Last Day...

...to go vote for design #4. (That vote is needed, by the way - he's just a few votes shy of winning a very close contest.)

Update: Another endorsement.

A New Low

You probably haven't heard much about the efforts of the Global Islamic Media Front - al Qaeda's "public relations" team. The group is well known to those who monitor terrorist web sites, but rarely reported on by the mainstream media. (Although the group's recent release of a video game in which the player's goal is to kill President Bush did get some coverage in the Washington Post.)

But another recent effort from the group won't likely be reported anywhere in the western media - at least not directly. Titled "Working Paper for a Media Invasion of America", the recently translated document was originally posted on a known jihaddist web site, but has received scant public attention from it's target audience. No full translations of the treatise are currently available, but a brief description of some of the content can be seen here.

Najd al-Rawi, the document's author, begins by noting that although they've been successful in many ways, the jihaddists haven't fully exploited the opportunities presented by the US media.
<...>
As an example of the sort of video material the group should provide, the author suggests "Video of attacks on US foot patrols with the caption 'Operation against the sons of the US people whom Bush cast into the fire of war against the Muslims'."

And in that we see both the political savvy and naiveté of the Global Islamic Media Front. They recognize the advantage - and relative ease - of turning as many Americans against their President as they can (dividing the enemy into opposing camps to be eliminated in turn being a primary goal of effective propaganda) but fail to grasp the idea that this requires no effort on their part whatsoever. Still - you can't blame them for being willing to accelerate the process, or contribute to the cause.

-- al Qaeda's "Working Paper for a Media Invasion of America"

*****

Columbia Journalism Review:

Here’s McCain’s full quote, in context, from back in January:

Questioner: President Bush has talked about our staying in Iraq for fifty years…
McCain: Maybe a hundred. Make it one hundred. We’ve been in South Korea, we’ve been in Japan for sixty years. We’ve been in South Korea for fifty years or so. That’d be fine with me as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed. Then it’s fine with me. I would hope it would be fine with you if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where Al Qaeda is training, recruiting, equipping and motivating people every single day.

*****

Dear Friend,

John McCain wants to stay in Iraq for 100 years. He’s said it, and it’s on tape.

But his campaign hates that he was caught. They’ve viciously attacked anyone who reminded the American people that he said it, including me. They’ve said that those who reference the 100 years comments are “deliberately misleading voters.”

So we’ve taken John McCain’s own words — video of him saying that 100 years would be “fine with me” — and made a TV ad. There’s no confusion, no distortion, no misleading — it’s John McCain, on tape, for voters to judge on their own.

It’s one of the most powerful political ads I’ve ever seen. It’s devastating — and the McCain campaign will spend the rest of the election trying to fight it.

-- DNC Chairman Howard Dean

New DNC ad:

*****

Yes, those are American GIs. They survived.

About the only thing you can credit the DNC for is finally finding an actual image of American soldiers they could use.

Instead of Canadians:

(Their pals at moveon once used Brits.)

Those examples are sad and pathetic, and laughable. This latest is something else entirely. (But you can bet it was market tested thoroughly before they aired it.)

*****

Update: In reviewing the ORIGINAL source video, I'm not even sure the soldiers were "attacked" - based on their "post-boom" actions that's really not clear. Moving to cover with weapons ready would be a more obvious response, but even from the longer clip I'm uncertain. That might be a controlled det - found enemy device intentionally detonated. There's no arguing that they either didn't expect the explosion right then or if they did they underestimated the size. Again, these guys don't appear to be responding to an immediate threat - but I don't know with complete certainty. The DNC certainly wants the viewer to believe they were attacked - perhaps even killed. So you can definitely credit the DNC with skillfull editing, in addition to finally finding US soldiers to use in an ad.

The odds of actually capturing an attack on video are fairly slim. Unless you're a reporter engaged in an actual combat op you're just not going to have a camera rolling at the opportune moment. Even Mike Yon doesn't have many such examples, and he's spent more time with troops than anyone. (Even with the Farah photo he didn't get the shot of the attack itself.) Unless you're embedded with the guys planting explosive devices (or detonating found ones) you're just not going to get a good video of the explosion.

And another update: Heh - After watching the DNC version again I noticed they substituted a much louder, deeper explosion sound than the actual bang in the real video. Not enough bang for their bucks, I suppose. So credit them with having good sound guys, too. (Unless that was Michael Moore who actually doctored the footage.)

And moore: Michael Moore's version has a fake boom in it too. Can't tell if the DNC used that or created their own.

Still Moore: So after swapping a couple emails with Ace, he and I agreed to split up the Fahrenheit 9/11 videos available on youtube and find the actual use of the clip therein. He found it in part 9 (he had the odds, I had the evens.) It's about 35 seconds into the clip. My take: Moore's version might use the original sound of the explosion, but if so he's cranked the base to produce a much more powerful sound than the original. The DNC version is different than Moore's or the actual footage, a more drawn out explosion.

Another note on Moore's clip: he edits the footage so you never see that the second guy (the one who was holding both weapons) is okay. He had run off camera (unseen in the immediate aftermath of the blast), and in the original his partner walks slowly over to his location and the clip ends with both of them standing, apparently not significantly wounded or concerned about any additional threat. In Moore's edit, the clip ends before he is revealed. The result in Fahrenheit 9/11 is two guys, boom, smoke, one guy left.

*****

More from:

A Soldier's Perspective

Charlie Foxtrot

Blackfive

Outside the Wire

Q and O

Confederate Yankee

LGF

Ace

Political Punch

Michelle Malkin

Allahpundit

Daily Kos

Josh Marshall

Vote For #4

Via email:

FYI -

Thought you'd be interested in a design I'd submitted to a contest at www.wooden-nickel.com. Voting runs through tomorrow if you'd like to vote. Voting has been close, but another worthy coin seems to surge ahead each night.

The design was based on the song "On Leaving" that I learned of through your site some time ago. I also use the signature line below on a forum I belong to - The Military Association of GeoCachers (www.militarycache.org).

Below is the e-mail I sent out to my friends and family.

Dave Self

- God bless those that go fight the dragons so others can pretend they don't exist.

Greetings,

Since I don't forward any of the jokes, inspirational stories, urban legends or other stuff that I'm always asked to "forward to everyone you know", I hope you'll excuse this brief interuption in your e-mail.

In case I didn't include you on my first e-mail, no, I'm not running for office. I have, however, entered a design contest at www.wooden-nickel.com. If you've already voted for me once or more, thanks!

My design (see attachment) was selected as one of the five finalists to be voted on by the public. If I win I get 100 wooden nickels free, which I primarily use to as 'swag' to leave in geocaches I found

If you feel so inclined, I hope you'll consider voting for my design (#4) by going to http://www.wooden-nickel.com/contest/ and simply selecting a check box. You can even vote once per day per network you use. For instance, once from home and once from work (per company policy) or other location. So you can actually vote early AND often (through April 30th). If you see the vote breakdown instead of the checkboxes, it means you or someone else on your network has already voted that day. The counter is reset about 9 AM Eastern each day.

My design (#4) has been in the lead except for a brief period during the last 24 hours, but my margin has been shrinking. I'm basically in competition with one other design. Between us, we've had about 65-70% of the vote since shortly after it began.

This company also has an ongoing deal where they will send you 4 free Support Our Troops nickels. Details are at http://www.wooden-nickel.com/freedom/.

