers might exaggerate threats, but they do not bullshit someone heading for their post about the lack thereof.

Concerned Local Citizens find three caches

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Concerned Local Citizens found three separate caches in the communities of Hawr Rajab and Arab Jabour Nov. 1.

In Hawr Rajab, CLCs found an improvised explosive device in a canal, consisting of an oxygen tank with 40 pounds of homemade explosives. The IED was taken to Soldiers of 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division currently attached to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. The Soldiers were at a patrol base in Hawr Rajab.

In Arab Jabour, the CLCs told Soldiers of Company C, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. where a possible IED was located. The IED consisted of five pounds of HME connected to a pressure plate.

Another CLC group brought an IED to Soldiers of Company E, 1-30th Inf. Regt. The IED consisted of a 120mm mortar with command wire and a blasting cap.

The three IEDs were destroyed in controlled detonations by an explosive ordnance disposal team.

How did we win this war? There are complex answers to that question, but there is also a simple one that is true and is the basis for all the complexities that spring from it: We won the war because United States Soldiers and Sailors and Airmen and Marines do not quit.

Tips Lead To Eight Insurgent Suspects

BAGHDAD – Tips led Multi-National Division-Baghdad forces to arrest eight men suspected of insurgent activities during combat operations in the Doura area of the Iraqi capital Nov. 3.

During two early morning raids based on tips from concerned citizens, Soldiers of Company A, 1st Battalion, 77th Armored Regiment, part of Task Force Vanguard and the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, captured three men suspected of placing improvised explosive devices along one of the main streets in the area.

In two simultaneous raids just before noon on the east side of Doura, “Raiders” of Troop A, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th IBCT, arrested three men suspected of participating in IED placement and alleged involvement in murders.

Tips led “Warriors” of Company C, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Inf. Div., attached to the 4th IBCT, to detain a man suspected of attacks against the Iraqi National Police.

That evening, “Warriors” from Co. B, 2-12 Inf., arrested an individual suspected of placing IEDs and forcing families to leave their homes.

All detainees are being held for further questioning.

The decrease in violence is more than anecdotal. At this point I don't even think I need to provide links to supporting documents and news coverage - if you haven't heard by now then you aren't the sort of person who would have read this far anyway.

But I'm not a fan of death metrics. Up, down, and chaotic - an exceptionally low month means it will be quite easy for the next month to be higher - a helicopter crash could do it. And there are many possible reasons for this decrease, ranging from "neighborhood ethnic cleansing goals achieved" or "militias biding their time" to "Victory is ours!" And you'll hear them all from people pointing to the wrong numbers to support their claim: the numbers from the morgue.

Tip leads to Iraqi Army to two caches, 6 detained

FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – Soldiers with the 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division captured six suspected extremists and recovered two caches in the Zafaraniya neighborhood of eastern Baghdad on Nov. 3.

The captures and recovery of the two caches occurred after receiving a tip from an area resident.

Weapons recovered included one sniper rifle with 200 rounds of ammunition, one rocket-propelled grenade launcher, two rocket-propelled heat rounds, 19 grenades, one AK-47, one 12-inch blade, and three 100-round belts of ammunition. Other items recovered included seven identification cards, two handheld radios, one radio charger and one Iraqi Army uniform.

The discoveries were the fourth and fifth weapons cache recovery by Iraqi Security Forces in the past two weeks in eastern Baghdad. The suspects are being held for further questioning.

But interspersed throughout the above are the right numbers,the real indicators of victory in Iraq. Civilian tips leading to terrorists and their weapons caches - and the ones you've seen above are just a few from one four-day stretch. These matter more than raw numbers on violence.

I said so almost exactly two years ago.

We've discussed it at MilBlogs.

But few people are paying attention to what those of us who are here fighting this war might have to say. Everyone is focused on the death metrics, and everyone is wrong. Call it "hearts and minds" or people fighting for their lives and futures who do not fear turning to us for help and helping us in return without fear of retribution from an enemy falling fast - these are the numbers that tell the tale. These are the numbers that indicate something worthwhile. These are the numbers that will drive the death metrics further down and keep them there.

