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Welcome to the Dawn Patrol, our daily roundup of information on the War on Terror and other topics - from the MilBlogs and other sources around the world. If you're a blogger, you can join the conversation. If you link to any of these stories, add a link to the Dawn Patrol too and your trackback will be added to the list. Hat Tips to the Dawn Patrol are greatly appreciated.
Crossing Anbar -- [Iraq the Model - iraqis in Iraq]
We've been getting some reports about the improvement in security in Anbar in the last few months but little was said about the highway that runs across the province.
The several hundred kilometer western section of the international highway is technically Iraq's second "port" in a way as it connects Iraq with Syria and Jordan and was for years the only window to the world when all airports and the southern ports in Basra were closed to traffic in the 1990s.
My family returned yesterday from a vacation in Syria and they have used this road twice in six weeks. I had tried hard to convince them not to do that and take a flight instead but now after hearing their story I'm convinced that my fear was not justified; the road is safe…
This is good not only for Iraq's economy and traveling but also for the American troops who can use this road as an alternative supply route in case the British troops withdraw and leave the strategic southern highway between Kuwait and Baghdad unguarded.
Road leads to success, confidence restored in Tal ‘Afar -- [MNF-I]
TAL ‘AFAR — A major thoroughfare leading into Tal ‘Afar received extensive damage in March when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated along the route. But with help from Coalition forces and the local Iraqi government, the road has been reopened and completely repaved.
Dora in World Net Daily -- [Matt Sanchez - in Iraq]
BAGHDAD, Iraq – It was a very nice street. The residents of Dora came out as the 1-4 Cav walked down the mostly paved road.
Paving a road is a good sign of safety in Baghdad, where deep-buried IEDs are deadliest. An Army staff sergeant explained how the terrorists liked to burn tires over a pressure-plate IED and set it off under an unsuspecting Humvee. This street had no pressure plates, but plenty of residents who had felt the pressure of day-to-day life.
An English-speaking man in his mid-40s was one of the first to greet Lt. Col. James Crider and his men. He was animated but welcoming, even when he complained that he had waited in line and got no propane. Propane was the main means of cooking in Baghdad and throughout Iraq.
Soldiers remember Iraqi man’s sacrifice that saved their lives -- [MNF-I]
FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER — A routine meeting on Aug. 18 became a saga of tragedy and heroism when one young Iraqi man gave his life to save his family and his friends in the U.S. Army.
Coalition generals announce progress in Iraq -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD — Two Coalition representatives held a press conference at the Combined PressInformation Center Wednesday.
U.S. Army Lt. Gen. James Dubik, commanding general, Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq and U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Kevin J. Bergner, Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesman talked about recent events in Iraq and the road ahead.
The GWOT Reconstruction Report (PDF) -- [AED]
PROJECT UPDATE: Gulf Region Division Healthcare Clinic Completed…
The Al Armooshiya Primary Healthcare Center in Salah ad Din Province was completed on Aug. 8. When this clinic is staffed and operational, it will have the ability to serve approximately 35,000 residents of Al Armooshiya.
CERP Update…As of Aug. 18, 6,809 Commander’s Emergency Response Program projects have been completed out of 8,356 planned. Of these, GRD currently has 106 projects ongoing and had completed 640 projects.
Water Project Nearly Complete…Construction on the Nasiriyah Water Supply, Thi-Qar Province, is 99% complete and the estimated completion is Aug. 28. The project will benefit 555,000 people.
Children’s Hospital 62% Complete…The Basrah Children’s Hospital is 62% complete and work remains ahead of schedule.
Infrastructure…Completed GRD projects have met the program goals of increasing crude oil production capacity to 3.0 million barrels per day, liquefied petroleum gas production
capacity to 3,000 metric tons per day, and natural gas production capacity to 800 Standard Cubic Feet per day.
DATE PLANT OPENING — An Iraqi businessman loads the first batch of dates to go through the processing machine at the date plant
opening in the Babil Province. The total cost for the project was $800,000 and funded through the Commander’s Emergency Response
Report Finds Little Progress On Iraq Goals -- [Washington Post]
Iraq has failed to meet all but three of 18 congressionally mandated benchmarks for political and military progress, according to a draft of a Government Accountability Office report. The document questions whether some aspects of a more positive assessment …
Battle of "The Bums" -- [RedState]
During their mutual month-long August recesses, wherein public confidence in each has plummeted to record lows, the American Congress (“Our Bums”) is denouncing the Iraqi Parliament (“Their Bums”) as “do nothings.” Further, despite American military progress on the ground in Iraq, Washington claims Baghdad’s failure to meet political benchmarks will doom General Petraeus’ plan for victory.
Front-line lessons from the Iraq surge -- [Michael Totten - in Iraq]
While American politicians bicker among themselves from eight time zones away about whether the surge led by Gen. David Petraeus is working or not, I returned to Iraq to see for myself.
This trip - from which I returned this month - was my fourth reporting stint in the country since the conflict began. And this time, what I saw was overwhelming, undeniable and, like it or not, complicated: In some places, the surge is working remarkably well. In others, it is not. And the only way we will know for sure whether the tide can be turned is to continue the policy and wait.
I know that's not what many Americans and politicians want to hear, but it's the truth.
On my first stop, I embedded with the 82nd Airborne Division in the Graya'at area of northern Baghdad. There, the soldiers live and work in the city 24 hours a day. Their sector has been so thoroughly cleared of insurgents that they haven't suffered a single casualty this year.
Dead Eyes -- [Acute Politics - in Iraq]
It wasn't a good night to have a new LT on patrol. Our LT was was out with us, of course- the new guy would be leading the platoon coming to replace us. We were on a mission that could easily turn bad- as it happened, everyones night but ours was bad. We waited around at a Combat Outpost for hours for our Marine attachments to resolve some equiqment issues, cleared our route, and went home. One of our sister platoons ended up MEDIVACing two men on a helicopter after an IED strike, while another route clearance team out of Falluja was hit multiple times, and an EOD team hit a bomb that flipped a Cougar and sent two techs to the hospital.
Sadr calls for Mahdi Army ceasefire -- [The Fourth Rail]
Sadr denies role in Karbala fighting, orders Mahdi Army to stop all attacks, including against Coalition forces
Just one day after major clashes between Iraqi security forces and the Mahdi Army during a Shia religious celebration in Najaf, Muqtada al Sadr has ordered the Mahdi Army to halt all attacks in Iraq, including attacks against Coalition forces. The fighting in Najaf resulted in 52 killed and over 300 wounded, according to reports, and have harmed Sadr politically while placing him in the crosshairs of US and Iraqi forces.
1-28 Infantry: The Black Lions -- [Notes from Downrange - in Iraq]
...I was expecting to finish up my trip with a few days in the Kurdish city of Sulaymaniya, but because the U.S. presence in the Kurdish north is so small, transport turned out to be too difficult. I didn't really have a fallback plan, either. Luckily, late Saturday night, out of the blue, Gen. Petraeus saved the day by linking me up with Lt. Col. Frank, whom he had commanded in the 101st in 2003, so early Sunday morning, the colonel and his security squad picked me up at the absurdly luxurious al-Rasheed hotel in the IZ and brought me back with them to their AO, in southwest Baghdad.
*20th Flight* -- [Me Over There - in Iraq]
Very, very busy day yesterday. Started with 2 soldiers in full arrest on arrival, one was able to be revived. He was my flight, and this was by far my most critical patient to date. I'm proud to say he was in as good a condition, if not better, at the end of the flight compared to the beginning. Our staff invested a lot of themselves into this patient, and all were relieved to know he made it to the next level.
Several other groups of patients came in throughout the day. All turned out ok, but made for a constantly busy day, from beginning to end.
I’m Trying To Sleep, MuthaFucka! -- [From an Anthropological Perspective - in Iraq]
...What is this place, County lockup? I think not. And if that is the interaction given my soldier, a man willing to put himself in harm’s way to protect me, how is that contractor interacting with Iraqis at Camp Victory where he will work for the next six months? Might unprofessional behavior on the part of contractors feed resentment by Iraqis against Coalition Forces trying to bring stability to the country? I’ve heard soldiers call contractors some pretty negative things and I am beginning to understand their frustration and resentment. Contractors may at times be compounding problems in an exponentially complex environment.
There are many civilians and companies making a lot of money here in Iraq. There should at least be professionalism for the kind of money people are earning. The lack thereof is likely very costly in the long run in this Long War.
