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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.
Trauma, shrapnel and the fight for life -- [Matt Sanchez - in Iraq]
An unforgettable day at U.S. Air Force hospital in Iraq
One of the rules for a media embed is that you're not allowed to show the faces of injured people without their consent. I had to keep that in mind while spending time recently at the Air Force hospital in Balad, a level three facility, which makes it the best hospital in the entire Middle East for trauma.
"Any doctor who has spent four months here is probably ready to handle anything," Lt. Col. Christopher Coppola told me. What set the newly completed facility apart from emergency rooms back home was the typical patient and "the severity and multiplicity of wounds," Coppola explained.
...Men and women in their scrubs who looked very much like normal nurses and doctors revealed themselves to be something much more.
Prominent sheik hosts reconciliation meeting -- [Task Force Marne]
One of the most prominent sheiks in southern Baghdad hosted a high-level reconciliation conference at his home Nov. 26.
Sheik Khalif Haloos invited Sunni and Shia sheiks, Iraqi government officials and military leaders to his personal residence in Sadr al-Yusufiyah.
Haloos asked the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment from the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) to support this meeting by providing assistance with security. Approximately 2,000 tribal and sub-tribal sheiks and members were invited to discuss their solidarity to rid their areas of insurgents, establish essential services and to establish a plan for future prosperity.
Iraqis construct Fallujah’s first-ever sewage system -- [U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - in Iraq]
About 450 Iraqis are currently working to get Fallujah’s first-ever sewer system operational by next summer. That number is expected to soon grow to a construction force of 700 Iraqis. The $85 million project includes a collection
system, trunk mains, pump stations and a wastewater treatment plant processing 40,000 cubic meters daily
Muthanna Governor thanks USACE engineers for work in his province -- [U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - in Iraq]
TALLIL, Iraq—The governor of Muthanna Province has extended his thanks to the engineers of the Gulf Region South District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the district’s work in his province. “We would like to send our thanks and appreciation for your great works, which help Al Muthanna Province in construction and services,” said Muthanna Gov. Ahmed Marzoq Salal in a recent thank you letter addressed to GRS American Engineers.
“Thanks for your continuous works,” said the governor, who voiced hope that more help and support will be forthcoming from GRS.
Negotiating the Post-War Deal -- [Strategy Page]
November 30, 2007: The war is moving north, where several hundred terrorists have fled, and set up bases. However, Iraqi civilians are not as terrified of the terrorists anymore. Even Sunni Arab civilians will pass on tips about Sunni Arab terrorists arriving in their neighborhood or village. Cell phone service, and use, has spread so much that there is hardly anywhere that does not have a few cell phone owners. The army and police are more aggressive in letting everyone know what numbers to call. The cops are competent and reliable enough that, if you do tip them off about some terrorists, a raid will follow. The Iraqi Army has come a long way as well, with two large scale (several Iraqi divisions) operations in the north in the past week. This is a big deal, because
Iraqi family culture -- [Fightin 6th Marines]
In the story below it tells about Marines with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, visiting people in their homes in Fallujah, Iraq. This is an introduction written by Pfc. Brian Jones about the some of the circumstances of Iraqi culture that Marines have discovered for themselves and have curiously questioned.
As violence subsides in Fallujah, “the city of mosques”, Marines find time to indulge in investigating their cultural curiosities of the Iraqi people who surround them. Marines communicate, work and in some cases live with them offering ample amounts of opportunity to get to know them.
More Positive Effects of the “Surge” -- [A Battlefield Tourist - in Iraq]
Sunni attacks up because areas have no security. Rush in troops to indicate to the locals, who are scared to death, “We will support you.” Locals see support and believe in it. They gain confidence to defend themselves from Al Qaeda; the “Concerned Citizens” are born. “Concerned Citizens” of great trust are id’d and brought into intel services. Intel services get better and begin planting spies. Spy network is set up to begin interdiction of attacks. Attacks decrease as high value targets are taken out, attacks are successfully defended and insurgents are running around wondering who the spies are.
I heard it many times. From the US soldiers to the Iraqis, “Why don’t you people stand up for yourselves…?” From the Iraqis to the Americans, “Why don’t you stay longer than a few hours and give us the support we need to stand up for ourselves?”
Taking Care of Business: Iraqis Work to Secure Their Country -- [MNF-I]
TIKRIT — Iraqi Army (IA) Soldiers recently led a raid into an area of Ad Dawr with Iraqi police (IP) and a small contingent of U.S. Soldiers to put a stop to insurgent activities there.
The 1st Battalion of the 1st Brigade, 4th IA led the pre-dawn raid into the area to capture insurgents and disrupt illegal traffic checkpoints used by those insurgents to rob and kill local Iraqis. The IP provided security for the team. The U.S. Army Military Transition Team (MiTT) of the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division provided guidance and support for the IA, who planned and executed the mission.
70,000 Sunnis join Iraqi army -- [Gulf News]
Baghdad: The US decision to include more than 70,000 armed men from the Sunni Awakening council, who fought against Al Qaida, into the Iraqi Army has fired up new conflict with Iran.
Haider Al Abadi, advisor to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki, revealed that Al Maliki had not been told of the move and the process had taken place with no coordination between the US Army and the Prime Minister.
"The US will not allow the ongoing Shiite militia's penetration in the Iraqi Army because they realise these militias are Iranian's striking force inside Iraq in case of any future American-Iranian conflict in the region.
U.S. Miscounted Iraqi Volunteer Guards -- [Military.com /AP]
American military officials have discovered there are fewer Iraqi civilians serving as volunteer guards in their home areas than it had thought, saying accounting mistakes had inflated the number by thousands.
Senior military officers said they had reduced the nationwide total from 77,000 to 60,321 - most of them Sunni Arabs.
The officers also expressed impatience with the Shiite-dominated government's failure to fully embrace the U.S.-backed home guard program and warned that the armed men could "drift back toward violence" if they aren't put to work.
Camp Korea?....email from Eli -- [American Soldiers]
Dear friends and family,
Seth and I got back last weekend from spending several days at a place called CKV (Camp Korean Village), which is up by the Syrian border. I thought since we have a strong contingent of South Korean military in the Coalitions Forces that maybe this was where they were based.....nope. Not sure why the name was what it was for this small base....but one of the Marines we asked that was stationed there said it was named by Marines...so who knows?
The drive to CKV was long...for several reasons. The first reason is simply because it is several hundred miles from Al Asad to CKV..and several hundred miles in Iraq is a very very long trip. Usually we spend most our our trips on unimproved roads where it is slow going, but one of the good things about this trip is we were on a four lane highway for most of the way. The other reason it was a long trip was because of the size of our convoy. We were attached to an 82nd Airborne convoy with over 200 vehicles. We were transporting TCN (third country nationals).
F-16 Engages Building
Footage of a building being engaged by Hellfire missiles from F-16's after a convoy was engaged by small arms fire from the building. Provided by Headquarters, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs.
A Sign You Might Be in Iraq 2 -- [Gritty Kitty - in Iraq]
It sounds corny, but just living in America is a great blessing. Many people around the world would trade places in a heartbeat and can only dream of the privileges and lifestyle we enjoy. They would give a lot to live just one day in our shoes.
