 |  |
| Monthly Archives | [−] |
Prev | List | Random | Next |
Welcome to the Dawn Patrol, our daily roundup of information on the War on Terror and other topics - from the MilBlogs and other sources around the world. If you're a blogger, you can join the conversation. If you link to any of these stories, add a link to the Dawn Patrol too and your trackback will be added to the list.
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Saddam's Iraq apart, put it back together in the shape of a democracy, given it time to get on it's feet, and then withdrawn the bulk of our forces.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 moment I’m not even too concerned with that. Then, that which I dread, but that which has happened 8 times already, happens again.
Haditha: Report finds "serious misconduct" at all USMC levels [The Tank - Gregory S. McNeal]
In the Washington Post , more details about the Haditha story have emerged. An excerpt from the Haditha investigatory report states:
Duel Citizenship -- [Rmychk's Oh So Optimistic Blog - in Iraq]
I figured since I have been living in Iraq for so long now that I would apply for duel citizenship. If I lived here I would build my house for free and steal some kids to trade for white camels. Then I would bring the white camels to the army base and give rides to soldiers for money. In my spare time I would become an independent contractor because there are still a lot of bad guys.
Taliban Tactics Backfire on Civilians -- [Strategy Page]
April 22, 2007: Although the Taliban lost nearly 3,000 of their fighters last year, the next most frequent casualty was Afghan civilians. In 2006, the Taliban killed 669 civilians. Most frequently, civilians died because of bomb attacks. There were 189 Taliban suicide and roadside bombings last year, and these killed 492 civilians. Another 177 civilians were killed more deliberately, in ambushes or executions. Some of these were people kidnapped, to force them to support the Taliban. Most of these were released, after promising to cooperate. But those who refused, were often murdered.
US 158th Infantry Battalion on Patrol in Afghanistan
A report on US Infantry patrol's into remote regions of Afghanistan, and the efforts to win over locals, who aid in finding Al-Qaeda and Taliban.
Welcome to Mizan! -- [Michael Fumento - in Afghanistan]
FOB Lagman administers four other, smaller FOBs. Mizan is one of them. I wanted to come to this one because so far this year it's the only one that's gotten in a fight with the Taliban -- although that will change as more of the bad guys start coming over the mountain passes. It's about a 20-minute helo ride from Lagman; isolated in a sense but not really.
It's not as Spartan here as I was originally led to believe. I was told in Kandahar they may not even have electricity and to juice up everything electronic I have before coming. Did but they have 120 here to spare. (Volts, that is.)
A Stick in the Mud -- [Michael Fumento - in Afghanistan]
Today we were supposed to go out on a mechanized patrol of the area, including the riverbed. And then, I thought, we were to go into town to meet with officials. The patrols go out four days out of five to check for Taliban and possibly draw a fight (In fact, a patrol was ambushed recently where we went today), but there's just not the manpower here to get really aggressive with them.
HUMANITARIAN MISSION RECON -- [Afghanistan JAG - in Afghanistan]
Today we reconned a village for our next humanitarian mission. As usual, the kids were great.
This village looks like a good spot. We are going to make this mission very "hands on." Instead of handing out a bag of random goods, we are going to have a personal fitting for each child. This will take a lot more time, but it will be much more beneficial for the recipients.
First Farewells -- [Strong Ideas - in Afghanistan]
Today was the start of the hard part. I have grown very close to the Afghan officers that I have worked with daily over the last seven months. COL Hashim-hahn has literally become an uncle to me, a friend and wise elder that is closer than blood in many ways. COL Amin as well has been a big brother. Brigadier General Wardak, pictured here as I served up the Afghan soup, has been an incredible mentor himself. Since he assumed command of KMTC 18 months ago, it has grown at an extraordinary pace. His leadership has provided so much positive change to take place here in this institution and this country.
Rodeo II -- [Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Afghanistan]
Today’s post really lends itself to many photos and few words, so I’m going to get to work. Lest you think I’m just being lazy, I’ll probably spend 2-3 hours getting these photos up.
Here’s Rat -
What can I say about today other than it was my next to last time outside the wire except to leave this country and for the change of command. I did a ride along with the new folks, and let me tell you the feeling of not being in control was overwhelming. Now I know they did an adequate job getting us to and from the office, but it is very different when you don’t know or haven’t built up the trust factor we have with our group.
I spent the morning with my Afghans and drank Chai and talked about my impending departure. They are sad to see us go as I said the other day, and they are slow to warm up to our replacements as they were with us in the beginning. They are a society built on relationships and it will take time for the new folks to develop that trust and friendship.
Here’s Mike -
I spoke to Akram, one of my interpreters, about this guy and he told me that, yes, he is the most famous kite maker in all of Afghanistan and that his shop is in a bazaar not far from Camp Eggers in Kabul. I asked Akram to visit him, to buy a kite for me, and to take his picture. He did all of that, paying 35 dollars for the kite. Once he brought me the kite, I decided to google the kite maker to make sure he was the same guy (you just never know in Afghanistan). Sure enough he was the same guy. It is what was written in the article I read that got me so mad.
The article talked about how Noor Agha is the most famous kite maker in the whole of Afghanistan. It opens with the line “A man living in a graveyard in a rubbish-strewn, rundown Kabul district is the unlikely hero behind the scenes of one of Hollywood's most eagerly anticipated movies this year.”
Khaled Hosseini ( The Kite Runner )
The Kite Runner's Author.
They're HEEEERE -- [Gary goes to Afghanistan - in Afghansitan]
I spent today taking my relief around the Garrison, introducing him to most of the staff, avoiding the requests to sit and have tea and then for a tour of the entire PeC Base. I remember my first days here as if they were yesterday (and if you refer to my post on lousy memory, that is quite a feat!). I know their heads are swimming in information and they are very likely overloaded, this place is a lot to take all at once. He will do fine though and I look forward to finishing our turnover this week and seeing what he has in store for the ANA for the next year.
News of Afghanistan - the, uh, Late edition -- [Misersable Donuts]
Half a day late, hopefully not a dollar short. I was at a conference hearing wealthy trial lawyers proclaim their inate goodness and moral purity. I had to go find a bucket... Now that I am recovered, here is the news!
Tourism, Bamiyan, and Old Soviet Tank -- [Afghanistan Watch]
In the little Afghan mountain town of Bamiyan, they have high hopes for tourism. Though the famous, giant stone Buddha statues that welcomed visitors for over 1,800 years were destroyed by the Taliban, there's still much to see.
The Deteriorating Panorama in Africa and the World -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
As Islamists continue their offensive in Somalia, there are several other key indicators that the violent wahhabist movement across Africa is growing.
The deteriorating situation in Somalia and Africa is symptomatic of other setbacks in fighting the Islamists on numerous fronts. Taken together, the recent developments of 2007 show that:
1) Neither Sunni nor Shi'ite terrorist networks are suffering from any shortage of funds or recruits, but rather seem awash in resources,
2) the increased decentralization of al Qaeda-related groups is a strategy that is paying off
Terrorist Friends in Congress -- [Strategy Page]
April 23, 2007: Colombia's fight against the FARC and ELN terrorists has become harder, due to the fact that $55 million in military aid has been frozen by a U.S. Senate subcommittee led by Senator Patrick Leahy. This freeze holds the potential to greatly aid FARC and ELN, simply by preventing Colombia from keeping up the pressure, and shows how the change in control of Congress affects the global war on terror. How?
The Meaning og Terror -- [Brad's Place - in Kosvo]
...How is that for revisionist history? Why was America calm throughout most of the cold war? The average American didn't know what was going on! Do you think for one moment that Americans would have remained calm throughout the Cuban Missile Crisis if CNN, MSNBC and FoxNews had been airing "BREAKING NEWS REPORT" every thirty seconds?
Jihadist video shows boy killing Pakistani militant -- [CTV]
KILI FAQIRAN, Pakistan -- The boy with the knife looks barely 12. In a high-pitched voice, he denounces the bound, blindfolded man before him as an American spy. Then he hacks off the captive's head to cries of "God is great!" and hoists it in triumph by the hair.
A video circulating in Pakistan records the grisly death of Ghulam Nabi, a Pakistani militant accused of betraying a top Taliban official who was killed in a December airstrike in Afghanistan.
Al-Qaeda ‘planning big British attack’ -- [Jihad Watch]
With help from Iran, but could some of these young men be helping also? By Dipesh Gadher in the Times, with thanks to Frank:
Jihadis aspire to 'conquer France' -- [Jihad Watch]
"The second stop of the Islamic conquest of Europe, France, after Andalusia, Spain."
"Jihadis aspire to 'conquer France': Al-Qaeda forum calls for jihadis to 'complete' medieval war and take over France," by Yaakov Lappin for Ynet News, with thanks to the American Israeli Patriot:
Leading Dem Blog Attacks the Murdering US Military! -- [Gateway Pundit]
Before you read this...
Please, please... don't question their patriotism!
Leading democratic blog Fire Dog Lake gets honest:
When will we see an investigation into the continuing slaughter of Iraqi civilians by US troops and the apparent inability or unwillingness of the US military command to enforce the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Neither Liberals nor Conservatives Support Our Troops -- [Capitalism Magazine]
In fact, neither liberals nor conservatives truly support the brave men and women who risk their lives to defend America. For both, "support our troops" is a cheap, undeserved claim to patriotism--one that obscures their unwillingness to do what is truly necessary to protect America and its soldiers.
Granted, almost everyone wants to give our troops the resources they need to do their jobs: the best weapons, armor, provisions, and training available--as well as praise, gratitude, and encouragement. But for our government to truly support our troops, it must do far more than help them do their jobs; it must
Why Don't We Honor Our Fallen Servicemembers? -- [Sgt. Jim Wilt - DVIDS]
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Following the deaths of 32 Virginia Tech students, the President of the United States ordered that all American flags be flown at half-staff for one week.
In accordance with the president’s order, the U.S. flag at Bagram Airfield was raised to half-staff.
Soldier: Honor troops like Va. Tech dead -- [Seattle Post Intelligencer]
KABUL, Afghanistan -- An Army sergeant complained in a rare opinion article that the U.S. flag flew at half-staff last week at the largest U.S. base in Afghanistan for those killed at Virginia Tech but the same honor is not given to fallen U.S. troops here and in Iraq.
...Wilt suggested that flags should fly at half-staff on the base where the fallen service member was working and in the states where they hail from. He said some states do this, but not all of them.
He wrote that the death of a U.S. service member is just as violent as those at the university last week, but it lacks the "shock factor of the Virginia massacre."
I Am The Mean One -- [Marine Corps Moms]
...He wanted to know if I was going to leave, and I told him that I wasn't. This didn't seem to register, because he asked again if I was leaving. I told him that in fact, I was not, so he needed to go away from my car and find himself a parking space.
This obviously wasn't what he wanted to hear, so he began yelling. He informed me that he wanted that space, and asked me why I wasn't going to leave. I told him that I was staying and that he needed to get away from my car.
...Still, he didn't leave. "What is he doing again?" he yelled.
I said,"He's on an FTX. The ROTC kids have gone to a training center in northern Michigan to practice in wooded terrain."
This is where it gets ugly.
"Oh," said the guy,"so, they have to be trained to kill babies?"
I was quiet for a minute. I quickly put down my latte, since it was still hot enough to scald, and I am embarrassed to admit that my first thought was to toss it in his face. So, I disarmed myself....
Marine Parents Come Together -- [SgtStryker]
I recently had the privilege of attending the annual conference for MarineParents.com. The conference was in St. Louis this year and I was invited to make the trip out by the founder of Marine Parents, Inc. I should mention here that I am not the parent of a Marine, but I do know the organization quite well. Tracy Della Vecchia started Marine Parents when her son was deployed to Iraq at the start of the war. He went back two more times before getting out of the Marine Corps. As the mother of a Marine in harm’s way, Tracey was desperate for answers. She wanted to get information, she wanted to find support, she wanted to know everything there was to now about the Marine Corps. But as she looked online, she didn’t find any organizations dedicated to helping the parents of those who serve. So Tracy took matters into her own hands and started MarineParents.com.
MOABS -- [Fuzzilicious Thinking]
Not "MOABs," but MOABS; Mother of All Baby Showers, in other words.
Andi has the details on plans to support the brand new daughter of severely wounded soldier DJ Emery and his wife Leslie Shivery in conjunction with the MilBlog Conference. He is currently at the Naval Hospital in Bethesda, so gifts brought to the Conference can be easily transported to the new parents.
OPERATION: THANKS FOR FREEDOM 2007! -- [Yikes]
Fourth of July Card Drive for Troops
Let's show our troops we love and support them! Starting NOW, I will be collecting cards to send to troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. If you wish to participate, please send light-hearted, silly, cheerful, and encouraging cards to this address:...
An angel winging towards Valhalla -- [Neptunus Lex]
You’ll hear a lot in the next couple of weeks or so about how and why Blue Angel #6 went down yesterday at Beaufort. Most of it will be raw conjecture, not worth the pixels used to frame the text. Somebody has a good idea what happened, but he - or they - won’t be talking to the press. They’ll have an investigation to do, and they’ll do it the right way - out of the glare of the public view - in order to find out how the next mishap might be prevented. A board will be convened, gather evidence, weigh and sift conclusions and publish their results - privately.
Missing Man Formation
A tribute to LtCmdr Kevin Davis, the Blue Angels pilot who lost his life in an air show crash on Apr. 21, 2007 in Beaufort, SC. This missing man formation took place before the second air show the next day, performed by the Geico Skytypers.
Tomb of the Unknowns -- [A Soldier's Perspective]
As I wrote, I took my FIL to Arlington National Cemetary yesterday. For those that have never seen the Tomb or the changing of the guard, I've created three videos to show you how professional, disciplined, and respectful those Soldiers are that are assigned to this solemn duty.
The first video is simply of the Guard marching his perimeter and guarding the unknowns buried within the tomb. The Guard takes 21 steps from one side of the tomb to the other. He waits 21 second, then turns and moves to the other side. The number 21 is indicative of the respectful 21 gun salute military honor. This is done 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Ron Speirs (BoB) Has Died
Apparently Lt. Col. Ronald C. Speirs (U.S Army Ret.), veteran of E Company, WWII -
portrayed in the H.B.O miniseries, "Band of Brothers"- passed away earlier this month
on April 11. R.I.P.
Boris Yeltsin Has Died -- [RedState]
The first Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, has died. During the fall of the USSR, a coup was engineered to get Gorbachev out of power. Yeltsin, then the President of Russia, the state not the nation, engineered a counter coup, restoring Gorbachev to power when the Red Army sided with the people.
Conduct Unbecoming -- [Dadmanly]
Here’s my contribution to the effort, sent along to Michelle:
Senator Reid,
It is difficult to write this letter with any civility, but I think enough people will scream so much, with enough cursing and invective, that I will not need to add any more for you to get the point, that you infuriate those Americans who serve in the military with your careless, ignorant, mean-spirited, and frankly, dangerous remarks.
You, sir, are not any average, private citizen. You are a Senator of the United States of America, and whatever your political views or allegiances may be, you must first show loyalty to and serve with honor your country. Yet, you do not do so, and you have disgraced whatever nobility or honor you might have earned serving your constituency.
Bush Blasts Democratic Micromanaging of the War! (Video) -- [Gateway Pundit]
President Bush spoke from the White House this morning with General Patreus.
He reinforced his commitment to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and to the young democracy of Iraq.
When questioned about Senator Reid's disgraceful comments from the past week...
Funding the Troops -- [Michael Barone - USNews]
End the war. Fund the troops. You can sum up the argument between George W. Bush and the Democratic majorities in Congress in just six words. Both the House and the Senate have now passed supplemental appropriations that in different ways call for a beginning of an end to our military involvement in Iraq. George W. Bush threatens to veto them and any supplemental that places limits on military operations. It's clear that the Democrats don't have the votes to override a veto, or anything close. The Senate version, passed 51 to 47, sets a goal of withdrawing most of the troops from Iraq by next March. The House version, passed 218 to 212, sets a date by which all troops must be gone: September 2008.
Cavalry Sergeant's Message to the media -- [BlackFive]
The caption in the Honolulu Advertiser: [Name and location redacted] 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.
Soldiers and the Media -- [Guidons, Guidons, Guidons! - in Iraq]
Some days a reporter can't catch a break. He's out there actually going into battle or at least on patrol alongside some American soldiers he takes a picture and they reward him with the bird. Now why would they do something like that?
Perhaps THIS might help explain.
Distributed IO by PSYOP Auxiliaries and Volunteer Counter Propagandists -- [Cannoneer No. 4 - in Iraq]
PSYOP scares a lot of people, especially “civil libertarians,” and there are several laws that govern public diplomacy which, because many PSYOP products and their dissemination constitute a form of public diplomacy, also govern military PSYOP. Our military PSYOP people are forbidden by law from producing programs and actions designed to nullify propaganda or mitigate its effects on the American domestic target audience. They pretend that Other Government Agencies counter propaganda outside the AO, knowing full well that strategic counter propaganda is too hot a potato to mess with.
Latuff depicts VTech killer as U.S. soldier in Iraq -- [Hot Air -Allahpundit]
Send to a Friend | printer-friendly Ah, Latuff. I haven’t heard his name since the early days of LGF, when Charles used to spotlight him regularly for the unusual viciousness of his attacks on Israel. No anti-semitic trope was too taboo — blood libels, Nazi analogies, even literal demonization. He placed second, in fact, in last year’s Iranian Holocaust cartoon contest for this excrescence. I can’t think of any American cartoonist who quite compares; even a provocateur as shameless as Rall pretends to something grander than the comic-book agitprop Latuff specializes in. (Here’s a self-portrait, fyi. The black-and-white stock and Arafat terrorist keffiyeh are there for extra “authenticity.”)
Video: Chimpy McBushitler’s torture robot -- [Hot Air]
Reader Tasty Beverage sent in this review, saying all that needs to be said about this Robert Smigel cartoon that aired on Saturday Night Live:
Bush and Cheney have a robot at Gitmo that electrifies the genitals and urinates on the poor, innocent inmates, and also flushes korans down the toilet in front of those same poor, innocent inmates, because see, the Geneva conventions only apply to human soldiers, not robots, so this is how the evil Chimpy McBushitler and his sidekick Cheney can get away with this behavior at Gitmo, which of course is actually happening in real life.
Reid Supports the Troops Who Lost the War -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-04-20) — Attempting to clarify yesterday’s statement that the war in Iraq is “lost“, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said today that he “supports the troops who lost the war.”
In an audiotape recorded from an undisclosed location and released through Al-Jazeera TV, Sen. Reid said, “The troops who lost the war should hold their heads high, because not everyone can be a winner, and they gave it a good try.”
(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.
Happy Blogoversary, Baby -- [Civilian Irregular Information Defense Group - in Iraq]
...Counter propaganda is a legitimate task for Psychological Operations, unfortunately strategic counter-propaganda to mitigate the effects of the enemy’s propaganda on the American domestic target audience is beyond the capabilities of regular US Government military or intelligence psychological operators, because they are prohibited by law from targeting the domestic audience. We are the only country in the world that has voluntarily hamstrung itself in that way. We are losing the infowar to Lawfare. Our PSYOPS people are afraid to conduct robust counter propaganda because it would it would get back to the domestic audience in the States and offend the usual suspects. The Smith-Mundt Act of 1948 never envisioned the internet, but the partial regime change in America has given us a majority party that WANTS our operator’s hands tied.
...Either we grab our ankles and just take the steady stream of unchallenged enemy propaganda, or We The People exercise our rights under the First Amendment to refute it, condition our fellow citizens to resist it, minimize its effects and mitigate the damage it does to our morale and will.
Security Conditions -- [DVIDS]
Ryan Crocker, United States ambassador to Iraq, jokes with patrons of a market in Baghdad's al Doura neighborhood Thursday, April 5, 2007. Crocker toured the market along with American and Iraqi military leaders. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Curt Cashour, MNC-I Public Affairs)
Iraqi Family Village holds open forum at first town hall meeting; -- [DVIDS - pdf]
The Iraqi Family Village city council held an open forum for citizens to discuss important issues at its first town hall
meeting April 14. Attendees at the meeting brought up problems they have been having with electricity, sewage, employment, medical care and security.
Soldiers in Baqouba Keep Pressure on Al-Qaida in Iraq -- [DVIDS]
...“We’ve pushed al-Qaida out of here,” said Sgt. Matthew Benzshawel, with 2nd Platoon, Company A. “We are a pretty lethal force. When (insurgents) see a battalion worth of Strykers coming, (they) usually move out.”
Nonetheless, the battalion reported that coalition forces detained about a dozen suspected insurgents, including one man described by the unit as a “high-level” terrorist.
‘I found Saddam’s WMD bunkers’ -- [The Spectator] (HT: PowerLine)
...The Republicans won’t touch this because it would reveal the incompetence of the Bush administration in failing to neutralise the danger of Iraqi WMD. The Democrats won’t touch it because it would show President Bush was right to invade Iraq in the first place. It is an axis of embarrassment.
Mr Loftus goes further. Saddam’s nuclear research, scientists and equipment, he says, have all been relocated to Syria, where US satellite intelligence confirms that uranium centrifuges are now operating — in a country which is not supposed to have any nuclear programme. There is now a nuclear axis, he says, between Iran, Syria and North Korea — with Russia and China helping to build an Islamic bomb against the West. And of course, with assistance from American negligence.
Training Iraqi troops no longer driving force in U.S. policy -- [McClatchy Washington Bureau]
WASHINGTON - Military planners have abandoned the idea that standing up Iraqi troops will enable American soldiers to start coming home soon and now believe that U.S. troops will have to defeat the insurgents and secure control of troubled province
...No change has been announced, and a Pentagon spokesman, Col. Gary Keck, said training Iraqis remains important. "We are just adding another leg to our mission," Keck said, referring to the greater U.S. role in establishing security that new troops arriving in Iraq will undertake.
Maj. Gen. Michael Barbero — Al Qaeda is "adaptive, ruthless, and a thinking enemy, and we are staying on them all the time." -- [Defense Link]
...I think what's important to note is that immediately following the attack in the Green Zone, the Iraqi government took steps to take responsibility for the security and to demonstrate the resolve and commitment to carry on the work. Some of the measures they took were they immediately placed responsibility for security for the building under the Ministry of Interior. The Council of Representatives met the very next day, on a holy day, in the very same building to demonstrate their unity in the face of terrorism. And the Iraqi government launched an extensive investigation into the attack.
But that being said, the Green Zone and predominantly Shi'a areas remain extremely high-priority targets, both physically and symbolically, for an adaptive, ruthless and thinking enemy looking to make headlines and undermine stability.
The Salafi-Jihadist Context of the Iraq Bombings -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
A string of suicide attacks on April 18 and April 19, including what appears to be the single most deadly bombing in Baghdad since the beginning of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003, highlights the lack of security in Iraq and the ongoing rift between Shia and Sunnis in Iraq. Together, Wednesday's and Thursday's bombings killed some two hundred people, mostly Shia. The attacks were most likely carried out by Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) and can be seen in the context of Salafi-Jihadism—the ideology guiding AQI, and indeed most of the groups carrying out suicide bombings in Iraq.
Iraqi Boy Scouts prepare for Jamboree
A group of Iraqi Boy Scouts clean up a camping area in Baghdad to prepare for their upcomming Jamboree event.
Marines in Anbar Express Optimism to Gates -- [Defense Link]
CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq, April 19, 2007 – Marine leaders here told Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates that they are “cautiously optimistic” about the situation in Anbar province during a briefing today.
Gates called the situation in the once very violent province, “a good news story,” during a news conference afterward.
“(Anbar) is a place where the Iraqis have decided to take control of their future and the sheiks have played a key role in making good things happen out here,” Gates said, “along with the Iraqi police and the Iraqi army with our help.”
School reopens in Ramadi -- [MNF-I]
AR RAMADI, Iraq - Marking the culmination of a 53-day renovation project, members of the West Central Ramadi District Council and local residents held a grand re-opening ceremony for the Al Warar Boys School here, April 17.
Approximately 100 students, more than a dozen teachers and numerous city leaders were in attendance for the ribbon cutting ceremony of the newly renovated facility. Arif Mokber Sayad, vice president of the WCRDC, and Fadel Khalaf Saleh, provincial director general of education were given the honor of cutting the ribbon for the celebratory occasion.
“Being here and seeing these happy children makes me remember my own childhood,” Sayad said. “Because of the cooperation of the people of Ramadi and the Coalition Forces, we will be able to educate our children properly.”
Approximately 100 Iraqi workers from local neighborhoods were contracted for the renovation, adding four new classrooms, repairing the roof, floors and plumbing, replacing all the doors and windows, installing air conditioning and heating units, and repainting the building.
Baghdad Operations Command Leader Meets New Iraqi Troops on Taji -- [DVIDS]
...An Iraqi officer also present at the meeting told Qanbar that “…the brigade’s 1st Battalion is ready” to take on any challenges in their area of operations.
After the brief, Qanbar had the opportunity to meet with his troops from the 1st “Tank” Bn., 3rd Bde., 9th IA Div., (Mech.). The battalion’s tankers who operate from T-55 tanks took the lead on their first mounted combat patrol earlier this week.
“Do your best and you will continue to improve in your efforts,” Qanbar told his newly-initiated combat troops. “I, and the Iraqi people are very proud of you.”
Why We Serve: Marine Says Iraqis Appreciate U.S. Military -- [Defense Link]
WASHINGTON, April 18, 2007 – A Marine who served two tours in Iraq, and is now speaking in American communities about his experiences, said that today’s Iraqi Army soldiers prefer their current system to life in Saddam Hussein’s military.
“It wasn’t the same structure that we have,” Marine 1st Lt. Matthew H. Hilton, 28, said of the old Iraqi military. Hilton served as the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance company advisor to the 7th Iraqi Army Division, among other duties, during his tours in Iraq.
Al Qaeda Retards Name Shadow Ministers to Iraqi "Government" -- [Jawa Report]
Laura Mansfield sent me this video earlier today of the al Qaeda front group, The Islamic State in Iraq, claiming to have named "shadow ministers". For those not familiar with the parliamentary system, it's a kind of way to let your voters know who would rule should your party take over government. Of course, al Qaeda and the self-styled Islamic State of Iraq have no voters, but the priniciple is the same. U.S. forces leave, and these are the guys you can expect to run Sunni provinces--or so they promise.
Recognition -- [Badgers Forward - in Iraq]
...My favorite thing to do in formation is to promote Soldiers; promoting them is about the bright future they have in the US Army, but having the honor of pinning medals on them is pretty special too.
These are the young men, 19, 20 years old who go out everyday and spearhead movements on the battlefield and ensure their fellow service members have the opportunity to accomplish their mission safely by finding those road side bombs.
Today I was able to give them a little bit of what they deserve. Recognition.
US soldier tells Insurgents to come out and play
After the school incident which involved Insurgents breaking into an elementary school during classes, Bravo Company - QRF (Quick Reaction Force) informs the town it is playtime.
16 April 2007 Iraq Pictures -- [Iraq Pictures - in Iraq]
Iraqi Omar Hussin, brother of the Sheik of Tallal Jawwal explains how the Iraqi army had recently searched his house to 2LT Kevin Krupsik, village of Tallal Jawwal, Province of Kirkuk, Iraq. U.S. Soldiers are with 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade, 25th Infantry Division.
Pic: Tech Sgt. Maria Bare, USAF.
ON Point in Afghanistan: Nation Building 101 -- [ON Point - in Afghansitan]
The differences between Afghanistan and Iraq could not be more striking. In 2006, Afghanistan had an 18% economic growth rate. Shops are open daily. Noisy construction projects are in progress throughout the country. Sidewalk restaurants are jammed with customers sipping chai while eating pilau and kebabs, as are the roads, which teem with some absolutely frustrating traffic jams, as well as children—and adults—who smile and wave as Americans drive by....
Soldier Filming with Afghan Locals
Rangers Sweep! -- [Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Afghanistan]
...Here we are just a short time left in Afghanistan, and we have been trying to take a year’s worth of knowledge and transplant it into our replacements. They do seem to be a little overwhelmed at this point. They have met head on some of the cultural differences and are still tying to make sense of all they are seeing, much like we did upon our arrival.
...The Afghans I work with told me today they didn’t want me to leave. They were both happy and sad. Happy I was going home to my family but sad I was leaving them. I feel the same way, and it was a hard moment to get through. The feelings are genuine and to have them drop all pretenses and say it, I’m sure was not easy. Today they had their first dose of the reality that we are leaving and that fact is coming true. The relationships we have built over the past year are bonds that are hard to let go.
More... Video & Photos From the Iranian Student Protests! -- [Gateway Pundit]
The students in Iran are restless!
And... The students in Iran are blogging their protests!
Here is more video from the ongoing student protests at Babul Technical College in northern Iran.
This video is very good:
Thousands Of Pakistanis Protest “Talibanisation” -- [Sweetnes & Light]
Pakistanis in Islamabad and Lahore demonstrated against the radical Muslim "Red Mosque" movement that has recently called for crackdowns on videos and music.
Iran: Europe’s Newest Neighbor -- [Transatlantic Politics]
The Iranian Cultural Center in Sarajevo is a busy place. As I wrote the other day, the story in Bosnia is far from over. Among many other problems, Iran's continued presence in the region is a destabilizing influence that may undermine both local politics and European security.
...On the domestic front, Congress was not happy that the Clinton administration had allowed Iran to play a free hand. The House of Representatives International Relations Committee hearing on the matter kicked off with Chairman Gilman asking the Ambassador to Croatia, Peter Galbraith, to "…please explain to the committee why the administration did not inform the American people, the Congress, even our allies of its decision to permit Iran, the world's leading terrorist state, a rogue state, to ship arms to Bosnia and thus gain a major foothold in the Balkans."
Why Iran Supports Those Who Murder Shia -- [Strategy Page]
April 20, 2007: Iran, via its international terrorism support organizations, the Quds Force, is now supplying weapons to the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban. U.S. troops recently captured Iranian mortars and explosives that were on their way to Taliban forces in Afghanistan. Quds has also supplied weapons to Islamic radicals in Somalia, Iraq and elsewhere.
International Sanctions, Failed Economic Policies Translate into Inflation in Iran -- [MEMRI]
International sanctions, together with the failed economic policies of the Iranian government, are being felt in Iran.
The Research Center of the Iranian Majlis (parliament) has announced that inflation rose by 22.4% during the Iranian calendar year which ended March 31. This figure is much higher than the 13.5% announced by the Central Bank.
Muslim Brotherhood General Guide 'Akef's Weekly Sermon Calls For Attacks in Palestine, Iraq, and Afghanistan: [MEMRI Blog]
Direct Energy Of Resistance At Real Enemy "Concealed In Jerusalem"
In his weekly sermon, the general guide of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Muhammad Mahdi 'Akef, called for attacks in Palestine, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
He said that the U.S.'s plan was based on imposed rule according to a unilateral view characterized by extremism without taking into account the simplest principles of the unique faith, culture, and society of other peoples.
Now China Points Finger at Pakistan on Terror Camps! -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
After sentencing a Canadian citizen, Huseyin Celil for allegedly participating in separatist and terrorist activities in western Xinjiang province, China took another surprising dig at long time ally Pakistan. China reportedly said that East Turkestan (Uyghur) Islamic terrorists operating on Pakistan’s soil and trained in special camps in its territory. This is the first time Beijing administration charged Pakistan for harboring anti-China elements in its soil.
Follow Up: SPC Sam Floberg & Lcpl Ben Lunak -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
...People have asked him if it was worth it. Some tell him it's too bad he lost his leg for no reason.
"I get kind of mad about that. I guess if their freedom isn't a reason... " he said. "I didn't lose my leg. I gave my leg for my country."
There are no words to describe what it's like for us here to look at photos like this after seeing these guys only days after their injuries. You don't really talk about it much. Either you "know", or you don't.
The Victimization of the Military -- MoveOn's Sad Undertaking -- [Redstate]
The left has gone from demonizing the military during the Vietnam War to victimizing our troops today. MoveOn's new VideoVets Project is a sad undertaking and political stunt to demoralize our soldiers in Iraq.
Wounded Warrior Regiment -- [Strategy Page]
April 20, 2007: The U.S. Marine Corps has established a unique new unit, the Wounded Warrior Regiment. There will be two battalions, one on the east coast and one on the west coast. This effort grows out of a marine innovation from last year, of assigning wounded marines to units that could help them recover. That was simple solution for problems some wounded marines, recuperating in the United States, had in getting bureaucratic problems fixed. In the past, marines wounded overseas, and sent to hospitals back home for extended treatment, were still considered part of their units back in the combat zone.
An invitation for our troops: Letters to Harry Reid -- [Michelle Malkin]
***Updated with lots of emails for Harry***
Active-duty military readers and military bloggers: If you'd like to send a message to the treacherous Harry Reid--who just declared the war in Iraq lost today--e-mail me or leave a trackback. I'll reprint/link them here as they come in. Here is Reid's contact form. He really needs to hear from you. (And perhaps Jon Voight could talk some sense into him.)
Harry Reid: "The Iraq War is lost."
Harry Reid throws in the towel for democrats in a war that America is winning and has lost less than half the soldiers than during the Clinton years.
Thin as a Reid -- [Old War Dogs]
Contributed by Russ Vaughn
I’ve wondered who’d do the evil deed;
Not surprisingly, it’s Harry Reid.
It was Cronkite stabbed us in the back;
This time it’s a pol not a media hack.
Uncle Walter used his powerful podium
To betray me and mine with nightly odium;
America’s avuncular pontificator,
Now an admitted, liberal, media traitor
Commo Check -- [Badgers Forward - in Iraq]
Home Front this is Badger 6, how copy over?
Home Front, Home Front this is Badger 6, how copy over?
Any station this net, any station this net prepare to copy.
It has come to our attention that Sen Reid, the Senate Majority Leader - break . . .
has said the war is lost and the surge had failed - break . . .
SEN Reid has been given bad information - break . . .
Need Retrans - break . . .
Iraq And The Limits of Partisan Folly -- [Deans World]
...As I’ve said before, America’s abiding faith in the military remains the trump card in Iraq policy. The public may believe that Democrats in Congress would do a better job on the war than Bush, but if pollsters asked whether Dems, Repubs, or the military would do a better job with war strategy – well, I think we know how the polling on that question would come out. I’m not sure either party would even break single digits when matched against our professional soldiers.
The nightmare scenario for Dems, which must by now have occurred to some forward-thinking advisers around Pelosi and Reid (not to mention Obama and Clinton), is not victory in Iraq, as some partisans on the right will claim
Harry Reid Declares War Lost — sort of -- [Austin Bay]
Yup. He sure did. Harry Reid unequivocally called the war lost.
...What a slickee boy. It’s lost, but can only be won, if…Hmmm.
There are (and have been) four lines of operation in Iraq: security (military ops,building Iraqi defense capabilities), governmental (political participation and structure building), information (intel, media, and political perception), and economic (economic development, infrastructure creation).
Giving up on America- Giving in to Terror -- [Calvey in Iraq - in Iraq]
I see where a certain Congressional leader has thrown in the towel on Iraq. It's a good thing the troops in the field have not done so.
It's the same defeatist mentality that caused America to lose in Vietnam. Our military was winning in Vietnam until the politicians pulled the plug.
The US loss of the war in Vietnam caused a decline in American prestige for a decade, until Ronald Reagan made it clear that "peace through strength" was the new American policy.
Friday, April 20, 2007 -- [Mistakes Were Made ]
...I understand that our own revolution against England was fraught with uncertainties. From the beginning it wasn't necessarily popular--it was begun by a bunch of hotheads in Massachusetts--and militarily we could have been crushed at any time by the seasoned, professional British military. The saving grace, which led to the creation of the greatest country on the planet, was that the average person in Britain didn't give a rat's patoot about the colonies, and at the same time got tired of hearing about British casualties.
That's the exact model that Harry Reid is seizing upon, though I doubt that he's smart enough or knows enough about history to realize the connection.
We Lose ... Now Can We Go Home? -- [Celestial Junk - Canadian troops]
With panty-waist "progressives" like Harry Reid speaking for Westerners, who needs enemies? In keeping with the left's thinly veiled passivism, Reid recently declared
A word from the Swift Boat Vets et al. -- [Powerline]
...The indefatigable leader of the Swift Boat Vets was John O'Neill. In February 2004, O'Neill was lying in a hospital bed after contributing a kidney for transplantion to his wife. He answered the call of his former commanding officer Roy Hoffman to serve our country one more time by leading the veterans' effort opposing John Kerry. It was the most dramatic story of the 2004 election campaign, now smothered in a welter of lies foisted on the public by the likes of Eric Boehlert. Bruce Kesler is a Vietnam vet who himself commented on John's post at Democracy Project. John O'Neill wrote Bruce "RE: Your blog and the Powerline blog's summary: Thanks--always be grateful for both of you."