2am Call -- [White Rose's Adventure]
This is a call that I have received many times in the last year since I have been home from Iraq. A Soldier, or Civilian Contractor that has spent time in Iraq is having a hard time sleeping, driving, or just making it throught the day or night and needs someone to talk to that will understand. So I get the call. I don't always know what to say, but at the very least I can listen. Sometimes that is all they need. I know at times, that is all I need. To know that I am not alone, that there is someone out there that understands what I have seen and done, is enough at times to help me calm donw and go to sleep, or make that next mile.
American Forces Press Service: Hardly “The Weaker Sex” -- [ON Point]
Soldiers kept alert, but visibly struggled under the weight of dozens of pounds of battle gear. Throughout the sun-scorched day, all but two Soldiers limited their movement as much as possible. All but two could afford that luxury.
"Bolo" and "Collver" continuously walked up and down the lines of men. "Drink water," they repeated. "Are you feeling OK?" they asked. They were the two Soldiers charged with ensuring that each man stayed hydrated and returned safely to base. As usual, they were the mission's only dedicated medical personnel.
Bringing 'em back! (Part II) -- [Eighty Deuce On The Loose - in Iraq]
Just so you know I have been going in sequence with these as well. Those posts that I redid and put up with Bringing 'em Back! (Part I) were some of my very first, and right in chronological order come these posts. I believe these posts were some of the very posts that began the word being spread of my blog. These were the exciting, fun, scary and memorable days of my deployment. I hope yall enjoy them as much as I did.
Links to old posts:
The More Things Change... -- [Jake's Life - home from Iraq]
So far our days have consisted of scrubbing down weapons, taking a urine test, drawing blood, and lots and lots of sitting around. Oh yeah, and paper work. Want to know what it takes to go on leave after 7 months in Iraq? I’ll give you a hint, its more paper work than is needed to deploy to that same combat zone you are returning from. Want to go home? Request the time off. Gonna fly? Turn in your flight itinerary. Driving to the airport? Print off a street by street route that you will take, provide a mapquest printout of that same route, complete a vehicle inspection checklist, provide backup drivers, devise a ‘rest plan’ to ensure proper sleep prior to driving, write an essay on how you will mitigate the risks of driving yourself. Fill out ‘operational risk management’ forms to determine your level of individual risk. Under 25 years old? That’s a point. Single? That’s a point. Traveling further than 240 miles? Three points. Post deployment decompression time?? No points, as in not happening.
Generator operation and Villages choosing their own projects -- [A Year in Afghanistan]
...There was good news this week that a proposed project will now become reality. We've been working since December to give grants to Afghan NGOs. They would go to villages and consult with the local people to choose a small project that is important to them. Then the NGOs would work with the villagers to build it. Last week, after 8 months of working toward this, the grants were finally signed. Projects that will start soon include a gravel road, a security/privacy wall around a school, and a flood mitigation wall.
Update from the Edge of the Edge -- [Castle Argghhh! - CW4BillT - in Afghanistan]
There was a big dustup in southern Afghanistan earlier. No word on coalition casualties yet, but at least a hundred Taliban KIA. Right across the border from where the Frontier Forces were firing H&Is the other night.
The strategy of find 'em, flush 'em and fight 'em seems to be working so far.
Wanted Taliban leader killed in raid -- [Rantburg]
A wanted Taliban insurgent leader in Afghanistan, Mullah Brother, was killed on Thursday in a U.S.-led raid in the southern province of Helmand, the Afghan Defence Ministry said, citing ground commanders.
Brother served as a top military commander for the Taliban government until its removal from power in 2001 and was a member of the movement's leadership council led by its fugitive leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar.
RAF AFGHAN DIARIES: SPECIAL FEATURE: New Mates
U.S. COUNTERNARCOTICS STRATEGY FOR AFGHANISTAN -- [US State Dept]
...changing trends in poppy cultivation and trafficking, the security situation, the political climate, and economic development require significant and, in some cases, dramatic changes in the way Afghanistan and the international community implement the counternarcotics strategy.
For example, while there appears to be a trend of reduced poppy cultivation in the northern half of Afghanistan that could make it close to poppy-free by 2009, poppy cultivation in Helmand and the rest of southern Afghanistan is increasing at a rate that more than offsets the successes in the north. Although Governor Led Eradication (GLE) figures are greater this year than they were last year, political obstacles have closed the door on opportunities for much greater success in eradication.
Freedom Watch Afghanistan
Hamas Co-Founder Mahmoud Zahar Warns of World War IV -- [Gateway Pundit]
Charles Levinson, blogger and journalist at Conflict Blogger, recently interviewed deposed Hamas foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar. The Hamas official says that Islamic rule will dominate the Arab World and warns about war with the West.
The interview is now posted at Conflict Blogger:
Yassin Qadi and the Failure of UN/US Sanctions -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
Yesterday's Wall Street Journal (available by subscription only) carried an important story on Yassin Qadi, the designated terrorist financier, and his ongoing ability to end-run the international sanctions by investing in Turkey.
Qadi, who denies any ties to funding al Qaeda, has, according to reporting by Glenn Simpson, used his close friendship with Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other founders of the Islamist party, the Justice Development party, for protection and access.
Understanding and Disrupting Terrorist Financing: Funding Capacity -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
This is the third in a series of five articles. In order to disrupt terrorist financing, there must be a more comprehensive understanding of the multi-dimensional elements involved in the funding process. The first article in this series provided an overview of four components that must be included in training in order to establish a framework for understanding the complexity of terrorist financing. Each of the subsequent articles focuses on one of the four components, which include:
The Bad, the Good and the Ugly--UPDATED -- [Fuzzilicious Thinking]
...UPDATE (8/30/07, 8:15 a.m.): Labeling Talking with Heroes a spamblog was obviously a lame attempt to suppress it. But it more than just failed to suppress us... Two days ago (prior to the Google/Blogger attention that resulted from a Blogger human verifying we weren't a spamblog) we had 12 visitors, after a one-day maximum of about 200 since we started. In the first eight hours today we've had over 2,000 (after 1300+ yesterday), and are popping up on sidebars in everything from comic fanblogs to mommyblogs to typical vanity blogs. I think the plan backfired... :D
Woman collects school supplies for Iraqi children -- [Soldiers Angels Network]
Woman collects school supplies for Iraqi childrenThursday, August 30, 2007By Chris Pagano ~ Southeast Missourian
When Cindy Raines of Cape Girardeau adopted a soldier through the My Soldier program at Manhattanville College in New York, she simply typed in "troop support" on an Internet search and found that for a $10 donation she could receive the address of a soldier plus a commemorative bracelet. Two years later, she is requesting donations for notebooks, pencils, pens, scissors, glue, folders and filler paper -- basic school supplies -- for schoolchildren in Ramadi, Iraq.
Calling all Marines! -- [The Tank - W. Thomas Smith Jr.]
My good friend, Capt. Tammy Megow-Jones, with the Marine Corps Officer Selection office in Syracuse, N.Y. e-mails me with a request:
Vote here to help immortalize as an American cultural icon the famous recruiting slogan — THE FEW, THE PROUD, THE MARINES — as a "Best Slogan" for the Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame sponsored by Yahoo! in partnership with USA Today.
Vote here now.
Yet Another Improved Protective Vest -- [Strategy Page]
August 29, 2007: The U.S. Army is equipping its infantry with a new protective vest. This one covers a bit more, is more streamlined, distributes its weight more effectively, is ten percent lighter and has a quick release system. The new vest also comes in more sizes, which is welcome news to female soldiers, who appreciate more smaller sizes. There are a lot of small improvements, like more attachment points for gear, and a better camouflage pattern.
Will a U.N. Navy Defend America? -- [Accuracy in Media]
The Senate will vote in September whether to join the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, the most comprehensive and potentially dangerous treaty ever devised.
Back home and on the road again! -- [Air Force EWO - home from Iraq]
Well, I finally made it home from Baghdad! I arrived in Shreveport at 10:00 pm on the 15th of August. Of course, Cindy was there to meet me. It was a great reunion after being gone for 7 months. It's a great feeling to be back home. I'll always remember my time in Iraq; the people I worked with, and of course the war, but I love being home again.
