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Welcome to the Dawn Patrol, our daily roundup of information on the War on Terror and other topics - from the MilBlogs, other blogs, and the mainstream media. 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. (We have a daily "Open Post" too, if you have something on another topic you can link there.)
"Juba" = "Baghdad Sniper" -- [Treasure of Baghdad - an Iraqi in Iraq]
On Saturday, I took the day off and spent it at home resting, studying for the TOEFL and the GRE and hanging out with my friends whose main subject at that day was the Baghdad Sniper.
Baghdad Sniper is a man who shoots US soldiers with his silent guns. He fires once and vanishes just like ghosts. There is never a follow-up shot, never a chance for US forces to identify him. It’s a matter of seconds. You’ll never hear it.
In my neighborhood, a new phenomenon is incredibly increasing. CDs with videos of this ghost shooting at the US soldiers in Baghdad are being sold and exchanged by young men and teenagers who are incredibly interested in that mysterious sniper. As people say, he uses silent guns in his shooting and he never missed a target.
...Now, whom to blame for this? I'll leave the answer to you. But my own point of view is this man and many others like him are leading the destruction of this country. They kill and only kill whether Iraqis or Americans. It doesn't matter for them now. They are powerful but someone should stop them. Iraq is no more a country. It is hard to do everything in it now. It is even hard to fight in it.
Operations and Negotiations in Iraq -- [ThreatsWatch - Bill Roggio]
The ‘maintenance’ phase of the Anbar Campaign proceeds as Iraqi Army units continue to take greater responsibility for security operations in Anbar province. Iraqi units are increasingly conducting independent operations in the region after joint Coalition and Iraqi operations over the fall placed a permanent presence in the towns and cities along the Western Euphrates River Valley. Operation Moonlight on the Syrian border was one such example. Operation Final Strike is the latest.
Where do they come from? -- [Ask the Soldiers - in Iraq]
In reading news releases from CentCom.mil (yea, I read it straight fromthe source - how right wing is THAT?) over and over there are stories aboutall these weapons caches found and destroyed (hooray for our guys!)Where do all the weapons come from?Are they left over from Sadaam's reign of terror?Smuggled over the border from a neighboring "friend?"Weapon-Mart?
High Tech Missions -- [Fraser From Iraq - in Iraq]
I wish I could tell you about all the gizmos and gadgets that make our mission easier, and The Bad Guy's life miserable. We do own the night, and we use it to our full advantage. It is our Magical Cloaking Device. What they cannot see they USUALLY cannot hit. The element of surprise and the tactics of stealth are employed like shields.
Breath Deep the Gathering Gloom.... -- [Fire and Ice - in Iraq]
Today I struggled with a nocturne. I have a very vivid memory of a trip out into Fallujah shortly after first arriving here. Under a blazing full moon we visited a gothic nightmare of a place called Observation Post Ethan. Getting into OP Ethan was like entering the decaying skeletal remains of a leviathan. The building's roof was flayed off of the rafters and hanging in fleshy tatters. To get to the main part of the OP you had to cross a courtyard thick with the dendrus of battle and, in the light of a full moon, combed by the exposed rafter's jagged shadows.
Deployment Items -- [Hajji-Net - in Iraq]
Stuff to bring to the desert. I am a company IMO and a geek. So, there is plenty of computing gear listed. There is also general deployment items.
"Chunky" -- [SandGram - in Iraq]
You know, call signs and acronyms are abundant in the Military and the Marines so I thought I would talk about that today for those of you new to my blog. This will help you non-military types understand the lingo that you may encounter out there in Cyberland when reading other MilBlogs.
The new chief judge in the trial of Saddam and his gang -- [Hammorabi]
The new chief judge Mr Raof Rashied Abdulrahman (61 years) opened the session in a much better way than the resigned judge (Mr R M Amien). He has much more concentration and using a much better judgment and interrogations of the witnesses and the accused to clarify the evidence in a more concentrated and better way.
Saddam’s Trial -- [IBN_ALRAFIDAIN - an Iraqi in Iraq]
To judge any matter one should have sufficient knowledge about it. For that, it is unfair to carp at Mr. Ameen for his conduct in running the courtroom. The man was very calm and understanding in listening to the whole sides. Such way of behavior is unfamiliar to the Iraqi society.