The Proper Definition of "Swiftboat" the Verb -- [Wizbang!]
...There is a definition those on the Left and many in the media have been using for the term "swiftboating." They use the term to refer to a smear of a political opponent with unsubstantiated charges. Many in the media even specifically refer to the claims of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth about John Kerry as unsubstantiated. Nothing could be farther from the truth. If I were to use the term "swiftboating," (which I don't) I would use it to refer to whistle blowers who organize and use both paid and free media to spread the truth about a person or issue that is being ignored by mainstream reporters.
In Case you Forgot, John Murtha STILL Wants a Draft -- [The Weekly Standard Blog]
The Huffington Post has published another "blog post" from Rep. John Murtha, indicating (again) his support for re-instating the draft:...
Our military has done a tremendous job with what has been asked of them. They have juggled and balanced with what they have, but what they have is not enough. The president asks the impossible and the burden continues to fall on the very few. The pressure must be taken off the current force and their families who have already sacrificed so much. If the president insists on continuing the current operational tempo and policy, then he should call for a military draft. That is the responsible thing to do.
V.T Murders - Blame it on Iraq
"Worst mass murder" -- [CounterColumn]
I swear, if I ever see another culturally illiterate reporter call the Virginia Tech Shootings "The worst massacre in American history," I'll jump through the monitor and choke him.
There's the 9/11 attacks.
There's the Oklahoma City Bombing.
Someone mentioned the Tulsa race riots on another blog.
It's not even the worst shooting.
There's Wounded Knee.
The Jamestown Massacre killed 322 people.
The Fort Henry Massacre.
Pentagon Official Refutes 'Time' Claim of 'Broken-Down Army' -- [NewsBusters]
A senior Pentagon official has refuted "Time" magazine's depiction of a "broken" Army. Accusing "Time" of using incendiary language and of hyping the facts, Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Military Personnel Policy Bill Carr made his remarks in the course of his appearance yesterday on the TV show this NewsBuster hosts, and in subsequent written comments.
Sec. Carr was responding to claims made by "Time" in a story by Mark Thompson dated April 5, 2007 entitled America's Broken-Down Army, a headline Carr called "incendiary." -- [NewsBusters]
Sec. Carr offered the following refutation of a number of assertions contained in the "Time" article:
TIME: Recruits from the least-skilled category have climbed eightfold, to nearly 4%, over the past two years.
CARR: This refers to the percentage of recruits drawn from the bottom-third of math/verbal aptitude (we refer to them as "Category IV"). For the past 15 years, the Pentagon quality benchmarks have stipulated a ceiling of 4% for CAT IV and Army is within it. As recently as 1980, the Army was bringing in more than half (56%) from the bottom third and ten years later took that Army to war. A decrease from one-in-two, to one-in-twenty today, is hardly consistent with an explosive word like "broken" -- TIME is hyping the facts by hiding the historical context.
TIME: The Army has boosted the maximum enlistment age from 35 to 42 — but 12% of recruits over 35 drop out within six months, double the rate for younger soldiers.
CARR: From Desert Storm (1991) to today, the average six month attrition rate for Army (all ages; all sources) has been 15%. It is hard to view a figure like 12% as evidence of "broken."
Patriot Act -- [Radar Online]
Jon Voight understands that America is under attack. Why don't you?
Radar caught up with him on his return from a visit to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center with a group of New York City firemen, where he met with soldiers freshly wounded in Iraq. The experience was a powerful one for the 68-year-old, who was eager to discuss the threat of Islamic fundamentalism, critics of the war on terror, and Dick Cheney's bad rap.
You recently visited with wounded troops at Walter Reed. What were your impressions?
I was deeply impressed by them. Most I spoke to were young people, around 20 years old. And they were really very eloquent, very positive, very respectful. You have to be proud of the children we're turning out from looking at this group of people. For me, I would much rather hear from these guys than the people who are presenting the news on television on a daily basis.
Do you think it's possible to win the Iraq War?
Here's what I think: this is a real war, extended beyond the borders of Iraq.
How Hollywood Helps al Qaeda Look Good -- [Strategy Page]
April 20, 2007: Once again, Hollywood has gotten it wrong while portraying the issues and methods used at Guantanamo Bay. This time, the offending show was "Criminal Minds" on CBS. In a sense, this mess had some good points, but what the show got wrong is not only worth noting, it also reveals some bad news on another front.
Reid Supports the Troops Who Lost the War -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-04-20) — Attempting to clarify yesterday’s statement that the war in Iraq is “lost“, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said today that he “supports the troops who lost the war.”
(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.
Dedication... -- [Desert Flier - in Iraq]
The medic is on their heels, and he looks as pale as a silverlit moon. His uniform is caked with dirt. Sweat streaming down his face into his eyes; he doesn't even notice, because he's practically running blind into the trauma bay when the chaplain and I stop him. Chaplain asks him if he's the medic, and he can only shake his head in the affirmative. We quickly thank him for doing such an outstanding job of getting the patient to us, and "chaps" takes him aside to talk to him and comfort him.
...His unit: their love for him was unquestionable. His buddies press into the OR the second we finish working on his legs. A few with shellshock and patched up arms and legs from the blast are at his side and don't want to leave, hollow look in their eyes
Ramadi service members help SVBIED victims
Service members aboard Camp Ramadi flocked to the base's medical treatment facility to assist local Iraqi's injured after a suicide truck bomb detonated, killing twelve and wounding dozens. By Sgt. Josh Hauser
Badgers Forward -- [Badgers Forward - in Iraq]
Being a Commander means that you are "responsible for everything your unit does or fails to do." That is a tremendous amount of responsibility. There are no excuses for something done wrong or something not done that should have been done. But there are a few perks as well.
I was talking with a Soldier who is in the hospital in Germany. He was injured in an explosion that rocked his vehicle. We talked for a little while, he was in pain and sad to be going home. He felt responsible for the truck and the other Soldiers.
I told him the truck could be replaced, that he had done a great job and I was proud to have worked with him, that the other Soldiers would be OK, when I get home I will come see him and we will have a beer together.
The line from Germany to Iraq was fuzzy and it was hard to hear...
Embed Video: Assessment of Fallujah & Iraq, PiTT XO -- [INDC Journal]
Below are extended remarks from Fallujah Police Transition Team Executive Officer CAPT Tad Scott answering a variation of my question, "What do the American people need to know about Iraq that they may not be getting from present coverage?"
With the Peshmerga in Kirkuk, Iraq -- [Moderate Risk - in Iraq]
My immediate response to Michael Totten's suggestion that we go to Kirkuk was to smack him upside the head. Due to the length and character of our friendship and business deals, he accepted this with equanimity. After all, he had just won the argument. If I had a good reason not to go to Kirkuk, I would have offered superior logic. If I was deeply unwilling to go, I would have offered superior liquor. If I was genuinely afraid, I would have administered more than a token tap and suggestion of physical improbability. I was in, it was just a matter of negotiating the conditions.
Kirkuk is a city with unique conditions because although there are areas solidly in the unsafe red zone, most of it is strongly secure and pro-US. Talking about security in Iraq is first a matter of discussing race and sect.
Where Kurdistan Meets the Red Zone -- [Michael Totten - in Iraq]
“If Turkey allows itself to interfere in the matter of Kirkuk, we will do the same…in Turkey.” – Kurdistan Regional Government President Massoud Barzani.
Thousands Of Iraqi “Refugees” May Be Coming To US -- [Bill West - Counterterrorism Blog]
On April 18, the Washington Times reported the US Government has agreed to “accept” up to twenty-five thousand Iraqi “refugees” who fled Iraq as a result of the war there. The report quoted Ellen Sauerbrey, assistant secretary of state for population, refugees and migration as saying, "It's fair to say that, if we get the referrals [from the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees], we could resettle up to 25,000 Iraqi refugees within the president's determination this year."
Exporting War Criminals -- [Strategy Page]
April 18, 2007: In western Iraq, only about twenty percent of the Sunni Arab tribes continue to support terrorism and resistance to the government. Until about a year ago, most of the Sunni Arabs, who dominate this area, believed that they could keep the government and Americans out. No more. What scared the western tribes the most has been the Shia terror campaign against the Sunni Arabs in Baghdad. Many of the Sunni Baghdadis have fled to find refuge with kin in western Iraq. The refugees tell tales of entire Sunni Arab neighborhoods being emptied, the inhabitants being confronted by heavily armed, hooded men, and told to flee or die.
مجلس انقاذ الأنيار ANBAR IRAQI BRAVERY
They Iraqi brave honourable sunni tribes are fighting AL QAIDA in ANBAR province after QAIDA killed Iraqi tribal leaders and started attacking the people with chlore bombs.
The Iraqi Army: Taking the Lead -- [Defense Link]
On April 18, 2007, Iraqi authorities assumed responsibility for maintaining the security of Maysan Province in southeastern Iraq. The transfer, known as Provincial Iraqi Control, was directed by the Iraqi Ministerial Committee on National Security. The Iraqi
Maysan is the fourth (of eighteen) Iraqi provinces where security control is now in the hands of Iraqis, with Coalition forces standing ready to provide assistance if needed. In a ceremony on July 13, 2006, Muthanna province was the first to transfer. The second province to transition was Dhi Qar in September, followed by Najaf in December.
Iraqi officials led the transfer ceremony at the XX in al-Amarah.
Joint statement by Ambassador Asquith, Ambassador Crocker and Gen. Petraeus on the transfer of Maysa -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD – Today’s transfer of security responsibility in Maysan Province from the Multi-National Force–Iraq to the Government of Iraq and civilian-controlled Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) demonstrates another step towards a stable and secure Iraq. Maysan is the fourth of 18 provinces to be transitioned and this reflects Iraq’s continued steps toward a capability to govern and protect itself and its citizens as a sovereign nation.
The joint decision of the Iraqi Government and the MNF-I to transition security responsibility reflects their assessment of the situation in Maysan and the capabilities of the Iraqi Security Forces there. It also reflects an assessment of Maysan’s provincial leadership as having the ability to perform governance duties at the provincial level.
Engineers bringing more electricity to Iraq for summer months -- [MNF-I]
DHI QAR — In an effort to reduce electrical outages and modernize distribution before the summer heat boosts air conditioning demands, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working on a new power transmission project in An Nasiriyah.
SUSPECTED CHLORINE-BOMB TERRORISTS DETAINED -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD, Iraq – One terrorist was killed and eight suspected terrorists linked to al-Qaeda foreign fighters and improvised explosive device networks were detained Wednesday in two separate Coalition Forces raids.
One armed terrorist was killed and Coalition Forces detained five suspected terrorists west of Taji. The suspected terrorists are believed to be tied to al-Qaeda in Iraq and a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device network known to use chlorine in its attacks. They are also allegedly involved in facilitating foreign terrorist movements.
Operation Eagle Lightning nets terrorists, weapons caches and IEDs -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD – Coalition and Iraqi forces detained 33 suspected terrorists, discovered six weapons caches and five improvised explosive devices during a combat operation in the Shaka area, just south of Baghdad, Monday.
Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) and the 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi army Division participated in the operation, dubbed Operation Eagle
Lightning, as part of an effort to disrupt anti-Iraqi forces within the Shaka area and to deny enemy forces safe haven within that area.
Midori Days -- [Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Afghanistan]
...Han has been sending me information on Islam and the Qur’an, because he disagrees with some of the things Hamid has been saying. This is hardly surprising, as two Christians will also disagree on many points (try having a Roman Catholic and a Southern Baptist explain the faith to a Muslim). So I’m sure we’ll be having more on this topic soon. I wish Han and I had started talking sooner, as he is very interested in sharing info with all of you. I read a 30-page introduction to the Qur’an he sent me yesterday. One thing that struck me was the statement that the Qur’an corrects all the mistakes in the other older, more primitive holy books, like the Bible. Muslims don’t believe that any of the prophets ever sinned (at least according to this commentary), so stories of Abraham or Moses sinning are false. This was new information to me.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - [Sgt Dubb - in Afghanistan]
here I am. Ok. we finished our video conference with our Oklahoma National Guard. They are focusing on us getting demobilized and back to Oklahoma. This is the difficult part of the deployment, maintaining our awareness and our missions while still serving here and preparing everything that is required to get us out of here. It's a juggling act for sure. Today I spent the morning going to the downtown camp to take care of some contract issues, part of it was taken care of, the other part will hopefully get taken care of soon. I've been attempting to get this settled for over a month now, and between insurgent activity and the good guys with their "red tape" it's amazing no one has been hurt in the process.
A Single Day In Kabul - Task Force Phoenix V -- [Task Force Phoenix 5 - in Afghanistan]
I recently went to Camp Phoenix in Kabul, Afghanistan. While I was there I went to lunch with some of the village elders and soldiers with Task Force Phoenix V. I couldnt get over the friendship these guys have developed and wanted to put it out there for everyone to see
Iranian Weapons Found in Afghanistan -- [Canadian Armed Forces Station - in Afghanistan]
"we have intercepted weapons in Afghanistan headed for the Taliban that were made in Iran"
BAZAARS AT THE ALAMO -- [Afghanistan JAG - in Afghanistan]
These are pictures of the bazaars that we have every so often at Camp Alamo.
The bazaars are frenetic affairs. As you walk through the grounds, vendors come up to you and literally pull you into their shopping area, begging you to see their wares. They know our symbols of rank, so they get your attention by hollering "Captain, come see my shop" or something similar.
UNICEF - Ambassador Clay Aiken in Afghanistan - April 2007
Official UNICEF Video of Ambassador and teacher Clay Aiken in Afghanistan making a difference for Educational change.
Clay Aiken in Afghanistan: $139,778 for kids in just one week! -- [U.S. Fund for UNICEF- Fieldnotes]
Hello, we have some big news and a big number to share this morning. Together we've raised $139,778.60 (as of 11:04 a.m. this morning) for Clay Aiken's 10 Day Challenge for the Children of Afghanistan. Congratulations and thank you for your amazing support of this program!
Evidence mounts Iran fueling wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- [Qand O Blog]
Iranian made IEDs have been found in Iraq, along with Iranian munitions. Now an Iranian arms shipment bound for the Taliban in Afghanistan has been intercepted:
Iranian News Agency: Iranian Lawmaker Slams Bush for Virginia Tech Shooting -- [MEMRI Blog]
The following is from today's Fars News Agency:
An Iranian lawmaker said the homicidal incident at Virginia University illustrates that those claiming to be responsible for the establishment of global security are not even capable of protecting their own citizens.
Speaking to FNA in the northwestern city of Tabriz on Tuesday, Eshrat Shayeq advised White House residents to deal with the United States' domestic issues instead of invading the different regions of the world and shedding the blood of innocent people.
Liberal Arab Website Reports: Debate on Virginia Tech Muslim Students' Association Mailing List Concerning Permissibility of Praying for Mercy for Non-Muslim Victims -- [MEMRI Blog]
The liberal Arabic-language website Aafaq reports that a Muslim student set off a debate when she sent an email to the mailing list of the Muslim Students' Association at Virginia Tech asking the students to pray that Allah have mercy on those killed and wounded in the shooting attack at the university.
Korean Movie Inspired V.T. Killer? -- [GI Korea]
...I was just watching the news and not only do I feel bad for the victims families but I also feel really bad for Cho’s family as well. The guilt they must feel for this must be tremendous. They just reported on Fox News that his family went into hiding and that Cho’s 81 year old grandpa in Korea wished he would have rather died earlier so he didn’t have to live to see this. He also said that his parents treated their son like a king. His poor sister who is a Princeton graduate and working for the State Department is being stalked by the media as well.
Is the Korean Media Race Baiting the Virginia Tech Tragedy? -- [GI Korea]
Just as I expected the Korean media has begun to blame the incident on US racism and culture corrupting a poor Korean youth.
From the Chosun Ilbo:...
IRAN: AHMADINEJAD SAYS TROOPS WILL CUT ENEMY'S HANDS -- [AKI]
Tehran, 18 April - Addressing a military parade on army day Wednesday, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the country's armed forces would cut off the hands of the enemy who attacked the Islamic Republic. "Our army has a defensive mission and not an offensive one. But it is completely ready to confront any aggressor and cut off his hand," said the president in a speech broadcast by Iranian state television.
Kosovo: A Primer -- [Brad's Place - in Kosovo]
When I first found out that I was being deployed to Kosovo, the main question I was asked was “Where?” It seems that most of the people in and out of the military that I talked to had no idea that we even still had troops in Kosovo.
Why do we still have troops here and why is it still considered a hazardous duty area? For the answers, we have to go way back in time…
Listen to the Kids -- [Brad's Place - in Kosovo]
Here in Kosovo, we have two sects battling an ages-old battle for control, Serbians and Albanians. Unfortunately, the bad blood goes so deeply that the two sides will, most of the time, not learn the others language and many people cannot communicate in order to settle problems peacefully.
But Multi-National Task Force East (MNTF (E)) is taking a small step toward fixing this problem.
...a young aspiring journalist from the village of Kacanik wrote the following to be published in the Guardian East magazine this month:
A Student's Perspective...
KOSOVO: U.S. SWINGS BEHIND EARLY INDEPENDENCE MOVES -- [AKI]
Washington, Belgrade and Kosovo, 18 April - The United States intends to increase its efforts in order for Kosovo to attain independence and in next few weeks a new resolution will be put to the UN Security Council, US under secretary Nicholas Burns told the lower chamber of the US Congress, the House of Representatives. At the discussion of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee on prospects for Kosovo’s independence late on Tuesday in Washington, Burns stressed that solution is inevitable. The US fully supports special UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari’s plan proposing phased independence for Kosovo under European Union supervision.
“Bin Laden” running for provincial council seat in Philippines -- [Hot Air]
Actually, he sounds pretty chill. If you don’t count his connections to a Muslim insurgent group that’s admitted to having sent 600 people to train in the other Bin Laden’s Afghan terror camps. Or, say, this
Saddam’s Ties to Al Queda-Debunked? -- [Flopping Aces]
When did the question of Saddam's Ties to Al Queda become debunked? Politicians on the left and right have all kinds of buzzwords and talking points on the matter, but what's the difference between “ties,” “a relationship,” “a collaborative operational relationship,” “operational ties,” “a cooperational relationship,” “an alliance,” an “agreement”? What does it all mean?
...At first glance it sounds like the commission members are saying that no evidence exists, but that’s not it at all as some of the 911 Commission members later elaborated....
Al Qaeda on the Offensive -- [The Fourth Rail]
Eleven major suicide bombings inside Baghdad over the past five days threaten to erode remaining political support for the Baghdad Security Plan. Now is the time for flexibility.
Banner of the Islamic State of Iraq. Click to view.
After a relative lull in major, mass casualty suicide attacks inside Baghdad, al Qaeda in Iraq has gone on a major offensive inside the capital city. Al Qaeda's latest suicide offensive began on April 13; the last major bombing inside Baghdad was in a Shia market on March 29. Since April 13, al Qaeda has struck at 11 high profile targets inside the city limits. The targets have included the Iraqi Parliament, two of Baghdad's 11 bridges and Shia markets. Under the readership of Abu Ayyub al-Masri Al Qaeda in Iraq is proving agile in its ability to switch targets in Baghdad while continuing to strike at sectarian fault lines outside the capital.
Oklahoma City - In Memorial -- [Jawa Report]
Today marks the twelve year anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. One of the worst terrorist attacks in US history, 168 people lost their lives on that day, and the following video is presented in their memory.
Soldiers' Angels Donates $10,000.00 to Virginia Tech ROTC Cadet Endowment Fund -- -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Virginia Tech Army ROTC Cadets Support their Fellow Students
Soldiers' Angels Challenges the nation to donate to the Virginia Tech Corp of Cadets
Pasadena, California -- April 17, 2007 - The students and faculty of Virginia Tech have experienced an unimaginable horror this week. The slaying of over 30 students has left the campus in a fog of disbelief and given rise to a flood of unanswered questions. The sanctity of the university, an institution of higher learning for our country's young adults, has been breached by the sights and sounds from the deadliest shooting rampage in American history. The stories have been splashed across the televisions and computer screens of America, and Americans have blanketed the survivors and their family and friends with thoughts and prayers.
From the Virginia Tech Army ROTC -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Patti,
I want to thank you so much for your call on Tuesday morning. We continue to respond to the countless e-mails and phone messages but we wanted to again thank you for being among the first to contact and offer financial support. Though we are federally supported we can not provide a fully funded education like West Point, a school some of our students actually turned down.
Tissue Alert....You've been Warned -- [MajorDad]
One of the best things to hit my email this week! Hat tip goes to Paula...my former barber, now friend forever and occasional contributor here at Cursed by a Classical Education.
Last week I was in Atlanta , Georgia attending a conference. While I was in the airport, returning home, I heard several people behind me beginning to clap and cheer.
...Of course I immediately stopped and began clapping for these young unsung heroes who are putting their lives on the line everyday for us so we can go to school, work and home without fear or reprisal. Just when I thought I could not be more proud of my country or of our service men and women a young girl, not more than 6 or 7 years old, ran up to one of the male soldiers. He kneeled down and said "hi," the little girl then she asked him if he would give something to her daddy for her. The young soldier, he didn't look any older than maybe 22 himself, said he would try and what did she want to give to her daddy. Then suddenly the little girl grabbed the neck of this soldier, gave him the biggest hug she could muster and then kissed him on the cheek.
The mother of the little girl, who said her daughters name was Courtney, told the young soldier that her husband was a Marine and had been in Iraq for 11 months now.
More wonders for the little ones -- [Soldier's Angels - Medical Support]
I write a lot about how hard our medics work to take care of Iraqi and Afghani children who are the most innocent victims of this war. Today I'd like to mention some of the wonderful folks who help make that possible.
You Might Be a Military Spouse When... -- [airforcewife - SpouseBuzz]
Even your three year old can use the acronym "PTSD" in a sentence correctly.
When my hubby came back from Iraq, all I could think about was getting him home. After a brief episode of bodice ripping, I figured we could then begin to reacquaint. I mean, really, I remember what being a teenager is like. After all those months of deployment, I begin to physically feel like I did at age 17, and it's not pretty. I seriously couldn't not think past that initial first hug/smell/touch that would lead rather quickly to bed.
Guard Equipment Shortfalls -- [Dadmanly]
The Chief of the National Guard Bureau (NGB), Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, urges Congressional appropriators to increase Guard funding to close equipment shortfalls, as reported at Military.com. While LGEN Blum acknowledges that Guard soldiers deployed overseas are “superbly equipped and superbly trained ... and we want for nothing,” Guard units confront serious equipment shortages back home.
American Reserves Restore Themselves -- [Strategy Page]
April 18, 2007: The U.S. Army National Guard has fixed its recruiting problem and restored itself to its authorized strength of 350,000. Three years ago, the Guard was nearly ten percent short of its annual recruiting goal (56,000 recruits). It has since fixed many of the problems that led to that shortfall, as well as an increase in the number of people who were not re-enlisting.
Dems Say The Want Earmark Reforms. Just Don't Make Them Actually Do It. -- [RedState]
...Sen. Dick Durbin, the Majority Whip, objected to immediate enactment of earmark disclosure requirements, saying that new rules weren’t necessary since Sen. Robert Byrd, the chairman of the Senate appropriations committee, had just agreed to follow the rules. You see? Democrats don’t need ‘laws’ to make them ethical. If you can’t trust Robert Byrd on pork spending, who can you trust?
The untrusting souls out there, however, see three serious problems with this promise to ‘keep it clean’ in the smoky back rooms.
Democrats Give up on Forced Surrender -- [Weekly Standard Blog]
As predicted here yesterday, Congressional Democrats have given up on proposed language that would have required all troops to withdraw from Iraq by September 2008. Instead, they hope to send to the president a funding bill that 'suggests' that all troops be withdrawn by March 31 of next year:
How Often Do We Hear From the MSM About These Heroes? -- [NewsBusters]
How many Americans can name one American hero from the war on terror?
During WWII and for years thereafter, I daresay virtually every American from school-age up knew of Audie Murphy and other war heroes. But while the MSM has spent incalculable resources informing Americans and the world about Abu Ghraib and Haditha, how often has the MSM told us about the new generation of heroes among our people serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere?
I'd invite people to view Heroes in the War on Terror, assembled by the Defense Department, that tells the stories of a number of our heroes. Take that of SGT Micheaux M. Sanders [pictured here] of Goldsboro, NC:
...How much MSM coverage of SGT Sanders or the other heroes depicted on the site have you seen? When will the MSM provide some balance to its coverage -- or will the focus remain those relatively very rare instances in which our troops break the rules?
Bill Moyers, Dan Rather Team Up On PBS To Denounce Right-Wing 'Slime Machine' -- [NewsBusters]
PBS omnipresence Bill Moyers is winding up for another series of left-wing propaganda broadcasts on our taxpayer-supported PBS stations. On April 25, we're subjected to the film "Buying the War," which quite typically argues that the liberal media weren't liberal enough, that they were weak-kneed pawns for the Bush war machine. Moyers gave an interview to Eric Bates of Rolling Stone magazine, which posted some audio on its "Rock and Roll Daily" blog explaining how Moyers "gets ill talking about how the Big Red Hype Machine, i.e. Fox News and its conservative bedfellows, makes headlines by criticizing unbiased news reporters."
Hillary Clinton’s Poll Numbers Plummet, Will Media Report It? -- [NewsBusters]
Poll fixation by the media has been a frequent topic of discussion for conservatives as the press have focused ad nauseum on the falling approval numbers of President Bush the past couple of years.
With that in mind, will the press show equal interest in a study just released by the Gallup Organization identifying Hillary Clinton’s favorability rating plummeting an astounding thirteen percentage points in two months to one of its lowest levels since 1993?
Given the truly shocking results reported on Wednesday, one could easily envision this being the lead story for network evening news programs if the data was about one of the Republican presidential frontrunners, and if not for the massacre at Virginia Tech
Hillary: Court Ruling Stabs Women in Back of Head -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-04-19) — Yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling in Gonzales v. Carhart upholding the right of Congress and state legislatures to regulate abortion and, in particular, to ban partial-birth abortion, is “a blade to the back of the head of every woman in American,” according to Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY.
“I know I speak for my sisters across the nation,” said Sen. Clinton, “when I say that I feel like someone grabbed me by the ankles, and jammed a pair of scissors into the base of my skull and then just sucked my brains out.
(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.
Islamic State of Iraq statement taking credit for attack on Iraqi Parliament -- [Laura Mansfield]
...Claim from Islamic State of Iraq: Twenty members of Iraqi security force kidnapped, to be executed in 48 hours if demands not met
Sadr ministers out, now what? -- [Iraq the Model - iraqis in Iraq]
Some thoughts on the implications of the withdrawal of Sadr movement ministers from Maliki's cabinet:
In a sudden move, Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has pulled his ministers out of the Iraqi cabinet. Many people are asking me why. It’s a good question, and I’ve being thinking about the reasons and implications. They aren’t very easy to determine because of the jumpy, and often illogical, way that this political faction thinks and behaves.
Hypocrisy has a Human Price on the Streets of Baghdad -- [American Thinker]
I have observed first-hand the effects of the Bush Administration's new Iraq security plan since it began two months ago. Street violence in Baghdad and surrounding areas has declined. Shops and markets once boarded up are reopening. Iraqi civilians are venturing out onto the streets again and living their lives with less fear of being persecuted, tortured, maimed or killed. To be sure, there is still plenty of terror and violence in Iraq, but since the "troop surge" began, it has lessened considerably.
Before offering first hand proof of the new security plan's effectiveness, I must first tell you how some of my Iraqi friends and acquaintances were affected by the violence that ran virtually unchecked through the streets of Baghdad before the plan began taking hold. It is important to do this since the Democratic Party and most of those on the left side of the political spectrum either do not realize, or do not seem to care, that the lives of millions of Iraqis, (our fellow human beings), will be seriously jeopardized should America cut short its efforts to help stabilize their country.
Venting Steam -- [Acute Politics - in Iraq]
...I routinely receive emails that say something to the effect of "Wow, what you guys do is great! I never knew we had ways to find IEDs. I thought our soldiers just tried to dodge them when they blew up." The problem that I see is that the American public got more information about the the lives saved by route clearance units because of a fictional movie than they have from the military. We're winning the war on the ground, slowly, but surely, but we're waging a terribly inept battle in our presentation of it. If this war is lost, it will be for wont of good PR, not for wont of heart and success on the part of the fighters.
Rain and Rockets, part II. -- [All Quiet on the Southwest Asian Front - in Iraq]
Ok, Lt got his copies, and then things got too busy to sit back down and type. We're starting to take full possession of our sector, so things are at a high pace. 13-14 hours days are the norm. I can't wait until we get past the start-up phase, and things hopefully settle down a bit.
We have a good sized chunk of the heart of Baghdad, a relatively upscale area that used to be the professional and gov't related district. It has many embassies, and a smattering of government facilities, as well as the country's top school, the University of Baghdad. The area's concentration of Assyrian Christians and Kurds help to keep the violence from getting out of hand, and the area has a bit of a reputation as a safe haven from the more vicious districts of the city.
Acid-laden truck bombing foiled north of Baghdad -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD — A dump truck overturned attempting to deliver its payload of explosives and nitric acid during a foiled attack in Mushada, Iraq Monday.
A coalition patrol approached to assist the driver of an overturned dump truck and found the vehicle loaded with nitric acid containers and explosives.
The driver was taken into custody and confessed that he was paid to attack the Joint Security Station in Mushada, which also houses the town’s Iraqi police station.
Correction to Release 20070417- Failed truck bomb containers filled with gas, not acid -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD — A dump truck that overturned attempting to deliver its payload of explosives in Mushada, Iraq April 16 held eight containers filled with fuel, not acid.
The containers were consistent with those normally used to transport nitric acid, but upon examination, they were found to be filled with gasoline.
The attempted vehicle-borne explosive device attack on a Joint Security Station failed when the driver overturned the vehicle. A coalition patrol arrived at the scene to provide assistance and discovered the containers, believed to be nitric acid, and explosives in the vehicle.
Iraqi Police continue to improve safety in Baghdad neighborhood -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD — Iraqi Police continue to improve security in the Al-Karkh district here Friday.
“Our mission is to investigate crimes and respond to emergencies,” said Iraqi Police Capt. Majid, deputy commander of the Juaifer Police Station, which is responsible for the Salhiya neighborhood.
Majid had pointed out that the Salhiya neighborhood is an area composed of Shia and Sunni residents, which borders the Tigris River and contains ...
Cavalry troops making progress in Diwaniyah with help of residents -- [MNF-I]
FORWARD OPERATING BASE ECHO — After several days of continuous combat operations in Diwaniyah, soldiers from Task Force 1-14 Cavalry, attached to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, are now focusing their efforts on locating specific targets and performing clearing operations in different areas of the city while forming working relationships with the local population.
My Extended Thoughts About Being Extended in Iraq -- [Guidons, Guidons, Guidons! - in Iraq]
...While I was home on leave the disconnect between our society at large and what is going on over here and in Afghanistan couldn't have been more apparent to me. It is no wonder that people are "tired" of the war. Every day they are fed news about nothing but car bombings, bridges being blown up, Iraqi politicians threatening to leave the government...bla bla bla etc etc. Unless one digs for it you can never find the success stories only the obituaries. So it doesn't surprise me that this announcement of extension was met by a rousing Bronx cheer announcing how this is somehow symbolic of our impending doom, how the chickens are coming home to roost and we are committed to failure. The only thing the extension is symbolic of is the fact that our Army is a LOT smaller than it was in 1991 and to be able to accomplish what needs to occur to ensure success and still allow Soldiers time with their families this move needed to be made.
DOD Clarifies Extension Policy -- [Badgers Forward - in Iraq]
Bottom line reservists are not extended to 15 months in theater. Of course active component Soldiers do not have the mobilization and demobiliztion process to go through.
Here it is.
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, April 16, 2007) - National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers will mobilize and deploy for only one year, despite a new policy that active Soldiers will deploy for 15-month tours, a top defense official stressed Friday.
Mr. Thomas F. Hall, assistant defense secretary for reserve affairs, reaffirmed that reserve-component Soldiers are not affected by the 15-month tour policy that Defense Secretary Mr. Robert M. Gates announced April 11.
My Heart is with My Fellow Hokies -- [Coming Back to Kabul - Afghani in Afghanistan]
If you haven't heard, there were two shootings at my alma mater, Virginia Tech, early Monday morning local time. Estimated 22 dead, including the shooter, and about that many injured.
It's crazy how you can be on the other side of the world, in a sleepy college town in the middle of the Appalachian mountains, and experience the same sort of senseless violence that occurs in a place like Kabul.
My heart goes out to all my fellow Hokies. :-(
"The Roads are Hell" (UPDATED)
Week 13--The Beginning of a Long, Hot Summer -- [Richard's Deployment to Afghanistan -- in Afghanistan]
...We had a return visit from one of our patients. The boy pictured below is Zaidullah, one of our burn patients from several months ago. At one point it appeared he might lose his foot to infection, but this week he was back and walking! And wearing shoes! It’s nice to see a success. Thankfully for Zaidullah, we have a wonderful orthopedic surgeon and she was able to save his foot and give him hope for a productive life. As a trauma hospital we don’t always see the results of our hard work. And with the Afghan patients follow-up care can be difficult. The nice thing about surgery is that is can be very definitive. In our clinic we identify problems that can be resolved surgically, hopefully with minimal follow up care...
Special Forces and Afghans Fight the Taliban -- [BlackFive]
An Army Special Operations Soldier scans for insurgents during an engagement April 10 in the Sangin District area of Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan. Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan Soldiers have conducted operations over the past several days to eliminate insurgents and promote peace and stability in the area.
Forward Operating Base Lagman, Afghanistan -- [Michael Fumento.com - in Afghanistan]
After three embeds in Al Anbar, what was once the forgotten part of Iraq, it was time to visit the "Forgotten War." Afghanistan. A commercial flight brings me to Kuwait International Airport, then a short ride to Ali Al Salem Air Force Base (AFB), and the very next day a relatively comfortable C-17 cargo jet brings me to Bagram AFB in Afghanistan. I'm waiting at the Pat Tillman USO center (named after the football star who gave up almost everything after 9/11 to become a Ranger and then did give up everything when he lost his life in Afghanistan. I shouldn't have been surprised but was when I ran into my friend and fellow citizen embed Andrew Lubin, a Marine vet and fellow citizen embed. I met him last October in Baghdad and then we crossed paths again in Ramadi. So suddenly we're in the same building in Afghanistan. Yeah, it is a small world after all.
Relief in the wake of the Flood -- [Strong Ideas - in Afghanistan]
After about a week's worth of deliberate planning and organization, a team of the Training Assistance Group worked this week to provide some much needed relief to the victims of the first flood in fifteen years here in Kabul. Cleared by a local Chief of Police of District, we were able to assist 100 vetted families with their basic needs.
17 Apr -- Arrived in Afghanistan, Finally! -- [Air Force Afghanistan Mentor - in Afghansitan]
Hey everyone! I'm back on line and have some catching up to do, I'll try and get to all your wonderful comments in the next couple of days, post some new picks of the wondrous things I've seen and cover some of the comedy and tragic of my travels. Of special note I met with Capt Traversa in person at the Kabul International Airport (KIA), his replacement came in with us. Thanks for the great blog Capt T, I hope you get home to your loved ones quickly and safely, god bless and god speed your journey!
Kabul Medical Support
The American military and our coalition partners are training Afghan National Army soldiers how to take care of their wounded comrades during battle. The coalition is also helping build a medical system to treat all Afghan military members and their beneficiaries. The system is also benefitting non-military Afghans, too
Thoughts and observations from Herat -- [Thoughts and observations from Herat]
In my travels here lately in the main base area of Herat Province I have had occasion to visit the FSB run by ISAF, that is the Forward Support Base run by the International Security Assistance Force. It is a very nicely appointed compound that is protected from attack in the way that most of our bases are protected. On it the Spanish, Italian, and Slovakian troops conduct their business. They are in the process of paving the main street which has the Spanish PX (Post Exchange) where they sell various sundry items. They have a barber collocated with a masseuse, an Internet cafe, a short order cafeteria where you may buy coffee drinks, or short order items, and sit in a large open air conditioned area and relax a bit and discuss things with people while you are not either in a work area, a personal area, or in transition between the two. In short it allows a person to relax somewhat.