Clinton donor wanted by FBI in scheme to funnel money -- [Rantburg]
A Pakistani immigrant who hosted fundraisers in Southern California for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is being sought by the FBI on charges that he funneled illegal contributions to Clinton's political action committee and Sen. Barbara Boxer's 2004 reelection campaign. Authorities say Northridge businessman Abdul Rehman Jinnah, 56, fled the country after an indictment accused him of engineering more than $50,000 in illegal donations to the Democratic committees. A business associate charged as a co-conspirator has entered a guilty plea and is scheduled to be sentenced in Los Angeles next week.
My contribution to the war effort ... -- [The Landlocked Sailor - in Iraq]
... Apparently is my blog ... no, seriously. I was teaching the new class of JCCS-1 guys this morning and received comments on my blog!
...My class usually runs about 45 minutes (more if they ask a lot of questions), today ran almost an hour. When we finished, we put the students on a break and I went into the hall to chat with some of them. One of the students, an ex-A-6 Intruder BN, callsign: Pearl, walked up to me and asked a few questions about life on Camp Victory. We chatted for a few minutes, and he stopped me saying, "By the way, great blog!" I was shocked that he knew who "The Landlocked Sailor's" secret identity was - he reminded me that my callsign is on the title slide of my class, and asked, "How many dudes named "Grease" are in Iraq?" ... Good point. He went on to say that the class agreed that one of the best sources of information for folks coming over here on IA's are the blogs! I guess I never thought of it that way, I thought of this venture as a way to share some of my life's daily experiences with family and friends back home. Then I thought about how many folks have visited T.L.S. during my time here (approaching 5,000 - many of those are repeat hits, but the sheer number of hits indicates a ton of new guests.
We've got a reporter from Stars and Stripes with us for a few days. -- [Richard's Deployment - in Afghanistan]
Such simple words from Phillips, but what a story.
The story of our warriors and the treatment they receive at FOB Salerno Hospital is nothing new to anyone at Richard's Deployment to Afghanistan. Afghan Nationals receiving the same great treatment, and the their gratitude, again is nothing new to the reader's of Phillips' blog.
Surprise! Another Anonymous Leak Damages US War Efforts -- [Gateway Pundit]
Genocide Be Damned! It's all about bringing down the Bush regime...
Another day- Another liberal in government leaks classified information to the Bush-hating media.
The AP has today's leak to damage the US war efforts:
...The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the report has not been made public, also said the administration is preparing a case to play down the findings, arguing that Congress ordered the GAO to use unfair, "all or nothing" standards when compiling the document.
More Big Picturing -- [Protein Wisdom]
An addendum to Karl’s post, courtesy Major General James E. Simmons, Deputy Commanding General for Support of Multi-National Forces, Iraq, [JS] who was yesterday interviewed by Hugh Hewitt [HH]. Here’s what he has to say about conditions in Basra, which we’ve been told by the mainstream press has been overtaken by radicals in the vacuum left behind by a British force withdrawal:
AP: Scolds Military for Not Using Non-Existent 'Ray Gun' in Iraq -- [NewsBusters]
This one makes you want to say, "Captain Kirk to the Starship AP. Beam us up, there's no intelligent life in the AP News Room." on August 29th, the AP published a story scolding the U.S. Military for refusing to use a non-lethal "ray gun" to control crowds in Iraq and they quote a few military sources who claim they issued an "urgent request" for the system. It takes over half the story before the reader is finally told that this system is still experimental and that this "ray gun" has never been put into production, so "urgent requests" or no, the Pentagon couldn't ship the weapon even if it wanted to because it doesn't really even exist in a field ready state. And, even as the AP admits this, the fact that this weapon doesn't really exist is never developed well enough in the story for a casual reader to easily grasp this fact. The net effect of the story causes a reader to imagine we have a warehouse filled with these life saving, non-lethal weapons and that the Pentagon refuses to release them to desperate commanders in Iraq.
Gen. Petraeus' Pivotal Report -- [Austin Bay]
Perhaps we are entering new historical terrain, where the commanding general's pivotal strategic gambit is a media event.
And media event it is. With its certain long-term global import and short-term political impact, Petraeus' report meets a hustling television exec's primal requirement: drama.
When the spotlight strikes his face and he begins to speak, we will witness drama in large letters.
No one, however, should confuse the general's appearance with entertainment.
...Petraeus' pivotal moment is the rare opportunity to correct what media analysts call "the dominant narrative."
That dominant narrative has been defeat. Defeat has been a useful narrative to that large percentage in the political class who are mere politicians, not statesmen.
Breaking The Cycle -- [Strategy Page]
August 29, 2007: The Western media has generally ignored what is really going on in Iraq. Rather than see what Iraqis, and U.S. troops are actually dealing with, an attempt by the Sunni Arab minority to win back power via a terror campaign, Western journalists and politicians ran with the "Western imperialism" angle. Very 19th century, but an illusion that even many Moslems in the region quickly discarded. The thousands of dead Moslems, victims of Islamic terrorists, horrified those closest to the carnage. Also getting little attention from the media was the dynamics of how Sunni Arab neighbors of Iraq (mainly Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia) provided varying degrees of support for the terrorists. That support is waning, now that it's clear how reviled the terrorists are. Al Qaeda went to war in Iraq, and lost. Ask any Iraqi, or American soldier there. But that's not news back home.
Wall Street Journal Lies About Sea Treaty -- [Accuracy in Media]
This article, unfortunately, is typical of the liberal media treatment of the issue. It reflects everything that is wrong with the media today, including bias and laziness. King offers no facts about where the treaty came from. For example, how many people know that one of the brains behind the treaty was a Harvard Law Professor, Louis Sohn, who believed in world government? And that Sohn favored a world government with hundreds of thousands of troops, nuclear weapons, and military bases around the world? And that Sohn was a major influence on the current Yale Law School Dean who could become President Hillary Clinton's first nomination to the Supreme Court?
Hillary: Sending Katie Couric to Iraq ‘Too Little, Too Late -- [ScrappleFace]
Hillary Clinton, D-NY, today said that the decision by CBS to send Evening News anchor Katie Couric to Baghdad, Iraq, was a “desperate move” that she called “too little, too late.” “When what you’re doing isn’t working, you need to cut ...
(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. Hat Tips to the Dawn Patrol are greatly appreciated.
The Ghosts of Anbar, Part II of IV -- [Michael Yon - journalist in Iraq]
Through the window, clearly
Over the past several years, while working into a strategic fatigue, our military has made an amazing transformation in how it conducts this war. Gone, for instance, are heavy-handed tactics, replaced by multi-dimensional counterinsurgency strategy rolled out simultaneously with targeted kinetic battles, like those recently with the 3/2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team in Baqubah.
Arrowhead Ripper was merely the latest experience that underlines the Army’s rapidly-growing expertise. Yet the Marines have adapted faster and seem poised to win the war in their battle space. In fact, it’s been Army officers who have told me repeatedly over the past several years that nobody is successfully morphing to meet this war faster than the Marines.
The Future of Iraq -- [Micahel Totten - journalist in Iraq]
MUSHADAH, IRAQ – “Al Qaeda terrifies locals,” said Major Mike Garcia from Canyon, Texas, before he put me in a convoy of Humvees with 18 American Military Police on their way to the small town of Mushadah just north of Baghdad. “The only people Iraqis may be more afraid of is their mothers. When we arrest or detain people and threaten to call up their mom, they completely freak out. Please, no, don’t tell my mother they say. Women are quiet outside the house, but they severely smack down their bad kids inside the house. When your Iraqi mother tells you to knock something off, you knock it off.”
The American military has slowly figured out how to leverage Iraq’s culture to its advantage, but it only works to an extent.
Operation Phantom Strike -- [Weekly Standard]
On August 15, several hours after night fell over Baghdad, an air assault squadron of the 3rd Infantry Division launched the first attack of Operation Marne Husky. A dozen darkened transport and attack helicopters took off and headed south along the Tigris River, carrying a full company of infantry--about 120 young riflemen with night goggles and weapons loaded. Their objective was a hamlet several dozen miles away. At about 11 P.M., the force landed and rapidly surrounded several small structures. The occupants were taken by surprise. Five suspected insurgents were captured. By 4 A.M., the entire team was airborne again.