If you would like to read the soldier's letter to his family that was the the inspiration for the wording, you can go to http://www.mudvillegazette.com/archives/002958.html. To listen to and excerpt of the song inspired by the letter, go to http://cdbaby.com/mp3lofi/3dbdown2-10.m3u.

Thanks ,
Dave Self

Greyhawk says: What are you waiting for? Go vote! (You don't even have to register!)

Dawn Patrol

Welcome to the Dawn Patrol, our daily roundup of information on the War on Terror and other topics - from the MilBlogs and other sources around the world. If you're a blogger, you can join the conversation. If you link to any of these stories, add a link to the Dawn Patrol too and your trackback will be added to the list. Hat Tips to the Dawn Patrol are greatly appreciated.
Support Our Troops, Read Their Stories

----------------------------------------------------------------------

IRAQ

Daughters of Iraq Help Thwart Female Suicide Bombings -- [Amy Proctor]
The first Daughters of Iraq group is forming in Baghdad within the Sons of Iraq, the highly successful group of Iraqi men that is helping maintain security throughout Iraq at the grass-roots level.
The newly formed Daughters of Iraq, comprised of Iraqi women, have been credited with increased security.
The Army Times:
The female group will be in the city of Yusafiyah, which had long been an insurgent stronghold and scene of battles with U.S. forces. The “DOI,” as the military referred to them, “would be able to search other females at security checkpoints,” which Iraqi cultural norms do not allow men to do.
Officials with the 3rd ID said this was necessary because of “insurgents utilizing females to carry out suicide attacks,” according to a Friday news release. The release also said the “Daughters of Iraq” would facilitate “female empowerment” and a “step toward a properly functioning democratic society.”

Through A Heat Stroke Darkly -- [Iraq: The Purgatorium - in Iraq]
The boys all strap on their fancy high tech super soldier gear, oppressive body armor and an assortment of pads and doohickeys, and plop down on the benches in the Stryker. Prepare your nightvision. Click. Good to go.
The truck transports us to another nowhere neighborhood in a nowhere town of a nowhere country that makes big news and the ramp drops, and all of it is very familiar. Very.
Boots hit the dirt and good God is it hot tonight. Flip the NODs (nightvision) down over the eye and dart your focus in all directions, scanning through a green lens in search of that evil bastard that probably isn't out there.
...Boots hit the dirt and good God is it hot tonight. Flip the NODs (nightvision) down over the eye and dart your focus in all directions, scanning through a green lens in search of that evil bastard that probably isn't out there.

The men in black vanish and Basra comes to life -- [Times Online]
The first Western journalist to enter the city since Operation Charge of the Knights was launched a month ago

Reconstruction In Basra
Rebuilding in Basra, while Sadr takes his city back to the 7th Century.

The Battle For Basra -- [Greyhawk]
A look back at media coverage of the British capture of Basra in the spring of 2003. This post is not intended to be all-inclusive. Additional expansion will occur as time permits.
The day before the invasion, the British role was explained in general terms:
At that point in time, few would risk stating anything for the record other than the obvious regarding the pending assault

A Dissertation on Getting It Right -- [Castle Argghhh! - CW4BillT - in Iraq]
"I thought you might like to know that there was one part of the Basra op that was planned *right* and went according to plan from Day One all the way through. I'll let Ali tell it -- it was his story, after all.
"So, on the first day, we knew the troops will be needing the ammunition, the food, the medicine for casualties. The C-130 [an IqAF Herky, BTW] lands and offloads the ammunition first. We put the ammunition into the Huey IIs and fly resupply. The Bad Guys shoot to drive us off, but we shoot back and continue into the area to land because the troops, our troops, need ammunition."

Mahdi Army Fades Away -- [Strategy Page]
April 28 , 2008: After a month of fighting, the Mahdi Army has disappeared from the streets of Basra, the largest city in the south. The army and police are everywhere, and people are providing information on where Mahdi Army personnel are hiding out, and the locations of their weapons caches.

Evansville veterans have unique approaches to the deployment -- [IN Iraq - in Iraq]
...Sergeant James Eckerty, 41, of Evansville walked Iraqi roadways looking for IEDs and cleared houses in Kasul, Iraq in 2003, now he’s serving in the operations unit for the 1/151 convoy security mission.
“I’m one of the crazy ones,” Eckerty said. “I got out and came back in. I missed the thought of them going with out me.”
Sergeant Josh Auxier, 27, of Evansville, who was in the Kasul with Eckerty and also deployed to Bosnia said, “Back then we had no classes on IEDs. Now that’s over 90 percent of our training.”

Women in Action -- [Lt Nixon - in Iraq]
No all you male pervs! Don't let the title of the post fool you. This is about female soldiers in Iraq in the Lioness program. Traditional Muslim culture prevents male soldiers from searching women, so it has been necessary to have all-female units deal with these situations. There's a documentary coming out about it, which the Fayetteville Observer has an extensive article well worth the read. One thing I've been flabbergasted with is the prominent feminist movement giving women serving our country very little attention.

Clashes ongoing in Sadr City -- [LWJ - Bill Roggio]
Seven Mahdi fighters killed in airstrikes. Mahdi Army attacks a police patrol and mortars the International Zone. Iraqi general links weapons back to Iran.

Fighting Continues Between Sadr Followers And Iraqi Forces.

Clashes between Sadr followers and Iraqi forces continues in north of Basra

Iraq News (28 April) -- [Lt Nixon - in Iraq]
The Good: U.S. forces are seriously pushing utilities, services, and humanitarian aid in Sadr City in an effort to wrest the district of Baghdad from militia control. This coincides with the offensive to take out militia thugs, 38 of whom were killed in fierce fighting yesterday amidst a Hades-like sandstorm that resulted in steel rain on the Green Zone. Vice President Hashimi and Prime Minister Maliki are finalizing political arrangements for the Iraqi Accordance Front's return to the Iraqi cabinet. Three members of the dangerous insurgent group, Ansar al-Sunnah, have been detained in Western Mosul by Iraqi Security Forces.

Iraqi Army Takes Control of Sa’id Abdullah Corridor -- [MNF-I]
FOB MAHMUDIYAH — In an effort to deal a blow to al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) west of Mahmudiyah, the 2nd battalion, 25th brigade, 6th Iraqi Army (IA) Division established permanent battle positions in the Sa’id Abdullah Corridor
...“I wouldn’t have expected to be setting up out here,” said 2nd Lt. Mohammed Shakur, 2/25/6 IA Div. “I find it amazing how much safer this area has become, and only in a few weeks time.”

Britons kidnapped in Iraq are ‘held by Iran’ -- [Times Online]
Five British hostages who were kidnapped in Iraq almost a year ago are being held inside Iran by Revolutionary Guards, according to two separate sources in the Middle East and London.
The hostages were handed over to the Revolutionary Guards by their Iraqi kidnappers last November, the sources believe. One of the sources said they were being held in the western Iranian city of Hamadan.
If confirmed, the involvement of Revolutionary Guards would be seen as evidence that senior figures in the Iranian government had backed the decision to hold them in the country.

MNF-I Commander visits Island Warriors, tours battlefield -- [Fearless 1st Marines’ blog - in Iraq]
KARMA, Iraq (April 23, 2008) – Gen. David H. Petraeus, commanding general, Multi-National Forces-Iraq, visited Marines and Iraqi Police at the police headquarters here, April, 23, to survey progress in the area.
Petraeus met with Marines of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, that conduct operations out of the IP station and presented them each with a coin.

