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Welcome to the Dawn Patrol, our daily roundup of information on the War on Terror and other topics - from the MilBlogs 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.)