Brits and Yanks Takes On Taliban In Afganistan
NATO forces in the south of Afghanistan have a new target: the drug traffickers who finance the insurgents.
Giant Purple Lizards -- [Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Afghanistan]
...Here’s another episode of Hamid and Bear Decipher the Universe. Enjoy as we look at the nature of faith and evidence. One thing that has struck me about the Afghans I have met is their absolute certainty that Islam is true, and the Qu’ran has the answer to all of life’s problems. The notion that Islam isn’t true, or might not be true, never crosses their mind. Of course, this only applies to the ones I’ve discussed religion with, but I think this represents the majority of people over here. You are either a believer or have deliberately chosen to reject God. The concept of being undecided or an agnostic is hard for them to grasp. This conversation will help illustrate what I mean.
Hamid and I were discussing holy books. He still finds the notion of multiple religions fascinating, and he always asks if they have a holy book.
“Sir,” he commented, “you know that the Qu’ran wrote itself. This is what the Prophet said.”
Taliban Change Tactics -- [Strategy Page]
April 17, 2007: The Taliban appear to be changing tactics, switching to kidnapping and suicide bombing. For over a year, they have been shut down whenever they sent large forces (over fifty men) out. NATO aircraft, and better trained troops, tended to catch the large Taliban groups and destroy them. Even the Afghan army and police were able to defeat large groups of Taliban. But the large groups were needed to terrorize unfriendly villagers to support the Taliban. This is how the Taliban ruled the country in the late 1990s. Despite the fact that it didn't work then, the Taliban are traditionalists and insisted on returning to the past.
Humiliation -- [Strategy Page]
April 16, 2007: Iran is seeking foreign firms that will help it build two more nuclear power plants, in addition to the one Russia was helping it with (but has halted because of a payments dispute, and Russian efforts to force Iran to stop its nuclear weapons program
Arab States' Efforts to Combat Terrorism Financing -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
On April 1-5, the seventeen Arab members of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENA FATF) met in Jordan to discuss terrorism financing and money laundering in the region. Although the task force's record to date shows some promise, the organization can do far more to address these critical issues.
Is it Legitimate to Use Nuclear Weapons Against the West? A Debate on An Islamist Forum -- [MEMRI]
The Islamist website Al-Firdaws recently posted an article by a certain Abu Zabadi titled "Religious Grounds for [Launching] a Nuclear Attack." [1] The article, presented as a response to "recent rumors about Al-Qaeda's plan to attack the U.S. with WMDs such as a nuclear bomb," unequivocally opposes the use of WMDs by Muslims against the West, and attempts to counter the legal justifications for their use recently put forward by some prominent religious scholars affiliated with Al-Qaeda and other jihad movements. [2]
Reactions in the Algerian and Arab Press to the Al-Qaeda Attacks in Algiers -- [MEMRI]
The suicide bombings in Algeria on April 11, 2007, the first spectacular attack carried out by the Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb, brought the region to the forefront of the headlines in the Arab press - especially as they occurred in tandem with a number of abortive suicide bombings in Casablanca. In Algeria, fears for the future were underscored by memories of the dark years of the 1990s, and the press was unanimous in calling for concerted action against terrorism. Many also criticized government policies, in particular the National Reconciliation plan, which aims to reintegrate radical Islamists into society.
Don't Forget al-Qaeda's Maritime Threat -- [J. Peter Pham - The Tank]
Two days ago a researcher at the International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) at Israel’s Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) in Herzliya, Akiva J. Lorenz, published a report entitled Al Qaeda’s Maritime Threat (pdf). Lorenz argues that while U.S. and other officials reviewed shipping and port security in recent years, the al-Qaeda operatives, "acting in a fast learning and maximizing terrorist network, have learned to adapt to this rapidly changing environment," managing largely "to have stayed one step
Al Qaeda’s Abu Yahya al Libi: Crown Prince or Pretender? -- [Laura Mansfield]
It’s been over nine months since we’ve heard from Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, and his minions are getting restless for word from the Sheikh himself, as evidenced by a posting last week on a jihadist board that had many expecting an imminent release of a Bin Paden message.
So why is there so much angst beginning to appear among the jihadists in the absence of a Bin Laden message?
Perhaps the answer lies in the leadership vacuum that Al Qaeda is currently experiencing.
Abu Zubaydah: What, me al-Qaeda? -- [Jihad Watch]
Allegations of torture, in line with the al-Qaeda playbook. But he says the worst part was when they took his diary. "Top terror suspect denies association with Osama bin Laden," from AFP:
Military Families Take Care of Their Own -- [Andi's World]
My friend and Gold Star Father Robert Stokely works hard to be sure that the memory of his son isn't forgotten. But that's not all he strives for. Since Mike's death, Robert has sought to take care of other Gold Star families, as well as Mike's Brothers in Arms. Shortly after Mike's death, Robert contacted me about a soldier from Mike's unit who was injured and admitted to Walter Reed. Robert wanted to be sure that someone looked in on this soldier, and that he was well taken care of. And who could forget Robert's efforts to help make a dream come true for another Gold Star family?
Grab a kleenex and read Robert's latest email to me.
A Soldier's Long Journey Home -- [Soldiers Angels]
Sgt. John Kriesel is a Minnesota National Guardsmen who lost both of his legs in a blast near Fallujah on December 2nd.
The same blast killed two of his best friends. Life has certainly changed for Sgt. Kriesel & his family but John continues to be an inspiration to us all!
Please join us as we celebrate life and John's heroism at "O'Gara's" Bar & Grill in St. Paul, Minnesota on Sunday May 6th from 3:00pm to 9:00pm. There will be food and entertainment with performances by GB Leighton / Martin Zellar and Uncle Chunk.
Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Food and Entertainment included in ticket, all proceeds of this event go to the John Kriesel Benefit Fund to help build a home for him and his family to accommodate his physical needs.
Any Soldier® Raffles! -- [Any Soldier.com]
The following items and more are up for raffle. Raffle ends on Memorial Day.
"Oh Beautiful!" Quilt
Designed, created and donated by Judy Blair.
"I created "Oh Beautiful!" specifically for AnySoldier/AnyAirman.com to use as a fund raiser.
I wanted to honor the men and women who serve, who have served, and who will serve our country and to create something that reflected the glory and beauty of the country itself."
Click for larger view "Strength and Compassion" by Michael Yon
Signed, number 207 of 500, limited edition, framed, new unopened in box.
Photo is 7.5"x11.5", frame is 13"x16".
Your chance to own a signed original photograph by the incomparable Michael Yon.
When ‘Embrace the Suck’ Isn’t Enough -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Here's a new post from Robert Connolly, a regular contributor to the SAG blog.
This past week, one of my married daughters called me in the middle of the day and asked whether I had heard the news on CNN. I had not, in large part because I no longer will watch CNN, the network of jihadist videos. “What’s going on?,” I asked. The voice on the other end changed a bit as she told me that standard U.S. Army deployments were being extended to 15 months. There are times that fathers simply do not have an adequate response for a distressed daughter.
President Thanks Military Families, Urges Congress to Pass Spending Bill -- [GX Online]
4/16/07, Washington, DC—President Bush thanked families of troops serving overseas for their sacrifices and praised organizations that support veterans and military families today at the White House. He also urged Congress to quickly pass an emergency war spending bill so that the troops can get the funding they need to accomplish their mission.
“I appreciate very much to be in the presence of moms and dads, husbands and wives, sons and daughters of some of the finest citizens our nation has ever produced,” President Bush told military family members in the audience.
The President noted the challenges faced by military families during war.
Paper: More People Are Evading Taxes Over Iraq War -- [Sweetness&Light]
From an approvaing Seattle Times:
Increasingly, war tax resisters defy IRS over Iraq war
Bryan Nelson’s federal tax return says he owes $3,082. So he mailed his 1040 form to the IRS in time to meet today’s filing deadline. But for the second year in a row, Nelson did not send what he owes.
His reason: “I wasn’t going to pay for an illegal war in Iraq.”
We have noted how some of the (ironically) taxpayer supported 501c3 groups are promoting the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee’s illegal efforts.
The aforementioned National Campaign For A Peace Fund is another exemplary group. They are a 501c3 that lobbies Congress (through a 501c4 sister organization) and encourages people to evade their taxes.
And of course Cindy Sheehan has announced she refuses to pay her taxes. (Not that she ever did before.)
Reid Gathers Generals to Blast Bush's Troops Surge -- [RedState]
One General Calls Active Duty Officers 'Props'
Flanked by two former Army retired generals Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D.-Nev.) blasted President Bush for “clinging to a failed escalation strategy” in Iraq and “failing our troops and our country.”
One general went so far as to say that active duty military officers were being used as “props” by the Bush Administration.
NY Times Surmises Iraq Vet's Level-Headedness Symptom of 'Deep Emotional Delusion' -- [NewsBusters]
A New York Times TV reviewer thinks the level-headedness of a U.S. Army veteran of Iraq could be symptomatic of a deep emotional disorder.
In In War’s Daily Grind, Death Is Routine, Dinner Is Good in today's Times, Ginia Bellafante reviews “Warriors,” described as "the second of 11 documentaries to be shown this week as part of PBS’s 'America at a Crossroads' series." According to Bellafante...
...Wading through the dense underbrush that is Bellfante's writing, she apparently considers Lt. Maloney's absence of "genuine tumbling of the spirit" so strange as to be suspect -- a possible sign of "deep delusion."
As a sign of just how out of touch Bellafante is with the reality of military life in Iraq, she is surprised that "another soldier, shown eating in a dining hall, doesn’t even complain about the food.
Gold Star Status Not Newsworthy -- [Jules Crittenden]
Bush, meeting with Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission, puts some heat on Congress to stop playing politics with the war and lives of American soldiers.*
AP, in full Bush-bash mode, leaves it to the 15th graph to mention the salient detail that these are the mothers, fathers, brothers, sister, sons and daughters of American soldiers killed in Iraq. In the Guardian’s version, there is no mention of the fact that they are in DC to lobby in support of the war. It was buried in the version I saw. Anyone care to speculate how high up the bereaved Gold Star mom status would be mentioned if the parties in question believed Bush lied, their son died?
Washington Times: Finding the Moderates -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
My new Washington Times column, which will likely ruffle some feathers, is about how to improve relations between counterterrorism experts and Muslims. An excerpt:
Why Cannonette Blogs -- [Civilian Irregular Information Defense Group] HT: FBL
...Well Cannoneer No. 4 wants me to go the MilBlog Conference. I’m going, but I’m going for him and a chance to see DC in the spring, too. I am not comfortable speaking to large groups. Oh I can talk to a group of 10 or 15 but anything larger and I start to hyperventilate. But I do feel the need to share my feelings; on how I feel the war is going and how it breaks my heart that so many people just don’t seem to care that our troops there need everyone’s support and how the MSM is so Bush-deranged they can’t see the forest for the trees. Maybe while there I can learn how others are dealing with this and see if I can pick up some ways to help with the situation. I just know that if we the unwashed masses don’t get it together we are going to lose this war. Not on the ground but in the newspapers and TV because these people are really that mean and hateful when it comes to anything Bush does or says.
It’s so important that “WE” the people, counter all the negative information that The Taliban, Al Queada and the MSM are putting out there.
Schumer: Gonzales' Innocence Not Relevant to Probe -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-04-16) — As U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales prepares to face the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, said Mr. Gonzales' guilt or innocence in the firing of eight U.S. Attorneys is not relevant to Tuesday’s hearing.
The New York senator’s remarks follow a Washington Post Op-Ed by Mr. Gonzales in which he claimed that “nothing improper” happened in the dismissal of the U.S. Attorneys.
However, Sen. Schumer, a member of the committee, said the attorney general’s appearance before the panel “does not hinge on whether anyone in the justice department did something unethical or illegal.”
(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.
Inside the Green Zone: Rich Miniter Interviews Mithal Al-Alusi -- [Pajamas Media]
There is a human being in Tel Aviv. There is a human being in Baghdad.”
The man who spoke those words, Mithal al-Alusi, a member of the Iraqi parliament, is one of the only Arab legislators to call publicly for the recognition of Israel. Pajamas Media’s Rich Miniter interviewed (and ate) with him this weekend inside Baghdad’s Green Zone
Progress -- [Foreign and Domestic - in Iraq]
If you are looking for verifiable progress in Iraq, here you go.
On the main highway running through Al Anbar, the Iraqi Police are now seen daily.
When I got into country a year ago, this road was very dangerous, and the US military was the law. Now the Iraqi's are starting to police themselves. And you have to give them credit for courage. The military wont let any soldier outside the wire without full body armor and a fully armored vehicle. The IP's travel in commercial grade Chevy's and Ford's. Minimal body armor and little to none on the truck. They get paid less than us and face more risk than us. But they are standing up for their country, and for their own safety and freedom. Marine and Army units are constantly coming into Iraq to replace other units and take up the mission. But these guys are the last replacements. They are the ones we will eventually turn the country over to.
Iraqi Army Grows in Strength, Size, To Apply Security Plan -- [RIAD KAHWAJI - DefenseNews]
ISLAMABAD-The new security plan for Baghdad is succeeding and will be expanded to other cities when the Iraqi Army gets more troops and gear, according to the land forces’ chief of Iraq’s Armed Forces.
Saturday, April 14, 2007 -- [Desert Flier - in Iraq]
...Just finishing some dinner when the radio blurts out gunshot wound just arriving in the trauma bay! Almost finished trays are thrown towards the side as the team runs next door to the hospital. A SF soldier on base is hit by a stray round from a firefight on the perimeter. He's wisked to the OR as we intubate and start the thoracotomy within minutes--all staff on hand and running around the room scrambling for supplies and sterile instruments for the second time in hours.
America At A Crossroads: Operation Homecoming -- [An independent look at The World.]
Some of my photos will be in a PBS documentary called "Operation Homecoming" this Monday, April 16, at 10 p.m. Check your local TV listings for times as they may differ market to market.
Operation Homecoming is a documentary funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. It features writing by service members who've either been to Iraq or, in case, been touched by the war.
...It's not easy. Knowing that I'm recording history, even if it’s a small moment like a gunfight, helps make that easier even if the results are traumatic. I expect trauma so the results -- the night sweats, the nervousness -- are easier to deal with because I know, no matter what I do, they'll never heal. As the noted author Tim O'Brien said in the doc, some things should never heal.
Video: Al Mansour Soft-Knock -- [DVIDS ]
B-roll of Soldiers conducting a house-to-house search in the Al Mansour neighborhood of Baghdad as part of Operation Arrowhead Strike 9. Scenes include Iraqi children singing and playing, Soldiers talking to citizens in their homes during the search and interviews with Soldiers about what they are looking for in the house searches.
Rain isn't always drops of water. -- [Iraq the Model - Iraqis in Iraq]
I've always had scary experiences with stray bullets falling from the sky.
...The chance for being hit with one of those falling bullets is of course small and takes a bad coincidence of time and place but for some reason our rooftop seems to be a bullet magnet that I collect an average of 3 bullets every week or ten days not counting the ones that fall in the garden and end up buried in the dirt.
The Problem Of Perception -- [The Calm Before The Sand - in Iraq]
The problem of perception colors how people view this war.
This war, regardless of one's personal feelings, is a complex thing. Its history, people, and factions are as diverse as they are dangerous. ...
...Every day, I read the blogs and see the same set of opposing arguments: either people assume that this place is a cakewalk or that it's a hellhole. No shades of gray; no middle ground. Everyone does it. Nobody outside of this war seems to have an accurate picture of what goes on here, and even then, it's so easy to let one's politics cloud one's observations. I can't begin to describe the difficulty I have in capturing this place fairly.
Iraq 101 -- [Iraq Pundit]
BAGHDAD, April 13 -- Key Sunni militant groups are severing their association with al-Qaeda in Iraq, a Sunni group that claims allegiance to the organization led by Osama bin Laden. The split could help isolate a primary foe of the United States in Iraq but could also further splinter the Sunni insurgency and make it even harder to control, according to insurgent leaders and Iraqi and U.S. officials. -- The Washington Post
"Okay, class, for today's session of Iraq 101, I'm going to describe a new Iraqi development to you, and you tell me if it's positive or negative. Ready? Here's the development: 'Key Sunni militant groups are severing their association with Al Qaeda in Iraq.' Now, is that good or bad? Anyone? Yes, you from Iraq. Go ahead."
Video: Cavalry Soldiers on Patrol in Mosul -- [DVIDS]
B-roll of Soldiers on patrol in Mosul uncovering over 400 illegal propae tanks. Scenes include Soldiers patrolling the streets, entering buildings, gathering propane tanks and disposing of them, and troops interacting with Iraqi children. Produced by Sgt. Patrick Michaud.
Cartoonist Chris Muir forwarded this email from an Army Lieutenant in Mosul: -- [Don Duber]
You know in my last update emails you might remember me talking about there only being 3 or 4 lights on in the whole city. The talk of the FOB now is the whole city is lit continuously.
Mr Sandman -- [Foreign and Domestic -- in Iraq]
After a year's worth of sandstorms, you'd think we'd be used to them by now and unimpressed. But they still leave me in awe. Last week we were driving along when we saw this-
IA Soldiers clear IEDs, rescue victims -- [MNF-I]
AS SADIYAH, Iraq – Iraqi Army Soldiers from 1st Company, 1st Battalion, 5th IA cleared two improvised explosive devices and rescued two vehicle drivers when a group of anti-Iraqi forces attacked a fuel convoy enroute from Baqubah, Iraq, to Iran Saturday.
5th IA Soldiers responded to the attack on the convoy, which consisted of seven tractor-trailer fuel trucks, after reports of small-arms fire.
The IA Soldiers cleared two IEDs enroute to the site. Once they arrived on scene, the Soldiers secured the site and recovered the vehicles while rescuing casualties.
Soldiers rid Ad Dawr of insurgents -- [MNF-I]
AD DAWR — “Wake up!” yelled the cannon crew chief. “We have got to get on the road in 15 mikes,” he said, while paratroopers squirmed out of their sleeping bags and began to prepare for the upcoming mission.
It was an hour-long trip from Forward Operating Base Sad to Ad Dawr. But with all the moving elements the trip would turn into a more than three-hour journey.
Stryker Battalion restores market security -- [MNF-I]
BAQUBAH — Coalition forces launched an operation April 2 to clear and secure the market area in Baqubah, Iraq, in order to reestablish the city’s economic center.
Soldiers of 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., maintained a continuous 24-hour presence in the area, called Old Baqubah, during the first four days of the operation while they searched for terrorists and weapon caches.
Iraq Briefing - 13 April 2007
LTG Ray Odierno, Commander of the Multi-National Corps-Iraq, speaks with Pentagon reporters via satellite, providing an update on ongoing security operations in Iraq.
Iraqi tankers take on first mission -- [MNF-I]
CAMP TAJI — Iraqi Army tankers took the lead on their first real mission by conducting a mounted patrol in their T-55 tanks on a major highway near Kem, Iraq Thursday.
Where the Magic Happens -- [Badgers Forward - in Iraq]
This second picture sort of gives you the width. Not all of my Soldiers have their own rooms, but I think we have made a fairly equitable distribution of space for people. If you have a family member here with the Team this gives you some what of an idea of what their living conditions are like, although clearly every room is different by the nature of the construction.
Krazy Kuwaiti Weather -- [Those Wacky Iraqis - in Kuwait]
It rained for several hours last night up in the desert and these soldiers are showing just how much water collected. When you have hard pan clay loam, no drainage plan, and a deluge of biblical proportions this is what you get.
Wrapping Up! -- Task Force Phoenix 5 - in Afghanistan]
...We had a big Humanitarians drop last week as well giving out food and clothing to 20 families who lost their homes with all the recent rain and flooding the country has received, but the rain is really a good thing for the country, they have had over 30 years of drought. So we handed out oil and beans, rice, flour and then shoes and clothes and blankets. Most of the shoes we gave out were what we had left over from all the shoes we bought this winter. We are trying our hardest to get rid of all the stuff we had in our Conex.
Afghanistan: April 16, 2007 -- [Afghanistan Watch - Canadian Troops]
...Canucks Confront New Taliban Cell
Canadian troops working to establish safety and security in the volatile Zhari district of Afghanistan are up against a fresh group of Taliban insurgents bent on disrupting their operations.
Canadian Army in Kandahar
CANADIAN Army prepares to patrol in Kandahar Afghanistan
They're Here! -- [Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Afghanistan]
...I will add the Capt Ghani was going to be my next “ANA of the Week” subject, so I’ll tell you about him now. He is very sharp, and his building is always the cleanest and most impressive when we do inspections. Everything is always clean and orderly. He always handles his assignments with true military professionalism, and is a credit to the ANA.
This is not the USA, and won't be anytime soon -- [Bouhammer Afghan Blog - in Afghanistan]
I read in the news today that NATO is asking for 3400 more troops to be sent here in order to train Afghan Forces. The article said they want 60% of them to train ANP and 40% to train ANA. The article also said that our SecDef said the US may be able to contribute 1000 more as part of that 3400, but it could be tough because the Task Force here that is in charge of that is almost all National Guard and they may have a tough time finding the right people to fit this mission.
First let me say that if this mission was worth doing, then yes at least 3400 more would be good. In fact, that would maybe start to scratch the surface here. Since we have taken on the ANP training mission, all the teams that I know of are very low on people and are stretched thin. However, it will not make a difference, because as the saying says; “you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink”. They can put as many US soldiers here that they want, but these people are not going to get any better. They simply do not care. This country has no gross national product, they have no tax system, they have no way to generate revenue for themselves as a country or support themselves. If they are going to move forward like so many of us want them to do, they are going to have to rely on handouts.
MASSIVE Rally in Pakistan Against Radical Islamists! -- [Gateway Pundit]
Karachi on Sunday to show their opposition to a radical religious school which has begun a Taliban style anti-vice campaign in the capital, Islamabad.
Moderate Muslims filled the streets of Karachi, Pakistan today to protest against a religious school with Taliban ties that is threatening the society...
Humiliation -- [Strategy Page]
April 16, 2007: Iran is seeking foreign firms that will help it build two more nuclear power plants, in addition to the one Russia was helping it with (but has halted because of a payments dispute, and Russian efforts to force Iran to stop its nuclear weapons program.)
How Humanitarian Aid Supports The Killers in Darfur -- [Strategy Page]
April 15, 2007: Peacekeeping and humanitarian aid efforts often work against each other. Such is the case in central Africa, where ethnic and tribal violence in Sudan (Darfur), Chad and the Central African republic has killed several hundred thousand people, and created ten times as many refugees. The countries involved, especially Sudan, don't want foreign peacekeepers coming in to stop the violence. But humanitarian aid groups, and the massive amounts of food and other supplies they bring, are allowed. Many of the gunmen then live off the relief supplies, along with the refugees. The gunmen also prey on the refugees. The refugee camps also provide a place for some of the armed groups to hide out.
Not News Unless It's About Us -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
...So many aspects to this story aside from the obvious lack of media attention on either side of the pond unless it's about America or American Soldiers.
For example, is the German military instructor racist, or anti-American? Why else would he be using the image of Americans, black or otherwise, to fire up his soldiers?
Or is that simply the result of the misguided impression many Europeans have that American cities are seething with racial tension and swarming with gun-toting criminals?
Another interesting aspect,...
Edward Luttwak’s “Counterinsurgency Malpractice” -- [Small Wars Journal]
I spent a few hours recently, reading Edward N. Luttwak’s article in Harper’s Magazine, “Dead End: Counter-Insurgency as Military Malpractice”, and carefully thinking over his argument. It was a pleasant holiday from the reality of war here in Baghdad, and a reassuring reminder that there are still havens of calm (like CSIS, where Dr Luttwak is a Senior Fellow) where one can consider issues thoroughly and arrive at firm conclusions. From my viewpoint, here in Iraq, things somehow never seem quite so black-and-white.
Report: It's tricky to measure terror -- [UPI]
WASHINGTON, April 16, 2007-- A new report by congressional researchers highlights the difficulties of measuring success and failure in a poorly defined U.S. war on terror.
The Congressional Research Service last month examined the question and its report was posted online Friday by Secrecy News, an e-newsletter produced by the Federation of American Scientists.
Padilla terror trial begins in Miami -- [UPI]
MIAMI, April 16, 2007 -- The federal trial for U.S. terror suspect Jose Padilla began in Miami Monday with his claims of torture during detention figuring highly.
The 36-year-old former Chicago gang member and convert to Islam was arrested by the FBI in 2002 at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, and was first charged with plotting to detonate a radioactive "dirty bomb" in a major U.S. city.
Al Qaeda Drug Gang Busted By Irate Tribesmen -- [Strategy Page]
April 16, 2007: Pakistan took advantage of the recent fighting between Pushtun tribesmen, and al Qaeda members who have been hiding in the hills along the Afghan for the last five years. The dispute was, as usual, about money and power. The Islamic radicals in question are mainly Uzbeks, and others from Central Asia, plus some Chechens and Arabs. Most of the Arabs still in the area have behaved themselves, but that's mainly because they still receive cash from patrons back in the Persian Gulf states.
How To Use Torture Claims as a Weapon -- [Strategy Page]
April 13, 2007: In what seems to be a constant refrain involving captured al Qaeda terrorists, Jose Padilla has now filed suit claiming torture. While the case was dismissed on technical grounds, it is a reminder that the American legal system has serious flaws when it comes to dealing with terrorism. In this case, it is causing a diversion of resources and could put information about interrogation procedures in the public domain.
...These lawsuits also tend to divert resources. When officials and agencies are sued, they have to spend time and effort (not to mention money) to defend themselves in court, consult with attorneys, and deal with the press. These distractions can make agencies and officials a little less efficient. Considering that impaired efficiency of intelligence agencies and the Department of Defense can lead to a successful terrorist attack, this is not a minor issue. At the very least, the negative coverage generated by a lawsuit can make it easier for...
West Texas Troop Support -- [Wallace Craig - Troop Support]
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Midland Rockhounds Stadium
3:30 PM until the Fireworks are Over!
West Texans are invited to show OUR Troops how we support them in a RED, WHITE and BLUE event at Rockhounds Stadium. There will be free red, white or blue t-shirts for the first 5000 patrons, music by local high school bands and entertainers, notable speakers, vintage aircraft, aerial flyovers, a live web cast from Iraq, Rockhounds vs San Antonio Missions baseball game and a closing fireworks display. This Rally is a non-partisan, non-political event to show OUR Troops how much West Texas appreciate them. Come SALUTE OUR TROOPS!!!
America Supports You: Bikers Salute, Support Servicemembers -- [Defense Link]
PEORIA, Ariz., April 15, 2007 – Servicemembers stationed in Baghdad got an earful – and an eyeful – yesterday from about 4,000 supporters who gathered here to show their appreciation during the third Cyclerides.com “Hearts to Heroes” motorcycle ride.
Students sew blankets for soldiers -- [Gazette.net]
The process was frustrating at times, students said, but every stitch was worth it.
More than 90 students at Parkdale High School in Riverdale worked for two months in the school’s advanced sewing class to make blankets for U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq. In groups of five, Parkdale students from every class stitched patches and ribbons, lacing personal messages into every blanket. The hand-and-machine-sewed blankets were loaded and shipped off to Iraq last week.
Sad News from the National Review Family -- [Kathryn Jean Lopez - The Corner]
Patricia Aldyn Austin Taylor Buckley — Pat Buckley, as so many knew her, WFB's beloved — died last night at Stamford Hospital in Connecticut.
She died of septic poisoning following a vascular operation on her left leg.
Pat had been married to WFB since July 1950 and is mother of the acclaimed writer Christopher Buckley.
All In The Family -- [ArmyWifeToddlerMom]
The "news" or "leaks" of extensions this past week has been a hard pill for the military community to swallow. But guess what, everyone continues to do their job.
I have been on the recieving end of this sort of news several times now, since this war began. In fact the Spokesperson of the Pentagon "leaked" the information on one ocassion. This led to mass confusion here in the State, and instead of my DH being able to do his job, my DH got to work only to find the phone ringing off of the hook on a Monday at 6:00am. And spent about 1 week fielding calls from Guardsmen, Wives, Mothers, Fathers, Employers, and the like, some of those in tears.
Celebrating Children with Brave Hearts -- [SpouseBUZZ]
April is the Month of The Military Child.
Did you know that more than one million American children have at least one parent serving in active military?
During my Husbands first deployment I had a little boy who was 20 months old and I was 7 months pregnant with a daughter.
When my Husband returned, he returned to a Son 38 months old, and a Daughter, 15 months old.
And Although I spent hours and hours with my children watching videos of Daddy, and looking at pictures of Daddy, and talking about how wonderful Daddy is.....I was worried.
What’s Wrong With America? -- [Pat Dollard]
In World War I, the United States imposed a military draft for a reason that seems strange today: to prevent too many of the nation’s most privileged citizens from rushing toward the sound of the guns.
How did we change from a nation where military service was a duty of citizenship — akin to paying taxes or serving on a jury — to one where simply being asked to consider time in uniform is an infringement of civil rights?
The Price of Service -- [Sgt Stryker]
Much has been made in the media recently about the jump in re-enlistment bonuses being offered to members of the military to entice them to remain in the Armed Forces. People have said that bonuses are too high, that it is just another example of defense spending gone out of control. In my humble opinion, we can’t pay our troops enough. We ask these men and women to die for us. We ask them to kill for us. We ask them to leave their families, to miss months out of their children’s lives, to endure extreme hardship to defend our freedom. How do you put a price on that?
It might be hard to imagine how much we would pay to have someone live their life defending ours, but the government has done it. I thought it would be enlightening given the current public debate over bonuses and raises to talk about how much our military members really make. Since so many in this country see military pay as another issue to debate, let’s talk money.
In the current year, a brand new E-1, a bottom of the military food chain Private, makes
MOORE'S 'SICKO' STUNT -- [New York Post]
April 15, 2007 -- Filmmaker Michael Moore's production company took ailing Ground Zero responders to Cuba in a stunt aimed at showing that the U.S. health-care system is inferior to Fidel Castro's socialized medicine, according to several sources with knowledge of the trip.
...Two years in the making, the flick also takes aim at the medical care being provided to people who worked on the toxic World Trade Center debris pile, according to several 9/11 workers approached by Moore's producers.
But the sick sojourn, which some say uses ill 9/11 workers as pawns, has angered many in the responder community.
"He's using people that are in a bad situation and that's wrong, that's morally wrong,"
The Emperor's Tailor -- [Dadmanly]
The newly ascended Democrat majority in Congress have obviously decided to make their fabled “cooked intelligence” trope the centerpiece of their legislative legacy. Senator Carl Levin plays Brother Grimm in their myth-making in the Senate, and shows no sign of having any interest in truth (or full disclosure).
Kerry In '08 -- [Redstate]
Less than three months after John Kerry said he intends to stay out of the 2008 presidential campaign, the Democrats' losing 2004 presidential candidate reopened the door to a possible 2008 presidential campaign.
Answering a question from a viewer on a television call-in program, about whether his decision not to run could change Kerry said:
It might. It may change over years. It may change over months. I can't tell you, but I've said very clearly I don't consider myself out of it forever.
Kerry continues to be consistent in his inconsistency. Read on ...
A boycott of US News and World Report’s College Rankings? -- [Austin Bay]
That’s the gist of this story.
The Yahoo lede:
A revolt is brewing among college presidents against the influential college rankings put out each year by U.S. News & World Report.
Dozens of schools have recently refused to fill out surveys used to calculate ranks, and efforts are now afoot for a collective boycott.
Britain to Stop Using 'War on Terror' Phrase, Says Gov't Minister -- [CNSNews]
British officials will stop using the phrase "war on terror," a member of Prime Minister Tony Blair's cabinet is expected to tell a meeting in New York City on Monday.
According to his prepared remarks, international development secretary Hilary Benn will say that the "war on terror" concept has emboldened terrorists, by making them feel as though they are part of something bigger than they are, British media organizations report.
Rosie O'Donnell: U.S. Has Killed ‘Hundreds of Thousands' of Innocent Iraqis -- [NewsBusters]
The controversial host of ABC’s “The View,” Rosie O’Donnell, posted a peculiar rant at her blog Saturday that seemed to be two parts confession, and one part recognition that the firing of Don Imus might be an ominous portent for her career.
...With that, O’Donnell tried to explain what she meant when she stated some months back that we shouldn’t fear terrorists because they’re mothers and fathers, too:
Why aren’t the Revs. Sharpton and Jackson invading Britain? -- [GunnNutt -- Semper Gratus!]
Newsbusters report “BBC Cancels TV Movie On Iraq War Hero As ‘Too Positive’ “, by Lynn Davidson.
…the project that would have honored the incredible bravery and resilience of Private Johnson Beharry, a man who didn’t hesitate to risk his own life two separate times for his fellow soldiers.
The BBC also ran a story about PM Tony Blair specifically targeting black communities for perpetuating knife and gun violence.
“The black community - the vast majority of whom in these communities are decent, law-abiding people horrified at what is happening
These two stories should have been juicy enough to have both “Reverends” booking redeye flights to London so that they could denounce both the BBC and the Prime Minister as racially bigoted and hate mongering.
Islamic pro-terrorism hate film gets PG rating in Australia -- [Jawa Report]
For this announcement to come on a day devoted to Holocaust remembrance is a slap in the face to Australia's Jewish community.
Feiz Mohammed is currently exiled in Lebanon, yet his virulent, hate-filled philosophy continues to reach across oceans and continents.
Information Operations -- [Badgers Forward - in Iraq]
At the risk of engaging in some navel gazing I am going to tackle the subject of military information operations. There seems to be a number of posts circling around the Milblogosphere and I feel like I should chime in.
Frankly I am not sure where it started, however like so many discussions of Iraq this one appears to have started out with Michael Yon. He is apparently having challenges again withe the embed process. I know the previous MNF-I Public Affairs officer did not consider him a real journalist because he is a blogger. PAOs are generally taking a hard beating in the comments portion of that post. The ones I know don't deserve that
For the Brass: Lesson of the Day #2 -- [Blackfive]
Following Laughing Wolf's lead in the previous post, here is the link to a paper that was discussed at the Pritzker Military Library session on MilBlogs (if you have a link to the webcast, let me know). It makes suggestions that have been talked about in our circles and at the DoD for some time - por ejemplo, giving military bloggers the same rules as embed reporters (with the exception of adhering to UCMJ).
Soldier bloggers bring frontline to the home front
Military blogging has become so widespread that a conference devoted to it is to take place in Washington in May. Borda is to host an awards ceremony at the event for top bloggers.
"It is getting bigger and bigger," Borda said of military blogging. "I'm a software geek by nature and I can't imagine going without it."
Soldiers must be careful to avoid accidentally giving away tactical data, even innocently by showing details of a compound layout in the background of a playful picture.
The US military also has longstanding rules against soldiers leaking mission-related information, such as troop strengths or operations, in any form, whether it is old-fashioned letters or new-age video blogs.
MRE Date -- [Dave's Not Here]
I can't verify this...but it was funny enough to post. I could honestly see my friend Herb having done this to his wife when they were dating.
Received via email from my friend Overkill McGill:
I had a date the other night at my place. On the phone the day before, the girl asked me to "Cook her something she's never had before" for dinner.
After many minutes of scratching my head over what to make, I finally settled on something she has DEFINITELY never eaten.
I got out my trusty case of MRE's. Meal, Ready-to-Eat. Field rations that when eaten in their entirety contain 3000+ calories. Here's what I made:
Schumer: Gonzales' Innocence Not Relevant to Probe -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-04-16) — As U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales prepares to face the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, said Mr. Gonzales' guilt or innocence in the firing of eight U.S. Attorneys is not relevant to Tuesday’s hearing.
The New York senator’s remarks follow a Washington Post Op-Ed by Mr. Gonzales in which he claimed that “nothing improper” happened in the dismissal of the U.S. Attorneys.
(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.
Green Zone attack -- [Calvey in Iraq - in Iraq]
Greetings from Baghdad!
It is not so surprising to me that a bomb was detonated in the Iraqi Council of Representatives (parliament) meeting place in the International (Green) Zone yesterday as it is surprising it had not happened some time ago.
At the end of the day, if I were a betting man I would lay heavy odds that the culprit is a member of a security detail for an Iraqi politician. Members of such security details apparently don't have to be searched when they enter. (I'll bet THAT policy changes now!)
