 |  |
| 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.
ABC News on Iraq
Well, here's the orficer heads, and a retrospective -- [The Marching Camp - recently back from Iraq]
In other news, you know what isn't in the news anynore? Ninewah Province. . . Funny how that happens. As a matter of fact, I don't recall seeing it in the news lately. I don't remember seeing it in the news since we left there. Hrmmm. . .
The Brigade Commander made an interesting assertation about Ramadi today. He stated that we left Ramadi like we found Tal Afar. Unconsolidated victory--the insurgents no longer control huge pieces of territory. 2,500 Iraqi Police are in uniform and either on patrol or in training--a stark contrast from the perhaps 70 terrified IPs huddled on a tiny post just outside the American camp that we found. 1st Brigade built 18 Combat Outposts and 5 IP Stations, extending American and Iraqi Security Force reach out into every single neighborhood. We spent $32 million dollars on over a hundred reconstruction projects.
Army Engineers Complete 64 More Projects -- [Defend America]
BAGHDAD, March 6, 2007 — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division completed 64 construction projects between Feb. 23 and March 4, 2007 – bringing the total number of completed projects to 11, 395.
NBC Highlights Troops Who Support US Presence in Iraq -- [NewsBusters]
On Tuesday's NBC Nightly News, anchor Brian Williams, reporting from Baghdad, delivered a refreshing end to the show as he showcased several U.S. troops who voiced support for their work in Iraq, and for America continuing its work there. While Williams did feature one soldier who was less than enthusiastic about the mission, other troops, featured in pre-recorded soundbites, spoke of "staying until the job is done," and of feeling "proud" about helping the Iraqis.
Rebuilding Iraq's Helicopter Fleet -- [ROFA Six]
Five brand new Huey II's, donated by Jordan have arrived at Camp Taji and are being used to get Iraqi pilots current in the aircraft.
The aircraft join the three OH-58A/C type aircraft and ten MI-17s already on station. By the end of the year, Iraq expects to have a fleet of 5o-60 helicopters.
1/34 BCT Opens Sixth Water Plant with International Presence -- [GX Online]
3/6/07, Camp Adder, Iraq— Children, officials, sheiks, Italians, Australians and U.S. Soldiers were present for the opening of a reverse osmosis water-treatment plant in Al Kuaam, Iraq, a small rural farming village of 2,000 people on the south bank of the Euphrates River
Marines Build Trust, Lend Helping Hand to Locals -- [Defend America]
RAWAH, Iraq, March 7, 2007 — In a town set on the Euphrates River, 150 miles northwest of Baghdad, two Marines stood calmly as a group of local Iraqi men surrounded them. The Iraqis, mostly former school teachers, warmly greeted the Marines and explained what they needed to make their city better.
Outside Baghdad and the Iraq Security Plan -- [The Fourth Rail]
As the Baghdad pieces of the puzzle are being put in place, operations are underway in the provinces
While the major focus of the Iraq security plan is the capital of Baghdad, Iraqi and Coalition forces have stepped up operations in the provinces. The intent is obvious: while Baghdad is in the process of being secured and troops continue to deploy into the city, the weapons, suicide bombers and foreign fighters must be interdicted before they reach the city limits. The Iraqi government and Coalition are pressing the insurgency both inside Baghdad, and on the peripheries
Safe in Iraq -- [Cpl M -- A Soldier's Perspective - in Iraq]
My unit arrived in Iraq a few days ago and we spent the time since then getting classes and preparing for the big turn over that will take place over the next week or two. We are still settling in and learning the ropes out here, but everything is going just fine. I'm still trying to catch up on emails, but that shouldn't take too much longer.
What it's Like to be a Cop in Fallujah -- [INDC Journal - in Iraq]
Captain Tad Scott of the Fallujah Police Transition Team e-mailed regarding an attack on an Iraqi police officer I'd met during my embed:
...Just a grim slice of life for IPs in Fallujah. Events like this are a major reason that I have limited patience for those who glorify the insurgents as "justified resistance to occupation."
