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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.
Victory - [Foreign and Domestic - in Iraq]
...Victory in Iraq will look like the same sort of violence we see today, minus the large number of Coalition forces. It will look like the same patrols through the streets of Baghdad, but they will be Iraqi Army rather than US Army. It will look like the same border patrols along the Jordanian and Syrian borders, but with Iraqi Border Police instead of US Marines. And it will look like the same naval activity in the Gulf waters, but done by the Iraqi Navy instead of the British.
Victory in Iraq will be when we have taken Saddam's Iraq apart, put it back together in the shape of a democracy, given it time to get on it's feet, and then withdrawn the bulk of our forces.
Replicating Success -- [Outside the Wire]
As the Marines of Weapons platoon fanned out under a starlit night to begin the census, they did not grumble about a census being a BS Op. They have seen how effective census data can be.
VBIEDs at the Gate -- [Acute Politics - in Iraq]
We rolled back to Ramadi early Sunday afternoon, after a long rotation out to Falluja. I took my personal gear and my 240B machine gun into the barracks, and stopped in to say hello to my medic buddy. I was headed back out to the 5-ton dump truck that we use to transport gear for another load of rucksacks and bags when the air split with a loud craaack-BOOM, and the ground shook underfoot. Everyone flinched towards the ground, and someone dryly cracked "That didn't sound like outgoing". A large black smoke plume shot into the air somewhere over towards the gate, turning grey as it mixed with the dusty sky. Black smoke, for a VBIED. I don't know why the VBIEDs always shoot black smoke into the sky, but they invariably do.
The next few minutes were filled with the confused rush that follows a big blast- phones ringing, squad leaders checking to make sure all their men are ok,...
Good News from Iraq -- [OP-FOR]
Here is what the Honorable Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and their fellow democrats are attempting to stop with their political maneuvering on the military spending bill.
I have decided to compile a handful of stories that you will never see in the mainstream media to give you all a very different picture of society in Iraq. Remember the hoorah when General Petraeus was quoted as saying, “There is no military solution in Iraq?” He meant that killing everyone was not the solution and below is a small sampling of the kinds of tasks our “Surge” troops are involved in on a daily basis.
A Bloody Day In The Life -- [Pat Dollard]
Despite what you are about to read, it’s author, Corporal Tyler Rock, USMC, has re-enlisted for four years and has very harsh words for Harry Reid ( See Stories Below ). Why is this war supposedly so hard on the Dems who are not even fighting it? What do they have to complain about compared to The Marines, who are not complaining?
“all the guys agree with me here. like i said. hit me up when you want some more stories of the shit we have done that the reporters dont tell. its funny. when they were here they wouldnt let them come out to where we are. they told them that it was too dangerous. isnt that the point? no one sees the things that the average joe marine sees.
Haditha Bombshell - Intel Evidence -- [Power and Control]
New evidence continues to surface in the Haditha case that shows the Marines didn't do it.
Convincing evidence that corroborates NewsMax.com's accounts of the Haditha insurgent ambush has compelled the prosecution to take extraordinary steps to bolster their crumbling case.
...It is looking more and more like there was no case to begin with. Just some allegations and a movie by our enemies. With Time Magazine taking the side of our enemies.
Let's Smear Some Marines for the Cause -- [Strategy Page]
April 27, 2007: There is now evidence that backs the Marines charged with killing civilians at Haditha in Iraq. If true, the new evidence would indicate that al Qaeda carried out another successful information operation that not only diverted resources into an investigation, but also provided some anti-war politicians ammunition to not only claim crimes had been committed, but that there had been a cover-up.
An Interview With The Haditha Defense Team -- [Redstate]
The Haditha investigation has taken a truly nasty turn.
It is becoming more obvious that the Marines currently charged in this incident have been abused, had their rights as American citizens as well as fighting men trammeled, and have been the subject of a malicious campaign from within Department of Defense and the House Armed Services Committee to ensure their conviction. Whether they are guilty or innocent, a matter still to be determined, the manner in which they have been treated is nothing short of shameful.
Petraeus: Progress In Anbar ‘Breathtaking’ -- [Defense News]
WASHINGTON — The U.S. commander of multinational forces in Iraq, General David Petraeus, said Wednesday that efforts to quell unrest in the western Sunni province of Anbar have made ...
JSS Thrasher secures southern Ghazaliyah -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD — Coalition leaders noticed security improvements in southern Ghazaliyah Monday since Joint Security Station Thrasher was erected March 14.
Seabees build outpost in Al Anbar -- [MNF-I]
AL ANBAR PROVINCE — The Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 28 finished construction of a combat outpost for Marine Regimental Combat Team 2 and Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, in Iraq’s Al Anbar province, April 24.
Army Colonel Aided Enemy, Slept With Detainee's (UPDATE: Smokin' Hot) Daughter -- [Jawa Report]
Lt. Col. William H. Steele, one-time commander of a prison in Iraq, has been charged with aiding the enemy. Steele is said to have passed an unmonitored cell phone to detainees.
What most media accounts of the charges filed against Steele leave out is that he is also charged with sleeping with a detainee's daughter. So, this appears to be a case of a soldier who is asked to do a "favor" for the father of the girl he's sleeping with.
The Phony "Civil War" in Iraq [The Corner - Michael Novak]
Two false assertions are being made these days about the Sunnis and the Shiites in Iraq. The first is that they have been fighting one another for ages. The second is that they are currently waging civil war upon one another.
Shiites and Sunnis have lived in rather remarkable proximity in many cities of Iraq, with not a few intermarriages, and for many generations. They have often boasted of being Iraqis first, before being Sunnis and Shiites
Macy is Home -- [Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Iraq]
Bear, Hamid, Mike, and Drew Ponder the Universe
Yes, as the title indicates, we had another of our justly famous conversations about universal truths, and this time Mike and Drew got to participate also. Poor Hamid, his brains hurts enough when I talk to him; imagine the migraine he must have had after talking to the three of us. I don’t remember how we got on the topic, but we ended up discussing freedom of religion.
“People in Afghanistan don’t need the freedom to switch religions; no one would leave Islam,” Hamid assured us.
“Well, how would you know? Right now it’s like having a gun held to your head. Remain Muslim or die. Your government forces everyone to remain Muslim. Leaving the faith is never a realistic possibility for anyone, unless they flee the country.” I countered.
“But no one would ever leave Islam. It is the perfect religion.” Hamid was very confident on this point.
“Hamid, you’ve never even read the Qur’an.
Legoland -- [A JAG in Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
Let's see where Bob lives, shall we? Oh yes, let's....
We call it Legoland. Maybe you can tell why. They are connexes stacked next to each other and on top of each other. Aren't you jealous that you don't get to live here?
I'm sure you are!!!
I'm Back Online -- 25 April -- [Air Force Afghanistan Mentor - in Afghanistan]
I took my first ride outside the wire and was able to see the local population drive for the first time this week. I saw a video on Utube about driving in Afghanistan and thought it was just an anomaly; boy was I wrong! They don't have traffic laws here, they use more of a fill in any open space on the road approach, even if its the wrong side of the road! We had cars going four wide in a two lane space, don't ask me how they do it, they just do. Also at intersections they will cut in on the wrong side of the intersection or try and turn right from the left lane at the traffic circles. You need good peripheral vision to drive here let alone to watch for dangers that may be looking for you. I have seen some incredible places and sights here and will post some pictures of the places and things I have seen.
ARTICLE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE ALUMNI MAGAZINE -- [Afghanistan JAG - in Iraq]
Good Samaritan Guardsman Will Leave Afghanistan a Better Place
Life doesn’t just happen to Scott Delius. He shapes it to a purpose, which is how he finds himself in Afghanistan.
...At the end of the white knuckle convoy though, the supplies finally reached the people—a gratifying experience for Delius and his colleagues.
