 |
|
 |
| Monthly Archives | [−] |
Prev | List | Random | Next |
Welcome to the Dawn Patrol, our daily roundup of information on the War on Terror and other topics - from the MilBlogs and other sources around the world. If you're a blogger, you can join the conversation. If you link to any of these stories, add a link to the Dawn Patrol too and your trackback will be added to the list.
Welcome to COIN -- [Acute Politics - in Iraq]
I'll try to keep writing about the winds here in Al-Anbar. I'll go out on a little bit of a limb and say that the insurgency is quickly approaching a tipping point. If things continue as they are right now, our military won't need a surge to chase the terrorists out of Anbar- the citizens will do it for us, which is as it should be. It's beginning to show already: more local tips, more police recruits (far more than anticipated), and sadly- in bigger and more desperate Al-Qaeda attacks.
Updates -- [Acute Politics - in Iraq]
I have two updates to the story I told recently about the children injured in a mortar attack.
First: At the time of the incident, another soldier in my platoon grabbed a man who was acting suspiciously directly after the attack, and handed him over to the Marines. As we were leaving the OP, the villagers brought a another man with his hands bound and eyes blindfolded, accusing him of being involved. It saddens me that children had to die to shock the villagers out of their fear of the insurgents, but at least they did something about it.
"The USMC/Iraqi team was sluggin' it out side by side." (Chlorine Gas Attack Update) -- [INDC Journal]
Lt. Col. Clayton Fisher, commander of MiTT 6 at the brigade level (and my chaperone on an IA mission), was injured in the Wednesday's chlorine truck bomb attack on the Fallujah Government Center and left this comment:
We wanted you to know that your Marine MITTs and IA came out OK and did great, even after 2 SVBIEDs, mortars, complex attack etc. Most walking wounded, but hey, we're walking! A few of us were medevac'd to the outskirts of Baghdad, but should to come out fine in a few days. Chlorine gas, concussions, some shrapnel, cuts, bruises. Not too bad....
How Britons were conned by Iranian gunboat trick -- [Times Online]
The speed and cunning shown by the Revolutionary Guards suggests that their action was premeditated
The British sailors and marines being held by Iran were ambushed at their most vulnerable moment, while climbing down the ladder of a merchant ship and trying to get into their bobbing inflatables.
‘Time For Iraq Pull-Out’ -- [Sweetness & Light]
Iran has published another letter allegedly written by Leading Seaman Faye Turney in which she supposedly calls for British forces to withdraw from Iraq.
The letter also asks the British Government why it allowed the British captives to stray into Iranian waters.
And it goes on to say the group is being treated well by the Iranians.
Analysts immediately doubted the validity of the letter, saying ...
Citing “Bad Behavior” Iran Delays Female Sailor Release -- [Sweetness & Light]
From a shocked New York Times
Iran May Delay Captured British Sailor’s Release
LONDON, March 29 — Iran today withdrew plans to free one of the 15 British sailors and marines it had seized on March 23, the only woman detained, insisting that Britain admit fault before she is released.
Fear and Combat -- [W. Thomas Smith Jr. - The Tank]
...Later, I asked ArmorGroup manager Bill Shaw if he was ever afraid out on the highway.
"No mate," he said, "I trust the vehicles, and I trust the boys we're with, emphatically. That's no BS line either. That's fact."
As I told Kathryn in an email yesterday, I'm actually more afraid of losing my Internet signal here than I am incoming (or the airplane doing evasive action coming in for a landing, or my racing down Route Irish in a Chevy Suburban). I can't explain why I feel that way, but I do.
Quoted and Proud! -- [Iraq the Model - Iraqis in Iraq]
I would like to say a few words to the new visitors who are not so familiar with this blog. I have noticed that our traffic nearly tripled today and that most of the extra traffic is coming from pages talking about the recent speech by President Bush in which he mentioned a quote from our March 5 article on the WSJ…New visitors, welcome to ITM!
Taliban, Pakistani security forces battle in Tank -- [The Fourth Rail]
Baitullah Mehsud's Taliban mass; 25 Taliban, 1 security officer killed after school principal kidnapped
The Taliban continue to challenge the Pakistani government's writ in the Northwest Frontier Province. Taliban forces, estimated at “more than 200 Taliban soldiers” by Tank District Police Officer Mumtaz Zarin, massed and attacked the city of Tank on Tuesday night. “They attacked the city to avenge the killing of their colleague who died on Monday,” officer Zarin said. Twenty-five Taliban and one paramilitary officer were killed in the fighting, which included Taliban mortar and rocket attacks.
Attempted Escape -- [A JAG in Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
As we were coming back yesterday from the KMTC there was a dump truck in front of us driving down the road. Suddenly a Military Police (MP) pickup screeched past us, pulled in front of the truck and stopped it. The driver jumped out, climbed up on the back of the truck and started yelling and waving his hands. Up popped two heads. Two young soldiers had hidden themselves in the back of the truck and were attempting to escape.
Meet Iran’s Revolutionary Liberals -- [Michael Totten - in Iraq]
SULEIMANIYA PROVINCE, NORTHERN IRAQ – One of the roads leading out of the city of Suleimaniya in Iraqi Kurdistan might as well be renamed Revolutionary Road. Two armed compounds inhabited by exiled revolutionary Iranian leftists were built less than a mile away from each other. My colleague Patrick Lasswell and I accidentally found ourselves in the armed camp of the military wing of the Communist faction of the Komalah Party when we intended to meet with the more moderate social democrats up the street. A few days later we returned to the area and met with the right people.
Telephone Diplomacy -- [The Weekly Standard]
The Russian media has largely interpreted President Bush's "initiative" as an act of gratitude after the United States was able to shore up Russian support for Resolution 1747, which stipulated "the international community's profound concerns over Iran's nuclear program.” But some Russian journalists seem to see an upside in a confrontation between the United States and Iran. Prominent journalist Mikhail Leontiev (who has been described as "the most unabashed champion of the Kremlin") asserts that "in principle, [Russia] is interested in drawing the Americans into the Iranian adventure.
Russia's New Position on Iran's Nuclear Program Creates Iran-Russia Crisis -- [MEMRI]
For many months, Russia has been blocking efforts by the international community to stop Iran's nuclear program, and has been acting to temper the U.N. Security Council sanctions enacted against Iran in December 2006. At the same time, for the past few years Russia has been building the nuclear reactor at Bushehr, and during U.N. Security Council discussions it has insisted that sanctions resolution No. 1737 not include the reactor.
The Arab Press Assesses the Likelihood of a U.S. Strike Against Iran -- [MEMRI]
The Arab press has recently been focusing on the possibility of a U.S. attack on Iran, and has been publishing reports, investigations, and articles. Some of these have asserted the "certainty" of an attack, while others are reviews of attack plans and preliminary steps in advance of the coming conflict. However, some in the press reject the possibility of an attack and explain their reasons for doing so.
The following are examples of discussion of the subject in the Arab press:
Bahraini Daily Al-Watan: Evidence That War is At the Gates
What's going on in Syria? -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
Syria is at the crossroads.
A perfect storm is gathering above Damascus.
For proof from The Croissant come 2 interesting stories from usually well informed Kuwaiti Al Seyassah :
Suicide Bomber Secrets Revealed -- [Strategy Page]
March 30, 2007: While the users of suicide bombers may not have noticed, the track record of such tactics shows that it doesn't work. In fact, this particular weapon actually backfires. Consider the facts.
Unusually Bright Two-year-old: An update -- [Fuzzilicious Thinking]
...His mother is a dear, sweet and charming woman. Unfortunately, she is now suffering from a health problem serious enough to allow her deployed husband to return for emergency leave (a process only just beginning now). So, her mother-in-law has been at her side, and brought the two-year-old to daycare today so she could accompany her daughter-in-law to the doctor (resulting in hospitalization).
I had been unaware of severity of the health issue, but when his exhausted and worried grandmother mentioned it as we sat in the childcare center, I instantly told her I had contacts that could "move mountains" for that family if necessary, and we exchanged names and contact info.