And lead to things like this:

Thousands Return to Safer Iraqi Capital
By STEVEN R. HURST – 12 hours ago

BAGHDAD (AP) — In a dramatic turnaround, more than 3,000 Iraqi families driven out of their Baghdad neighborhoods have returned to their homes in the past three months as sectarian violence has dropped, the government said Saturday.

Saad al-Azawi, his wife and four children are among them. They fled to Syria six months ago, leaving behind what had become one of the capital's more dangerous districts — west Baghdad's largely Sunni Khadra region.

The family had been living inside a vicious and bloody turf battle between al-Qaida in Iraq and Mahdi Army militiamen. But Azawi said things began changing, becoming more peaceful, in August when radical anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ordered his Mahdi Army fighters to stand down nationwide.

About the same time, the Khadra neighborhood Awakening Council rose up against brutal al-Qaida control — the imposition of its austere interpretation of Islam, along with the murder and torture of those who would not comply.

The uprising originated in Iraq's west and flowed into the capital. Earlier this year, the Sunni tribes and clans in the vast Anbar province began their own revolt and have successfully rid the largely desert region of al-Qaida control.

At one point the terrorist group virtually controlled Anbar, often with the complicity of the vast Sunni majority who welcomed the outsiders in their fight against American forces.

But, U.S. officials say, al-Qaida overplayed its hand with Iraq's Sunnis, who practice a moderate version of Islam. American forces were quick to capitalize on the upheaval, welcoming former Sunni enemies as colleagues in securing what was once the most dangerous region of the country.

And as 30,000 additional U.S. forces arrived for the crackdown in Baghdad and central Iraq, the American commander, Gen. David Petraeus, began stationing many of them in neighborhood outposts. The mission was not only to take back control but to foster neighborhood groups like the one in Khadra to shake off al-Qaida's grip.

The 40-year-old al-Azawi, who has gone back to work managing a car service, said relatives and friends persuaded him to bring his family home.

"Six months ago, I wouldn't dare be outside, not even to stand near the garden gate by the street. Killings had become routine. I stopped going to work, I was so afraid," he said, chatting with friends on a street in the neighborhood.

When he and his family joined the flood of Iraqi refugees to Syria the streets were empty by early afternoon, when all shops were tightly shuttered. Now the stores stay open until 10 p.m. and the U.S. military working with the neighborhood council is handing out $2,000 grants to shop owners who had closed their business. The money goes to those who agree to reopen or first-time businessmen.

Al-Azawi said he's trying to get one of the grants to open a poultry and egg shop that his brother would run.

"In Khadra, about 15 families have returned from Syria. I've called friends and family still there and told them it's safe to come home," he said.

And when they do, they'll be on our side too.

Rear Adm. Gregory Smith, MNF-I spokesman:

In the first 10 months of 2007, caches found and cleared by CF/ISF have doubled the entire volume of 2006. A cache is a concealed source of supplies, weapons, munitions, that fuels insurgency and targets CF/ISF/civilians. The highest concentration of caches has been found in Anbar province. This can be attributed to the increasing effectiveness of the ISF, and receiving tips from Iraqi civilians. The surge strategy has allowed this increase in local cooperation. On Wednesday, an Iraqi citizen led CF to a large EFP cache in Husseiniyah, which contained 10 fully assembled EFPs, 90 copper plates, 200 lbs. of C4, and other materials.

“In the first ten months of 2007, coalition and Iraqi security forces have found and cleared 5,364 caches. That is twice the volume of material found and cleared in all of 2006, some 2,667 caches.”

How did we win this war? Simply put, we won because we are the best. The finest soldiers and sailors and airmen and Marines in the world, and the best hope for people seeking hope for a future. And we are tired and hot is turning cold and we are far from home and soldiering on but you can't take that from us, and we won't let anyone take it from them.