Those who claim this attack shows that the "surge" is not working are incorrect and ill-informed. The problem with this attack is an internal one with the security policies of the Iraqi Council of Representatives itself, not with US policy for Iraq as a whole.
Jisr al-Hadeed -- [Iraq the Model - Iraqis in Iraq]
This morning Baghdad lost one of its historic icons when the terrorists blew up the Sarrafiya Bridge. This was an attack on both a vital infrastructure of the city and our morale, let alone the innocent lives that were lost in this vicious attack. What we lost today was not just a bridge, it was a piece of the Baghdad history.
Sarafiya Bridge -- [Iraqi Konfused Kid - Iraqi in Iraq]
...Some people get their fix when they bash America, but that's getting kinda stale in my opinion, and others just love throwing their feces eastward at the yellow-winds of the Persian Saffavids, but my personal venegance is against those f-----g assholes who still shout those empty slogans such as 'Resistance', or 'Jihad'. Very arrogant, stubborn people without any vision for the future, all they care about is 'getting the occupation what', and then what?
A Rift Between the Islamic Army of Iraq and Al-Qaida -- [Globalterroralert.com ( PDF)]
(4/12/07): On April 5, the Islamic Army of Iraq (IAI) issued a new statement responding to recent accusations made by Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq" and its leader Abu Omar al-Baghdadi. In the communiqué, the IAI vigorously denied these charges (including its would-be links to the Iraqi Baath party) and instead countered with its own set of allegations against Al-Qaida--including that Al-Qaida is responsible for killing more than 30 IAI fighters in needless fratricidal violence, and that Al-Qaida was behind the assassination of 1920 Revolution Brigades leader Harith Tahir al-Dari.
Ignoring the Violence, If Only For a While
Hand in hand, Muhanned Mahmoud and his wife led their two children into Fun City, one of the few amusement parks in Baghdad where people can go to spend the afternoon. The children approached the entrance, gazing at the giant, inflatable toys there.
Iraqi children play at an amusement park. "We should act normal, at least for the kids' sake," one mother said.
Who is killing Iraqi kids? -- [Children's Voice from Iraq - Iraqi in Iraq]
I talked in one of my past posts "I won't talk about the way of crimes and terrorism against our Iraqi kids because it gives me pain when write about it" but I will tell you who kill our kids?
Let's go with my vision into Iraq and keeping our eyes outside of Iraq.
Iran is with Shia'a, Iran is with Syria, Iran is with Afghan suicide bombers who enter Iraq, Iran is with Iraqi new government, Iran is with Iraqi Shia'a militants (death teams), Iran supports some Iraqi Shia'a parties which they are in new Iraqi government, Iran is against Ba'ath party in Iraq and Iranian intelligence are every where in Iraq.
Millions of Iraqi Flags Adorn Baghdad, Kut, Najaf and Karbala -- [Iraq Slogger]
...Hundreds of Iraqi flags were flown on the streets of Kut, in the Wasit governorate, above rooftops, government departments and in public squares and on buses and private vehicles, as part of a campaign by non-governmental organizations, political and religious movements to encourage Iraqi national unity and to oppose sectarianism and division. Ali Hamid, one of the campaigners, told the Voices of Iraq Agency that the goal is to symbolize Iraqi unity. “The idea was widely embraced by non-governmental organizations and the majority of political and religious parties in the governorate, in addition to citizens,” he said. Hundreds of flags of different sizes were seen decorating lampposts, telecommunication towers and commercial stores and on the rooftops of private residences. Similar scenes were reported in the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala
Destroying Chemical Factories, March 2007
Coalition troops investigate, then destroy, insurgent chemical-mixing plants in late March 2007
Growing chemical arsenal for Iraqi Shiite militias, Hezbollah and Hamas delivered by Iran -- [Counterterrorism Blog - Olivier Guitta
Recently, UN Secretary general Ban Moon has acknowledged that Syria has been delivering weapons to Hezbollah, contrary to what UN resolution 1701 asks.
A much troubling development is occurring.
From last week’s issue of The Croissant, comes this story about the growing dangerous arsenal for Hezbollah and Hamas: ...
Falluja Road -- [Acute Politics - in Iraq]
Two weeks ago, along with another route clearance unit, my platoon spearheaded a large operation south of Falluja,. We cleared two routes into the farmland for over six hundred Marines and soldiers who were to operate in the area over the next few days.
Badger 6 and the Teflon Don (PIC)
My on going project is to have a photo of me and each Soldier in Team Badger. I had my picture taken with the Teflon Don today and thought I would share it with you.
F/A-18 Hornets strike chlorine bomb truck
Near Fallujah, Iraq - Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet destroys a dump truck loaded with chlorine tanks, observes secondary explosion from vehicle-borne explosives.
Second F/A-18 Hornet strikes insurgents associated with the dump truck.
Citizen Journalist - Letting the Troops speak for themselves - [Hot Air]
Video 1 and Video 2
Islamic Army of Iraq splits from Al-Qaeda -- [The Fourth Rail]
The largest Sunni insurgent group has severed ties with al Qaeda and its Islamic State of Iraq; Sunni religious leaders oppose al Qaeda
The Sunni civil war in Iraq continues to gather steam. The Islamic Army in Iraq, the largest Sunni insurgent group which has previously operated closely with al Qaeda in Iraq, has severed ties with the terror group after several months of infighting, Al Jazeera reported today. Ibrahim al-Shammari, an Islamic Army in Iraq spokesman, "told Al Jazeera on Thursday that the Islamic Army in Iraq had decided to disunite from al-Qaeda in Iraq after its members were threatened."
COALITION FORCES CAPTURE 14 SUSPECTS IN EARLY-MORNING RAIDS -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces captured 14 suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorists during operations early Friday morning.
During an operation in Karmah, Coalition Forces captured six men with suspected involvement in recent vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attacks and anti-Iraqi and Coalition Forces operations.
In Mosul, five suspected terrorists were captured with suspected links to recent VBIED attacks against Coalition Forces.
Iraqi Police join security mission -- [MNF-I]
DIWANIYAH — Operation Black Eagle moved into a new phase with the Iraqi Police joining the Iraqi Army and Coalition forces in security efforts here Sunday.
Iraqi Police began manning key checkpoints throughout the city, adding security forces already in place.
Insurgents attack Haswah citizens, wound seven -- [MNF-I]
KALSU, Iraq — Insurgents attacked Iraqi civilians with mortars in Haswah, Iraq,
south of the Iraqi capital, wounding seven April 12.
Qatar Trip - Part 1 -- [Half a World Away - in Iraq]
There are very few positives of the additional 4 months that got added to our time over here. One of them is that we are now eligible for a 4 day pass to Qatar, a small country down on the Eastern coast of Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf. Actually, we were eligible for this before but due to manning requirements our Brigade didn't allow anyone to go. Once we got extended they opened it up and most everyone will have the opportunity.
I was fortunate in that SSG Johnson and I got to go on the same day, so I had a travel partner for the whole trip. It is about a 2.5 hour flight from Anaconda, and luckily we went nonstop. Unluckily we took a C-130 which is a prop driven cargo plane. You sit on netting and it is quite uncomfortable. Since this was military transport, our 2.5 hour trip took about 12 hours all together.
Easter Weekend in Kunar Province -- [ON Point- in Afghanistan]
The ammunition and equipment re-supply convoy to Kunar Province from Jalalabad arrived at Camp Joyce on Saturday, the day before Easter. This base is named after Lance Corporal Kevin Joyce, a Marine who was killed here in June 2005.
In a joint Marine-Army mission, Major Miguel Goodpasture commands the 14 Marines and nine Army soldiers of Embedded Training Team (ETT) 1/8. Their mission is to mentor and advise the local Afghan National Army officers and senior enlisted of 1st Kandak, 3rd Brigade, 201st Corps. The ETT trains with their ANA troops, assists with their missions, and sometimes—like today—fights the enemy alongside their Afghan brethren.
Winning Hearts & Minds (2) MedCap
Thursday, April 12, 2007 -- [Sgt Dubb - in Afghanistan]
Back home the 45th Infantry Bde has been selected to mobilize earlier than expected and will be going to Iraq in 2008. The 41st BCT, Oregon National Guard is already slated to return here in 2009. Anybody else want to call us weekend warriors? I haven't talked with very many soldiers that are complaining. We would love to be home, but we understand the importance of the missions. It's part of the give and take we signed up for with the National Guard and to be called upon by our state or our country to serve when needed. Does it put a stress on family and employers, yes.
Foot-Washers for Muslim Students -- [Jawa Report]
(Minneapolis, Minnesota) What the hell is wrong with Minnesota? It seems you can't take a deep breath without hearing about some new effort to bend over for Islam. And, last I heard, the melodramas in which Muslim taxi drivers and retail cashiers demand to dictate business practices still haven't been resolved.
In the latest bizarre move, Minneapolis Community and Technical College President Phil Davis (don't forget this guy's name) has decided to install foot-washing facilities, at taxpayer expense, for Muslim students so their feet will be clean during the regular prayer sessions.
Terrorists Hijack Satellite -- [Strategy Page]
April 13, 2007: Sri Lankan officials were shocked to learn that the local rebels (the LTTE, representing separatist among the Tamil minority) had hijacked two channels on a television satellite, and were broadcasting anti-government (and pro-terrorist) programming to anyone in Sri Lanka who had a small DTH (Direct to Home) satellite dish. At least that's what the satellite operator, Intelsat Ltd, said when asked about why they were carrying programming for an international terrorist organization (at least in most countries). The LTTE had been sending their TV programming to Sri Lanka (and most of the world) via the Intelsat 12 satellite since May, 2005.
"The Soldiers' Angels are an Army within the Army" -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Email from a Soldier who recently spent time at the Kleber Medical Hold here in Germany while undergoing treatment.
She has since returned to Iraq, and after exchanging a few emails we realized we had seen each other while she was here.
Wanted to pass along her thanks to all of you who make this possible.
Anti-War 'Easter Bunny' Colors Holiday at Walter Reed -- [CNSNews]
April 13, 2007 - With temperatures dropping into the low 30s, Easter weekend felt more like Christmas in the nation's capital -- and with anti-war protestors dressing in creepy costumes, it looked more like Halloween to some critics, too.
Angry Bear -- [Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Afghanistan]
I got my first piece of hate mail today. You don’t want to send the Bear hate mail, unless you have your facts straight and your logic in place. Now it’s time for some schooling.
...“Pogue” is an insulting term used for people who never go outside the wire, as though the job they do isn’t important. So here we have name-calling, always a good way to prove you are right. Anyone who has actually bothered to read my blog knows I leave the wire most every day, and I live in a B-Hut and don’t have a room to myself, so clearly not much research was done by BS. Better to take a cheap shot. It also shows that BS disdains the troops who are away from their families, but not actually outside of the wire. Their sacrifice is less; they are just pogues. Lose the ‘tude, dude. Those pogues make it possible for you to be a non-pogue.
The "Leaker" Who Tossed Military Families to the Curb -- [Andi's World]
Military families can handle bad news. In fact, there's a part of us, especially today, that expects it. Not only can we handle bad news, but we handle it with incredible grace, dignity and class. Well, after the occasional, short-lived pity party, that is. This life isn't always easy (what is), but I wouldn't trade it for anything, nor would anyone I know. I only ask one thing from those in positions of power - treat military families with respect and be straight with us.
Yesterday, Secretary Gates rightly excoriated the person in the Pentagon who leaked information to ABC News about deployment extensions.
Yesterday, Secretary Gates rightly excoriated the person in the Pentagon who leaked information to ABC News about deployment extensions. View the video here.
Well that just sucks. -- [HomeFront Six]
Extensions all around
I understand the premise behind the extensions. I get it. I understand the logistics. Doesn't make it any easier to swallow. What really pisses me off is the people who COULD serve but don't. They decry the fact that our military is stretched, that families are under too much strain and the whole thing is broken. Um, yes it is. But if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the f----g problem. Don't just sit there and Monday-Morning-Quarterback the situation. Get up off your ass and go DO something. Military pay is decent. It's not great but it's enough to make a living. Those who have the gall to sit back and criticize the military and the way things are run and then head off to their minimum wage job while raking in WIC and other government assistance, why don't you join the military.
And another thing...
You want to know what REALLY pisses me off?? Someone leaked this story. They didn't even have the decency to let the families find out from the proper channels before they ran the story. Thanks, a------s. That just adds insult to injury.
...what is unacceptable is the fact that our Congress isn't behind us 110% on this one. What is unacceptable is the fact that, while us poor military families are suffering this "unacceptable" burden, those morons up on Capitol Hill are actually voting to yank funding from this war. Hmmm...can anyone say "H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-T-E"???
AQCLU -- [Jules Crittenden]
ACLU expresses concern about the human cost of war, but neglects to mention nearly 3,000 American civilians whose civil rights were denied them in a purposeful war crime. The perpetrators of this crime have made no effort to make compensation. It quickly becomes clear ACLU is less concerned with protecting civilians than it is with bashing the troops. ACLU also may have some factual problems:
Democrats cheer Iraq surrender
Leaky Leahy Compares US Attorney Non-Scandal to Watergate (Video) -- [Gateway Pundit]
Although there is no evidence that there was any illegal action in the firing of 8 US attorneys- compared to the 93 US Attorneys fired by Bill Clinton- the democrats are demanding emails from the White House to see if they can build some kind of scandal anyway.
A Proposal: A National Media Strategy -- [Flopping Aces]
Anyone with the capability for independent thought has recognized the media has a liberal bias. However, what is rarely asked is what is there to be done about it? I have asked several Republicans in the Maryland area this same question, and I was surprised at the lack of an intelligent, comprehensive response. Most have simply replied, “What else is there to do?” Others make vague statements about talk radio, but on the end, the GOP SIMPLY HAS NO PLANS TO DEAL WITH THE MEDIA BIAS THAT WORKS DIRECTLY AGAINST THEM
Olbermann Revels in 'Racist' Limbaugh Getting Yanked Like Imus: 'Best Thing I've Heard' -- [NewsBusters]
Keith Olbermann opened his Wednesday MSNBC show by displaying video of Rush Limbaugh on screen as he smeared conservative talk radio as “racist,” asking, “Why have none from the racist right been protested, boycotted or fired?” He then delighted Thursday night when guest Sam Seder, of the far-left Air America Radio, predicted “the next time Limbaugh slips up, which I think is inevitable, I think you're going to see this sort of same type of reaction.” A pleased Olbermann exclaimed: “It's the best thing I've heard in a couple of days. From your lips to God's ears!” Olbermann had asked Seder: “How does Rush Limbaugh or Michael Savage get away with worse than what Don Imus said?”
'GMA' Features Segment on Man Sharpton Falsely Labeled a Rapist -- [NewsBusters]
On Thursday’s “Good Morning America,” reporter Kate Snow hosted a segment on whether the Duke lacrosse players will be able to get their reputations back. In so doing, she discussed Reverend Al Sharpton’s role in falsely accusing New York prosecutor Steven Pagones of raping then 15-year-old Tawana Brawley in 1987.
Though this segment was not specifically related to the unfolding Don Imus story, GMA has thus far been the only network morning show to interview Pagones and, by implication, seriously question Sharpton’s role as moral arbiter in the Imus case.
...Al Sharpton [file footage of Sharpton]: "Six white men, one named Steve Pagones. I repeat it again! The assistant district attorney of Dutchess County, were among those that attacked her."
Steven Pagones: "Imagine sitting down with your family on a Sunday afternoon watching the news, and hearing that the lead story, the headline, is that this man is accusing you of abducting and raping Tawana Brawley, a person you've never met."
Not a black and white issue -- [Stefanie Williams - The Diamondback]
I have a weird obsession with news. Not just plain old news, but stories that stick. People like Fred Phelps and Mike Nifong have basically driven my existence for the past year. But all my experience analyzing media over why or how they cover stories hasn't helped me accept why the mainstream media is completely overlooking one story in particular.
...Newsom was kidnapped, raped and beaten. According to reports, his penis was then cut off before he was shot several times and set on fire, all while his girlfriend watched. His body was then dumped alongside train tracks. Christian was kept alive and gang-raped multiple times over a span of four days. Her breast was cut off while she was still alive and her kidnappers sprayed cleaning fluid into her mouth to cleanse it of DNA. Her body was then put into a garbage can.
This should have been front- page, prime time news. There is speculation that because all five of the arrested kidnappers were black, and the couple white, this story was swept under the rug.
Democrats in Congress to Consider Making Laws -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-04-13) — Democrats who control the House and Senate today agreed to a long term “progressive” strategy to begin making laws sometime in late 2008 or early 2009, once they complete their investigations of everyone in the Bush administration.
“We don’t want to be too literalistic when it comes to defining the word 'legislator',” said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT, whose judiciary committee is investigating whether eight political appointees were fired from the Justice Department for political reasons. “However,
(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.
British Forces at War: As Witnessed by an American -- [Michael Yon]
The explosions from enemy rockets and mortar fire have been constant companions for the small contingent of Coalition forces based at the former Basra Palace, on the banks of Shatt al Arab River. In the past five months, more than a thousand bombs have been fired at this small base, all while these British combat troops, Romanian soldiers and a small contingent of Americans continue their attempts to stabilize Iraq. The nearby US Regional Embassy office also is frequently targeted.
UPDATED: Combat tours extended -- [Austin Bay]
I listened to SecDef Gates’ press conference. Here’s Reuters report on that conference. 15 months is a hump.
We’ve had some units do 13 months (1st Armored got extended in 2004, didn’t it?) and if memory serves some may have come close to 14 months in theater. (We’ll try to have comments back up by this weekend so if your unit was in Iraq or Afghanistan for over 13 months put up a comment with the dates of deployment.)
April showers bring May. . .Sandstorms? -- [The Desert Excursion - in Iraq]
...Congrats to all the new units that have heard about the new extension orders for all Army deployments increasing from 12 months to 15. Since our unit has already been extended and we are nearing our 21st month on deployment I have little sympathy, however, I would never wish for any unit to go this long. With the Army making the new deployments 15 months, and like I said we are near 21 months away from home, the Army is shattering it's reputation and it's attempts to make this war appear like progress is being made.
First, taking a National Guard unit such as ourselves, and deploying us for nearly two years away from families, school, and occupations is ludicrous.
Reality? -- [Making the Leap - in Iraq]
From International Herald Tribune:
The United States military announced Wednesday that most active duty army units now in Iraq and Afghanistan and those sent in the future would serve 15-month tours, three months longer than the standard one-year tour.
Extending tours, shortening tours. But only for the Army. We already have some of the longest tours -- how is this going to change things?
Islamists Propose Ways to Transfer Funds to Islamic State of Iraq -- [MEMRI]
A message posted on an Islamist website on April 10, 2007 proposed a way of enabling Muslims to deliver funds to the Islamic State of Iraq. The message suggests establishing phony online retail stores whose URLs will only be distributed to supporters of jihad via an internal e-mail list. According to the message, contributors will make payments with no intention of receiving any product in return, "except for the favor of the Lord of the world." The message asserts that such on-line retail stores require special programming that will allow the site administrator to distinguish between someone intending to contribute to jihad and unwitting customers.
Prayer Stops a Bullet -- [Calvey in Iraq - in Iraq]
Here's the story, as related by a fellow servicemember:
Here's a great story right after St. Patrick's day from a doctor I met at the 28th CSH who travels occasionally to treat troops in Balad. Attached is a picture of the inside of a Soldier’s body armor who was shot in the chest by a sniper and treated in Balad, Iraq. The Soldier survived the shot, because his 'breastplate' prevented the bullet from fully penetrating his chest. He had a prayer written on the inside of his vest, right in front of his chest where he was shot. Because the round hit him about 1 inch into the plate, he only had a minor injury and some bruising. The doctor who treated him took a picture of his body armor with the protective plate and sent me the photo. The inscription is from a prayer called, “Saint Patrick’s Breastplate.” Below is the full paragraph of the prayer.
A little less discipline, a little more courage please -- [Free Our Fobbits - in Iraq]
...In the short space of a few hours yesterday we were first bested by a cow (don't ask) then watched the insurgents dig in a IED and lay command wire all under our beneficent all watching, all impotent eye. Second time in a week. Being men of action we sprang towards the phone and passed the buck to higher, fulfilling the first Army value--Cover Your Ass. The squabbling TOC toadies fumbled a bit, refused to let us roll waiting gun trucks that could have caught Abu Boom cold busted. They then scrambled air assets. Perhaps we've lost our subtle touch but I don't think it was ever possible to shadow someone overhead with Apache's without giving it away. Up at the TOC, Toad and Stoat couldn't bring themselves to blow up old Mole...so
US: Iraqi militias train in Iran -- [Hot Air]
Iraqi militia fighters are being trained in Iran to build and use deadly armor-piercing roadside bombs and complex attack strategies against American forces, the U.S. military said Wednesday....
I’m sure TIME would argue that all of this is being run by some splinter faction in the Iranian government.
As for me, I don’t have much to add. It’s no secret that Iran uses Hezbollah to attack targets and countries it won’t or can’t attack with its military.
Iraq Report: Pressuring Iran and Success in Anbar -- [Roggio Report]
The United States is maintaining the pressure on Iran for its support of both Shia militias and Sunni insurgents. Yet again, Multinational Forces Iraq has detailed the Iranian involvement in supplying weapons and support for the Shia militias. In today's press brief, Major General William Caldwell also stated some aid from Iranian intelligence services was being given to Sunni insurgents. The United States has also rejected the Iranian demand that five Iranian Qods Force officers captured in Irbil last January be released. Iran has been pressing for their release, particularly since the release last week of 15 British sailors and marines captured by Iran in the Persian Gulf.
Making Nice to All Those Turkish Soldiers -- [Strategy Page]
April 12, 2007: Iraq's President, a Kurd, apologized to Turkey for statements by Iraqi Kurdish leaders that they would "fan unrest" among Turkish Kurds if Turkey opposed Iraqi Kurdish claims to the Iraqi city of Kirkuk. President Talabani insisted that Iraq values its relationship with Turkey. A few days earlier, the Turkish government said that Iraqi Kurds could pay a "heavy cost" for threatening Turkey. Turkey wants to protect the Iraqi Turkoman (ethnic Turk) population in Kirkuk.
Getting Played, And Paid -- [Strategy Page]
April 12, 2007: The calm that has come over Baghdad has largely been the result of new policing methods, and the growing quality of Iraqi soldiers and security personnel. However, the police, in particular, are still crippled by corruption and, in most units, hatred of Sunni Arabs. In an attempt to limit the ill-effects of corrupt commanders, army and police units brought to Baghdad serve there only for 90 days, before returning to their home areas. Officially, the 90 day tour is to limit time away from home and family, but it also makes it more difficult for commanders to establish corrupt relationships with Baghdadis, who are notorious for their corrupt practices.
Riding the Storm Out -- [Badgers Forward - in Iraq]
BOOM!
My head said thunder; my gut said bomb. That is how strange being in Iraq is; a loud boom back home would be presumed to be thunder, it would be surprising and disturbing to find out later that it was a bomb. Here I presumed it was a bomb and was relieved to find it was in fact thunder.
Entertainment -- [The Zeke - in Iraq]
So, I shaved my eyebrows off. I couldn't think of a better introduction. Some guys put some money together ($100 total) and said that it was mine if I shaved my eyebrows off completely! Well, no one here to impress, months before I get home. Those brows were off before you could blink!
I look pretty crazy.
AIR FORCE PICTURES OF HUMANITARIAN MISSION -- [Afghanistan JAG - in Afghanistan]
Air Force photographers were on the scene at our humanitarian mission in Kabul on Tuesday. Here's the link to the story and all the photos that they took:...
USO Takes The Stage With Al Franken in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: April 11, 2007 -- [Afghanistan Watch - Canadians in Iraq]
Murder-Suicide Attempt Fails
A suicide bombing targeting a NATO convoy wounded eight Afghan civilians in Afghanistan's southern province of Kandahar Wednesday afternoon.
Ubertacular -- [Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Afghanistan]
Now that Wali and Han are reading AWAC regularly, they will be doing fact-checking for me. Wali stressed to me the important difference between Mujahideen and Warlords. The term “Mujahideen” is used to refer to men fighting to throw out foreign invaders, so it applied to the armies fighting against the Soviets. However, once the Soviets left Afghanistan, the term no longer applied. The civil war was between warlords and their armies, not between Mujahideen. It may be a subtle difference, but one that is important to Wali and Han.
Today I will give you pieces of conversations Hamid and I have had over the last couple of days. They don’t all flow together nicely, but they are the highlights, as it were.
When The Cure Turns Into The Disease --[Strategy Page]
April 12, 2007: The Afghans believe they have won their war against the Taliban, and consider al Qaeda a bunch of murderous foreigners, with little local support. What we have their now is basically a civil war among the Pushtuns, the largest minority, and traditionally the one that controls the central government.
Who is Mahmoud's Target? -- [The American Thinker]
Mahmoud Ahmadi-nejad, has been hopping around like a male chimp performing a threat display --- pant-hooting, baring his big canine teeth, and tearing off branches to impress the hell out of all the other apes. He's obviously trying to get a rise out of us.
Kidnapping the Brit-kids was one provocation, and now he has topped it by putting on an "national nuclear holiday."
Text: Al-Qaida Claims Suicide Attacks in Algeria, Possible Links in Morocco -- [Counterterrorism Blog - Evan Kohlmann]
The Algerian Salafist Group for Prayer and Combat (GSPC)--now known as "Al-Qaida's Committee in the Islamic Maghreb"--has issued a statement today claiming responsibility for dramatic suicide bombings in the capital of Algeria. The statement identified the bombers (with accompanying photographs) as Muaz bin Jabal, al-Zubair Abu Sajidah, and Abu Dujanah. The targets of the attacks purportedly included the local office of Interpol. According to the statement
Warriors - Premiering April 16, 2007 -- [PBS.org] (VIDEO PREVIEW) - Check local listings
What is it really like to be a soldier in Iraq?
Filmed in 2005 in some of the most dangerous areas in and around Baghdad, WARRIORS profiles a handful of Army soldiers: five men and one woman.
They range from a squadron leader just weeks into his first combat command to a seasoned sergeant on a night raid in an insurgent hotspot.
WARRIORS opens a compelling, harrowing, and at times humorous, window on some less familiar sides of a soldier’s life: a look at who they are, what they do and why.
In this fight against an enemy hidden among the people, a soldier’s street level diplomacy is often called on more than the use of his weapon. Contrary to stereotypes, this generation of Army volunteers is better educated on average than the U.S. population at large. And, for many of the American men and women in Iraq, the strongest motivation is a need to serve and feel part of something bigger than themselves.
Remains of 10 World War II airmen return to U.S. -- [Stars and Stripes]
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — The remains of 10 U.S. airmen reported missing since their B-24 Liberator disappeared in 1944 in the South Pacific are coming home.
The Department of Defense’s POW/Missing Personnel Office announced Tuesday that the remains uncovered at a crash site in Morobe province, New Guinea, have been identified as Army Air Force 2nd Lt. Raymond A. Cooley of Leary, Texas; 2nd Lt. Dudley R. Ives of Ingleside, Texas; 2nd Lt. George E. Archer of Cushing, Okla.; 2nd Lt. Donald F. Grady of Harrisburg, Pa.; Tech. Sgt. Richard R. Sargent of North Girard, Pa.; Tech. Sgt. Steve Zayac of Cleveland; Staff Sgt. Joseph M. King of Detroit; Staff Sgt. Thomas G. Knight of Brookfield, Ill.; Staff Sgt. Norman L. Nell of Tarkio, Mo.; and Staff Sgt. Blair W. Smith of Nu Mine, Pa.
Novelist Kurt Vonnegut dies at age 84 -- [Yahho News]
NEW YORK - Kurt Vonnegut, the satirical novelist who captured the absurdity of war and questioned the advances of science in darkly humorous works such as "Slaughterhouse-Five" and "Cat's Cradle," died Wednesday. He was 84.
...His mother killed herself just before he left for Germany during World War II, where he was quickly taken prisoner during the Battle of the Bulge. He was being held in Dresden when Allied bombs created a firestorm that killed an estimated tens of thousands of people.
"The firebombing of Dresden explains absolutely nothing about why I write what I write and am what I am," Vonnegut wrote in "Fates Worse Than Death," his 1991 autobiography of sorts.
But he spent 23 years struggling to write about the ordeal, which he survived by huddling with other POW's inside an underground meat locker labeled slaughterhouse-five.
...Vonnegut was born on Nov. 11, 1922, in Indianapolis, a "fourth-generation German-American religious skeptic Freethinker," and studied chemistry at Cornell University before joining the Army.
Army Secretary Francis Harvey on Recruitment, Retention and Force Structure -- [The Glenn and Helen Show]
How’s the Army doing in the Long War? Pretty well, according to Dr. Francis Harvey, Secretary of the Army, who notes that reenlistment is at a 9-year high and that recruitment is doing very well. Harvey talks about the Army’s strength levels, force structure, equipment maintenance loads, and general ability to withstand the stress of the Long War against terrorism.
Healthcare cutbacks -- [From My Position... On the way!]
We need to raise TRICARE fees, because it's too expensive at the current cost levels. So, we'll cut spending at the Military Medical facilities, forcing them to shrink and cut services, and force more active military and retired military to go off-base, use their TRICARE more, and cost us even more in fees. Read it all here.
This is the logic used by the bean counters in the department of defense.
Folks, it's time for a decimation in the office of management and budget. A decimation isn't necessarily what you think.
Looking at the Iraq Supplemental -- [Weekly Standard Blog]
The old adage warns that if you like sausage, you better not watch it made. The good news is that no one likes the Iraq supplemental that Congressional Democrats are working on. The House and Senate have to reconcile their bills--particularly on the question of whether the president will veto a bill with a mandated withdrawal date, or a suggested one. The conference can't officially begin until next week, when the House returns from recess and names its conferees.
That hasn't stopped the president from inviting Congressional leaders to the White House to talk about "a clean bill: a bill that funds our troops without artificial timetables for withdrawal, and without handcuffing our generals on the ground." The Democrats see themselves as far more reasonable; they refuse to talk to the president because
McCain speaks on Iraq funding
Can't beat 'em? Join 'em -- [Free Our Fobbits - in Iraq]
...the party of treason has cast a historic dolchstoss vote...for the first time an American Army (an expeditionary force surrounded by enemies 7000 miles from home no less) will be treated like the Nationalist Chinese, French in Indochina, South Vietnamese, Iranians, Somoza etc and cut off from supply. In doing so they will not only doom our efforts here to a range of options from disaster for the suckas dumb enough to trust us to we ourselves meeting the end the Athenian's met at the river Assinarius in Sicily...they have also made quite sure no one will ever want us as an ally again. So that's the end of the vaulted hegemony, and Pax Americana. Also the end of Pax in America. Remember, the voters spoke.
AP Neutrality -- [Dadmanly]
The Associated Press (AP) works very, very hard to make sure that worldwide (and particularly US) public opinion remains convinced that Iraq is a disaster, a civil war, and an ill-advised foreign occupation.
Sure, you can read between the lines to get the real story, but the writers, freelancers, and editors at AP really don’t want you to do that. That’s why they structure their “reporting” the way they do.
First, consider...
BBC Cancels TV Movie On Iraq War Hero As 'Too Positive,' Would 'Alienate' War Opponents -- [NewsBusters]
The UK’s Telegraph reported that the BBC cancelled a 90-minute drama about the youngest surviving winner of the UK’s highest award for valor because “it feared it would alienate members of the audience opposed to the war in Iraq.” The BBC blocked the project that would have honored the incredible bravery and resilience of Private Johnson Beharry, a man who didn’t hesitate to risk his own life two separate times for his fellow soldiers. His Victoria Cross citation reads like a blockbuster Hollywood action script, but instead, it’s the real deal.
...For the BBC, however, his story is "too positive" about the conflict.
The corporation has cancelled the commission for a 90-minute drama about Britain's youngest surviving Victoria Cross hero because it feared it would alienate members of the audience opposed to the war in Iraq.
The BBC's retreat from the project, which had the working title Victoria Cross, has sparked accusations of cowardice and will reignite the debate about the broadcaster's alleged lack of patriotism.
..."The BBC has behaved in a cowardly fashion by pulling the plug on the project altogether," said a source close to the project. "It began to have second thoughts last year as the war in Iraq deteriorated. It felt it couldn't show anything with a degree of positivity about the conflict.
Time's Ode to Al franken [Media Blog - Tim Graham]
If you ever hear people complaining about all those fine conservatives like Richard Brookhiser writing for Time magazine, as if it were a right-wing rag, remember that Time is now using ex-Wonkette dirty-blog writer Ana Marie Cox – posing as a serious political reporter. Contained in this week’s Time is Ana’s ode to Al Franken, titled "Don’t Laugh at Al Franken." The article comes complete with a flattering full-page photo of the leftist comedian-turned-Senate contender from Minnesota.
Racist Literature Distributed in Berkeley - A study in hate, the left/right convergence, and media spin -- [ZombieTime]
...This is a freezeframe taken from the KTVU report. Because of the low resolution of the video, and because the flyer is wrinkled and not lying flat, the words are not completely clear. But by cross-referencing this image with the one shown below, the entire message can be discerned. It says:
...JOIN the UNITED STATES ARMY and FIGHT for ISRAEL" and also reveals a stereotypical big-nosed Jew giving orders to an American soldier.
Now, there's no question that these materials were produced by the extremist right-wing anti-Semitic group called White Aryan Resistance. Their name and address are visible on the material. And there's no question that the message they're promulgating is a racist, hateful conspiracy theory.
Which makes it all the more shocking to realize that the EXACT SAME MESSAGE is also frequently stated by the anti-war "Left." ...
Genteel Blogs Offer 'Civility Offsets' to Vitriolic Bloggers -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-04-09) — A draft proposal circulating in the so-called blogosphere would allow family-friendly blogs to sell “civility offsets” to vitriolic bloggers who prefer to pay for “nastiness indulgences” rather than to tame their bitter tirades.
Advocates say that unlike a proposed “blogger code of conduct,” the new civility offsets will not slash the number of blatant death threats or reduce comparisons between President George Bush and the common chimpanzee, but they may reduce the momentary twinges of guilt experienced by some vicious, vindictive and vitriolic bloggers.
A Boy Rides His Pet Anaconda!
(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.
Some US Diplomats & Politicians Think MB = “Moderate” Brotherhood - They Should Think Twice -- [Counter terrorism Blog - Bill West]
...Today, a report surfaced in Adnkronos International (AKI) concerning a new terrorist group in Iraq calling itself “Iraqi Hamas.” Iraqi Hamas has apparently claimed responsibility for attacking and bringing down a US helicopter in Baghdad on Tuesday. The AKI report goes on to state that Iraqi Hamas is believed to be linked to the Islamist party in the Iraqi parliament (serious in its own right) and to the local branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.
IRAQ: 'WOMAN SUICIDE BOMBER' STRIKES -- (AKI)
Baghdad, 10 April - A suspected woman suicide bomber has blown herself up outside a police recruitment centre in Diyala province and local reports indicate at least 17 people were killed. The bomber targeted a police station in the mainly Sunni town of Muqdadiyah, 100 kilometres northeast of Baghdad, Iraqi state television said. Scores of others were reported injured. Women have undertaken suicide bombings in Iraq before. A major attack in February at a university in Baghdad was carried out by a female bomber.
Easter Eggs -- [Acute Politics - in Iraq]
Last Sunday was Easter, and so we went on an easter egg hunt. Eggs come in many shapes and sizes here, and almost all of them are deadly. We find them, sometimes we paint them, and rarely- we collect them.
Fierce fighting in central Baghdad. -- [Iraq the Model - Iraqis in Iraq]
Ok, let's go over what happened yesterday and today; last thing first. And please forgive me for the lack of chronological order, some information were received or corrected during the preparation of the post.
Iraq in the Balance -- [Opinion Journal - FOUAD AJAMI]
BAGHDAD--For 35 years the sun did not shine here," said a man on the grounds of the great Shia shrine of al-Kadhimiyyah, on the outskirts of Baghdad. I had come to the shrine at night, in the company of the Shia politician Ahmed Chalabi.
We had driven in an armed convoy, and our presence had drawn a crowd. The place was bathed with light, framed by multiple minarets--a huge rectangular structure, its beauty and dereliction side by side. The tile work was exquisite, there were deep Persian carpets everywhere, the gifts of benefactors, rulers and merchants, drawn from the world of Shi'ism.