“I helped one woman and a beautiful little girl carry their packages,” he said. “After I put them down, this sweet little girl turned to me and said ‘tashakur’ - which means ‘thank you.’ This was the highlight of my day, and maybe the greatest moment of this entire deployment.”
Spring In Shindand -- [McNeilly's Perspective - in Afghanistan]
...SGT White, who writes gwot.us, pointed out that we all seem to do these, now that I am leaving posts, and I guess that is natural. Here is a brief thought from me on that, and I don’t believe this will be my last post, but I will try and keep the sappy reflections to a minimum.
...The people of Afghanistan have benefited greatly from our presence here. That is what leaders of villages, soldiers, and interpreters tell me. Of course folks who do not agree may not ever talk with me. Even taking the fighting into account these last 5 years have been peaceful for the bulk of Afghans. The children entering elementary school now, both boys and girls have not seen a battle in their lifetime. Their parents are able to concentrate on building a better life for their kids and grandkids. I am proud to serve beside such good people.
That Reflection Post -- [GWOT dot US - in Afghanistan]
Yes, yes. It’s that time of year, time for the obligatory ‘Reflection Post’. You’ve seen them from other milblogs of soldiers soon leaving theater. They usually contain words such as, “Hope” and “Sustainment” and “Commitment”. They’ll reflect on the good things that they have accomplished and lament on the things that could have been. Well I thought I’d try something different for my ‘Reflection Post’. Instead of boring you with the non-complexity that has been my tour, I will instead write an open letter to the people of Afghanistan, who on all accounts, is what this fighting-for is really all about.
Dear Afghan Citizens,...
Bye from Afghanistan -- [Task Force Phoenix 5 - in Afghanistan]
Well my last Blog from Afghanistan, there were times I never thought this would happen and times I wanted it to happen that day. It’s been an experience and an adventure I will never forget and will always remember some of the things I’ve seen and done for the last year. I never thought it would be like this and never thought I would do and see the things I’ve done or seen.
...My Mom asked me if I could go back to the day I signed my contract with the Army and if I would do it again.
Step One in the Journey Home -- [Bouhammer's Afghan Blog]
Well I have left my FOB and am no longer in Sharana. We pulled out yesterday and our whole team is back together at or CORPS HQ here in Gardez. It is the first time our entire NY team has been together since the day we split apart at this exact location on May 17th, 2006. We are now back under our own chain of command and doing what we need to in order to take care of ourselves and not being directed by people that would not know a ANA soldier from a camel. We are back to making sure that our team is taken care of and gets out of here safely.
Caught on Tape: Shocking Video of Iranian Regime Cracking Down on Women! -- [Gateway Pundit]
This is a SHOCKING video captured inside the regime!!
The regime began detaining women this week for violating strict new Islamic dress code rules.
The mullahs are not winning any new friends on this one.
Kamangir links to a sad and shocking video talked about by blogger Malakut of police arresting a screaming woman for breaking the dress code. This is just a sad and horrible violation of women's rights that is not getting much attention in the Western media.
Islamist Video: "Top Ten Operations [Carried Out] by the Knights of the Islamic State of Iraq" -- [MEMRI]
On April 26, 2007, two Islamist forums posted a 20-minute clip titled "Top Ten Operations [Carried Out] by the Knights of the Islamic State of Iraq." The clip shows footage of 10 terrorist operations, taken from videos produced by the ISI media company Al-Furqan. Included are excerpts from the film showing the February 6, 2007 downing of a U.S. Apache helicopter in the Al-Anbar district, and excerpts from a video showing a mujahid crawling under a U.S. tank to plant a bomb (originally posted on Islamist websites on March 18, 2007).
House bill introduced to require State & Treasury cooperation on Countering Terrorism Financing -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
Three members of the House Financial Services Committee, including Chairman Barney Frank, introduced a bill to improve coordination between the major players in counterterrorism financing, particularly Treasury and State. The bill (click here for the full-text) essentially requires the departments to play nicely together. The bill's aim can be summarized in one paragraph from Sec. 3 (a) starting on page 6:
OIC accuses West of anti-Muslim bias -- [Jihad Watch]
"Bias against Islam has increased since September 11, 2001 and a series of terrorist acts in Europe." No way, really? From AFP...
"The Noisy Offering" -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Sandy Shourds and the women of Holy Communion Lutheran Church have been sewing for our wounded soldiers in Germany for well over a year now. When I received the email above I never expected to see what I did when opening their boxes. It was a true miracle to have received this generous donation at a time when patient census is increasing and the need is so great.
New pictures from our medics -- [Soldier's Angels - Medical Support]
Just a few recent photos of some of the medics we support here at Soldier's Angels
Somtimes they look pretty serious, once in a while they have some fun.
The Art of the Military Love Letter -- [airforcewife - Spouse Buzz]
...It took some time, but I finally discovered our formula for the military love letter.
...Really, the military love letter is not an easy thing.
The military love letter is also not a form letter. It all depends on the people sending it and the people receiving it. For instance, if I sent my husband a letter on frilly pink stationary, he'd probably send someone to check on my mental state. And he'd hide the letter, just because - well, we don't do frilly and pink. But frilly and pink may be perfectly in character for someone else.
...So, with all that out of the way, here are a few suggestions for military love letters...
The UN and American Children In Combat -- [Strategy Page]
April 27, 2007: Fearing a media mauling, the Department of Defense has ordered that no troops younger than 18 can deploy to a combat zone. For a long time, it's been possible to enlist at age 17, and be through basic and advanced training quickly enough to hit combat before you turn 18. The UN, however, has declared teenage soldiers, or at least those under 18, to be a crime against humanity.
When a Soldier Comes Home -- [Strategy Page]
War may be hell... but home ain't exactly heaven, either.
When a soldier comes home from war, he finds it hard...
Podcast Interview with Colonel David Hunt -- [CWA-NJ Conservatives with Attitude!]
Colonel David Hunt, the military analyst for Fox News Channel, stopped by the Conservatives with Attitude! podcast studio and sat down with Richard Ross and I to discuss his new book, On the Hunt; How to Wake Up America and Win the War on Terror.
...Our podcast interview talks about winning the war on terror, Iraq, illegal immigration, Rumsfeld, Franks, Democrats, Nancy Pelosi and more.
Send 'em a white feather -- [Michelle Malkin]
Several readers note that legendary Marine Corps sniper Carlos Hathcock wore a white feather in his hat band. Reader M.A. says his feather will have a dual message--"symbolizing the cowardice of the surrendercrats and also serving as a reminder to Reid and company of what true grit was."
Audio: Ranger gets emotional about the war -- [Hot Air]
Well, alleged Ranger. There’s no way to prove he is who he says he is, but there’s no reason to doubt it, either.
The “traitor” rhetoric is over the top, but good stuff otherwise. Takeaway: “I will finish this job.”
Soldier Appeals For Support
Ware says: pullout would be "giving Iraq to Iran & al Qaeda"
Baghdad correspondent Michael Ware and anchor Kyra Phillips discuss their recent trip to Iraq. Towards the end, it was asked if America pulling out of Iraq would "help the situation." Neither Ware nor Phillips appear to think anything of that idea, with Ware saying pulling out would hand "Iraq to Iran and al Qaeda." (more)
A Letter to the Media -- [SgtStryker]
They days of an objective and impartial media reporting the news are long gone. Every news report we see has a slant to it. It could be right or left of the political spectrum, but our media has becoming increasingly biased. One of the most obvious examples of this slant has been the overwhelmingly negative bias towards the war in Iraq that has developed over the past few years. Stories on the war are repeatedly colored with an anti-war brush. The good work being done by our troops, the successes we have experienced, the victories won are not being reported. The media has truly gone from an objective bystander simply showing the events as they happen, to a much more editorial entity, reporting their views as truth.
When It Comes to Iraq Leadup, Media Left Flip-flops on Press Power -- [NewsBusters]
For a crowd that was very insistent that America "move on" from the issues surrounding the impeachment of Bill Clinton, you'd think the far left would give it a rest when it comes to the subject of the lead-up to the Iraq war. It doesn't take much digging to conclude that whatever false intelligence the Bushies believed, the Clintonites did as well--as did the rest of the western world.