Helping Sgt. Neil Duncan -- [Andi's World]
On December 5, 2005, Sgt. Neil Duncan was severely injured by an IED in Afghanistan. As a result of the blast, Neil lost both of his legs and sustained other severe injuries. Walter Reed has been home to Neil for over a year now.
The things you think about -- [Neptunus Lex]
Our conversation below on the Code of Conduct and Leading Sailor Turney brought some thoughts back to mind that I hadn’t turned over in quite a number of years.
I had three deployments flying over Iraq enforcing sanctions in the southern no-fly zone between the wars. Each time we went the political situation was a little different. During my first trip up there 1994, we mostly flew two-ship defensive counter-air missions, designed to protect Kuwaiti and the southern Iraqi Shia provinces from air attack by a vengeful Saddamite air force. It was pretty peaceful for the most part, and in fact we used to recce SAM sites by doing target acquisition missions in the threat envelope, vying to see who could bring back the best FLIR video. Crazy when I think about it now, but we’d won the war, hadn’t we?
The "real" war on Terror? -- [QandO]
Charles Krauthammer reminds us of something Speaker Pelosi said not to long ago:
"Our bill calls for the redeployment of U.S. troops out of Iraq so that we can focus more fully on the real war on terror, which is in Afghanistan."— House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, March 8
Why, pray tell, is the war in Afghanistan the "real" war on terror, and does or doesn't Speaker Pelosi understand that in the big scheme of things, Afghanistan is really only one battle in that war?
A Message from the Troops -- [Dadmanly]
Powerline forwards a timely message from the troops, courtesy of Morning in America producer Seth Leibsohn.
Gunnery Sgt. Stephen F. Krueger, Platoon Sergeant for the 3rd Recon Bn, US Marines, sent a powerful message to Speaker Pelosi. Pity she didn’t take his message to heart before bribing her fellow Congressmen and women to pass their Timetable for Defeat in the US House of Representatives, matched by an equally surrender-filled bill in the Senate.
Projection -- [Pat Dollard]
...Pelosi et. al. are overplaying their hand, overinterpreting the fact that local elections allowed the Democrats a slim Congressional and Senate Majority. Somehow they have interpreted this to mean, clearly and unequivocally, that the American people want a complete pullout from Iraq, regardless of the consequences. . They have interpreted it to mean that the American people do not support the surge. A surge the reckless and ridiculous Democrats themselves supported when they unanimously approved General Petraeus to lead it. They keep stating that the American People somehow voted the Democratic Party in as part of a national referendum to immediately begin a withdrawal from Iraq. There is no evidence to support such self-serving wishful thinking. The only thing that supports that contention is their desire for it to be true.
NPR, Covering (up) the Home Front? -- [Flopping Aces]
The below post is a guest appearance from Ray Van Dune who writes about one more example of the bias in our MSM:
On Saturday March 24, National Public Radio, correspondent John McChesney, who was until recently embedded with the Minnesota National Guard in Iraq, told us about his 700-mile trip through Minnesota, interviewing families who have loved ones serving in Iraq.
...I must also comment on the reporting of Mr. McChesney. He has brought us a compelling story, and he treated these wives with respect and compassion in his reporting, as did NPR in its presentation of this piece. But unfortunately, I must say that I have serious concerns about what he has reported, or more accurately, what he may not have reported.
How can it be that a reporter of the stature of John McChesney drove 700 miles, interviewed members of seven families, and came back with less than two minutes of content, and less than half of which is an interview with just two of the presumably seven wives he spoke to?
Killing The Surge -- [Villainous Company]
A new USA Today/Gallup poll finds that most Americans don't believe the surge is working.
Incroyable... now where on earth could they have gotten a crazy idea like that?
Surely it could have nothing at all to do with the fact that day in and day out, the lamestream media hype the successes of our enemies while somehow "forgetting" to report how many of the enemy our own side kills and captures? If we didn't know better, we'd start to wonder whose side they were on.
What's Missing? -- [Media Blog]
The NY Times...
The Washington Post...
Note that neither story specifes that the showing of the sailors on television possibly violated the Geneva conventions. (I searched both articles. It notes that Blair called the video "completely unacceptable," but nothing further.)
After the Jokes -- [Media Blog]
What I don't understand is why none of the MSM coverage (at least that I've seen today) mentioned the second half of the President's speech. Here it is:
CBS Evening News Touts Harkin’s Claim That Iraq War Hurts War on Cancer -- [NewsBusters]
Wednesday's CBS Evening News with Katie Couric featured another "The federal government is our only hope" segment, this time focusing on the "war on cancer." Couric introduced the segment by arguing that cancer therapies were being thwarted because of "funding cuts that could delay or completely derail promising advances in the war of cancer."
The story, by CBS correspondent Wyatt Andrews, featured only one member of Congress, Iowa's Senator Tom Harkin, who echoed Couric and claimed that the "war on cancer" is in jeopardy due to war in Iraq. The "money" quote:
HARKIN: When you're spending $8 billion a month in Iraq, it's very tough to get the money for cancer research.
Rosie O'Donnell's latest foot in mouth episode 3/29/07
Rosie Sees Only Evil in US, Not Iran, Speaks on 9/11 Conspiracy Theories -- [NewsBusters]
The co-hosts of "The View" again discussed the Iranian British hostage situation on the March 29 edition. Rosie O’Donnell trusted the Iranians more than the British and Americans, and the discussion evolved into more Rosie rants against alleged Bush administration tyranny and for the first time on "The View," Rosie ranted on her September 11 conspiracy theories. Rosie’s rants were too much even for fringe liberal Joy Behar. Token non-liberal Elisabeth Hasselbeck was far more assertive than the previous day. In the teaser at the end of the first segment, Rosie and Joy made light of the upcoming discussion.
The Hollywood Factor -- [SgtStryker]
Some of the most outspoken critics of the war and the Bush administration hail from Hollywood. Celebrities have been front and center in the anti-war camp since before the first deployment of American troops. During the past four years of war, movie stars. Television actors and recording artists have become more and more vocal in the opposition to the war. As the media has increasingly turned against the war and has dedicated more valuable airtime to protesters and demonstrations, outspoken celebrities have claimed the anti-war spotlight and refuse to give it up.
One of the most vocal of these anti-war Hollywood pundits has been San Penn.
Sampson Nearly Suggests Rove Almost Did Something -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-03-30) — During seven hours of questioning before a senate panel yesterday D. Kyle Sampson, the former chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, nearly suggested that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove almost did something that could, under the right series of circumstances, be perceived by marginally-informed outsiders as unethical.
(Need more? The previous Dawn Patrol is here.)
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.
"Why you sad, American soldier?" -- [via Soldiers' Angels Germany]
...As I lifted the tiny blankets, I became numb; ...disfigured and their bodies broken and mangled. I could not believe what I was looking at.
There was no semblance or the perception of a rough American soldier. I dropped to my knees and started to cry uncontrollably. All of the men, Iraqi Army and police, doctors and nurses all stopped to look at me
One of the [Iraqi] men came to me and said, in a voice totally filled with compassion and caring, "Why you sad, American soldier?"
They said it is a sad day in Iraq when an American soldier will fall on his knees and cry for children that are not American, but our own doctors will not come to help.
Practice Makes Perfect -- [GunnNutt - Semper Gratus! ]
The following is from an MP in Iraq. Minor spelling and syntax changes were made to the original
Oh, funny story for you and for you to share…the other day (we work nights so we were just waking up) we heard this BOOM….which well here is not unusual. It sounded close but we knew everyone here was in the wire. We found out later that 2 insurgents blew themselves up….get this…you ready… PRACTICING with their Suicide Vehicle Borne IED (SVBIED) !!!!!!!!!
RUBS #2 (Raw, Unedited and Barely Spell-checked) -- [Michael Yon - in Iraq]
This is the second installment of RUBS, a new way of posting information on the fly and overcoming obstacles to reporting that arc into the Iraq work space with uncanny timing and targeting. With no photos, and barely time for spell checks, RUBS streams at the speed of consciousness.