Pulitzer Prize -- [Michael Yon]
Michelle Malkin was the first serious blogger to suggest that my work deserved consideration for the Pulitzer Prize. Her sentiment was echoed by thousands of email messages and comments on the open forum site, asking me about a Pulitzer Prize, and whether my work might receive such a great honor. I was clueless. I knew that Pulitzer was synonymous with first-rate and prestigious, but that’s about it. A Pulitzer Prize was as far from my mind as the moon was from my feet.
Hey, GTL - where the hell have ya been??? GTL comes out of the proverbial "closet"... -- [Gun Toting Liberal]
Hey, I've been in the "sandbox", that's where. That's right, I am a non-commissioned officer in a component of the United States Air Force, and proudly so. Nobody shot at me and I didn't have to shoot anybody, thank God. I know some speculated that I was going to prison, and it turns out those people weren't THAT far off after all, but nope - I was eating, breathing, and drinking sand in defense of democracy in the sand, on the other side of the world.
IRAQ: TRIBAL MILITIAS SAY THEY'VE SEIZED 270 AL-QAEDA FIGHTERS -- (AKI)
Baghdad, 30 Jan - Some 270 Arab and foreign fighters have been detained in Iraq's restive al-Anbar province in a 'defensive campaign' launched by the local population towards the al-Qaeda network, tribal leaders say. A source close to tribal chiefs told Adnkronos International (AKI) that "the Iraqi security forces, with the help of the local population, have managed to arrest terrorists and Iraqis who provided them refuge." "Most of them were Syrian, Saudi...
CNN's Christiane Amanpour: Iraq war 'a disaster' -- (WND)
Personal opinion from chief international reporter: 'It just gets worse and worse'
Christiane Amanpour, the chief international correspondent for CNN, has injected her personal opinion about the Iraq war into the public domain, twice calling it "a disaster" on national television, saying the situation "just gets worse and worse."
"The war in Iraq has basically turned out to be a disaster and journalists have paid for it,
Abducted Reporter Asks That Prisoners Be Freed, Network Says -- (Washington Post)...Jonathan Finer
BAGHDAD, Jan. 30 -- The Arab satellite television network al-Jazeera aired a video Monday night of American reporter Jill Carroll, who was kidnapped in Baghdad more than three weeks ago and had not been seen since a previous video shown Jan. 17.
Identity of many kidnappers in Iraq remains vague -- (Christian Science Monitor)
Officials say it is difficult to determine who is being held by insurgents and who is being held by criminals.
In the past 10 days, four more foreigners have been kidnapped in Iraq, two Germans and two Kenyans. Agence France-Press reports that a video of the Germans pleading for their government to help them was broadcast Friday.
IRAQ: SUNNIS AND SHIITES CONDEMN CHURCH ATTACKS -- (AKI)
Baghdad, 30 Jan. - Political and religious leaders from Iraq's Shiite and Sunni communities have unanimously condemned Sunday's car-bomb attacks on churches in the Kurdish city of Kirkuk in northern Iraq and in the capital, Baghdad, which killed three people and wounded nine. A car-bomb also exploded outside the Vatican embassy on Sunday, although no casualties ...
In First Iraqi Case, Bird Flu Kills Girl in North -- (NY Times)
15-year-old Iraqi girl has died of bird flu, Iraqi and international health officials said yesterday, indicating the arrival of the disease in another country — one that, in its war-torn state, may be ill prepared to control its spread.
Iraqi Official Says Foreign Forces Could Fall Below 100,000 This Year -- (NY Times)...DEXTER FILKINS
The chairman of a group planning the transfer of security from American to Iraqi troops said an overwhelming majority of foreign soldiers could be out in two years.
“Fallujah - The Real Story” -- (Aljazeera)
The real story of Fallujah offensive is not what Washington gave out
The Real Story of Fallujah offensive that took place in November 2004 killing thousands of Iraqis, including civilians, isn't what the Bush administration gave out.
100th British military death in Iraq -- (Guardian Unlimited)
A British soldier was killed in southern Iraq today, taking the total death toll of UK military personnel in the country to 100 since the US-led invasion began in March 2003.
Report Says 2006 Critical Year for Iraq -- (AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) -- It will take far more U.S. support before the Iraqi government can take control over billions of dollars in reconstruction projects, including problem-plagued oil and electricity improvements, according to a government report released Monday....