March of the Morons -- [Jules Crittenden]
We live in a time of great moronitude. Morons, everywhere, rising from their morasses, massing and moving forward. In their multitudes, the morons march inexorably to the moronocy. The road is not easy. Some will fall by the way. Others, struggling moronically, will rise to blithering new heights of moronality.
Keith Olbermann:
Bush Suggests More Targets for Congressional Probes -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-04-26) — White House sources say President George Bush has given Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. Nancy Pelosi a list of administration officials who would make good targets for Congressional probes as part of Mr. Bush’s strategy to keep Democrats preoccupied with investigations and thus distracted from implementing their legislative agenda.
(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.
Not As It Appears
Redstate is currently running a post by "streiff" called AP is Popular with the Troops that claims to show an American soldier on patrol in Iraq "flipping off" the Associated Press photographer, Maya Alleruzzo.
Blackfive provides a link to the original caption that IDs the soldier as:
Staff Sgt Patrick Lockett 25, of Huntsville Alabama of Alpha Troop, 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division patrols in Al Kargoulia, 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Baghdad, Iraq, Fri., April 20, 2007. The 3rd Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division is back in Iraq for the third time since rolling into Baghdad in 2003. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
On first blush, it appears to be exactly what RedState and Blackfive describe. But sometimes, even pictures can tell less than the whole story.
I got an email from Michael Yon this morning that including the following:
Bob,
You are the man for this. Maya Alleruzzo, currently a photographer for AP, is getting flack. I know Maya and she is very pro troop…
Meet the Iraqi Police in Kirkuk -- [Michael Totten - in Iraq]
KIRKUK, IRAQ – Kirkuk, like Baghdad, is one of the most dangerous places in the world. Car bombs, suicide attacks, shootings, and massacres erupt somewhere in the city every day. It is ethnically divided between Arabs, Kurds, and Turkmens, and is a lightning rod for foreign powers (namely Turkey at this time) that interfere in the city’s politics in the hopes of staving off an ethnic unraveling of their own.
Community Policing in Kirkuk -- [Moderate Risk - in Iraq]
When we got outside the truck was just pulling up and smack was about to be laid down. After a brief conversation with his officers to ascertain specifics, Iraqi Police Chief Sherzad directed that the suspect be brought out. The brief interview that followed with the young man was distinctly unsatisfactory, and Chief Sherzad slapped the young man. Michael Totten and I were stunned but not threatened. Of course we had not been running around on a motorcycle shooting up Kirkuk.
Iraqi police pay wagons -- [PJM]
How Do Iraq’s Finest Get Paid? Not exactly the way New York’s finest get paid, as Richard Miniter - on assignment for PJM in Iraq - discovered. Since so few have a bank account, Iraqi cops (and other public officials) are paid in cash - just as they were under Saddam. And they like it that way.
Car bombs, Chlorine and Al Qaeda: -- [JusticeSoldier - in Iraq]
...As a culture, the people of Iraq have never been into the whole homicide bomber thing in their history.
However, it is a part of the cause of Al Qaeda, which receives foreign terrorists flowing through Syria and into Iraq to join the “jihad” and many come willing to die as a “martyr” in this Jihad against the great satan (that’s you and me). So, the next time a network leads with another homicide car bombing in a market place in Iraq and some analyst or expert comes on the screen and goes on about a civil war - remember that a civil war would BY DEFINITION have to between Iraqi’s versus Iraqi’s only - which is not the case in Iraq.
US Troops Save A Girl In Baghdad
19, First Sergeant -- [A Soldier's Perspective]
This is from a Marine First Sergeant serving in Iraq and about to come home:
As I walk over, all I see are young Marines and a single Corporal. "Who is the convoy commander?" I asked, expecting to see a Senior Sergeant or Staff Sergeant appear from nowhere. "I am, First Sergeant", said Cpl Jansen. All of the Marines started to close in on me as if to see what they had done wrong that caused me to be looking for the convoy commander. So I asked Cpl Jansen how old he was and he replied "19, First Sergeant".
Iraq is Still Here -- [Far From Perfect - in Iraq]
Well what updates for this entry…
My truck got a new electric turret. Now my gunner doesn’t have to be a weight lifter to use it.
We are sweating pretty good, but its cold enough at night for a heater.
The internet still sucks, but if I want my own connection it’ll cost $75 a month for the same crappy connectivity.
I spent about an hour conversing with some IPs the other day. I am learning Arabic at a pretty good pace, but pronunciation and dialectic differences are a bitch. we could actually manage to speak to each other though.
Al-Qaeda in Iraq security emir killed -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces positively identified a terrorist killed in an operation April 20 northwest of Baghdad.
Muhammad Abdullah Abbas al-Issawi, also known as Abu Abd al-Sattar and Abu Akram, was a known al-Qaeda terrorist leader known to operate in Karmah and Ameriyah areas and was the al-Qaeda in Iraq Security Emir of the eastern Anbar Province.
Coalition Forces were conducting operations targeting associates of a known senior leader within al-Qaeda in Iraq. During the operation the terrorists engaged ground forces with small arms fire.
Coalition forces see progress in Diyala River Valley -- [MNF- I]
TIKRIT — Iraqi citizens informed Iraqi and Coalition forces of weapons caches and insurgents responsible for placing improvised explosive devices in Zaganiyah, Iraq, Saturday.
The 5th Iraqi Army Division and U.S. Soldiers from 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division used the information provided by Iraqi citizens that led to six
Marine Sees Improvement -- [Marine Corps News]
BAGHDADI, Iraq – (April 24, 2007) -- It was this time last year when a 24-vehicle convoy of Marines rolled into this Euphrates River town delivering logistical supplies. Marines began fortifying police stations, walking the streets to meet the more than 30,000 residents, continuing the transition process with the police in the area.
More Good News for Today -- [Butterfly Wife]
From the National Review Online, an outspoken critic seeing progress in Iraq:
. . . For the first time in over a year, [Connecticut Republican congressman Christopher] Shays saw promising signs, and he is anxious to confirm them when he returns to Iraq next month. He is encouraged by the improved security in Baghdad, the cooperation of Sunni tribal leaders in Anbar province, and the dramatically improved oil production in the north.
British forces hands over Shuaiba base to Iraqi forces -- [Iraq Updates]
Basra, 25 April 2007 (Voices of Iraq) - British forces handed over on Tuesday al-Shuaiba military base west of Basra, 550 south of Baghdad, to Iraqi forces, the media spokesman of the Iraqi army said.
"British forces handed over on Tuesday al-Shuaiba military base west of Basra, where British and Danish forces were stationing, to the 10th division of Iraqi forces," Colonel Abbas al-Tamemi told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
Attempt to smuggle weapons to armed groups foiled north of Kut -- [Iraq Updates]
An attempt to smuggle a large amount of weapons to armed groups was foiled by police forces in al-Aziziya town, north of Kut, a police source in Wassit province said on Tuesday.
"A large truck carrying amounts of weapons was seized at a checkpoint in northern Aziziya," the source, who asked not to be named, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
Iranian Units Enter Iraq -- [Iraq Slogger]
...Sawa learned of the event through “sources in the International Coalition.” Its journalists were told that an Iranian Army force asked the Iraqis to evacuate the station of Qutaiba, east of the city of Kut, and informed the Iraqi border guards that oil surveys are to begin on the site soon, “and that they should not interfere.”
Bitter border disputes have plagued the relationship between Iran and Iraq over the last decades. Iraq long maintained that areas east of Shatt al-'Arab are Iraqi territory occupied by Iran, while Iran claims territories in Iraq.