You only need to read of the great challenges we face in Iraq to realize how hard it is to build democratic institutions, to establish the rule of law, to protect human rights. It didn’t happen overnight in the United States, and it won’t happen overnight here in Iraq.
Are we there yet? -- [Jason's Iraq Vacation - in Iraq]
That's the question I must have asked myself about a thousand times on my way back from leave. The journey home seemed longer because of the anticipation, but it was a happy anticipation. It was a smiling, overly happy, I-can-sit-in-this-same-spot-for-10-days-if-it-means- I-am-gonna-be-home kinda mentality. Going home, everything just worked out perfect. I knew a Sergeant Major in Kuwait, so I was able to get on an earlier flight home to the States - two days earlier than anyone expected me - so you imagine the surprise on Rachael's face when I showed up in her office in uniform! Everything else while I was home on leave was great as well - my dog remembered me, I didn't lose my shirt in Vegas, and we had 60 family members over for Thanksgiving. It was hard for me to leave everything and everyone I love, again, and come back here.
How Embarrassing!... "Dead" Iraqis Show Up at Press Conference -- Smile & Wave For Cameras! -- [Gateway Pundit]
Picture this...
** You report to the international news agencies that 11 of your family members in Iraq have been slaughtered!
** You hold several press conferences and gain great sympathy.
...** Your supposedly dead family members back in Baghdad show up and wave and smile for the cameras!
(Much thanks to my friend Iraqi-American Haider Ajina for forwarding the article with the family picture from the Iraqi Barutha News.)
The sad thing is... The original story made headlines around the world, but this photo correction will not even make the back page.
UPDATE: Aswat Aliraq reports: Arrest Warrant For Diaa al-Kawwaz!!
Iraqi-American Haider Ajina informs me that according to Barutha News the Iraqi Government (Interior Ministry) has requested and recieved an arrest warrant for Dia al-Kawwaz (Dhia Alkoozi).
Haider adds: "What a change. What a change. All thanks to our men and women serving in Iraq and the Iraqis who are getting a taste of human dignity and human rights and the rule of law...."
Bin Laden's call 'ridiculous': Afghan president -- [AFP]
KABUL - Afghan President Hamid Karzai called "ridiculous" Friday a call attributed to Osama bin Laden for Europe to break ranks with the United States and quit the fight against extremists in Afghanistan.
In a statement attributed to the Al-Qaeda chief and aired Thursday, bin Laden also said he was behind the 9/11 attacks -- which led to the invasion of Afghanistan -- and Afghans "had no knowledge whatsoever of these events." The remarks were "ridiculous and contrary to Islamic culture and human values," a statement from Karzai's office said. "Osama bin Laden under no name has the right to comment about Afghanistan and the sacrifices Afghans have given," it said.
By "imposing terrorism" on Afghanistan, the Al-Qaeda chief was one of the reasons thousands of people had been killed and displaced in this country, the statement said.
A ‘Surge’ for Afghanistan -- [SWJ]
The top general of the Marine Corps is pushing hard to deploy marines to Afghanistan as he looks to draw down his forces in Iraq, but his proposal, which is under discussion at the Pentagon this week, faces deep resistance from other military leaders.
Commandant Gen. James Conway's plan, if approved, would deploy a large contingent of Marines to Afghanistan, perhaps as early as next year. The reinforcements would be used to fight the Taliban, which US officials concede is now defending its territory more effectively against allied and Afghan forces.
This is How We Do Part II: The Revenge of The Plan -- [The Satirist at War - in Afghanistan]
In the Vietnam War, we remember images from the Tet Offensive; our embassy overrun and occupied despite a numerical and technological superiority.
And so it was with what I’ll call “Operation Outrageous Success.” Our movement back to our home base of B***** from the [OPSEC] came to epitomize the anger, and frustration of a two-week mission, over the course of which we pulled guard, handed out truckloads of HA, strengthened our ties with locals, and, ostensibly, conducting training with our Afghan Army counterparts, teaching them everything we know.
...We’re doing well out here, and we’re doing our job… it just takes a sense of humor, sometimes. Because nothing ever goes according to plan, and the guys who thrive are the ones who can adjust fire.
"smexi-ubercool-shaz-o-mite" -- [6 Months in Kabul - in Afghanistan]
The title is courtesy of one of the students from a Gaffney, South Carolina high school that has adopted me. I am thinking of legally changing my name to it.
"By mutual confidence and mutual aid -- great deeds are done, and great discoveries made."
-Homer
This quote was sent to me by a reader. Today was our "low tempo" day. I was supposed to plant apple trees but it was canceled for security reasons. Instead I helped to unload 3 huge pallets of food that was donated by the base store because it was about to expire. We plan to give it to the refugee families that were mentioned in Betsy's newsletter. Take a look at the stuff. Here is the forklift bringing in the supplies
Larger NATO Force Needed in Afghanistan -- [Military.com/ AFP]
NATO-led forces in Afghanistan do not have the means to secure the country in the face of a barrage of insurgent attacks, says a senior French general with the force. "That does not mean we are going to lose this operation, but it is going to take a lot longer for us to finish the job," he said.
Colombia Seizes Rebel Hostage Tapes -- [Sofia News Agency]
Another tape shows US defense contractors Thomas Howes, Keith Stansell and Marc Gonsalves, abducted by Farc guerillas after their plane crashed in Columbia ...
Islam: Name your teddy "Muhammad" and die -- [QandO]
Sometimes I'm stunned by the intolerance and barbarity of certain cultures and religions:
Thousands of Sudanese, many armed with clubs and knives, rallied Friday in a central square and demanded the execution of a British teacher convicted of insulting Islam for allowing her students to name a teddy bear "Muhammad."
But it's not an insult to name a child Muhammad? Naturally the fervor is being whipped up by so-called "religious" leaders who, in the next breath, would probably try to tell you their religion is one of peace:
Bin Laden and Future Jihad in Europe -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
What is interesting about the latest audio message of Usama Bin Laden, carried by al Jazeera, is its delayed argument. Strangely he is trying to convince the Europeans - seven years later - that they are wrong to have followed the United States into Afghanistan. Why?
In his speech - irrespective of the ritual investigative questions regarding its location, technology and other details - the central issue appears to be his growing concern with the European role in Afghanistan, and perhaps because of it, the potential growth of that role in the fight against the forces of Jihadism worldwide. As a reader of the Jihadi strategic mind, I believe that the speech writers (Bin Laden himself or his “advisors”) are looking ahead in their evaluation of future European involvement in the so-called War on Terror, and are positioning al Qaeda to “own” it. The significance of this is, as al Qaeda’s war room has showed in the past, they are skilled at anticipating trends.
Bin Laden: Message to the European Peoples -- [Threats Watch]
Osama bin Laden’s awaited speech, titled “Message to the European Peoples,” was released on the Internet this evening. It was first delivered to al Jazeera approximately 9 hours before its public distribution on the Internet and was also the second new as-Sahab product disseminated on November 29. This is bin Laden’s fifth appearance in 2007 and since September alone.
“Message to the European Peoples” is the 90th video product produced by as-Sahab, al-Qaeda’s central media wing, this year and actually comprises of three videos and a stand-alone audio file. The three videos are individually subtitled in German, English and Pashtu.