*****

The story continues here

Soldiers' Angels get's adopted by Angels

MaryAnn at Soldiers' Angels Germany :

The Landstuhl ICU nursing staff have adopted the Soldiers' Angels logo for their team t-shirts. Recently, one was presented to me by the outgoing team of Navy Reservists before returning home at the end of their tour here.

Our service members have made their sacrifices. Their caregivers have done - and continue to do - their job fixing these guys up.

I've seen this first hand, these ICU nurses have been wonderful supporters of SA Germany.org and instrumental in their ability to carry out their mission. The nursing staff have one of the hardest job in the world, and that is taking care of our Wounded Warriors. It's impossible to visit Landstuhl without hearing stories about heroes and they are some of them. They have saved hundreds of lives and comforted dozens of dying soldiers, held their hands, wept and prayed with them, and promised not to leave them alone, they are not only heroes, they too, are angels.

Donate to Valour-IT an help us help them.

Christmas Card to "Any Wounded Soldier."

Misinformation is sadly being passed around.

A Second Hand Conjecture has important information this:

There's an email going around saying people should send a Christmas Card to "Any Wounded Soldier." This is incorrect information. I've heard this straight from the Deputy Director of Public Affairs at Walter Reed. If any of you could promote my post on this topic, we might be able to get people to do something that will actually show our soldiers they care about them.

Walter Reed Army Medical Center officials want to remind those individuals who want to show their appreciation through mail to include packages, letters, and holiday cards addressed to ‘Any Wounded Soldier’ or ‘A Recovering American Soldier’ that Walter Reed cannot accept these packages in support of the decision by then Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Transportation Policy in 2001. This decision was made to ensure the safety and well being of patients and staff at medical centers throughout the Department of Defense.

Let's make people aware of this so our troops can receive this support

'Remembering Vietnam: The Wall at 25'

"Remembering Vietnam" documentary will screen tonight, Nov 9 - 5pm EST/8pm PST on the Smithsonian Channel on DirectTV. It will also be live streamed on Sunday, Nov 11 on the Smithsonian Channel site at 9pm EST / 6pm PST.

Here's a teaser

This looks to be an excellent program you don't want to miss.

We Will Never Forget!

Christians and Muslims living together, NO Mass Hysteria

Michael Yon's Thanks and Praise

A Muslim man had invited the American soldiers from “Chosen” Company 2-12 Infantry to the church, where I videotaped as Muslims and Christians worked and rejoiced at the reopening of St John’s, an occasion all viewed as a sign of hope.

I photographed men and women, both Christians and Muslims, placing a cross atop the St. John's Church in Baghdad. They had taken the cross from storage and a man washed it before carrying it up to the dome. A Muslim man had invited the American soldiers from "Chosen" Company 2-12 Cavalry to the church, where I videotaped as Muslims and Christians worked and rejoiced at the reopening of St John's, an occasion all viewed as a sign of hope.

The Iraqis asked me to convey a message of thanks to the American people. "Thank you, thank you," the people were saying. One man said, "Thank you for peace." Another man, a Muslim, said "All the people, all the people in Iraq, Muslim and Christian, is brother." The men and women were holding bells, and for the first time in memory freedom rang over the ravaged land between two rivers.

If people have not been tracking on the positive indicators being seen across Iraq, then they might find this story hard to believe.

But others are also reporting unity.

Via email Haider Ajina:

The following is a head line and article from Iraq’s Azzaman (Large circulation Sunni Paper), of November 7, 2007

Sunni, Shiite tribes unite to fight Qaeda

A rare visit by a delegation representing Sunni tribes in the Province of Anbar to the predominantly Shiite Province of Qadissiya is yet another signal that Iraqis are keen to put an end to sectarian strife. The Anbar delegation included major Sunni tribes who have formed a coalition and raised a tribal force to check Qaeda influence in their areas.