Every night since then similar scenes have unfolded at dozens of locations in and around Baghdad--all part of a larger operation named Phantom Strike. The attacks involve units of all sizes and configurations, coming in by air and land. In some cases, the units get out quickly. In others, they pitch tents for an extended stay. The idea is to keep the enemy--al Qaeda and its affiliates--on the defense and constantly guessing, thereby turning formerly "safe" insurgent areas into areas of prohibitive risk for them.
Iraq Briefing 26 August 2007
Iraqi and Coalition forces capture a suspected distributor of Iranian weapons -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqi and Coalition forces captured a highly-sought weapons facilitator before dawn Tuesday in Baghdad.
Iraqi and Coalition Forces conducted a raid to capture a suspected weapons distributor connected to the Special Groups network. The suspected senior weapons facilitator is responsible for distributing weapons and other forms of lethal aide smuggled from Iran into Iraq. The individual is also suspected of distributing explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs. The weapons distributor is also suspected of having direct ties to other senior commanders in militias operating in and around Baghdad.
Iraqi citizens escape makeshift prison, CF find remains -- [MNF-I]
TAJI, Iraq – Seven Iraqi citizens made their way to a Coalition patrol base near Khan Bani Sa’ad Saturday, after escaping a makeshift prison.
Attack helicopters patrolling the area earlier in the morning observed three armed individuals moving in a tactical formation through a ditch in the area. After positively identifying the individuals as hostile enemy forces, the helicopter fired on their position, killing all three.
The escapees identified the remains of the three individuals as their captors and led Coalition ground forces to the location of the makeshift prison.
Kidnap Victim Rescued by US Army in Baghdad (((A MUST WATCH)))
The "General" Public -- [Matt Sanchez - journalist in Iraq]
There should be no doubt, the so-called surge is working, but, in September, I am afraid General Petraeus will downplay the positive effect for fear of appearing too partisan. It is sad that in today's society and political environment it is unacceptable for a general to be…well, a general. Even worse is an ambivalent public afraid to root for their own team.
"Our strategy in going after this army is very simple. First we are going to cut it off, and then we are going to kill it."
Projected ISF Five Year Plan (end-2012) -- [The Fourth Rail]
...What follows is heavy on speculation, estimation, and extrapolations. If sixty percent proves accurate, I will consider it good. It is based on already formed and planned ISF elements, US standard organization, and extrapolation of the planned Table of Organization and Equipment (TO/E). What I have done is take the apparent framework inferred by the current organization and filled in the missing pieces in a standard TO/E. All hard data is in italics.
A Fractured Country -- [ON Point]
Today’s Feature is different. Instead of our usual article, today we’ve taken two articles about our troops, one covering the Marines in Fallujah, and the other written by five soldiers who were stationed in Baghdad, as an example of what is happening in Iraq.
In Fallujah, and throughout Anbar Province, the Sunni’s have joined up with the Marines in rejecting the Al-quada – insurgent philosophy of terror. As reported in ON POINT and other major news organizations, The Marines and the Sunni’s are actively working together to drive out the terrorists and rebuild their cities and their province into a workable, livable environment.
In Baghdad, however, and the other Shia-centric parts of Iraq, they are still struggling for power internally, still wrapped-up in their religious fervor, and therefore their cities are still in turmoil. Those are the areas from where we hear about the horrific truck bombings and suicide attacks.
But when one looks at the successes and advances being achieved every day by the Marines – with enthusiastic Sunni co-operation, as opposed to the daily Iraqi body count coming out of the rest of Iraq, it is no wonder that stalwart GOP leaders like Sen John Warner are saying that Prime Minister Maleki and his government are part of the problem and not part of the solution. Like General David Petraeus says, it’s their country, and they have to want to take control of it.
Night Shift in Iraq"... -- [Jim Spiri - journalist in Iraq]
"Jim, it's important that you keep up with us when we
dismount and go over the wall. You got that?"
"Roger that sir", I replied.
These are the words that SSgt Mansapit had told me prior to embarking on last nights mission. I've not ever had trouble keeping up the pace. Seems I thrive on the endurance part. However, what was going through my mind from that point on until we arrived at the objective was, the wall. "Oh great", I thought to myself. " I forgot my big res "S" and my cape, you know, the one Clark Kent always keeps handy when he runs into a phone booth to save the day from what ever Jimmy Olson got him into. For the next twenty minutes or so, I went over and over in my head how to scale a wall and not get hurt.
The attack of the demon dog... -- [Eighty Deuce On The Loose - in Iraq]
The story of these two dogs would not exist without the story of one dog. That probably makes no sense right now, but I will explain, trust me. I might have mentioned it before, but we have a dog that stays at our combat outpost. A few months ago my old squad was out on patrol at night and this cute little black and white puppy began following them. They didn't pay much attention to it at first, but he kept following them and, well, he was just so damn cute. They brought him back that night. I was on guard shift and happen to be sitting on the desk inside when they brought the little guy in.
...OK, so now that I've told you about Charlie, let me tell you about this demon dog.
Taliban Believe They Are Winning -- [Strategy Page]
August 28, 2007: It's mostly about money, mainly the money coming from growing poppy plants, turning it into opium and heroin, and smuggling most of the drugs out of the country, for sale in the Persian Gulf, India, Europe and North America. The Taliban get all the publicity, but the drug gangs have all the power. It's the drug gangs that pose the most serious threat to the government. The Taliban are largely ineffective in their attacks on the security forces and government officials. The drug gangs don't want to kill these people, but to make them rich.
Freedom Watch Afghanistan Aug 28, 2007
Breaking: Korean Hostage Deal Done -- [Pat Dollard]
Both the Taliban and the Korean government have announced that a deal has been done for the release of the 19 remaining hostages. Sources indicate that they finally settled on a dollar amount for the ransom.
Koreans Bow to Taliban Demands, Hostages to Go Free -- [Jawa Report]
It is also a major supplier of law enforcement ammunition under Federal Premium, Speer Gold Dot, Lawman, and CCI Blazer brands. The law enforcement ammunition is made in plants in Idaho and Minnesota that are completely separate for their military operations at Lake City. These production lines do not, as the AP falsely states, use the same equipment used to manufacture military ammunition
China Invades Germany and Gets Caught -- [Strategy Page]
August 28, 2007: Chinese Cyber War operatives have, over the last three months, hacked into the computer networks of several German government ministries (Foreign, Economics and Research), as well as the office of the Chancellor ( Angela Merkel, the head of the government). Some 160 gigabytes of data was moved to computers in northern China. This revelation was leaked to the media while the Chancellor was in China, to discuss trade matters, and demand that China do more to stop the theft of German intellectual property.
The Drug-Terrorist Connection -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
There is much written on terrorist financing and possible sources of radical Islamist financing. We write about the Saudis (true), commodities (true) and many other parts of the puzzle. But, as the latest U.N. assessment from Afghanistan shows, one of the biggest sources of revenue now available to at least some parts of the Islamist forces is from heroin production and trafficking.
Afghanistan has set a new record on
Bang Your Head... -- [MilBlogs - Andi]
airforcewife and I recently interviewed Drowning Pool about their support for our troops. Drowning Pool is part of the USO entertainment circuit. They played in Baghdad on the fifth anniversary of 9/11 and are currently working on putting together another USO tour, which they hope will take them to Afghanistan and Iraq, and they will soon be visiting troops at Walter Reed.
Before the show, my husband were able to meet and chat with the band, and they could not have been more gracious to us. Ryan McCombs told us that his trip to Iraq "changed him forever.
While the meet-and-greet was wonderful, I was shocked, pleasantly shocked, at what happened during the concert....
Support our Troops Rally in Indianapolos, IN
Home -- [Jake's Life - home from Iraq]
I am happy to say that as I am writing this I am not in Iraq, I am not in Kuwait, I am not holding my rifle, I am not wearing cammies, I'm actually not even sweating. I am sitting at a kitchen counter in Palm Springs, CA. I just got done swimming, grilling and eating, and I enjoyed EVERY SINGLE SECOND of it.
The flight home was long, but the reward at the end was perfect. Stepping off the bus, I couldn't find my family in the crowd at first. After pathetically wandering around looking like a lost puppy for about a minute my mom finally found me.
It's Not Combat That Will Kill You -- [Strategy Page]
August 27, 2007: The military has made enormous progress in reducing the number of fatal accidents the troops are subject to. So much so that the death rate in the military, even with combat casualties, is lower now than it was in the 1990s. The Department of Defense Medical Mortality Registry shows that, even now, combat deaths make up a minority of deaths in the military. Unlike World War II, where combat deaths out numbered non-combat deaths three to one, better training, weapons and equipment have greatly reduced the combat death rate. The big danger now is accidents and disease.
