 |
|
 |
| 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. Hat Tips to the Dawn Patrol are greatly appreciated.
More Schisms Among Jihadists and Muslim Brothers in Iraq -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
The NEFA Foundation has translated a fascinating document from the main spokesperson for al Qaeda's Islamic State of Iraq (ISI).
The message of Abu Omar al -Baghdadi is striking because it consists almost entirely of attacks on other Muslim groups, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood. These are not merely passing shots or polite disagreements, fighting words and calls to executions.
Errors have been made. Others will be blamed. -- [Jason's Iraq Vacation - in Iraq]
The title of this blog comes from a list of quotes I have hanging near my desk.
...Well, I've officially started taking steps to reduce the amount of chaos and disorder I leave this place in. Construction is starting on a massive project on the eastern edge of the depot, and will soon start on the refurbishment and rebuilding of about 25 warehouses. Money has been allocated to bring in power lines, reducing our reliance on generators that only work about 60% of the time. Next month, a brand new life support area, to include living quarters and dining facility, will be complete for our Iraqi Army members.
Roll-on Roll-off Basrah berth turned over to the Iraqi Port Authority (PDF) -- [Army Corps of Engineers]
BASRAH, Iraq - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region South district has completed and turned over the Roll-on / Roll-off berth of Umm Qasr Port in Basrah Province on Sept. 25 to the Iraqi Port Authority.
Brig. Gen. Dorko to Team: ‘Doing Great, Great Work’ (PDF) -- [Army Corps of Engineers]
Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Dorko, standing, answers questions from military, government civilian, and contractor personnel
of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region South district in a dining facility at Tallil, Iraq. [USACE Photo]
...The general’s message while addressing USACE personnel during a visit to the GRS headquarters here was upbeat as he praised the entire team, including Iraqi associates, the private contractors who provide security and other services for USACE in Iraq, and the third country nationals who guard the GRS compound. “I’m overwhelmed by what you guys have done,” he said, referring to the whole team as family.
Coalition operations lead to death of al Qaeda terrorist
On September 25, 2007, a coordinated air strike by a USAF F-16 killed Abu Usama al Tunisi. Al Tunisi was one of the most important leaders within al Qaeda in Iraq and part of the inner circle of advisors to Abu Ayyub al Masri.
Al Tunisi was known as the Emir of Foreign Terrorists in Iraq, responsible for oversight of Foreign Terrorists moving into Iraq and their coupling with terrorist cells to conduct operations.
Like all members of Abu Ayyub al-Masri's inner circle, al Tunisia (from Tunisia), was a foreigner, not an Iraqi. (more)
Joint Statement by Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker and General David H. Petraeus on U.S. Embassy and Mult -- [MNF-I]
The full Iraqi-U.S. Joint Commission on U.S. Government Protective Security Detail (PSD) operations in Iraq is preparing for its first meeting in Baghdad.
The Commission Co-Chairs have already met.
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and the Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I) affirm their mutual solidarity and cooperation in these important discussions.
Maleki Rejects Senate proposal -- [ON Point]
BAGHDAD (AP) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Friday rejected a U.S. Senate proposal calling for the decentralization of Iraq's government and giving more control to the country's ethnically divided regions, calling it a ''catastrophe.''
The measure, whose primary sponsors included presidential hopeful Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., calls for Iraq to be divided into federal regions for the country's Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish communities in a power-sharing agreement similar to Bosnia in the 1990s.
In his first comments since the measure passed Wednesday, al-Maliki strongly rejected the idea, echoing the earlier sentiments of his country's vice president.
''It is an Iraqi affair dealing with Iraqis,'' ...
Pushing the bad guys out -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD — A year ago the area to the east of Ramadi was a haven for insurgents who attacked the city. These days much has changed in the surrounding rural lands of the east.
The once violent lands of the east are patrolled and guarded by the Abu-Bali Iraqi Police (IP) and Soldiers from Company A, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment. Their latest mission was a joint operation, which gathered intelligence and pushed insurgents further from the city of Ramadi and its outlying towns.
Dronetek- From the Source: A US 1/6 Marine fires a SMAW in to enemy booby trapped building in Ramadi
A Us 1/6 Marine fires a SMAW in to enemy booby trapped building in Ramadi, Iraq.
The Horror!! 19,000 Dead Terrorists in Iraq -- [Gateway Pundit]
To the Horror of Democrats & Terrorist Regimes- The US Is Winning in Iraq
For the first time sine the war began the US military has released data on militants killed in Iraq.
Oh... And, the US military had their lowest number of fatalities this month than they have had any month all year.
Faces of Iraq--An Iraqi Policeman -- [Assad Baghdad - in Iraq]
If I can do anything while I am here, I hope it is to put a human face on Iraq for people at home--to make Iraq more than news clips of bombings and body counts. To that end, I'm starting to write a series called "Faces of Iraq". I hope that Faces of Iraq will bring more context to the war, and to the lives of Iraqis, than the American media or our policiticians seem able to. Ironically, in many cases, including today's post, for their own safety, I can't actually show you the face of the person I'm writing about.
To start, me tell you about Ali, an Iraqi policeman we met at a police station in the Rusafa district of eastern Baghdad during a normal security assessment visit.
Citizens Receive Honors for Volunteer Work -- [Defend America]
FALLUJAH, Iraq, Sept. 27, 2007 — Iraqi citizens who have volunteered time and effort to keeping their neighborhoods safe were honored during a ceremony at a schoolhouse here. Most of the volunteers had attempted to join the local police force, but were turned away because of the overwhelming number of applicants.
Putting Iraqis out front: U.S. Soldiers aid Iraqi Police with missions -- [MNF-I]
QAYYARAH — A joint Iraqi Police (IP) and Coalition forces operation recently netted a counterfeit document production facility in Qayyarah.
I Do Not Have Smallpox… I Swear! -- [Far From Perfect - in Iraq]
We went out on patrol the other night down in the South of our AO. We went out on a more or less “feel good” mission. The kind of mission where you interact a lot with the people, get to hand out toys to kids, eat Iraqi Chow (which I am eating more of than Army chow these days) and try to show everyone what great fellows the Coalition forces are. The officers spend most of their time shaking hands, kissing cheeks (and other body parts), drinking chai and politicking. Its not a bad thing to do as it tends to bring in leads and helps the people realize we are there to help them. The bad guys spend an awful lot of time in this area terrorizing families, intimidating Sheiks, and putting out anti-coalition propaganda.
Tuesday Thoughts -- [Dude, where's the beach? - in Iraq]
...Well, it was clear once we got into the shelter that the blast wasn't a rocket or mortar, but a VBIED exploding across town. Once you realize what it was, you're aware that countless innocent lives were just taken away when that blast went off, and you begin worrying and doubting your ability to help the Iraqis. If you think about it too long, and I'm guilty of this, things really start to get to you.
This morning was no different. Standing outside a security office to retrieve passes for some Iraqi Officers, another VBIED went off. This time I didn't run to a shelter because I knew exactly what it was. I knew what it was, and I knew that once again lives were taken because of some assholes who think killing innocent people will scare and terrorize the population, bending the country to their will.
An Experience in Baghdad -- [A Battlefield Tourist - embed in Iraq]
...I am not passing judgment on these soldiers because this is just one small slice of their daily fight for survival on these mean streets that have claimed their youth and their friends. There’s no way for me, or you, to judge a group of soldiers based on an eight hour day with them. To be fair, the soldiers only kicked down doors that weren’t answered in a quick fashion. They also always asked for the keys. In fact, the majority of kicked in doors were in abandoned houses that were locked up tight in the owner’s absence. However, the experience did make me wonder how you can convince a population to help if you cannot communicate with them, if you cannot cultivate a relationship with them, leaving the soldiers only an option of kicking in a door, clearing a home and then moving on.
This was clear to me when we encountered a family where a woman spoke descent, but broken English.
Backbone Of Iraqi Air Force Forms In Taji
In Taji -- [Iraq Partii - in Iraq]
I’m now settled into my new home-away-from-home, Taji. It’s another huge American base about 10 miles north of the Green Zone in Baghdad. Getting here on a nighttime helicopter mission was a little nerve racking though. I’m pretty sure that we came under small arms attack. I saw four or five intermittent flashes of light suddenly appear from this city we were flying over. The helicopter crew let out flares and got ready use their weapons but we were soon out of the danger area and really high up before anything could happen. That’s probably the only excitement I’m going to have during the nine or so months I’m here.