Anbar was the main stronghold of Qaeda in Mesopotamia but reports say the terror group’s influence there is receding. The delegation held talks with tribal chiefs in Qadissiya Province centered on national reconciliation.

Ramadi, Anbar’s provincial capital, was for long a no-go area for Iraqi and U.S. troops as Qaeda fighters were almost in total control of its streets and districts. Diwaniya, Qadissiya’s provincial capital, is currently one of the most restive cities in southern Iraq due to infighting among disparate Shiite militia groups. Sheikh Mohammed Shaalan said both Sunni and Shiite tribes in the two provinces have vowed to bring national reconciliation to success. Shaalan heads Shiite tribes in Qadissiya.

The structure of Iraqi tribes overlaps sectarian divisions in Iraq. Certain powerful tribes in Anbar for example have their largest following among Iraqi Shiites. Shiites and Sunnis can be members of the same tribe and fight under its banner and vow allegiance to the same tribal chieftain regardless of sect. Shaalan, who spoke for the meeting, said a tribal delegation from Qadissiya would also travel to Anbar in the near future. “We have agreed to support he government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki which is working hard to enable tribes assume a better role in solving conflicts away from sectarianism and factionalism,” he said.

Shaalan said the two sides signed an agreement under which they will coordinate their efforts and raise resources “to combat crime and punish those attacking and killing security and police personnel.” “We need to have no weapon brandished without the state’s approval. Carrying weapons should be the sole prerogative of the state,” he said.

The tribes have also agreed to “ostracize” any one of their members found defying the state or attacking government troops or police. Tribesmen providing refuge for “terrorists and criminals” will be punished severely, he said.

My comment,

The continual weakening of Alqaida Takfiries and the Baathist supporters is giving rise to substantially improved security. Thanks to the surge and our training of the Iraqis to gradually take over security responsibility.

Iraqis realize that Alqaida the Baathists, and their supporters foreign and domestic, are their enemy and are the root of most if not all the sectarian strife in Iraq. The breathing room provided by the improved security is allowing Iraqis to focuses on resolving reconciliation issues. It is allowing the political process and rule of law to become stronger more grounded and more permanent. The Iraqi Prime Minister’s cabinet changes, now in the works, will focuses on qualifications and dedication rather than who is from what sect.

Regards

Haider Ajina

Congrats to Patti Patton Bader...

...the Microsoft Above and Beyond Award Winner! Patti is the founder of Soldiers Angels, an amazing organization that goes above and beyond for our troops.

Soon after Patton-Bader began sending care packages to her son in Iraq in 2004, she started a group of volunteers to “adopt” soldiers and send care packages. This group has now grown to 100,000 members, which have sent tens of thousands of care packages and hundreds of thousands of letters to make sure no soldier is forgotten while serving. Her Angels have also helped those who have been wounded with First Response Packs directly at the Combat and Support Hospitals. They provide comfort to those who are now in our military hospitals here at home and help provided comfort and aid to military families in need.

Many projects have been developed thru Soldiers' Angels, Blankets of Hope, Valour-IT, Operation OutReach, for military families in need and so many more worthy projects, all which started with one woman whose motto is “May no soldier go unloved.”

Pundit Review has a recent interview with her here

If you like to donate to Soldiers' Angels you can online here

OR

By snail mail here:

Soldiers’ Angels
Project Valour-IT Fund
1792 E. Washington Blvd
Pasadena, Ca 91104

Outside the Headlines

Fuzzilicious Thinking :

There is wonderful news coming out of Iraq these days. Charts show IEDs are down, attacks on Coalition bases are down, engagements with terrorists and insurgents are down, civilian deaths are down. Down, down, down. And all while there are more soldiers walking and living among the locals.

But there's something hidden going on here that doesn't make the headlines: ...