One Woman's Experience with US Soldiers -- [Iraq Slogger]
Insecurity and Fear Color Even Calmest Interactions
Around Baghdad, the dominant theme in daily life is the constant concern for security. Even the heavily armed US and Iraqi soldiers deployed in the city, as much as their formal mission is to provide security, are also a source of fear and insecurity for vulnerable local civilians.
Incompetent & Crooked Iraqi Police Allow Terrorists to Escape Imprisonment (updated) -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
For at least the second time in the past 5 months, some of the most dangerous terrorists have been able to escape from an Iraqi jail guarded by Iraqi police. Today, militants stormed Mosul's northwestern Badoush prison and freed over 140 prisoners, most of whom are described as "insurgents." You can bet they weren't traffic violators; they were probably key operatives in terrorist cells who were painstakingly hunted down by the U.S. military and Iraqi army. The overwhelmed police asked the U.S. military for help, but too late to stop the escaping terrorists.
Where Did All The Sunni Arabs Go? -- [Strategy Page]
March 7, 2007: Having lost many of their bomb factories (where care bombs were assembled) and safe houses (where suicide bombers were trained and indoctrinated) in Baghdad, Sunni terrorists are rushing in teams from the suburbs to try and make enough mess to force the Shia militia to come out and fight. The Shia militia saw that the American surge campaign in Baghdad would be directed mostly at the Sunni terrorists. Thus the Shia militiamen simply put their weapons away and took off their black uniforms for a while, and let the Americans do their thing.
Unprecedented recruiting event yields record 60-plus recruits -- [Marine Corps News]
CAMP ELLIS, Iraq (March 07, 2007) -- In an unprecedented move by local leaders in the town of Barwanah, a village of 20,000 citizens in the Anbar Province of Iraq, the largest number of Iraqi Police recruits ever recruited from the area were processed in a recruit screening this week.
Security operations continue in Sadr City -- [MNF-I]
CAMP LIBERTY — A combined force of Iraqi Police and Multi-National Division–Baghdad troops completed a second day of security operations at the eastern Baghdad district of Sadr City Monday.
Coalition Forces conducting an air strike on al-Qaeda terrorist cells and vehicles with anti-aircraf Marked as: Featured
Coalition Forces conducting an air strike on al-Qaeda terrorist cells and vehicles with anti-aircraft artillery west of Taji, Iraq. 03-06-2007
Operation White Rockets nets two caches, two suspects south of Baghdad -- [MNF-I]
KALSU, Iraq – Iraqi Army troops and paratroopers from Multi-National Division – Baghdad worked together to successfully complete “Operation White Rockets” March 6, finding two ammunition caches and detaining two suspects.
Soldiers of 5th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division and 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Squadron dismounted to clear out suspected insurgent sanctuary areas near Bin Muhammad, Iraq, south of Baghdad.
Life is a game. Football is serious. -- [Rmychk's Oh So Optimistic Blog - in Iraq]
Right outside my front door is over 4,000 years of history and I finally made an effort to get the grand tour of the area. In the ancient city of Ur, several structures have been excavated, the Ziggurat, the oldest intact archway, the royal palace, royal tombs, a part of the inner "sacred" wall of Ur, the house that Abraham grew up in, other houses, and even hieroglyphics in the royal palace.
Controlling investment in Iraq -- [Iraq Updates]
06 March 2007 (Gulf News) -- With considerable fanfare, Iraq's Cabinet last week announced approval of a draft law that would permit foreign investment in the nation's oil industry and provide for ...
Sunni clerics group attacks Iraq's draft oil law -- [Iraq Updates]
(07 March 2007) An influential Sunni Arab group criticised Iraq's long awaited oil investment law on Tuesday, accusing the United States and Britain of invading...
Maliki's Political and Economic Bullet -- [Austin Bay - Strategy Page]
March 7, 2007 - Petroleum is the resource that dominates discussion of Iraq's economy.
However, water and rich agricultural land make the country much more than a desert oil spigot.