The Alternate Reality -- [Strategy Page]
...By restricting road access to one carefully monitored checkpoint, car bombers would be forced to find another base of operations, and be more likely to get caught. The wall would also keep out Shia death squads, who are expected to return once the security build up in Baghdad is over, later this year. But the way Arab politics works, the wall building got stopped when the Israeli security wall was invoked. Despite the fact that the Israeli security wall stopped terror attacks, that wall, and by association all similar walls, are considered evil.
Iraqi Report: Halting the Wall, a Sunni political party is born -- [The Fourth Rail]
The Iraq Report is back after a long hiatus. Today's Today's report includes: An update on the Adhamiya security barrier, the formation of the Iraq Awakening, Coalition ops, Iranian embassy attacked and a Diyala update
Uniting Idol -- [JusticeSoldier - in Iraq]
...While you might have seen a short story on this, I bet it didn’t lead the news nor did the stations bring in their usual band of “experts” for analysis even though this event has some significant importance. First, let’s break it all down. You have Iraq taking part in a popular westernized event (Saddam would not have allowed something he couldn’t control). A female was competing, singing on stage without a veil (Al Qaeda would have gone nuts to see this and see her showing her skin and speaking publicly). Then, the people of Iraq had the opportunity to selectively view the show on their own satellite TV (this would have carried a death penalty under Saddam). Also, people voted on the internet (death penalty under Saddam) or via cell phone text messaging (extremely hated by Saddam and would carry the death penalty). Until America freed the people of Iraq, this would not have even been possible.
ANA CONDUCT THEIR OWN HUMANITARIAN MISSION -- [Afghanistan JAG - in Afghanistan]
A few weeks ago I wrote about our recon of a village in downtown Kabul that we deemed too dangerous to stop and assist. The more I thought about those people, the more I realized that we couldn't abandon them just because it wasn't safe for U.S. personnel. Those people were in desperate need of assistance. Something had to be done.
DoD News Briefing with Col. Schweitzer from Afghanistan -- [Defense Link]
On security, the Afghan national security force development and partnering is currently at different levels with different units. For example, the army is much further along than the police and border police. The Army routinely takes the lead in operations, and subsequently the coalition is in a supporting role.
The border police is a new organization currently being formed and at this time not operating independently.
With respect to governance and expanding the reach of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, we are fortunate in RC East, because we work with five governors who bust their tails to govern their provinces. They have many challenges, both with providing for the needs of the people as well as their own personal safety. I can tell you that these leaders demonstrate courage every day.
...Together with the Afghan people and their security forces, the communities are looking towards its government for the future instead of the Taliban. This is a recent and significant shift in that particular province.
February Firefight at Mizan -- [Michael Fumento - in Afghanistan]
February 7, 2006. Approximately 40 Taliban are detected during daylight about 10 kilometers northwest of FOB Mizan. A jet could be called in on their position, dropping bombs and firing missiles and almost certainly killing some of them. But some of them isn't good enough out here. When you get the chance to kill or capture some, you try to kill or capture every last one of them. No airstrike can promise that on a group of men spread out precisely to avoid heavy casualties from the air or artillery. You have to go in and get them.
ANZAC Day -- [Tanker Brothers -in Iraq]
...ANZAC is the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The acronym has it's earliest beginnings in the trenches of Galipoli in 1915. The proudest of Aussie traditions would be founded on the battlefields of Lone Pine and The Nek, in the sands of Gallipoli Beach where thousands would fall within a week. The very first ANZAC Day - April 25th, 1915 - was a day filled with bloodshed and tragic loss of life.
Anzac Day -- [Jules Crittenden]
...Today, this small nation of 20 million on the other side of the world, with total air, land and sea forces of about 50,000, puts many nations to shame with its willingness to engage. Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iraq again. Timor and the Marshalls. As Foreign Minister Alexander Downer put it several years ago, Australia is not subject to the popular multinationalism of the lowest common denominator, but has stepped up to play its role.
Bin Laden overseeing Iraq, Afghanistan ops: Taliban - (Reuters)
DUBAI- Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden is orchestrating militants' operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, a senior commander of Afghan Islamist group Taliban said in remarks broadcast on Wednesday.
Bin Laden has not made any video statements for many months raising speculation that he might have died.
"He is drawing plans in Iraq and Afghanistan ... Praise God he is alive," Mullah Dadullah told Al Jazeera television
Nationalism and Islamic Radicalism -- [Strategy Page]
April 25, 2007: One reason Indonesia has come down hard, but carefully, on local Islamic radicals, is because the goal of the radicals has some disturbing political implications. The main Islamic radical group in Indonesia, Jemaah Islamiya, doesn't just want to turn Indonesia into an Islamic religious dictatorship, but also wants to create a new nation that grabs territory from neighbors (parts of the Philippines and Thailand, as well as all of Malaysia). This bit of nationalism, for a "Greater Indonesia," has a certain popular appeal, and the Indonesian government doesn't want to do anything that would turn this fever dream into a widely publicized one.
House bill introduced to require State & Treasury cooperation on Countering Terrorism Financing -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
Three members of the House Financial Services Committee, including Chairman Barney Frank, introduced a bill to improve coordination between the major players in counterterrorism financing, particularly Treasury and State. The bill (click here for the full-text) essentially requires the departments to play nicely together. The bill's aim can be summarized in one paragraph from Sec. 3 (a) starting on page 6:
Southwest Goes Red -- [The Tank - Kathryn Jean Lopez]
Southwest Airlines encourages its employees to wear red on Fridays as a troop-support fashion statement.
Note from Army Sergeant on the value and meaning of Joint OPS -- [Blackfive]
An Army Sergeant sends this note about how Joint this war has become...I thought it was very interesting:
...the mixing of the services is also continuing in the Brigade. Everyone may be wearing ACUs, but if you look at the rank, and at the service tab above the right pocket, you will find a lot of Navy and Air Force. Our Company has three different services in it right now, and from a distance, you can't tell the difference (but that is the point right now in this theater).
The abuse of Jessica Lynch and Pat Tillman -- [Don Surber]
Retired PFC Jessica Lynch’s testimony before Congress today was devastating. She, along with members of Spec. Pat Tillman’s family, told of how they were used by the Pentagon to sell stories of heroism that just were not true.
Harry Reid won't listen to General Petraeus
Harry Reid says he'll ignore General Petraeus.
CNN asks Reid if he will believe General Petraeus] when he says there has been progress in Iraq.
REID: "No, I don't believe him, because it's not happening." (more)
"Give 'em Hooey" Surrenders -- [Strategy Page - Austin Bay]
On Harry Reid's planet, America's enemies need only have one objective: to murder, in a sensational, media-magnifying manner, enough of their own citizens to discomfit and distress Harry Reid Democrats.
I distinguish Harry Reid Democrats from Harry Truman Democrats. Between these two Harrys spreads a vast moral chasm that 60 years of history do not fully explain.
"Give 'em Hell" Truman possessed a large quotient of common sense, as well as the courage of his convictions.
Meeting the Enemy...
...as in going to a political function and ambushing your freshman congressional Representative. In this case, Nancy Boyda, Democrat, representing the 2nd Congressional District of Kansas.
...The tension, such as it was, was over Iraq and her sense of military families and their reaction to Iraq. In her staff's responses to SWWBO, and in her personal responses to me, I get the general sense that Ms. Boyda et.cie, feel that military families are against the war and want everybody home right this minute.
...The point I made is of course we military family members want our deployed soldiers home, but for the right reasons, not "just because"
Back to PBS Basics -- [Media Blog - Tim Graham]
PBS will air a 90-minute Bill Moyers documentary tonight called "Buying the War." Moyers told Rolling Stone magazine that Dan Rather comes on the special to announce that the right wing has a "slime machine" that tries to discredit any journalist who tells the so-called "truth" about George W. Bush. (As if Dan Rather would know how to tell the truth about George W. Bush.)
Their argument is that the old media has been ruined by the new media
And the ban played on -- [theage.com.au]
MORE than 80 years since the repeal of the War Precautions Act, Australian soldiers are still being censored.