Operation Holiday Thanks -- [Miss LadyBug]
I was just watching E.D. Hill's "America's Pulse" program on Fox News Channel. Apparently, she had been contacted by viewers wanting to send holiday greetings to our wounded warriors. Working with her Senator, Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), she had made arrangements to get holiday cards to various military hospitals across the country. The address to send these cards to (requested "ASAP") is:
Operation Holiday Thanks
c/o E.D. Hill
Fox News Channel
1211 Sixth Avenue
17th Floor
New York, NY 10036
I'll be sending mail out to this address ASAP. I encourage you to do the same.
SU Prof to Troops: FU -- [Jawa Report]
But Students Disagree
When Marine Major Christian Devine asked Syracuse University's Maxwell School to host a presentation by his DoD outreach program, "Why We Serve," the chair, Mark Rupert , decided to tell him to go pound sand. He felt that allowing serving members of the military to speak would not meet the department's goal to ""foster open and honest discussion."
Rupert apparently based his decision on an article in which Major Devine talked about winning the information war in the mainstream media. Evidently, Rupert prefers that someone else win the information war.
Sean Taylor vs Any American Soldier -- [American Soldiers]
I don't know Sean Taylor....all I know is what I read in the papers and hear on the news. But I do know he wasn't a hero. I'm sorry he died, and I feel bad for his family and friends and his little girl.
An amazing amount of grief has been demonstrated over Sean Taylor's death....where is the grief over our real fallen hero's. People that only know Sean Taylor as a football player have been holding candlelight vigils and speaking about what a terrible loss it is....
You want to see terrible loss? You want to see the death of real hero's? You want to see unspeakable saddness? Go visit this site of honor...see the names, read the biographies of our hero soldiers. Then lets have a talk about Sean Taylor.
Henry Hyde Was A Naval Officer -- [The Tanks - W. Thomas Smith Jr.]
Congressman Hyde was a U.S. Navy combat veteran of World War II, seeing action in the Philippines. After the war, he served in the Naval Reserve, retiring at the rank of “commander” in 1968. His last assignment was as commander of the U.S. Naval Intelligence Reserve Unit in Chicago.
On January 9, 2005 — the 60th anniversary of the Lingayen Gulf landings of WWII — Hyde said:
What the SecDef Didn’t Call For, But Should Have -- [SWJ - Matt Armstrong]
Today, American public diplomacy wears combat boots. In the global media and the blogosphere, the military and its uniformed leaders shape the image of the United States. But that is not how it has always been. On the contrary, American public diplomacy was born out of the need to directly engage the global psyche and avoid direct martial engagement.
Murtha Caves: Floats Possible Deal for Iraq Funding -- [Weekly Standard]
Murtha is hoping that the White House will bite: Iraq funding with a two-year goal for troop withdrawal. He recognizes that Democrats risk a huge black eye if the Pentagon begins furloughing civilians, or if American troops suffer, because of the disagreement between Congress and the White House over funding for the war on terror. Will the public get angry when furlough notices are sent out, or will they be patient until the furloughs actually begin? Whom will they blame?
And more importantly for Congressional Democrats, why take the risk? They contend that they've made it possible for DoD to jump through hoops to fund the war through February, at least. They say that Secretary Gates and the Pentagon are being disingenuous when they claim they're being forced to lay off civilians. But if their goal was to fund the war, why not actually fund it?
HuffPo's Sanders Still At It -- [Weekly Standard]
Former HuffPo contributor Barry Sanders is at it again. Last month Sanders wrote a horribly misinformed article for the Huffington Post on "the military's addiction to oil." The piece was riddled with factual errors, and when the WWS and others pointed a few out, Arianna threw the guy under the bus with an editor's note canceling the series and saying of Sanders's defense, "it confuses as much as it clarifies."
At the time Sanders apologized for his failure "to reach an absolutely authoritative [read factually accurate] version of this essay" by explaining that he was "not a mathematician, not a military person, not a trained climatologist." Yet despite that epiphany, he's still at it, peddling bogus statistics about the fuel consumption of the U.S. military.
CNN’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy -- [Michelle Malkin]
I wrote a piece for the NYPost published today on CNN’s horticultural journalism (reprinted below). Filed it before we learned about the CAIR intern. CNN host Howard Kurtz quotes CNN senior veep David Bohrman bleating that they “bent over backwards to be fair.” I quote him below, too. Glenn Reynolds notes that CNN used Google…to buy plane tickets for Plant Number One Keith Kerr and other questioners.
...Whether through, as one blogger put, “constructive incompetence” or “convenient ineptitude,” CNN has committed journalistic malpractice under the guise of “citizen” participation.
'Knight Rider' Rides Again-- This Time Fights Military Contractors -- [NewsBusters]
Who's Hollywood's latest Big Bad Villain? Private military contractors--giving rise to a new version of Derangement Syndrome: Blackwater Derangement Syndrome or BwDS.
Echoing lefty rage at Blackwater, TV shows from “Boston Legal” to “Jericho” have turned contractors into the bad guys.
Chris Matthews: Defeat Means Troops Still in Iraq--What About WWII? -- [NewsBusters]
Did you know that the US is still at war with Korea, Germany, Japan, Bosnia and Kosovo? Based on “Hardball” host Chris Matthews' recent claims, we are still at war with those countries and will be until our troops leave their soil.
(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 Edgy Calm in Fallujah -- [Michael Totten - in Iraq]
FALLUJAH, IRAQ – “You're probably safer here than you are in New York City,” said Marine First Lieutenant Barry Edwards when I arrived in Fallujah. I raised my eyebrows at him skeptically. “How many people got shot at last night in New York City?” he said.
“Probably somebody,” I said.
“Yeah, probably somebody did,” he said. “Somewhere.”
Nobody was shot last night in Fallujah. No American has been shot anywhere in Fallujah since the 3rd Battalion 5th Marine Regiment rotated into the city two months ago. There have been no rocket or mortar attacks since the summer. Not a single of the 3/5 Marines has even been wounded.
Iraq Agrees To Long-Term U.S. Presence -- [CBS]
(CBS/AP) President Bush on Monday signed a deal setting the foundation for a potential long-term U.S. troop presence in Iraq, with details to be negotiated over matters that have defined the war debate at home - how many U.S. forces will stay in the country, and for how long.
The agreement between Mr. Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki confirms that the United States and Iraq will hash out an "enduring" relationship in military, economic and political terms.
Iraq: Beyond the Drop in Violence -- [ON Point]
"A TORRENT OF GOOD NEWS": So The New York Times described the reports of a significant fall in violence in Iraq. But reducing all Iraqi news to measures of violence can hamper understanding of a complex situation.
Those who opposed the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003 prefer to focus on violence, for it has seemed to confirm their claim that the war was wrong. They've downplayed all good news from post-Saddam Iraq - the end of an evil regime that had oppressed the Iraqi people for 35 years; the return home of a million-plus Iraqi refugees in the first year after liberation; the fact that the Iraqis got together to write a new constitution and hold referendums and free elections - for the first time in their history - and moved to form coalition governments answerable to the parliament.
The drop in violence is certainly a good thing. But other Iraq news, both good and bad, needs to be taken into account. ...
5,000 US troops to withdraw from Iraq
...Statement by Rear Admiral Gregory Smith
Around 5,000 American troops will head home later this month as part of a withdrawal plan announced by President George W. Bush, US military spokesman Rear Admiral Gregory Smith said Saturday.