Basra Iraqi Army School Supply (Mature) Leaked: 15 hours ago

Supplies being handed out to Iraqi school kids by the Iraqi army. Scenes include the unloading of supplies, the handing out of supplies to the children and interview.

Uday's House -- [Sarah Hostetler - MNF-I DCSINT C2SUPT - in Iraq]
Uday was one of Saddam's sons. We bombed his house out. TODAY I got a
tour!

VIDEO: British EOD teams help destroy weapons found in Basra surge -- [Ministry of Defence]
British bomb disposal teams have been helping their Iraqi counterparts destroy hundreds of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and other munitions recovered from Basra City during the recent Iraqi led surge into the city.
The amount of weaponry and munitions captured is a measure of the success of Operation Charge of the Knights, and with so much being recovered the Iraqi Security Forces' asked the Coalition Forces to assist them in its disposal.

Managing Deployment Stress -- [Sergeant Grumpy - in Iraq]
I meant to write about this topic for some time, but always had something better to write, or was not feeling like writing anything. Before I get into this, I want to share some of the things that can cause deployment stress, just to give ya'll an idea. Grumpy may or may not have experienced any of these.

COMBAT COMICS, help survive a deployment... -- [THE CI-ROLLER DUDE ]
From the Soldier side: SGT Grumpy (at: http://sgtgrumpy.blogspot.com/) was talking about his tips to survive a deployment. He's asking for good practical jokes that can be used. I have a few simple rules about particle jokes in combat zones:
1.) You don't want any good guys to be injured or killed (no explosive devices!)
2.) You don't want to get an Article 15 or some other punishment
3.) You shouldn't play one on someone of lower rank unless they really deserve it
4.) You want to involve as many people as possible in the "Delivery" for more enjoyment
5.) You have to survive to be able to tell about it, so if someone bigger than you kicks your ass, you failed.

Hundreds of Looted Artifacts Returned to Iraq Museum -- [Fox News]
BAGHDAD — Iraq's National Museum recovered on Sunday 701 artifacts stolen in the wake of Saddam Hussein's ouster, raising hopes of restoring the nation's rich cultural heritage after five years of war.
Syrian authorities, who seized the looted treasures smuggled across the border, turned them over to the Iraqis, who carefully packed them in 17 boxes and flew them back to Baghdad on Saturday

The Big Dog -- [From the Halls to the Shores - in Iraq]
Toby Keith played Baghdad tonight and your truly was there. This finally puts me even with the Wif, who saw him in 2006 in San Diego without me. Now if we could only see a show together!

---

AFGHANISTAN

TF Saber and COIN in Afghanistan: “Where the road stops is where the insurgency starts.” -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
More top-notch reporting and photography from Drew Brown of S&S about operations of the 173rd Airborne Brigade’s 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment in Nuristan Province. Operation Mountain Highway II is Task Force Saber’s largest operation to date.
U.S., Afghan troops retake key bridge
NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan — U.S. and Afghan troops have secured a key bridge in volatile northeastern Afghanistan, a move U.S. military officers say will allow Afghan border police to return to the area and help quell the insurgency there.

Taliban Confirms 3 Of Its Fighters Killed By Afghan Forces In Attack On Karzai.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has escaped unharmed after militants attacked a military parade with rockets and gunfire, killing three people, including an MP, and wounding a dozen others.

Al-Qaeda and Taliban totally pwned -- [Michelle Malkin]
Fascinating story in the Asia Times about Al-Qaeda’s and the Taliban’s successes and failures in Afghanistan. They were having a great deal of success raiding NATO’s supply lines in the Khyber area. They’d even managed to secure the loyalty of the local sheikh, Namdar, who was providing them with cover and safe houses. They knew they had to be careful, but Namdar was a Salafist Muslim, just like Al-Qaeda:

A propaganda coup for the Taliban: Analysis -- [Telegraph]
In a war where perceptions are crucial, the attack in Kabul was a huge propaganda coup for the Taliban.
Hamid Karzai survives assassination attempt
They claim six of their fighters breached the security of the most high profile military parade in the Afghan calendar, and were able to put machine gun rounds within a few yards of the Afghan president.
In doing so they captured headlines and demonstrated to the Afghan people and the wider world that the country's government and its Western backers are incapable of securing even the capital city.

Statement by the NATO Secretary General on the Taliban attack in Kabul -- [ISAF]
27 Apr. - On behalf of NATO, I condemn in the strongest terms the Taliban attack in Kabul this morning. The Taliban has demonstrated once again that they will use the most extreme violence to oppose Afghanistan's freedom and democratic development.

Paved Roads part II -- [The Satirist at War - in Afghanistan]
When my Commander told me I’d have an opportunity to do a bit of traveling with a Platoon, I was very enthusiastic. Going on patrols, no matter how limited (and the patrols I lead are very limited, owing to local circumstances I’m not at liberty to disclose due to OPSEC), is great fun, and helps move the time along nicely.
...The first leg landed us a bit to the North, in one of the largest FOBs in Afghanistan, and which I’ve made mention of in previous posts. The 1SG of the Company I was previously a part of (before I moved to the “Band of Brothers” Company) took us to this FOB in November, and assured us that it was connected to other areas of Afghanistan via a developed network of paved roads—these assurances, sadly, were all for naught at the time. When our patrol arrived there recently, I was surprised to see that since November they’d laid a good 10km (at least) of paved roads. Driving those ten short kilometers was a short but surreal experience (locals would still pull off to the side of the two-lane road and stop while our convoy passed… but instead of dirt roads, we were on paved roads,

Road march in Afghanistan -- [baltimoresun.com - Military Watch - journalist embed in Iraq]
A journalist goes on a mission carrying 18 bottles of water and four MREs, stripped of cardboard and packaging. Poncho liner. Laptop and satellite transmitter, nestled in hard foam panels. Spare note books and pens, one T-shirt, three pairs of socks, razor, toothbrush, malaria pills. Satellite phone.
All that goes in the pack. Sleeping pad lashed to the outside. Flak vest with attachments: two first-aid pouches, one on each side, with two tourniquets, gauze, QuikClot, compression bandage, burn dressing. Far left side pouch for camera, spare batteries; right side for gloves, headlamp. Full Camelbak strapped to back of flak. Pens clipped to chest beside infrared blinker. Notebook in side pocket in plastic bag to keep dry. Kevlar helmet with mounted night vision device. Shaded and clear goggles. On shins, thick knee pads to be yanked up for kneeling.
...My inspiration to keep going is a Marine named Jesse Bosnak (right). A 20-year-old, 5-foot-6 Alpha Company radio operator from Lancaster, Calif., Cpl. Bosnak carries a 115-pound pack. His own weight: 110 pounds. Add on his flak vest, Kevlar, ammo, etc., and he’s carrying 145 easy (not eas-ily).

Afghanistan - "Tribal Trickery" (April 2008)

"Coalition troops have set up outposts in Afghanistan's least accessible regions, taking the battle for hearts and minds right to the Taliban's doorstep. But with deployments both short and rare are they doing any good?" journeymanpictures

Karzai wants US to stop arresting Taliban suspects: report -- [AFP]
WASHINGTON (AFP) — Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged US forces Saturday to stop arresting suspected Taliban and their sympathizers, arguing that these arrests and past mistreatment were discouraging Taliban from laying down their arms.
The New York Times said the Afghan president, in an interview, also criticized the allied conduct of the war and demanded that his government be given the lead in policy decisions.
Karzai said the real terrorist threat lay in sanctuaries of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Pakistan. He argued that civilian casualties needed to end completely.