News from Afghanistan -- [John of Argghhh! - dispatch from Afghanistan]
Coda to Joe's tale of this trip to the Sandbox:
Well folks its been a fun couple of months but I will be on the plane home in two days. In fact I probably won’t be on this email again.
It’s been a fascinating, frustrating and fun time working in a NATO command. My roommate came up with a fitting description: “It’s just like an isosceles triangle, but it has four sides.”
...I still feel that’s the mission here and it’s a noble one. I don’t think anyone can “fix” Afghanistan but the Afghans themselves, but they can’t do that until the really evil people here who do like killing innocents either die or have a change of heart. We might not always do the right thing over here, or do it very well, but NATO’s heart is in the right place.
Freedom Watch Afghanistan - 28 September 2007
What can YOU do to help? -- [Those Wacky Iraqis]
One of my friends is the commander of a unit in Afghanistan and they are winning hearts and minds of the locals by being compassionate and caring. They have identified a group of Afghan children who are in dire need of winter clothing. I am including his info in the hope that some of you might understand that this is how we win. When we help a child they remember and maybe, just maybe, one of these children can make a difference in the future. Please help and while these children are Muslim the clothing is a fine, fine Christmas gift. There are 43 kids lsited here. You may not be able to help them all but i am sure you can help 1.
DIGGERS DEFEAT TALIBAN ATTACK IN HEAVY FIGHTING -- [Tanker Brothers]
In their heaviest fighting to date, Australian soldiers with the Reconstruction Task Force (RTF) in Afghanistan have successfully repelled a prolonged attack by approximately 50 Taliban extremists.
Contact With Taliban - Afghanistan
"Australian Soldiers from RTF-2 and American Soldiers worked side by side to prolong a attack from over 80 Taliban Extremists"
Red Cross workers kidnapped in Afghanistan -- [Herald Tribune]
KABUL: Four employees of the International Committee of the Red Cross, who had traveled outside of the capital to help negotiate the release of hostages held by the Taliban, were themselves kidnapped, the authorities said Thursday.
...But a Taliban spokesman said in a telephone interview that the militant group was not responsible for the workers' disappearance. "We don't know who arrested them," the spokesman, Qari Yusuf Ahmadi, said.
Four Red Cross staff abducted in Afghanistan (raw vid)
Four Red Cross staff, two of them foreigners, were kidnapped in the Afghan province of Wardak province on Wednesday.
Marines Help Djiboutian Villagers -- [Defend America]
NAGAD, Djibouti, Sept. 26, 2007 — The primary mission of the more than 250 Marines assigned to 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion and Heavy Marine Helicopter 464 is to provide security for Camp Lemonier and to help stabilize the area.
...“Americans are very good,” said Daoud Omar Gousieh, a Nagad native. “They have been here for seven years, and they always give.”
Reports: Military junta cuts Internet access in Burma; Sniper reportedly killed Japanese journalist Kenji Nagai -- [Michelle Malkin]
As I noted the other day, Burmese bloggers have been crucial whistleblowers and eyewitnesses to history–supplying the world with round-the-clock coverage and photos of their oppressive regime’s crackdown. Now, just as the Western press is lauding their role, the military junta has reportedly cut off Internet access:
More on Burma -- [Weekly Standard]
Again, Andrew Sullivan, has the best coverage of developments in Burma. The Bush administration has imposed sanctions on the leadership in Burma...I'm sure that'll do a lot of good, especially given the fact that "China and Russia signaled last night that they would block any UN sanctions against Burma." Meanwhile, a friend of Reason blogger Kerry Howley wrote yesterday with this disturbing message:
Battles in the War With Iran -- [Strategy Page]
While there's been no invasion of Iran, there has been a lot of Information War type operations against them. For example, all the leaks and punditry over imagined plans to invade Iran have had an impact on the Iranians. Not just the published remarks by Iranian leaders and journalists, but the private, often coded (and decrypted), messages by Iranian officials that get captured by the NSA or CIA. This kind of "information operation" is an ancient tactic, and it's getting more blatant, and interesting with regard to Iran. The best example of that are the recent interviews of U.S. Air Force planners about work being done on, well, how best to attack Iran.
Iranian Soldiers in Lebanon -- [The Tank]
Here are some facts:
Between 2,000 and 3,000 members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (Pasdaran) are currently in Lebanon. Here, these Iranian soldiers are supporting Lebanese Hezbollah fighters — actual numbers are unknown — with weapons, military equipment, and cash. They are also training them in camps (at least five such camps in the Bekaa Valley and two or three in southern Lebanon) in a variety of infantry/commando operations and terror-bombing techniques.
The Faslane Peace Camp -- [In Training]
The Faslane peace camp (and, more recently the Faslane 365 crowd) has been a blight on the landscape of Helensburgh, Scotland comparable to the San Francisco parks from the 1960s - and just about as clean - since 1982. More importantly than that though, is what a horrible effect it has on the surrounding community and how they frankly just don't give a damn about anybody but themselves.
GWOT: Developing Effective Strategic Communications -- [The Middle Ground]
...That theory reflects our current and future adversaries: the use of global communications and media, the concepts of distributed networks, dissemination of information and recruitment of "actors" and sympathizers disregarding global borders. In fact, adversaries over the ages have sought to accomplish their goals using all of these methods. More so since the development of global communications and media. Our strategy must take this into consideration and develop around this core idea.
10 Ways Online Terrorism Affects the Market -- [Jawa Report]
Pretty informative column from Jessica Hupp. Not only does she identify major threats coming from cyber terror attacks directed at businesses, she also identifies companies which may profit from the upsurge in attacks by providing added security.
The Short (but Notable) Career of Fatah al Islam -- [Strategy Page]
September 28, 2007: At the beginning of September, the Lebanese military announced it had cleared the Nahr al Bared refugee camp of the Islamic terrorist organization, Fatah al Islam ("The Victory of Islam"). In the four month long fight, the top leadership of the group was killed except for the emir (leader). This fellow, Shaker al Absi, was a personal friend of Abu Musab al Zarqawi, the late Al Qaeda in Iraq emir. Together they trained in Afghanistan where they formed a group of Islamic terrorists from Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria
Similar Threats, Similar Approaches: Improving Transatlantic Counterterrorism Ties -- [Countererrorism Blog]
A piece I wrote on how to improve transatlantic counterterrorism ties, which have been seriously tested over these past several years.
With U.S. government assistance, three "homegrown" terrorist suspects were arrested in Germany several weeks ago. Despite this success story, transatlantic counterterrorism ties have been seriously tested over the past three months:
Why She Carries This Flag"... -- [Jim Spiri - embed in Iraq]
...In my travels here in Iraq, the one comment all the troops have told me is that the only thing they need from those at home is their support while they are deployed. Nothing else is as valuable. NOTHING.
So I wondered about how to bridge that one request that I know would do more than anything I've written or photographed in the last five months. For my burden is to give to the troops whatever it is they ask. It came to me upon seeing this photo of Gracie Blackwell carrying the US flag with such dignity.
Yes, it is true, the entire nation seems to be embroiled in a perplexing situation called "The War in Iraq". However, I have witnessed and seen with my own eyes on a daily basis those we've sent here to do a job and what it is they do exactly. I've been there when times are very precarious and I've been there when times are melancholy as well. Time and time and time again, the troops long for only the support of what they are doing. As I have said in many previous posts, there will be plenty of time in the future to discuss the "details and the whys" of what is going on over here. But for now, it is important to take heed to support the troops, especially now, as the intensity of the mission increases. So what can those at home do in the meantime?
Limbaugh: Service members who support U.S. withdrawal are "phony soldiers" -- [Media Matters]
— During the September 26 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Rush Limbaugh called service members who advocate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq "phony soldiers." He made the comment while discussing …
Brookings: On Private Military Companies and Contractors -- [Grim - BlackFive]
Peter Singer of the Brookings' Foreign Policy institute wrote to ask us at BlackFive for a review of his new paper, "Can't Win With 'Em, Can't Go To War Without 'Em: Private Military Contractors." We're happy to oblige.