COP Corregidor, al-Haswa -- [A Battlefield Tourist - in Iraq]
Southwest of Baghdad is an area called al-Hawsa, a Sunni region in the area of Iraq known as South Baghdad. It’s an area that is part of Iraq’s notorious “Triangle of Death”. It’s also the area that, up through October, was assigned to “B” Troop, 1-89 Cavalry, part of the 10th Mountain Division’s 2nd BCT. The unit established COP Corregidor as part of the US military’s new strategy to put smaller units among the population in an effort to stimulate cooperation. From this strategy shift, the “Concerned Citizens” movement began to take root across the area, following the successful template being used in Anbar Province.
The Real Surge -- [LWJ - DJ Elliot]
While the "surge" of five US brigades plus their accompanying support elements, about 30,000 US troops total, is the main focus of commentators when discussing the current situation in Iraq, the real surge in Iraq is happening behind the scenes. The rapidly expanding Iraqi Army is where the real surge in forces is occurring.
A comfortable minority -- [Neptunus Lex]
Political support for America’s aspirations in Iraq in general, and for the presidential author of that strategy in particular, has slipped from percentages marked in the high 70’s in 2003 to the mid-30’s or so in 2006-2007. Those of us “left behind” have often been derided by those to whom the muddled middle shifted as Myrmidons, dead enders and Dear Leader bots.
...Whenever we have been tempted to stop and question ourselves, we are gratefully provided with statistics like these:
Iraq = Korea -- [Jules Crittenden]
Big news out of Iraq where, ignoring Congress and its withdrawal proposals in the interests of common sense, the Shiite-led Iraqi government and the Bush administration have inked a deal for an ongoing U.S. military presence and strategic partnership. To ward off foreign threats and internal coups, and keep a lid on sectraian rivalries. That’s interesting. As an earlier version of this AP article noted, it’s really going to tick off the Iranians:
3/5 Marines meet unexpected man of the house -- [Fightin 6th Marines - in Iraq]
Marines stopped and knocked at a courtyard gate in Fallujah's Andaloos district. A little girl answered the door with an anxious look on her face.
“Is the man of the house in?” asked Sgt. Ysac M. Perez, a squad leader with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6.
As if on cue, a little seven-year-old boy appeared and owned up to the title. The Marines greeted him with smiles and laughter. This scenario is not unusual, however, said Perez.
“This is actually pretty common while the father is gone,” said Perez,...
A time to give thanks... -- [Eighty Deuce On The Loose - in Iraq]
Very near the end, I turned in to this other alleyway and noticed an older kid sitting on a desk or something in the alley and through my nightvision, it totally looked like he was wearing a training bra. I though to myself, "What the fuck is he wearing?" The nightvision sometimes messes up colors and makes stuff look weird like that, so I tilted my head up to try and look at him with my eyes, but it was kind of dark. I had just focused back on him through the nightvision and had though how weird that was, when his friend, about the same age, whom I had not seen before came out from around him, about 5 meters in front of me. I noticed he had something in his hands and made out the shape of an AK-47. My heart stopped and I lost my breath. Myself and probably my team were done for. Fortunatly my head kept working and training kicked in as I drew my rifle on him, shining my tac-light on him and putting my visible green laser on his chest. Not taking any chances, I flipped my rifle to FIRE. I yelled for him to stop and to drop the weapon. The boy froze in place still holding his rifle. It seemed like an eternity, just waiting to see what he was going to do.
Intelligence Collection and Sharing -- [SWJ - CPT Tim Hsia - in Iraq]
Years from now after the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have ended; historians will pore over the operations and tactics of the U.S. Army during both campaigns. They will likely applaud the all-volunteer force and the courage of the individual soldier; just as likely, however, they will criticize the lack of information sharing and management between the militarily and civilian departments of the U.S. government. Specifically, they will note the military's poor record in information management, accessibility of intelligence gathered, and the inability to apply years of accumulated intelligence to current battlefield operations. A way to patch the current intelligence gap within the U.S. government would be to adopt an information collection program that accumulates data similar to major internet stock market trackers. Market trackers absorb information continuously, rigorously track trends, and enable traders to formulate decisions based off the latest news combined with historical data. The ability of market trackers to store and quickly recall historical data should be mimicked by the U.S. government so that commanders and diplomats possess relevant records that enable them to make decisions which take into account the economic, historical, cultural, political, anthropological, and environmental aspects of the region they are operating within...
AAA Executive Board Decision -- [From an Anthropological Perspective - in Iraq]
A little more than two weeks ago the AAA Executive Board decided to make a formal statement not supporting the Human Terrain System. I’ve read some of the blog and forum traffic on the matter and decided to respond since I’m here in Iraq as the field anthropologist for a Human Terrain Team.
...The AAA did not systematically study the HTS project but determined that they should disapprove of it anyway? Their statement is “based on information in the public record” which means not much because HTS has barely started and the public record (internet?) is full of uninformed notions of what the US military is doing in Iraq and Afghanistan and is crippled by paranoia that we engage in clandestine work as if we are living a spy novel. If anyone looks at various posts of mine, this is hardly the case.
The AAA lists five ethical concerns regarding the placement of anthropologists as contractors, in a theater of war, with the US Military.
Running on Java and Jolt -- [Sergeant Grumpy - in Iraq]
"It is impossible to know who to trust here - the best advice is to trust no one"
That is surely the best advice I got from the outgoing team, and if I didn't hear it from CI-Roller dude, I am sure he would have said it. Everyone here you work with wants something from you and has some scam they are trying to run. People show up every day with some urgent information we should drop everything in order to discuss. Most of it is crap, or recycled intel they were able to sell to the last rotation, or the FOB down the road. Or worse, they are from the "enemy/insurgent/AIF/ACF/freedom fighter/Abu dirt-bag/take-your-pick" and they are trying to figure out what we already know.
Men of Valor Part II -- [Michael Yon - in Iraq]
First Mission - To interpret events in al Basra, context is critical. When we invited the British to join us in this war in 2003, the U.S., with the bulk of troops and assets, was the senior partner. In essence, we were the driver of a bus filled with several dozen partners: Poland, Australia, Japan, Georgia, Korea, Albania and so on. Although several key countries had opted to stay home, no nation stepped up to the task like Great Britain, taking responsibility for southern Iraq. But they could not have not planned for the seemingly precipitous and arbitrary decisions made by the mostly American bus drivers in Washington and Baghdad, who took many turns without consulting an accurate map. Egos and strained competencies only magnified and compounded errors. Nobody paid more for these mistakes than Iraqis and Americans, but the Brits and others have also paid tolls for their seats.
'Medevac, medevac, medevac!' - [Matt Sanchez]
Ride along with U.S. military quick reaction force saving lives in Iraq
Embedding with the quick reaction force – QRF – was like drawing straws and hoping something would happen on the long 24-hour shifts.
I was with the "C" Company 7th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment from Fort Campbell, Ky., a medical evacuation team stationed at Balad, Iraq, north of Baghdad. Its motto: "Bene Volare Vitam Salvare," "To fly well is to save lives."
Paul Rauscher, a chief warrant officer and pilot originally from Lake of Ozarks, Minn., was on his third trip to Iraq, where he piloted a UH-60 Sikorsky, a type of flying ambulance with 6 litters for the wounded.