The Taliban......If your not with em your gonna pay.

Talibans methods on the people of Afghanistan. Destroy your house, belongings and most likely take your life if you aren't on their side.

A dozen insurgents killed, dozen more wounded in failed Kunar attack -- [Combined Joint Task Force - 101 - in Afghanistan]
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (April 28. 2008) – A dozen insurgents were killed and a dozen more were wounded during a failed attack, Sunday, on Afghan National Army and U.S. bases in Kunar province’s Korengal Valley. An estimated 30 to 40 insurgents attacked five bases in the Korengal valley with small-arms fire, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and indirect fire.

ANSF, CF disrupt suicide bomb, IED cell in Bati Kowt -- [Combined Joint Task Force - 101 - in Afghanistan]
ALALABAD, Afghanistan (April 28, 2008) – Afghan National Security Forces, advised by Coalition forces, conducted an operation in Bati Kowt District, Nangarhar province, April 27.
The target of the operation was a known suicide bomb and IED facilitator.
The combined force came under machine-gun fire as they cleared the objective, and was able to eliminate the threat. Two insurgents were killed during the operation and four others were detained.
One ANSF member was killed during the operation.
Coalition forces reported no casualties as a result of this operation.

Taliban Hillside IED house taken out, 2. a few camera angles
Various angles of a planned take down of hillside Taliban IED bomb and IED making house.

ISAF train Afghan Police in Logar Province -- [ISAF]
28 Apr. - A new group of Afghan National Police soldiers start basic training at Forward Operations Base Shank in Logar province. The training is given jointly by ISAF and Afghan instructors.

---

U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD

Seoul Invaded by “The Ugly Chinese” -- [OneFreeKorea]
The most disastrous Olympic torch run in history has ended with a new low:
On Sunday, clashes broke out in Seoul near the relay start between a group of 500 Chinese supporters and about 50 demonstrators criticizing Beijing’s policies, carrying a banner reading, “Free North Korean refugees in China.” The students threw stones and water bottles as some 2,500 police tried to keep the two sides apart. [AP]
And so we add another excellent reason, if any more were needed to avoid Beijing 2008: your safety. Our State Department is both powerless and unprepared to protect the safety of Americans in Beijing, but hey, at least you’re still safe in your own damn country. That’s more than they can say in Seoul today, where the Chinese government went to its population of visiting students in South Korea and recruited a highly disciplined force of ambassadors to show you that the transcendental brotherhood that is The Olympic Spirit must never, ever be contaminated by politics

Videos of Chinese Protesters” Violence in Seoul -- [GI Korea]
I just got home from work and had a chance to look at all the videos of the violence that took place on the streets of Seoul as the Olympic torch passed through the city. The first videos I watched were the ones linked to on the Marmot’s Hole that were on the Chosun Ilbo website that were quite shocking. I then went on to YouTube and searched for some more videos there. I posted the ones I found below:
Chinese demonstrators severely bash a Free Tibet protester in the lobby of the high end Plaza Hotel in downtown Seoul:

Women's Rights: Kuwaiti women hope to enter parliament despite obstacles -- [Live Leak]
Kuwaiti women show optimism of winning seats in legislative elections next month.
KUWAIT CITY - Kuwaiti women are optimistic of winning seats next month when they contest legislative elections for only the second time, but analysts believe their chances are slim for lack of political support.
None of 27 female candidates who contested the previous general elections in June 2006 was successful, but a number did make an unexpectedly strong showing despite having little time to prepare for the polls.
"I am really very optimistic about the chances of women winning seats in this election as political awareness has increased," Salwa al-Jassar said after registering to contest the May 17 elections for the 50-seat parliament.
"My optimism is based on facts, not illusions," said the activist who heads the Centre for Enabling Women and who is standing for the first time.

U.S. Weighing Readiness for Military Action Against Iran -- [WaPo]
The nation's top military officer said yesterday that the Pentagon is planning for "potential military courses of action" as one of several options against Iran, criticizing what he called the Tehran government's "increasingly lethal and malign influence" in Iraq.

Iran demands Russian nuclear shipment -- [AP]
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Iran demanded Sunday that Azerbaijan deliver a Russian shipment of nuclear equipment blocked at its border with Iran for the past three weeks.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said in his weekly briefing that his country has asked the Azerbaijani ambassador in Iran to get his government "to deliver the shipment as soon as possible."

Iran Friday Sermon: Hillary's Comment – "Psychological Attack" -- [MEMRI Blog]
In his Friday sermon, Tehran Interim Friday Prayer leader Ayatollah Mohammad Emami-Kashani responded to U.S. senator and presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton's recent comment on eliminating Iran from the world map if she is elected.

---

WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM

U.S., Allies See Progress in Selling Al-Qaeda As an Enemy to the Muslim World -- [WaPo]
The top White House terrorism expert thinks some gains are being made in the worldwide public relations battle against al-Qaeda, as the administration and its overseas allies press efforts to show that Osama bin Laden's network is killing Muslim civilians rather than defending its interests.
"More and more Muslim and Arab populations -- [including] clerics and scholars -- are questioning the value of al-Qaeda's program," Juan Carlos Zarate, deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser for combating terrorism, said Wednesday at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Discussing War and Decision With Douglas Feith (Audio) -- [Gateway Pundit]
I had the privilege this weekend to talk with Former Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Douglas Feith who served the Bush Administration from July 2001 until he resigned from his position effective August 8, 2005.
Douglas recently completed:
War and Decision: Inside the Pentagon at the Dawn of the War on Terrorism
It is being described as the best account to date of how the Bush Administration debated, decided, organized and executed its military responses to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. And, it is said to be the most balanced, detailed, and lucid account of this story that’s come out yet.

Britain's first Jihadi 'Lone Wolf' bomber? -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
Big time terrorism plots are always big news whereas more subtle and interesting trends are often recorded as footnotes. One such footnote occurred over Christmas 2007 in the British city of Birmingham. A 38-year-old man, Hassan Muhammed Sabri Al Tabbakh of Syrian origin was arrested by local police on terrorism charges. He is accused of stockpiling chemicals and information on how to construct a bomb. He appears to have acted alone and this continues to be a conspiracy of one. Further, details may be forthcoming during the trial (now scheduled for May 16 at Birmingham Crown Court) but this little noted case has a number of features, which are -- noteworthy.

---

SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT

Early Season Log Rolling -- [Lumberjack in a Desert - injured in Iraq]
Yes, there is ice on the lake. Yes, it is snowing out. No, I do not care. Dust off your spikes, it's log rolling season.

Walter Reed Medical Team Honored in Staff Appreciation Day -- [Defense Link]
WASHINGTON, April 25, 2008 - Walter Reed Army Medical Center today honored its 4,000-person team during Staff Appreciation Day, citing efforts to improve wounded warrior care.
“Over the past year, we’ve looked very carefully and honestly at every aspect of health care delivery. And where we found room for improvement, the staff moved out, busted through any bureaucratic challenges, and set a new standard for care, for compassion and for healing,” Army Col. Patricia Horoho, commander of the Walter Reed Health Care System, told the crowd.