...I have a few minor complaints with it, but they fade away beside the overarching one. Every single complaint directed at Blackwater and company takes this form
Defense Department Examines Armor -- [PBS]
The NewsHour reports on Defense Department priorities for combatant body armor.
Sailors, Airmen and Iraq -- [Strategy Page]
September 27, 2007: The U.S. Navy and Air Force have become resigned to having over 5,000 of their personnel stationed in Iraq, providing support for army troops. The "in lieu of" sailors and airmen are given several weeks of ground combat training and sent off to, in theory, do combat support jobs the army doesn't have enough people for. But often, these non-army troops end up doing more dangerous security work, at bases, check points or, most dangerous of all, on convoy escort.
Complaints from sailors and airmen have worked their way up the chain of command, and now their generals and admirals are asking for a written agreement with the army, covering what these sailors and airmen would do (ideally, the technical jobs they were trained for) once they got to the combat zone.
Gay protection tacked onto defense bill -- [Washington Times]
The Democrat-led Senate yesterday adopted legislation giving homosexuals additional protections under federal hate-crime laws, attaching the measure to the defense authorization bill and daring President Bush to veto it as promised.
"The president of the United States has never vetoed, in the history of the United States, a defense authorization bill," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat and chief sponsor of the amendment. "For this reason and for many others ... the defense authorization deserves to be passed [into law]."
How Petraeus Moved The Debate, Literally -- [Captain's Quarters]
How far has General David Petraeus moved the debate on Iraq? His testimony on the surge, and the effects of the surge itself, has made it much more difficult for Democrats to argue for withdrawal and defeat. In fact, at last night's debate, the leading contenders for the Democratic nomination couldn't even commit to a withdrawal -- by 2013:
Seriously? THIS is "a very big deal"? -- [Jeff Emanual - embed in Iraq]
According to the Associated Press, Josh Gaines is giving back his "Iraq War medals." This, says some "Students for a Democratic Society activist" in Madison, who helped organize some protest at which Gaines will formally "mail [his] Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and National Defense Service Medal to former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld," "will be a very big deal" to "many Americans."
Really?
First of all, when I read this story to the group of people I'm sitting with right now -- a Lieutenant, a Sergeant First Class, a Staff Sergeant, a Sergeant, and a Specialist in the active duty US Army -- and in the place I'm sitting right now -- in Samarra, Iraq, with a unit (which these gentlemen are members of) that has served 14 months of its 15-month tour here (and has lost twelve men during that time) -- the result was not horror, but laughter. Genuine, serious laughter that somebody would be such a publicity-seeking idiot as to do something like this at an orchestrated protest.
...Here's a minor detail for your consumption (and one which the AP writer, in his utter ignorance of all things military -- typical -- does not have the knowledge to point out): both of those medals are automatically given to every single person who goes to Iraq.
Unreal!... Democrats Redeploy Veteran's Benefits to Philippines -- [Gateway Pundit]
The democrats talked about helping veterans...
They just didn't say which country's veterans they were going to help.
America needs a "revolution in diplomatic affairs." -- [Strategy Page - Austin Bay]
Even the State Department's chardonnay and brie brigade suspects we have entered a new era of grimy, street-level foreign policy. It's an era where effective diplomacy starts with long days in bad neighborhoods, as culturally-savvy diplomats identify the hopes, fears and trends that seed future crises, and -- preferably -- create American-influenced opportunities to positively shape events.
Col. Gibbs: Beauchamp Recanted, No He Didn't??? -- [Weekly Standard]
The Pentagon's Blogger's Roundtable series featured Col. Ricky Gibbs this morning. Gibbs is the commander of the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Multi-National Division-Baghdad, and one of the 5,000 soldiers under his command is Scott Thomas Beauchamp. I asked Col. Gibbs whether the stories told by Scott Thomas Beauchamp in the New Republic were true, and whether his command was "stonewalling" and preventing Beauchamp from speaking to the media, as the New Republic claimed in its last statement on the case on August 10.
In response to the first question, Gibbs said that he had directed an investigation into Beauchamp's allegations and determined them to be false. "The incidents did not take place," Gibbs said. And Beauchamp "admitted that himself" to the investigating officer. For clarity, I asked Gibbs again, did Beauchamp admit the stories were false? "He did admit to the investigating officer that the incidents did not take place."
At the end of the call, Gibbs returned to the subject of Beauchamp's confession to say that "Beauchamp did not recant," but that "he does not stand by the story." This caused some puzzlement among the folks on the line.
Rathergate Twoofers -- [Flopping Aces]
These people are just insane. Here is Sidney Blumenthal (yes, shouldn't be surprised that this man is insane) on the Rathergate story:
Within minutes of the conclusion of the broadcast, conservative bloggers launched a counterattack. The chief of these critics was a Republican Party activist in Georgia. Almost certainly, these bloggers, who had been part of meetings or conference calls organized by Karl Rove’s political operation, coordinated their actions with Rove’s office.
Almost certainly? Man, you have us now Sidney. You finally figured out that the timing of the posts to FR could not be because someone saw something fishy in Dan's report.
We are the world -- [The Corner - Mark Steyn]
Before Katie Couric's confession that "saying 'we' when referring to the United States" makes her uncomfortable fades from the news cycle, two observations:
Edwards Takes Public Cash to Identify with Poor - [ScrappleFace]
(2007-09-27) — In a reversal of a previous decision, Democrat presidential candidate John Edwards announced Thursday that his campaign would accept public funding “as a matter of principle to demonstrate that I identify with the poor and downtrodden who live in the second America.”
(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.
An Interview with Col. Richard Simcock, Regimental Combat Team 6 -- [ON Point]
As Col Simcock describes, Fallujah is a far different city today :
Q – What’s new in Fallujah since we last talked ?
A – I’m pleased to say that nothing is new. It’s the continuation of good news throughout my AO. We’ve just finished the last part of a ‘swarm’, which is like a small-scale surge into a district of the city, and now the last district in town is under control of the I/P’s.
Last week Gen Petraeus took Katie Couric into downtown Fallujah, and they walked down the street through the market. This wasn’t a John McCain photo op, this was a no-shit walk through the market, and she was absolutely amazed at how normal it was.
Owning the Night"... -- [Jim Spiri - embed in Iraq]
It's early in the morning here in Iraq. 0400-hours to be exact. I'm tired, my feet hurt, I'm pretty dirty and the chow hall is not open yet. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm on the southeast edge of Baghdad. I have just returned from a night air assault mission into perhaps some of the most precarious pieces of real estate in Iraq. I would be part of what is being called "Operation Marne Torch II". It was a very interesting night, as are all the days and nights I've spent on this journey.
There are times I have felt a responsibility to convey to those back stateside the historical accounts of what I've been a part of the past five months.
Tonight is for sure one of those times that I want to be able to explain in words the sights, sounds, smells, and footsteps to all those that are reading this. It is not an easy task. But for the moment, it is my task at hand, and I shall try my best to bring the readers into the experience of traveling with some troops from Ft. Richardson, Alaska, into the most dangerous parts of Iraq, at night. Although I am really tired, I must attempt to write while it is fresh in my mind.
Three Purple Hearts for One Stryker -- [Blog-ah]
CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – Imagine being a wife at home back in the states with your husband far away in a war zone. You go about your life filling every minute of your day with anything to keep your mind off of the inevitable, when suddenly you get a phone call. The voice on the other end says, “I’m at the hospital. I’ve been injured. Don’t worry I am fine.” Your heart sinks and you are helpless. There is no way to assure yourself that he is ok.
Sgt. Gregory Rayho’s wife has taken that dreaded phone call not once, but three times since July 2006.
Iraq Briefing 26 September 2007
Welcome to Baghdad! -- [Eighty Deuce On The Loose - In Iraq]
...The first dismount these guys even went on would be a night dismount. I had one of the guys from my normal team and one of the new guys. I knew he would need extra attention so I would have to make sure and keep an eye on him. We ended up dismounting and heading back into the alleyways. It was more packed than normal since Ramadan is in full swing and during the day people can't eat or anything, so the night becomes the time for eating, praying and socializing. Fortunately for us, thats all it has consisted of, at least at this point almost 1/2 way through.
Anyways, we were walking through this one busy alley when all of a sudden I see this kid that couldn't of been more than 6 years old come out of another alleyway with a gun in his hand.