Rauscher was considered a mission-killer. "Nothing ever happens when I come on duty," he said jokingly while introducing me to his crew and commanding officer. On the other hand, 1st Lt. Travis Owen, a young pilot on his first tour in Iraq, had a reputation for being a "mission magnet." I guess the two men were supposed to cancel each other out, and with the drop in violence, the odds were that we were going to spend a lot of the day watching movies.
Terrorist Bride Captured Near Baghdad On Way to Honeymoon -- [Gateway Pundit]
Soldiers manning a checkpoint near Baghdad stopped a wedding convoy to find that the purported bride and groom were wanted terror suspects, an Iraqi Defense Ministry official said Monday. The Army set up the checkpoint last week in the ...
Member from almahdi gang wants to escape
US Commander: No Decline in Iranian Activity -- [The Weekly Standard]
There has been a lot of talk recently about a "a quiet process of apparent concessions and small gestures of approval between the United States and Iran in Iraq" as it was described today by Iran expert Gary Sick at FP Passport. Go read the whole post to see evidence of this courtship, most of which will be well familiar to our readers. Still, there's very little evidence that any thawing in relations between Iran and the United States has produced improvements on the ground in Iraq--just a lot of empty promises. Last time we spoke with General Bergner, back in October, he explained that despite Iranian commitments to reduce the flow of weapons and fighters,
Patriot -- [Bill and Bob's Excellent Afghan Adventure - in Afghanitstan]
I met a patriot today. I met a man who is not in the military of any country, but he is most certainly a patriot. He is a manager for the company that manages our terps, or interpreters. He is an Afghan-American. He lived in the United States Since the early 80's.
Soldiers on Patrol in Kabul 4
Free For All -- [ETT PA-C - in Afghanistan]
Some of you know that we've been building our camp up out back so we can have our own little part of the world without the ANP staring at us all the time. Well, we have 50% of it done and we should be able to move in within the week. I'll be so glad! You have no idea. We are the only embedded team with the type of mentoring that we do. Most teams live on a compound near by. We live in the same compound about 10ft away. Gets old after a while. You just want a little bit of space. It's like having a 3 year old or, for that matter, an irritating neighbor bother or stare at you 24 hours a day. So, the addition of room and removal to the other side will be welcome. I'll have a container to myself with room for a bench and medical supplies on one side and my personal stuff on the other. A true "Doc in a box!" ER's got nothing on me!
Freedom Watch Afghanistan
We could have taken an "off" day today, seeing as it is Thanksgiving. -- [Yellowhammering Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
Clothes and food are ready to distribute.But instead, one of our district teams decided it would be more fitting to do unto others.
Good call!
We organized a humanitarian assistance visit to Khogiani, one of the districts where we work closely with the Afghan National Police.
The subgovernor held a shura, or meeting with the elders, to discuss the issues of the district.
Then the real fun started.
Navy Preparing for War with Iran? -- [The Weekly Standard]
...Fuel demands, particularly in a war zone, are always in motion. So I'd ignore the Reuters subtext here--that this is some sort of indication that an attack is imminent. If I were a betting man, I'd say that the Navy is replenishing after the major exercise held earlier this month or--if you're absolutely convinced that there's treachery afoot--preparing to respond to the coming flurry of Iranian naval activity.
Iranian Missile that can hit Europe -- [ON Point]
Iran: We've developed new missile with range of 2,000 km
Iran has recently developed a missile with a range of 2,000 kilometers, Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najar said on Tuesday.
Iran already stocks long-range missiles which are capable of hitting Israel. The new missile, named "Ashura", will enable Iran to aim at targets in Europe.
22nd MEU (SOC) ramps up relief operations in Bangladesh -- [22nd MEU]
ABOARD USS KEARSARGE (LHD-3) – Marine helicopters from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) delivered more than 2,500 gals. of water today along with 12,000 lbs. of medical supplies to areas in Bangladesh hardest hit by Tropical Cyclone Sidr, a storm that ripped through the country Nov. 15, 2007.
The Marines made an initial delivery of water on Nov. 23, marking the first delivery of US military aid to the storm-battered nation. Kearsarge and the 22nd MEU (SOC) have contributed to planning efforts with the Bangladeshi Government and military, relief agencies and other US military and US State Department representatives. Kearsarge and the MEU are now ramping up distribution operations with the added capabilities of the embarked helicopters.
Der Spiegel on the Dollar: Exaggeration, Sensationalism and Bipolarity -- [Davids Medienkritik]
Here's a question for you: Do you remember seeing an extreme cover like this at Der Spiegel when the Euro was weak just a few years back?
...Viewed in isolation - the Dollar cover might not be considered anti-American. Given the larger body of work of Der Spiegel over the past decade - however - it is difficult to characterize the "Dollar Nosedive" cover as anything but a further manifestation of the festering Hate-America bias that plagues the magazine.
Anti-America Americans -- [MiamiHerald.com]
It is easy to hate the American people and government. All that's needed is to take seriously the opinions about their criminal conduct written by some U.S. university professors. They are the best source of anti-Americanism known.
New Bin Laden Tape Will Address Europe -- [The Blotter]
An Islamist Web site often used by al Qaeda says Osama bin Laden will address Europe in a new audiotape to be released soon.
A banner headline on the site says the "Lion Imman who defeated the American tyrants" will address the European people.
Bin Laden and his followers have repeatedly threatened massive attacks on European cities although none have been carried out.
500 lbs. bombs hit Al Qaida staging area
Terrorism, Plain and Simple -- [OneFreeKorea]
...I placed that quotation at the top of this post to give you some context for a new report, via South Korea’s Joongang Ilbo, that our State Department will formally propose removing North Korea from the list of state sponsors of terrorism in early December, perhaps two weeks from now. President Bush’s appeasement-minded North Korea negotiator, Christopher “Kim Jong” Hill, has already gone to Tom Lantos, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, to lobby for the deal.
...Why North Korea Deserves to Stay on the List
Feds Teach Firefighters to Spot Terrorists, ACLU Not Happy… -- [Stop The ACLU]
Firefighters in major cities are being trained to take on a new role as lookouts for terrorism, raising concerns of eroding their standing as American icons and infringing on people’s privacy.
AddLiveVoice Announces the Free Use of Their Service for Family Members of Military Personnel Wishing to Send Online Voice Greetings to Those Serving Abroad for the Holidays -- [PRWEB]
AddLiveVoice Announces the Free Use of Their Service for Family Members of Military Personnel Wishing to Send Online Voice Greetings to Those Serving Abroad for the Holidays
With the holiday season near approaching, families are looking to unite with their loved ones and AddLiveVoice is excited to help them make that connection through an intimate, cost effective and reliable means of communication.
"I feel that it is extremely important for everyone, especially during the holiday season to recognize the significant role that the military plays in our lives" stated Bryan Grier, CEO of AddLiveVoice. "It is our duty to support the troops during this time and offer them the chance to get in touch with family and friends back home. It's great to send a written letter, or an email - but no such medium translates the genuine emotion found in the voice of a husband, wife or child."
I'll be home for Christmas if only in my dreams" -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
What a line for the times we live in.