The Truth about John Walker Lindh -- [The Siegrist Blogs - in Afghanistan]
John Walker Lindh aka John Walker aka Suleiman Ferris aka Abdul Hamid aka The American Taliban is a person that I will mostly likely to be associated for some time to come. I am sure on my obituary there will be a bombastic note that I was “the journalist who “discovered” Lindh after the battle at Qali Jangi” (the afghans have that dubious honor) Many have told me that Lindh’s story was a big deal back in the States. I will never know, I was in Afghanistan covering combat operations with in the ongoing war against the Taliban for CNN so I will never have the chance to the get the full impact of finding an American professing his love for the Taliban.
Innocent but still not released -- [Cao's Blog]
The entire TASK FORCE SABER 7 Team was declared innocent of all charges by the Afghan Second Court, which had granted a trial de novo (a new trial) in November 2004. Closed hearings took place between December 2004 and March 2005. All men were originally ordered released by the Appeals Court based on new evidence and the decision was endorsed by the Supreme Court of Afghanistan.
...We should be asking some serious questions as to how and why Americans held for charges they were declared innocent of–could have been subjected to horrible torture like this after their arrest.
Afghans thwart bomb attacks on eve of talks -- (Reuters)
KABUL, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Security forces in the Afghan capital defused two bombs on Monday that were found next to the main road to the city's airport while a car bomb was intercepted in the restive south, officials said.
Afghans to get promise of help for next five years -- (Reuters)
An international conference meets this week to endorse a five-year plan for Afghanistan's development.
Afghans Find Key Promises Unfulfilled -- (Washington Post)
PAGHMAN, Afghanistan -- When pledges of foreign aid began pouring into Afghanistan after the collapse of Taliban rule in late 2001, Mohammed Latif Kokan was sure he would soon be rid of the artillery shell fragments that had lodged in his shoulder during the Soviet military occupation of the 1980s.
Afghans arrest nine suspected bombers in raids -- (Reuters)
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Afghan security forces arrested nine people suspected of plotting attacks including two Pakistanis preparing to become suicide bombers, a provincial governor said on Sunday.
State of the Union and Iran -- [The Adventures of Chester]
...Iran fails all of these tests. The capabilities of a nuclear Iran WOULD introduce multipolarity into the system of states, its intentions ARE threatening to the legitimate constitutional sovereignty of Israel, and its political culture is NEITHER stable enough to ensure the endurance of benign intentions (which don't exist) NOR does it possess representative institutions coexisting with fundamental human rights.
Even so, Bush should not make some grand gesture that were Iran only a democracy, we would condone its nuclear goals.
Flood -- [A Mobilized Year - in Kuwait/Iraq]
A couple months ago, I wrote a light-hearted post on the rain in Kuwait. It was at a point when I hadn't seen rain for quite some time--the early August rains of Mississippi in fact. Well, we’ve had a lot more rain since then. So much so, we had what amounted to a flood. Yes, I said a flood. Here are some pictures:
Jimmy Carter: At Least Hamas Isn't Corrupt -- [The Daley Times-Post].. Jim Kouri
When asked by the media for his thoughts on the Hamas triumph in the Palestinian parliamentary elections, former President Jimmy Carter replied that while they have a terrorist past, at least they're not corrupt. One of the complaints by many in the Middle East was the corruption within the Palestinian Authority and Yasser Arafat's Fatah Party. Arafat himself squirreled away millions of dollars from aid packages that were intended to help the Palestinian people. However, Carter's comment appears to dismiss the years of death and destruction perpetrated by Hamas on the Jewish State."
Hamas Leader: Israel Must Change Its Flag -- (The Jerusalem Post)
A senior Hamas leader indicated Sunday in an interview to CNN's "Late Edition" that his group's landslide victory in Palestinian legislative elections changed little in its stance toward Israel. Mahmoud Zahar reiterated that his movement would not ever recognize Israel's right to exist, nor did he reveal any willingness to negotiate. "Negotiation is not our aim; negotiation is a method," he said. If Israel would concede to Zahar's stipulations then, Zahar said, the Palestinians would be willing to allow a 10-15 year trial ceasefire "in order to see what the real intention of Israel [was] after that." The several conditions Zahar named included a demand that Israel change its flag.