Chlorine VBIED attack in Ramadi -- [Desert Flier - in Iraq]
Spent the past few days travelling in-theatre. As we shut down the Navy shock/trauma in Al Asad to make way for the Army's Level III hospital, the ortho/trauma team put together some critical supplies in Al Asad for the Ramadi mission. The supplies were supposed to convoy to Ramadi, but a logistical SNAFU kept them in Al Asad. So I flew up to hand carry our gear back to Ramadi.
Trying to get around in-theatre is an inconsistent process. All part of the adventure. I have to send an assault support request (ASR) through Marine Corps. aviation and wait for the request to run up and back down the chain of command.
IRAQ: TOUGHER CHLORINE MONITORING IN PLACE -- (AKI)
Baghdad, 10 April - After the use of chlorine gas for attacks by insurgents in Iraq, the authorities there are stepping up efforts to monitor chlorine supplies held by both private and public institutions in Iraq. According to regional daily Gulf News checks have been intensified because of fears of further chemical attacks. The Iraqi government has also ordered the health and industry ministries to take all neccessary steps to control storehouses after rumours that insurgents were seizing chlorine from state institutions.
COALITION FORCES CAPTURE AL QAEDA IN IRAQ SECURITY EMIR OF ARAB JABOUR -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces captured five suspected terrorists including the suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq security emir of Arab Jabour during an operation Wednesday morning.
Intelligence reports indicate that the security emir is suspected of involvement in planning attacks against Iraqi and Coalition Forces in the Arab Jabour area.
Iraq Travel Guide -- [Outside the Wire - in Iraq]
Tuesday, 10 April 2007 - After reading Michael Yon's RUBS about various locations, I thought I would offer my version of the Iraq travel guide for people who are not network TV celebrities.
This Guide follows my current travels through Iraq.
Travels Through the Souk in Suliamaniya, Iraq -- [Moderate Risk - Patrick S Lasswell - in Iraq]
If you've never been through a real middle-eastern market before, you've missed a wonder. Especially for those of us accustomed to shopping in strict rectilinear grids laid out according to the results of exhaustive market research.
...Malls are encroaching on this way of life and soon these markets will be extinct. Our troops in Iraq rarely get to see and never get to wander carelessly through them. Come with me, get jostled by the crowd, surprised by unseen steps, and be amazed by the simultaneously chaotic and orderly splendor of it all. You'd hardly know there is a war on only one hour away.
Anti-Iran Front in Iraq -- [Scott Sullivan - Persian Journal]
Iraq is full of good news this week. The tide is beginning to turn against Iran.
First, The US-Iran alliance is in the open, finally. This open alliance between the US and Iran will galvanize an anti-Iran alliance between the Iraqi people, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Russia. That a US-Iran alliance exists is evident from the passive US stance on UK hostages; the passive US stance on Iranian nukes; the passive US stance on PKK terrorist attacks against Turkey from their bases in northern Iraq; the UK turnover of Iraq's strategic port of Basra to pro-Iran forces this week; and, finally, the high profile Kurdish verbal attacks on Turkey over the Kirkuk referendum, in which the US and Iran back the Kurds.
POETTs help secure Iraqi-Syrian border -- [MNF-I]
All eyes are on them — heads turn and people nudge one another for a better look. This isn't just a routine patrol and they aren't your average cops. They are members of the Point-of-Entry Transition Team, or POETT, and their “beat” is to help secure the border between Iraq and Syria.
Joint operations root out terrorists -- [MNF-I]
TIKRIT — Iraqi and Coalition forces began major operations to root out known terrorists at Mujamma and Ad Dawr, Iraq, March 28.
Young Americans And Something New -- [Pat Dollard]
Stay tuned. I’m going to have an announcement tonight. As long as a few other people are cool with it. If not, I’ll announce in a couple days. But probably tonight. Stay tuned.
...Airstrikes were never allowed in Ramadi until 3/7, the batallion I was with, talked higher up into letting them do it. They were a resounding success, and I can tell you first hand, the accuracy was stunning. Can’t recall one incident of collateral damage issues. This is Rudy, one of the three guys who actually called in the strikes for the whole city, on the roof of OP Horea, a small roof, which was literally the most dangerous spot on earth at the time.
Moqtada Sadr's "Peaceful" Protest -- [Living Intentionally - in Iraq]
It's interesting to read the news and a few other blogs describing the Moqtada Sadr Jaysh Al Mahdi protests in Najaf as peaceful.
This was another public relations/brainwashing event.
What constitutes "peaceful?" The fact that nobody was killed by the protesters? I'm not sure what the people using the word "peaceful" would have expected. Najaf, where the protests occurred, is a Shi'a holy city.
...I have low expectations, based on experience, of the level of understanding by people in the media whose job it is to propagate information on which worldviews are formed.
The orders throughout the Jaysh Al Mahdi militia movement last week were to increase attacks against coalition forces, and to increase the killing and intimidation of Iraqi citizens and Iraqi security forces who don't support Jaysh Al Mahdi.
Iraqi Spokesman: There's no Civil War, Just a War Against Civilians -- [Weekly Standard Blog]
I had the opportunity this afternoon to sit in on a session at the Heritage Foundation with Dr. Ali Aldabbagh, the spokesman for the Iraqi government. Dr. Ali is in the United States to address both institutions and government officials. His message is that Iraq is making progress on reducing violence and building institutions, and that the premature withdrawal of U.S. forces would help no one but the terrorists.
Dr. Ali began by talking about the success so far of the Baghdad Security Plan. He cited a significant drop in both the number of assassinations and suicide bombings, and he put forth as further evidence of progress the dramatic increase in the number of 'tips' to police about insurgent activity, and the fact that many checkpoints within the city have been dismantled to facilitate commerce.
Civic Action -- [Badgers Forward - in Iraq]
We are just outside a Marine outpost somewhere between Habaninyah and Khalidiya. Teflon Don told you about this place not too long ago. There were a couple of little girls killed here and we found more than our fair share of that scourge we seek. But not today.
The Marines have this place locked down tighter than a drum. To do that they have engaged the local militia. The Sheik's men have turned out in droves. Ah - the challenge of counterinsurgency. Some of these men look none-too friendly, others give us an easy wave; they are not in uniform and they all carry AK-47s or the machine gun variant there of.
Welcome to the Hotel Camp Fallujah -- [firemedic009]
This is a slide show of what me and my unit have been up to the past year. A Co 2-136 (more)
Blackout -- [All Quiet on the Southwest Asian Front - in Iraq]
Due to a very bad week for some of the other battalions, we've been on multiple end-to-end blackouts. The IEDs have been bad, and the snipers too.
...Tomorrow is April 9th, the fourth anniversary of the fall of Baghdad in the initial invasion. Muqtada al-Sadr has called on his militia to march in the streets protesting the American occupation. Thousands and thousands of angry young men with AK-47s, walking around in the sun and yelling about the evil Americans....that's just asking for something to happen in Baghdad these days. Even if their march is relatively peaceful, a crowd of Shi'a that large will make quite a tempting target for Al Qaeda to attack with a VBIED or suicide vest. I foresee trouble.
Fire in the Sky -- [Calvey in Iraq - in Iraq]
Greetings from Baghdad!
Strange weather we are having here today! It rained last night. The rain must have stirred up some dust to create this type of sky.
Shaking the Squirrel
U.S. Army and Iraqi army soldiers deliver toys and engage in a fire fight with insurgents in Baqubah, Iraq, March 3, 2007. Afterward Iraqi soldiers talked and provided medical care to local residents
Jeffrey Ake Missing Two Years -- [Jawa Report]
It was one year ago today that Liliana Ake went public with her story on CNN. at that time no one had heard any word from Jeff’s kidnappers in 11 months. Sadly, there is still no word of what happened to him.
Deployment, Week .56 Welcome to Iraq - Patrick - in Iraq]
Our last couple of weeks in Iraq, we were attacked several more times, and we racked up another three kills. Pretty wild, as usual, and the new guys were all in awe of the machine in action. We spent most of our time piling into the flatbed humvee, and rolling out to the mounts with all the new techs, and getting them up to speed on all the quirks of each system, the things we learned during our tour, and the differences between the land-based systems and the ones they're used to working on in the fleet. Most of their crew is all gung-ho about the mission, and they seem equally capable of performing. We believe that we've left our weapons in good hands, but their achievements over the next year will tell that tale.
...Out last test fire, slow shutter. Gorgeous (pics)
Tuesday, April 10, 2007 -- [Sgt Dubb - in Afghanistan]
...I mentioned the other day that I was glad that a shopkeeper called the police when he thought another person was suspicious. I told you this was a good sign as it meant the people were giving a little trust to the police, who have been corrupt for too long. We had another small humanitarian drop for a very select and limited group of Afghans just down the street a couple of days ago. One of our mission statements is to "put an Afghan face" on every mission we do. The people need to see Afghans helping Ahghans.
Week 12--Khowst Province -- [Richard's Deployment to Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
This week I was thinking about our neighborhood, Khowst Province and Khowst City. Around here, paved roads are the exception rather than the rule. There’s a lot of money flowing in to Afghanistan, and lots of improvements are evident, but there is still a lot of work to be done. This picture of the road outside the FOB is typical; a dirt road, but with construction and improvement evident.
CONGRESSIONAL VISIT TO CAMP ALAMO -- [Afghanistan JAG - in Afghanistan]
Today we hosted a visit with congressmen from several different states including Mississippi, Nebraska, California and Georgia. Here I am pictured with Georgia Representative Hank Johnson. His district is just outside Atlanta. We're holding a Georgia National Guard patch that I gave him.
Afghanistans Secret Allies -- [Strategy Page]
April 11, 2007: India has been a silent partner in the Afghan War. For example, there are Indian engineers providing reconstruction assistance, who are being guarded by Indian paramilitary police. The Indian security personnel were brought in after the Taliban began to go after Indian workers and technical experts. Neither India, nor the Afghan government, have made a big deal about the presence of the Indian security personnel. That's because, while many of the Indian police and aid workers are Moslem, many are not.
HUMANITARIAM MISSION IN DOWNTOWN KABUL -- [Afghanistan JAG - in Afghanistan]
A few days ago I posted a story about our humanitarian mission preparation on Easter. We delivered those clothes and that food today.
Before I go any further, I want to thank everyone involved in sending clothing donations and helping pay to have them shipped here.
Independence Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan
Afghan Government Bans Al-Jazeera’s Broadcasts -- [Sweetness & Light]
Afghan gov’t bans Al-Jazeera English TV programs
Apr. 10, 2007 - The Afghan government ordered a TV station to suspend broadcasts of all Al-Jazeera English language programs, the station’s director said Tuesday.
A statement from Lemar TV said the Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture did not provide reasons for the order. The station, which for five months has featured about three hours of Al-Jazeera news programming per day, suspended the shows Sunday afternoon, but contested the order before the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
Unfortunately this ban only covers broadcasts, especially since most people over there probably have cable or satellite television.
But since the ban applies only to the English programs, it would appear they are trying to protect the US and UK troops from their propaganda.
Welcome to Firebase Torkham Gate. -- [ON Point - Andrew Lubin - in Afghanistan]
Afghanistan is a different war than that in Iraq. The highways are full of cars, trucks, and brightly colored “Jingle busses.” The shops are stocked with food, vegetables, computers, shoes, and other consumer goods. Banks advertise their services, and compete for business. The national cell phone service actually works.
Located less than two miles west of the historic Khyber Pass, Firebase Torkham Gate houses the combat advisors to the 1st Afghan Border Police. Residents near the bases say they take pride in building a new Afghan country.
Life, the Universe, and Everything -- [Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Afghanistan]
...Drew, Hamid, and I were eating lunch together, when Mike stormed in and announced that this was his worst day in Afghanistan. I won’t go into details, but it did involve corruption, cronyism, and the frustrations we face here. This helped kick off another session of “Bear and Hamid Decipher the Universe.” I will add that Mike was in good form, and after he vented, we all ate in silence, fearing for our lives. He did regain that famous Toomer composure, and when he and Drew left, I no longer felt we’d need to take his weapon away from him.
Once they left, Hamid and I began discussing corruption. It would be very easy to start bashing the Afghan leaders for the way things are run over here, but the only difference between corruption over here and back home is that most folks back home are far more careful and discreet....
Better To Be Feared Than Loved -- [Strategy Page]
April 10, 2007: The Taliban have decided that it's better to be feared than loved. The Spring floods in Afghanistan were worse than usual this year, and thousands of people in remote villages had their homes and food supplies destroyed. But government efforts to bring in food and other supplies are being halted by Taliban attacks on the trucks.
The Dancing Video is out and FIXED -- [Bouhammer's Aghan Blog - in Afghanistan] (VIDEO)
Several days ago I wrote about the party that the terps threw for us. Afghans love their music after being oppressed by the Taliban and not allowed to have any. This video is a large one (44 mb) and is a little under 8 minutes long. It consists of two songs which essentially split the video into two parts.
The first part is of the terps only and is a video I got off of one of their cameras when I was downloading pictures. They shot this video earlier that day before they started setting the room for the party. I guarantee that part will have you cracking up as you see some crazy dancing based on he influence from the west. This includes Madonna-style vogue dancing, mosh pit slamming and some other stuff I have never seen.
Gods Will and Land Mines -- [Strategy Page]
April 11, 2007: Afghanistan's poppy production grew over fifty percent last year, to some 400,000 acres (160,000 hectares). The yield is estimated to be 6,100 tons of poppies, that can be refined into 610 tons of heroin (90 percent of the world supply, mainly because of low price). Farmers earn about $1,700 per acre of poppies, which is the highest price for any crop grown in Afghanistan. Actually, the middlemen, often tribal leaders, make far more per acre, and the farmers often end up in debt if the poppy crop fails
Buying the poppy crop could put paid to Afghan problem -- [The Independent]
Is it possible that there is an economic key to the problem of Afghanistan that will prove more effective than the military methods applied so far? As the rundown of UK strength in Iraq comes nearer, our commitment in Afghanistan looks ever more open-ended, and the prospect there increasingly alarming. Current policies to defeat the Taliban by military means and cut the flow of heroin to Western countries by destroying the poppy crops have...
Iran, Civil War Brewing -- [James Dunnigan - Strategy Page]
April 10, 2007 -The government is not happy with the way things are going. The UN refuses to back down on economic sanctions, or demands that Irans nuclear weapons program be shut down. Inside Iran, a majority of the population still opposes the government, and attempts to cajole or bully this majority into changing their mind, have not worked. The problem is that most Iranians are fed up with the "Islamic revolution," and want less religion and corruption, and more democracy, in their government.
Iran to make movie, book about UK sailors -- [Jihad Watch]
"In a bid to disclose the whole truth." And why not? A flick about their humiliation of the once-proud British will probably perform spectacularly at the box office all over the country.
"Iran Makes Movie, Book about UK Sailors," from Novinite, with thanks to the American Israeli Patriot:
It’s Good to Be the King: Kim Jong Il’s Home and Office via Google Earth -- [One Free Korea]
Remember my March 28th post, a stream of consciousness that washed against the subject of EU sanctions against North Korea? Among the items sanctioned were pure-bred horses, which are the kind not even North Koreans would dare eat — because of who owns them. That led me to the one location in North Korea where I suspected that such horses might be kept. I had recently found that location on Google Earth while spying on an area a few miles east-by-northeast of Pyongyang. Because of the extraordinary security surrounding this complex, I had speculated that it was probably the pleasure dome of Korigula himself:
Google Earth Maps the Spread of Genocide in Darfur -- [KTLA 5 -
Apr 10 - Google Inc., whose motto is "Don't Be Evil," has launched an initiative designed to highlight some. A scan of the globe using the Google Earth satellite mapping program shows a large swath of Central Africa trimmed in orange.
Dangerous Liaisons -- [Threats Watch]
Dismissing al-Qaeda – Hizballah Cooperation Fosters Dangerous Misconceptions
Understanding the nature of the enemy is fundamental to successfully engaging that enemy, be it on the battlefields of metal and flesh, the battlefields of ideas, or the battlefields of information and communication. To this end, it is absolutely critical that the West – and the American public in particular – understand that, unlike the way the American political landscape so often appears, our terrorist enemies are often more willing to lay aside their fundamental and substantive differences for the purposes of engaging a mutual enemy. There is no greater example of this than the cooperation between Sunni al-Qaeda leadership and that of Shi'a Hizballah and their Iranian masters.
It Takes a Village, and a Good Publicist -- [Strategy Page]
April 11, 2007: Suicide bombers are a creature of the media, and a way to maintain morale while fighting a hopeless battle. This aspect of suicide attacks is generally overlooked. That's because suicide bombing tactics are designed to take advantage of mass media weaknesses, and needs.
"Catching Suicide Bombers" -- [INDC Journal]
I've long wondered whether science will ever catch up to and truly defeat asymmetrical terrorism, or whether tactics like suicide attacks in large population centers will remain practically indefensible. Now one company is claiming a new technology that's a step in the right direction:
Al Qaeda's Self-Proclaimed Branches -- [Strategy Page]
April 10, 2007: The northwest African radical Moslem terrorist movement, the GSPC (Groupe Salafiste pour la Predication et le Combat) tried hard, during the '90s to establish an Islamic regime in Algeria. But has been pretty much marginalized by effective government anti-terrorism operations. In what appears to be a pitch to gain prestige and perhaps material support from international Islamic groups, the GSPC (or "Salafists") proclaimed themselves "Al Qaeda in the Maghreb." The Salafists are not the first Islamic group that, finding itself on the ropes, has declared itself an affiliate of Al Qaeda.
Free Computers that Hear and Speak Arabic -- [Strategy Page]
April 11, 2007: IBM made s splash recently when they donated $45 million worth of their MASTOR Arab/English translation software to the U.S. military. The Department of Defense was already evaluating the software, with about 30 systems operating in Iraq. The donation was prompted partly by the knowledge that nearly 200 IBM employees, plus many more sons and daughters of employees, have served in Iraq or Afghanistan. But IBM was also aware that MASTOR worked, and that another 10,000 copies of the software (including a thousand laptops to run it on) would speed up the Department of Defense decision to get more of it into the hands of the troops.
Drag Racer Supports Troops -- [Soldiers Angels New York]
Soldiers' Angels officially debuts in drag racing this weekend, thanks to Kebin Kinsley and "Wild Child". Wild Child is a Top Alcohol Funny Car which now proudly displays the Soldiers' Angels logo. Kebin is racing in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, South Central Division, April 13-15 at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas. It is the fourth of seven Lucas Oil Series events on the division calendar.
Bush Thanks Troops, Legionnaires -- [America Supports You]
WASHINGTON, April 10, 2007 - President Bush today praised the troops defending the United States and the veterans who set a powerful example and continue to support them.
Bush traveled to American Legion Post 177 in Fairfax, Va., to recognize the spirit of service and volunteerism he said makes the United States a shining example for the rest of the world. “There’s something to be said for a country where people serve something greater than themselves, where people in this era volunteer in the face of danger to defend” it, he said.
The Left Continues Its Celebration of the Murder of American Troops -- [Redstate]
It's The Only Way They'll Win
Let's not mince words. The left celebrates every death of every American soldier in Iraq. Let me just repeat it so that it sinks in. The left celebrates every death of every American soldier in Iraq. They are a means to an end. The means is incitement through propaganda. The end is the repudiation of President Bush and the military -- the two institutions in this country the left hates.
A Quiet Step Forward for the Rule of Law -- [Austin Bay - Strategy Page]
April 11, 2007 - Arguably, Col. Mark Martins runs the most multifaceted, pressure-packed and press-scrutinized law practice in the Middle East.
Martins serves as staff judge advocate for Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I), which makes him Gen. David Petraeus' top legal adviser.
He's prepared for the job. Martins' military career began with a tour leading an airborne infantry platoon.
Marines Ejected From Target For “Recruiting” -- [Iowa Voice]
The manager says they weren’t told to leave, but he wasn’t there when it happened:
Two Marines in their dress uniforms - the ones with white hats, khaki shirts and blue trousers with red stripe - say they were accused of recruiting at a Target department store here and told to leave.
Military Families Angry Over Congressional Inaction
McQ, a Vietnam vet himself, does a great job of highlighting the growing disgust of America's military veterans towards an arrogant and feckless Congress that has lost touch with the men and women who guarantee their freedoms:...
Moms of Fury visit their congressman -- [HT: Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Busted!... Multi-National Force Iraq Scores on Mainstream Media -- [Gateway Pundit]
It's refreshing to see the world's finest military win a battle on the media front!
Of all of the 1,800 plus articles published yesterday on the Al Sadr Anti-US-occupation protest in Najaf, Iraq, not one mentioned that the turnout was way below what was expected and hoped for by the media and the pro-Iranian Muqtada al-Sadr.
Does this photo prove Sadr’s protest in Najaf was poorly attended? -- [Hot Air]
Er, no, because it’s not a photo of Najaf. It’s a photo of Baghdad. I thought that circle looked familiar.
How did this nonsense even get started? The caption on the MNF page explicitly identifies the location
Doing The Job American Media Won't Do -- [Jawa Report]
Italian television doesn't shrink from showing the barbarity of our enemies.
Rome - An Italian television channel aired footage on Tuesday of the beheading of a driver for an Italian journalist, who was held for about two weeks by Afghanistan's Taliban until Kabul negotiated his release.
About "Couric's" Plagiarism -- [Jonah Goldberg - The Corner]
Today Howie Kurtz informs us that Katie, sweet, sweet, Katie ripped off someone else's work for a personal commentary. Kurtz writes:
Katie Couric did a one-minute commentary last week on the joys of getting her first library card, but the thoughts were less than original. The piece was substantially lifted from a Wall Street Journal column.
Last Post to 4MC -- [4 Mile Creek]
Three years and 1537 posts later, I say goodbye.
To the readers of 4 Mile Creek, I say thank you, it has been a fun time and I appreciate that you have taken a few minutes of your day to read my ramblings. And thank you for your support during my time in OIF.
It is now time for me to concentrate on other endeavors.
Internet Pioneers Propose Blogger Code of Conduct -- [Top Tech News]
Some of the rules in the new Blogger's Code of Conduct -- proposed by Tim O'Reilly, a technology publisher, and Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia -- include banning anonymous comments, taking responsibility for abusive blog postings, pointing out when blog visitors are acting badly, and not saying anything on blogs that you wouldn't say in person.
Genteel Blogs Offer 'Civility Offsets' to Vitriolic Bloggers -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-04-09) — A draft proposal circulating in the so-called blogosphere would allow family-friendly blogs to sell “civility offsets” to vitriolic bloggers who prefer to pay for “nastiness indulgences” rather than to tame their bitter tirades.
Advocates say that unlike a proposed “blogger code of conduct,” the new civility offsets will not slash the number of blatant death threats or reduce comparisons between President George Bush and the common chimpanzee, but
(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.
Petraeus Letter to the Iraqi People -- [SMALL WARS JOURNAL ]
The following is an open letter from General David Petraeus to the Iraqi people that was published in the Arab media last week ahead of the fourth anniversary of the liberation of Iraq.
To the Iraqi People:
Monday, April 9, 2007 will mark the 4th anniversary of the liberation of Iraq from Saddam Hussein's regime. For many in Iraq and around the world, it will be a time for reflection on the early days after liberation in 2003 and on what has transpired since then.
As one of those who was part of the "fight to Baghdad,” I remember well the hopes and dreams of the Iraqi people when coalition soldiers pulled down Saddam’s statue in Firdos Square in April 2003. Looking back, I recall a sense of enormous promise -- promise that, in many respects and for a variety of reasons, has yet to be fully realized. If we are honest with each other, in fact, we will acknowledge that while there have been substantial accomplishments in Iraq since 2003, the past four years have also been disappointing, frustrating, and increasingly dangerous in many parts of Iraq for those who have been involved in helping to build a new state in this ancient land.
Baghdad is Quiet, Mosul is Trying to Impose Law. -- [Iraq the Model - Iraqis in Iraq]
It seems that in Iraq days just refuse to pass silently and they insist on having their own incidents.
Today and yesterday are no exception and several significant incidents happened, or still happening, in the fourth corners of the country. Except for Baghdad which remained quiet today.
SENIOR AL-QAEDA LEADER CAPTURED IN BAGHDAD RAID -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces captured a senior al-Qaeda leader and two others during raid Sunday morning in Baghdad. Coalition Forces identified the man as the gatekeeper to the al-Qaeda emir of Baghdad. He has alleged ties to several senior al-Qaeda members and is reportedly linked to a number of mass casualty vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attacks in the Baghdad area.
He was detained along with another known al-Qaeda VBIED cell leader and one other suspect.
Neighborhood watch program shows success in Muqdadiya district -- [MNF-I]
Iraqi National Police Col. Baha, brigade commander of the 5th Brigade, 2nd Division, Iraqi National Police (5/2 NP), addresses the concerns of a local gentleman while on a dismounted patrol in the Karkh District of Baghdad, Iraq, March 28. The police are conducting a presence patrol of the neighborhood to foster a closer relationship with the residents of the area. Photo by Staff Sgt. Sean Foley, Joint Combat Camera Center.MUQDADIYA — A neighborhood watch program has begun to show sings of success since its formation March 5.
The program, which includes 15 villages throughout the Muqdadiya district, hires local villagers to protect their village and encourages the population to contact their security forces on criminal or terrorist activity.
“The idea is - to protect the village and to clear it from the armed people and insurgents,” said Dr. Abdulla al Jubouri, the former governor of Diyala and founder of the program.
The Surge Offensive in Iraq -- [Strategy Page]
April 6, 2007: The current "surge offensive" in Iraq is being accomplished with remarkably low casualties. In March American and Iraq security forces had 290 dead, of which 28 percent were American. Civilian losses were 1,872, giving a total of 2,162. As usual, over 95 percent of the dead were Iraqi. The United States has refused to release official numbers on enemy dead, not wanting to get into the "body count" business that was so unpopular in Vietnam. The problem with getting numbers on enemy dead is that the bad guys don't wear uniforms, and it's often difficult to determine if a dead civilian, even one found holding a weapon, was a terrorist, or a someone fighting the terrorists and caught in the cross fire. By law, each Iraqi household is allowed to have one firearm, usually an AK-47, for self-defense.
Constructive Proposition -- [Living Intentionally - in Iraq]
(I'm not going to get into Sunni or Al Queda terrorism - that's not my area of expertise.)
...My constructive proposition is to put Iyad Allawi back into power. I can't tell you how many Iraqi Shi'a have anguished at the fact that Allawi is the only chance this country has to keep from burning. There is pretty consistent regret across all levels of Iraqi society that Allawi was not kept in power. Should Allawi come back, there would be a pretty bloody "put down" of the militias and terrorists. But what you would see is many people who are currently sitting on the fence, hedging their bets, rise up to take their country back. Allawi would install an Iraqi nationalist government. It probably wouldn't be the most perfect, open and democratic society, but it would be preferable to the impending alternative.
Finally - Al Sadr orders Mahdi Army to attack US troops, most likely from the safety of Iran -- [Q and O Blog]
Muqtada al Sadr may be a firebrand, but I doubt very much he has much in the way of physical courage. Assumed to be safe in Iran, al Sadr has ordered what is left of his Mahdi Army to attack US forces:
Eye on Iraq: The worst mistake -- [UPI]
U.S. policymakers are now making what may prove to be their worst mistake yet in Iraq: They may be on a new collision course with Moqtada al-Sadr.
The hunt for insurgents (mature Language)
Operation Black Eagle: Iraqi general notes ‘great success’ -- [MNF-I]
DIWANIYAH, Iraq — Soldiers from the Iraqi Army and the Coalition force entered their third day of fighting against illegally-armed militia in Diwaniyah in order to secure the city and provide stability to the region.
During the second day of Operation Black Eagle, clashes between the Iraqi Army and militia members continued.
“So far, we have achieved great success fighting the terrorists,” said Maj. Gen. Oothman Faroud, commander of the 8th Iraqi Army Division, which is leading the assault. “We have freed the people of Diwaniyah from the murder and intimidation that has plagued the city 24 hours a day, seven days a week for months.”
Iraq Report: Diwaniyah, Ramadi chlorine attack update -- [The Fourth Rail]
The fighting in the southern Shia city of Diwaniyah completed its second day. Yesterday morning, Iraqi and U.S. forces launched Operation Black Eagle "to continue disruption of militia activity." Again, the Mahdi Army, while not named, is the target of the operation. In today's fighting, which was less intense than yesterday's, U.S. air support was called in to strike at Mahdi fighters carrying RPGs (rocket propelled grenades). One Mahdi fighter was killed in the strike. Mahdi spokemen claimed 5 civilians were killed, including women and children.
U.S. Soldiers meet Iraqi counterparts -- [MNF-I]
CAMP TAJI — Iraqi Army Soldiers and U.S. Soldiers had a partnership day here Apr. 2.
U.S. forces from Dagger Troop, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, attached to the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment and IA Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division (Mechanized) took the time to get to know each other.
Transition team celebrates Iraqi graduation -- [MNF-I]
FORWARD OPERATING BASE HONOR — For one week, Iraqi soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 5th Brigade, 6th Iraqi army division, were put to the test in order to become noncommissioned officers.
EASTER SERVICE -- [Afghanistan JAG - in Afghanistan]
Today is Easter Sunday.
We just got word that there was a village of thousands that was washed out by a flood. The priority for them is food, blankets, and essential clothing. We got a rush delivery of food and blankets last week. I was part of a group yesterday that reconned the area and formulated our distribution plan.
The next step was to get the items separated and loaded onto trucks for delivery. That's the hard part.
CT Heroes Mentor Afghan Troops -- [Iraq War News]
A group of local National Guard heroes are headed for Afghanistan...
When the fledgling Afghan National Army runs into a problem within the next year, when it struggles with communications issues, when it's unsure how to build an airfield or can't get the right unit to the right battle, it will probably turn to specialists from Connecticut.
Fifteen senior members of the Connecticut National Guard leave today for training in Kansas, but they will soon be in Afghanistan, where they will be mentoring its security forces. Men with long U.S. military careers -- a colonel, several lieutenant colonels and majors and a number of senior enlisted men -- will advise their Afghan counterparts.
Endless Perfection -- [Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Afghanistan]
Here’s Rat -
Sorry to all for not having a post last night but I have been busy working on an inspection report and it has consumed a good amount of my time.
I am getting a little more than excited about returning home from this place. I have a lot to do when I get back, but I still have a lot to do here as well, and the prospect that it is almost over has me smiling and no matter what comes up, I don't think you can pry the smile off my face.
I have been informed that when I get back there will be a meet and greet held for me by the radio station. This seems to be derived from the constant calls being received by them from people asking to be able to meet me when I get back. Who would have thought that it could have grown into the animal it has. I am still amazed people are interested in the mundane things we do each day. Many of you have sent me email telling me how interesting it is to you but it still is something I marvel at.
07 April 2007, -- [Sgt Dub - in Afghanistan]
Today, I have pictures to share. Things were much nicer today and the weather is nice. Yesterday, besides everything else going on, we had a group of soldiers go climb the Ghar. The Ghar is just a mountain, and supposedly the highest point in the Kabul area. You will be able to see that the mountains surrounding Kabul are certainly higher.
Psychopath Vs. Psychopath -- [Pat Dollard]
According to a buzz in the intelligence community, Russia is gearing up to betray Iran. According to sources in Moscow, Putin has quietly decided that he has milked the Iran nuke game for all the political and financial advantage it was worth, and now intends to singlehandedly bring it all back from the brink. He is absolutely not going to allow a cabal of Islamic lunatics to build a Bomb on the Motherland’s southern border. How is Russia going to betray Iran and stop them from getting The Bomb? Well since the Iranian bomb was actually coming to them from Russia, Russia has the power to ultimately stop the process. Maybe not forever, but for a long time. And I hope the implications of what I’ve just said haven’t escaped you: all along, we didn’t need to worry about Iran “developing” a bomb, we needed to worry about Russia “giving” them one. Somehow, the truth of all this has been kept from the spotlight. At least, if the Moscow Rumor Mill is to be believed, they are not going to go through with it. And the shit that hits the fan between Iran and Russia should be very interesting indeed.
A French hostage in Iran -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
After the saga of the 15 British hostages and the French and the German just recently released, we just learned of a new French hostage.
From The Croissant comes:
A French hostage in Iran
The One Thing That Works -- [Strategy Page]
April 6, 2007: North Korean officials have been telling their people that, because North Korea is now a nuclear power, foreign countries are sending food and other "gifts", this month. The food shortage is getting worse throughout North Korea, and everyone knows it. But the one thing the North Koreans are good at is running a police state. So, despite an increase in grumbling, no one is talking, or even thinking, of challenging the government.
Cursed Communications -- [Strategy Page]
April 9, 2007: Osama bin Laden, and other senior al Qaeda leaders miss their cell phones and email. Over the last six years, as more terrorist leaders have been caught or killed, the word has gotten out that Western intelligence agencies capture much, if not all, use of these devices by terrorists. Since Islamic terrorists tend to have vivid imaginations, they assume Western technical capabilities to be far greater than they actually are. Or do they?
One Pair of Pants at a Time -- [SgtStryker]
When we see so many stories of loss and tragedy being suffered by our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, it can be hard to figure out how to take our desire to help and turn it into action. It can be overwhelming and our talents can seem so small compared to the problems our troops are facing. But one organization has shown that all we don’t always shave to do something big. Sometimes small things can make all the difference to our troops.
Sew Much Comfort is a volunteer organization that makes “adaptive clothing” for wounded service members. Sew Much Comfort seamstresses make custom clothing to fit troops who have to face new challenges due to their injuries. Often when our wounded service members leave the hospital they must continue to wear bulky and cumbersome rehabilitation devices…braces, fixators, casts or prosthetics. Some are recovering from serious burns that must be protected. It can be humiliating and frustrating for injured troops to have to face daily life with only a hospital gown to wear.
Happy Easter! -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
From Germany, where Jessica prepares baskets for the patients at Landstuhl.
...From Sara's living room (yes, that's a couch under there), where over 100 Easter baskets were ready for shipment downrange a couple of weeks ago...
Jacquie's Donations -- [A JAG in Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
OK, they're not all Jacquie's donations but she was the one who spearheaded the project. When we lived in Virginia, Lee and Jacquie Six lived across the street from us and were in our ward. When Jacquie heard about Luke's Eagle Scout project she got the great idea to do the same type of thing for their Stake Relief Society project this year. They got tons of donations, got a sizeable donation from the Stake for shipping, boxed them all up and sent them to me - all 54+ boxes. They came in two shipments, hence two different pictures.
How leftists exploit grief over troop casualties -- [Thomas Lifson - American Thinker]
At first glance, the home page for the "Iraq Veterans Memorial" looks like a genuinely respectful site honoring the troops.
The Iraq Veterans Memorial is an online war memorial that honors the members of the U.S. armed forces who have lost their lives serving in the Iraq War. The Memorial is a collection of video memories from family, friends, military colleagues, and co-workers of those that have fallen.Other pages on the site encourage people and show them how to submit videos about their fallen family members and friends:
We encourage everyone who has lost a family member or friend to create a video memorial so that others can better understand the life that was lived and the love that was lost. Find out more information on contributing your video.Nowhere on the site, however, is any indication given of the politics of those who have created the site. The only clue is a link to the Brave New Foundation which created the "memorial." One sees a few code words on the BNF home page that might raise suspicion in the eyes of an observer of the left like me, but which to most people would look pretty benign:
8 Apr -- Home at last! -- [Air Force Afghanistan Mentor]
...My wife and son picked me up at the airport and boy was it ever good to see them. I can only imagine what the next visit will feel like with 7-8 months separation time. My daughter was working and could not make the trip as she needs to have gas money for college, which she starts next semester.
No Greater Love
Sergeant Major Ellis was 40 years old when he stepped in front of a terrorist. He had volunteered for three tours in Iraq because he wanted to make a difference. Joseph Ellis enlisted in the Marine Corps when he was only 17 years old. He spent 23 years in the Corps, most of it in reconnaissance units. He spent more than a year in the Middle East during Operation Desert Storm before returning to the United States. He eventually reached the Marine Corps’ highest enlisted rank and was the battalion Sergeant Major for Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 15 Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is a special operations team when he was killed. Sergeant Major Ellis had been planning to retire in May and return to North Carolina. Instead, he gave his life to protect his Marines. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
I wanted to share the name and story of this brave Marine because he is truly a hero. When he saw a terrorist approaching his Marines, he didn’t stop to consider the political ramifications of his actions, he didn’t waste precious moments while he considered the moral foundation of the war in Iraq. He saw a threat to the men he was fighting with and he stepped in front of them.