It will ring true for our military servicemembers in Iraq or Afghanistan or some other far flung location. Their families will miss them and they will miss their families. Operation Santa has programs to assist in sending Christmas love to them this holiday season.
Operation Santa also focuses on another group of heroes this Christmas season. Those men and women who will be in the hospital at Brooke, Bethesda, Balboa and Walter Reed over the holidays.
They won't be home for Christmas either. Operation Santa at the Hospitals will bring them some Christmas love in the form of a handmade, stuffed stocking.
"Go Home British Soldiers, Go Home" -- [In Training]
It seems like there has been more and more anti-soldier behavior occuring in Britain these days. I have even more examples I could post. With a husband in the Royal Marines, it's all personal (even though it should be personal to everyone). The phone call from my husband last night made it all the more personal.
...When the train came to the guys stop, they stood at the door and began cursing at the Marines, flipping the bird, and other rude gestures. They also whispered to the other group of lads and pointing at Royal. They got off the train and continued their swearing and bird-flipping.
Worth a prayer on Sunday -- [CDR Salamander]
For these brave military personnel from the UK.
Injured soldiers who lost their limbs fighting for their country have been driven from a swimming pool training session by jeering members of the public.
The men, injured during tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, were taking part in a rehabilitation session at a leisure centre, when two women demanded they be removed from the pool. They claimed that the soldiers “hadn’t paid” and might scare the children.
Ben Johnson, How to Support the Troops - Get Educated and Take Action -- [LT Nixon Rants]
I often find a lot of diatribe on the web about young ambitous folks proclaiming "Supporting the Troops" by performing paltry tasks like slapping a ribbon on their SUVs or justifying their lack of civic action and sacrifice by decrying "...but I support the Troops". Wonkette just absolutely destroys a young college Republican, Ben Johnson, who supports our president's war objectives, but can only find time to send the folks downrange beef jerky. The notoriously ruthless website then goes on by denouncing him as a chickenhawk, suggesting he be highlighted in Operation Yellow Elephant, and even saying we reinstate the draft just for him! I still believe the best civic action is to sign up for the military (like many of us did after 9/11), but if you're concerned about terrorism and don't like wearing a uniform or getting yelled at, I have a solution for you
Exoskeleton Turns Humans Into Terminators.
G.I. Jill - Army Medic Competes for Miss America -- [Americas North Shore Journal]
The United States Army is proud of all its soldiers, though not all of them will have an Army website dedicated to them. Jill Stevens, Miss Utah, does. Jill is also Sgt. Jill Stevens, combat medic, and a member of the Utah National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment.
WWII Marine pilot awarded Medal of Honor -- [LA Times]
Col. Jefferson DeBlanc Sr., who was awarded the Medal of Honor after a fierce World War II battle in which the Marine Corps pilot shot down five enemy aircraft, parachuted from his damaged plane, then swam to an island where tribesmen traded him for a five-pound sack of rice, has died. He was 86.
Sanchez and the Democrats -- [QandO]
The sudden relationship can be summed up neatly by the old Arab proverb: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
Dale has written about it and he and I have discussed it on a podcast. That is the suddenly outspoken retired LTG Ricardo Sanchez blasting the administration about the conduct of the war in Iraq.
Of course what Sanchez never does is take any responsibility for his role in that war. For instance:
CBS Veteran Suicide Numbers Bogus? -- [NewsBusters]
On the CBS "Early Show" on Nov. 13th, co-host Julie Chen claimed that there was "an alarming suicide rate among veterans" of the Iraq/Afghanistan conflicts. CBS then aired a report that went on to claim that the suicide rate for our troops had wildly climbed. Fellow NewsBuster Kyle Drennen had his doubts about the report when the show originally aired and now comes an editorial by oftentime military reporter Michael Fumento further casting large amounts of skepticism on the CBS report.
(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.
Come Home -- [Michael Yon - in Iraq]
...LTC Stephen Michael at St John’s. LTC Michael told me today that when al Qaeda came to Dora, they began harassing Christians first, charging them “rent.” It was the local Muslims, according to LTC Michael, who first came to him for help to protect the Christians in his area. That’s right. LTC Michael told me more than once that the Muslims reached out to him to protect the Christians from al Qaeda. Real Muslims here are quick to say that al Qaeda members are not true Muslims. From charging “rent,” al Qaeda’s harassment escalated to killing Christians, and also Muslims. Untold thousands of Christians and Muslims fled Baghdad in the wake of the darkness of civil war. Most of the Christians are gone now; having fled to Syria, Jordan or Northern Iraq.
...Today, Muslims mostly filled the front pews of St John’s. Muslims who want their Christian friends and neighbors to come home. The Christians who might see these photos likely will recognize their friends here. The Muslims in this neighborhood worry that other people will take the homes of their Christian neighbors, and that the Christians will never come back. And so they came to St John’s today in force,
And Now For Something Completely Different -- [Strategy Page]
November 16, 2007: Iraqis have been quick to react to the sharp decline in terrorist violence. The streets of most Baghdad neighborhoods are filled with people, as are the schools. Thousands of refugees from the city have returned. More importantly, the police now regularly patrol most of the city, talking to people, and collecting information on who-is-who and what is up. The next big target is the criminal gangs, which still rule many neighborhoods, and impose their own kind of terror on many Iraqis. The gangs are a major source of anti-government activity, and often supplied terrorists with goods and services. Many terrorists have switched to being gangsters, once the terrorist organization they belonged to was destroyed over the last few months. Also
Window of Opportunity in Iraq -- [The Captain’s Journal]
I we have said previously, “the insurgency was defeated for a number of ancillary and contributing reasons, including tribal cooperation, security, money and largesse paid directly to concerned citizens and the sheikhs, and other factors. But the primary reason that the U.S. forces have succeeded was that they were the stronger horse. The Iraqis saw this and sided with a winner.”
But there is the issue of political reconciliation to address, and thus far, the progress being made in Iraq is ground up by design, due in no small part to the ineptitude and intransigence of the Maliki administration. Progress still continues to be made in the Anbar province, even as the Anbar schema is applied to the balance of Iraq.
Iraq Gov. Moves Against AMS -- [Acute Politics]
Representatives of the Government of Iraq entered a mosque in Baghdad today to close the offices and shut down the radio station of the Association of Muslim Scholars- a Sunni religious network often seen as supporting or affiliated with some of the more radical elements of the Sunni insurgency, including elements of al-Qaeda.
IRAQ - Mosul to open new airport
Lasers, Helmet Cams Ordered for U.S. Convoy Guards -- [ABC Blotter]
The State Department plans to equip its motorcade security details in Iraq with lasers to "dazzle" suspect motorists and helmet cameras to record it all.
U.S. officials also say the State Department plans to double the number of its diplomatic security agents to 90 so that one of its agents can accompany every convoy guarded by Blackwater and other private security contractors.
Security experts say the lasers, emitting a green beam and already in use at some U.S. military checkpoints in Baghdad, overload the optic nerve but, if used from at least 10 feet away, will not cause any permanent eye damage.
Mind of a Warrior, Heart of a Peacemaker
HADITHA, Iraq – With the number of enemy attacks at an all time low in Al Anbar Province, today’s Marines are able to conduct peaceful operations while rebuilding communities, advising security forces and establishing democracies.