Last December, after footage of Australian troops skylarking with weapons was posted on YouTube - including one video of a digger pointing a gun at a fellow soldier dressed as an Arab - Australian soldiers were banned from blogging.
...Some defence forces, the United States' in particular, use military weblogs (or milblogs) as a recruitment tool and for positive publicity.
(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.
Message From Lt. Ala -- [JD Johannes - Outside the Wire - in Iraq]
I had just finished shooting a range with a group of Iraqi Sergeants when their Commanding Officer, Lt. Ala took hold of my right hand and pulled me close to him.
He had something important to tell me.
..."Thank you for being here. Thank you. You are a reporter? Tell America how much we appreciate Marines. Tell the people thank you and that we want the Marines, the Army here to help us."
..."Tell America that the Iraqi Army is growing. We are getting stronger. Tell them thank you."
Voices of Anbar
The voices of the Marines serving in Al Anbar province of Iraq.
The Wall. -- [Iraq the Model - Iraqis in Iraq]
First and foremost, I don’t know why “The Wall” is becoming such an issue now. Work to construct similar walls started weeks ago in the Amiriya and Ghazaliyah districts. The “news” went utterly unnoticed then.
But that’s not what matters. What does matter is effectiveness versus side-effects. Neither should be neglected.
"What is happening over here" -- [Lt Col P - OPFOR]
As in "THIS is what is happening over here... stand by for the truth," not "What on earth is happening over here?? All's lost!!"
Got a great email today from a Marine captain in my reserve unit, now somewheres east o' Suez with a small detachment of stalwart citizen-Marines.
All, I just wanted to let you know what is happening where I am in Iraq. I don't want to say this is in response to Harry Reid, but his comments the other day are not in line with what we're seeing.
We are winning over here in Al Anbar province. I don't know about Baghdad, but Ramadi was considered THE hotspot in Al Anbar, the worse province, and it has been very quiet. The city is calm, the kids are playing in the streets, the local shops are open, the power is on at night, and daily commerce is the norm rather than the exception. There have been no complex attacks since March. That is HUGE progress.
Iraqi Students Express Solidarity with American Students [The Tank - W. Thomas Smith Jr.]
Evidence of real progress in Iraq continues to surface:
Students in Baghdad, where universities have been hard hit by violence, said Monday they were saddened by last week's massacre at Virginia Tech and hung up a banner to express their solidarity with "our brothers in humanity and in pursuing knowledge."
"We want to let the whole world know that we do not support terrorism anywhere," said Yassir Nazar, head of the student union at Baghdad Technology University, who organized the hanging of the banner near the campus gate
Sunni militants name al Qaeda chief 'minister of war' -- [On Point]
ON Point: A Sunni insurgent coalition posted videos on the Internet naming the head of al Qaeda in Iraq as "minister of war" and showing the execution of 20 men it said were members of the Iraqi military and security forces. The Islamic State of Iraq is a coalition of eight insurgent groups, the most powerful of them al Qaeda in Iraq. It was first announced in October, claiming to hold territory in the Sunni-dominated areas of western and central Iraq. In the video, a man identified as...
10 SUSPECTED TERRORISTS DETAINED, CACHE FOUND -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces detained 10 suspected terrorists and uncovered a cache of weapons in several operations in central Iraq Tuesday.
Three coordinated Coalition Forces raids apprehended 10 individuals suspected of operating with al-Qaeda in Iraq and facilitating foreign fighters southeast of Fallujah.
Al-Rafidayn: Basra Port Authorities Find 240 Barrels of Nitric Acid in Shipment -- [MEMRI Blog]
The ports authorities in Basra, Iraq have discovered 240 barrels of nitric acid concealed in four containers. The shipment arrived on the U.S. ship Flower A.
Nitric acid is used to prepare explosives.
VBIED's rock Ramadi -- [Desert Flier - in Iraq]
Sitting at my desk writing letters after lunch when the biggest crunch yet flings things off my shelf. D squared and I look at each other for a milisecond, jump up, and run out of the hut to go to Charlie Medical for our flak and kevlar. We take a quick look up and see the plum of smoke just a short distance past some barracks.
...Insurgents strike at the soft and vulnerable underbelly of the civilian population. Their only purpose is to create chaos and instability. Today was a restaurant. Charlie Medical and the surgical teams treat 39 casualties before it's all said and done. No chlorine this time, thankfully.
Search & Destroy - Blowing Up Weapons in Ramadi
The Army's E3 Battalion 69th Armored Division and the 3rd Infantry Division searches for weapons near Ramadi, and discovers and detonates a weapons cache.
Ramadi Report -- [Lt Col Patrick - Duty In The Desert - in Iraq]
Sgt. Harding said press reports of the bombing left out how "everyone, Marines, Army and Iraqi police, knew the car bomb was coming." "People are so tired of war here so they tell authorities about the bad guys a lot in the Ramadi area," he said, noting that they are tipped off to about 70 percent of the planned attacks.
...Attacks are declining in the area and the area is slowly being stabilized, he said.
"They are calling it the Al Anbar Awakening," Sgt. Harding said. "Many sheiks have united. They realized the Americans are not leaving. At first the sheiks supported the terrorists -- this was when I was here last time and it was all-out gunbattles and [improvised explosive devices] and suicide bombings. Now sheiks realize Americans have money and power and are not leaving. So half of them, Sunnis, have decided to work with the U.S. to get rid of the terrorists."
Counterinsurgency Paradigm Shift in Iraq -- [The Captain’s Journal]
There appears to be a paradigm shift in the counterinsurgency strategy being employed by the U.S. forces in Iraq. This shift goes further than the changes associated with the security plan of which many observers are aware (e.g., deployment out of Forward Operating Bases into the cities to combat operation posts). The changes point to a fundamental shift in the way the U.S. sees the battle for Iraq.
The schema until now seems to have been focused on the notion that the Iraqi people, separated from the rogue elements in their midst, long for freedom and self-determination, with al Qaeda in Iraq, Ansar al Sunna, and foreign suicide bombers standing in their way.
New Improved Baghdad International Airport
Traveling around the world into different Airports shouldn't be much of a shock. Troy Rolan shows us the shock is now over for those traveling into the Baghdad International Airport.
Training the Iraqi Army and the Order of Battle -- [The Fourth Rail]
Facts do not support the claim that the U.S. military has abandoned the training of the Iraqi Security Forces
In the conventional template of reporting on Iraq, glossy, controversial headlines often fail to reflect the reality of the situation on the ground. Take the latest reporting by McClatchy Newspapers' Nancy A. Youssef concerning the purported shift of U.S. military power away from training Iraqi Security Forces and back toward stability operations.
The Iraqi Air Force Needs You -- [Strategy Page]
April 24, 2007: The new Iraqi air force will triple in size this year. It will still be strictly a non-combat support force. A year ago, the Iraqi air force had less than a thousand personnel, and 29 aircraft (mostly helicopters.) It's an odd collection of aircraft. There are small, prop drive aircraft like the SB7L-360 Seekers, CH2000 SAMAs) and Comp Air 7SLs. The most visible aircraft are the three C-130E four engine transports. The helicopter forces is largely Russian made (Mi-17s from Poland), plus some Jet Rangers.
The code is cracked -- [Free Our Fobbits - in Iraq]
Not that it's going to solve our problems, but our young soldiers have come through with the answer again. Last night, one of many interminable long nights at the checkpoint a solider told me a story that explains a lot about the New Inaction Army.
Travels and Travails -- [Letters from the Desert - in Iraq]
I recently spent a week traveling around southern Iraq visiting Soldiers, as I do as regularly as my schedule allows. This time I was joned by a member of our Brigade's Public Affairs Office who is doing a piece on the "Traveling Unit Ministry Team".
...We added a stop to the journey, picked up two new passengers, and then found out that one of them had a son who had been killed back in the US in a motorcycle accident. Well, that certainly took precedence over what we were doing, so we returned to Balad in order to get him on his way home.