Fuzzy bear continues here

Continued Prayers

I posted a prayer request for wounded Army Spc. John Austin Johnson after his wife and three children (who were on their way to visit him in the hospital because of injuries sustained in Iraq) had a tragic car accident. The Austins lost two of their three children, 5 year old Ashley and 2 year Logan. Their oldest son, 9 year old Tyler lost his battle Saturday.

Godspeed, our prayers continue.

Air Force and Navy are Neck-n-Neck

When it comes to the participation in Iraq and Afghansitan, I don't think the Air Force receives the respect that it deserves. With jokes like "the Chair Force", "Air Farce", etc. And It could prob'ly be said the same holds true for the Navy. I would normally defend them, but were battling against last place in the Valour-IT compettition , so to hell with those salt encrusted, scurvy legged, fish smellin, squid fobbits. It's time to baton batten down the hatches team mates, kick in the turbo, and punch that donate button. This is war!

While we don’t see or hear much about our Air Force activity, let me provide a typical day’s aerial activity. Our deployed Air Force members fly and support about 400 combat sorites (missions) each day. More than half of these are strike and reconnaissance missions providing close air support to our ground forces.

Our U.S. Air Force has also been engaged in direct combat. Lest we forget, the Air Force that went downtown Baghdad on the evening of 16 January 1991 at the start of Desert Storm. The 'Mother of all Battles'.

Here's some VTR tape of Sams over Baghdad.

And did you know the USAF have their own Special-Ops team? They're called Pararescuemen, or Parajumpers, also known as PJs, and are the only Department of Defense specialty specifically trained and equipped to conduct conventional or unconventional rescue operations.These "air commandos," like their Army and Navy counterparts, use darkness as a cloaking device that helps them achieve maximum advantage against enemies who lack the technology and training to fight at night. They are among the most highly trained emergency trauma specialists in the U.S. military.

Air Force SOF are rarely the trigger-pullers, so much of the attention for wartime tends to go to the combat forces that the air commandos support. Other special operator units, such as the Navy SEALs and the Army's Special Forces, Rangers, and Delta Force, produce more news. The USAF Special Operations Forces stay in the shadows. In a way, Air Force operators are more discreet than special units from other services and so do not receive much recognition. Pararescuemen continue to deploy so "That Others May Live"

They also have other special units called Combat Weathermen that spend dangerous times in remote outposts gathering the real-time, eyes-on, ground truth about conditions that can critically impact the mission.
They’re tough guys who get it done no matter how rough it gets. To give you some idea how inportant these guys are, They are currently listed on the Global Military Force Policy low-density, high-demand asset list.

During the early stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom, it began with heavy aerial attacks on Baghdad and other cities. This was publicized in advance by the Pentagon as an overwhelming barrage meant to instill "shock and awe". However, the Air Force were also on the ground with combat weather troops. Tasked with collecting weather data, the team endured sandstorms that buried them in their sleeping bags. They survived 12 missile attacks, one which destroyed their humvee, and endured almost continuous small-arms attack

Every day A-10s deliver 30 mm; we have a squadron of A-10s up at Al Asad in Western Iraq. F-16s are dropping Joint Direct Attack Munitions and delivering ordnance, 20 mm, every day. Predators are delivering Hellfires tactical missile as well as imagery every day. And, oh yes, for a few years now, C-130s have been replacing truck convoys to eliminate much of the threat from roadside bombs. Essentially, this has taken over 3,500 trucks and 8,600 personnel off the dangerous roads.

Our Air Force has now been heavily engaged in aerial combat in Afghanistan and Iraq since Day One in both areas of operations.

The Air Force also stand prepared for rapid response in conflict around the globe as our nations serve and shield. They fly, fight, and dominate in three warfighting domains: air, space, and cyberspace, Go Air Force!

There is much more I could write about our U.S. Air Force at war. But I'll just add that today we have nearly 125,000 airmen of all ranks engaged around the world. There are 61,000 troops forward deployed in Europe, the Pacific and other locations, with another 27,000 forward deployed from their home stations in the United States. Many of these airmen have been deployed numerous times to Iraq and Afghanistan and have developed into this nation’s most combat-experienced Air Force. These marvelous young men and women are engaged daily in our Global War on Terror. They need our continuing understanding and support. Now show them your support.