U.S. Airstrikes in Iraq Target Militants With Ties To Soldiers' Kidnapping -- [WSJ]
BAGHDAD -- About 600 U.S. soldiers launched an air assault south of Baghdad on Friday, targeting militants believed to be involved in the May kidnapping of three American soldiers, the military said.
Meanwhile, a top British commander said attacks dropped 90% across the country's south after Britain withdrew its troops from the main city of Basra.
Former Insurgent Leads Coalition, Iraqi Forces to Huge Weapons Cache -- [MNF-I]
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU — A former member of an insurgent group led Coalition forces, Iraqi Army (IA) and members of a Concerned Local Citizens group to a weapons cache site here in the early morning hours of Nov. 13. The citizen, who reconciled with U.S. and Iraqi troops, knew where the cache was because he helped bury it sometime ago. He said he is now helping Coalition forces because he is tired of al-Qaida trying to force him to work with them. He said al-Qaida imprisoned him and tortured his friends for not joining forces with them.
The Soldiers from Battery B, 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery (FA), 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, and IA found refrigerators that contained numerous rockets, mortars and ammunition.
Coalition Forces Detain Dozens, Find Weapons, Continue to Weaken al-Qaeda in Iraq -- [MNF-I]
BAGHDAD — Coalition forces detained (16) suspects, including three wanted individuals, during recent operations to disrupt al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) and foreign terrorist operations in central and northern Iraq.
B-roll of U.S. helicopters engaging two buildings and a tower from which an insurgent force was firing. Scenes include gun tape footage of ... all » the buildings being fired upon.
Opening Day -- [6 Months In Kabul - in Aghanistan]
"To love what you do and feel that it matters - how could anything be more fun?"
Today was the opening ceremony for the new clinic. It was a great day for Afghanistan. It all went very well. Somehow we were able to pull it off. I have to admit, I had my doubts. They were still installing sinks and mounting diagnostic kits when we left yesterday.
Mest School -Building New School In Afghanistan
Nothing Else Matters -- [Strategy Page]
November 15, 2007: Taliban attacks on remote government operations, usually district headquarters, have fallen by half this year. This is because the Taliban have been unable to come up with a way to defeat NATO tactics of quick response with UAVs and smart bombs. The basic problem is that, in these remote areas, a large force of Taliban are easy to spot from the air, and attack with smart bombs. If the Taliban try to move a force of more than a dozen or so men, they are subject to detection and destruction. Even if they split up into small groups, these are detected, and intelligence troops have computer software that can see through the Taliban tactics. While the drug gangs are more inclined to bribe government officials to get what they want (no interference), the Taliban want control, and they are having a hard time coming up with a winning plan.
Bush Frees Up Military Airspace For Thanksgiving -- [WAPO]
President Bush yesterday announced measures intended to curb airline delays during the Thanksgiving travel frenzy, including freeing up military airspace for commercial use.
Iranian Stealthy Spying Ships -- [Strategy Page]
November 15, 2007: Kuwaiti police have discovered that some Iranian commercial ships were equipped to eavesdrop on civil and military communications while docked in Kuwait. The scheme was quite clever, in that the Iranian cargo and fishing boats, which have long called at Kuwaiti ports, were modified for the spy work so that you could not see any differences on the outside of the boats. The Iranian ships appeared to have the usual radio and radar antennas of coastal shipping. But on closer examination, one found a lot of additional gear. There were a number of these electronic monitoring boats, as they needed to move in and out of Kuwaiti ports, actually delivering and picking up cargo, to avoid detection. When a spy ship had to leave, it would radio for its "replacement" to come in and keep up the monitoring. Iran denies everything, and some Kuwaiti officials have also denied the allegations.
New From The MEMRI Islamist Websites Monitor Project Website: A Call to Assassinate U.S. President George Bush -- [MEMRI Blog]
On November 15, 2007, the Islamist website http://www.alhesbah.net/v (hosted by NOC4, Inc., in Tampa, Florida, USA) posted a message by a contributor calling himself Abu Osama Al-Hazin, titled "This Saturday, Bush Will Be in Riyadh; Lions of the Peninsula, [Get Ready] to Cut Off His Head." It should be noted that an OPEC summit is slated to take place in Riyadh on Saturday, November 17, 2007, but there have been no reports that Bush intends to attend.
Afghanistan: Bin Laden hiding in border mountains, claims ex-Taliban militant -- [AKI]
Swat Valley, 15 Nov. (AKI) - Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was hiding in the remote mountains on the Afghani-Pakistani border and moving constantly to avoid detection by intelligence agencies, according to a Taliban sympathiser.
Ahmad Farooq, a Pakistani Pashtun has told the Italian daily, Corriere della Sera, that bin Laden had been moving from village to village in the area from Chitral to the "corridor of Waqan", the mountainous Hindu Kush region of Pakistan bordering Tajikstan and China.
It is a rare account of bin Laden's life since he masterminded the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. But it is impossible to verify the accuracy of the account.
Farooq told the Italian daily's magazine, that bin Laden was surrounded by about 20 armed men and he moved whenever he felt particularly threatened.
Decent Americans owe it to our troops to loudly say "Stop it!"... -- [wrenncom.com]
...to Mark Cubin, Brian De Palma, and the rest of the Hollywood Left for endangering our military personnel with anti-troops propaganda such as the movie "Redacted."
Go here if you haven't already done so, but before you do, read this. Then send it to everyone you know. Everyone saying he/she supports our troops should do so-- including sending it to everyone who sincerely, but not fanatically, opposes our troops' missions in Iraq, Afghanistan or elsewhere.
Boy Scouts Accused of Being Too Pro-War -- [Stop ACLU]
In a nutshell, a troop of Boy Scouts tried to raise money for the the U.S. troops. Some moonbat cried that the message was too pro-war and so the city removed the donation boxes. Talk about appeasing the appeasers. Outrageous!
Appreciate Freedom? Support Any Soldier, Inc. -- [Miss Ladybug]
One of my hobbies is counted cross-stitch. Another of my hobbies is supporting the troops by sending them mail (cards & letters, and care packages when I'm able). At the moment, I've got more time than money, so I thought I would take one of my hobbies to help give back to Any Soldier, Inc., an organization that helps me with another of my hobbies.
...Marty now has it up for raffle at AnySoldier.com. This isn't the only item up for raffle at the moment, but it's the one I'm promoting. If you love it as much as I do, please go purchase as many $5 raffle tickets as you can afford. This round of the Any Soldier raffles ends December 1st.
HOLIDAY PACKAGES FOR THE TROOPS -- [Some Soldier's Mom]
To hell with that idiot woman in Massachusetts.... my sitemeter is filled with people looking for ideas of things to send the troops. I know I'm running late on this post this year -- SO GET GOING!!
First, I suggest that you make this a family project -- nothing better than to explain the sacrifices of the military to your children.
Sears - Christmas shopping has already started -- [JR4OT Blog]
Sears is voluntarily paying the difference in salaries and maintaining all benefits, including medical insurance and bonus programs, for all called up reservist employees for up to two years.
I submit that Sears is an exemplary corporate citizen and should be recognized for its contribution. I suggest we all shop at Sears, and be sure to find a manager to tell them why we are there so the company gets the positive reinforcement it well deserves.