Do you think I will die in Iraq? -- [A Soldier's Perspective]
Wow! What a question to be asked!
Especially while in basic training!
How do I answer this question? That was my first thought after the suddenness of the question. How do I tell him the truth of it all , but not scare him to death as well as not give him a false sense of security? I saw this as a big responsibility.
...The suddenness of this question and from whom it was coming from, startled me quite a bit. This is one of the few times that I can remember that I stammered for an answer. I was not sure what to say to him. With the heaviness of the comments from DS 'M' a few moments before, I knew that I had to be careful with my answer.
An Offer I Can Refuse? -- [All Quiet on the Southwest Asian Front - in Iraq]
The Sergeant Major called me over the other day, and asked if I had been thinking about re-enlisting. My enlistment is officially up on July 22nd, this year. The fact that I won't actually get out until perhaps September of next year is annoying, but if I'm going to re-enlist, it becomes moot.
...But since I am here anyhow, I think tomorrow I will take a trip down to see the retention NCO and see what he'll try to offer me. It will have to be very, very good to even get me to consider it, even though a 'no-deployment' clause is probably out of question.
After I get their best offer, then I'll be talking it over with my wife. She is wonderful. I know she wants me home as much as I want to be there, but I also know that if by some stroke of madness I do re-enlist, she will understand why I've chosen to do so, and support me. I am so lucky to have found someone like her.
Week 14--Afghanis I Have Known -- [Richard's Deployment to Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
Here in Afghanistan I work with Afghanis every day. It's one of the most rewarding parts of my job. I've changed since my tour in Iraq, so I have a more objective view of my "terps", as they are called here.
So far I have found the them to be smart, reliable and hard working. The ones who work with us here on the FOB are now familiar with American culture and idiosyncrasies. The ones we work with outside the FOB are curious and reserved, but interested in learning more about America and Americans.
Winning Hearts & Minds (1) The Mission
Get a glimpse in to the lives of the extraordinary soldiers of the US Army 321st Civil Affairs Command in Afghanistan.In this episode we meet the team - Sergeants Kling, Reisz, Carrilllo and their CO Captain Corsten. They tell us about their mission to rebuild infrastructure and government in Afghanistan, one of the most dangerous places on earth.
Spring Offensive Stumbles and Falls -- [Strategy Page]
April 24, 2007: Everyone is still waiting for the Taliban Spring Offensive to start, but nothing is happening. Well, that's not true, a lot is happening throughout southern Afghanistan. NATO and Afghan troops are all over the place, killing dozens of Taliban at a time and arresting hundreds. The Afghan army believes they have at least two hundred Taliban surrounded in a mountain village, along with a senior Afghan leader (Mullah Dadullah). On the down side, if its only Afghan troops involved, Mullah Abdullah has the financial resources to bribe his way out.
Spinning the Fighting in South Waziristan -- [Daveed Gartenstein-Ross & Bill Roggio ]
THE PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT has entered into two agreements in the past seven months that promise to destabilize Afghanistan and provide a haven for terrorists to plan and train for catastrophic attacks. Under the September 2006 Waziristan Accord, Pakistan agreed that its military would no longer operate in the tribal agencies of North and South Waziristan; since this left the Taliban and al Qaeda free to recruit, train, arm, and send fighters into Afghanistan, the security situation in Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan unsurprisingly deteriorated. On March 17, Pakistan entered a disturbingly similar agreement--handing the Bajaur agency over to Taliban-aligned tribes. But recent events show that Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf's government is intent on spinning both accords as successes...
A New Assignment -- [A JAG in Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
...Last January I suggested that we develop a military justice training program for our prosecutors and defense counsel. I’ve been lucky, the prosecutors and defense counsel I’ve worked with in the 201st Corps are actually trained lawyers and I erroneously thought most were. Turns out most are not. Even with trained lawyers in our Corps they are lacking in a lot of skills and expertise. So in an effort to try and help them improve the quality of legal services I made the suggestion that we develop the training program. Well guess who got tagged with the responsibility of preparing it? You’re right. Me.
North Korea Freedom Week 2007: Bringing Attention to an Unreported Genocide -- [One Free Korea]
For those who don’t know why this issue needs more attention — including yours — please witness Camp 22 and its horrors, learn the grim fate of refugees sent back to North Korea today, and read how Kim Jong Il splurged on weapons and personal luxuries while two million of his people starved to death.
Exclusive: List of Six Terror Suspects Arrested Today -- Omar Bakri Mohammed Implicated -- [Jawa Report]
Read More "Exclusive: List of Six Terror Suspects Arrested Today -- Omar Bakri Mohammed Implicated"
A forum connected with Omar Bakri Mohammed has listed the names of the six terror suspects arrested today. Many of the names seemed mispelled, but here is how the forum listed them:
Al Qaeda Announces Attack to Rival Hiroshima (Video) -- [Gateway Pundit]
It's a bit confusing that this story did not get more attention yesterday.
Granted it comes from Al Qaeda in Iraq, a group that democrats deny is actually operating in Iraq, but the magnitude of the threat should have garnered it a few headlines in the media outlets anyway. You'd think.
America At A Crossroads - Caution Needed When Dealing With the Muslim Brotherhood -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
PBS’s week-long “America at a Crossroads” series presented many of the issues and dilemmas now facing America in the War on Terrorism. The series got mixed reviews on content and temper. There were criticisms about its objectivity from both the left and right. But, despite its flaws, the series provided viewers with a heavy dose of food for thought. Hopefully, it will help stimulate discussion and debate among a growing number of Americans, and perhaps even lead to more close scrutiny and questioning of aspects of Administration policy.
British Arrest Six Muslims For Incitement Of Terrorism -- [Sweetness & Light]
From his fans at the UK’s Guardian:
Six men, including radical Muslim Abu Izzadeen, have been arrested over speeches made at a mosque two-and-a-half years ago.
Scotland Yard said the men were detained in an investigation into incitement of others to commit acts of terrorism overseas and terrorist fundraising.
Mr. Izzadeen (born Trevor Brooks) featured heavily in that great British documentary Undercover Mosque.
And there are also several other samples of his diatribes on YouTube. Such as this
Kandahar, Afghanistan
fir fighter thanks.
A Lesson in Supporting our Troops -- [SgtStryker]
I mentioned earlier that I attended the Marine Parents Conference in St. Louis last week. It was an honor for me to be included and I have a wonderful time. As I walked around the conference I noticed something extraordinary about the hundreds of Marine parents who had come together. They were proud. Everywhere I looked there were yellow ribbon pins, pins that read “My son is a Marine,” moms and dads were wearing t-shirts printed with photos of their Marine and everyone had a photo of their Marine in his dress blues. I couldn’t help but be awed by the force of the pride in the room.
Code Pink Calls Our Soldiers Terrorists
About 3 minutes into the video, one of the Code Pink protesters, who claim to be anti-war and support the troops, calls our troops terrorists right in front of Walter Reed.
Democrats Open Military Show Trials -- [Gateway Pundit]
Democrats are planning on scoring serious points today as they open show trials against the US military...
It's not bad enough that the call the troops stupid
That they call the US forces "occupiers" when they are nation building,
That they say men join the army only as a last resort,
That the call the troops mass murderers in Congressional hearings,
That they equate US soldiers to the killers of the Stalin or Pol Pot regimes..
Today the democrats are opening their show trials on the Hill to embarrass the military on their handling of the Tillman and Jessica Lynch cases:...
Longer Deployments, Shorter War -- [American Thinker - Gerd Schroeder]
Deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan are too short, and need to be longer. Deployments of 24-36 months or even longer would be one way to address our problems in those wars. Please put emotion aside for a moment. For all who are thinking that it is easy for some pundit to say, not having to do it, I should tell you that I was with the 1st Armored Division in Iraq and was among the first to be extended to 15 months in 2004.