Lee surrendered to Grant, 142 years ago today -- [W. Thomas Smith Jr. - The Tank]
Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union Lt. Gen. U.S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, April 9, 1865 (142 years ago, today).
Grant's terms:
An Open Letter to America’s “Best and Brightest” -- [The Yankee Sailor]
..I made my decision in the midst of two twilights – the evening twilight of the Cold War and the morning twilight of Islamic radicalism. When I was young it was still not uncommon for American and Soviet warships to intentionally bump one another to make a political point. My very first ship, an aircraft carrier, was rarely out of view of a Soviet intelligence-gathering vessel when deployed. And while the tide of terror and the radical ideology behind it was just coming into view, few doubted it was rising.
...Today, five years later, we are still at war with no end in sight. Even more troubling, our enemy has been struggling on one level or another to create a global Islamic state for nearly fourteen centuries. They are patient, they are cunning, and they are ruthless in pursuing their goals.
As a result, your family, friends and neighbors need your service, whether they know it or not. We in uniform need your service as well. Racial, ethnic, religious, economic and ideological diversity broadens and strengthens our ability analyze problems and construct solutions that are best for all Americans.
Sign this Appeal. -- [Appeal For Courage]
This site is an Appeal For Redress in support of our mission in Iraq.
An Appeal For Redress is an authorized means for active duty military to submit a grievance to Congress. It can be signed by Active Duty, Reserve, or National Guard military personnel.
It is authorized by DoD Directive 1325.6 and DoD Directive 7050.6.
The wording of the Appeal is:
As an American currently serving my nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to fully support our mission in Iraq and halt any calls for retreat. I also respectfully urge my political leaders to actively oppose media efforts which embolden my enemy while demoralizing American support at home. The War in Iraq is a necessary and just effort to bring freedom to the Middle East and protect America from further attack.
If you are active duty, reservist or national guard, please Sign this Appeal.
This Appeal will be delivered to members of Congress.
"War on Terrorism" is the Correct Label -- [Small Wars Journal]
SWJ friend Jim Guirard of the TrueSpeak Institute e-mailed us his latest Words Have Meaning related commentary.
Peter Beinert's "The War of the Words" essay in the Washington Post (Op-ed, April 1) is seriously lacking on several counts. He demonstrates the same blind spots and faulty analysis as the Pelosi-Murtha House Democrats do when they issue a cut-and-run document which, along with other nonsense, condemns use of the "Global War on Terrorism" label.
GWOT Not -- [Dadmanly]
More on the war against terrorists [not to be called the Global War on Terror].
...Perhaps Rep. Skelton could get a copy of the memo to al Qaeda — evidently they haven't heard the news that the mass murders they are carrying out in Iraq have nothing to do with the mass murders they are carrying out everyplace else.
...I think there are dangerous enough matters in front of us. How we got into Iraq is surely less important as what we need to accomplish now that we’re there. But, to Democrats, it is all about political point scoring. If dredging up old controversies and hoisting tired old canards gain them some political traction against a lame duck President, they’ll gladly do so. They aren’t just fiddling while Rome burns, they want to hold fancy costume balls amidst the flames.
Long Distance Runaround -- [Calvey in Iraq - in Iraq]
Divided loyalties
I heard that a certain Congressperson saw fit to visit Syria the other day. That's not a good thing for our nation.
It is axiomatic that when negotiating or facing an adversary, a party should speak with one voice.
I have been co-counsel on numerous lawsuits. If ever two lawyers on the same side start speaking out of turn, it always negatively impacts their side in negotiations.
...Things are no different with a nation. The President (or the President's designee) is the one with the authority to speak for the nation. If a Congressperson wishes to accompany the President or his designee to observe the negotiations, that's OK absent special circumstances.
But for a Congressperson to effectively divide our nation on foreign policy
Pope Says ‘Nothing Positive’ In Iraq - Media Cheers -- [Sweetnes & Light]
Of course our one party media will cherry pick his remarks about Iraq and make them the story of the weekend. (Ignoring his comments about Islamic terrorism.)
And now, unlike after his remarks about Muhammad, Benedict will be portrayed as a positive soothsayer.
The War Within The War - Media Spin
America's Broken Down Army?? -- [Badgers Forward - in Iraq]
Mrs. Badger 6 sent me this link from Time Magazine. It is entitled America's Broken Down Army and while it has many good points to it, it also demonstrates what is wrong with the reporting about this war. I could answer the article point for point, but I could write a book and will address only one issue.
For most Americans, the Iraq war is both distant and never ending. For Private Matthew Zeimer, it was neither. Shortly after midnight on Feb. 2, Zeimer had his first taste of combat as he scrambled to the roof of the 3rd Infantry Division's Combat Outpost Grant in central Ramadi. Under cover of darkness, Sunni insurgents were attacking his new post from nearby buildings. Amid the smoke, noise and confusion, a blast suddenly ripped through the 3-ft. concrete wall shielding Zeimer and a fellow soldier, killing them both. Zeimer had been in Iraq for a week. He had been at his first combat post for two hours.
I remember this very well. PVT Zeimer was brand new here in Ramadi and the Soldier he was killed with was on the verge of leaving. It was a sober reminder that something can happen to you anytime you are here. Whether you just arrived here or are getting ready to leave the stakes are high.
The writer though has set the stage of the analysis of the United States Army by
The War Within The War
This is a video trailer promoting a documentary currently in production form Majorscale Productions. This documentary describes the Iraq war that is not talked about by the national or the world media. Behind the obvious bombings, destruction, and brutality, there is a battle being fought that is abounding with miracles, compassion, and charity.
America's Broken-Down Media -- [Ray Robison - The American Thinker]
According to Mark Thompson, writer for Time magazine, America's army is broken. While it can not be argued that the military can possibly maintain the same state of readiness in war time as it does in peace time, broken has a certain specific ring to it: incapable, demoralized and poorly trained.
Mr. Thompson begins the article, - featured on the Drudge Report - with the story of Private Matthew Zeimer. Brave PVT Zeimer died within hours of his arrival at a Forward Operating Base in Iraq. Thompson describes PVT Zeimer's training before going on to make the case that the surge cut the young Private's training short.
The Size of the Military -- [Kathryn Jean Lopez - The Tank]
Time magazine this week has a disturbing cover piece arguing that the military is near break point
A few weeks ago Jim Talent had an NR cover story on the size of the military: "More" the former senator said.
AP Suggests It's The Fourth Anniversary of Deposing City of Baghdad, Not Saddam -- [NewsBusters]
The Associated Press reported rallies celebrating the fourth anniversary of the liberation of Iraq from Saddam Hussein -- without ever mentioning Saddam Hussein. Lauren Frayer's article makes it sound like the American forces deposed a city, not a dictator: "Tens of thousands marched through the streets of two Shiite holy cities Monday to mark the fourth anniversary of Baghdad's fall." Nowhere in the article is Saddam even mentioned. The headline was also "Rally marks anniversary of Baghdad's fall."
The reader quickly learns the rallies were organized by Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army as an anti-American event, which would explain why it broke through the media's resistance to hopeful-sounding news:
Did You Try to Talk Your Son Out of Volunteering for Military? -- [NewsBusters]
The Media Research Center's Gala has only recently concluded. It will be almost a full year until the DisHonors Awards are again distributed. Even so, Scott Pelley's query to John McCain, aired on this evening's 60 Minutes, has to be considered a strong, early contender for Most Inane Question in next year's running.
View video here.
Let's set the stage. 60 Minutes had devoted extensive time to McCain's recent trip to Iraq. Particular attention was paid to his visit to a Baghdad market, which, as it turned out, was carried out with very considerable security surrounding him. Even so, McCain acknowledged during the course of the interview that he was in large measure staking his candidacy on the success of the surge.
General Mistake -- [4 Mile Creek]
Just how much does the AP reporter in Iraq gets out and about? Not much.
This story talks about the fight going on south of Baghdad, in the Iraqi Army 8th Infantry Division's AO. The CG of the 8th IA is Major General Oothman Farhood al-Ghanemi. The reporter refers to him as General al-Ghanemi, or just al-Ghanemi. Anyone who has spent even a few minutes with arab forces knows that the proper reference to them is rank and first name. In other words, General Oothman, whom I have met, is referred to, and prefers to be addressed as, General Oothman. Not General al-Ghanemi. He wouldn't even know who you were referring to if you called him General al-Ghanemi. It would be like callling General Petraeus, "General al-Greenzone".
Forgiveness: -- [Grim's Hall]
I had a post at BlackFive responding to a lady blogger from the sinister side of the blogosphere. She had given us a backhanded compliment:
Do you think Jihad Watch and LaShawn Barber’s Corner and BLACKFIVE and Mudville Gazette and Wizbang got to be in the top 25 at TTLB only (or even mostly) because of their writing or their core fan base? Not at all! They zoomed to the top because bloggers like Michelle Malkin, Powerline, and Hugh Hewitt talked them up, linked to them, befriended them.
Abstract for paper on milblogging submitted for AoIR 2007 conference -- [Transformation Tracker -Via Milblogging .com]
Milblogging is a topic in which I have become increasingly interested of late. Though not directly related to my dissertation research, I felt like I needed to write something on milblogging. Thus, I have submitted an abstract for a proposed paper to be presented at the Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR) 2007 annual conference. Here is the text of the abstract:
Loosing the Blogs of War: The Advent of “Milblogging” in the post-9/11 U.S. Military
Your Guide to Soldier Videos from Iraq -- [Media Shift]
If the first Gulf War put cable news and CNN on the map, the second Gulf War in Iraq has put video shot by soldiers in the spotlight. I first wrote about these videos in January, focusing on the ones that proliferated at the video-sharing site YouTube . But now, the phenomenon has exploded into the mainstream, with an MTV documentary, Iraq Uploaded and a full-length film, The War Tapes (“the first war movie filmed by soldiers themselves”).
Bush to Slam Renaming ‘Global War on Terror’… -- [ScrappleFace]
President George Bush this week allegedly plans to address efforts by Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee to remove references to the so-called “global war on terror” from the 2008 defense budget.Below is a….
Bush Mulls Gift for Ahmadinejad on Iran’s Nuke Day -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-04-09) — U.S. President George Bush, an inveterate last-minute shopper, reportedly still seeks “just the right gift” for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to celebrate Iran’s first National Nuclear Technology Day.
“President Bush is asking around among those who know Ahmadinejad best, at CIA and the Pentagon, to find out what present would make the greatest impact,” said Deputy White House Press Secretary Dana Perino, “He’d like to find that special gift for that special someone that really shows how he feels.”
(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.
Photo: Iraqi Christians celebrate Good Friday at the Virgin Mary Church in Baghdad -- [MEMRI Blog]
Another WMD Attack in Iraq -- [Jawa Report]
A chlorine bomb has killed at least 27 people in Ramadi today, and wounding many more. I can understand, even if I don't agree with, the sentiment that we should leave Iraq because it's none of our business if these people don't deserve our help. What I don't understand is the sentiment, which is widespread in Europe and the hard Left in America, that we should leave because we are the bad guys.
Another attack in Iraq using chlorine. -- [Austin Bay]
The NY Times lede (but read the entire report):
...The truck was headed toward a police checkpoint, but when policemen opened fire, the bomber veered toward the residential complex nearby and detonated the explosives, police said. Women and children were among those killed and wounded.
...The terrorists have no concern about the lives of the Iraqi people. The terrorists intend to kill their way to power by murdering the unprotected, en masse. At least that’s part of the operation. They intend to commit their atrocities and then have the results magnified on television. Here’s the terrorists’ gamble: the spineless in the West will capitulate because they “can’t watch this horror anymore.”
Pentagon buying uniforms, vehicles made in Iraq -- [American Contractor - in Iraq]
It was always the plan to open at least 10 state owned business and convert them to privately owned at a later date. This would create jobs and keep young and old Iraqi's from picking up arms and fighting the coalition.
The article talks about the opening of three state owned manufacturing companies in Iraq and producing uniforms and armored vehicles.
Heavy Armor's Here. -- [Iraq the Model - Iraqis in Iraq]
“Evacuate all houses... in the area around the Americans’ base for we shall attack it soon… Those occupiers will soon be gone from this land. Who will protect you then?”
These were roughly the words in a leaflet the “mujahideen” distributed in Adhamiya a few days ago. A distant relative who lives there received one.
This message reveals that terrorists and insurgents were planning attacks on some of the joint security stations that American and Iraqi forces have established in that section of Baghdad. And, in fact, one such attack happened just this morning.
Are the Tides Turning for Al-Qaida in Iraq? Signs of an Ugly Rift with the Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI) -- [Counterterrorism Blog - Evan Kohlmann]
For months, there has been vigorous ongoing debate over the current state of Al-Qaida and its "Islamic State" in Iraq--its popularity, its brutality, and its longterm sustainability. The discussion has grown more complex in recent weeks as other Sunni insurgent groups--such as the Iraqi Islamic Resistance Front (JAAMI)--have begun to loudly complain about Al-Qaida's ISI aggressively muscling in on their territory and resources. Add to this the sudden break-up of the 1920 Revolution Brigades into two factions, one Sunni nationalist and one pro-ISI. The split itself was sparked by the assassination of the former leader of the 1920 Brigades, apparently at the hands of Al-Qaida.
Is the al Sadr movement on the ropes? -- [TigerHawk]
Stratfor's morning "geopolitical diary" wonders whether Moqtada al-Sadr's political organization is imploding. It is worth reading in its entirety, so I substantially reproduce it below...
Special Report & Slides Released on Pre-Iraq War Intel -- [Counterterrorism Blog - Andrew Cochran]
Sen. Carl Levin, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, today released a newly declassified report of the Department of Defense Inspector General about the intelligence activities of Douglas Feith, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, before the Iraq War. Sen. Levin also released declassified slides which Under Secretary Feith used to brief the President and senior staff on the alleged relationship between Iraq and Al Qaeda. The slides include a checklist of shared "objectives" with the notation, "Intelligence indicates cooperation in all categories; mature, symbiotic relationship,” and the last page has a bullet point stating, "Multiple areas of cooperation." The IG report confirms that the intelligence community did not find any operational relationship between Iraq and al-Qaeda and that “the CIA and DIA disavowed any ‘mature, symbiotic’ relationship between Iraq and al-Qaida.”
Saddam Hussein's daughter Raghad is back in the news. -- [Gateway Pundit]
Raghad Al-Tikriti, daughter of Sadam Hussein, has stepped out into the lime light to rally the former Baathists and has pledged to support them financially with millions in their continued fight.
Former Cmdr in Iraqi Republican Guards Reveals Saddam’s Decisionmaking -- [MEMRI]
Changes -- [Acute Politics - in Iraq]
The times are changing at Camp Falluja. It's not just the situation outside the camp, though we've seen many changes there. The summer is coming, bringing hot air and dust storms.New Marines are arriving in Falluja, and before long, others will go home again. The chow hall and the telephone center are jam-packed 24/7. There are more people asking for directions.
Report from Iraq -- [Real Clear Politics]
Yesterday I took part in the Defense Department's Roundtable, a weekly event that allows members of the new media to talk directly with defense officials. Wednesday's spokesman was Major Gen. William Caldwell, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Effects in Iraq. Printed below are some interesting parts of the discussion.
RCP: I was wondering if you could shed any light on when you are going to start getting worried about a lack of funds.
Gen. Caldwell: You know, it's interesting you asked that question. I just walked out of a press conference that we do -- we started to do at least one a week over here. That question was not even asked, and I really had anticipated that probably being a primary question.
iPod Slows Enemy Bullet, Saves Life -- [Gizmodo - HT: Insta]
Kevin Garrad of the 3rd Infantry Division is an iPod user for life—which incidentally got extended thanks to Apple's little music player. He was on patrol in Iraq when he met an armed insurgent carrying an AK-47. Both opened fire, and the bullet heading toward Kevin hit his chest right where his iPod was, which was enough to slow down the bullet to not pierce entirely through the body armor.
Insurgent confessing gruesome acts Marked as: Mature, Featured
Very intense story from Ansar Al Sunnah member
U.S. protects Iranian opposition group in Iraq -- [Iraq Updates]
An Iranian opposition group based in Iraq, despite being considered terrorists by the United States, continues to receive protection from the American military in the face of Iraqi pressure to leave the country.
It's a paradox possible only because the United States considers the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, or MEK, a source of valuable intelligence on Iran.
Iraq Pictures 05 April 2007 -- [Iraq Pictures]
CPT Matthew Phillips, a dentist from Company C, 299th Forward Support Battalion, extracts a tooth with the lingual and moral support of his interpreter. He is now experienced at overcoming tight working areas and language barriers. Pic: CPT Matthew Angliss
News of Afghanistan - The 53rd Edition -- [Miserable Donuts]
It's a two mug of Alokozay tea day here. So here is the News, slighty disorganized and an hour or two late...
The Taliban's internecine war in Waziristan -- [The Fourth Rail]
Tahir Yuldashev in 2006, with al Qaeda's al rayah, or black banner, in the background.
The Uzbek-Taliban fighting isn't what the Pakistani government wants you to believe
The Pakistani government continues to push the fiction that the fighting in South Waziristan is between tribes loyal to the government and 'foreign fighters' - namely Uzbek al Qaeda. We've noted from day one that the fighting is actually an internecine war over land and power between Uzbek al Qaeda and their Taliban allies, and Taliban who support al Qaeda.
Bajaur: When "Peace" Yields War -- [Counterterrorism Blog - Daveed Gartenstein-Ross]
Last year I wrote extensively about the Waziristan Accords, in which Pakistan surrendered a large geographic area to forces aligned with al-Qaeda and the Taliban. (See this blog entry written just after the Accords were signed, as well as this Weekly Standard article that I co-wrote with Bill Roggio.) The Waziristan Accords caused attacks on coalition forces in Afghanistan to rise dramatically, and provided a safe haven where terrorists could train, communicate, and plot future attacks. Recently the government of Pakistan surrendered another region, Bajaur, to terrorists and their allies.
The Harvest of Taliban Military Operations, April 3-5, 2007 -- [SITE Institute]
The Taliban, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, announced their “harvest” of operations, April 3-5, 2007. Two reports were issued from the provinces of Nimruz and Paktia.
In a statement issued today, April 5, 2007, the Taliban claims to have captured two French nationals and three Afghans traveling in the Khash Rod district of Nimruz province yesterday. The individuals are identified as a Frenchman, Eric, a French woman, Salma, two Afghan engineers, Hadrat and Mohammad Hashem, and their Afghan driver, Rasoul. The group is indicated to have been on their way to Helmand province. According to media reports, the two are French aid workers
Afraid I'll Wake Up -- [Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Afghanistan]
...the staff will be breaking up soon, and life will never be the same again. In fact, the four amigos were sitting in our lawn chairs enjoying another stunningly perfect day, and reflecting on a year away from home, living in the ‘Stan.
It is an interesting paradox that it seems like it has been an eternity, and yet it has also flown by. Mike made the comment that no one could understand how much he missed his family unless they too had done a year-long remote assignment like this. I would have to agree. Yet what a wondrous year it has been. Being embedded with the Afghan Army was a great assignment,
The Dancing Video is out -- [Bouhammer Afghan Blog - in Afghanistan]
Several days ago I wrote about the party that the terps threw for us. Afghans love their music after being oppressed by the Taliban and not allowed to have any. This video is a large one (44 mb) and is a little over 8 minutes long. It consists of two songs which essentially split the video into two parts.
I hope you enjoy it and get as many laughs out of it as we have here.
GOING POSTAL -- [Afghanistan JAG - in Afghanistan]
Americans hate going to the post office to mail packages. The long waits can be painful.
Replay -- VIDEO -- Freed Britons Speak Publicly About Their Captivity In Iran -- [Sky News Headlines ]
Col Jacobs unhappy with UK Navy
COL JACOBS: No, it's not an explanation at all. I don't know where to begin. I got to tell you. That was the most digusting, disreputable, dishonorable performance I can remember in more than 40 years in my relationship with the military service. I think every man, every woman who wears the uniform, or who has ever worn the uniform of this country, no matter what country it is, ought to be disgusted by this. These people - and I think the Ministry of Defense is culpable too, if it thinks that there is no difference between a reason and an excuse. It is clear from their statements today and their actions before during and after their capture, that the single most significant and important thing was going home.
We didn't attack Iran today -- [TigerHawk]
As recently as Tuesday the foreign press was abuzz with rumors that the United States was going to attack Iran today. Well, it is past 4 p.m. in the Persian Gulf, and once again George W. Bush fails to live up to his image as a war monger.
In Overture to Iran, Qaddafi Declares North Africa Shi'ite and Calls for Establishment of New Fatimid State -- [MEMRI]
On March 31, 2007, Libyan leader Mu'ammar Qaddafi called, in a speech in Niger to Tuareg tribal leaders , for the establishment of a second Shi'ite Fatimid state in North Africa, after the model of the 10th-13th century empire that ruled North Africa, Egypt, and parts of the Fertile Crescent. In his speech, Qaddafi denounced the division of Muslims into Sunni and Shi'ite as a colonialist plot, and rebuked the Arab League members for "hating Iran."
CENTCOM (Inaccurately) Reports New Bin Ladin Video Expected Soon (updated) -- [Counterterrorism Blog - Andrew Cochran]
CENTCOM has issued a press release titled "Al-Sahab Reportedly To Release New Bin Ladin Video Message" with the following message from a jihadist website
...UPDATE, 4:45 pm ET: Experts on Al Qaeda tape releases, including Evan Kohlmann, doubt the reliability of the website on which this was posted. Rita Katz of SITE Institute has issued a press release stating, "These reports are inaccurate and are based only on inauthentic, unsubstantiated rumors on jihadist messageboards. There has been no word of a forthcoming bin Laden video through the traditional channels al-Qaeda uses to make such announcements."
Murder Investigation Leads to Prostitution Network – Whose Profits Supported Al-Qaeda -- [MEMRI Blog]
The investigator for the case of the murder of a German national in Sharja, U.A.E. has revealed the existence of a prostitution network whose profits were used to support al-Qaeda.
GWOT Success Worrisome? -- [A Soldier's Perspective]
As a Soldier, there are few things more frustrating than this. Even in the face of overwhelming evidence that this country's war on terrorism is producing tangible results, the media has to find something else to minimize its value. Upon reading the very first paragraph, one would think there's cause for celebration:
President George W. Bush's administration has crippled al Qaeda's ability to carry out major attacks on U.S. soil but at a political and economic cost that could leave the country more vulnerable in years to come, experts say
In Recognition of Sacrifice, IBM to Donate Software -- [On Point]
ON Point: To honor an employee's son who was severely wounded in Iraq, IBM Corp. plans to give the U.S. military $45 million worth of Arabic-English translation technology that the Pentagon had been testing for possible purchase.The offer -- made from the highest reaches of the company directly to President Bush -- is so unusual that Defense Department and IBM lawyers have been scouring federal laws to make sure the government can accept the donation.The story begins one night in late February, when Army...
Still bombing homes and killing civilians...... -- [Daily Kos]
This is making me sick.
PHOTO: People search for bodies in the rubble of a house destroyed in an air strike in Ramadi, 115 kilometers (70 miles) west of Baghdad, Wednesday, April 4, 2007. US forces who came under an attack by gunmen in the area responded with air strikes that hit four houses from were they were taking fire Tuesday night. 12 civilians died in the bombing and 15 were wounded, according to medical staff of the Ramadi hospital.
Harry Reid Clobbered By Veterans For Not Supporting Troops
In a question and answer session at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Reno, Nev., on Thursday, April 5, 2007, Harry Reid gets clobbered for no supporting the troops.
We Support the Troops, Unless... -- [Gazing at the Flag]
...Your Name is Danny Dietz
The city of Littleton is erecting a memorial statue of Dietz in Berry Park. A group of parents is now opposing the statue because Dietz is holding a rifle. They feel it glorifies violence and should not be near children.
...Unless...Your Name is LCpl Randy Newman
A main bridge across the river was recently torn down and replaced. The community wished to name the bridge 'The Randy Newman Bridge.' However, the City Council has refused to do so.
America's Broken-Down Army -- (TIME)
For most Americans, the Iraq war is both distant and never ending. For Private Matthew Zeimer, it was neither. Shortly after midnight on Feb. 2, Zeimer had his first taste of combat as he scrambled to the roof of the 3rd Infantry Division's Combat Outpost Grant in central Ramadi. Under cover of darkness, Sunni insurgents were attacking his new post from nearby buildings. Amid the smoke, noise and confusion, a blast suddenly ripped through the 3-ft. concrete wall shielding Zeimer and a fellow soldier, killing them both. Zeimer had been in Iraq for a week. He had been at his first combat post for two hours.
If Zeimer's combat career was brief, so was his training.
But America doesn’t want this anymore, the pollsters and the opposition pols tell us. -- [Jules Crittenden - PJM]
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is unilaterally treating with the enemy, providing our enemy an opportunity to divide and conquer. She is doing so in a manner unprecedented in American history. In the past, partisanship didn’t always stop at the water’s edge, it sometimes waded in. But until now it never took such a humiliating bath as the one we’ve just witnessed.
Impeachment chorus on the rise Updates: Senator Teethflash weighs in -- [Hot Air]
The story is, as they say, developing. But ain’t it something that Jack “Okinawa” Murtha is the man leading the charge?
More: Now that I’ve read this at more than a glance, Murtha is saying impeachment won’t happen. But he’s also saying that his constituents are demanding it. Which appears to me to be a way of setting it up so that it does happen.
PERATA ANNOUNCES PLAN TO “VOTE US OUT” OF IRAQ -- [California Chronicle]
BERKELEY – California would become the first state in the nation to call on President Bush to immediately withdraw all U.S. forces from Iraq under legislation unveiled today by Senate President pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland).
You Both Suck -- [Treasure of Baghdad - Iraqi Blogger]
...McCain visiting Baghdad?!! To do what? Hello!!! Why is he visiting now? Of course, because of the presidential elections. Isn’t that a shameful act?
...Democrats, wait. Don’t be so happy. You also suck. I am not a huge fan of US troops but I do believe that the withdrawal you are calling for is a big mistake. Of course, it is. Do you think invading a country and leaving it destroyed is something that history will be praising you for? Don’t you think that what your country did is very important to fix? But that’s just me thinking like this. You also proved you are no better than the Republicans. You proved how selfish you are. You didn’t even discuss the issue of the people of a country your country destroyed with tanks and stupid no-future plans.
Syrian President Too Busy for Pelosi During Turkish PM's Visit -- [MEMRI Blog]
The secular Turkish daily Aksam has reported that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with President Bashar Al-Assad at his Aleppo palace for over two hours during an official visit.
The paper reported that that same day, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was in Syria, and noted that Pelosi had refused to meet with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul on his recent trip to the U.S.
Did Speaker Pelosi Commit a Felony By Going to Damascus? -- [WizBang!]
The Wall Street Journal thinks so. Robert Turner in an article today (subscription required) explains how Nancy Pelosi violate the Logan Act:
Democrats Risk Post-Vietnam Syndrome -- [Weekly Standard Blog]
I've flogged the Democrats quite a bit for suggesting that they will ultimately pay a price at the polls for their extreme opposition to the continued use of force in Iraq. Their willingness to escalate that opposition, despite mounting evidence that the surge is yielding results, is likely to seriously undercut their credibility on defense and national security issues for some time. Daniel Henninger notes today that if the surge succeeds, the Democrats may wish they had been more temperate:
A New Pragmatism -- [Dadmanly]
The New York Times published an OP Ed today, written by a couple of academics, extolling the virtues of resolving any and all differences with Iran by acquiescence, concession, willful ignorance, or submission to Iran.
Yes, I’m quite sure that would make Iran less belligerent. As a model for negotiation, however, Nasr and Takeyh provide a breath-taking example of “winning consensus” by surrendering every objective in contention. Iran clearly subscribes to the North Korean school of conflict resolution, and in this Op Ed, the Times suggests that we would benefit playing the same game with Iran.
ABC NEWS Smears Swift Boat Veterans for Truth with Slanderous News Article -- [Patterico’s Pontifications]
Amazing. The canard that the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth was a “smear campaign” is so well accepted by Big Media that ABC NEWS feels comfortable in portraying the Swifties’ ad campaign as “slanderous” and “smear ads.” These characterizations appear in a “straight” news story about the recess appointment of an ambassador who gave money to the group, and had his nomination nixed by a petty group of Retaliacrats bent on extracting some pathetic, small revenge.
...Meanwhile, I have yet to see anyone meet Beldar’s challenge to name a single specific and material statement of fact by the Swift Boaters that has been fully debunked, or shown to be fully unsubstantiated.
Laugh Line of the Day, And a Fisking of Time -- [CounterColumn]
Here's the MSNBC Headline: 12,000 more Guard troops may be going to Iraq
The punchline is in the subhead:
Deployment order planned to lessen ‘surge’s’ strain on stretched-thin Army
Dude...when your part-time units have as many deployments as your full-timers, you won't have part-timers anymore.
Intelligence Analyst Challenges Good Friday 'Spin' -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-04-06) — While Christians around the world gather for so-called “Good Friday” observances, an intelligence analyst studying primary source documents challenged the “irrational exuberance of the true believers,” and said his research to date indicates things did not go according to plan.
Bush to Send KSM to Heal Rift with Pelosi -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-04-05) — In the wake of recent tensions following House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s unauthorized visit with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the White House announced today that it would attempt to “build a bridge” to Congressional Democrats by sending detained al Qaeda mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammad to conduct peace talks with Rep. Pelosi.
(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.
An Army, Not a Militia -- [Michael Totten - in Iraq]
SULEIMANIYA, IRAQ – Iraq is a country with three armies and I’m-not-sure-how-many militias and death squads. The Iraqi Army is nominally the national army, but it’s still being trained, supplied, and augmented by the coalition forces, which is to say the Americans. It’s also not allowed to operate in the north. The third army is the Kurdish Peshmerga, the liberators and protectors of the only part of Iraq – the three northern governates – that may be salvaged from insurgency, terrorism, ethnic cleansing, and war. Do not confuse the Peshmerga with the ragtag ethnic and sectarian militias running rampant in Iraq’s center and south.
A Dormant Hell in Iraq -- [Moderate Risk - Patrick S Lasswell - in Iraq]
The Red Building in Suliamaniya, Iraq, is a legacy of Saddam Hussein's brutal state. It is shattered and dormant it is like an extinct volcano in the middle of the city, reminding everyone that hell once ruled here. This is where the Hussein regime took suspect citizens and held them for years to break their families. The people taken here were mostly family members of the Peshmerga fighting in the hills and held hostage to force others to comply, not because they were suspected of anything themselves. Over 7,000 people died in less than 10 years from torture and mistreatment alone here before the beatings stopped for good in 1991. That's about two a day killed here not through official execution, just excessive abuse...and this is only one relatively small city in Iraq. At the end of the Gulf War, the people of Suliamaniya captured the Red Building after three days of fighting, and turned the place into a museum so that the suffering here would be remembered.
Iraqi Police gone wild -- [Desert Flier - in Iraq]
...Well here's a story you don't want to miss: I was standing in the trauma bay when we got a heads up that suspected insurgents were being brought after a firefight out in Ramadi. So the teams assembled quickly outside to receive the patients (modus operandi). So imagine the surprise when two Iraqi Police trucks whip around the corner bristling with AK-47's from truck beds, windows, ect. And one IP standing at the .50 Cal mount with all weapons fully loaded!!!!!!!! HOLY SH.. was all I was thinking, if you want the truth. We know and work with the Iraqi Police fairly close at this point, but still: who really knows who the bad guys are? They could have vaporized most of the trauma team in seconds.
Do all the firetrucks have IED's? -- [Desert Flier - in Iraq]
Via official channels, Ramadi is quiet. There have been significant crackdowns by the Iraqi Police over the past week, and daily critical incidents are down.
However, maybe there's more truth to my post about "Police gone wild" than I first thought. Monday is the day we lost the child. He was hit by the Iraqi Police. Tuesday, another civilian came in with significant trauma. He was also hit by Iraqi Police.
Muslims supporting Americans and fighting against Takfiris
It seems I am not the only who believes muslims should be supporting the US . The brothers from the Anbar province are fighting the takfiris; those who go against the basic human values and kill indiscriminately.
New "Martyr" Biographies from Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq" -- [Counteterrorism Blog]
Al-Qaida's Islamic State of Iraq (IAI) has released several new "Distinguished Martyr" biographies profiling noteworthy foreign fighters who have been killed waging a jihad against U.S. and Iraqi government forces. The "martyrs" include: Abu Turab al-Liby (from Libya), one of the founders of Al-Qaida's anti-aircraft brigade in Iraq; Abu Tariq al-Tunisi (from Tunisia), a suicide bomber who entered Iraq through Syria; and, Aqil al-Masri (from Egypt), one of the founders of Al-Qaida's Media Wing in Iraq.
Iraq Report: Blackhawk Down, Anbar politics and Masyan under Iraqi control -- [Bill Roggio]
The security situation remains relatively stable inside Baghdad for yet another day, while most of the major activity is occurring in the provinces. A U.S. helicopter was downed south of Baghdad--possibly by al Qaeda anti-aircraft fire--as Coalition and Iraqi forces continue to pursue al Qaeda in Iraq. The Anbar Salvation Council will meet with Sunni tribes in Baghdad. Twenty-two Shia shepherds were kidnapped in the desert of Karbala and taken into Anbar. The southern province of Maysan has been turned over to the Iraqi security forces.
Iraq's Real 'Civil War' -- [Opinion Journal]
Sunni tribes battle al Qaeda terrorists in the insurgency's stronghold.
ANBAR PROVINCE, Iraq--Last fall, President Bush, citing the violence in Baghdad, said that the U.S. strategy in Iraq was "slowly failing." At that time, though, more Americans were dying in Anbar Province, stronghold of the Sunni insurgency. About the size of Utah, Anbar has the savagery, lawlessness and violence of America's Wild West in the 1870s. The two most lethal cities in Iraq are Fallujah and Ramadi, and the 25-mile swath of farmlands between them is Indian Country.
A Run to the Iraqi Border [The Tank - W. Thomas Smith Jr. - in Kuwait]
KUWAIT CITY (1:51 pm EDT — 8:28 pm Kuwait Time) This morning, I drove two hours round-trip from Kuwait City — up the Kuwaiti stretch of Route Tampa (yes, the same Tampa I traveled on in Iraq) — to the Iraqi border in a French-built Citroën sedan.
Never Forget, Never Forgive -- [Strategy Page]
April 5, 2007: With things quieting down in Baghdad, more forces are following the terrorist groups to their new bases in the suburbs. A major breakthrough in counter-terrorist operations is the ability to actually track down the people behind the specific terrorist bombings. People are more willing to talk, especially in the Sunni Arab community. There, the attitude is that the terror campaign has failed, the Shia and Kurds have an unassailable military edge, and that if the violence does not stop, the Sunni Arab community will be destroyed. Even Sunni Arabs in neighboring countries are telling the Iraqi Sunnis that resistance is futile.
Iraqis Show Confidence in Security Forces -- [Defense Link]
WASHINGTON, April 4, 2007 – The Iraqi people are starting to show more confidence in their security forces, and this is paying off with better security in Baghdad, coalition officials said today.
The largest indicator is that sectarian killings have dropped 27 percent in March from February, Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, coalition spokesman, said during a Baghdad news conference.
Operation Tigris Waves: Victory and Defeat -- [Small Wars Journal]
U.S. Army Captain John Shermer e-mailed us his thoughts on Operation Tigris Waves as seen through the lens of Dr. David Kilcullen’s Twenty-Eight Articles : Fundamentals of Company-Level Counterinsurgency. CPT Shermer is a Military Intelligence Officer who served two tours in Iraq. Both tours were with 1-66 Armor Battalion as their intelligence officer. He is currently in command of a tactical intelligence company at Fort Hood, Texas
Petraeus Gets McCain's Back -- [Danger Room]
John McCain has been one of the most visible backers of the Iraq troop "surge," and of General David Petraeus' efforts to deploy those new soldiers. So it makes sense that Petraeus, the American commander in Iraq, would get the Senator's back, after his controversial, heavily-armed stroll through a Baghdad market, meant to show just how well the "surge" was going. Here's Petraeus, on PBS' News Hour last night:
Gen. David Petraeus Discusses Sen. McCain's Iraq Trip
Iraqi Police detain suspects tied to Tal Afar attacks -- [MNF-I]
BALAD – Iraqi Security forces conducted a raid operation on April 3 in Nineveh Province, detaining two suspects believed to be involved in insurgent activities.