Keep Improving the Foxhole -- [Jack Army - in Iraq]
Heard it my whole career. Can't say I've heard it said by anybody but an infantryman, though. I just don't recall, in all my dealings with Soldiers from other MOS's, anybody saying "keep improving the foxhole".
What does it mean? Well, I'm sure you are familiar with foxholes, right? Doesn't everyone have one in their backyards? No? We, being infantrymen, used to fight from them. Now we seem to have mobile foxholes, in the form of uparmored humvees, Strykers, and Bradleys.
Iraqi Man Caught at LAX with Weird Item in Body Cavity -- (VIDEO) -- [KTLA]
Security officers detained an Iraqi national at Los Angeles International Airport early today after a "metal object" was found in the man's rectum during a body cavity search.
Burqa-clad Taliban leader caught as NATO attacks -- (Reuters Alert)
KABUL, March 7 (Reuters) - Afghan soldiers have captured a Taliban leader who tried to flee a security operation in the south dressed in a burqa, NATO said on Wednesday.
Tuesday's capture in Kandahar province came as NATO launched a major offensive in neighbouring Helmand to secure a key hydroelectric dam and combat the opium trade.
NATO launches Operation Achilles in northern Helmand; Taliban website 'shut down' -- [Afgha.com]
NATO officials announced the beginning of a joint security operation with Afghan army units in northern Helmand province. Dubbed Operation Achilles, nearly 4,500 NATO and 1,000 ANA troops will be eventually used to subdue the violence ridden areas of northern Helmand.
Meanwhile the main Taliban website that posts battlefield updates and other related issues has reportedly been shut down.
The Spring Offensive -- [gwot dot us - in Afghainstan]
03/07/07 1456 hours - Well it seems that the Taliban has held true to their word (when they vowed to start a fresh Spring offensive). Activity has been on the increase around my little FOB. Four IED’s have been found in the past 2 weeks, all within 15km of where I rack out for the night. Sadly, one of them claimed the life of a female combat medic of the Spanish Army variety, this same IED wounded 2 other Spanish troops as well.
Shell games... -- [KGW Afghanistan Blog]
Oshay, Afghanistan - ...Near the end of February, the clinic was finally opened. Lacking the promised Dutch funding, the US Special Operations Civil Affairs team took matters into their own hands. Using a limited amount of funds that were available to them through US channels, as well as their own labor and labor donated by the locals, the majority of the clinic was completed. The finishing touch came one afternoon with the arrival of a contracted supply truck that had been dispatched by the Afghan government with over $50,000 US worth of supplies for the clinic. Where the Dutch had failed, the Afghan government had come through.
Examples like this remain an ongoing problem here in Afghanistan for US command. While NATO and ISAF forces have deployed here, many of the promises and commitments made to the US are not being upheld. As one US soldier stated, "NATO and ISAF are unwillingness to accept risk, but are more than willing to accept credit for the work done by US forces." In this case, it's unclear who will officially get credit for the medical clinic at Oshay, even though the credit rests solely with the efforts and accomplishments of the US Special Operations Civil Affairs team lead by Stew and Suss.
(Make/A) Sense of Things, Part I -- [Kabulog - in Afghanistan]
...As I’ve said before, the donor side talk/rhetoric seems to have been improving and seeming more realistic. But the reality of this place is catching up to them. And the mood of the common Afghans (from my very limited/skewed sampling) is shifting markedly more than it did in the past year, and in a different way. It’s like a worsening is a foregone conclusion and now people are just waiting for things to get worse before they can get better. It seems like the only question really is how worse that worse is. Our two cooks, who are brothers, were telling me, in a markedly melancholic and longing manner, about how peaceful their home village is in the summer, and wishing I could come see it.
Blog Addiction - The William Arkin Obscene Amenity of the Day -- [Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Afghanistan]
(Named for William Arkin, the blogger who thinks the military is made up of mercenaries with too many amenities). Don’t be a stranger, Bill.
... AWAC is delighted to invite another Camp Phoenixite to our pages. SSG Carrie Sawyer is also here for a year, and contributes this well-written and most educational posting about the 5-star hotel she is living in.