The Anatomy of a Betrayal -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
More information has recently emerged about the killing of Abdul Sattar al-Rishawi (also known as Abdul Sattar Abu Risha), who led the Anbar Salvation Front. The Associated Press reported on Saturday:
...I spoke with a senior American military intelligence officer yesterday who filled me in on some of the details emerging from the investigation. He said that al-Barghouti had been in debt to some people in the car smuggling racket in Mosul who were affiliated with al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). The men in the car smuggling racket had a deal with AQI: the terror group would allow them to operate, guaranteeing their security, and in return they would pass information to AQI about who was in debt to them.
Counterinsurgency in al Qaeda’s last bastion in Baghdad -- [The Long War Journal]
Camp Striker, Baghdad Province: Nine months after the announcement of the Baghdad Security Plan and the subsequent "surge" of US forces, the battle for Baghdad remains engaged. With the effort to secure Baghdad from al Qaeda in Iraq and the Mahdi Army alike, the southwestern security district of Doura has proven difficult to tame. The soldiers of the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Calvary Regiment are currently engaged in a heated battle against al Qaeda in Iraq in a corner of Doura.
Iran Supplies MANPADS to Insurgents
In a story that has some concern to me personally...
US military spokesman Rear Admiral Mark Fox told reporters in Baghdad that Iran was shifting sophisticated arms such as "RPG-29s, explosively-formed penetrators (EFPs), 240 mm rockets and Misagh-1 surface-to-air missiles" across its borders into Iraq.
Meanwhile back home, people are having discussions over tea with the leader of a nation(the same nation that is giving arms to people who are trying to kill me) that would kill all of them in a heartbeat if he could get away with it.
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
Of course there are those that view this story with a skeptical eye, which is easy to do if someone is not shooting these things at you.
Mr. David Axe at the blog Danger Room points out that knockoffs of knockoffs are rarely effective (which is true enough in and of itself), claiming that the Misagh 1 is effectively a knockoff of a QW-1 which is in turn a knockoff of a SA-16.
Marines from Task Force Guardian Patrol Fallujah
Marines from Task Force Guardian patrol to keep the area around Fallujah safe.
A Soldier’s plea -- [Q and O]
We've recently had a spate of soldier written editorials such as the one written by 7 members of the 82nd Airborne Division which essentially supported redeployment.
Here's another sincere article from a National Guard officer who is working with a Provincial Reconstruction Team in the north of Iraq. As you will see, his experience has been tough but encouraging. He obviously understands the amount of work still required of this mission. His conclusion, however, says what needs to be said about as well and as elegantly as it can be said:
The reasons America got involved in Iraq may be suspect. But US forces are here, parts of the country are still broken, and regional security may hang in the balance if we don't stay and help the Iraqis fix it. The effort is succeeding in the north, and it can in the rest of Iraq as well. America's forefathers had help from other nations when the United States was born. Allow us to continue to help Iraq be reborn.
Marines guard Iraq's gradual transformation -- [Matt Sanchez - in Iraq]
In Ramadi, personality sometimes 'more useful than body armor'
HURRICANE POINT, Ramadi – If you head west from this small forward operating base located on Route Michigan, you'll reach a bridge that crosses a peaceful river. It would be easy to spend an afternoon walking along the riverbank, and many Iraqis do.
The Choice -- [Strategy Page]
September 26, 2007: Five months ago, only about 20 percent of Baghdad was considered under U.S. or Iraqi government control. Various Shia and Sunni militias held sway in the rest. Then the "Surge" began, in the form of some additional 10,000 American combat troops sent into the city. By July, about half the city was under control, with militias, gangster and terrorist groups forced into other neighborhoods, or out of the city. Now it's 54 percent under control, as U.S. troops prepare to go after the Shia militias in Sadr City (eastern Baghdad.) The major problem is corruption and a lack of police loyal to the government.
A bipartisan way out of Iraq -- [csmonitor]
Our troops have served our country courageously and brilliantly, but our engagement in Iraq has degraded our security, pushing our Army to the breaking point so that it cannot confront other pressing security concerns at home and abroad.
My military service as a three-star vice admiral – having led an aircraft carrier battle group in combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and served as director of the Navy's anti-terrorism unit – convinces me that an inconclusive, open-ended involvement in Iraq is not in our security interests. Ending this war is necessary. But how we end it is of even greater importance for both our security and our troops' safety. These two considerations are the dual catalysts for a bipartisan discussion on this issue.
News of the 1st Division of Foot. -- [John of Argghhh!]
Sergeant Hook - not posting much, because he's been busy. Busy deploying his Combat Aviation Brigade to Kuwait, preparatory to them moving into Iraq.
...CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait - For two weeks, Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division Families tearfully bid farewell to their Soldiers.
Hours later, those same troops bid hello to Kuwait.
CAB Soldiers benefited from a shipping out procedure the Army has refined over several years. "It was long, but it was pretty well organized. If you've been deployed, it went pretty smoothly compared to previous deployments," said Spc. Brandon Graham, an Apache crew chief with Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment.
The Franchise -- [Strategy Page]
September 25, 2007: The fighting has killed nearly 5,000 people so far this year. About two thirds have been Taliban, fifteen percent civilians, and most of the rest Afghan security forces. Taliban casualties have grown as the year went on, often reaching a hundred or more dead a week. There have been more cases of Taliban rounding up young children to use as human shields, to aid in escaping pursuing Afghan or foreign troops. The Taliban have two things going for them, to keep this violence going; tradition and cash. For thousands of years, the Afghan tribes have automatically fought any foreign troops, and that includes anyone claiming to be the government of Afghanistan.
Scores of Taliban die in Afghan clashes: U.S. military -- [EIN News]
... KABUL (Reuters) - U.S.-led coalition and Afghan forces killed scores of Taliban insurgents in ... separate battles in southern Afghanistan, the U.S military said on Wednesday. More than 65 Taliban ... reported by the Afghan government and foreign troops, calling them propaganda. Several provincial officials and ...
Meanwhile in Afghanistan -- [Q and O]
Afghanistan has its own set of problems, that's for sure. But a competent enemy doesn't seem to be one of them at the moment
...I bring this up because of a conversation I had a couple of weeks ago with one of our generals in Afghanistan who said that the level of competence among the Taliban had been severely degraded by the constant pressure both coalition and Afghan troops had kept on the Taliban. You remember the Taliban's promised spring offensive that never materialized?
That's because CF and the Afghan army went after them all winter
Winning in Afghanistan - [FrontPageMagazine.com]
Earlier this month, greatly underreported by the media but ground-breaking nevertheless, the Taliban signaled its readiness to start peace negotiations with the Kabul government, indicating a setback if not defeat. The Taliban’s preparedness to discuss peace, dropping its long-standing demand that NATO troops must leave the country first, came only two days after Afghanistan’s president, Hamid Karzai, said he was willing to hold talks.
“For the sake of national interests…we are fully ready for talks with the government,” Yousuf Ahmed, a Taliban spokesman, was quoted as saying.
This striking and significant breakthrough in the Afghanistan conflict came after last month’s “jirga” (tribal meeting) in Kabul. Described as a “peace jirga” by one observer, this important gathering was made up of hundreds of members of different tribes from both Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Operation Chakush - The Royal Welsh Forces Fight In Upper Gereshk Valley
Welsh soldiers have been involved in a task force level operation to drive the Taliban out of the Upper Gereshk Valley, in Southern Afghanistan. Known as the ‘green zone’ in Helmand Province – the area is devoid of civilians, they have left the area knowing that the Taliban fighters are preparing for battle. The objective is to extend the influence and control of Afghanistan’s democratically elected Government as well as enabling vital reconstruction and development projects to gain a foothold in the region.
Warrior -- [One Marine's View]
As Afghan forces were pelting the five humvees carrying American soldiers without mercy, then-Pvt. Channing Moss took aim and fired back with the machine gun fixed atop one of the tanks under fire.
..."I looked down and saw the tailfins of the rocket sticking out of my left pelvic bone," Moss told The Times on Thursday. He had been hit by an RPG that had not detonated upon contact.
(Back) among the Nomads -- [Thomas' Myspace - in Afghanistan]
Following up on a promise we made to their elder last week, our medical team returned to the Kuchi village just west of our base on Tuesday. We came bearing medical care, again, but this time for them and their children, rather than their animals.