After Action Report -- [General Barry R McCaffrey (Ret) - in Iraq - via Michael Yons site]
General Barry McCaffrey (Ret) has just released a report of his Iraq trip and it is also published on the website. All his trip reports are excellent resources for helping one understand the true situation here in Iraq. The man is blunt, and knows his business.
Seeing a "Fiasco" in McCaffrey's Report -- [Weekly Standard Blog]
Retired General Barry McCaffrey visited Iraq earlier this month to meet with senior commanders and to get a better sense of the situation on the ground. McCaffrey was hardly a proponent of the president's new strategy, and in January went so far as to call the surge a "fool's errand" in testimony to the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, but McCaffrey's after action report explicitly endorses that strategy.
WaPo Accentuates the Negative in McCaffrey Iraq Report -- [NewsBusters]
As an NBC military affairs analyst, retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey is a familar face to many Americans. McCaffrey also serves as an adjunct professor at West Point, and in that capacity recently wrote an eight-page paper on the situation in Iraq based on a recent visit there.
In today's Washington Post, there appears an article by Thomas Ricks, WaPo's Pentagon correspondent, reporting on the McCaffrey paper. While Ricks does discuss some of McCaffrey's more optimistic findings, he emphasizes the negative while ignoring a number of the general's positive observations. Ricks' headline sets the tone: ...
Advising Indigenous Forces -- [Captain Ryan T. Kranc - SWJ]
As the Long War continues, reaching its tactical, operational, and strategic objectives requires training and advising the security forces of Iraq and Afghanistan to take control of their country from insurgents, sectarian violence, and lawlessness. General George Casey said in September 2005 that "The sooner we can shift [to Iraqi security forces] the better. A smaller U.S. footprint, that is allowed to decline gradually as Iraqi forces get stronger, actually helps us." The November 2005 National Security Council publication, The National Strategy for Victory in Iraq emphasized that point, quantifying victory in Iraq according to three distinct time metrics:
In the short term:...
Longer Surge Could Force Iraq Extensions -- [Defense News]
More troops could be extended in Iraq, and stateside units deployed sooner than expected, if the current “surge” of troops lasts beyond the summer — something the top U.S. commander in Iraq has already said he expects to happen.
U.S. Marines Launch Mortars In Fallujah Marked as: Mature
U.S. Marines launch mortars on Insurgents in Fallujah, Iraq.
AQ's Leadership Struggle -- [Defense Tech]
Here’s the latest passdown from the intel analysts over at Stratfor on the power plays going on in al Qaeda’s leadership. It’s interesting to note the analysis comes on the heels of our last post describing the stalemate in Iraq and other fronts in the GWOT as “spoiling” attacks.
New Hope for 5 Hostages? -- [Jawa Report]
These are the 5 contractors employed by Crescent Security Group who were kidnapped near Basra in November 2006, as seen in a hostage video released in January of this year. There has been no word on them since. But now there is new hope that their ordeal may be ending soon.
Short film of Zach Pentek, 1/506th, rated best Combat Video of 2006! -- [Michael Fumento]
An interview from an observation post in Ramadi with Sgt. Zach Pentek by Ritterby has been voted the best Combat Video of 2006 by the military. Although I wrote two articles about my embeds with 1/506th of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), part of Task Force Currahee, Zach's platoon in A Co. will always have a special place in my heart because we were all together in the manic dash I dubbed "the Ramadi Run." The video is
Al Qaeda suicide attacks: cause and effect in Tal Afar -- [The Fourth Rail]
Suicide bombings may have caused a police backlash, however the reporting is still in question
Yesterday's dual suicide strikes in Shia markets in Tal Afar appears to have been a major success for al Qaeda. The largely Shia city, which has been a model of governance and security in Iraq, had at least 63 of its citizens murdered. Al Qaeda, which has claimed responsibility for the attack, has struck at Shia civilians in the past in order to stir up sectarian violence. Yesterday's attack may have worked. While the news reports on this
Recon -- [The Calm Before The Sand - in Iraq]
Somewhere south of Baghdad, en route to As-Suwayrah, Iraq...
It's a balmy morning in southern Iraq, and I'm weighed down by sixty pounds of gear and ammo, getting ready for my first mission as part of Recon. The farmers' fields are shrouded in fog, and a hundred feet below me the countryside whips past the viewports. We're riding in a Polish Mi-8, a type of heavy transport helicopter. It's a Russian design, dating back to the Cold War, and a notable departure from the UH-60 Black Hawks that brought us down here.
Greetings from Scenic Stinking Baghdad -- [StrypGia - in Iraq]
Hello from FOB Rustamiyah, located on the banks of the Diyala River just east of Baghdad proper.
Still building our TOC from scratch, and settling in.
Got rocketed last night. That old familiar feeling. Back in Iraq alright.
More Deployment Souvenirs - Part 1 -- [Half a World Away - in Iraq]
The Stetson isn't the only accoutrement that can be earned while attached to a Cavalry unit. Another rite of passage is called a Spur Ride.
The details behind a Spur Ride vary by unit, it isn't an official Army sanctioned event so it is up to the unit to come up with something. The driving force behind the Spur Ride is unit morale, team building, and a tie back to Cav history. The 167 Cav held a spur ride on the 18th of March, and I was lucky enough to participate.
Soldiers exchange fire with insurgents in Baqubah Iraq 22/03/2007
JawBreaker 2 Delta goes to Baghdad, hilarity ensues.... -- [JawBreaker 2 Delta]
This is my first attempt at putting together a movie with pictures and video from my deployment on OIF III. The video begins with an IED that was meant for the third truck (mine) in our three truck convoy.
Before we ever left the FOB that morning, my team leader (CPT B-Rock, bald head, mustache, butt hovering over his head) got a call from a Neighborhood Council member in a village just down the road from Jisr Diyala and the Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Facility. I can't remember the name right now. The NAC member told us that some "Wahhabi's" (Iraqi slang for any badguy) had placed a bomb on the route that we had used once too often apparently. We took a back way to the meeting after we called EOD.
"Can you give me a lift to the airport?" -- [Badgers Forward - in Iraq]
... In Iraq though, getting a lift to the airport is a bit more complex.
Many of not most of us are on places where fixed wing aircraft do not land. Our options are are either to drive or do the Manhattan like thing and grab a rotary wing bird to the airport. That is what I was scheduled to do when I went on leave last month.
Sig Christenson: The danger of idle minds -- [MySA Blog - in Iraq]
Everybody's seen that old TV spot where the announcer says, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste."
But just as bad in these parts of the Sunni Triangle - or worse - is an idle mind.
...The Army is aware of the problem. Soldiers stay busy by virtue of putting in 10 to 12 hours a day. The higher the rank, by the way, the longer you work. Supervisors tend to give their soldiers one day off each week while most leaders get two days a month.
One NCO says that those 24 hours off a week gives troops time to think. I ask if time to think is bad. The answer: It makes time go slower.
28 Mar -- Wednesday -- [Air Force Afghanistan Mentor - in Afghanistan]
...Long story short; when you pull into a town for a meeting with the locals, everyone wants to come out and it gets crazy fast. Good SOPs for crowd control, security and trip pre-planning are a must. My team had inner cordon security and it was very hectic. I was dealing with locals, ANP (Police), ANA (Army), interpreters, my own team, language barriers, security, escort to the meeting, etc... I was plumb worn out by the end of the day. We did very well for our first major scenario and no one got lost, left behind and no one was killed.
What I work with -- [Bouhammer's Afghan Blog - in Afghanistan]
A lot of people have asked me what it is like working with the ANP (Afghan National Police) now versus the ANA. Well rather than write out a big, long blog about it I think this news story here can give you a good picture of the caliber of people I am mentoring now.
Granted these particular ANP are not the ones I mentor, but these are not far off or much different.
Afghanistan Fighting Women Marked as: Mature
For the first time in recent history, the women of Afghanistan's military are growing in numbers, and advancing in their roles as practical military soldiers. The women of Afghanistan are also gaining status and acceptance.