"Warriors...in their own words" -- [View from the 8th Floor]
I hadn't seen anything about this yet.
The trailer for the documentary is powerful. Go have a look **HERE**.
Why did they make it? From their website:
"Help build our project to change the way America sees our Warriors - not as victims, but as intelligent, honorable, and brave people they are, standing in the way of the free worlds demise. Help us help our wounded warriors."
...P.P.S Wouldn't you like to be an Angel to a warrior like this?

Louisiana Needs You -- [Soldiers’ Angels Louisiana - Greta]
Looking for 2 Louisiana groups to host care package drives. One drive to send to a Louisiana National guard unit and one for Southeast Louisiana War Veterans Home

---

MILITARY

Pentagon suspends program for military 'media analysts' -- [AFP]
WASHINGTON (AFP) — The Pentagon has suspended a public affairs program that has come under fire for using retired military "media analysts" as surrogates to get out its messages on the Iraq war, a spokesman confirmed Monday.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said the program was undergoing an internal review following criticism that the retired officers offered Pentagon talking points as their own during the run-up to the Iraq invasion and thereafter.
"It's temporarily suspended so we can take at look at some of the concerns," said Whitman

DoD Announces New Relocation Tool for Families -- [Defense Link]
WASHINGTON, April 28, 2008 – It’s almost peak moving season again for military families, and Defense Department leaders want families to know new resources are available to help.
“Plan My Move,” soft-launched in late summer, is the next generation of DoD’s MilitaryHomefront tools to provide an integrated “e-moving” solution, officials said.
Moving to a new community can be a stressful event for all service and family members,” Leslye A. Arsht, deputy undersecretary of defense for military community and family policy, said. “This tool helps to ease that burden. It will put our servicemembers and their families in direct contact with those who can help every step of the way, from their current home and community to the new one.”

Carrier: Life Aboard the USS Nimitz -- [ HT: OPFOR ]

Navy Re-Establishes U.S. Fourth Fleet -- [Defense Link]
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead announced today the re-establishment of the U.S. Fourth Fleet and assigned Rear Adm. Joseph D. Kernan, currently serving as commander, Naval Special Warfare Command, as its new commander. Fourth Fleet will be responsible for U.S. Navy ships, aircraft and submarines operating in the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
“Re-establishing the Fourth Fleet recognizes the immense importance of maritime security in the southern part of the Western Hemisphere, and signals our support and interest in the civil and military maritime services in Central and South America,” said Roughead. “Our maritime strategy raises the importance of working with international partners as the basis for global maritime security. This change increases our emphasis in the region on employing naval forces to build confidence and trust among nations through collective maritime security efforts that focus on common threats and mutual interests. “

---

IN MEMORY OF...

McGinnis to receive Medal of Honor -- [Army Times]
Spc. Ross McGinnis, who was killed Dec. 4, 2006, in Iraq when he smothered a grenade with his body, will receive the Medal of Honor, sources told Army Times.
McGinnis, 19, is the second soldier to receive the nation’s highest valor award for actions while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith, who was killed April 4, 2003, fighting off insurgents in a fierce firefight south of Baghdad, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor two years after he died.

Thousands Honor Matt Maupin -- [BlackFive - Laughing_Wolf ]
Soldier's Mom wrote me this weekend about the funeral of SSG Matt Maupin, letting me know that more than 4,000 people filled the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati for his funeral. He is home, he is honored, and his family knows that people truly care about him and -- most of all -- about them.
WLWT has a story and video here, the Enquirer an article here (and actually notes why the missing are important)

A Father Keeps the Faith -- [GOE]
PFC Byron W. Fouty, 19, of Waterford, Michigan and Spc. Alex R. Jimenez, 25, of Lawrence, Massachusetts both of the 10th Mountain Division have been listed as POW/MIA since their patrol was ambushed on 12 May, 2007. In Michigan, Byron’s stepdad has refused to accept anything but that Byron and Alex will one day come home. I have spoken to him on numerous occasions. He is a salt of the earth type. To honor and remember these men a Ride and Rally will be held 17 May, 2008. We can only keep the faith that we will, eventually, get to welcome these brave warriors home. Brothers Byron and Alex, you are not forgotten.

---

WELCOME HOME

Back In The USA -- [Bill and Bob's Excellent Afghan Adventure - home from Afghanistan]
Coming home is an adventure all its own.
The final flight out of Afghanistan, for us, was on a C-130. The C-130, a four-engine turboprop whale, is a slow and torturous ride to go the distance from Kabul to Qatar, where we boarded a C-17 for the short hop to Kuwait, from where we embarked on a civilian charter that took us through Germany and then to New Jersey and finally Kansas. In Kansas the whirlwind of out processing started in earnest. There were briefings followed by a welcome home ceremony in a gymnasium attended by a few officers and NCO's who had been responsible for training us to go to Afghanistan and the few families who had been able to make the trip to Ft Riley

Welcome home New Orleans Marines -- [Soldiers’ Angels Louisiana - Greta]
We are glad to have you back. Let Soldiers’ Angels know if you need anything!

---

POLITICS

Obama's Connection to Terrorist Deeper than Once Thought -- [Jawa Report]
I'm not sure if all of the points made in this post by Larry Johnson hit the mark, but I did learn a few things about Barack Obama's relationship with Weather Underground terrorist Bill Ayers.

Obama Says Petraeus Did Good Job But Will Pull Troops Anyway -- [Gateway Pundit]
Figure this one out--
Senator Barack Obama says that General Petraeus did a good job in Iraq and that he will back Petraeus for his new command post.
Senator Barack Obama also says he will withdraw troops from Iraq immediately if he becomes president even if his generals in the field believe it is a bad idea.
Reuters reported:

Jeremiah Wright Spouts Off KKK Propaganda to Detroit NAACP & Gets Standing Ovation -- [Gateway Pundit]
AmeriKKKa Indeed...
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright spouted off KKK propaganda to his audience in Detroit last night at the Fight For Freedom Fund Dinner.
Last night at the 53rd Annual Fight For Freedom Fund Dinner in Detroit, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright described to his audience of 10,000 that the very structure of the brains of Africans differ from that of European-descent brains:

Rev. Wright Takes His Message Directly to the Media -- [Fox News]
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright took dead aim at the U.S. government Monday — saying American soldiers in Iraq have died “over a lie” and called the war “unjust” — as he called for reconciliation and understanding between blacks and whites.
Wright, the controversial former pastor of Barack Obama’s church, was speaking Monday to members of the national media at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. as he continues a series of nationwide appearances following an uproar over remarks he made in some of his sermons delivered from the pulpit.

Wright says criticism is attack on black church -- [The Associated Press]
Wright spoke at the National Press Club before the Washington media and a supportive audience of black church leaders beginning a two-day symposium. ...

The Wright Stuff: McCain goes after Wright -- [Hot Air - Ed Morrissey]
Send to a Friend | printer-friendly Barack Obama has a rhetorical gift that allows him to convince audiences to believe in him and in his arguments, a blend of charisma, intelligence, and argument. It certainly worked on John McCain. Shortly after Obama declared that Jeremiah Wright was a “legitimate political issue,” McCain started criticizing Wright’s equation between Roman armies in Jerusalem and US Marines in Iraq

---

MILBLOGGING

2008 GI Film Festival - [Andi - MilBlogs]
The second annual GI Film Festival will take place in Washington, DC from May 14-18. In addition to film screenings and other fun happenings, the festival will present a series of panel discussions.
The festival has added a panel on milblogging to this year's agenda.
The nation’s military blogging community (Milblogs) prides itself on providing military news and context that you won’t often find in the mainstream media. Join some of the nation’s most popular milbloggers in a spirited discussion on how GIs and military families are portrayed in the media and on film. For more information about Milblogging, see www.milblogging.com, the world’s largest index of military blogs.