More fixed-wing love -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
This is a time lapsed photo of an AC-130 gunship firing its guns and cannons while flying a circular pattern over Afghanistan. Every fifth round is a tracer, so you can imagine how many are raining down on the enemy. You do not want to be under this.
Computer Games Helps Troops Cope.
Military commanders are turning to an unusual aid to help soldiers trying to recover from the stress of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Sen. Kerry permits last statute of limitations for defamation to lapse, forever barring any defamation claim against SwiftVet authors O'Neill and Corsi -- [BeldarBlog - HT: The One and Only]
When I first brought it to his attention in September 2005, I reminded Sen. John F. Kerry that — based on the publication date on or about August 25, 2004, of Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry by John E. O'Neill and Jerome R. Corsi — Sen. Kerry had already allowed the one-year statutes of limitations for defamation to expire in Texas (where Mr. O'Neill resides), New Jersey (where Dr. Corsi resides), and the District of Columbia (where their publisher Regnery Publishing, Inc. has its principal place of business and Sen. Kerry has his own regular place of business).
Democrats Reject Earlier Arguments on Iraq -- [Weekly Standard]
Democrats and war opponents have for months argued for a withdrawal from Iraq, partly on the grounds that neither the people of Iraq nor its government would seriously attempt reconciliation so long as the U.S. commitment there seemed open-ended. Some Democrats went so far as to say that by insisting on a date-certain for withdrawal, they were helping the administration by playing 'bad cop' to President Bush's 'good cop.' If the Iraqis believed that Congress might really force a withdrawal, the argument went, they would press for reconciliation with more urgency.
Huffington Post ups Iraqi deaths past 1 million -- [Michael Fumento]
As of August 14th, 1,019,627 Iraqis "have been killed due to the U.S. invasion" according to Robert Naiman in a blog at the Huffington Post. His methodology, however, as you might guess, is a bit wanting.
He starts with a 2006 Lancet study that he says calculates 600,000 Iraqi civilians killed in the war as of July, 2006. (Actually, the study said 655,000 but then you can't expect Naiman to read actual studies or even their abstracts or conclusions.) He then updates that figure to the present by taking the estimated death figure at the website of an anti-war group called Iraqi Body Count at that time, the estimated figure now, and applying the percentage increase to 600,000. Comments on his blog express disbelief that the mainstream media has ignored this ingenious work and the horrifying conclusion - but there just may be a reason:
HuffPo: Don't Impeach Bush, Court-Martial Him -- [Weekly Standard]
A truly special example of left wing idiocy popped up over the weekend. It came from the Huffington Post (where else), which allowed "humorist" Martin Lewis space to request that General Pace arrest the commander-in-chief for conduct unbecoming.
Blogging the War -- [Badgers Forward - in Iraq]
...Both soldiers write their blogs aware of the fine line they walk with their postings. Coulson and Alanko have not experienced any Army censorship over their articles, but they make sure not to violate any security concerns in the course of their blogging.
“The bottom line is I don’t want to be writing anything that’s going to put myself or another American in danger,” said Alanko. “It’s kind of a trust system, where I’ve never violated that trust so they don’t feel that I need constant inspection to keep me in line.”
He continued, “There’s been a number of times where I’ve wanted to write about something that’s skirting the edge a little bit, that might be a little bit controversial, and in those instances I’ve gone to my chain of command and said, ‘Hey, this is what I’m thinking about, do you see a problem with this?’ And it’s all been stuff that I’ve ended up posting,” said Alanko.
Capt. Coulson said, “As a military blogger, even though I’m an independent voice, I am still an Army officer and I am that first, so I have responsibilities over the content of my blog.”
A letter to the Denver Post -- [THE DRUM and CANNON]
Denver Post cartoonist Mike Keefe set a new record for tastelessness, disrespect, and crudity in his "chickenhawk" cartoon on 8/28. He owes all veterans of the Vietnam War, especially the 50,000 plus who paid the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives, a serious apology for suggesting that it was they who "cut and run" from the war. Even Keefe must know that it was our spineless politicians and media-types, not our brave soldiers, who brought about the fall of South Vietnam. Better than an apology, Mr. Keefe should be given the opportunity to "pursue new career interests". By retaining him, the Denver Post becomes a willing accomplice in expressing disrespect and dishonor for those brave men and women who died giving their lives for their country.
MSNBC, CNBC Refuse to Run Pro-War Ads -- [Power line]
We wrote here about the television commercials that Freedom's Watch has produced, featuring veterans and their families, that urge Congress and the public to continue supporting the Iraq war. The commercials are well done, and convey the simple message that the Iraq war is important and winnable, and that we should allow our troops to see the mission through. The ads are appearing in the context of a blizzard of anti-war ads by left-wing groups, intended to pressure Senators and Congressmen into pulling the plug on the Iraq effort.
Freedom's Watch has placed its ads on Fox and CNN, but CNBC and MSNBC have refused to run the ads. Ari Fleischer wrote this morning on behalf of Freedom's Watch to let us know that CNBC and MSNBC have stubbornly refused to air the pro-war ads, even though they have run issue ads on other controversial topics. Freedom's Watch has written to CNBC and MSNBC to protest their decision; here is the text of that letter:
Bad Reporting After Bad
We've been over--and debunked--this story before:
Not only is the Washington Post running a story debunked a week before it was written, it is featuring it on the homepage.
Commenters are already shredding it, and linking to both my previous debunking and the one I recycled last night.
Was Howard Kurtz completely asleep at the wheel here?
What a trainwreck...
How A Biased Press Distorts History -- [Villainous Company]
Here's an interesting mental exercise. Get out a piece of paper and a pen. Now think of three words:
Decorated. War. Hero.
Write down - quickly - don't overthink this, the very first three names that come into your mind, regardless of your reaction to them. Whose names appeared on that little slip of paper?
The Red Cross Ambulance Incident -- [Zombie Time - HT: TigerHawk]
How the Media Legitimized an Anti-Israel Hoax and Changed the Course of a War
Of all the exposés and scandals surrounding the media's coverage of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon, The Red Cross Ambulance Incident stands out as the most serious. The other exposés were spectacular in their simplicity (photographers staging scenes, clumsy attempts at Photoshopping images), but often concerned fairly trivial details. What does it matter whether there was a big cloud of smoke over Beirut, or a really big cloud of smoke, as one notorious doctored photograph showed? The fact that the media was lying was indeed extremely important, and justified the publicity surrounding the exposés -- but what they were lying about was often minor, a slight fudging of the visuals to exaggerate the damage.
Iraqis Reach Accomodation - US Press Misses Story -- [NewsBusters]
Has the US media turned a completely deaf ear to actual events in favor of a warped view on what they wish to occur in Iraq? It would seem so. Ever since it became apparent that the miltiary 'surge' strategy was succeeding in Iraq, both the media and the Democratic Party have been complaining that the poltiical benchmarks in Iraq were not being met. in particular, they castigated the Iraq civilian leadership for failing to make strides in rteaching out to the minority Sunnis and releasing political prisoners.
'Ever Upbeat' Bush Deluded in His Iraq War Optimism, Says NYT -- [NewsBusters]
Reporter Steven Lee Myers's "White House Memo" for Monday's New York Times, "A Familiar Strategy to Help Stay the Course," portrayed the president as deluded in his Iraq optimism and chiding him for not acknowledging anti-war sentiment.
On the ISNA Conference and the DOJ -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
As Jeffrey Imm points out, Audrey Hudson of the Washington Times has reported that "[t]he Justice Department is co-sponsoring a convention held by the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) -- an unindicted co-conspirator in an ongoing federal terrorist funding case." Unfortunately, this article overstates the DOJ's involvement in the ISNA conference and offers objections to DOJ participation that seem inaccurate.
Both the headline and opening paragraph of the article state that the Justice Department is co-sponsoring the 2007 ISNA convention,
Gonzales Quits, Bush Appoints Rove Attorney General -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-08-27) — Embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales submitted his letter of resignation over the weekend to President George Bush, who today announced he’ll fill the post with departing White House adviser Karl Rove.
The president said he selected Mr. Rove because “he meets the major qualification for the job by being one of the few unemployed, longterm Bush cronies available at the moment.”