Under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, men abused women in the streets for simple infractions like not wearing a burka.
But there is no doubt that women here are making advances. Afghan women armed with the AK-47 assault rifle conducted their first live firing exercise this week. This historic occasion marks true progress in the Afghanistan woman's struggle to gain equality.
Winning Hearts and Minds Premiers on Blip TV -- [Fortunate Son]
Meet the men of US Army Civil Affairs in Afghanistan. Sergeants Kling, Reisz, Carrillo and Captain Corsten tell us about the Civil Affairs mission and take us into the communities of Afghanistan to see what it takes to rebuild a war-torn country...
Taliban preparing to launch BM rockets against an american post in Kunar Marked as: Mature
The rockets are cleaned with oil then sent on their way
Sanity for Iran from Iraq -- [Moderate Risk - in Iraq]
After accidentally visiting a living museum of revolutionary communists a few days ago, Michael Totten and I didn't know what to expect when meeting the alleged moderates also calling themselves a Komala. Michael was ready in case we were dropped into a bunch of space aliens to take pictures of livestock dissections, ask pointed questions about crop circle creation, and tactfully refuse probing. Anything was on the table.
Iran Refusing Offers to Mediate Hostage Crisis -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
Highly reliable sources report that officials in the government of a Scandinavian country have offered to mediate the Iran hostage crisis, but the offers have been refused thus far by the Iranians. Also, a well-placed journalist in Washington and a knowledgeable source in Istanbul cannot confirm press reports of a possible meeting between Turkish officials and the British hostages
Footage Of British Sailors Broadcast By Iran W/ Audio
The King Speaks -- [Strategy Page]
March 29, 2007: At the recent meeting of the Arab League, the king of Saudi Arabia got up and said out loud, what most Arabs and outsiders have known for a long time, "we have met the enemy, and they are us." Well, not exactly in those words, but close. The king bemoaned the lack of unity and cooperation in the Arab world. He could have also gotten into the corruption and lack of honesty (in journalism, or simply reporting accurately what you or your organization are doing.) But because of the corruption and lack of honesty, there was little mention of these issues.
Shoot for Fun -- [Brad's Place - in Kosovo]
I've been a bit busy the past two days. Yes, I am in what is considered a war zone, so we will be busy, but I have a desk job in an office. I'm not ashamed of that, especially on these days when we have frigid 40 knot winds whipping through the camp. That office is awful comfy at my age. Let the kids carry the heavy packs, they love that stuff.
Famine, Fear and Fizzled Nukes -- [Strategy Page]
March 29, 2007: North Korea is starving again, big time. The North Korean government has now admitted it, and says it will need at least a million tons of food in the next year, to feed its 23 million people. That's about 20 percent of total food needs. In the last few years, North Korea has been shutting down food aid programs by the UN and other foreign NGOs, largely in response to demands that distribution of food to the needy be monitored. Meanwhile, food donations to North Korea have shrunk because of mounting evidence that much of the food was diverted to the military or sold to raise cash.
Iraqi ForMin Official: Al-Qaeda Using Adolescent Boys, Mentally Handicapped Kids for Suicide Ops Since 2005 -- [MEMRI Blog]
Referring to Al-Qaeda's use of children, Abd Al-Karim Al-Kanani, director of the special operations office of Iraq's Foreign Ministry, said that terror groups in Iraq had used adolescent boys and mentally handicapped children in extensive suicide operations as early as 2005.
Saudis Edging Away from the United States in Counterterror Efforts -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
Ties are seriously fraying between the Saudi royals and the Bush administration, largely because the Saudis appear to have abandoned any pretext of confronting terrorism and instead have returned full bore to the long-held tradition of co-opting or buying opponents.
Interviews with Karim al-Mejjati and Abqaiq Attacker -- [Globalterroralert.com]
(3/29/07): Al-Qaida's Committee in the Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia) has recently released the first new issue of its official magazine, Sawt al-Jihad ("Voice of Jihad"), in nearly two years. Among other articles, the magazine contains lengthy interviews with Badr al-Humaydi (one of the Al-Qaida operatives who participated in last year's terrorist attack on the Abqaiq oil refinery in eastern Saudi Arabia) and Karim al-Mejjati (a.k.a. Abu Elyas al-Maghrebi), a most wanted Moroccan Al-Qaida commander who was killed in a clash with Saudi security forces in April 2005.
Soldiers’ Angels -- [SgtStryker]
The best time of the day for our troops stationed in Iraq is mail call. Letters from home and care packages from loved ones remind them that they haven’t been forgotten. Stationed in the desert or patrolling the streets of Baghdad, it can be too easy to feel cut off from life back home. This is especially true for the troops who don’t have someone writing them or sending them care packages. The men and women who get passed over time and again at mail call must face the danger of combat and the long, lonely days without the support of loved ones back home. One woman has made it her mission to make sure that all the men and women who serve our country know that they are appreciated.
Bryan McDonough - We Won't Forget. [The Desert Excursion: a 24/7 Soldier Medic]
It's been over three months now and I still cry every time I watch this. I will never forget Bryan or any of our other soldiers for the rest of my life. No matter what you think of this war, just remember that good Men and Women are putting their lives on the line, and some pay with their life; it effects us all.
For the fallen... -- [The Zeke - in Iraq]
It doesn't hit home until it is one of your own.
He was not the first of our own on this deployment to leave us forever, but I hope he is the last.
He wasn't just another name on a list of thousands...he wasn't a number or a resource...he was a son to a proud mother and father, a brother to several sisters and brothers...a fiance' to one he loved...a fellow soldier and friend to us all. He brought a smile to our faces and was quick to laugh. I was proud to call him a fellow soldier, I was prouder still to have called him friend. My heart and deepest regrets go out to those that knew him.
He’s HOME!! -- [Starryskye.org]
March 28, 2007 -Alan came home on Monday evening - 11pm in fact .. And Xander and I were there at the airport to greet him with our sign. I will post pictures later!
They are BACK!!!!! -- [Hooah !! ....545]
BOOTS ON THE GROUND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have waited a long time to feel the impact of those words... what a wonderful feeling!!! I am so elated!!...My babygirls feet are back on home soil, and it feels fan-damn-tastic. I havent had the joy of seeing her yet, but it wont be long now, as plans are already in the works for all the for all the families to re-unite with their soldiers. I will post pictures of our reunion ASAP... Its been a long hard 15 months, but Ive never been more proud
The Smallest Heroes -- [SgtStryker]
Children of service members have to bear the burden of military life just as much as their parents. With every transfer of duty station they must change schools, meet new friends, find new activities, start over. The life of a military child is not an easy one. With the fast pace of military deployments today, the challenges facing the children of our troops have multiplied. Now they must endure long deployments and cope with the absence of one of their parents for months at a time.
Wounded Soldier Re-Enlists -- [A Soldier’s Mind]
Staff Sergeant Andrew McMann wasn’t bothered by the fact that he was in the Air Force Theater Hospital in Balad, Iraq. According to him it gave him the free time he needed to re-enlist. SSG McMann didn’t mention bother mentioning the reason he was in the hospital; he’d just survived an IED explosion 48 hours before.
Senate OKs spending bill forcing troop pullout -- [Air Force Times]
Senate Democrats ignored a veto threat and pushed through a bill Thursday requiring President Bush to start withdrawing troops from “the civil war in Iraq,” dealing a rare, sharp rebuke to a wartime commander in chief.
Appeal For Courage
A campaign by active-duty troops asking Congress to drop plans for a withdrawal from Iraq. Lt. Jason Nichols, a 33-year-old naval projects officer who has been in Baghdad since mid-January, said the goal is to keep lawmakers focused on letting the military finish its mission in Iraq, and not prematurely declare failure...
This fight and where I go. -- [American Soldier]
...If certain people are successful at withdrawing us then I hope they can live with the fact that there will be another war. We will have to go again. However, this soldier will not. They will only cut and run when it gets rough again.