Practical Treatments for PTSD -- [Strategy Page]
April 24, 2007: Combat fatigue (or PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder) is nothing new, but better diagnostic tools, plus political and media exploitation, are making it a lot more visible. This has resulted in better methods for dealing with it. But this has uncovered two particularly vexing problems. First, only about a third of the troops with PTSD will seek treatment. Second, research, and practical experience, has shown that the best time to deal with PTSD is as soon as it shows up. That spotlights another problem,
A political ploy? -- [Calvey in Iraq - in Iraq]
...I am certainly not Pollyanish about politics. I was an elected official for 8 years. It is indeed true that some of the things done in politics are done primarily to embarass the political opposition, rather than strictly for the public good.
But most of the elected officials (politicians) I know are not so cynical that they would deliberately lose a war in order to get one up on the opposition. Even in as rough a business as politics, people have morals and standards. Some more than others.
Perhaps when one party has been frozen out of power for so long and tastes what it would be like to have undivided power, morals go out the window.
I can see no valid reason why the current Congress is acting the way it does with regard to the War.
Losing the War in Congress: Not in Iraq -- [Walid Phares - Family Security Matters]
...A simple statement made by a national legislative leader in Washington this week indicates that a war is being lost, but it is not the war in Iraq. It is the defeat of the War of Ideas taking place nowadays in the US Congress.
One striking example is a declaration by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that "the United States had lost the war in Iraq", a conclusion he said he’d communicated to President Bush at a meeting last Wednesday. "This war is lost and the surge is not accomplishing anything, as indicated by the extreme violence in Iraq yesterday"...
...But in Mr. Reid’s statement, he misguidedly concluded that the US-led coalition had utterly lost the war in Iraq, just because the enemy still attacks and counter-attacks.
Historians would certainly disapprove of Reid’s logic, and examples abound. When the 101st division was counter-attacked inland after the Allied landing of Normandy in 1944 and the US took enormous casualties, America wasn’t losing WWII, the Nazis were. One could have perceived that we were losing the war at that point, but the reality was entirely different.
Sen Harry Reid - The Loser King -- [A Soldier's Perspective]
I'm pretty fed up with Reid's stupidity. He's an idiot. Any time he's able to get his mug in front of cameras these days he takes pot shots at President Bush that "by ordering his troop surge [Bush] ignored the advice of the Iraq Study Group." Allow me to enlighten you and the American people since the press doesn't know how to report facts:
Democrats agree to Iraq plan -- [UPI]
Democrats in the U.S. Congress have agreed to a $124 billion Iraq war funding bill that includes a plan to begin pulling troops out of the country.
9 KIA and Other Developments -- [Jules Crittenden]
Nine from the 82nd killed, 20 wounded in Diyala. Exactly the kinds of news people like Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., are looking for. In war, people die, and those who don’t think anything is worth fighting for will easily find what they need.
Oddly, the AP’s reporting on Diyala seems to have overlooked other news of the same unit* the day of this attack, instead focusing intensely on other unrelated high casualty days elsehwere. Here’s AP’s background to what’s going on in Diyala:
Have you Heard the Good News? -- [Badgers Forward - Mrs. Badger 6 - husband in Iraq]
Mrs. Badger 6 here. Shortly after this deployment began, one of my biggest complaints to Badger 6 became repeatedly, ad nauseum, ad infinitum the lack of good news from Iraq. When he finally landed in Anbar Province, I wanted to be sure to keep up with what was going on over there. I thought that I must have been getting most of the story because I was very good about watching the NBC Nightly News and the 5 AM, 5 PM, and 10 PM local news, reading the New York Times, and listening to NPR,
But day in, day out, the mainstream media provided what seemed like nothing but statistics of bombings, IEDs, attacks, death tolls. Listening to and reading the same rehash of the same bombing from different news sources at varying times of the day convinced me that all was bleak in Iraq. The simple daily reporting of the death toll was certainly taking a toll on me. After a few months, my morale was shot.
As many of you married readers may know, it is one thing for your spouse to tell you that good stuff is happening, that changes are being made, and an entirely different thing to see it in print. So I started seeking out the information I wanted, ...
Sgt David Stephens -- [Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Afghanistan]
...I can’t even bring myself to watch the news anymore. Our media has lost all sense of responsibility when they play a video made by a mass killer. They will sell their soul for ratings. Is there any sense of decency left? Hey, I just read that there’s a video going around over here of a 12-year old Taliban boy that beheaded someone, all for the glory of Allah, of course. Maybe our media can show that too. It’s supposedly very graphic; I’m sure the ratings will be great. I am now beyond cynical. Humans can indeed stoop lower than I ever thought possible, and the US media leads the way.
Mike has talked about the anger he felt when he went home on leave, as he looked around at the people in his town who carried on as though there weren’t two wars going on.
Burns of NYT: Insurgents Know U.S. Politics Moving in Direction Favorable to Them -- [NewsBusters]
Does it give the Dem leaders of Congress pause to realize that the enemies of the United States in Iraq, the people killing our troops, are banking on their political success? Reid and Pelosi might be tempted to dismiss this as the raving of a right-wing blogger. They shouldn't. It is in fact the considered view of someone they surely see as a respected, nay, an authoritative source: no less than the Baghdad bureau chief of the New York Times, John Burns.
Video Here:
...When's the last time Reid spoke with such vitriol about al-Qaeda? Just wondering.
Boris Yeltsin's Reign: Worse Than Soviet Communism? -- [NewsBusters]
As Rich Noyes mentioned yesterday, American "mainstream" media accounts often seemed to give Mikhail Gorbachev more praise and more glory in the decline of the Soviet Union than they ever gave Boris Yeltsin. On the front page of today's Washington Post, under a positive headline ("Rough Hewn Father of Russian Democracy"), Post editorial writer Lee Hockstader authored a fairly severe obituary, which even within the first few paragraphs was strangely claiming Yeltsin was more comparable to Stalin than was Khrushchev, Brezhnev, and Gorbachev:
(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.
End the war: Right message sent to the wrong address. -- [Iraq the Model - Iraqis in Iraq]
What did the last wave of terror attacks and the many crimes committed against our people all this time reveal?
If we look at how the media handles the situation we'll find something like this almost everywhere; Dozens killed, scores wounded in attacks suggest failure of security measures…
Under Fire On Patrol - Baghdad, Iraq
The Times Iraq video journal
Soldiers Make an Impact on Iraqi Communities -- [Defend America]
MAKASIB, Iraq, April 23, 2007 — A warm welcome met the soldiers upon their arrival. Smiles have replaced once contemptuous stares. The typical silence gave way to a friendly dialogue.
The war is lost -- [Foreign and Domestic - in Iraq]
...we are winning the war, though you would never know it from what the media reports. Here in my room, I have a small TV that stays perpetually on the AFN news channel. CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS, and Fox are all represented. Yet from none of these news sources have I heard even a peep about the fact that the Coalition yesterday announced the transfer of security responsibilities of the 4th Iraqi province to the Iraqi government.
...So you might ask how we can be winning the war when all you see on TV news is reports of bombings and death squads and such. The answer is simple. All of those reports come out of Baghdad itself. There are no reporters out here in the provinces. In nearly 13 months, I have seen one reporter here at Al Asad, and that was a gentleman from 60 Minutes who has been following our brigade from training through deployment to Iraq.
The name of this blog comes from the oath I swore when I enlisted in the Army. I will support and defend the Constitution against all enemies,
"Let's Be Personal" -- [Tanker Brothers - in Iraq]
...BUT, because of your foolishness, (and yes, you really ARE a fool, and worse, but I'll get to that in a minute) I owe you a HUGE debt of gratitude. Why, you may ask? Oh in so many ways, Harry. First, because of your few words I have learned so much more than I already knew about your great country. As I was reeling from your most un-American behaviour, and your gall in declaring this war 'lost' while MY troops are giving their all, and by the way gaining victories every single day, I have been following all the commentary from your countrymen and women.