... I too am a victim of an obscene amenity. Mr. Jefferson, although your rank may afford you a spacious 8'x12' b-hut space on the "moving on up to the east-side" of Chateau Phoenix, we lower enlisted have it even better. Take the lake-in-front-of-my-door property you see in the picture.
General Panic -- [Jules Crittenden]
Stratfor.com on the raising of stakes and exposure of fakes. Meir Javedanfar at Pajamas Media on the panic in Teheran over a missing general. Meir first:
Syria ready with bio-terror if U.S. hits Iran -- [WND]
Damascus reportedly hiding WMD among commercial pharmaceuticals
An American biodefense analyst living in Europe says if the U.S. invades Iran to halt its nuclear ambitions, Syria is ready to respond with weapons of mass destruction – specifically biological weapons.
"Syria is positioned to launch a biological attack on Israel or Europe should the U.S. attack Iran," Jill Bellamy-Dekker told WND. "The Syrians are embedding their biological weapons program into their commercial pharmaceuticals business and their veterinary vaccine-research facilities.
Escalating Problem in AMIS -- [Soldier of Africa - in Darfur]
The inability of AMIS to pay its people is causing a situation where individuals’ lives are in danger now. The chief finance officer was held up at his house a couple of days ago by armed men who wanted their MSA. In the end after threatening to kill him if they did not receive their money the men left with a mobile phone and his vehicle, leaving him tied up. Apparently they told him that they will return his vehicle to him upon receiving their MSA. The situation is becoming critical now and is worsened by the inability or reluctance of the top structure of the AU or AMIS to rectify the situation.
Thousands of Iranian Teachers Strike in Tehran (Video) -- [Gateway Pundit]
** Update: A Second Teacher's Protest Was Held Today in Tehran!
Thousands of teachers rallied in front of Parliament for the second time this week!
An estimated 15,000 to 20,000 teachers protested against the government in Tehran on Saturday!
Winston carried the "Angry Teachers" news on Saturday
Keeping the Waziristan Accord -- [The Fourth Rail]
Business as usual as the situation in Pakistan deteriorates
Pakistan's Northwest Frontier Province and Federally Administered Tribal Areas
The U.S. pressure campaign to get Pakistan to clean up the Taliban and al-Qaeda strongholds in the western and southern provinces has had a limited effect at best. After arresting Mullah Obaidullah and two other senior Taliban commanders in Quetta, Pakistan indicated it will go no further. “The 'North Waziristan Peace Agreement' will remain intact and it will not be rescinded,” reports The Nation. “Any new major operation in Waziristan will lead to serious repercussions for Pakistan and cause strong backlash, something that cannot be afforded
ROK, U.S. Conduct First Joint Gunnery Since Korean War -- [Army News]
For the first time since the Korean War, Republic of Korea and U.S. Army tanks fired alongside each other during a joint-gunnery exercise at...More
Muslim Websites Target Georgia Motorist for Death -- [Jawa Report]
Two U.S. based Islamic websties have called on Muslims to kill the driver of a Georgia registered vehicle displaying an offensive bumper sticker. On February 28 the "Black Lion" blog, a website run by two American Muslims who support violent jihad, posted the license plate number of a Gwinnett County, Georgia motorist displaying a bumper sticker which read, "Kill em all, let Allah sort em out.” A thinly veiled threat encouraging Muslims to find the driver and kill him was also posted.
Another Muslim offended, another death threat issued.
Leftist Terrorists Make a Comeback -- [Strategy Page]
March 7, 2007: The widespread use of violence by Islamic terrorists has masked the revival of leftist terrorist groups. Last month, for example, Italian police arrested fifteen members of the 1970s era "Red Brigades", and charged them with plotting the murder of people who did not agree with their revolutionary goals. The Red Brigades were part of an wave of small, violent, leftist revolutionary groups that emerged in the 1960s and 70s, and were largely gone by the 1990s. Actually, the groups never died out completely, but, except in Greece and Latin America, they were much less violent after the Cold War ended.