---

THE MEDIA

We should stop fooling ourselves. Our armed forces are no longer world class -- [THE GUARDIAN]
Max Hastings The Guardian, Monday April 28 2008
Public distaste for Blair's unpopular wars, coupled with the unfitness of our teenagers, has left Britain woefully short of soldiers
...Everybody knows that a major defence programme must be cancelled. The navy's cherished aircraft carriers? These would be the first choices of most soldiers, but because the ships mean jobs in Labour constituencies, they are almost certainly safe. Some frigates and destroyers? At least two planned escorts are likely to be axed. The army is fearful about its next-generation armoured vehicle. Several headquarters will have to go. General Sir Richard Dannatt, chief of the general staff, has failed in his attempt to persuade ministers to increase the army's numbers.
Dannatt's case is founded on the fact that his soldiers are attempting to fight one major war, in Afghanistan, with inadequate resources, while 4,000 troops are in another theatre, Iraq, to appease American sensitivities. The army also maintains a significant peacekeeping presence in the Balkans. It was announced last week that another infantry battalion is to be sent to Kosovo.

US making PR gains in Muslim world — but apparently not in US media -- [Hot Air - Ed Morrissey]
Would progress in public opinion against al-Qaeda in Muslim nations constitute important news? One might think so, considering the lengthy and difficult war we fight against the radical Islamist terrorists of the AQ network, especially in recruitment. The Washington Post took four days to report this progress, however, and stuck it on page A13, where Walter Pincus briefs us on some real progress

Former NBC Analyst Confirms He Quit Due to Network's Move to the Left -- [NewsBusters]
Last February, NewsBusters reported the resignation of retired Col. Ken Allard from NBC News as a result of the military analyst's view the network was undergoing a "precipitous retreat from journalistic and ethical standards."

---

HUMOR / SATIRE

Day By Day

Day By Day

(Need more? Dawn Patrols Archives are here.)

---

---

Iraq, Afghanistan, War, Terrorism, Military, Politics, Media, MilBlogs, dawn patrolMudville

The Battle For Basra

A look back at media coverage of the British capture of Basra in the spring of 2003. This post is not intended to be all-inclusive. Additional expansion will occur as time permits.

The day before the invasion, the British role was explained in general terms:

The British army is "much better equipped, much more capable and integrated" into the American war plans than in the 1991 Gulf war, says General Sir Roger Wheeler, former head of the army. In a symbolic move not seen since the sec ond world war, up to 2,000 US marines are expected to be commanded by the British in a joint operation to take the key southern Iraqi city of Basra.

Under plans being drawn up at the US central command in Qatar, the US 15th marine expeditionary unit will join about 4,000 Royal Marine commandos in an amphibious assault to seize Iraq's only port and protect nearby oil wells.

At that point in time, few would risk stating anything for the record other than the obvious regarding the pending assault:

"If we deploy in Iraq there will be lot of dead bodies, we can be absolutely sure of that," Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Blackman, commander of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, told the Sunday Telegraph.

The more cautious among military analysts emphasise the risks and uncertainties. They point to the old adage that the best laid military plans do not survive the first contact with the enemy.

In the earliest days of the combat, as American troops streamed northwards rowards Baghdad, British troops began securing the sourthern tip of the country.

Thousands of Royal Marine commandos and paratroopers supported by heavy armour were last night pushing towards Basra, Iraq's only port and the first key prize for the Anglo-American invaders.
<...>
Basra's strategic position has meant it has been fought over since its foundation 1,400 years ago. The British took it from the Turks in 1914 and again, in the face of an Arab revolt, in 1941. British forces this morning were on the verge of occupying it again after seizing the town of Umm Qasr, just south of the city.
<...>
Under plans drawn up by US commanders, and agreed by their UK counterparts, British forces were given the task of seizing Basra and protecting the Rumeila oil field west of the city and just north of the Kuwaiti border. The field has more than 5bn barrels in reserves.
<...>
President Saddam has made little apparent attempt to hold on to Basra, leaving only two regular army divisions rather than any of the better-equipped and better-trained republican guard divisions.

The city, which is predominantly Shia Muslim, is expected to fall relatively easily. The population has little love of Saddam and rose up against him and his Ba'ath party officials in the failed 1991 rising.
<...>
Basra suffered badly in 1991. While Saddam rebuilt Baghdad, much of the destruction in Basra has remained and many of the population remain psychologically scarred.

The assault on Basra heralds the make-up of the military administration under which Iraq will be run. British officers will control a vast southern sector of the country, centred on Basra. Commanders have drawn up extensive plans for humanitarian operations once the military occupation is secure. Food and water distribution points will be set up in the biggest military aid operation since the second world war.

The British want the capture of Basra to act as a model for the rest of the campaign. Part of their task will also be to ensure the fractious Shia south of the country does not erupt into civil war. Officers say they were given the role because of their experience of policing in Northern Ireland.

Once Basra is controlled the troops will fan out to seize smaller towns and villages and tackle resistance forces. Their control over the south will be crucial in giving the US the chance to close in on Baghdad.

In addition to a potential humanitarian crisis, destruction of oil wells in the region was a concern to coalition forces, but...

As clouds of thick black smoke billowed across the main oilfield area behind Basra, Admiral Sir Michael Boyce, chief of the defence staff, revealed that the Iraqi forces had set alight only seven wells, much fewer than the 30 estimated by the defence secretary, Geoff Hoon, earlier in the day.

US and British officials remain confident that Saddam Hussein's army will be prevented from repeating the environmental disaster they caused when they blew up more than 700 wells during the first Gulf war.

Early reports from journalists accompanying British troops gave reason for optimism:

Children run cheering as troops roll in

It was a surreal way to invade a country. As a huge British convoy crossed into Iraq yesterday hundreds of children came to greet them. In the end British soldiers were greeted, not with gunfire, but with laughter and smiles.
As the troops moved past small boys ran up to the windows, smiling and grinning. 'Hello, hello,' one shouted. A small group of teenagers sang and danced and clapped their hands. Every single one of them seemed to wave his fingers in the universal signal for a cigarette.

But reports from al Jazeera in Basra also focused on children:

Al-Jazeera's footage included an Iraqi child with the back of its head apparently blown off and wounded people covered in blood being treated on the floor of a hospital.

It apologised for showing disturbing pictures but said: "The world should know the truth and what is going on."

The Iraqi information minister, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, claimed that 77 civilians had been killed and 366 wounded in Basra, mainly by cluster bombs.

Some western commenters were quick to condemn the distorted view of the war presented by those who would ignore the Iraqi Ministry of Information's reports

Most wars start by accident or with a flourish of misplaced jingoism. But this war is unique. It is hard to recall any conflict in history that aroused so much opposition even before it began. At best its legitimacy and purpose is in serious doubt. At worst, millions regard it as illegal and/or immoral.

Besides that, it is led by a president for whom few outside the United States have any respect.
<...>
Iraqi spokesmen, on the other hand, have been remarkably forthcoming and, if we disregard the usual rhetoric, the factual content of their statements has often been more accurate than that of the invasion forces. Their figures for Iraqi casualties have also been low enough to sound plausible.
<...>
General Franks, of course, is at pains to point out that modern American missiles are extremely accurate and that every target is carefully selected to minimise civilian casualties. This may be, but it takes only a few exceptions to persuade people otherwise - as happened at the weekend when al-Jazeera television showed millions of Arab viewers the picture of a child with a shattered head.
<...>
When they [coalition forces] arrived in Safwan last Friday, one Iraqi greeted them by saying: "What took you so long? God help you to become victorious."