I will leave the service when I’m fixed and I will not be returning. A long vacation is in store for this soldier. One of the biggest reasons for leaving will be the people who will take resources from my fellow brothers in the war. There will be deaths due to lack of re-enforced armor, ammo, weapons, weapon attachments, etc, etc, etc. Soldiers will die and it will be on their watch.
Troop Reaction to the Democrats -- [Blackfive]
Previously, I had asked for and received a lot of email from troops around the world (but mostly in Iraq and Afghanistan) about the Democrat resolutions for retreat...especially, in the face of the surge and a new Commanding General that the Democrats unamimously approved of...
They Can’t Move On (Part 98567) -- [The Thunder Run]
...Anyway, over at The Huffington Post a thread titled “Tony Snow has Cancer” had to be shut down because so many of the tolerant left piled on and wished him all the best in his pending death that Arianna had to close the thread and remove it from view. Today R.J. Eskow writes in his post Can Americans Reconcile? With Best Wishes For Tony Snow:
Cindy Sheehan’s Crawford Peace House In Trouble -- [Sweetness & Light]
A nationally known anti-war group in Mclennan County has lost its corporate status with the state, and a former member is calling for an investigation.
Officials in the Texas State Comptroller’s office said the Crawford Peace House hasn’t handed in required paperwork in nearly a year.
Embedded Frustrations: Does the Military Know How to Win the Media War? -- [Bob Owens - NewsBusters]
March 29, 2007 - If you are a journalist or blogger who wants to embed in Iraq, good luck making it through the PAO system. As a pair of prominent bloggers tell us on the record, getting into Iraq can be all but impossible thanks to obstacles put in place by the U.S. military's Pubic Affairs Office, and once there, the PAO seems to delight in making the life of an embed a living hell.
Burns of NY Times on 'Today': 'No Limit to this Violence' if US Troops Removed -- [NewsBusters]
March 29, 2007 - 10:56 - Far be it from me to put in a plug for "Today," but I do hope Nancy Pelosi & Friends were watching this morning. Congressional Dems might be quick to dismiss what President Bush predicts would be the upshot of a date-certain pull-out from Iraq. But perhaps they would not so blithely disregard the observations of one of the most experienced and respected reporters on Iraqi matters . . . a New York Times staffer, no less.
Kitty Kelley Op-Ed Blasting Bush Family Ignores George P.'s Military Service -- [NewsBusters]
The Los Angeles Times and Harper's have a bit of egg on their faces.
The Los Angeles Times ran an op-ed by Kitty Kelley last week claiming that no one in George W. Bush's extended family -- daughters, nieces or nephews -- has served in the military since his father's service in World War II.
The Bush family's supposed lack of military service is the entire focus of the op-ed.
Don't You Dare Question His Patriotism -- [Banter in Atlanter]
It is remarkably easy to see why some people label Seyour Hersh a treasonous bastard.
Definition: treason
S: (n) treason, high treason, lese majesty (a crime that undermines the offender's government)...
...By the look of things, not much has changed with regard to Seymour Hersh's affinity for betraying his country and undermining it's government.
Just A Little While Ago, Just A Lifetime… -- [The Gun Line]
‘member when?
‘member when Neil Prakesh was penning “Armor Gedden”?
I remember that my morning routine was to hit his site, and then slide down to Castle Argghhh! to see what the happenings were. Then I’d cruise over to Lex’s to catch up on the Naval Lore of the moment
Far-Right Bloggers Invited To Iraq By The Pentagon. -- [Gun Toting Liberal]
While perusing the many Far-Right blogs that positively compliment the blogosphere (no really, this time that is not merely a disguised verbal assault; mockery will be placed aside), I came across a contribution I found to be very interesting.
Why we are going to Iraq -- [RedState]
It's time to stop criticizing war reporting, and start participating in it
Here at RedState, we have spent a great deal of time and energy debating the Iraq war and attempting to convey stories about the mission that can’t be found in the mainstream media. We've also criticized the quality of the MSM’s own reportage on events in the Middle East. We've pointed out episodes of anti-war bias, ignorance, and outright fabrications ad nauseam, all the while seeking to “correct the record” with a better reflection of events and developments as they actually are, rather than as they appear through the MSM’s anti-war, anti-Bush prism.
Bloggers: "Not Real Journalists"... -- [Blonde Sagacity]
There are two blogging issues I have been wondering about lately... The first is whether Bloggers will be given "press passes" to big events in the upcoming primaries and elections and at "press" events in general. The second is when and to what extent blogging will be able to be used on a resume...
The first question was unequivocally answered recently (at least as far as Lithuania is concerned):
"An Internet blogger in new EU member state Lithuania vowed Tuesday to fight a parliamentary decision refusing him accreditation on the grounds that he was not a legitimate journalist.
Iraq Pull-Out Bill Dumps Dems’ Image of Weakness -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-03-29) — Democrats this week finally shed the image that they are weak on national defense when they aggressively rejected the president’s efforts to achieve so-called “victory” over Islamic terrorists in Iraq, according to a news release from NYT-PAC, a political action committee run by journalists at a leading New York newspaper
Democrat Bill Creates National Redeployment Holiday -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-03-29) — Another little-heralded provision of the Iraq pull-out timeline bill would create a national holiday marking what Democrats said could be the “the greatest U.S. military achievement of the 21st century so far.”
Jump Master
What we Call the News [JibJab]
(Need more? The previous Dawn Patrol is here.)
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.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007 -- [Acute Politics - in Iraq]
The intra-Sunni fighting in Al-Anbar province is continuing, and the violence is rising.
I'll also try my hand at laying out some of the recent events below, and explain a little bit of how the various elements you may hear about in the news are related.
Since the start of the year, Al-Qaeda In Iraq has attempted 11 chlorine VBIEDs, 9 in Al-Anbar, 1 in Tadji, and one in Baghdad. Of those, 9 have detonated with varying degrees of success, and 2 were found and disabled in Ramadi. The most recent attacks were early this morning in downtown Falluja, outside the government center...
Fallujah government center struck by chlorine suicide attack -- [The Fourth Rail]
Iraq Police, Army stop bomber short of target; dozens wounded, poisoned
Al Qaeda in Iraq is conducting a full fledged chemical war in Anbar province. Today, Al Qaeda conducted yet another chlorine gas suicide bombing, this time directed at the Fallujah government center, in the very heart of the city of Fallujah. The attack was coordinated; Multinational Forces West described it as “complex.” The two suicide truck bombs and small arms fire was preceded by mortar fire, which likely was designed to distract the guards at the gates.
IRAQ: AL-QAEDA SAYS IT STRUCK IN TALAFAR -- (AKI)
Baghdad, 28 March - The 'Islamic State of Iraq' a name used by a group affiliated to al-Qaeda in Iraq has said it blew up two trucks - one in a crowded market - in the town of Talafar which killed some 60 people and injured scores more. In a statement posted on the Internet the group said it has carried out Tuesday's attack as part "of a noble plan called 'expeditions to avenge the honour' proclaimed by our emir Abu Omar al-Baghdadi."
Fallujah Government Center attacked by chlorine truck bombs -- [MNF-I]
FALLUJAH, Iraq – Iraqi Army soldiers and police repelled a complex attack at the Fallujah Government Center, including two suicide truck bombs containing chlorine, on the morning of March 28.
Iran's Latest Hostage Gamble -- [Austin Bay - Strategy Page]
The sailors call them "RHIBs" -- rigid hull inflatable boats. Add powerful outboard motors, and the agile, shallow-draft RHIB becomes an ideal watercraft for scooting around the Tigris and Euphrates estuary or for slipping among suspicious dhows in Iraqi coastal waters.
Breaking: Iran says it will release woman Marine; Update: Set to air video “confession”? -- [Hot Air]
Today or tomorrow, according to the banner at CNN.com. Meanwhile, Blair has unleashed his dreaded “new phase” in the standoff: a freeze on all diplomatic matters with Iran unrelated to the hostage crisis and public presentation of GPS evidence that the ships were, indeed, in Iraqi waters. Iran has already responded on the latter point.