Since they had fewer people than animals, this operation was a bit smaller in scale than the one last week. It was also much more chaotic, owing in part to the fewer medical folks we had with us, but also the innate dislike Afghans have for lines or any type of gathering other than a mob.
Angry Wasps in Afghanistan....after explosion...amazing
A fallen rock was blocking a route in Afghanstan and EOD decided to blow it up. Camera captures a nest of wasps that were under the rock....they go crazy
How Can I Explain This? -- [Bill and Bob's Excellent Afghan Adventure - in Afghanistan]
...We operated from the firebase, meeting up with our Afghan counterparts for the missions that we did with them. We did missions daily with them, many of them now vehicle-borne. On some, we dismounted and patrolled areas as a presence, to gather any intelligence that might be available, or fight whoever wanted to fight.
One patrol took us down to the main town that The Valley is named after. It has the dirtiest bazaar I've ever seen, and until recently the bazaar itself and basically the whole town was under undisputed Taliban control. Major Stone Cold bought a goat, and the guy who sold him the goat also came back to the district Police station and slaughtered it for us.
SBS In Daring Afghan Rescue - [Rogue Gunner]
British special forces have taken part in a daring raid to rescue two Italian hostages in Afghanistan.
Operatives from the Special Boat Service became embroiled in a fierce firefight during the operation.
They flew in on board four Lynx helicopters and struck as the kidnappers left their compound in the province of Farah.Read It Here
Military brains plot Pakistan's downfall -- [Asia Times - Syed Saleem Shahzad]
...The aim of the takfiris now is to extend the current insurgency against the establishment in the North Waziristan and South Waziristan tribal areas of Pakistan into a large-scale offensive to bring down the central government or force the government to support their cause.
The US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and Pakistan's post-September 11, 2001, about-turn into the camp of the United States led to a marriage of convenience among the flag-bearers of Ibn Taymiyyah's ideology, zealots of al-Qaeda and experts in Giap's guerrilla strategy - former officers of the Pakistani armed forces who were upset with Pakistan's policy reversal, which included abandoning the Taliban.
RE: Former Pakistani Military Officers Aid Guerilla Efforts -- [The Tank - Steve Schippert]
Daveed directs readers to the always well-connected Sayed Saleem Shahzad's report on former Pakistani military officers aiding the Taliban-al-Qaeda alliance inside Pakistan. Since Daveed mentions the topic, I should share with interested readers of The Tank that I published this morning a somewhat broader analysis on the accelerating al-Qaeda insurgency in Pakistan and the Information Operation campaign against the Pakistani Army soldiers that helps inspire the current rash of Pak military defections.
Lee Bollinger's Case for War Against Iran -- [Weekly Standard]
Samantha Sault has an excellent round up of the reaction to Mahmoud Ahmadinehad's appearance at Columbia, and Lee Bollinger's introduction of him. But watching Bollinger's comments make me wonder how the Columbia president can be anything other than a strong proponent of forceful and aggressive action against the Iranian regime. Heck--he makes the case for war with Iran more forcefully than Norman Podhoretz:
Terrorist Lawyer Lynne Stewart to Teach Legal Ethics -- [Stop the ACLU]
She faced up to 30 years for conspiring with a terrorist and got a slap on the wrist of 28 months in October of last year. So how is it that she is able to teach a class now? The judge said Stewart could remain free while she appeals, a process that could take more than a year. Is this still going on?
And of all things, she will teach a law school about ethics? What ethics?
Accused Swedish Militant Extradited to the U.S.-- [The Blotter]
A suspect sought by the United States for allegedly plotting to establish a terror training camp in the northwest United States was extradited from the Czech Republic to the United States, where he arrived today.
Oussama Kassir, a Lebanon-born Swedish citizen who is an alleged associate of Abu Hamza al Masri, the radical cleric currently jailed on terror-related charges in Britain, was arrested on Sunday in the Czech Republic after a court ruled there was no reason to refuse a 2006 U.S. extradition request.
Why Is New York's Governor Inviting Terrorists to Get a NY Drivers License? -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
You cannot control illegal immigration purely at our borders, but must also create an inhospitable environment for illegal aliens who succeed in entering and making their way to the interior of the United States. The immigration laws of our nation are clear that anyone who induces aliens to enter our country illegally or reside in our country in violation of law or conspire to do so are violating our laws. Section 1324 of the Immigration and Nationality Act is quite clear on this issue:
Al-Qaeda in Iraq Publishes List of Tribal Leaders It Intends to Assassinate Before 'Id Al-Fitr -- [MEMRI Blog]
The Islamist website http://www.elshouraa.ws/vb, hosted by SoftLayer Technologies Inc. in Texas, USA, has published a list of names, some with photos, titled "Pictures of the Infidels and Apostates Wanted by the Islamic State of Iraq." The message accompanying the list praises the September 13, 2007 assassination of Al-Anbar Salvation Council head 'Abd Al-Sattar Abu Risha by the ISI,[i] and threatens other tribal leaders who oppose Al-Qaeda: "We killed your leader and sheikh on the first day of Ramadan, as we promised you. You should know that the ISI will prevent most of your [other] leaders from offering up their holiday prayers [on 'Id Al-Fitr at the end of the month of Ramadan]. You will never see 'Id Al-Fitr, because [the jihad fighters] have turned [this] Ramadan into a grave for the apostates. [Abu Risha] is the first... dead hypocrite of this month – [the month of] jihad and mujahideen – and will be followed by many others."
Homes for Our Troops -- [A Soldier's Perspective]
We got an email recently from a patriot and friend who is also a member of the Patriot Guard Riders, Melanie Warwick, that I would like to share. Hopefully, there is someone within our readership that is in the area and able to lend a hand (or knows someone who can):
Thank you so much for your support of Homes for Our Troops and the Veterans we serve. In the past few years we have grown by leaps and bounds and it is in thanks to you. To date we have built 16 homes and have 20 more in various stages of construction all over the country. We have several corporate and repeat sponsors that help to make it so much easier to give to the Veterans who have given so much for us.
We are currently working on a home for SPC Fair in Coraopolis, Pa.
MESSAGE FROM HOME (WIVES DEDICATION)
by Lonestar
OPERATION: LOVE FROM HOME 2007 -- [Yikes]
OK, here we go again..... time to collect cards for our Heroes overseas!! Last year, thanks to all of you working together, over 20,000 (yes, that's TWENTY THOUSAND) Christmas/holiday cards were shipped to our troops in harm's way. Let's do it again this year! I know we can!!! Our heroes need us now more than ever -- let's show them our love & appreciation!
Durbin, Obama want VA to explain deaths at Marion hospital -- [Boston Globe]
CHICAGO --Sens. Dick Durbin and Barack Obama want the secretary of Veterans Affairs to explain how a surgeon with a history of malpractice complaints in Massachusetts was hired at a VA medical facility in Southern Illinois.
San Francisco "just says no" to the Marines -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
The City of San Francisco sure doesn't seem to have a problem closing off city streets to accommodate protests and demonstrations, but don't ask for permission to film a recruitment commercial for the Marines. The filming would have required one lane of California Street to be closed for a few minutes at a time during the morning rush hour on the anniversary of 9/11.
Terms of Art -- [Major Andrew Olmsted - in Iraq]
By popular request, a brief glossary of military terms and acronyms. This post will be updated as necessary as I think of additional terms.
Guess The Owner Of This Building
The U.S. Navy has decided to spend as much as $600,000 for landscaping and architectural modifications to obscure the fact that one its building complexes looks like a swastika from the air.
The four L-shaped buildings, constructed in the late 1960s, are part of the amphibious base at Coronado and serve as barracks for Seabees.
Nostos -- [Desrt Flier- home from Iraq]
...Saturday morning landing in Cherry Point, North Carolina. The cheers and clapping bring the plane to a roaring good touchdown. Flight crew laughing and clapping right along with us. After un-loading and loading our gear several more times on the flight line, we board buses for the hour ride to Camp Lejune. Families are there waiting. We coordinate to make sure new Dads get off the buses first. And there we are: exhausted, soaked in sweat, and smelling up the bus like a petting zoo.