World powers tell Hamas to change or lose aid -- (Reuter)
LONDON (Reuters) - World powers trying to broker Middle East peace said Islamic militant group Hamas must reject violence and recognize the state of Israel or risk losing vital aid when it forms a new Palestinian government
Both Fatah and Hamas Leaders Urge West to Continue Aid to Palestinians -- (NY Times)...GREG MYRE
GAZA, Jan. 30 — Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian leader, and the Islamic faction Hamas urged Western countries on Monday not to cut aid to their government, saying it would impose further hardships on the impoverished Palestinians.
Mujahideen Army Calls Upon Fighters to Attack Denmark and Norway -- [The Counterterrorism Blog]
The Mujahideen Army in Iraq--a prominent Sunni insurgent group--has released a new communique threatening to attack Denmark and Norway over a series of recent cartoons ridiculing the Prophet Mohammed. According to the statement:..
Zawahiri's message: "your -US- assessment is wrong, we're winning" -- [The Counterterrorism Blog]
The new Zawahiri videotape released by al Jazeera today shows a sophistication in the propaganda war waged by the Jihadists worldwide against the US and its allies. Designed to "crumble" the morale of the American public and "boost" the commitments of the Jihadi forces, the tape is another attempt to score points in the War of ideas and media. The results were immediate in the West. T
ACLU Chief Calls on President to Shut Down “Illegal Spying on Americans” -- [Stop the ACLU]
The State of Our Union Cannot be Strong if the President Continues to Violate the Law,” Says Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU
Al-Zawahri Mocks Bush Over Terrorism War -- (AP)
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - In a new video aired Monday, al-Qaida's No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri mocked President Bush as a "failure" in the war on terror, called him a "butcher" for killing innocent Pakistanis in a miscarried airstrike and chastised the United States for rejecting Osama bin Laden's offer of a truce. Al-Zawahri, wearing white robes and a white turban and speaking in a forceful and angry voice, also threatened a new attack in the United States - "God willing, on your own land."
TERRORISM: WAR WILL SWITCH TO U.S. SOIL SAYS AL-QAEDA NO. 2 -- (AKI)
Doha, 30 Jan. - Qatar-based al-Jazeera Arabic satellite TV network has aired a new video featuring al-Qaeda's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri. In it he confirms that he survived the US airstrike targeting him in Pakistan earlier this month, and calls US president George W. Bush "the butcher of Washington and a failure" with reference to the attack. "The war will be transferred to Bush's soil," al-Zawahiri warns.
My Turn -- [Courage Without Fear - in Iraq]
Ok, so I was going to sit back and watch all the comments flow freely after Micah made his last entry...but it seems some people feel the need to attack my husband personally...which I won't stand for. You can say what you want about the war, the President and whether or not you believe my husband should be over there, but don't think you can attack his character. No, my husband isn't a wife beater...
A Hint of Honesty -- [Faces from the Front]
...Stein, a humor columnist whose writing I have enjoyed over the years is pointing out an uncomfortable truth for the left.
If the troops support the war, want to win, want to see it through to the end, how can calling for their immediate withdrawal be supporting them?
When I was in Iraq, about the time Cindy Sheehan hit her peak, I had a converstion with Rick Steele, a photographer for Zuma Press.
Warriors and Fools -- [Grey Eagle - in Iraq]
I would like to order a dozen window stickers of Calvin urinating on Joel Stein please. Seriously, anytime you read something like this and come away with more respect for the insurgents then Mr. Stein then you know you have punished your brain by forcing it to endure reading this. But give Mr. Stein credit,
Salute the True Super Stars -- [A Long Strange Trip]
...Yep, well, I hope no one at KFAN reads this, and I am very honored they had the idea in mind to honor the "True SuperStars", but they didn't put too much planning into the float we rode on yesterday! You can see by the pictures that we had fun at the Winter Carnival Parade and the crowd at the parade was just awesome with their support and thank you's and I have to say that I didn;t kow what to expect when starting as Minnesota is a pretty (very) liberal stae, and a lot of people will tell you if they don't agree with the war or whatever, but the crowd was just amazing, and with Lee Greenwood on the loudspeakers, and Toby Keith blaring, it was pretty cool, even though it was starting to rain, and windy! I am truly proud to be an American!
A Canadian Editorial Thanks American Troops -- [Andi's World]
America-bashing has become a past-time for many, both inside and outside of our borders. That's why it's particularly nice to read a Canadian editorial expressing appreciation for American troops who came to the assistance of Canadian troops in Kandahar after they were hit by a suicide bomber.