...Update: Looks like there’s a price for letting her go
In her own words: the female sailor held captive in Iran -- [The Independent]
An exclusive interview with Faye Turney, hours before she was seized
The woman who was captured by Iran's Revolutionary Guards while serving with the Royal Navy in Iraq spoke of her devotion to both her family and her job just hours before she was seized.
BBC NEWS VIDEO HERE
UK Presents Coordinates of British Vessels -- [Iraq Slogger]
MoD Claims Proof Sailors Were in Iraqi Waters When Seized
The British Ministry of Defence today in London presented the coordinates of the two British vessels from which 15 British personnel were seized on Friday, evidence Vice Admiral Charles Style said proved the Royal Navy was "ambushed" while "well inside" Iraqi waters.
UK Iran Bordercrossing issue
The Sunni Civil War -- [The Fourth Rail]
A map of al Qaeda's Islamic State of Iraq.
Al Qaeda 's campaign against the Sunni tribal and insurgent leaders who oppose al Qaeda, or are considering it
Al Qaeda in Iraq is pressing hard with its assassination, terror and intimidation campaign against Sunni tribal leaders and insurgent groups who refuse to join the Islamic State of Iraq, al Qaeda's political front designed to give the Sunni insurgency an Iraqi face.
Sadr's south Part 2 - Documentary about the Shia
This is a documentary about the Shia.
A plateau for now, but more action is in the air. -- [Iraq the Model - Iraqis in Iraq]
Ahmed Farhan Hassan has been captured. This operative is described as a senior aide to Abu Omar al-Baghdadi the leader of al-Qaeda’s so-called Islamic State in Iraq. That would make him a reasonably big fish, one from which, it would seem, good intelligence can be extracted.
Local Iraqi TV aired recorded confessions of Ahmed Farhan Hassan. Hassan, who was captured in Abu Ghraib west of Baghdad a few days ago, ...
Surge = Training Op for Iraqis -- [Defense Tech]
Ongoing “surge” operations in Baghdad are doubling as training opportunities for Iraqi soldiers, airmen and government officials. U.S. strategy entails turning over responsibility for security in Iraq to native entities as soon as they’re ready; the demands of the surge have forced Iraqis to be readier, sooner.
Iraqi and Coalition forces reunite kidnapped victims with families -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD — Iraqi and Coalition forces aided three Iraqi civilians, who were held hostage by terrorists near Karmah, Iraq, Thursday, and were returned to their homes Sunday.
Iraqi independent TV, radio launches -- [MNF-I]
DIYALA — The Independent Radio and Television Network officially launched during a ceremony held in the heart of Iraq’s troubled Diyala Province Sunday.
Coalition forces capture 19 suspected terrorists in Iraq -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces captured 19 suspected terrorists during operations Wednesday morning targeting al-Qaida in Iraq and foreign fighter facilitators.
During operations east of Karmah, Coalition Forces captured five suspected terrorists with alleged involvement in al-Qaida terrorist operations.
Oregon Soldiers Patrol Afghanistan Part 1 (raw footage)
Experience exactly what is was like for one Army/Oregon Guard foot patrol that went 'outside the wire" in Kabul, Afghanistan in November, '06. Each part is five minutes in length and completely unedited to give you an accurate look at what Photojournalist/Reporter Tim King saw and recorded "outside the wire" in Kabul, Afghanistan.
The Politics of Eurocentrism -- [KGW Afghanistan Blog]
I sat down at my computer yesterday to find a piece of paper from the US Army command resting on the keyboard:
"The US government has received the information below and classified the information as "Unclassified" to ensure the widest dissemination as possible to include NGO's.
Due to the release of the Italian journalist, the US government has credible information that the Taliban, buoyed by their recent success in obtaining the release of five imprisoned Taliban members in exchange for an Italian journalist, will undertake additional kidnappings of foreigners in southern Afghanistan, especially Helmund Province. This threat extends to and includes main highways as well as more rural areas."
Daniele Mastrogiacomo. An Italian freelance journalist who writes for La Repubblica was working in an area in Helmund Province where there is little to no Coalition force presence; it is an area that is reported to be under narco-Taliban control. Using a "fixer" or guide to take him in to the area he stated in an interview that, "...
287 Days time on target -- [McNeilly's Perspective - in Afghanistan]
Today I have been deployed to Afghanistan for 287 days. I listened on the radio today as a very calm person relayed information about a TIC (Troops In Contact) somewhere in the country. He was totally calm and professional. His boss wanted particulars about small arms fire and RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenades), he replied "We received small arms fire from across the river for about 15 minutes, and they started the attack with several RPG's. The commander asked about casualties, and he responded with that information. Later I listened as another unit reported detaining a person, and finding out that he was a person of interest linked to the Taliban organization. It was a very interesting time to listen.
JAPDIP -- [Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Afghanistan]
...One subject I will mention before going is the effect our departure has on the Afghans we’ve been working with. Hamid is looking down as he thinks about my leaving. However, this is a process both the ANA and the interpreters will go through each year. They make friends, get used to working with us, then we leave, and a new batch comes in, starting the process all over again. I remember when we first arrived at CMA. There were only four Americans working there before us, and it was obvious they were comfortable working with the ANA, and clearly friendships had been formed. When they said their goodbyes, I believe there was genuine sadness being displayed by many of the Afghans. We were the newcomers, and in a way we were the reason their friends had to leave.
Afghan Hospitality -- [Bouhammer Afghan Blog - in Afghanistan]
The other night our terps threw a party in honor of us before we leave. This is somewhat of a tradition that they do in Afghanistan for their guests, of which they consider us. This is the first of several feasts that we will have here before leaving. Our ANA will be having one for us also soon.
In their honor Prohpet, Puss and myself dressed in our local garb of man-jammies, slippers, and our Pashto hats. Of course we added some accessories including the folding stock AKs that each of us has and Puss wore my bandoleer. Prophet and I also wore our vests.
AFGHANISTAN: NATO PLEASED WITH ITALIAN SENATE VOTE TO CONTINUE MISSION -- (AKI)
Brussels, 28 March - NATO has said that it is satisfied with the vote in the Italian Senate on Tuesday to give final approval for the re-funding for all Italian missions abroad, including the 1,900-strong military contingent in Afghanistan. "Certainly, we are pleased with the Senate vote that will allow Italy to continue with its commitment in Afghanistan," NATO spokesman, James Appathurai said on Wednesday. He said that successsive Italian governments have confirmed Italy's commitment to the mission.
The Iranian Revolution in Iraq -- [Michael Totten]
KOMALAH COMPOUND, NORTHERN IRAQ – They were supposed to be social democrats, the people Patrick Lasswell and I met yesterday in a compound outside the city of Suleimaniya, the cultural capital of Northern Iraqi Kurdistan. We had it all set up. We were to meet Abu Bakr Mudarisy and his associates for lunch at 11:00 A.M. and learn what we could about the anti-government resistance a few miles away in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Our driver Yusef misunderstood and took us to the wrong place. He did drop us off where we met left-wing dissidents from Iran. But these weren’t the moderate English-speaking leftist intellectuals we were looking for. Instead we found ourselves in an armed camp of the military wing of the Iranian Communist Party.
Let's Make War On China -- [Strategy Page]
March 27, 2007: Leave to the marines to say what needs to be said, but that no one else has the nerve to do. Marine general James Cartwright, commander of STRATCOM (Strategic Command) pointed out that, in the face of increasing hacker attacks on Department of Defense and civilian computer networks, the best defense is a good offense. While many of these attacks are launched by criminal gangs and individuals (most of them amateurs), an increasing amount of the hacker activity is government sponsored, or the work of soldiers or civilians working for foreign government.
lying Imams Shield Law Introduced in Congress [Update: PASSED!!!] -- [Jawa Report]
UPDATE: "Flying Imams Shield Law Passes"!!!!!!!!!!
The motion passed 304 to 121
...House Republicans today surprised Democrats with a procedural vote to protect public-transportation passengers from being sued if they report suspicious activity -- the first step by lawmakers to protect "John Doe" airline travelers already targeted in a lawsuit by Muslim imams that charges profiling.