With coalition advisers present for support, Iraqi forces raided a residence in the Nineveh Province northwest of Tal Afar and captured their primary targets.
Mobile Helicopter Killers Found and Destroyed in Iraq -- [Strategy Page]
American troops in Iraq figured out how Iraqi terrorists had managed to ambush American helicopters with heavy machine-guns and get away with it. The Iraqis had used trucks with the machine-gun mounted in the back, and a tarp over metal supports (a common feature of military trucks) to conceal the weapon. The tarp was rigged so it could be quickly pulled aside, as well as the metal supports for the tarp. This enabled
More Deployment Souvenirs - Part 3 -- [Half a World Away - in Iraq]
Final installment of Spur Ride pictures. Follow the links for Part 1 and Part 2 if you need to get caught up. Beans also some coverage over at his blog, follow the links to the right.
VILLAGE ASSESSMENT FOR HUMANITARIAN MISSION -- [Afghanistan JAG - in Afghanistan]
My Afghan colonel told me about a village in Kabul that was in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. Unfortunately, you can't just jot down an address and run out and start distributing aid. You must always recon the area first.
Canadian Military Raids Taliban Compound
Taking the War to the Taliban Heartland -- [Strategy Page]
April 4, 2007: The Taliban Spring offensive is off to a poor start partly because of growing disorder back in Pakistan. The Taliban bases there are in disorder because of feuding between Taliban and al Qaeda groups, as well as difficulty in recruiting young tribesmen for the war in Afghanistan. The young guys have noticed how few of last years recruits returned last Fall.
AFGHAN FM OPPOSES TALKS WITH TALIBAN -- [UPI]
April 05, 2007 - KABUL, APR. 5, (BNA) -- Afghan Foreign Minister, on Thursday, turned down a German call to conduct talks with moderate elements from Taliban movemnet. The Afghan Minister expresses strong belief that there was moderate wings in Taliban movement, asserting that he who divides Taliban into moderates and extremist known nothing about Afghan affairs.
Oregon Soldiers Patrol Afghanistan, Part 7 (raw footage) -- [Salem News]
Watch what it is like to go on an infantry patrol in Kabul, Afghanistan. Tim King was embedded as a reporter with Salem-News.com and Oregon's KPDX FOX-12. He was in Afghanistan between November '06 and January '07. Watch for language
Cash offered to kill soldiers -- [einnews]
5 Apr 2007 ... MAYWAND, Afghanistan - The leader of an Afghan district ... device to injure or kill a NATO soldier. "I have heard the Pakistan ISI (Inter-Services ... through an interpreter provided by the Canadian military. CanWest News Service could not independently verify ...
52nd Edition of the News of Afghanistan -- [Miserable Donuts]
Whoo....I am glad I still have some Alokozay Tea left. A big mug at hand, and here we go
Home is Where the Humiliation Is -- [Jules Crittenden]
Fifteen Brits home, at what cost? UK Telegraph notes that the short-term gratification boosted a vile regime with which we have a lot of serious longstanding issues. “The Royal Navy has a lot to answer for.” I’d suggest that Tony Blair does as well.
Iranian Radicals Lose Another One -- [Strategy Page]
April 5, 2007: On March 23rd Iranian naval forces captured 15 British naval personnel. Over the following 12 days, while Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair undertook a series of diplomatic initiatives (shunning calls for immediate military action, but involving fortuitously scheduled Anglo-American naval maneuvers in the area), statements emanating from Tehran were characterized by increasing stridency, culminating in announcements by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that the prisoners would soon be put on trial for violating Iranian territorial waters, espionage, and more. Then, quite suddenly, on April 4th, Ahmadinejad made the surprising announcement
Derb is the Worst! (Almost) {John Derbyshire} -- [Kathryn Lopez- The Corner]
My outrageous, disgraceful, and mean-spirited opinion that military personnel ought to behave with courage and defiance when captured by a hostile power and lawlessly detained, is being denounced from the highest pulpits in the land.
Someone called Keith Olbermann had my picture up on MSNBC last night as 3rd Worst Person in the World. Bill O'Reilly was just ahead of me in the awfulness stakes, so I guess I should be thankful for small mercies. The video clip is here. Mr. Olbermann is especially incensed at my saying (which I don't actually remember having said—but hey, it's only TV) that the sailors and marines should have resisted capture. This, he says, is an insult to our brave men and women in uniform.
Re: Home are the Sailors... -- [SMASH - MilBlogs]
Now that they're safely home, I have to ask:
The Royal Navy and Marines are not subject to the same Code of Conduct which governs U.S. military personnel who are captured by the enemy. But had they been, how many of the articles would they have violated?
Also, to my knowledge, most U.S. Navy VBSS (Visit, Boarding, Search & Seizure) teams aren't currently required to go through SERE training. In light of recent events, should we revisit this?
Video: The sailor who didn’t smile -- [Hot Air]
Derb’s taking heat from the usual suspects for suggesting that the stiff upper lip shown by some of the sailors while in Iran might have been a jot stiffer. I suspect he won’t be the last Englishman to make that point now that they’re home safe and out of harm’s way; in fact, the Telegraph’s already taken a gentle swipe in passing in today’s lead editorial.
Rather than criticize, though, Sky News chose to accentuate the positive by paying tribute to the sailor in the black three-piece suit who seemed, rather pointedly, never to crack a smile.
Iran & Britian: a lot of questions remain -- [Qand O]
Frankly, I don't know how you can spin it any other way. Especially when the release came as such a surprise to the British government. That indicates they felt they were nowhere near the point where such a development could be expected. Or said another way, Iran took the hostages on its terms, got every bit of propaganda value it could wring from them (and lectured the British government about sending women into combat) and then let them go, strictly when they were ready and again on their terms.
New bin Laden Video Expected -- [Jawa Report]
Marvellous. Let's hope this is old footage, given a new spin. As-Sahab has been known to recycle bin Laden's speeches in the past, edited and translated by our own American traitor Adam Gadahn.
New "Martyr" Biographies from Al-Qaida in Iraq -- [Globalterroralert.com]
(4/05/07): Al-Qaida's Islamic State of Iraq (IAI) has released several new "Distinguished Martyr" biographies profiling noteworthy foreign fighters who have been killed waging a jihad against U.S. and Iraqi government forces. The "martyrs" include Abu Turab al-Liby (from Libya), one of the founders of Al-Qaida's anti-aircraft brigade in Iraq; Abu Tariq al-Tunisi (from Tunisia), a suicide bomber who entered Iraq through Syria; and, Aqil al-Masri (from Egypt), one of the founders of Al-Qaida's Media Wing in Iraq. Separately, Al-Qaida supporters have announced the death of Saudi national Turki Bin Abdelaziz al-Mani, who was killed in early March 2007 during a clash with U.S. military forces in the western Anbar province of Iraq. Al-Mani is the brother of Khaled al-Mani (a.k.a. Khallad al-Najdi), a senior Saudi Al-Qaida commander in Iraq who was himself killed in January 2006.
New Video: Al-Qaida's "Convoy of Martyrs" in Iraq (February 2007)
Ohio Cable System Airs Terror-TV Channel -- [Canada Free Press]
Allan J. Block, owner of Block Communications, is paying the oil-rich Arab monarchy of Qatar for the right to air Al-Jazeera English on his Buckeye Cable System that covers the Toledo, Ohio area. Not everyone in the viewing area is pleased. "I live in Perrysburg, Ohio, within sight of the Mosque along I-75, says Nancy, a local resident. "I attempted to contact Mr. Block's office by phone and was greeted by a recorded message to leave a comment or phone number. I sent an e-mail to the cable company and the FCC to protest this outrageous conspiracy with the terrorists who murdered Americans in New York City."
Grapes of Wrath: America's Recipe for al-Qaeda's Victory -- [ThreatsWatch]
The US State Department Supports All But Somalis in Somalia
It’s ‘The Other Spring Offensive.’ In order to create an eastern toehold on the Horn of Africa and create an Islamist Crescent from Mogadishu to Morocco, al-Qaeda is recommitting to re-taking Somalia through their once-ousted Southern Garrison, the Islamic Courts Union. With al-Qaeda’s clear and overt strategic aims on conquering...
A letter to American Airlines -- [Those Wacky Iraqis]
..."Sir, it does not show you as having that assigned seat." "Lady, I picked that seat over three mionths ago, you better not have given it up and put me in the middle!"
"No sir, you are in First Class. The agent at the last airport saw your Department of Defense ID when you checked in and she contacted us saying you were going all the way to Kuwait. We upgraded you." I am shocked into saying nothing except a quickly mumbled, "Thank You."
...I sit down and the woman next to me smiles and says, "You are the soldier they told us about." I start to say, "No, I am a.... I stop and understand that this is important to her. I say, "Yes maam. I am." She has that benevolent grandmotherly look and just nods and says, "Good. I know your family needs you but so do we" I sit down and smile inside.
Marine Lieutenant Andrew Kinard Update -- [Blackfive]
First, read the original post about the challenges faced by Lieutenant Andrew Kinard. Here's part of it:
Marine Lieutenant Andrew Kinard was on patrol in Iraq and was hit by an IED (three other Marines were hit, too). Apparently, before shock set in, Kinard established security and asked about his men, then passed out. The damage to his body was extremely severe. I don't know who the hospital corpsman was who assisted Lt. Kinard, but I know that Kinard went into cardiac arrest twice and lost most of his blood - whoever that corpsman is, he is a miracle worker.
Moose lodge offers veterans a home-cooked meal -- [Gazette.net]
Silver Spring’s Lodge 658 hosts a low-key dinner for soldiers at Walter Reed
When Luther Leverett returned from the Vietnam War, he didn’t get the attention and treatment many veterans of the war in Iraq currently receive.
‘‘Nobody helped us,” said Leverett, a Silver Spring resident. ‘‘But now it’s different.”
On Saturday evening, Leverett helped make that difference. He and other members of the Silver Spring Moose Lodge 658 cooked and served dinner at the lodge to about 20 Iraq veterans, who are recuperating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in nearby Washington, D.C.
Louis Theroux-The most hated family in America. Part 4
"Thank God For Dead Soldiers" Marked as: Mature, Featured
The most hated family in America, the Westboro Baptist Church, who hates soldiers and pickets soldiers' funerals. They also hate fags, which, by their definition, is anybody who isnt one man and one woman
Wounded Marine to meet fellow warriors -- [Updstate.com]
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- "Welcome home, Lieutenant."
There was something victorious about the way Marine 2nd Lt. Andrew Kinard exited the beige minivan that brought him here from Ellis Airport Sunday.
It wasn't arrogance. Andrew often said he felt "honored" by the support he'd received. He regularly took the attention off himself, turning instead to his fellow Marines who kept fighting in Iraq when he was unable to.
‘Destroyers’ mark end of 3rd OIF deployment -- [Marine Corps News]
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (April 3, 2007) -- April usually brings spring showers, but there was nothing but sunshine and open arms for the Marines with 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, who returned from their third deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, April 2.
The battalion was deployed for seven months to the southwest region of the Al Anbar province of Iraq, where they conducted counterinsurgency and security and stabilization operations.
New Body Armor Design -- [Strategy Page]
April 5, 2007: The U.S. Army is introducing new body army, the Modular Tactical Vests (MTV), this year. This will replace the 1990s era Interceptor body armor. The MTV, true to its name, provides many protection options. If troops only want the same level of protection the Interceptor vests provides, the MTV is about three pounds lighter. But if the side armor, and several other additions, are included, MTV weighs about a pound more (18 pounds) than Interceptor. The MTV adds more protection to the sides, back and throat. Troops wearing MTV are expected to suffer 5-10 percent fewer casualties.
ACLU Loses Court Battle to DoD and Boy Scouts -- [Stop the ACLU]
Boy Scouts of America is pleased that the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit dismissed the ACLU’s lawsuit against the Department of Defense for supporting the National Scout Jamboree.
For more than 25 years, Boy Scouts have held the National Scout Jamboree every four years at Fort A.P. Hill near Fredericksburg, Virginia. Scouts from all over the country camp together for ten days and participate in activities emphasizing physical fitness, appreciation of the outdoors, and patriotism. Seven Presidents have attended the Jamboree since President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937. The Jamboree grounds at Fort A.P. Hill are open to the public, and an estimated 300,000 visitors attended in 2005 along with 43,000 Scouts and their leaders. The 2010 Jamboree will celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Boy Scouts of America.
Marines for Life: The Wounded Warrior Regiment -- [Samantha Speaks]
...Today the Marine Corps announced the creation of the Wounded Warrior Regiment. This unique unit will be commanded by Marine Colonel Gregory Boyle, and is yet another way that the Marines continue to take care of their own. Indeed, since 1775, Marines have always cared for Marines, but this is the first time that the Marine Corps has given oversight to one command for tracking our wounded.
Picture This: Transonic Jet Gathers Clouds -- [Danger Room]
The F-22 stealth jet may be about as useful for fighting insurgents as a snowboard in Baghdad. The plane may cost nearly $120 million a pop, making it one of the most expensive fighters of all time. But ...
"Playing Tourist in Baghdad" -- [Iraq Slogger]
Self Described "Old Hippie" Descends on the Green Zone
Lone Star IconoclastJane Stillwater's Weblog has a clearly stated bias "My goal in life (for now) is to send George Bush to jail." So it's no surprise when the elderly blogger made her agitated media debut at the McCain press conference some viewers wondered; who exactly is Jane Stillman?
Nancy and the headscarf -- [The Marching Camp - in Iraq]
OK, so the Blogosphere is outraged, just outraged that Nancy Pelosi would wear a headscarf (incorrectly identified as a 'veil' in some of the more hysterical stories) in Syria.
Just one headscarf photograph, which I'm sure you are all familiar with. It's headlining half the damn stories on the internet. ...Turns out, unsurprisingly, that the headscarf was worn while touring an 8th century mosque.
Whether you agree with Nancy's motives and agenda for this visit to Syria or not, bash her or laud her for those. Not for a single act of respect to a place that was a holy site when your Western European ancestors could barely manage stone buildings--and the best of those built with pieces stolen from classical Mediterranean churches. Nor for choosing to visit this site to venerate a relic held in high regard by both Christians and Muslims.
Untrained Soldier Killed in Iraq? -- [Outside the Beltway]
Editor and Publisher is touting as “EXCLUSIVE” a Greg Mitchell report that a soldier killed in what may be a blue-on-blue incident in Iraq “did not get full training.” The story is getting many bites.
...Two small problems with this story: It is not exclusive and the soldier was fully trained.
...So, this E&P “EXCLUSIVE” is actually a two-month-old story from a local newspaper. More importantly, the idea that soldiers customarily get a month-long “rehearsal” before deployments and that failure to do so means they’re “untrained” displays a woeful understanding on the military.
Ohio Cable System Airs Terror-TV Channel -- [Canada Free Press]
Allan J. Block, owner of Block Communications, is paying the oil-rich Arab monarchy of Qatar for the right to air Al-Jazeera English on his Buckeye Cable System that covers the Toledo, Ohio area. Not everyone in the viewing area is pleased. "I live in Perrysburg, Ohio, within sight of the Mosque along I-75, says Nancy, a local resident. "I attempted to contact Mr. Block's office by phone and was greeted by a recorded message to leave a comment or phone number. I sent an e-mail to the cable company and the FCC to protest this outrageous conspiracy with the terrorists who murdered Americans in New York City."
WaPo vs. Man Who Was There -- [Outside the Wire - in Iraq]
Thursday, 05 April 2007 - This is why I went to Iraq the first time and why I came back again.
The WaPo Staff writer Karin Brulliard wrote this (Dozens Die In 2 Truck Bombings In the North) about a double Suicide Truck bombing in Karmah on March 26th.
CBS: American Taliban 'Victim of Timing' in 'Harsh Atmosphere' -- [NewsBusters]
Wednesday's CBS Evening News, anchored by Russ Mitchell, provided a sympathetic look at efforts to win an early release for John Walker Lindh, the American citizen who was convicted of giving aid to the Taliban during the war in Afghanistan. Mitchell and correspondent John Blackstone, who only displayed soundbites sympathetic to Lindh, relayed the argument of Lindh's parents that his 20-year sentence was "not fair considering Australian David Hicks was sentenced to just nine months for his terror conviction," without considering whether Hicks' sentence was too light. CBS legal analyst Andrew Cohen further contended that because Lindh was tried relatively soon after the 9/11 attacks, that he was a "victim of timing" in a "harsh atmosphere." Andrew Cohen: "He was the first person to go through the legal system after 9/11 in federal court, and the atmosphere at that time was so intense and harsh that he is essentially a victim of timing." (Transcript follows)
No Bias Here [Greg Pollowitz - Media Blog]
Here's how ABC News titles the story on their homepage regarding the recess appointment of Sam Fox as ambassador to Belgium (emphasis mine):
Major Donor to 'Swift Boat' Smear Ads Is Made an Ambassador
Then in the body of the article...
Montel Williams Ditches Soldier Who Wouldn't Complain About Treatment -- [NewsBusters]
In the post-Walter Reed world, the MSM is on the prowl for stories that fit the template -- troops suffering at the hands of an indifferent military health bureaucracy. Yesterday's episode of the Montel Williams show demonstrates what happens when a soldier doesn't stick to the victimization script.
...When she told Williams she was treated well by the Department of Veterans Affairs, he seemed to lose interest and moved quickly to another segment, she said.
During a commercial break, though, he gestured to her and commented, “This soldier’s not going to complain,” Frasier said.
She was whisked away to the airport and never spoke again to Williams, she said.
NBC's Andrea Mitchell Botches Report, Correction on Petraeus Briefing [Stephen Spruiell - Media Blog]
NBC's Andrea Mitchell has been on something of a roll lately. First, while appearing on The Chris Matthews Show last Sunday, she delivered this erroneous report about a briefing Gen. David Petraeus supposedly held for only Republicans:
...Suddenly, according to Mitchell, Democrats were at the briefing too. So what really happened?
Bush to Send KSM to Heal Rift with Pelosi -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-04-05) — In the wake of recent tensions following House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s unauthorized visit with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the White House announced today that it would attempt to “build a bridge” to Congressional Democrats by sending detained al Qaeda mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammad to conduct peace talks with Rep. Pelosi.
(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.
Karmahgeddon Redux -- [Outside the Wire - in Iraq] (VIDEO)
Specialist Jason Stegall knew something was wrong. The white tanker truck stopped on the dusty ribbon of asphalt south of OP Omar, then crept forward past the warning signs and into the serpentine twists of concrete barriers.
A second later Stegall fired a sustained burst from the 7.62mm machine gun mounted in OP Omar's tower number 2.
The next thing he knew he was laying on his back staring at the ceiling...
Night Operations on the Falluja Road -- [Acute Politics - in Iraq guest posting at Pajamas Media]
...We drove out into the gathering night and started looking for bombs. It was well past dark, and the moon was peeking from behind the clouds when we found the first IED of the night.
A few hundred meters and not so many minutes later, we found a second bomb. The night was proving busier than we had expected.
...The Marines following us will set up checkpoints and occupy positions in order to catch fleeing insurgents as the first group of Marines sweeps them out.
Iraq: Mixed Feelings -- [Acute Politics - in Iraq guest posting at Patterico’s Pontifications]
Patterico asked for my thoughts and reaction to this Powerline piece, featuring a particularly gloomy view of Iraq from an anomymous soldier somewhere in the south. Badger 6 has already weighed in lower on this page, and he illustrates many of the differences between the author’s area, and the area of al-Anbar in which we both serve. I’ll focus more on my reactions than re-stating what Badger 6 has already written.
One more thought on training -- [Badger Forward - in Iraq - guest posting at Patterico’s Pontifications]
The claim made by the Powerline correspondent that “the Army is not trained for counterinsurgency” also deserves another answer.
In war one is frequently forced to deal with situations one did not plan on and was not “trained” to deal with. There is no question United States forces spent much more time training to fight traditional maneuver warfare. To say though , we are untrained and that we rely on a formal program of instruction is weak.
ABC Highlights Safety Improvements in Baghdad -- [NewBusters]
Tuesday's World News with Charles Gibson highlighted signs of improvement in parts of Baghdad in the aftermath of the U.S. troop surge. ABC's Gibson introduced the story relaying that correspondent Terry McCarthy, after traveling to several Baghdad neighborhoods, "has found definite improvement." Among other developments, McCarthy reported on families feeling safe enough to take their children to the city's largest amusement park: "People feel safe to bring their kids here and have fun on a Friday afternoon. For us, it's really great to see people in Baghdad having fun."
McCarthy introduced his story recounting that although there are still daily bombings in Baghdad, "a small area of relative calm is starting to grow," relaying his visit to several neighborhoods where residents reported that "life is slowly coming back to normal." (Transcript follows)
An Armed Liberal Asks the Iraqi People About U.S. Withdrawal -- [Austin Bay - Strategy Page]
Washington's high-decibel debate over funding U.S. military operations in Iraq has utterly drowned out one of the most important voices we must consider in any substantial discussion of goals and consequences: the voice of the Iraqi people.
Iraq Report: Kirkuk, DeBathification and around Iraq -- [Bill Roggio]
There have been no major attacks inside Baghdad since the suicide bombing in the Shia market on March 29. The Iraqi government has eased the curfew in the capital as security is seen to have improved since the commencement of the Baghdad Security Plan in mid February. Al Qaeda in Iraq has been striking at the seams as U.S. and Iraqi forces move forces from the provinces to secure Baghdad.
Iraqi leadership improves fuel distribution -- [MNF-I]
TIKRIT — Iraqi provincial, security and oil officials organized an unprecedented one-day delivery of nearly 5 million liters of petroleum products to Ninewa Province Monday.
Iraqi Boat Company
First Iraqi Division's Boat Company secures waterways in the Al Anbar Province./Cpl. Chris Stankiewicz
SEVEN SUSPECTED FOREIGN FIGHTER FACILITATORS, TWO OTHERS DETAINED IN RAIDS -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD, Iraq –Coalition forces captured nine suspected terrorists Wednesday during operations targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq and foreign fighter facilitators.
During operations north of Mosul, Coalition forces raided two known foreign fighter safe houses and captured four suspects with ties to foreign fighter facilitation and the movement of weapons into Iraq.
Medical Clinic examines new Iraqi recruits
Hundreds of Iraqi recruits line up for medical examinations before being accepted into Army training./By Cpl Chris Stankiewicz
Iraqi, U.S. Soldiers bring smiles to schools -- [MNF-I]
AZ ZAIDON — The children, wide-eyed at the sight of Iraqi soldiers in their schools, seemed a little frightened at first, but within moments, as the soldiers began handing out cookies and asking questions about the day’s lessons, they warmed up.
Michael Yon: It will be part of the upcoming dispatch, "Desires of the HumanHeart."
I took this photo inside a Christian College in Baghdad last week.
Heading off to Basra with the Brits soon, then out to Anbar with the Marines.
Baghdad Dance Along
These are real videos from our unit 3rd ID, 6/8 CAV - Opperation Iraqi Freedom III
Iraq Jihadi Leagues and al-Rashideen Army Deny Statements in the Media Regarding Cooperation and Talks with the Iraqi Government -- [SITE Institute]
Recently, insurgency groups in Iraq such as Ansar al-Sunnah and the Twentieth Revolution Brigades, issued statements denying rumors and media reports that they and other insurgency groups in Iraq had united together. The Iraq Jihadi Leagues and al-Rashideen Army also issued statements to this effect, the former denying the same accusations, and the latter only refuting a charge of opening talks and cooperating with the Iraqi government.
Taking the War to the Taliban Heartland -- [Strategy Page]
April 4, 2007: The Taliban Spring offensive is off to a poor start partly because of growing disorder back in Pakistan. The Taliban bases there are in disorder because of feuding between Taliban and al Qaeda groups, as well as difficulty in recruiting young tribesmen for the war in Afghanistan. The young guys have noticed how few of last years recruits returned last Fall.
Talibanistan expands in the NWFP -- [The FourthRail]
Districts of Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Swat are Taliban country
NWFP/FATA map. Red agencies/districts are openly controlled by the Taliban; yellow are under threat. Click map to view.
As Pakistan's civil war continues, the Northwest Frontier Province slips further into the darkness of a Taliban ruled state. During a recent meeting between senior government political and security officials on March 6, the officials recognized the deterioration of the government's writ not only in the tribal areas, but in the settled districts of the province.
Oregon Soldiers Patrol Afghanistan Part 6 (raw footage)
Watch what it is like to go on an infantry patrol in Kabul, Afghanistan. Tim King was embedded as a reporter with Salem-News.com and Oregon's KPDX FOX-12. He was in Afghanistan between November '06 and January '07. Watch for language.
Afghan police raid Taliban ‘suicide prep school’ -- [Afgha.com]
Wed, 04/04/2007 - Afghan police acting on a tip stormed a madrassa in western Farah province seizing 22 Taliban members, according to officials. The raid targeted well known Taliban commander Mullah Hayatullah Khan but was not amongst those arrested. Most of those arrested are teenagers thought to be undertaking suicide bomb indoctrination.
Afghanistan peace conference with Taliban? -- [UPI]
BERLIN, April 3 (UPI) -- One of Germany's leading politicians has called for an Afghanistan peace conference involving the Taliban, a move that sparked much criticism.
Kurt Beck, the head of the Social Democratic Party, Chancellor Angela Merkel's partner in Germany's grand coalition government, made such a proposition after a trip to the war-torn country.
Brits Pardoned! -- [Jules Crittenden]
Mahmoud the Magnanimous and Merciful says the infidels may go.
The stalwart and brave commander who captured these criminals is decorated!
Breaking: Ahmadinejad says British sailors will be released; Update: Sailors meet with Ahmadinejad -- [Hot Air]
They’ll be “pardoned,” according to Fox News, in honor of “the Prophet’s birthday.” CNN is hearing the same thing. The press conference in Tehran is still going on, so standby.
Update: No details yet but here’s the AP story. It’ll be updated soon. Apparently Ahmadinejad made much of the fact that one of the sailors was a woman, and that he simply couldn’t bear to have a mother away from her children the way the west can.
Iran to Release British Hostages - So What's the Deal? -- [Andrew Cochran - Counterterroism Blog]
President Admadinejad has announced the release of the British hostages as "a gift to the British people." The official IRNA site trumpets a medal given to the commander of the Iranian coast guards who seized the hostages. Iranian and British TV broadcast video of a short meeting between Admadinejad and the hostages.
EXCLUSIVE: Cheney One-on-One -- [ABC Blog]
ABC News Radio's Ann Compton Reports: In an exclusive interview with ABC News Radio, Vice President Dick Cheney greeted the release of fifteen British sailors from Iran, blasted Democratic efforts to attach a timetable for withdrawal to an Iraq spending bill, and played the role of political pundit in the 2008 Republican presidential contest.
Regarding the soon to be released British sailors, Cheney told ABC News Radio,
American Missing In Iran: The Face With The Name -- [Jawa Report]
Thanks to co-blogger Vicki, here is Robert A. Levinson:
My good friend Linda joins me in asking for prayers.
All Worked Up -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
It's Miller Time in my part of the world and I was settling in for a nice cozy evening but now I'm all worked up. Thanks, guys.
...being a team player and all, I thought I'd make a contribution: "Steve Emerson Talks to Two Morons About Radical Muslims" (with apologies to Chuck Norris who does, in fact, sound like a moron here).
Some have called it the "haganah-ization" of US policy regarding jihadi use of the Internet -- [Internet Haganah]
...Some have called it the "haganah-ization" of US policy regarding jihadi use of the Internet
For our part we will note that this is not really news. 60 Minutes may have taken advantage of the reticence of Gen. Custer of CENTCOM to discuss such matters, in order to make it appear as though the USA is not addressing this issue, but the fact of the matter is that the Secretary of Defense signed off on something called The Information Operations Roadmap in October of 2003. Interested individuals will find a redacted version of the document online via George Washington University.
Soldiers need help -- [From My Position... On the way!]
Calling All Angels,
Calling All Angels,
We need your help right away!
Bonnie ask me to inform you of a very large group of soldiers in a remote area that need hygiene items and snacks right away!
The conditions are less then sub-standard.
This is a new camp being built from scratch, so their only access to dining and shower facilities is limited to ONE.
With over 300 women and 500 men you can just imagine! Please help them!
Some items that are needed:
Soldiers' Angels Salutes the Youth That Serve- Thank You to Some Very Special People in the United States of America -- [Soldiers’ Angels]
Soldiers' Angels encourages the nation to stand up and support the military families in their surrounding area by getting involved in a variety of ways. Throughout the month of April, the military will be hosting special programs and events to salute military children, to include, carnivals, health screening for children, youth talent shows, and more. Please contact your local military facility to see how you can best utilize your time and talent to show your appreciation during the Month of the Military Child . To all of the military children in our nation- thank you for your service to our country, you are a very important part of our freedom.
April - Month of the Military Child - Proclamation -- [Soldiers' Angels Kansas City]
Whereas, Thousands of brave Americans have demonstrated their courage and commitment to freedom by serving the armed forces of the United States of America in active duty posts around the world;
and, Whereas, More than 40 percent of these soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines have left families with children behind;
and, Whereas, More than one million of America’s children have at least one parent currently serving active military duty;
and, Whereas, These children are a source of pride and honor to us all...
Strength at Home -- [A JAG in Afghanistan -] in Afghanistan
One of my “Angels”, “Soldier’s Angels” that is, sent me the following. She said it was for Janae, I'm sending the original home, but since so many of our soldier’s wives read this page, or so I’m told, I wanted to share it with you as well. This is a tribute not only to my wife but to all the wives. Thank you Sheryl for sending this!
Ben Stein, a television personality and writer, wrote this for an Army newsletter, for The Strykers, out of Ft. Lewis, Washington. It was addressed to one of the wives of the soldiers.
Gimme Five Billion Bucks Worth of Armored Trucks -- [Strategy Page]
April 4, 2007: The U.S. military is facing a difficult procurement decision. In an effort to reduce casualties from roadside bombs, the army and marines are asking for money to buy nearly 7,000 bomb resistant vehicles. There are already some two thousand of these vehicles in use, mainly by bomb disposal troops, and units operating in areas almost certain to have lots of roadside bombs. People in bomb resistant vehicles are much less likely to be killed or injured if they encounter a roadside bomb.
Video: Man who objects to killing people joins the, um, Marines -- [Hot Air]
Even stupider than the Ehren Watada case, where the objection at least wasn’t to war per se but to the Iraq war specifically.
...He won his case to be declared a conscientious objector, naturally. Click to watch.
US and ROK Army Deserter Nabbed in Hongdae -- [GI Korea]
So what do you do when you are a deserter of two different militaries and on the run? Go to the sauna of course:
South Korean officials captured a man Sunday who they say deserted both the U.S. and South Korean militaries.
The 26-year-old, identified as Pvt. Kim, was nabbed in a public sauna in the Hongdae neighborhood of Seoul, a Ministry of National Defense spokesman confirmed Monday. The spokesman said they received a tip about Kim’s location.
Afghanistan isn't a reason -- [Center for Security Policy]
The Senate and the House have both passed bills for ending the Iraq war, or at least liquidating the American involvement in it. The resolutions, approved by the barest majorities, were underpinned by one unmistakable theme: wrong war, wrong place, distracting us from the real war that is elsewhere.
Where? In Afghanistan. The emphasis on Afghanistan echoed across the Democratic aisle in Congress from Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee to former admiral and now Rep. Joe Sestak. It is a staple of the three leading Democratic candidates for the presidency, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards. It is the constant refrain of their last presidential candidate, John Kerry, and of their current party leader, Howard Dean, who complains "we don't have enough troops in Afghanistan. That's where the real war on terror is."
Of all the arguments for pulling out of Iraq, its comparative unimportance vis-a-vis Afghanistan is the least serious.
The Daily 2008 -- [Real Clear Politics]
April 4, 2007 - Sen. John McCain is attacking the two major problems of his campaign head-on: lagging fundraising and the daily grind of Iraq. The New York Times' Adam Nagourney reports McCain will "adopt the kind of big-donor fund-raising program pioneered by President Bush and give a speech explaining his support for the administration's troop buildup in Iraq" now that his campaign has "sharp anxiety" after trailing both parties' major candidates in fundraising and struggling to change the message on Iraq.
Obama, Clinton and the Iraq war -- [Real Clear Politics]
Greg Sargent and Eric Kleefeld of TPM Cafe have put together a comprehensive list of Iraq-related voting records for Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to measure where exactly the two differ on the war. As they found, Clinton and Obama have only voted differently once, and that was this past February when the Senate voted to confirm Gen. George Casey as Army Chief of Staff. (Clinton voted against confirmation; Obama for it.)
Ground Pounding -- [Jules Crittenden]
A picture’s worth a thousand words: Pelosi hits the ground crawling. She’s also freelancing as a go-between for Israel. And it’s peace in our time! But how can Pelosi sort out the ancient woes of the Middle East and tell a peace partner from a terrorist when she hasn’t even read her own job description yet?
Pelosi Meets With Terrorists' Supporters -- [RedState]
Speaker Pelosi is too busy handing a diplomatic victory to Syria, one of the original members of the state sponsors of terrorism, to be bothered to send the war funding legislation to the president so it can be vetoed, allowing the Democrats to score a political points in the war they continue to fight, their war against President Bush.
Why Are American Officials Meeting With Terrorists' Supporters? -- [Andrew Cochran - Counterterrorism Blog]
The internet sites and cable TV shows are buzzing about the visit by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Syria today. She's not the only Member of Congress meeting with the Assad regime - three Republican Congressmen, including the normally sensible and reliable Rep. Frank Wolf of Virginia, also met with Assad this week against the express wishes of the Bush Administration. Do the four of them remember that they voted for the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003?
Paper Claims Victory in Pelosi Visit -- [Iraq Slogger]
Syria’s state-run al-Thawra claims a small victory in Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Damascus today, welcoming the visit as a change of tone, while at the same time lowering expectations for what the visit will mean in the greater picture.
Did Cindy Sheehan Commit Fraud With Charity Claim? -- [Sweetnes & Light]
April 4th, 2007 -For at least the first seven months of its existence Cindy Sheehan’s Gold Star Families For Peace claimed to be a 501c3 tax exempt charity.
The following statement appeared on the GSFP site from January 27, 2005 until at least August 16, 2005 (now only available via the Internet Wayback Machine):
Fighting the War of Ideas Like a Real War -- [Kosovodad]
This is author J. Michael Waller's attempt to formulate a much more immediate strategy to combat the propaganda of the Islamic terrorist. He argues that the US relies too heavily on ponderous, slow-to-react, public diplomacy that cannot react quickly enough to counterattack a lie-filled and internet-fueled ideology. We need to accelerate "the tempo and intensity of the nation's conduct of the war of ideas."
The Newsman More Terrorists Trust -- [Jules Crittenden]
Turns out, contrary to Drudge, CNN’s Michael Ware didn’t heckle McCain. He made his snide remarks later, when McCain wasn’t around. There’s nothing to indicate Ware attempted “to harass and try to disconcert with questions, challenges, or gibes (Merriam-Webster).” So the heckling charge is retracted. Iraq, like the United States, is (now) a free country. I’d be out of business and so would a lot of other people if we couldn’t mock our pols. Michael Ware has long made it clear where he stands, and I appreciate that.
Reuters on Bush vs al Qaeda: So successful we’re bound to fail -- [Hot Air]
Somebody cranked up the spin machine to 11 on this one. Thesis: The Bush adminstration’s strategy is beating al Qaeda. And that’s baaad.
...The article quotes several counterterrorism experts, mostly about the present state of play or what’s working against al Qaeda’s efforts to hit us here. None of them actually say that any of the administration’s success against AQ is baaaad.
But…then comes a man…to pour cold water on everything. And this man is Michael Scheuer.
CBS Responds to Complaints About '60 Minutes' Drug Story -- [NewsBusters]
In a nutshell, The National Center's David Hogberg had complained that a recent "60 Minutes" broadcast relied upon unrepresentative, artifically-high data to determine the price seniors are paying for drugs under Medicare. Second, David said "60 Minutes" falsely claimed the Veterans Administration derives its prices by negotiation with drug companies, not telling viewers the VA uses strict price controls.
Viewers were expected to conclude that VA-like negotiations by Medicare would result in lower drug prices for Medicare recipients. The critical phrase "price controls" never came up.