Nobody cares. Buses roll up. Wives are holding their cheeks, crying and trembling in their beautiful summer dresses. Dads rush off first with laughing and running children jumping into their arms. Moms join the fray. A few parents make it too, and they stand patiently in the back waving little American flags. I hang back a minute or so on the bus, just taking it all in. A Rockwellian moment comes to life outside my little bus window. And right here/right now: all somehow seems right in the world.
Hey there fellow Bigots! -- [MilBlogs - CDR Salamander]
I guess we have all failed to live up to all the Diversity training we take. At least, that is what Sen. Kennedy (D-MA) thinks.
On the Senate floor just a few minutes ago, Kennedy said a hate crimes amendment should be attached to the defense authorization bill because members of the U.S. military commit a significant number of hate crimes.
United in Defeat -- [Dadmanly]
In commentary published in the Christian Science Monitor, former three-star vice admiral and now Congressman, Rep. Joe Sestak (D) of Pennsylvania declares that ending the war in Iraq is necessary, as it has “degraded our security” and pushed the Army “to the breaking point.”
Rep. Sestak’s not the only pro-Dem military figure who’s spoken out against our efforts in Iraq, but he surely constitutes the most clearly partisan and political.
Whom Do You Trust? -- [Powerline]
No one, apparently. The Center for Media Research reports on a survey recently carried out by BIGResearch, which asked about the "trustworthiness" of various institutions; click to enlarge:
...At under 3%, Congress's "trustworthiness" standing is astonishingly low. It is noteworthy that bloggers edge out "the media," whose standing, at under 5%, is only slightly higher than that of the Congress. Alone at the top, with a lofty 14% trustworthiness rating, is the President.
Kyl-Lieberman Iran Amendment Passes By Huge Margin -- [Election Central]
The Kyl-Lieberman Iran amendment -- which ratchets up the confrontation with Iran by calling for the designation of its Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization responsible for killing U.S. troops -- just passed overwhelmingly, 76-22.
Of the Dem Presidential candidates, Hillary voted for the measure, Joe Biden and Chris Dodd opposed it, and Barack Obama missed the vote. On the GOP side, John McCain missed the vote.
The bill's backers had tried to mollify its critics by taking out some of its most incendiary language, particularly the idea that "it should be the policy of the United States to combat, contain, and roll back the violent activities and destabilizing influence inside Iraq of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, its foreign facilitators such as Lebanese Hezbollah, and its indigenous Iraqi proxies."
General Criticized Media Bias and Paper Proved Him Right -- [NewsBusters]
The definition of ironic? A media outlet that omitted positive information about Iraq...from an article that criticized the media for doing just that.
Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch commander of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, which is stationed in Iraq, spoke to reporters while on leave in the US. He denounced the media habit of omitting or downplaying positive news coming out of Iraq and then gave an example of the kind of news that is usually downplayed or omitted by the media (thnx NewsBusters reader).
Fallen Soldier Shuster Used for 'Gotcha' Game With GOP Rep. Blackburn Did Not Live in Her District -- [NewsBusters]
NewsBusters' Mark Finkelstein reports that the MSNBC reporter condemmed a GOP congresswoman for not knowing that fallen Army Pvt. Jeremy Bohannon lived in her district. Shuster threw it in her face as he defended MoveOn.org's Petraeus ad.
Trouble is, Pvt. Bohannon was from a neighboring district!
It now turns out that Army Private Jeremy Bohannon had not, contrary to Shuster's claim, lived in Rep. Blackburn's congressional district. As blogger Conservative Belle brought to NB's attention, and as she has written about at
her site, Private Bohannon lived in Bon Acqua, TN. Checking his nine-digit zip code reveals that he in fact lived in Tennessee District 8, represented by John Tanner, a Democrat.
SOURCES TELL NEWSBUSTERS THAT MSNBC WILL BE CORRECTING THIS MAJOR ERROR.
Couric weighs in on Iraq, Rather [The Examiner - Yeas & Nays]
— Her take on the news — Speaking at the National Press Club Tuesday evening, CBS "Evening News" anchor Katie Couric pulled back the curtain on her personal views of both the war in Iraq and former "Evening News" anchor Dan Rather.
Iraq: Winning, Disconnecting From the Matrix -- [Kat - Denizen of Argghhh!]
...In this war, history is still being written by the media. They create a narrative that equates to the knowledge of the masses and trickles down to the polls. Yet, somewhere amongst the narrative is the true story of the war, written in "0" and "1" bytes on the world wide web. It was hidden except to the few who knew that the narrative on the air waves did not match the whispers of communications from the front. And we searched for the real story among the bytes, flashing around the world at the speed of light.
The media's free ride in Iraq -- [WND - Matt Sanchez - in Iraq]
The New Republic published entries from the "Baghdad Diarist," a soldier who was supposedly reporting on the realities of being in Baghdad. The "diarist" was proven to be a fraud, while the liberal media claimed even if the story was fake, it could have been true and that's what counts. Discerning facts from fiction is an obstacle the media trips over daily.
If the media are the eyes, ears and voice of a democracy, our nation is currently deaf, dumb and blind.
The conflict in Iraq is complicated, and yet the media has dumbed-down that complexity by communicating in flashy breaking-news banners with "expert analysis" that is, in fact, amateur opinion given by activist glamour correspondents whose names are synonymous with their news programs.
Take the main issue in Iraq:
NPR Snubs Interview with the President, So It Airs on Fox News -- [NewsBusters]
Does National Public Radio have a nose for news? Or a nose that's offended by the scent of President Bush? NPR news boss Ellen Weiss has snubbed an exclusive interview opportunity with President Bush. Washington Post media reporter Howard Kurtz reported Wednesday that the White House offered NPR’s Juan Williams an interview on race relations, but NPR didn’t want it on its airwaves. So it aired on Fox News instead.
(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.
"Here and There"... -- [Jim Spiri - in Iraq]
So many stateside hear only the word surge. Here, they live it, day in and day out. I am constantly reminded that it is not just words and phrases but an event that is actually happening. It hits home upon seeing the photos of those lost. The pace is fast here, as well as most everywhere I've been recently. It is not a game. It is war.
Flying out of Taji I was able to view from the air just how expansive the Baghdad area is. There is a lot of population in the Baghdad vicinity and one can only imagine the enormous task of trying to contain the fight. One cannot help but imagine all the obstacles just looking down from above. As I've traveled from place to place and experienced from my varied vantage points how it all works, I am again in awe of how a coordinated effort such as this, even takes place. But that is what is happening. It is nearly impossible to explain it all in words, but after a sustained length of time going from place to place, one begins to see that the effort is a plan, and the carrying out of the plan is what lays before my eyes.
“Al Qaeda Lost” -- [Michael Totten - in Iraq]
“How long have you been in Ramadi?” I said.
“Since the last week of January, 2007,” he said. “When I first got here my area of operations was the southern half of downtown. It was ugly then, especially for the civilians. We found more than 50 dead in just one grave in the desert. 50,000 – 70,000 people have returned so far since the war ended in April.”
“Describe the progress you’ve seen so far,” I said.
“Sure,” he said, “let’s look at the Abu Bali area for example. 6,000 or so people live there. When I first arrived there were 10 attacks every day just in that small area alone. Since May 1, 2007, we’ve had only one attack total in that area. The people went from having two to three hours of electricity a day to having twelve hours a day. Insurgents kept blowing up the power lines, but now that they’ve been cleared out the government has put them back up. Commerce has really taken off.”
Iraq Briefing 23 September 2007
The Enemy -- [Far From Perfect]
...The first was a target we had been looking for. He was pretty high on the most wanted list. We rounded him up in some raids with a group of other people. He was caught wearing women’s clothes and trying to skirt out. He was acting suspicious for a woman, and I bet the big mustache didn’t help either. Anyway, why would he do this? Because he knows that coalition forces attempt to respect the Muslim culture and not search women directly if possible. We usually bring women with us to do the searches, if necessary, to avoid hurting Muslim women’s dignity. As a last resort, if necessary, we will get the husband or another Muslim woman on the premises to do the search under supervision. So he figured he would just be able to skirt out unsuspected by acting as a woman and playing to our sensitivities. Lucky for us, someone had a sharp eye.