Possibly he meant it, though it's not hard to imagine similar words being addressed to anyone who arrived in town with a conspicuous display of weaponry. Two Reuters correspondents, travelling independently of the military, told a different story:

"One group of Iraqi boys on the side of the road smiled and waved as a convoy of British tanks and trucks rolled by. But once it had passed, leaving a trail of dust and grit in its wake, their smiles turned to scowls. 'We don't want them here,' said 17-year-old Fouad, looking angrily up at the plumes of grey smoke rising from Basra. 'Saddam is our leader,' he said defiantly. 'Saddam is good'."

And as the war neared the 5-day point, media declarations of coalition failure became common:

US and British troops were locked in fierce gunfights with Republican Guard soldiers yesterday as they struggled to take control of Umm Qasr, a small strategically important port on the Kuwaiti border.

The port will be used to bring in food and logistics supplies once fighting is over.
<...>
Although US generals insisted the war was going to plan and that troops were advancing faster than expected, there was not the mass surrender that military planners had hoped for.

In many cases coalition troops have met unexpectedly strong resistance. As well as the fight at Umm Qasr, US troops talked of facing resistance at Basra, further north at Nassiriya and at the Shia religious town of Najaf, 100 miles south of Baghdad.

And with the port still under Iraqi control, reports of the deepening humanitarian crisis began appearing:

Iraqi city suffers water shortage

The Red Cross today warned of an imminent humanitarian disaster in Iraq's second city of Basra, as the aid agency struggled to restore water supplies destroyed in the war.

Most of the city has been without water and electricity since Friday, which has been threatening hospitals and sanitation services in the area, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

...along with accounts of the courage and fortitude of Saddam's elite defenders:

The Republican Guard: outgunned and outnumbered, but they never surrender

As US and British troops meet with fierce resistance, an expert on the Iraqi army profiles Saddam Hussein's elite security forces and warns they have the potential to be formidable opponents

On the other hand, the guard demonstrated impressive tenacity and no unit withdrew without authorisation, in contrast to the regular army units, many of whose tank crews deserted. The tactical shortfalls of the guard officers are substantial, but tenacity can go some way to make up for lack of professionalism, especially when Iraqi soldiers are using civilians as a shield. This is already constraining British and US forces in Nassiriya, Umm Qasr and Basra.

In the New York Times, Nicholas Kristof assured readers that coalition forces had failed to plan for enemy gunfire in response to the invasion:

...the war plan assumed that Iraqis would welcome us as liberators, even though every visitor to Iraq heard ordinary people warning that they would pull out their guns and take pot-shots at any invading Americans. The upshot of the ideological optimism was that we adopted not the full Powell doctrine of overwhelming force, but a blend with the Rumsfeld theory of smaller, more mobile and flexible forces. The optimists didn't factor in guerrilla resistance in rear areas; indeed, they blithely expected a lovefest in Basra."

Then, as the first week of the war finally drew to a close,

A British soldier who was shot as he tried to calm rioting civilians in southern Iraq died yesterday, the first British combat death since the war began, the Ministry of Defence said.

The soldier, whose name was not released, was shot on Sunday evening near Az Zubayr and died from his wounds.

*****

The second week of fighting would commence with some hopeful news, as the British launched a media blitz to turn the tide of negative reporting:

British forces support Basra 'uprising'

News of a battlefield victory and a 'popular uprising' yesterday came just at the right time for prime-time news bulletins in the US and Britain, writes Brian Whitaker

After a series of setbacks, and with the advance on Baghdad delayed by sandstorms, the invasion forces were badly in need of some positive developments yesterday.

The first success of the day - which came just at the right moment for prime-time television news in the UK - was a claim by the British military that a "popular uprising" against Saddam Hussein's regime had broken out in Basra.

British forces then weighed in with artillery support for the rebelling Shia population and a 2,000-lb bomb was dropped on the Ba'ath party headquarters, according to reports. The British deputy commander, Major-General Peter Wall, hailed the uprising as "just the sort of encouraging indication we have been looking for".

At present, very little news is coming out of Basra from independent sources, so it is difficult to be sure what is really happening. Some British versions have been much more cautious, describing the uprising as "nascent", while al-Jazeera's reporter inside the city said there was no sign of any uprising at all.

More

As British heavy artillery pounded the outskirts of Basra, reports began to emerge of what was described as a "nascent" uprising.

Black Watch troops on the Shatt al-Arab waterway said they had seen Iraqi artillery firing at their own people. Large crowds were said to be gathering on the streets.

A British officer quoted in pooled reports said: "We have seen a large crowd on the streets. The Iraqis are firing their own artillery at their own people. There will be carnage."

Pressure to intervene increased when the Iraqi forces were seen directing horizontal artillery fire at the crowd.

Al Lockwood, a British military spokesman in Qatar, said there had been an "uprising" in Basra against the Ba'ath party. He said that according to reports: "The Shia population attempted to attack the ruling party. The ruling party responded by firing mortars."

It is not known how many casualties were caused by the artillery fire, which British forces described as "horrific".

While the British made no apparent acceleration towards Basra in response, as the month of March concluded (with American forces on the outskirts of Baghdad and the British still "approaching" Basra) British media sources were eager to point out the superiority of British apples to American oranges:

Cracks are appearing between British and American commanders which have serious implications for their future operations in Iraq.

Senior British military officers on the ground are making it clear they are dismayed by the failure of US troops to try to fight the battle for hearts and minds.

They also made plain they are appalled by reports over the weekend that US marines killed Iraqi civilians, including women and children, as they seized bridges outside Nassiriya in southern Iraq.

"You can see why the Iraqis are not welcoming us with open arms," a senior defence source said yesterday.
<...>
Yesterday, British officers described the very different approach between UK and American soldiers by pointing to Uum Qasr, the Iraqi port south of Basra and the first urban area captured by US and UK marines. "Unlike the Americans, we took our helmets and sunglasses off and looked at the Iraqis eye to eye," said a British officer.

While British soldiers "get out on their feet", Americans, he said, were reluctant to leave their armoured vehicles. When they did do so - and this was the experience even in Uum Qasr - US marines were ordered to wear their full combat kit.

One difference emphasised yesterday by senior British military sources was the attitude towards "force protection". A defence source added: "The Americans put on more and more armour and firepower. The British go light and go on the ground." He made it plain what approach should be adopted towards what he called "frightened Iraqis".
<...>
The British military put the difference in approach down to decades of training as well as experience - first in colonial insurgencies in Malaysia, then in Northern Ireland and peacekeeping operations in the Balkans.
<...>
General Richard Myers, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, went out of his way over the weekend to say his troops were learning from the British.

After agreeing with General William Wallace, commander of US ground forces in Iraq, that the enemy was responding in a way that the allies had not "wargamed" for, he said American - as well as British - forces could afford to be patient.

US marines in Nassiriya have said they had asked British troops for instructions in how to conduct urban warfare.
<...>
British military sources are now concerned that the experience in peacekeeping and unconventional warfare of British troops will mean they will be in Iraq long after the Americans have left, even for years, in policing and humanitarian operations.