David also complained that the "60 Minutes" broadcast failed to tell viewers that ...
Ahmadinejad Forgives Brits in 'Spirit of Easter' -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-04-04) — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today declared 15 British sailors and marines, held hostage since March 23, to be “forgiven for their trespasses in the spirit of Easter.”
(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.
An interesting visitor -- [Calvey in Iraq - in Iraq]
McCain
You might have seen on the news that US Senator John McCain visited here on Sunday and Monday. I did not have the opportunity to meet him.
I would have liked to have met him: I greatly admire his steadfastness in the face of communist torture in Vietnam.
And I also admire his resoluteness in standing up for our mission here in Iraq while he is running for President, even in the face of media criticism and apparent apathy or worse in the polls.
...Similarly, I would suggest that if you truly support the troops, you have to support our country's mission here in Iraq at this time, however you might feel about whether we should have invaded to begin with.
If we abandon our mission in Iraq now, the terrorists win.
Iraqi citizens aid security forces -- [MNF-I]
Iraqi Army Brig. Gen. Qassim Moussawi (right) and U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Mark Fox, an MNF-I spokesman, provide an update on the progress of Fardh Al-Qanoon at the Combined Press Information Center Sunday. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jennifer Fulk, Combined Press Information Center.BAGHDAD — An Iraqi Army general and a spokesman for Multi-National Force-Iraq held a press conference concerning the progress of Fardh Al-Qanoon at the Combined Press Information Center Sunday.
Iraqi Police discover body of boy allegedly killed by insurgents -- [MNF-I]
CAMP TAJI, Iraq — While on a routine patrol, Iraqi police officers discovered the body of an 11-year-old boy April 2 in Sab Al Bor, Iraq.
The IPs found the body, a suspected murder victim, on Sudani Street. The child’s throat had been slit.
Troop B, 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment Soldiers received the initial report from the Iraqi police and assisted in gathering information. A police report of the incident indicated that a local Al Qaeda cell is suspected in the murder which was “perpetrated to instill fear in the villagers of Sab Al Bor.”
Iraqi security forces have launched an investigation to find those responsible for the murder.
National Police enter Sahaby mosque in Rashid, detain suspect -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD —Iraqi National Police entered the Sahaby mosque during an
evening operation in southeast Rashid Apr. 1.
The operation occurred after Multi-National Division-Baghdad forces
conducting a routine presence patrol were engaged by small arms fire coming
from the mosque.
Army rangers in Iraq
Wyoming Soldiers Train Iraqi Detectives -- [GX Online]
4/2/07, Kirkuk, Iraq— The Iraqi detective had been cultivating a relationship with his informant for some time. The informant knew where weapons were buried, weapons to be used against Iraqi security and Coalition Forces. When the informant finally agreed to reveal the location of the cache, the Iraqi detective’s investment of time was about to pay-off.
LT Delear Omer Ahmed, a detective with Kirkuk’s Major Crimes Unit (MCU), relayed the tip to his Coalition Force counterparts. Together, the informant led them to the find - a rocket propelled grenade booster, several rocket propelled grenades and mortar rounds. A few days later,
Good and Bad in Iraq [W. Thomas Smith Jr. - The Tank]
BAGHDAD (12:34 am EDT — 8:34 am Iraq Time) As I mentioned Sunday, there is much going on here — good and bad — that is not being reported.
First the bad: The fighting is heavier and the bombings more frequent than what we might imagine in the states.
For instance, we might read one day that there was a car-bombing in a Baghdad market that killed an untold number of people. The reality is there were probably four or more bombings just from my vantage point on that same day. And many more elsewhere in the country. That doesn't include mortar attacks and gunbattles. Intermittent shooting is throughout the day. Full-blown firefights are every night.
New Deadline for German Hostages in Iraq (Video Added) -- [Jawa Report]
UPDATE:
Click the image for video
Partial transcript of video via Reuters:
"I urge the German people to help me in my difficult situation," said Krause, according to an Arabic translation of her comments, only part of which could be heard.
Oregon Soldiers Patrol Afghanistan Part 5 (raw footage)
Testy Tribes Trash Taliban Tactics - [Strategy Page]
April 3, 2007: An example of how development projects can defeat terrorism occurred in western Afghanistan recently. On March 24th, in Farah province, some Taliban gunmen attacked a group of Afghan and Indian engineers examining a dam, in preparation for work to be done on the facility. Hearing the gunfire, over a hundred armed men came from a nearby village and attacked the Taliban, killing three of them and driving the rest away. One villager was wounded. The villagers knew that the engineering team meant jobs, and economic progress for them. All the Taliban brought was bullets and threats.
Nawrooz Festival (New year ceremony) -- [Afghan Lord - Afghani in Afghanistan]
I am corresponding at the end of the clip from the place where the traditional festival of Nawrooz took place. You can watch my face how i am excited. A huge crowed of people screaming and shouting. Many others running towards the Holey Flag of Hazrat Ali.
The Afghan Calender year starts on March 21.
I am reporting; the tight security reason today is because such worship in the of Taliban was forbidden...
Earthquake: in Sensurround! -- [Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Afghanistan]
This morning I was sitting at my laptop, checking e-mails before I headed out to work, when the hut started shaking. Since this is not something our hut usually does (in fact, never does), I was a bit concerned. I thought perhaps it had been hit by a truck, but it kept on shaking. I went outside to see if perhaps we had been hit by a truck that was backing up and ramming us again and again. Admittedly unlikely, but I felt I should rule it out. Upon going outside and seeing:
a. No truck
b. The lamp post swaying
my always nimble brain synapses burst into action, and I concluded I was in my second earthquake since coming here.
EaRtHqUaKe!! -- [Gary goes to Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
As I was sitting here in my chair this morning, I heard a helo go overhead and sometimes when they fly directly overhead, the ground will shake a bit. Well, the ground started to shake, and I thought nothing of it until the sound of the helo went away and the shaking intensified. I asked Steve if he felt it during it's early stages and he said no, and then once it picked up he said something about angelic excrement. I think by this point we figured out it was some sort of natural event as the building was rocking pretty good. By the time we made it outside it was pretty much over, but you could still see the antenna's and poles rocking back and forth. The quake was a 6.2,
Slogans Condemning "British Invasion" and Calling for the Eradication of Israel During Iranian Soccer Match -- [MEMRI Blog]
Click Here to View Clip on MEMRI TV
Iranian negotiator: No need to try Britons -- [Military Times]
Seeks diplomatic resolution to captured sailor crisis
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s chief international negotiator said Monday that the country wants to resolve the crisis over 15 captured British sailors through diplomacy and there is no need to put the crew on trial.
New Pictures Prove Life's A Party for Captured British Sailors -- [Gateway Pundit]
Guess who's back in the news having a party after the Iranian regime promised they would not release any more confessions?
...Despite allegation by some western media that the marines had made the confessions under duress, photographs, specially those taken today, prove that the British troops have acknowledged to their guilt freely and under an open atmosphere.
The pictures are captioned: "British Marines Enjoying So-Called Captivity"
Public relations, Tehran style -- [John Noonan - OPFOR- Town Hall]
There’s a common phrase used throughout the US military, BLUF. Bottom line, up front. While I’m not a fan of the service’s irritating habit of attaching an acronym to everything, I do like how BLUF cuts through excessive verbiage and unnecessary rhetoric. Those four letters simplify things, and as another four-letter military acronym will tell you (KISS: Keep it simple, stupid!) simplification is key to victory.
So when you're talking Tehran, the BLUF is this: Iran, for all their blustering, is nothing more than a paper tiger.
Speculating about Iran's motives -- [TigerHawk]
Stranded as I am in the Newtown, Pennsylvania Starbucks -- I am waiting for my son to finish choir practice at the George School -- I have a few minutes to speculate about Iran's motives in the current crisis over the imprisoned British sailors.
'Experts' Strain to Snatch Defeat From Jaws of Victory - [Jawa Report]
Catch-22, al-Reuters style.
On the one hand, Bush has crushed al Qaeda to the point where they no longer have the ability to mount an attack in the United States:
Even as al Qaeda tries to rebuild operations in Pakistan, experts including current and former intelligence officials believe the group would have a hard time staging another September 11 because of U.S. success at killing or capturing senior members whose skills and experience have not been replaced.
Al Qaeda's Generational Shift -- [Assaf Moghadam - Counterterrorism Blog]
Today’s issue of the New York Times features an article about a new generation of Al Qaeda leaders that has apparently emerged under Osama bin Laden. Citing U.S. intelligence and counterterrorism officials, the article suggests that the new leaders “rose from within the organization after the death or capture of the operatives that built Al Qaeda before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, leading to surprise and dismay within United States intelligence agencies about the group’s ability to rebound from an American-led offensive.”
American Jihadist, "Ticking Time Bomb," to Plead Guilty to Terrorism Charges -- [Andrew Cochran - Counterterrorism Blog]
WNBC in New York City reports that Mahmud Faruq Brent, of Gwynn Oak, MD, will admit that he supported terrorists and traveled to Pakistan to train with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the Pakistani-based terrorist organization. "Brent was arrested as part of the investigation into Tarik Shah, 43, a New York jazz musician who allegedly offered to use his martial arts expertise to train would-be terrorists. Shah was arrested as part of an FBI sting operation along with other defendants, including Florida doctor Rafiq Sabir who allegedly offered to use his medical skills to treat wounded terrorists. While Brent is expected to plead guilty, Shah and Sabir have denied any wrongdoing."
Real Democrat Support For The Troops -- [Villainous Company]
Senator Joe Biden, of Delaware:
"If [the armed forces] build a new type of Humvee called an MRAP [Mine Resistant Ambush Protected] vehicle," he informed the union members, "there is four times less possibility of injury to a soldier inside that vehicle." This is crucial because 70 percent of American casualties in Iraq are caused by improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the roadway bombs that often detonate underneath the flat-bottom un-armored Humvees. MRAPs have a blast-resistant V-shaped hull that displaces much of the explosive power of IEDs. "We need 7,700 [MRAPs]," Mr. Biden continued.
This Stage Too Shall Pass -- [Andi's World]
Yesterday, I was talking to a friend of mine whose husband is deployed to Iraq. I saw both she and her husband just before he deployed. We first met at Ft. Hood 13 years ago, and though we've only seen each other twice in the past ten years, we've kept in touch and remain the best of friends. I said to my friend, "I can't believe how long it's already been since he deployed," thinking that it really had been, in military time, that is. She said, "well, it's only been three and a half months." I said, "yeah, but that's a long time." She couldn't decide if it was or wasn't. I decided it was, but this deployment wasn't really mine to measure. I've already measured my two deployments.
The Falklands Revisited -- [Redstate]
Before dawn on April 2, 1982, Argentine Buzo Tactico assaulted Moody Brook barracks at Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands and took the Royal Marine garrison prisoner. The images flashed worldwide of Royal Marines, spread-eagled on the ground, probably did as much to galvanize British public opinion against acquiescing to the Argentine invasion as any identification with either the Falklands or their inhabitants.
Senate leader proposes cutting off war funds -- [Air Force Times]
WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Monday he will try to cut off funding for the Iraq war if President Bush rejects Congress’ proposal to set a deadline for ending combat.
Pelosi’s Middle East Trip Is An End Run Around Bush -- [Sweetness & Light]
Pelosi seen moving around Bush in Mideast
A BOLD STEP: Analysts call speaker’s trip ‘a big deal,’ but how much can she do?
Carolyn Lochhead, Chronicle Washington Bureau
04-03) 04:00 PDT Washington — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s arrival in Syria tonight is widely viewed in Washington as a bold end run around President Bush, raising her profile as a kind of Democratic prime minister to Bush’s Republican presidency
...Or you could call it a sophisticated form of treason.
The Truth was Massacred: A Clear-Eyed View of Haditha -- [Victory Caucus]
The media has waged a successful campaign against the Haditha Marines. With hearings on the horizon, the accused have very little public support–even among patriots who should know better.
Embedding Bloggers In Iraq Begins In Scandal -- [Cest Moi Political Blog]
It appears a fascinating opportunity exists for our community of citizen journalists to request an embed in Iraq, facilitating real-time reporting on the war in Iraq from the unique blogger perspective.
RedState broke this with an article that stated the following: RedState has been invited by the Pentagon to go to Iraq. The end of that article includes an "Attention Update" to "Lefty morons". With that said, you can imagine the relief I felt warming over me at the prospect of RedState countering the typical media bias.
First DOD Conference Call Set For Wednesday - GTL/Pentagon Discussions Continue On Embedding One Of Our Own In Iraq -- [Gun Toting Liberal]
I had a conversation with Mr. Holt of the DOD today to follow up on Alex’s conversation with them and to further review the opportunities that exist for the GTL in recognizing the blogosphere as a valid force in today’s media.
I found a great ease in my conversation with Mr. Holt. He was accomodating and very generous with his time. He appeared to be a staunch supporter of the blogosphere and recognized our penchant for getting past the “talking-point” questions to reach deep into an issue.
Backing Down From Michael Ware -- [RedState]
Perhaps it was all an April Fool's joke gone terribly wrong. Drudge put up a nice little blurb about CNN reporter Michael Ware heckling Senator McCain at a press conference in Iraq. The news got picked up by the blogosphere, but after two days and nothing further from Drudge, it appears it probably did not happen. Video from the press conference does not seem to indicate Senator McCain was heckled.
Drudge Might Have Been Right -- [Confederate Yankee]
If this is accurate, will I have to issue an apology for my apology now?
I only ask because I just stumbled across an account from an AFP journalist at the John McCain press conference in Baghdad, confirming that a reporter was giggling during the press conference:
RUBS #3 -- [Michael Yon]
I had occasion to read through the comments on the last few RUBS dispatches and I noticed, with appreciation, all the notes from families of soldiers in the 1-4 Cav, who were glad to see something, finally, about their sons, husbands and dads and the critical mission they are undertaking in Baghdad. Many lamented on how rare this kind of news is, and wanted me to know how valuable it is for them. There were also a lot of comments from people new to the site, making the point that they were hungry for news from the ground here; many were angry at “mainstream media” for failing to provide it more regularly.
Iraq Rebuilding Successes Don't Get Enough 'Ink,' General Says -- [Army News]
WASHINGTON (American Forces Press Service, March 29, 2007) - Stories of violence are overshadowing the many successes achieved by U.S., coalition and Iraqi rebuilding efforts in Baghdad and other areas of the country, a senior U.S. military engineer said today.
We Question The Timing -- [Villianous Company]
It never stops, does it? It is garbage like this that makes me want to cancel my subscription to the Post again.
Once again, the WaPo has produced another Olbermannesque paean to emotional truthiness. Never mind the facts.
Never mind the actual sequence of events. This, ladies and gentlemen, is Selective Reporting in action. Sit back and watch history unfold as Peter Eisner wishes it had happened.
EPA to Use Roe v. Wade to Regulate CO2 Emissions -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-04-03) — The Supreme Court yesterday ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must regulate carbon dioxide emissions and suggested using the court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade precedent to reduce the number of “renewable CO2 emission sources.”
(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.
IRTN Station Opening, Diyala, March 26, 2007
Station Manager Rafed Mahmood of Diyala's Independent Radion and Television Network calls for a united Iraq
Midnight Company. -- [Iraq The Model - Iraqis in Iraq]
I often find myself in arguments with people about the behavior of American soldiers when they search homes and many of the people I talk to base their argument and negative impression on the footage of some raids we see on TV or on experiences of presumed relatives or friends.
When I try to counter the idea of 'they knock down doors unnecessarily, steal jewelry and treat people bad' by saying that there must be a good reason the troops sometimes act rough and that 'for every reaxction there must have been an action' I often get the response of "what do you know about that? The Americans never searched your home"
Well, last night they did…
Iraqis Unite Behind Their Heroine on Arab 'Idol' -- [Washington Post]
Singer Transcends Sectarian Tensions
BAGHDAD, March 30 -- By early Friday night, families here were hunkered around their televisions, nervously awaiting the election results that would come hours later. In the northern Iraqi town of Irbil, thousands packed into a shopping mall courtyard and stood before a massive screen, shouting for the victory of their candidate: "Shada! Shada!"
Robot Video from Iraq -- [Moderate Risk - in Iraq]
Last week I spotted something amazing, formed into the base of my water bottle was a bold announcement: the bottle was made in Iraq. Previously, all the water we bought in Iraqi Kurdistan was from Turkey and Iran, and since I drink a lot of water, I noticed that. The first time I drank water from Iran, it was more than a little odd, then a little triumphant because I wasn't a hostage. But this water was not only made here, it was good, and the bottle was different, too. Instead of the standard 500ml, it was 600ml and beautifully formed, clear, and excellently labeled. This wasn't “attempted in Iraq”, this was proudly Made in Iraq.
Iraq: WAN Water Plant In Operation
The Falklands War -- [Lt Col P - OP-FOR]
On 2 April, 1982, the armed forces of Argentina invaded and seized the Falkland Islands, compelling the surrender of its British governor and small garrison. Thus began a short, sharp, decisive little war that few saw coming and many did not believe would happen even as it was happening. Yet it ended as abruptly (and decisively) as it began, and as with all mlitary history, offers us some important lessons.
Death Before Dishonor in Iraq -- [James Dunnigan - Strategy Page]
In late 2006, there were 1,300 terrorist attacks a week recorded in Iraq. Most of these were minor stuff, a few gunshots, or a bomb going off harmlessly (most roadside bomb attacks fail). By January, this was down to 1,000 a week, and that continues to drop. The "surge" is calming things down. It's become more dangerous for civilians to appear on the streets with guns. Iraqi civilians continue to be the primary victims of the violence, accounting for over 90 percent of the deaths. However, this includes dead terrorists, and more of them are getting killed as their safe houses and bomb factories are found and raided. American intelligence estimates that about half the terrorist operations have been shut down inside Baghdad. Terrorists who have survived the raids, have fled to the suburbs, or Western Iraq. The suburbs have become a major battleground, as many of these towns have long been all-Sunni.
IED plants -- [Desert Flier - in Iraq]
Today, more of the same. Insurgents were caught red-handed planting IED's. The Iraqi Army shot through the vehicle, and brought the casualties to us. We couldn't believe our eyes when one of the insurgents was a 12 year old boy. He sustained a serious GSW to his left foot, and we took him back to the OR for a washout and evaluation. He lost his pedal pulse, but still had posterior tibialis circulation. A good portion of his foot was tore apart---and reconstuction is beyond our capacity. So we placed a cast after the washout, and he will go to the Level III detainee hospital this evening.....the question that begs to be asked is: Why is a child placing IED's!!!!!
Sunday, April 01, 2007 -- [nine-sixteenths - in Iraq]
On the off chance that I get any repeat traffic from today's Powerline link, I would like to make a something clear.
My intention is not to change any minds on Iraq. I don't want people to stop supporting the war based on what I write. My desire is to get the truth (as I see it) out so that people can understand the frustrations and limitations of working in Iraq. I desperately want this to succeed but given what I've seen over the last 12 months, we can't get there doing business this way.
Anyone who thinks that there won't be a bloodbath when we leave is delusional. It's hard to know that and still say we need to get out of here. Especially because the people who have most bought into the idea of the new government and been our allies are going to be the first ones to die.
...We need more will. We can succeed if we have the full will of the country. We can. But if we're not going to fight this with all of our will we need to leave because we're wasting our time and lives.
Responses -- [nine-sixteenths - in Iraq]
I can't respond to everyone individually but there are a few points I would like to address:
...What I'm saying and what Mr. England is saying, is that what we're doing isn't working and that we need to change how we do business here. Victory here is vital to the national interest but the status quo will not get us there.
There needs to be support to fight the war the way it needs to be fought. We can win here but not with one arm tied behind our backs.
U.S. Troops Rescue Hostages Marked as: Mature
Iraqi Police rescued
Pop Tarts and Cocoa Puffs [W. Thomas Smith Jr. - The Tank - dispatches from Iraq]
BAGHDAD (5:52 am EDT— 1:52 pm Iraq Time): While sitting here checking my email this morning, a nearby bomb went off. The shock wave was pretty intense, shaking the building and rattling the windows. Seconds later, the shooting started about a block or two away. It lasted for about a minute.
VICTORY PAC -- [Armed Liberal - Winds of Change]
Q: "What would you like to say to those who want American troops to leave Iraq tomorrow?"
A: "I can only imagine the tragic consequences that would follow...and the blood... and the price we'd have to pay....a disaster..."
...Let's do something about it.
I'm a liberal Democrat...
I've been waiting for four years for the White House to start really explaining the war to the American people, and to do anything sensible at all to maintain the political capital necessary to keep America in the fight - to keep us from withdrawing because the war is too messy, or too long, or just plain makes us feel bad.
3rd Infantry Division (Headquarters) arrives in Iraq -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD – Multi-National Corps-Iraq welcomed the 3rd Infantry Division Headquarters out of Fort Stewart, Ga., to Iraq this week.
The Headquarters will be referred to as Multi-National Division – Center and take-up responsibilities in an operational area just South of Baghdad.
SIX TERRORISTS KILLED, 10 SUSPECTS DETAINED -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces killed six terrorists and detained 10 suspects Sunday afternoon and Monday during operations targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq couriers and vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices cells.
Monday, ground forces killed six terrorists in Mosul tied to VBIED attacks against Iraqi and Coalition Forces. During the operation, ground forces entered the first of two targeted buildings and engaged three hostile men including one armed with a pistol. As one of the men charged at Coalition Forces, self-defense measures were used killing the three terrorists.
Tal Afar citizens will not be deterred -- [MNF-I]
TAL’AFAR, Iraq– In wake of a terrorist bombing in Tal’Afar, Lt. Col. Malcolm Frost, commander of the 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, reiterated the success of Tal’Afar in not allowing the bombing to become a divisive factor in undermining confidence in the government.
“The enemy has failed in their mission. They have tried to get us to take our eyes off what is important: 15 months of progress, 15 months of schools, medical clinics, and urban renewal program...
A time Magazine Cameraman captures a firefight while on patrol with US Soldiers in Tal'Afar, Iraq.
Iraq: Splintering the Mahdi Army, 1920s Revolution's Brigades -- [Roggio Report]
Yesterday's suicide campaigns in Baghdad and Khalis led to the most deadly day since the beginning of the Baghdad Security operation. The Baghdad attack, where two suicide bombers detonated their vests in a largely Shia market, has resulted in 83 murdered, with another 138 wounded. The Khalis attacks led to another 70 killed, and scores more wounded.
Combined with Wednesday's suicide bombings in Tal Afar, which provoked off duty police and militia to conduct reprisal attacks against Sunnis, al Qaeda has been very successful in stoking sectarian fires with mass casualty suicide strikes.
More Deployment Souvenirs - Part 2 -- [Half a World Away - in Iraq]
...My gear for the day. I estimate that between the IBA and the ruck everything weighed about 75 pounds. We had a specific packing list that included 6 liters of water which definitely added quite a bit of weight. This was in addition to my assigned weapon which weighs another 11 pounds. I was at somewhat of a disadvantage as us staff pukes don't wear the IBA nearly much as the line guys.
Counting the days! -- [Task Force Phoenix 5 - in Afghanistan]
...Well the last week has been busy as I’m sure the rest of my time will be just as busy so hopefully time will go by fast with us being busy. We had another Med Cap last week and treated over 600 people. I decided not to take a whole lot of pictures and instead stay outside and help with the crowds and make sure people aren’t trying to sneak back in. I did get the picture of the baby playing on the front of one of our Hummvee’s just something that caught my eye as different but cute. Anyway we have been getting in lots of school supplies and we are doing a backpack drop today for a school with over 3000 kids. They go in 2 shifts, 8am-12noon about 2000 kids go and then from 1pm-5pm there are around 1400 kids. So lots of school supplies will be handed out within the next few days.
29 March 2007, Today I did things differently... - [Sgt Dub - in Afghanistan]
...I was down at the interpreter shack this morning helping PO B get them ready for a medical assistance mission. Our two female interpreters had a rough week. Today, they decided to start a revolution. Knowing they were going on this mission, they decided to wear short sleeve shirts exposing their arms up to the elbows. This is certainly taboo for Afghan women, I noticed it as soon as I walked into their office, so for a westerner to take notice of something like that, I can imagine the reviews they received out in the middle of a village. Well, I'll find out tomorrow how things went, but we didn't have to send the cavalry out to rescue them.
We had another attack yesterday here in Kabul. This one was a suicide bomber looking to attack an intelligence official. The target wasn't hurt but reports show up to 4 civilians were killed.
Inept Insurgent Rocket Attack
This rocket attack was supposed to hit a US base
Mohammad's Birthday -- [A JAG in Afghanistan]
Today (March 31, 2007) was a national holiday celebrating the Holy Prophet Mohammad’s birthday. Interestingly enough it’s also the day of his death. Consequently the ANA took the day off so it gave me a chance to work on a few projects that needed attention.
Spring Break at the Alamo -- [Strong Ideas - in Afghanistan]
So one thing that the command group has done better at the Alamo than at any other location in Kabul is to get members of the team to enjoy working together as a coalition team. Due, above all else, to the relative security we have here in Kabul, the leadership was able to schedule a "Spring Break" party for members of the Training Assistance Group and their guests. In addition to the sea of coalition guests that prepared their own special dinners for the party, we hosted the Air Force Rock Band, Max Impact, for a concert that night. It surpassed our Halloween jaunt for festivity and was a great release from the daily grind.
April Fool's Day -- [Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Afghanistan]
...Hamid and I were able to eat lunch together, and he said that before I left he wanted to share some happy memories of Afghanistan, and if I thought they were good stories, I could share them with you. Here’s the first one.
Always ready to roll -- [Bouhammer Afghan Blog - in Afghanistan]
Things have been fairly quiet compared to the last 11 months, but the other day we had some busy times. The rain has not stopped and the wadis are still impassable, the enemy keeps up to no good.
Even though Prophet, Rog-O, Loon, and myself are on the ANP mentoring team now, we are still part of the QRF for this FOB if anything happens. There are not enough ANA ETTs left and none outside of what was my ANA ETT team that know this area and have actual ground combat experience. So if there is enemy contact that requires US personnel to respond, we are it.
Week 11--Life on the FOB -- [Richard's Deployment to Afghanistan]
...This week my travels took me to some different areas of the FOB. It's easy for me to forget that not everyone has it as good as I do, on this FOB or on the many smaller, outlying FOBs. In fact, most of the Soldiers on FOB Salerno still live in the "tent city" pictured above. The tents sleep 8 to 12 Soldiers; the fewer the better, of course. All have wooden floors and many are sectioned into cubicles with wooden walls or curtains. And Soldiers decorate their areas, each according to his or her own tastes. "Hootch Art" is a popular way to decorate. The wooden walls make a perfect canvas. I thought this picture would make a good tattoo; then I found out that is was a reproduction of the artist's own tattoo, so I guess I was right! As time goes by the tents are being replaced by "brick and mortar" buildings, so the quality of life continues to improve for Soldiers on FOB Salerno.
Who's Not In Charge -- [Strategy Page]
April 2, 2007: When it comes to holding hostages, time is on Iran's side. The Iranians are not making much of the situation in their Iranian language media, but their Arab language broadcasts are a different story. The Arab language broadcasts feature all the images of the captive sailors, and bombast about how powerful Iran is. The Iranians are showing the Arabs, who have been depending on the West to protect their oil, that Iran is able to humiliate Western troops, without fear of retaliation. Iran has long dominated the region, and here they are reminding the Arabs how and why.
A Jihadi Circus in Tehran and the 15 sailors - [Counterterrorism Blog]
Since day one of the planned operation to snatch British sailors from Iraqi (or international waters), the Pasdaran (Revolutionary Guards) “Kitchen” in Tehran, had already drawn multiple scenarios for the following weeks and potentially months to come. Indeed the regime, reacting to significant rising pressures from sectors of its own population and from the US-UK led coalition, engineered an “escalating” incident.
More thoughts on the hostage crisis - [Pro Deo Et Patria- An Army Chaplain - in Iraq]
... this shows why a strong United States and a strong Great Britain are crucial for peace and prosperity in this world. The rest of Europe will do virtually nothing. I hope that the British will not become more like the continentals in that respect. I am proud when I see Soldiers from the UK around here in Iraq, and it's a reminder of the special relationship our countries share. We Americans ought to act as though these British hostages are Americans. We should have the same level of outrage as when the Iranians seized our embassy workers back when Carter was President. Again I'm curious to hear from people back home: how much is the media covering this? Is it a big issue?
Pakistan's Civil War -- [The Fourth Rail]
Over the past week, the Taliban have been very active in Pakistan's Northwest Frontier Province. The Taliban attacked the town of Tank, re initiated its turf war with the Uzbeks in Waziristan and continues to consolidate gains in Kohat and Bannu. But perhaps most disturbing event isn't the slow disintegration of the Pakistani state at the fringes, but the open defiance from the Taliban in the heart of Pakistani capital. At the peripheries, Pakistan is either engaged in a full scale civil war or is abandoning territory. At the core in Islamabad, the Islamist see real weakness in the Musharraf regime, and is growing bolder each day.
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.
Website with Links to Birmingham Mosque Takes Down bin Laden Book, Still Supporting Violent Jihad -- [Jawa Report]
After exposing Omar Bakri Mohammed's latest website as being registered to the same address as one of the largest Islamic centers of worship in England--The Birmingham Central Mosque-- several links have vanished. A free download of "39 Ways to Serve and Participate in Jihad" and "A Declaration of War" written by Osama bin Laden are no longer there. That's strange. It's almost as if they're afraid of something.......
Bush-Bashing Over Walter Reed Visit and a General I'm Becoming Less Fond of By the Day -- [Andi's World]
President Bush paid a visit to troops at Walter Reed on Friday, something he's done may times in the past. In their quest to pin all things wrong on President Bush, media outlets and liberal-leaning blogs have, not surprisingly, chimed in. The implications and charges range from, surely President Bush should have known things were broken as many times as he's visited Walter Reed to what took President Bush so long to get over to Walter Reed after the WaPo story broke? to this was a mere photo opportunity for President Bush. Each of these complaints are silly, partisan and reveal much more about the authors of this garbage than they do about President Bush.
If one believes that President Bush, should have known about the problems at Walter Reed from his previous visits there, I would direct you to John Murtha's congressional website, which states:...
The Last Firebase Deer Camp -- [Garland Mason USMC / US Paratrooper Ret.]
These are the last days of my son Chris (Ed) Mason's life.....
He was killed in "The War on Terrorism" by Al-Qaeda terrorist forces in a small town "Siniyah, Iraq." Chris was ambushed and killed by Al-Qaeda terrorist while he was moving into position to provide fire support for his fellow paratroopers. They had come under heavy small arms fire from Al-Qaeda forces and could not disengage. He died soon after being hit by an IED, but DOD has him being killed by small arms fire, during a firefight with Al-Qaeda at the same location. Bottom line is he was doing what needed to be done for his country..
The President of the United States, George W. Bush, authorized on Feb 1, 2007 that the following quote be placed on Chris's headstone.... "We Will Not Tire, We Will Not Falter, And We Will Not Fail" with the president's signature affixed there after.
There are few men who will pick up a weapon and fight for this country, and my son was one of the few. He died standing toe to toe with Al-Qaeda.
PRCA Chris Mason In His Own Words KIA Iraq
">
In the video Chris said,
"We chose to join the Army many knowing we would probably be sent over here, but we chose that anyway. Because we choose to believe that the patch we wear on our right shoulders stands for something, that's greater than ourselves, that's greater than where we're from, and we're the fabric that holds the flag together and we're happy to be here."
An American Family -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany] (VIDEO)
Newsweek is featuring MAJ Mike Mundell in a special this week called Voices of the Fallen. MSNBC.com has video of Mike's wife Audrey and their children Erica, Ryan, Zach, and Dale reading letters Mike sent to them from Iraq before his death.
Please take a moment to view the video and meet this American family and their Hero. I don't know where they found the strength to do this, but I'm grateful they did.
April 02, 2007 -- Deserter Corey Glass in Canada -- [Jawa Report]
(Toronto, Canada) United States Army deserter, Sgt. Corey Glass, 23, is seeking refugee status in Canada with his case currently before the Immigration and Refugee Board. A decision is expected at some "later date."
Video: Pain Ray Fries Reporter -- [Danger Room]
Most bloggers would leap out of their mothers' basements, at the chance to zap a member of the "MSM" with a real-life pain ray. Here's the next best thing: a video of the military giving a reporter an electromagnetic blast.
So the Pentagon's Joint Nonlethal Weapons Directorate is starting to aggressively market its pain ray. During a January demonstration at Moody AFB in Georgia, it zapped a few journalists (sadly, I couldn’t make it, being in London). And now, the ADS home page now has five new videos of the system in action -- from "Individual exposure," in which senior officers jump out of the way like scalded cats, to footage that gives new meaning to "Media exposure." The range of facial expressions and reactions is wonderful.
Crocodile Tears From Murtha -- [4 Mile Creek]
The Democrats, at least as far as the Presidential candidates and their strategist go, are sure that the Iraq war can be won, and that it will be obvious to most American's that it can be won by election time, 2008.
That's why they are so desperate to legislate a defeat for US forces, and a victory for al Queda.
Saudi Journalist: The Belgians Publish the Koran – And We Spread Horror -- [MEMRI]
In an article in the London daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, Saudi columnist Thuraya Al-Shihri criticized the Muslims for failing to convey the positive messages of Islam, denounced the violence being perpetrated by some Muslims, and criticized their hypocrisy. She wrote that she wondered why the Muhammad cartoons affair had been so broadly publicized in the Arab world, and had led Muslims to commit violent acts instead of making attempts to explain the values of their faith – while positive developments, such as a Belgian newspaper's publication and distribution of the Koran, do not evoke a strong reaction among the Muslims.
The following are excerpts from the article:(1)
Why Isn't There a Single Muslim Who Hasn't Heard About the Muhammad Cartoons – While a Belgian Paper's Publication of the Koran is Taken for Granted?
...The Islamist Groups "Convey Double Messages and Use Doublespeak... They Have Made Hypocrisy a Way of Life and [Believe That] the End Justifies the Means"
McCain heckled by CNN reporter -- [Drudge Report]
**Exclusive**
During a live press conference in Baghdad, Senators McCain and Graham were heckled by CNN reporter Michael Ware. An official at the press conference called Ware’s conduct “outrageous,” saying, “here you have two United States Senators in Bagdad giving first-hand reports while Ware is laughing and mocking their comments. I’ve never witnessed such disrespect. This guy is an activist not a reporter.”
April Fool's Day -- [The Rat Speaks - Afghanistan Without a Clue - in Afghanistan]
... I know I have said in the past that the mainstream media is more focused on the negative than the positive, and most of you are aware of this as well. The problem is the general population seems to be buying this bunk. The Democrats are using the funding bill to finance secure peanut storage. Are peanuts in danger? All along saying the President is denying troops funding because he will veto the bill. Why aren’t more people standing up and telling these folks they have elected to knock it off? Because they don’t know about it, that’s why! The press only paints a bleak picture as long as it fits into their agenda.
BBC Says They're Too Smart For Audience -- [NewsBusters]
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) continues to refute claims that they are heavily biased to the left and the State run entertainers deny any claims that they pander to the elites of British society. But a new internal study seems to be saying that the programing "remains too middle class and highbrow and needs to be driven downmarket". Leave it to the BEEB to imagine that they are somehow too smart for their audience.
Executives at the corporation have always denied that it is a bastion of the liberal elite, pandering to the young, upmarket and metropolitan.
But now...
Insurgent Lies and Propaganda -- [Captain's Journal]
...The usually biased but sometimes informative Azzaman has an article entitled Fallujah may slip out of U.S. control that, using primarily this incident, comes to unsubstantiated conclusions concerning the current state and future of Fallujah.
This hyperventilating account of what can only be seen as a failure by the insurgents shows Azzaman for what they are: a mouthpiece for the insurgency. In this instance, the editors at Azzaman have allowed themselves to look similar to the jihadist propaganda web sites such as Jihad Unspun that had another hyperventilating account of this incident where they attempted to make it look like something other than a tactical failure.
hr>
British Hostages Seek Asylum in Iran -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-04-01) — In a fresh, un-coerced video communiqué released today by the Iranian government, 15 British sailors and marines held captive for eight days, said they would seek asylum in Iran, “the only country that really seems to want us.”
President Bush makes fun of himself
(Need more? The previous Dawn Patrol is here.)