The second man is even worse in my opinion. The IA raided his house and found several weapons, including a sniper rifle. They were initially unable to locate the man as they searched the house, but eventually found him. He was hiding under a blanket in the corner, using children as a cover and shield. The children were evacuated and the man arrested.
Night Rhino, Take 3 -- [Laughing Wolf - in Iraq]
...On the flights over, at the airport, and while waiting for the Rhino, I chatted with civilians and with soldiers, and one theme came through loud and clear: they feel the war is lost—at home. During a transportation wait, one person told me flat out that it was won here, but lost at home because the average person doesn’t have a clue how things really are here. Are there problems? Sure, but they are being worked and things are better, and people are working to keep making them better. But you never hear it on the news, and that is killing them.
An interview with the “Lion of Arab Jabour” -- [The Long War Journal - in Iraq]
LWJ: What motivated you to organize against al Qaeda in Iraq?
Mustaffa: They are criminals. There is no law, no order here. No system of government. We needed to organize against al Qaeda to protect ourselves.
LWJ: What has al Qaeda in Iraq done to the people of Arab Jabour?
Mustaffa: They killed our sons, ruined our infrastructure, displaced families, used sectarian violence against the people. They killed our electricians, our engineers, the technicians that run our water pumps and [water filtration] plant. They cooperated with foreign powers, with Syria and Iran, to kill us.
LWJ: Did al Qaeda in Iraq attempt to enforce Shariah?
Mustaffa: When al Qaeda announces its Islamic State, it forced people to obey their godless laws. The people of Arab Jabour would not submit to this. Al Qaeda are godless criminals.
LWJ: What support do your Concerned Citizens need from the central government to restore order to Arab Jabour?
Mustaffa: The central government hasn’t dealt with us. There is no provincial government. Every time we try we have been rebuffed.
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Caught bringing weapons to Iraq
Update he was caught 9/20/07
The Latest from Jeff Emanuel, Reporting From the Front Lines in Iraq. -- [Vets for Freedom - Jeff Emanuel - in Iraq]
...Ramadan is well underway in the Islamic world. This past week has involved some joint patrols and operations, but has primarily featured, at its center, operations planned and conducted almost exclusively by the Iraqi and National Police in the area. These Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) planned and executed three major operations in the city, locking down large sections of houses and industrial buildings and searching them for weapons and hostile personnel. Between the three, the ISF detained nearly fifty individuals and impounded several vehicles. Some of the people were subsequently released and returned home, but others were kept for questioning. Some of these were found to be very high level targets in the area, including a key figure in an al Qaeda rape and terror cell, which was broken up by the ISF during the course of one of these missions.
How they Live: A Guided Tour of (most of) Patrol Base Olson in Samarra, Iraq -- [Jeff Emanuel - in Iraq]
The living situation would be considered austere by most at home, but Charlie Company's paratroopers make the most of it. Inside the Casino is a pair of cubbyholes housing five computers and five pay-per-use telephones that all of the occupants of PB Olson share. There is also one small, grainy television which plays the Armed Forces Network 24/7, and around which the paratroopers crowd in the early morning on Sunday and Monday to see football games.
However, the top priority at Patrol Base Olson is not comfortable living, healthy eating, or watching sports -- it is maintaining readiness and performing daily (or more) missions into the city of Samarra.
Iraqi Police surge dramatically reduces Baghdad violence -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD — Violence in Baghdad has been cut in half, thanks to a massive influx of new Iraqi Police officers, a top U.S. military advisor said today.
“Along with the surge of U.S. forces is also the surge of Iraqi Police,” Brig. Gen. David Phillips told online journalists and “bloggers” during a conference call from Baghdad.
As deputy commanding general of the Civilian Police Assistance Training Team, Phillips helped stand up the Baghdad Police Academy in January 2004. Thursday, he watched 744 brand new officers graduate from that academy.
“A community (in) which, in the past, we saw a significant al Qaeda presence now has concerned local citizens come forward (to join) the police forces,” Phillips said. “You saw a lot of pride in these new police officers as they graduated.”
Insurgents strafed twice by Predator
Insurgents get two passes by a predator after planting IED, second time they exit the car.
The Battlefield of the Mind -- [ON Point - Andrew Lubin - in Iraq]
A major part of the success of the “Surge” operations is that the local villagers are turning in the insurgents, with the result that there are now 25,000+ in custody. The majority of the detainees are not hard-core insurgents, but have been recruited by AQI and various militias for a variety of religious and economic reasons.
These are the Iraqi’s that the Coalition wants to reach, and Detainee Operations, with Task Force 134, has instituted some extremely effective programs in religious enlightenment and other educational programs.
The Deputy CG of “Detainee Operations” is Maj Gen Douglas Stone, USMC, who runs the program out of Task Force 134. With two main internment camps under his control, along with a camp designed for minors south of Baghdad in Camp Victory, MajGen Stone talked about changing the minds and mindset of his detainees.
...Stone added that has released about 2,000 detainees since May "and we've not had any coming back." His goal is to keep those who are released from harming Coalition troops, Iraqi Security Forces, or the local population. "They're not going out of here unless I can feel comfortable about that…I'm not doing mass releases."
Boat Versus Apache HT: BlackFive
Time keeps on tickin' -- [Jason's Iraq Vacation - in Iraq]
And then I was back in Taji, back to my daily routine, back to trying to figure out ways to convince the Iraqi's to work more efficiently, a little harder, and a little longer. There was a new wrinkle to this challenge when I returned from the IZ, though: Ramadan. Ramadan is the 9th month on the Islamic calendar and represents the month that the Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. To observe this, Muslim's increase many of their religious activities and fast from sunrise to sunset. Ok - this is an abbreviated explanation of what Ramadan truly is
Iraq Pictures - 24 September 2007 -- [Iraq Pictures]
SSG Yair Cardona peers through the window of an abandoned building in an attempt to locate a sniper firing on fellow Soldiers.
Pic: lLT Richard Ybarra
Afstan: Strategy and negotiations -- [The Torch]
A thoughtful piece in the Ottawa Citizen; I agree with the conclusion; but I think the bit about "no negotiation" being possible is rather a straw man as clearly some sort of negotiations with some elements of the Taliban will take place--it's not an all or nothing proposition. And clearly foreign troops will be withdrawn in any case if and as the situation improves; nobody just wants to stay there:
Freedom Watch Afghanistan 9/24/07
Afghan army may fill key security role by 2009: NATO -- [Reuters]
Brigadier-General Vincent Lafontaine, operations commander of the 40,000-strong NATO force in Afghanistan, said the process of trying to put the Afghan army at the head of some missions had already started and the aim was to step this up next spring.
"It's the beginning and we will have to improve," the French general told a news conference in Brussels by video-link.
Asked when the Afghan National Army (ANA) might be able to take over a regional security role from some of NATO's provincial reconstruction teams, he replied:
Nato frees Italian hostages in Afghan raid -- [Times Online]
Two Italian soldiers kidnapped in western Afghanistan were freed in a Nato-led raid early this morning after a two-day ordeal, the Italian Defence Ministry reported.
The two men were taken to hospital after the raid by British and Italian troops, during which one of the hostages was shot in the head and chest, according to Italian media reports. Up to seven of the kidnappers were killed.
Korean Hospital Recieves 250,000 Patient
September 11 and Democracy in Afghanistan -- [Afghan Lord - afghani in Afghansitan]
Today many Afghan says God bless Osama Bin Landin who attacked the twin tower and drove the world to look at our country which was in burning and also they say God bless America that saved our live and brought democracy, freedom and security. I am not talking about how the NATO troops and international forces fulfilled their tasks and how much they are successful. I am talking about the importance of September 11 for Afghanistan and its people. Many Afghans says it is not important for us how many people have been killed in September 11 in twin tower in New York and Pentagon outside Washington but it is important that US saved our live and released our country.
Syria-North Korea Connection Scenarios -- [GI Korea]
More details are coming out now in the international media about the Israeli airstrike in Syria three weeks ago that provides details about how the attack was carried out and further explains the Syrian and North Korean reactions to the airstrike:
UN-Ruly Anti-Ahmadinejad Protesters Ready to Roll in Big Apple -- [Gateway Pundit]
UPDATED: With Photos From His Party Last Night In New York City!