Shortly after George Bush was elected president, the former chief of defence staff, Lord Guthrie, told the Guardian that the new administration was moving towards light, flexible forces which can "get there quicker but not stay around for ever". He added: "The Americans talk about the warrior ethic and ... that peacekeeping is for wimps."

Iraq has shown that the quick-light-flexible force strategy has not worked. The concern here among military chiefs is that the experience will mean the US will want to get out of places even quicker, leaving the British and others to continue fighting the battle for hearts and minds.

Meanwhile, behind the British line of advance

Iraqi police chiefs routinely tortured civilians who could not afford to pay extortionate bribes, locals in Abu al-Kacib said yesterday.

The police station in the strategic Basra suburb - taken by the Royal Marines four days ago - was regularly used for torture and interrogation, informers said.

During a routine search of the building on Tuesday, soldiers from 40 Commando discovered filthy prison cells with equipment inside including electric cables, rubber tyres, hosepipes and meat hooks.

The building was also used by Saddam Hussein's internal security service, the mukhabarat, to interrogate political prisoners and innocents rounded up en masse after plots against the regime were discovered, another informer said.

One businessman who did not want to be named told British troops that police had set tariffs for locals suspected of crimes. If they could not afford the bribes they would be taken to the two-storey fortified police station and beaten. Some had never been seen again.

The businessman, aged around 55, said: "If you killed someone you could still get out of the prison if you paid the right money."

As American forces took the Baghdad airport, British media commenters again contrasted the American failure and the British success:

Common sense demands that what is being called the "final push" on Baghdad should not be rushed, whatever the political pressures in Washington. If nothing else, the past two weeks have shown that hopes of quick, easy triumphs were misplaced. The Rumsfeld plan did not work; the lightning strike fizzled. The welcoming crowds did not materialise; awesome air power was not decisive. Iraqi armies did not surrender en masse; instead, far more than expected stood and fought. Mr Bush and the Pentagon no doubt badly want to finish it before anything else goes wrong. But Downing Street's newly cautious, circumspect approach, like that of the British army around Basra, is more sensible.

It would be irresponsible to assume that Baghdad will implode now that US troops are at its gates. This war has al ready proved a graveyard of false assumptions and premature claims - such as the Basra uprising. Realism is what is required now. And the reality is that Baghdad is where the regime has always said it would make its stand.

And as British forces tentavely approached the outskirts of Basra, their more cautious approach was detailed here:

'Raid and aid' tactic by British forces

British troops on the outskirts of Basra were yesterday distributing leaflets in an attempt to reassure local people that their intentions were benign.

"This time we won't abandon you," the sheets said, in a reference to 1991 when the Shias were encouraged by the US and Britain to rise up against Saddam Hussein only to be let down as their revolt was brutally quashed.

The reverse of the leaflet, written in Arabic, reads: "People of Basra, we are here to liberate the people of Iraq. Our enemy is the regime and not the people. We need your help to identify the enemy to rebuild Iraq. English speakers please come forward. We will stay as long as it takes."

British special forces, Royal Marine commandos, troops from 7 Armoured Brigade - the Desert Rats - and gunners from the Royal Horse Artillery have been engaged in "raid and aid" tactics, attacking hostile forces while trying to make friends with civilians. The problem comes when they are mingled or when troops cannot tell one from another.
<...>
For more than a week, British troops have tried to secure Basra, Iraq's second largest city, whose capture, it had been hoped, would deal a blow to President Saddam's regime and encourage Iraqi commanders elsewhere in the country, including Baghdad, to give up.

The 25,000 or so British troops and marines in southern Iraq have secured the deep water port of Umm Qasr, an important base for the supplies of humanitarian aid. They have also secured the oilfields of Rumaila to the west, and the Faw peninsula to the south-east, according to military sources.
<...>
The British tactic is not to surround Basra, but to allow the estimated 1,000 Fedayeen and other Iraqi special forces in the city of 1.5 million people an escape route to the east.

Meanwhile, hundreds of civilians continued to stream out of the city. However, the exodus appeared to have slowed from previous days and, according to a British military spokesman, civilians were reporting increasingly brutal measures by Iraqi government forces to stop people fleeing, including one case of a woman being publicly hanged.

They said Saddam loyalists were forcing Iraqi troops to fight using death threats, shooting people if they tried to flee, using children as young as five as human shields, and hiding armed fighters in schools.

The next day, "British troops made their deepest incursion into Basra yesterday, "poking a toe" within four miles of the centre."

Iraqis responded with rocket-propelled grenades and machine gun fire. But within minutes the Desert Rats had destroyed an Iraqi T-55 tank and reduced a bunker to rubble.

Some of the Iraqi troops were caught off guard: one Fedayeen was found asleep and killed as he tried to flee with a rocket-propelled grenade.

Twelve Iraqis were captured in an industrial estate where militiamen had been leading the fierce resistance.

Amid the destruction and scattered ammunition lay the dismembered bodies of two Iraqi militiamen in civilian dress, one still clutching a rocket.

And as American troops launched the "Thunder Run" into Baghdad...

The war in Iraq entered a new phase on Sunday when British tanks rolled into the centre of Basra.

A fortnight after surrounding it, and following a series of preliminary attacks, soldiers from the 7th Armoured Brigade - the Desert Rats - pushed through "patchy resistance" to the heart of Iraq's second city, according to a source at central command in Qatar. Reports say that the army has reached the old city and is occupying the ruling Ba'ath party's headquarters.

And finally...

Forces loyal to Saddam Hussein appeared last night to have lost control of much of Basra, after columns of British troops poured into Iraq's second city, destroying its Ba'ath party headquarters.
After nearly three weeks on the outskirts, three squadrons of Challenger 2 tanks from the Royal Scots Dragoons ploughed into the city, followed by a second wave of Royal Marine Commandos. By midday they had driven from the south-west through a heavily damaged industrial area, encountering only "isolated pockets" of resistance. Three British soldiers were killed.
<...>
British chief-of-staff Major General Peter Wall told Reuters at the Qatar military headquarters that Iraqi army forces in Basra had "departed". But he warned that Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath party loyalists and Fedayeen militia were still a threat. "It's been a very good day but I caution against excessive optimism," he said. "A relatively small number of determined people in a large city can give us difficulty."
<...>
Civilians fleeing from Basra in lorries and taxis - many waving white flags as they passed the British columns - described seeing two burned- out Iraqi tanks on the road.

Among those fleeing appeared to be two Iraqi military vehicles under white flags. For the first time, many of those leaving seemed to be celebrating the British advance by waving and honking horns, in an area that had seen repeated assaults on US and British soldiers and western journalists.

British troops were flush with victory:

Finally, British troops begin to feel like an army of liberation

The British soldiers pulled down the picture of Saddam Hussein from the memorial building in the centre of town and the locals trampled all over it. As 16 Air Assault Brigade rolled into the strategic town of Ad Dayr, west of Basra in southern Iraq, they stood by the side of the road with their thumbs up and grins on their faces.
The sheikhs of Ad Dayr had come to the outlying village of Qaryat Nas to greet Brigadier Jacko Page in their best clothes, their grubby galabayyas covered with black robes trimmed with gold, their headresses immaculate. They patted the small, bespectacled commander on the back, shouting "salaam, salaam".
<...>
One man, a student, said life with Saddam Hussein for this town of farmers "was like life with nothing". He explained: "Most people here don't have anything, only suffering and pain."

Another told the soldiers: "We have been waitin