The John Doe Manifesto -- [Michelle Malkin]
Check out our Spartacus-inspired PSA in support of the citizen John Does threatened by CAIR and the litigious imams for reporting suspicious behavior
(Thanks to the cast and crew: Uncle Jimbo, Robert Spencer, Erick Stakelbeck, and Bryan Preston.)
My column this week also covers the new John Doe movement and lays down the John Doe manifesto:
Interpol issues extradition warrants for five senior Iranians and one senior Hezbollah Operative -- [Jawa Report]
From the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Israel Intelligence Heritage & Commemoration Center (IICC):
Following an appeal from the Argentinean Attorney General, Interpol issued international extradition warrants for five senior Iranians and one senior Hezbollah operative. The charge was involvement in the suicide bombing attack of the Jewish community center building (AMIA) in Argentina in 1994.
Understanding and Simplifying Terrorist Financing -- [Countrterrorism Blog]
In the most basic sense, terrorist groups require funding to achieve their goals. They must have effective financial infrastructures to include:
• Sources of funds
• The means to launder funds
• The availability of funding
Care Packages -- [INDC Journal]
Military families and folks from organizations like Soldiers' Angels and Operation Gratitude should feel confident that their care packages are appreciated and everywhere in Fallujah. From Camp Fallujah to Iraqi Police Headquarters to the Forward Operating Bases outside the wire, one can't help stumbling across endless boxes of soap, baby wipes, beef jerky, pop tarts, beef jerky, soup and beef jerky. Between the packages, fancy chow halls at larger bases and good communications, servicemembers are certainly more connected and probably better taken care of than during any other war in US history.
ROFASix - Censored by the Left? -- [ROFA Six]
28 March 2007 - Note: The person who claimed to have taken the photos of demonstrators burning an effigy of an American soldier contacted me and demanded I remove this photo I had posted a week ago. She claimed that by posting her photo I caused her to get hate e-mail. It was spurious logic. Had she not commented on the post and left her e-mail address, no one would have known who took the photo
Portland Oregon Anarchists Burn Soldier Effigy (Mature)
Democrats, Why Did You Betray Me -- [Tanker Brothers]
I sit here at my computer in Baghdad and seethe with rage at the treason of the Left Wing and the arrogant Democratic Party. My soul cries out in rage at their open acts of idiocy. I simply cannot put into words my utter disgust with the leftists and their actions. However, I can ask one simple question: Why did you betray me?
Viral Targeting of the IED Social Network System -- [Scott Swanson - SWJ]
Extremist groups, insurgents, and resistance elements continue to use Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) to attack coalition forces to thwart “infidel Crusaders’” occupation activities and assault rival sectarian factions. The effective and low-cost IED weapon in Iraq hides as a tool created within an elusive social network system and its use will persist in opportunistic attacks if the status quo does not shift. This IED system further devastates Iraq with evolving ambush accuracy and component sophistication, creates supply-chain income opportunities within the community, and beckons the youth who require a social-psychological outlet. Regrettably, IEDs will continue to be a weapon to channel the three “Rs” attributed to insurgencies: resentment, resistance, and revenge, unless social improvements can be rapidly implemented or the supporting networks can be debilitated.
Liberal Algerian Paper Criticizes U.S. Antiwar Movement -- [ON Point]
In an opinion piece in the liberal Algerian daily Liberté, columnist Mustapha Hammouche criticizes what he sees as the simplistic populism of the anti-war movement in the U.S. He argues that the anti-war protests are primarily a result of nostalgia for the protest movement against the Vietnam War, and that they ignore the realities of the current war in Iraq – which, he says, has helped terrorism diminish Iraqis' hopes and has eroded their support for democracy.
The following are excerpts:
"The Latest American Plan... is Aimed at Compensating for the Lack of Order Caused by the Sectarian Tendencies of Iraqi Policemen"
Giving our opponent our playbook -- [Calvary in Iraq - in Iraq]
It is unfathomable to me that a reasonable and supposedly informed body of public officials would vote to require withdrawal of US forces from Iraq as a condition of funding our troops.
It's like a football team giving the other team its playbook before the game. It is, as pro-military Senators stated, a recipe for defeat.
Dems support the pork, er, troops -- [Don Surber]
Victory Caucus has posted the Senate emergency appropriation bill for Iraq.
Democrats support the troops with:...
THEY'RE RUNNING AWAY WITH THEIR LITTLE CURLY TAILS BETWEEN THEIR LEGS: -- [Instaoundit]
The Senate has just passed an Iraq withdrawal bill, which like the House bill was laden with pork to buy votes.
The Democrat Bill To Embolden The Enemy Passes -- [Flopping Aces]
...This is the new and improved Congress where we have Hagel voting for the cut n run bill and Lieberman against...the same bill that was bounced off the floor two weeks ago passes today all because of bribes.
Wonderful job Dem's, you should be patting yourselves on the back for this one.
Senate Votes 50-48 For Surrender Timetable; Chuck Hagel Provides Crucial Vote -- [Ace of Spades]
This guy is running for President? Really?
If so, he's running third party -- I think he's deliberately considering playing the spoiler to drain away isolationist conservatives from the GOP and insure a Democratic victor.
Republican Party Ready To Abandon The Troops -- [Villainous Company]
In the Wall Street Journal, Brendan Miniter wonders whether the GOP will ever be a national party aga
...Standing up for what you believe in?
That would require a backbone: something that, by all the available evidence, the Republican party long ago lost any claim to:
Spring Break May Delay War Funds -- [The Politico] (HT: Bill Nelson - Free Republic)
Spring break checklist for Congress: A plane ticket back home, chocolate (or matzo) for the family and a war spending bill for the president.
The last item might need to wait.
Anti-War Bloggers Update Us on the Surge -- [OP-FOR]
Is the surge working? Hell, I don't know. I've heard good things, I've heard bad things. But anyone who tells you "no progress is being made" is trying to sell you something, not deliver an honest evaluation on the ground sit out there.
Unless, of course, you believe that John Avarosis of AMERICAblog knows something that General Petraeus doesn't.
Alert: Likely Skunk in the Tal Afar Press Room -- [Gateway Pundit]
Wait and see. You can bet there's much more to this massacre story...
This story looks like another media hoaxer like the 6 Sunni story that was fabricated or the Ramadi soccer field slaughter that was made up.
So far this morning the Tal Afar massacre story has been reprinted some 763 times.
This horrific Tal Afar massacre story was reported this morning by Sinan Salaheddin of the AP:
Media Matters mauls Politico -- [Hot Air]
...I haven’t done any scientific surveys to determine if the George Soros creature called Media Matters for America is actually the lamest site on the internet, but intuition tells me that it is. The people who run that site use the bottomless pockets of Soros, a man who thinks America is a Nazi country today in spite of the fact that we’ve spent precious blood and treasure to put down a couple of Nazi-like regimes since 2001, to come up with the silliest, most one-side critiques of MSM journalism you can find anywhere. Then they breathlessly report these non-stories as though they’re reporting the very end of the world and creation itself. They take themselves very seriously indeed, but no one else has any reason to treat them likewise. They’re basically a left-wing outfit lavishly funded to push the MSM to the left.
Here’s an example.
HERITAGE FOUNDATION: "How Modern Liberals Think -- [HT: Soldiers' Angels Germany]
The title of the 45-minute lecture called "Regurgitating the Apple: How Modern Liberals Think", but forget the labels. It's a fascinating analysis of what he calls "indescriminateness of thought", often called moral equivilancy. The indescriminateness of thought which has led to much of today's anti-America, anti-Military agenda.
Bill Maher: Our Troops Have a ‘Dysfunctional, Abusive Relationship’ With Bush -- [NewsBusters]
HBO’s Bill Maher threw quite a Bush bash on the March 9 installment of “Real Time.”
Not only did he stock his panel exclusively with well-known critics of the Administration like Roseanne Barr, the Washington Post’s Dana Milbank, and former Special Assistant to the President David Kuo who attained notoriety by writing the book “Tempting Faith” after leaving the White House.