DONATE TO TEAM AIR FORCE!

"One team, one mission!" "One over all!"
GO AIR FORCE!

Sources:

http://www.lucky-devils.net/baghdad.html

http://www.af.mil/news/airman/0603/oifupsb1.html

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=14722

http://www.af.mil/library/speeches/speech.asp?id=302

http://www.sci.fi/~fta/strike-91.htm

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforce/a/combatweather2.htm

Valour-IT Auction Alert - UPDATED & BUMPED

We have an original autographed Chris Muir Print that is up for auction

Day by Day cartoonist, Chris Muir has graciously donated to the Valour-IT Auction, an original signed print from his upcoming collection with a personal autograph to whoever is the winner. It'll be on 8.5"x11" matte board.
Chris reminded me he's known for his cheesecake.

Our other artist that is contributing his talent is none other than John Cox of Cox and Forkum

The creators of this cartoon:

The winning bid will receive one personalized and signed caricature. If you prefer not to receive a caricature of yourself, you can receive a caricature of a family member, a friend, or a personal hero instead. The final artwork will be a 9" x 12" watercolor.

Thanks to Zonker at Thunder And Roses for setting this up , he has the full details.

Cox and Forkum recently put away their ink pens to take a final bow. They are no longer producing editorial cartoons. So to get a piece of their art is surely a treasure.

Let the bidding wars begin

<...>
We also have some other great items up for bid, 3 autographed books by Richard S. Lowry, a very special book not yet available to the public--Small Unit Actions, and several items of Thunderbird memorabilia.

We have a pair of Perfect Pushups workout kit (you'll need these when I make you drop and give me twenty if our team loses), We have some beautiful handmade baby afghans and a VERY SPECIAL lap quilt.
This quilt was designed and sewn by a former member of the Air Force, now a National Guard spouse. Echoing a missing man formation (the "missing" member is actually quilted in a ghostly gray), it is entitled "Gone But Not Forgotten."

If you have something you'd like to donate to the auction, register here

There are other ways you can help. We also have new flyers available for distribution: Flyer 1(PDF) and Flyer 2. (PDF) [Note: please do not use flyers that are downloaded from anywhere other than these two flyers hosted at Soldiers' Angels. The older flyers contain significant inaccuracies.] HT: Castle Argghhh!

Soldiers' Angels is a non-profit (point out tax deduction, matching funds), and Valour-IT has ZERO overhead. IRS proof: http://soldiersangels.org/index.php?page=irs-non-profit-status
Regardless on team chosen, it all goes in the same "pot,".
Though things are looking up in Iraq, the need amongst the wounded is still great (about 30 laptops a month)

Reminder: Microsoft and USO Announce "Above and Beyond" Awards

I'm reposting this as a reminder to Vote for Patti

Soldiers' Angels Germany:

Patti Patton-Bader, founder of Soldier's Angels, has been nominated as a finalist in the first annual "Above and Beyond" awards, presented by Microsoft and in partnership with the USO. The awards were created to recognize the contributions of the military community - the friends, family, and other individuals who help brighten the lives of U.S. troops throughout the world.

According to Microsoft, the "Above and Beyond Awards is our way of publicly honoring and thanking the outstanding commitment, exceptional service, sacrifice and achievements of individuals who have shown extraordinary dedication in brightening the lives of our troops over the past year."

Patti has been nominated for the Effort Award, which recognizes an individual who:

* Offers outstanding support and comfort to our troops.
* Helps enhance morale and personal welfare of our troops.
* Through their mentorship, inspires other groups/individuals to create new and unique ways to show their support of the troops.
* Has impacted the lives of many through their leadership and guidance.

Please take a minute and vote here.

Congratulations on the nomination, and good luck Patti!

Thanks MaryAnn