Mahmoud met with several hundred regime supporters in the Big Apple last night:
Ahmadinejad plays coy ON 60 Minutes
Iran and Syria: Brinkmanship in the Middle East -- [Denizens of Argghhh!]
Iran has lately become an even hotter topic than Iraq and, once again, Afghanistan has fallen off the radar completely. An upcoming push by the United States and France to enforce even greater sanctions against Iran is heating up the rhetoric from all sides of the ocean. Germany continues to struggle with the repercussions of joining the sanctions program. Democrats in Congress have been inordinately quiet since their last political push regarding President Bush's attempts to "escalate" the war by "implicating" Iran in the Shia insurgency in Iraq.
Dean's Statement Re: SIPA Invitation to President of Iran -- [Columbia Law School]
(Sept. 23, 2007) -- A controversy has developed about the invitation extended to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran by the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs. Although Columbia Law School was not involved in arranging this invitation, we have received many inquiries about it.
This event raises deep and complicated issues about how best to express our commitment to intellectual freedom, and to our free way of life. Although we believe in free and open debate at Columbia and should never suppress points of view, we are also committed to academic standards. A high-quality academic discussion depends on intellectual honesty but, unfortunately, Mr. Ahmadinejad has proven himself, time and again, to be uninterested in whether his words are true. Therefore, my personal opinion is that he should not be invited to speak.
ANOTHER MASSIVE PROTEST in Rangoon Against the Junta! -- [Gateway Pundit]
100,000 protesters marched down the streets of Rangoon today to push for democracy!
The locals are surrounding the protesting Buddhist monks locking arms to protect them from being attacked by the junta thugs.
All Bluff and Bluster -- [Strategy Page]
September 24, 2007: The new French government is talking openly of the possibility of war with Iran. This is talk, aimed at increasing European sanctions on Iran, in an attempt to convince the Iranian people to overthrow their Islamic dictatorship, and replace it with something more efficient, and less belligerent. War with Iran would disrupt, possibly for an extended period, oil shipments from the Persian Gulf. Iran may have a ramshackle and run down military, but they do have enough missiles and jets to seriously threaten Arab oil fields and shipping facilities, as well as use of the Straights of Hormuz, the only way in or out of the Persian Gulf. Cutting off oil revenue, and imports, would be catastrophic for Iran, and disruption of the oil supply would upset economies worldwide.
Russian Claims That Theirs is Bigger -- [Strategy Page]
September 23, 2007: Russian claims to have developed and tested a more powerful bomb than the U.S. MOAB are being picked apart. Russia recently tested a ten ton conventional bomb, which it claimed was twice as powerful as a similar U.S. weapon, the nine ton MOAB (Massive Ordnance Air Blast). The American weapon was ready for service four years ago, but has never been used.
NYC gives illegal aliens licences
Terrorists Announce Death of 'Juba, the Baghdad Sniper' -- [Jawa Report]
A forum connected to al Qaeda has announced the death of 'Juba, the Baghdad sniper'. Several videos produced by The Islamic Army in Iraq purporting to be of 'Juba' began to appear online 2005. A 'Top 10' video went viral and 'Juba' became a pop phenomenon.
Internal and External Threats to the Jihad Media War -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
Several Sunni insurgent factions fighting in Iraq have recently released official communiqués addressing brewing conflicts over the jihad media war--including divisions that exist within the mujahideen community itself. On August 29, the Mujahideen Army issued a statement accusing their "dear brothers" from the Al-Furqan Foundation--the official media wing of Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq"--of distributing a video of a military operation that had already been claimed months earlier by the Mujahideen Army.
Is Al Qaeda Iraq a Threat to Sweden? -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
The leader of al Qaeda in Iraq recently offered a bounty encouraging the assassination of a Swedish cartoonist and his editor for having published drawings deemed insulting to the religion of Islam. Omar al Baghdadi, in an audio statement said Lars Vilks, who "dared insult the Prophet", should be killed for a reward of $100,000 and, if "slaughtered like a lamb", the killer will receive another $50,000. In addition, he offered a Jihadi financial reward of $50,000 for the murder of Ulf Johansson, the editor of Nerikes Allehanda, the Swedish paper that printed Vilks' cartoon on August 19.
Cabaniss Family Needs Help -- [Soldiers Angels New York]
CPL Jeremy Cabaniss was injured in two separate IED explosions. In July 2006, an improvised explosive device knocked Cpl. Cabaniss unconscious for 15 to 20 minutes in Baghdad. In February 2007, a second blast knocked him out for nearly an hour. He has TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) and will be 80 or 90 percent disabled when he is discharged from the Army.
While Cpl Cabaniss was deployed, the roof of his home in Panama City Beach, Florida, was damaged in a hurricane and has been leaking since. Part of the house has started to collapse.
...Soldiers Angels and the Patriot Guard Riders have partnered together to replace this house, since the cost of repairs would exceed the cost to tear down the house and build a new home. However, we need your help to do so. Our goal for this project is to raise the $100,000 needed to replace the house.
Online Via PAYPAL
or
Checks payable to Soldiers' Angels
c/o John Adkins
7626 Kingman Street
Panama City Beach, FL 32408
Soldiers at Landstuhl talk about Soldiers' Angels -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
While at Landstuhl I often run into soldiers who know about SA, but this weekend was something else.
It seemed like every time I turned around another Soldier was coming up to me and shaking my hand and saying, "Did I hear you say you're with Soldiers' Angels? Well, I just want you to know that... "
" ...I've been deployed for 13 months and you guys were the only ones who sent me mail."
"... there's a Wii at our FOB from you guys. We treat it like a trophy - when we're not using it we cover it up with a sheet and put it in a cabinet to keep the sand out."
A Little Help From Our Friends -- [Major Andrew Olmsted - in Iraq]
The average Iraqi probably would love to see the U.S. gone, at least if we could leave without the country descending into chaos and bloodshed. But Iraqi children still love U.S. convoys, if only because we like to toss goodies to them as we pass by. It's debatable whether or not we should, but it's hard to resist when you see the children swimming in dirty canals and making do at levels of subsistence that make poverty in the U.S. seem like a sweet deal in comparison. So we like to toss candy, school packets, and soccer balls to the kids when we can.
One problem with all that, however, is that soccer balls tend to deflate over time, and we only have one air pump, so while the kids enjoy getting the balls, over time they need new ones. So we'd like to be able to provide them with pumps to go with the balls, if we can. Which is where all of you come in. Much as I dislike begging, if there is someone out there reading this who knows of a way we can get air pumps for soccer balls cheaply, I would greatly appreciate it if you would drop me a line and help us out.
Like I Said, Subject To Change Without Notice.... -- [All Quiet on the Southwest Asian Front - in Iraq]
...I had to grab dinner and eat it on the run because I was at a memorial service for two of our guys killed last week. I suppose now I can finally mention their names. SPC Nurnberg and SPC Paredes. I didn't know Nurnberg, but Paredes was one of our medics, and I did know him. He was the friendliest guy you could meet, and utterly dedicated to being the best medic he could. He could quote exact answers from his medic training manuals that he studied all the time. He was just a 19 year old orphan, dedicated, friendly, and liked by everyone who met him. Nurnberg's child is not yet born, and will never know his/her father except in pictures and stories. They were my brothers, and all of ours. The chapel filled to overflowing with hundreds from the Battalion who came to the memorial.
Combat Zone Exemptions Updated -- [Strategy Page]
September 24, 2007: The U.S. Army is changed its regulations for soldiers who are exempt from serving in a war zone. This exemption practice goes back to World War II, when there were cases of families losing all their sons (as many as five) in combat. In response, rules were put in place to keep at least one son out of combat, and alive. The new rules retain that exemption. But there are modification. This in a family where someone has died in military service, is 100 percent disabled, is a prisoner of war or missing in action, the sole surviving son or daughter does not have to serve in a combat zone. But in a new twist, any soldier who has a family member who meets the above criteria (dead in combat, captured, missing or disabled) can also avoid combat duty. Another addition is that any soldier who was hospitalized for 30 days or longer because of combat injuries, can be exempted from finishing that tour of duty.
Marine convicted in murder of Iraqi civilian shares story
David Hardt in Iraq - David's Last Day in Iraq -- [Blog-ah]
6:30 a.m.: The alarms start going off. They’re the same annoying alarms that I have heard over