Honor After the Fall -- [Soldiers' Angel - Holly Aho]
This slideshow presentation requires few words of explanation. Beautifully put together it is worth the time to read and watch.
The Stand -- [BlackFive - Laughing_Wolf]
To say that things are hectic at work right now is an understatement, and the schedule (and deadlines) are tight. Yet, all my plans changed in the blink of an eye this morning when I found out that a certain unmentionable group was going to protest at the funeral of Army Specialist Matthew Franz in Lafayette, Indiana, today. For me, there was no choice or debate, and I knew what I had to do. I re-arranged things, and I drove to Lafayette on my lunch break.
Press Release: Anti-Military Discrimination at Columbia University -- [Columbia University MilVets Library]
The current discrimination policy of Columbia University, which limits codified protection to “Vietnam era and disabled” veterans, is outdated and inadequate for the present-day veteran and military-related population. Last semester, a student at a university event was verbally attacked for being a U.S. Marine. This combined with a recent poll among Columbia’s veterans and military-related persons further confirms the need for reform of the Discrimination and Harassment Policy.
This Seems Odd -- [Balloon Juice]
Something does not seem right with this at all. I was under the impression that hundreds if not thousands of troops were buying body armor, and my experiences with the military and watching people fill out travel pay and TDY forms, if they were due a refund,they would have filed for it. This leads me to several possibilities:
Military Transition or Lifestyle Adjustment - Part 1 -- [Veterans In Motion - V.I.M.]
Recently I ran across a civilian gentleman that asked,"How can military transitioning can be complicated for a person
leaving the military?" Basically, he wanted for me to define the term military transition to where he could relate and understand the process. "It's just changing jobs, right?", he asked.
A New Kind of Care in a New Era of Casualties -- (NY Times)...ERIK ECKHOLM
The surge in complex injuries sustained by soldiers in Iraq has challenged the doctors at four special rehabilitation centers.
Just When You Thought They Couldn't Stoop Any Lower... -- [Soldier's Angels Germany]
So a group working to block the Alito nomination is asking you to call your Senator and say what?
SECOND, call the "URGE ABSTENTION" Senators identified immediately below and do the same -- say that you hope they vote NO on cloture this afternoon but if they can't, urge them to ABSTAIN from the cloture vote by doing something good that most Republicans would never do, like visiting wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Hospital instead.
Will Democrat Senators Use the Wounded Troops as political Cover? -- [BlackFive]
You usually don't come here for commentary on the Supreme Court (right?). While this post is related to Justice Alito's confirmation, that's not what this post is about.
Senate Votes to End Debate on Alito Nomination -- [Stop the ACLU]
Today the ACLU urged Senate to vote no on Alito cloture vote, saying he was too far outside American mainstream. I’m sure they are broken hearted that the majority of Senators decided the ACLU’s idea of mainstream was outside of the mainstream, which makes me happy.
Proud of My Party -- [RedState]
...I have to confess that after years of betrayal and squishiness, the unpleasantness of October was pretty much what I had come to expect of the GOP, nationally. And, as a result, at that point in time, I was very much prepared to leave. But then, a funny thing happened: the President decided to actually listen to the people who elected him.
Ohio Dems Grill Rep. Rahm Emanuel on National Security Issue -- [The New Editor]
The Chicago Tribune's Jeff Zeleny has interesting and revealing article on some tense exchanges at a recent breakfast meeting that Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) had with Ohio Democrats over their party's position on national security.
Problems for President -- (Times Online)
Kidnapped and injured journalists pose problems for President Bush before key speech tonight
'Don't Offend Muslims, Mr. President' -- (CNSNews.com)
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights group, says President Bush should avoid using "loaded and imprecise terminology" when he refers to Islam in his State of the Union address.
Senate Moves Alito Close to Confirmation -- (AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate on Monday all but guaranteed Samuel Alito's confirmation as the nation's 110th Supreme Court justice, shutting down a last-minute attempt by liberals to block the conservative judge's nomination with a filibuster....
Bush Budget Calls for Renewal of Tax Cuts -- (AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush will renew his call for personal accounts within Social Security and ask Congress to renew tax cuts and curb the growth in benefit programs like Medicare and Medicaid in his 2007 budget request next week, according to administration officials....