Maher also began the program after his opening monologue by interviewing a retired Army major general that had just written a scathing op-ed about America’s top officers published in the New York Times Tuesday. This made him the perfect guest to start such a hate-filled program (video available here courtesy of our friend Ms Underestimated).
Barbara Walters: Official Old Whore — David Gregory: Con Man Journalist -- [Pat Dollard]
Barbara Walters is a seasoned journalist. Barbara Walters has a responsibility, as co-owner/producer of the View, to ensure that her show presents factually correct, fair and accurate coverage of serious news, whenever it should choose to cover serious news. This morning, the show decided to cover the serious news about the snatched British naval personnel, and Rosie O’Donnel decided to flatly lie when she claimed that the Brits “apparently went into Iranian waters”. Now Rosie did this because she knows full well that Iran’s claim that the Brits went into those waters is the only excuse that the Iranians have for what may well be a political/military kidnapping - ie, an unprovoked act of Iranian military aggression. Rosie, in at best an absence of all facts,
Rosie talks about British in Iranian Waters & Gulf of Tonkin
Rosie O'Donnell speaks out about british soldiers in iranian waters and encourages viewers to google the Gulf of Tonkin.
Radio Host and HuffPo Blogger: How Could a Liar Like Tony Snow Not Have Cancer? -- [NewsBusters]
On Monday, a blogger had to cancel a speaking engagement at a tech conference because she was receiving death threats from people through her e-mail and at other websites.
On Tuesday, a radio personality and blogger at the Huffington Post suggested that White House Press Secretary Tony Snow has cancer because he lies and works for Fox News.
New York Times -- [The Marching Camp - in Iraq]
New motto:
All the news that's fit to print, padded with whatever fiction gives our editorial board a warm fuzzy.
OK, I got this story from a blog who pointed to a FOX News article on the subject.
But the New York Times Editor's Note references as the basis of the Fox story is here.
The original story requires registration, and I don't feel like it. Don't need it anyway, because I have a pretty strong feeling about the original story. Unlike the New York Times, I'll tell you I'm speculating here that the original story was pretty slanted, "blahblahblah, the military is full of sexists and rapists, blahblahblah."
LEAK: Bush Veto Speech on Iraq Timeline Bill -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-03-28) — President George Bush will issue a rare veto in a nationally-televised speech within the next week according to the text of the address leaked to reporters today.
The following are excerpts from a draft of the president’s TV script.
(Need more? The previous Dawn Patrol is here.)
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.
Iraq ‘headed in the right direction’ -- [MNF-I]
Tuesday, 27 March 2007 - WASHINGTON — Several positive developments indicate that Iraq’s leaders and its people will eventually surmount insurgent violence occurring in the country and ultimately achieve stability, the outgoing U.S. ambassador to Iraq told reporters in Baghdad.
NEWS FROM THE FRONT - Interview with a Warrior -- [TJ's Anti-Contrarian Blog]
This installment is an interview with one of the heroes born of our society. He may not view himself as a hero, but from my military experience in joint operations, I know that the Marines and Army are doing the heavy lifting to engage an enemy that would rather be here blowing up your shopping malls. This News From the Front is dedicated to JACK ARMY.
ON Point Exclusive: Stepping Back in Ramadi, by Cpl Paul Robbins, Jr. -- [ON Point]
Since arriving to the city of Ar Ramadi, Iraq, in September of 2006, the Marines of 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, (from Camp Lejeune, N.C.) have had a three part mission for their task in supporting the ongoing Operation Iraqi Freedom. That mission is to neutralize the insurgency, support and train Iraqi Security Forces, and conduct civil military operations to improve the quality of life for residents in the city. In the more than six months since their arrival the...
Rangers Find Intel in Ramadi
Baghdad High Value Targets Nabbed -- [The Fourth Rail]
The Baghdad Order Of Battle as of March 26, 2007. Click map to view.
Three mass murderers have been arrested in Baghdad over the past week
Al Qaeda in Iraq and their network of suicide and car bomb cells have been the greatest threat to security in Baghdad, particularly since the implementation of the Baghdad Security Plan. Suicide attacks are aimed at Shia neighborhoods and markets in an attempt to reignite the sectarian murders, as well as at security forces in an attempt to break the will of the Iraqi police and soldiers. Over the past five days, Iraqi and U.S. forces have put a big dent in the leadership of a suicide and car bomb cell in Adhamiyah, as well as an al Qaeda leader in Abu Ghraib.
Red On Red In Iraq -- [Captain's Quarters]
Iraqi Sunni insurgents have begun turning on their former friends in al-Qaeda, to the point of open combat in some areas, according to Sunni politicians and insurgent spokespeople. The development gives hope that the Iraqi factions will reject foreign terrorists and that the conflict can provide an opening for the end of the native insurgencies:...
Three Anti-Iraqi Forces Detained -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD, Iraq –Iraqi and Coalition Forces captured three suspected criminals during an operation Tuesday morning targeting anti-Iraqi forces in Najaf.
Intelligence reports indicated individuals in the targeted area were involved with the facilitation of weapons into Iraq.
“Iraqi and Coalition Forces are working diligently to eliminate the threat to Iraqi forces," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson. “These threats are a hindrance to the peace and stability the Iraqi people deserve.”
Iraqi Police complete survival training -- [MNF-I]
AD-DUJAL — Nearly 30 new Iraqi Police officers graduated from a demanding survival course here on March 17.
The officers joined the Iraqi Police after completing a five-week course designed to familiarize them with skills necessary to protect and serve citizens and themselves.
“The new volunteer [policeman] does not have any experience,” said Iraqi Gen. Muzhir Aubed Dharfir, police chief for Salah ad-Din province. “After taking this course, he will have that experience in the field. God willing, we will get to continue to train these officers.”
Al Anbar governor meets with Rutbah leaders -- [MNF-I]
AR RUTBAH — The Governor of Al Anbar Province met with Rutbah City Council members on Thursday to discuss issues vital to improving the quality of life in the city.
Cold Calling the Communists in Iraq -- [Moderate Risk - in Iraq]
They were the nicest Marxists I've ever met, even if the meeting was by accident. Michael Totten and I arranged to meet with a group of Iranian dissidents who were described to us as a bunch of former communists who now followed a “Social Democrat” ideology so we could interview them. We figured their take on matters in Iran must be very interesting, and hopefully it will be when we meet later this week. Today, however, we got together with our driver and our translator, headed out for a meeting with Iranian dissidents and found one. Strangely enough, it was not with the group we had arranged with. The first commune you run across is often not the one you're looking for and instead of reformed social democrats, we found hard core, unreformed, Marxist-Leninists. Sometimes
Sights, Sounds and Smells -- [Pro Deo Et Patria - An Army Chaplain - in Iraq]
It was a busy day today. In the evening I flew over to Rustamiyah- my old stomping grounds- for a memorial. I flew with one of our generals and represented the Division Chaplain Staff. I love being up in the air in a helicopter, and as I observed everything as we flew, it occured to me that being here in Iraq entails many different sights, sounds and smells.
Iran, Sadr and Iranian Forces Deployed Throughout the Middle East -- [Captain's Journal]
US News & World Report recently reported on a skirmish between Iranian and U.S. forces in September of 2006, within Iraq but near the Iranian border. This skirmish was merely a prelude to further action, and more recently fifteen British sailors and marines were abducted by Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces while patroling inside Iraqi territorial waters near the Shatt al-Arab waterway. Of course, Iran immediately claimed that the Brits were in Iranian territory, but this is irrelevant since the abductions had nothing to do with territorial disputes. The abductions were the next step in the escalating covert war with coalition forces.
Taliban Turns on Al Qaeda -- [Strategy Page]
March 27, 2007: In Pakistan, the government got several more tribes to agree to help fight Islamic terrorists. This deal has not worked out so well in nearby Waziristan, but is the best the government can do. The deal calls for the tribes to "refrain" from supporting the Taliban or Islamic terrorists in general. In return, the government stays out of tribal affairs, unless invited in.