Marine Corporal From A Bunker In Ramadi: “I Got A Message For That Douche Harry Reid” -- [Pat Dollard]
“yeah i know how you feel. its going to be very weird leaving this place and going back to america. weve been here for almost an entire year and have lived in the center of it the whole time. its crazy that when we got here it was so hectic and now its calmed down so much. so it was awesome to be able to see that turn out.
yeah news worth reporting…. well ramadi was once dubbed by everyone as the worst city in the world. but we have done such a great job here that all the families in the area have worked with us on driving out the insurgency and that we work directly with the IA and the IP’s. the city has been cleaned up so well that the IP’s do most of the patrols now and we go out with them to hand out candy and toys to the children. you can tell that the people want us here to protect them from the thugs and gangs (insurgents).
Doesn't Look Lost To Me -- [Outside the Wire - in Iraq]
Just back inside some civilized wire (Camp Fallujah) and am reading Harry Reid's declaration then track back on the war in Iraq being lost.
The odd thing--is that I think there are parts of Al Anbar province where the war may be over and we just don't realize it.
The following post explains.
A couple of days in Baghdad
EOD doing its job in Baghdad. Good job boys! Stay safe.
Duke on Harry Reid and the Enemy Within:-- [Broken Masterpieces - Duke dispatches from Iraq]
Yesterday, it was reported that Senate Majority leader Harry Reid stated, “... the President knows that this war is lost and the surge is not accomplishing anything as indicated by the extreme violence in Iraq yesterday,".
You can imagine it depends a lot on who you talk to; but the bottom line is that it is an absolute morale killer when you have someone so high in Government state your efforts are futile and the war you are fighting is a lost cause. I consider these statements treason. I also think anyone who feels you can find a middle ground and negotiate with someone who is willing to blow up innocent women and children, has no idea about the ideology we are dealing with.
Sucking the Egg -- [A Soldier's Perspective]
This is in response to a comment in which the author plainly stated "the war IS lost".
Indeed several hundred Iraqis were killed last week - IN TWO ATTACKS!! The surge has reduced the number of attacks DRAMATICALLY!! Didn't you read that in all the reports about last week's bombings? Oh, that's right, the media doesn't want you to know the big picture. The big picture looks too good.
Instead, you want to focus on TWO ATTACKS. Was it heinous? Yes. Were a lot of people killed? Hell, yes. Is it acceptable? Hell, no!! But the fact that two bombs were able to kill so many people doesn't equate to a lost cause.
...They also didn't tell you about other signs that we're actually winning. Local citizens in the neighborhood of Buhriz informed Iraqi and Coalition forces of six terrorists in the area, leading to their detention. The terrorists admitted responsibility for placing and detonating improvised explosive devices and have been transferred to a detention facility.
These are just a few of the ways WE'RE WINNING THIS WAR!!
Gated Communities -- [Jules Crittenden]
In the United States, a sign of success, where even the middle class wants in on the exclusionary action previously the domain of the rich and famous to shut out the riffraff and the imagined horrors of … whatever.
In Baghdad, where they actually do have horrors of … whatever … a sign of failure.* Because any damned fool can see security fences to keep out evil are exactly like the Berlin Wall.
19 TERRORISTS DETAINED IN COALITION RAIDS -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD - Coalition Forces detained 19 suspected terrorists associated with facilitating foreign fighters, working with al-Qaeda in Iraq and operating a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device network Monday.
U.S. troops find bomber's house in Iraq
On patrol with U.S. troops when luck brings them to a bomb-maker's house.
Clearing operation Nets Five Weapons Caches in Baghdad’s Mansour district -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD – Coalition Force members and Iraqi Army troops continued clearing
operations in the Iraqi capital’s Mansour security district, uncovering five
weapons caches April 21 during Operation Arrowhead Strike 9.
The PooBahs Speak -- [Defense Tech]
Four of the nation’s top military strategists told Congress this week what modernization plans they’d scrap and how they’d change military priorities.
These aren’t the dried up formers who populate the news talk shows with punditry based on a limited rolodex of graying colleagues, but men who have been there and done that. The panel of experts included former military brass and Pentagon officials who are involved in policy-making today - giving their opinions greater weight than those from the cable channels.
What is Missing from Chertoff's "War" Assessment -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
It was heartening to see Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff clear-eyed view of al Qaeda's objectives.. The administration has often not articulated such a vision with such clarity.
But there is a disturbing absence in his analysis, one that has been largely absent since David Aufhauser left the Treasury Department three years ago. That is the support role that the Islamists, wahhabists and salafists, along with the Muslim Brotherhood and other groups, play in this conflict.
ON Point Special: The Story of Observation Post Hawk -- [ON Point]
Observation Post Hawk, in Ramadi, Iraq, is one of 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment's original posts. It stands in West Central Ramadi, on the eastern most edge of the battalion's area of responsibility.
Manned by Charlie Company, the main focus of the observation post, or OP, was to provide security for and around the city's main medical facility, the Ramadi General Hospital.
Working against a determined enemy, the Marines worked side-by-side with Iraqi Security Forces to wrest the hospital from Al Qaeda’s grasp. Last week, they returned control of the city's largest civilian care facility back to its people.
AMERICANS BEING AMBUSHED UNSUCESSFULLY IN BAGHDAD -
Insurgents blatent disregard for surrounding civillians
Torture Works In Iraq -- [Flopping Aces]
Interesting article which poses some hard questions
The Iraqi officers beamed. What the Americans did not know and what the Iraqis had not told them was that before handing over the detainees to the Americans, the Iraqi soldiers had beaten one of them in front of the other two, the Iraqis said. The stripes on the detainee’s back, which appeared to be the product of a whipping with electrical cables, were later shown briefly to a photographer, who was not allowed to take a picture.
To the Iraqi soldiers, the treatment was normal and necessary. They were proud of their technique and proud to have helped the Americans.
Of course the Times produces no evidence that this kind of questioning is "widespread" but be that it may this kind of thing puts us in a quandary. The information supplied by this terrorist shut down a large terrorist operation which most certainly saved many many lives, but at what cost?
If the information supplied saved, lets say 1000 lives, since the bomb maker and his supplies was captured would the fact that they used electrical cord to beat the information out of him be ok? How about 10,000 lives?
Good Cop, Really Bad Cop -- [Captain's Quaters]
The New York Times reports on the interrogation methods of the new Iraqi Army in an article that will likely renew the debate on torture. Iraqi Army forces whipped a suspected terrorist with an electrical cord to get a confession -- but that confession led to the discovery of safe houses, bomb-construction facilities, and the names of insurgency leaders. All of this will make American soldiers safer in Iraq, but at what cost?
...When the Americans found out about the torture, from the reporter and photographer, they made it clear that they did not condone the actions of the Iraqi Army personnel. In fact, as the Times points out, the use of torture is illegal for both the American and Iraqi armed forces. And yet, the information that they derived turned out to be accurate and to allow them to shut down an IED factory that otherwise would kill American troops.
Soldiers in Baqouba keep pressure on Al-Qaida in Iraq -- [MNF-I]
BAQOUBA — Soldiers with 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment continued their systematic attack on terrorist forces in Baqouba with another clearing operation in the city, April 10.
Coalition forces assist with re-opening of secondary school -- [MNF-I]
BOOB AL SHAM — Coalition forces assisted the city council here with the re-opening of the Boob Al Sham Girls Secondary School April 18 after a $100,000 renovation on the school building.
On the road again -- [The Zeke - in Iraq]
I have one knee in the dirt; I’m behind a Bradley Fighting vehicle and what protection it offers. We haven’t taken any fire yet, but that can all change in a split second. Snipers can be anywhere…a fly buzzes near my head. I don’t even attempt to swat at it. A stream of sweat drips into my eye. It burns, but I have something else on my mind. Something that has my attention so firmly in it's grasp that I don’t even bother to rub the salty fluid away. My rifle is near at hand, but at the