Sen. Clinton Has Strong Lead in N.Y. Poll -- (AP)
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton remains in a strong position in her bid for re-election this year with almost six in 10 New York voters saying they will vote for the former first lady, a statewide poll reported Monday....
Odds and Ends -- [Baghdad Guy - in Iraq]
...Here's a story from Gen. Casey talking about how 'thin' the troops in Iraq are stretched. Not at all related to the platoon, but the accompanying photo is of the platoon, taken of guys who were providing security for the release of prisoners from Abu Ghraib prison (as the caption states). There are two more photos here and here of the same group of guys. The final photo shows some of the guys trying to get the media the hell out of the way, but of course instead of worrying about the security on the ground there, the photographers were busy snapping photos. And they wonder why so many journalists get kidnapped and killed? I think I've probably got a pretty decent idea.
The President of ABC News "Gets It" -- [Fuzzilicious Thinking]
Here is the President of ABC News commenting on the serious injuries suffered by their news anchor and cameraman in an IED explosion in Iraq:
This passes for intelligent reasoning? -- [Media Lies]
Mark Tapscott highlights a court decision that will have journalists in an uproar.
"'Persons who have unauthorized possession, who come into unauthorized possession of classified information, must abide by the law,' said Judge T.S. Ellis III. 'That applies to academics, lawyers, journalists, professors, whatever.'
It's In the Koran (Karaoke) -- [Jawa Report]
Since Vinnie appears to be asleep at the wheel on that whole Blog Sabbath thing, enjoy this music video. It's even got words so you can sing along!
Face Of The Earth!!! -- [devildoc8406]
... to let everyone know what I have done in my last three months of being home. There are only two things that I feel are of real importance. I am now a married man! On Jan 7th, 2006 I got married to my girlfriend of two years. I met her family over Christmas leave and asked her to marry me on christmas eve. I had to get the ok from her dad before I even thought about popping the question. I have some pics but will have to post them later when I get on my personal computer.
Promoted - finally! -- [A Soldier's Diary - in Iraq]
I was finally promoted officially today to the rank of Sergeant. I had my orders over two weeks ago, but we were waiting for a friend of mine to get his orders for his promotion before actually going through with the ceremony - that way we didn't have to do two. So today, I officially have the rank pinned on and I recited the NCO creed (I have to admit I stumbled through it a little since it was by memory) in front of my squad out at the Cross Sabers. Nerve racking...
Home sweet home -- [Phil and Becky - Phil's home from Iraq]
I arrived home safe and sound and am currently preparing to take 30 days of well-earned block leave. Prior to signing out on block leave, there were a number of mandatory tasks to take care of. Some of them dealt with reunion with family members (i.e. briefings from the chaplain),
HOME! -- [So Far From Home - home from the Balkans]
I think the title says it all! I'm so happy to be home with my family and friends. It's truly a wonderful feeling. My family and I are getting ready to take a short trip to the Lake for a little R&R. Then it’s back to my civilian career. So with that said, forgive me but I'm going to take a break from writing and get back to being a husband and father. I'll see you in a couple weeks.
Minus 131 Days - HE'S HOME!!! -- [Wayn'e World - home from Iraq]
Wayne and Lauren just arrived!!!
Our Daddy is HOME!! 1/13/06 -- [My Daddy is a Soldier in IRAQ]
Yeah!! Our daddy is home.
NBC News: Coretta Scott King has died. More details soon ...
Another Somber Day -- [Baghdad Guy - in Iraq]
...But it was having to tell one of the members of the platoon who was good friends with SGT Herrera that made me realize how much we are one extended family here. We're friends, neighbors, fellow soldiers, and much more. God willing, I will never have to tell another one of my soldiers that one of their friends have died, because that is one of the toughest things I have ever had to do. And I'm only experiencing about 1/100th of what he and SGT Herrara's loved ones are having to go through. It makes me wish that military decision makers were the ones to notify families, because whether their decisions are right or wrong, good or bad, they would realize up close and personally the effects of their decisions on Americans.
The Challenger and Changes -- [Those Wacky Iraqis - in Iraq]
...Yesterday was the 20 year anniversary of the crash. We still fly the Space Shuttle. I am still working in this God Forsaken hell hole part of the world. NASA still makes mistakes. The world has changed in many ways but in many ways it is still the same.
(Need more? The previous Dawn Patrol is here.)