(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. Hat Tips to the Dawn Patrol are greatly appreciated.
View from the Tunnel -- [MilBlogs - Greyhawk - in Iraq]
This NY Times Op/Ed from a group of 82d Airborne NCOs is well written, thought provoking, and worthy of more than a quick read. While I disagree with many of their conclusions, the facts they present in support are indeed fact. The authors are clearly well-informed from personal observation and external sources, but in most cases the therefore that follows many of those facts is where we part company.
We are indeed working to straighten out a hell of a mess in Baghdad, and any number of things can foil our objectives. In fact, failure is easier and quicker than success, our failure can bring success to others (is, in fact, prerequisite to their success as they currently envision it) and
"Vision" - [MilBlogs - Greyhawk - in Iraq]
For viewpoints decidedly different from the links I included in my previous entry on this topic, see Paul Rieckhoff, Andrew Sullivan, Think Progress, and ...
There are two basic concepts being touted on the left:
This completely refutes a recent optimistic analysis of the war by Brookings Institute scholars Michael O'Hanlon and Kenneth M. Pollack because they were only there for 10 days while the GIs have been there for over a year.
And ...
Too hot for the Times: Vets for Freedom respond to soldiers’ anti-war NYT op-ed -- [Hot Air]
VFF agrees with the NYT soldiers that political reconciliation won’t happen until conditions on the ground make it possible. Where they disagree is how best to get to those conditions: the NYT seven hint that we should side with the Shiites and let them do what they have to do. VFF appears to think U.S. troops can defeat the radicals on both sides, which is a hard argument to be making this morning in light of the news about Pace allegedly wanting (or rather, needing) to cut troop levels in half next year:
NIE's Key Judgement -- [Outside the Wire]
As I and many have noted, the speed of battlefield has outpaced distinguished professors published in Foreign Affairs and much commentariat.
This NIE is catching up to conditions on the ground that were developing months ago.
But they Key Judgment is made on the last page:
"We assess that changing the mission of Coalition forces from a primarily counterinsurgency and stabilization role to a primary combat support role for Iraqi forces and counterterrorist operations to prevent AQI from establishing a safehaven would erode security gains achieved thus far.
Pace advises troop cuts -- [Q and O]
Given the way this is written I'm not sure there will be a clash. Most of what I've read says the Surge will continue through April of 2008. LTG Ray Odierno, 2nd in command and the day-to-day commander of Operation Phantom Thunder has said previously that if trends continue it is possible some troops may be withdrawn by the end of the year.
I would guess Petraeus is well aware of the strain a deployment of this size puts on the military and is planning for withdrawals during 2008. I'd also guess that politically that will be an attractive thing at the time for Republicans.
"Report Cites Grave Concerns on Iraq's Government" (UPDATED) -- [INDC Journal]
As this is a story based on a leaker's analysis of a forthcoming report, and not a direct analysis of the report (nor is it the report itself), apply grains of salt to taste:
Iraqi council makes strides in community -- [MNF-I]
Qaisi said the council is striving to unite the community and bring stability to Iraq. There are approximately 150 sheiks currently involved in the council. Qaisi brought three with him for support.
“All three sheiks here and the leaders of the support council along with all the other members of this support council are working very closely with the local government,” Qaisi said. “And they're working very close to stabilize the security along with accomplishing the national reconciliation with central government.”
When are we going to admit that Iran is at war with a sovereign Iraq - as well as with America? -- [Redstate]
“A Public Affairs officer within Multinational Force-Iraq privately expressed his concern to me that the media were spiking or deliberately misrepresenting reports made by the military about Iranian involvement”
Sworn to protect: Volunteers begin service to Iraq -- [MNF-I]
ABU GHRAIB — “I promise to give my allegiance and my service to the nation and people of Iraq,” the middle-aged men said in unison.
“I promise to cooperate in order to serve the Iraqi people and build a new Iraqi nation,” they continued with their hands stacked one over the other on top of a copy of the Quran.
“I will support and defend the Iraqi government and the people of Iraq against other organizations. For these reasons I sign below,” the men concluded, subsequently signing a card with the oath they had just sworn to uphold with God and one another as witnesses.
Anbar's newest Policemen
8/23/07 - HABBANIYAH, Iraq -- Men recruited within the Anbar Province become first to graduate from the Police Training Center in Habbaniyah.
Security and Justice Projects Helping Secure Iraq -- [U.S. Army Corps of Engineers]
BAGHDAD, Iraq — Thirty two court facilities are complete as well as 93 fire stations with still more security and justice projects anticipated to come on line soon, according to officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division (GRD). Correctional facilities, training academies, witness protection facilities and secure document
storage sites are on the way also.
The Future of Iraq -- [Assad Baghdad - in Iraq]
I took these pictures today while on a mission in the Adhamiya district of Baghdad -- north of the Green Zone, on the east bank of the Tigris. We dismounted our vehicles and had to walk several blocks to access the civil courthouse, where we were to meet the judge and talk with lawyers practicing at the court. Adhamiya is the oldest part of Baghdad, and predominantly Sunni. This was our 7th attempt to visit this courthouse--previous efforts had been scrubbed due to security.
After we got back to the Green Zone this afternoon, I showed the pictures to an Iraqi national who works on our staff. Iraqis can sometimes (or most of the time!) be pretty dramatic, but what he shared with me is important, and so I thought I would share it with you.
Children around Fallujah -- [Fightin 6th Marines - in Iraq]
We have been receiving a few requests about children in the area. Recently, while at a meeting in the city, we ran across this little boy. He was curious, as many kids are, but when they want to sit and play with a Marine, you know that things are going well here.
Iraq Pictures - 23 August 2007 - [Iraq Pictures]
An Iraqi bank teller counts out Iraqi dinars at the bank in Baqubah, Iraq. About 35 billion dinars were transported from the Iraqi Central Bank in Baghdad, Iraq, to Baqubah, Iraq, by the Iraqi army, without the help of coalition forces, Aug. 22
New Glass -- [Badgers Forward - in Iraq]
Road trip from Camp Ramadi to Camp Falluja. Again. But this trip is different. Down Michigan, through Ar Ramadi, through Habbinyah, and through Al Falluja - in HUMVEES. Pathfinder 6 and I are escorting journalist Bill Schaefer to the Camp to meet with Team Badger Soldiers so he can give you his version of their story.
Iraq, Insurgents shooting at our Humvee get a big surprise from the air
Links - [Acute Politics - in Iraq]
Question from Dave Dilegge (Small Wars Journal):
"Yeah, if I could just follow up on one quick thing here. If you were, say, commandant for the day or CINC for the day, what one or two capabilities that you may not have or need more of would top your list?"
Answer from COL. Simcock:
"That's an easy question. And the commandant was just out here a couple weeks ago and I told him exactly what I wish I had more of. Engineers and route clearance. Those are the two capabilities. It's a lowdensity, high-demand type capability that we just -- we need more of out here. ... They do a great job for us, but I'm just -- I just don't have enough of them. "
I hear it's pretty much the same story everywhere. What's more (as you'll soon hear when I have the final details and time to write), my guys are some of the very best.
Disappointments -- [All Quiet on the Southwest Asian Front - in Iraq]
In an additional disappointment, the BN CO has apparently decided that a concussion isn't really a combat injury, and a Purple Heart is unwarranted in my case, the regs regarding enemy-fire-blast-induced injuries notwithstanding. I'm still mixed on my feelings about that. The headaches that are still lingering may be part of that. Eh, c'est la armee.
So now the leave countdown is kicked back to 41 days. I'm too tired right now to even think straight. But I'm sure the time really is getting longer as I go now.
Day 163
Predator strike after IEDs planted on road
Taliban Leader's Strategic Name-Dropping -- [The Tank - W. Thomas Smith Jr.]
According to Stratfor (sub. req.):
Osama bin Laden is alive and actively involved in operations against U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, top Taliban military commander Haji Mansour Dadullah said, according to the transcript of a video released Aug. 22. The statement offers a glimpse of the Taliban's leadership structure and probably was motivated more by a desire to confirm Dadullah's position than to provide an update on bin Laden's status.
In the transcript of the 12-minute video released yesterday, Dadullah (aka Mullah Bakht Mohammad) — the senior Taliban military commander for southern Afghanistan and the younger brother of former top Taliban military chief Mullah Dadullah — says bin Laden is "alive and well," and that he has given him (the younger Dadullah) his (bin Laden's) "blessing" to succeed older brother Mullah Dadullah, who was killed in action against U.S. and Afghan forces in Helmand Province three months ago.