Follow the Money: Challenges and Opportunities in the Campaign to Combat Terrorism Financing -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
The U.S. government's much-discussed but little-understood effort to combat terrorism financing faces both challenges and opportunities. Terrorist groups continue to evolve, proactively working to evade existing sanctions and minimize the impact of future ones. Meanwhile, interagency efforts are being called upon to meet some of the most pressing national security threats through targeted financial measures.
Al-Arabiyya TV Director-General: 'Why Do Islamist Extremists Who Incite Against the West Insist on Living There?' -- [MEMRI]
In an article in the London daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, Al-Arabiyya TV Director-General Abd Al-Rahman Al-Rashed criticized the hypocrisy of Islamist extremists who live and operate in the West. He said that while these extremists spread hatred for the West and incite against Western culture, at the same time they fight for the right to stay there.
Military town copes with losing students -- [Air Force Times]
ENTERPRISE, Ala. — Chief Warrant Officer Bill Tompkins was in Iraq when he got the call to come home and do something no parent wishes to do: bury his son, who was killed along with seven classmates in a hallway when a powerful tornado wrecked Enterprise High School last week.
...Five of the eight students killed at the high school had ties to Fort Rucker, the Army’s helicopter flight training base that borders Enterprise. It marked a reversal for the community in southeastern Alabama, which is now coping with the unexpected deaths of children instead of soldiers.
Fort Benning Soldiers Also Need Help -- [Soldiers Angels New York]
Military tornado victims continue to need help. Please read the following and pass the word. Soldiers' Angels is providing assistance but we need your help to continue to reach those who are asking for it, and who are not getting assistance elsewhere.
A tale of two armies -- [Phillip Carter - Intel Dump]
One of the many issues lying dormant beneath the surface of the Walter Reed mess has to do with the difference between the peacetime Army and the wartime Army.
At places like Fort Bragg, North Carolina, you see the wartime Army in action. So many of its paratroopers are deployed right now that the storied 82nd Airborne Division has opted to cancel its "All American Week" this year. To put this in perspective: it's sort of like the NFL cancelling the Pro Bowl because so many football players are out of town.
WWE Offers Free Tickets to Troops -- [GX Online]
3/6/07, Washington, DC— Service members can take advantage of the generosity of professional wrestlers by getting free admittance into World Wrestling Entertainment events worldwide.
Members of the military can receive a free ticket to WWE events, based on availability and excluding WrestleMania events, when they provide a valid ID to the box office on performance day.
Michigan Auto Shops Offer Free Oil Change for Military Families -- [GX Online]
3/6/07, Grand Haven, MI— Military family members in Michigan don't have to squeak by anymore when it comes to routine auto maintenance thanks to eight auto garages throughout the state. "We offer a full-service oil change with a brief safety inspection," said Rob Hopp, owner of Auto Advantage. "We're offering them to any military dependent, active or reserve."
Dies Irae -- [Castle Argghhh!]
The Time: 0530 on the morning of a day two weeks after the defoliation mission.
The Place: The bunker beneath the wayhouse constructed by the work detail from Tay Do Two battalion.
Phouc was finding it more difficult to maintain his Revolutionary Ardor with each basketful of earth he hauled from the bunker to scatter into the dead grass. Sergeant Van had been displeased with the implications of the message Phouc had relayed from Colonel Trinh and had placed Phouc in command of the bunker-construction detail -- which consisted solely of Phouc.
"Bring Some Paint" -- [Smash]
FOUND on DC Indymedia, a post by "A":
...For those who haven't been following along, the demo "A" refers to is ANSWER's "March on the Pentagon."
And the wall "dylan" wants to spray paint is the Vietnam Memorial.
Blasts Kill Shi'a Pilgrims -- [Iraq Slogger]
Libby Guilty; Walter Reed Scandal Spins On
The guilty verdicts returned in the Libby perjury trial are by far the biggest story of the day, although very little reporting considers directly what the trial means for our understanding of the lead-up to the war in Iraq. Questions now center on what happens next: Will Libby flip and sing about his boss, will Bush issue a pardon before that happens, or will Scooter serve out his time?
(Need more? The previous Dawn Patrol is here.)