Just Another Day at the FOB ... -- [Richard's Deployment - in Afghanistan]
... The media seems to highlight the disenchanted, unhappy Soldiers but in my experience they are in the minority. For me, sometimes I feel guilty for being happy here, for enjoying life on (and off) the FOB.
But for me, the best days on the FOB are actually off the FOB. Recently I had the opportunity to visit our local Provincial Hospital in the city of Khowst. I’ve been there often enough that it feels very familiar to me. We were visiting the hospital director and conducting some training. Our relationship with the Provincial Hospital is good, and getting better all the time.
US Marine's Encounters with Children in Afghanistan
A compilation of clips from 3/3 India company US Marines encountering children in afghanistan
The eastern Afghanistan offensive -- [The Fourth Rail]
Senior al Qaeda leader may have been wounded in the ongoing battle at Tora Bora
The battle at the Tora Bora mountains in Nangarhar province has completed its first week, the fighting has intensified as Afghan Army and US forces hunt Taliban and al Qaeda fighters who have infiltrated the region. Scores of Taliban and al Qaeda operatives are reported to have been captured after upwards of 50 terrorists were killed in the initial fighting. A senior al Qaeda leader was also reported to have been wounded in the attack.
News of Afghanistan - Edition 65 -- [Miserable Donuts]
Having seen it in 2005, I was surprised to see this dam has actually held up as well as it did to this point. I suspect the locals are right that a little cleaning isn't enough.
When I see fighting in the Tagab and "Taliban" in the same story, I get suspicious. The Tagab is the main smuggling route N/S from the Panjshir Province. Guns, Goods and Opiates. Note the quote is from the "crime branch chief".
Castles Still Have Their Uses... -- [Castle Argghhh! - CW4BillT - in Pakistan]
Troops foil attack on Hangu fort
PESHAWAR (AFP): - Pro-Taliban militants attacked a paramilitary camp in northwestern Pakistan overnight in a clash that wounded a dozen soldiers, officials said Thursday.
One militant was killed in the hour-long shootout following the raid on the fort by more than a dozen heavily-armed men...[who] attacked with rockets, hand grenades, and Kalashnikov rifles, but were beaten off.
Attacking a castle, even when most of the inhabitants are asleep, is not a good idea.
"Qala-I-Bist" -- [ETT PA-C - in Afghansitan]
So in our area of operation (AO) happens to be some ruins of palaces from Alexander the Greatand many more conquerors that followed. There happens to be several smaller palaces along the Helmand River but the main one, Qala-I-Bist (castle at Bist), we recently visited. A few pics above. The palace was built in a huge rock mountain along the river a couple thousand years ago, or if my history it wrong, whenever the heck Alex the Great was hanging out in this area for vacation. So, at the top, used to be a much more. The surviving part is in the rock itself. You look down these huge shafts that are bricked about 200 feet down into the rock. It's absolutely amazing. When you look around, the basic people in this country can't build better than this, 2000 years later, albeit some western trained people can throw some construction up.
A Death in our Family -- [A*W*A*C]
I got an e-mail from Hamid today, with very sad news. For the last several months his family was supposedly working to get him engaged, as I mentioned back when I was still in Afghanistan. Well, recently he discovered that in fact, his mother had done nothing, and the girl’s family got tired of waiting, and now she is engaged to someone else. Although he has trouble writing in English, he had no trouble expressing his anguish at this betrayal. Now there is literally no one he can trust.
Finally, MSgt Gillespie, US Air Force, part of the team that replaced us in Afghanistan, was killed recently. Needless to say, this hits very close to home. Here is the press release from his home base, Luke AFB in Arizona:
Soldiers' Heroism and Charity in South Korea -- [Gazing at the Flag]
Meet PFC Russell McCanless Jr and PFC Reid Erickson. Stationed in South Korea, the two entered a building to check to see if anyone was in the apartment above a burning restaurant. They encountered an elderly woman who pleaded for them to help her daughter who was disabled. PFC Erickson assisted the mother and PFC McCanless carried the daughter to safety.
'They answered their call to duty," said Maj. Gen. James A Coggin, 2nd Infantry Division commander, during the award ceremony at Camp Red Cloud, Korea. "They put their lives on the line to help save the lives of others. Their personal courage proved to the world, proved to their fellow Soldiers and proved to themselves what being a Soldier is all about."
Defense Ministry Responds to Attempts to Give Away Korean Territory -- [GI Korea]
...It is unbelievable that the Unification Ministry is willing to give up sovereign Korean territory that ROK military personnel have lost their lives defending and the Unification Ministry didn’t even bother consulting the military about what the national security consequences of such actions would be. Than again these are the same people who treat these dead ROK military personnel as if they are criminals for defending their home land. If the Unification Ministry pushes on with changing the NLL, USFK may need to get involved because the DMZ and the NLL were established by the UN at the conclusion of the Korean War. It will be interesting to see if USFK will be willing to approve of such a change that would have national security consequences on the peninsula, especially when the ROK military does not agree with it.
Fearing the Law They Face -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
By The Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT)
Congressional plans to outlaw material support for designated terrorist groups and their leaders in 1996 caused a stir for leaders of the Texas-based Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF), evidence released Wednesday shows.
Muslims resent FBI's release of ferry passenger photos -- [Jihad Watch]
Seattle Muslims in a Full Court Victimization Press: "We need to get some type of apology from them and figure out how to get back to where we were." The FBI agents shouldn't apologize for doing their jobs and trying to protect people. Gomez is right: "people in those communities have to get over this sensitivity toward feeling victimized." And instead of resenting anti-terror efforts, some cooperation with them would be most welcome.
An update on this story.
Help Me Win a Harley, AND Honor a Fallen Hero!!!! -- [Yikes]
On Saturday, August 25, I will be participating in the first annual Mike Stokely Foundation "Ride to Remember," a fundraising event seeking to raise the funds necessary to establish a scholarship at Georgia Military College in the name of Sgt. Mike Stokely, who was killed in Iraq on August 16, 2005. In addition to raising money for a very worthy cause, which is plenty of motivation in and of itself, they are having a raffle: for every cumulative $250 donated in my name, I get a free raffle ticket for a chance to win the grand prize at the end of the day - a Harley!!!!! :-) (and I reeeeaaaaallllllyyyyyy wanna win that Harley, haha, since I'm currently bike-less and trapped in my old, falling-apart car!! Momma Kat needs new wheels, y'all!) Seriously, though: Motorcycle raffle or not, this is still a great cause: honoring one of our local fallen heroes, investing in the youth of this state and in America!! As much as I want that Harley (did I mention, I really, really, really would LUV to win it?! as would all the others who will be there, haha), what I want EVEN MORE is for this ride to be a huge success, and for the Mike Stokely Scholarship to be firmly established forever at Georgia Military College. That, my friends, is the deepest motivation for my blegging. :-)
Give 'em an inch… -- [View from the 8th Floor]
and they’ll go a mile.
That's my spin on that common catch phrase. To me, it perfectly describes many people who join Soldiers’ Angels. Show them what can be done, and they'll do five times as much as expected. Frankly, they amaze me.
Case in point. There is a new crowd of Angels out in Manassas, VA (about 30 miles west of DC). Through a corporate initiative, they were given a little encouragement and "space" (not funding) to do volunteer work, particularly in support of our men and women in uniform and their families. Different locations chose different ways to volunteer. The Manassas location chose to participate in Soldiers’ Angels programs. Part of the pitch for Soldiers’ Angels came from an employee, who just happens to be a mom, a veteran of OIF, AND a Soldiers’ Angel.
Mattis to Sharratt: Case Dismissed! -- [Eurphoric Reality]
Talk about good news coming in bunches!!! This is indeed great news. This is also proof that seemingly ordinary men who tirelessly seek the truth will be rewarded. One man that fits that description is Tim Harrington. Tim has worked so hard on digging out evidence of these men’s innocence that he’s become an ‘adopted’ member of these Marines’ families. Justice-loving people should thank Tim for his role in exposing the holes in the prosecution’s cases.
Gen. Mattis did the right thing in dropping the charges against LCpl. Justin Sharratt and Capt. Stone. I wish he’d just done it sooner.
There’s more than a few ‘down arrows’ to go around. One of them goes to Rep.
John Murtha. On May 17, 2006, Rep. Murtha declared that these Marines had “killed innocent civilians in cold blood.” We now know that that’s been proven false beyond all doubt.
Here’s what we know from Capt. Dinsmore’s testimony:
Interview | The Daily Show - Lt. Col. John Nagl [HT:SWJ]
Finally! Combating the anti-victory crowd -- [WND]
A few months ago, the national media coverage of the war in Iraq was downright depressing for military families and their supporters.
News media coverage of Iraq was showcasing acts of violence on a nightly basis. Television commentators solemnly assured us that Iraq was a hopeless cause and was already consumed by a full-blown civil war. Anti-military protesters were waging constant protests here on the home front, throwing red paint at veterans' memorials and military recruitment centers.
But now things are changing in a big way.
Digg it
"IED's, RGP, saf, and Comments"... -- [Jim Spiri - in Iraq]
...This mission was now over. We had made contact, found two IED's the hard way, an RPG was shot at us from somewhere, and lots of small arms fire was directed at us and other elements.
The bad guys area was found, again. This was the morning of August 24, 2007, in Mosul, Iraq.
By the early afternoon, we were back and I was having lunch in the chow hall. I sat near the television and listened to all the reports about Senator John Warner's comments that were all over the wires in the past 24-hours. I began to feel a bit frustrated.
Many times lately, I've seen the enemy evade and escape us. He is clever and knows the strategy of harassment. He gets caught eventually, through lots of hard work by us and many other elements working 24/7 to eliminate him. But I keep hearing this political wrangling about how and when to leave at every meal on the television in the chow hall.
I keep going back to things the President has said over the past five years about telegraphing our move to the enemy. At every place during my time in theatre, I'm constantly reminded about OPSEC, which stands for operational security. Now, I hear some of the most powerful players in our government, basically telegraphing our next move to the world audience.
SENATOR WARNER: PROTECT AMERICA, NOT GEORGE BUSH!
“Our troops have earned more time” -- [Michelle Malkin]
Democrat Rep. Brian Baird is one of the most liberal members of Congress. Last week, he made headlines and angered moonbats after returning from Iraq and concluding that precipitous withdrawal would be disastrous. Today, he has an op-ed in the Seattle Times elaborating on the need to stay and fight despite his initial opposition to the war:
The invasion of Iraq may be one of the worst foreign-policy mistakes in the history of our nation. As tragic and costly as that mistake has been, a precipitous or premature withdrawal of our forces now has the potential to turn the initial errors into an even greater problem just as success looks possible.
As a Democrat who voted against the war from the outset and who has been frankly critical of the administration and the post-invasion strategy, I am convinced by the evidence that the situation has at long last begun to change substantially for the better. I believe Iraq could have a positive future.
Hillary: Terror Attacks Help Republicans -- [NewsBusters]
In a new low of political promoting, Senator Hillary Clinton says that a new terror attack would help Republicans. The New York senator is reported by the New York Post online edition as saying,
"It's a horrible prospect to ask yourself, 'What if? What if?' But if certain things happen between now and the election, particularly with respect to terrorism, that will automatically give the Republicans an advantage again, no matter how badly they have mishandled it, no matter how much more dangerous they have made the world,"
ABC News Paints Suspicious Men on Ferry as Victims of 'Ethnic Profiling' -- [NewsBusters]
Washington State authorities and the FBI on Monday released photos, taken by the captain of a Pugent Sound ferry, of two men that passengers and crew saw acting suspiciously -- taking photos of doorways, for instance -- but Thursday's Good Morning America seemed more concerned about “ethnic profiling” than identifying the potential terrorists who had been seen on up to a half-dozen ferries. “The case is raising concerns about security. But it's also raising concerns about possible ethnic profiling,” declared news reader Kate Snow. Reporter Neal Karlinsky asked: “Are these two men terrorists casing the boats for attack?” or “are they totally innocent passengers, the victims of ethnic profiling?”
Warner: Show Qaeda U.S. Commitment Not Open-Ended -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-08-24) — Sen. John Warner, R-VA, yesterday called on President George Bush to start bringing troops home from Iraq “to show al Qaeda that the U.S. commitment to fighting Muslim terrorists overseas is not open-ended.”
“This is a two-way street,” said Sen. Warner. “We’ve kept our end of the deal, delivering crushing blows to the terror networks, but al Qaeda has refused to capitulate. It’s time to send a strong, clear message that our devotion to fighting the enemies of freedom is not a blank check.”
The influential member of the Senate Armed Services Committee said, “Usama Bin Laden
Hillary to Qaeda: Help Me Beat GOP, Halt Terror ‘Till 2009 -- [ScrappleFace]
(2007-08-24) — Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, convinced that a U.S. terror strike before the 2008 elections would help Republicans to hold the White House and recapture Congress, today called on al Qaeda to delay planned U.S. martyrdom operations until early 2009.
“I’m respectfully asking al Qaeda for a brief hiatus,” said Sen. Clinton, “until we can accomplish our shared goal of removing Republicans from power.”
Dancing Marines
5/14 Marines dancing when there is nothing else better to do.. "Since we're in the middle of nowhere.."
(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. Hat Tips to the Dawn Patrol are greatly appreciated.
The Ghosts of Anbar -- [Michael Yon - in Iraq]
Part One: The Paradox of Counterinsurgency
Iraq and this part of the world are complicated in the way, and by the way, that dysfunction always is “complicated.” Worse, in this labyrinth of history, where recent rumors have as much cache as ancient myths, facts fade quickly into mirage, granting mistakes and missteps a kind of perverse permanence. Fertile ground for paradoxes.
Interview with Lt. Col. William F. Mullen -- [Captain's Journal]
TCJ: How badly has the lack of political reconciliation harmed the efforts to pacify the Anbar Province and in particular Fallujah? It seems that there is still much animosity between Fallujah and Baghdad.
Lt. Col. Mullen: I cannot comment too much on the political situation in Baghdad, but the people here do not like the Iraqi Government and blame them for all the shortcomings in fuel, food and essential services. I will say also though that things are rarely as bad as the Iraqi’s make them out to be. They are prone to serious over exaggeration and always want to blame someone else. It is never their fault. For example, fuel arrives in the city, but to make extra money, the truck drivers sell it to “free enterprise” folks that then sell it curbside from plastic jugs - it is known as black market fuel where we come from. They charge much more than normal and keep the fuel from getting to the gas stations and city government in enough amounts to keep them open and operating. They also tap into electrical and water lines illegally to get better service, all of which seriously degrades the overall service provided. The city government is working on these things, but they all contribute to the problems Fallujah is having, and the Fallujans blame it all on the “Iranians” who make up the current.
Anbar Awakening -- [Matt Sanchez - in Iraq]
Anbar is at the center of the famous Sunni Triangle, the triangle of death. Just last September a "secret" intelligence report, that somehow reached the hands of the mainstream media, declared the former Baathist stronghold "lost" to American forces. Al Qaeda declared Anbar city of Ramadi, the capital of The Islamic State of Iraq.
Things have changed since the "spurge". Over the next few days, we'll bring you commentary and analysis of the people who have caused that change, as well as assessments of where things are heading in a place the media declared the "Key to Victory in Iraq"
Hugh Hewitt: Deputy on Iraq
They never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. -- [Iraq the Model - iraqis in Iraq]
In the last few weeks, the major political parties in Iraq have kept taking turns at damaging the political process and ultimately their own government. First, the ministers of both the Accord Front and Allawi’s bloc withdrew from the cabinet almost simultaneously, just as the unjustified summer recess was starting.
Last week, the Kurds and Shias added their share of the damage by announcing their new coalition of four parties. The move is wrong in both timing and principle; on the one hand, the date for Gen. Petraeus’ progress report in September is getting near. On the other, it’s a step in the exact opposite direction to what is needed in terms of the surge — the lifeline America has extended to save the country and allow the government in Baghdad to win the confidence of its people.
In fact I don’t know what those people were thinking when they formed this coalition; instead of trying to mend the rift and glue back the fractured unity government they come and officially reduce the government to a Shia-Kurdish alliance and further sideline reluctant Sunnis and seculars.
Audio Interview -- [Jim Spiri in Iraq]
Jim Spiri talks with Spc. Simon Valdez, from Albq, NM.