Awesome Pro-Troop News: Sacramento Honoring Heroes Rally
On Tuesday, November 13th, Move America Forward (website: http://www.MoveAmericaForward.org ) hosted the first event in what will be a 40-city cross country pro-troop tour to rally the American public to support our troops and their missions.
Along the way we're asking the public (including you) to help us collect and send over 100,000 Christmas, Hanukkah and holiday cards to our troops. The media coverage we got from our first event was outstanding - some of the best reporting you'll see about our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Davison school kids welcome home their hero -- [The Flint Journal]
"I wouldn't mind going back at all," said the 2005 Davison High School graduate. Bundy, who is home on leave until Nov. 25, left Iraq on Oct. 31 after a stint as crew chief for an amphibious armored assault vehicle in Anbar Province. He said the work was tough but fulfilling, and he's optimistic he contributed to making the future brighter for a nation beset by violent religious strife and warfare.
"I honestly think it will work out. I definitely think it will turn around," said Bundy, 21, who was promoted to corporal the day after he returned to his home base, Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
Troops from 303rd get late-night welcome home to Jackson -- [Jackson Citizen Patriot]
Hundreds of people gathered at Jackson's Army Reserve Center Wednesday night to welcome home the locally based 303rd Military Police Company from Iraq.
Despite the late hour -- the buses rolled in about 11:30 p.m. -- and chilly weather, the soldiers had a boisterous homecoming.
Troops Come Home To Warm Welcome -- [Rockbrige Weekly]
After 18 months in Kosovo, 88 troops of Bravo Company 1/116th Infantry returned home to the Lexington Armory under a police escort the morning of November 9th. The troops boarded buses at Fort Dix, New Jersey in the early hours of the morning and arrive at the Armory about 9:30 a.m.
Cheap Army Chopper Draws Heavy Fire -- [ABC Blotter]
The secretary of the Army and the Army's top general are being questioned today about why the Army spent billions on a new helicopter that was purchased for homeland defense and disaster relief but cannot be used to fight forest fires, and that was found to be "not operationally suitable," according to an internal Pentagon report obtained by ABC News.
The $2.6 billion contract for 322 Lakota Light Utility Helicopters is drawing fire after three glaring flaws were discovered in field tests this summer. According to the Army's "Operational Test and Evaluation Report," the chopper was found to be "not operationally effective for MEDEVAC missions," "not effective for use in hot environments" and did not meet required lift capacity.
Another official U.S. Army document, obtained by the Blotter on ABCNews.com, says the Lakota helicopter was chosen "because the price was more important" than the technical requirements.
Too Good To Lose -- [Strategy Page]
November 16, 2007: In some units of the United States National Guard, soldiers who're interested in switching to the Active Army, are finding their paperwork going astray. Apparently Guard units would like to discourage seasoned personnel from leaving for the regulars. Some Guardsmen who are interested in joining the Active Army have, however, found a work-around; by checking in with their local Army recruiter they can initiate the transfer from the Army's side. That cannot be blocked by the National Guard brass.
All politics is war, and all war is politics. -- [John of Argghhh!]
"I … strongly urged the Congress to pass a global war on terror funding bill that the President would sign. With the passage of the Defense Appropriations Act, there is a misperception that this department can continue funding our troops in the field for an indefinite period of time through accounting maneuvers, that we can shuffle money around the department. This is a serious misconception. … I make these comments solely as the person charged by the President and the Congress with administering the Department of Defense. The high degree of [uncertainty] on funding for the war is immensely complicating this task and will have many real consequences for this department and for our men and women in uniform."
The Congress to American business: Do not help America in time of war -- [Tigerhawk]
The result is that dozens of lawsuits against those companies alleging that the telecoms damaged plaintiffs can proceed. Democrats blocked immunity because they believe that evidence to be adduced on the order of judges will reveal more details about our surveillance practices and, presumably, inflame new controversy that they can turn to partisan advantage.
Satisfying as this interim victory may be for Democrats and the media, there is a real chance that it will lead to no end of problems for the United States. Executives and directors of public companies are fiduciaries, and will no longer be able to help the United States government in time of war without a clear and enforceable indemnity that has been publicly acknowledged ex ante so that it cannot be taken away after the fact. While that would, presumably, be available for overt transactions, it effectively shuts off companies from assisting the government in covert work that might create a cause of action in American courts.
Democrats Ignore Progress in Iraq -- [Newsmax]
It has been said that there are none so blind as those who will not see. The quote is attributed by some to Jesus (Matthew 13:13): “Therefore I speak to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.”
MTV's Kurt Loder: Baghdad Diarist a "Total Fraud" -- [Weekly Standard]
Just posted at Reason magazine's new reason.tv is a segment with Kurt Loder, who was once the editor of Rolling Stone and has been a news anchor at MTV for as long as I can remember. He is also a veteran of the Army. In the course of a discussion with Reason editor Nick Gillespie on "technology and freedom," Loder brings up the New Republic's Baghdad Diarist:
Anbar, Buffoons and the Daily Kos -- [The Captain’s Journal]
...Far from “really doing a job” on American forces, the Jaish al Mahdi have run from every engagement with U.S. forces. But in breaking down the success in Iraq, Friedman makes a fatal and irrecoverable error and thus completely misses the point of the strategy. The so-called surge of forces went into effect in order to continue and enhance a strategy that was already in place in the Anbar province, i.e., expand this strategy in space and time to the balance of Iraq. Anbar was won without the surge. Let’s put it another way. The surge didn’t win Anbar. The strategy in Anbar was proof of principle for the specific focus and strategy, and thus caused the surge. Friedman and the Daily Kos have gotten it exactly backwards.
DailyKos Smeared Again On Hannity & Colmes
Karl Rove Joins Newsweek -- [NewsBusters]
When Newsweek announced Tuesday that it was hiring Markos Moulitsas of Daily Kos to be a contributor during the 2008 presidential campaign, Kos told his readers, "Newsweek is ‘balancing' me out with someone that should make heads on our side explode."
As reported by the Washington Post moments ago, Moulitsas was quite prescient:
Newsweek has signed the president's former deputy chief of staff [Karl Rove] as a commentator who will turn out several columns on the 2008 campaign through inauguration day.
NBC Catches Up With ABC to Highlight Safer, Better Life in Iraq -- [NewsBusters]
Three weeks after ABC's World News aired the first of three stories then and since about significant declines in violence and improving living conditions in Iraq, NBC Nightly News caught up Wednesday night as anchor Brian Williams acknowledged: “We are all hearing more and more these days about a significant drop in violence and deaths in Iraq, even though 2007 some time ago became the bloodiest year of the war, yet for U.S. forces these new stats show a different trend.”
From Iraq, reporter Tom Aspell illustrated how life has improved
Talk About Planted Questions!! -- [Riehl Worldview]
Update: How fitting. CNN pulls out someone not to simply ask a question about Iran, but with absolute moral authority given her son's service. And just as we learn that the IAEA has confirmed Iran's having installed 3,000 centrifuges. CNN works to undermine our ability to respond just as it may become critical. Great, just great! Thanks, CNN. CNN rolled out a Catherine Jackson to ask a question about Iran given that her son served three tours in Iraq.
Now when have I heard that before? How about in May. Thank you Harry Reid.
Bush Raises Airport Crowding Threat Level to Orange -- [ScrappleFace]
President George Bush, acting on intercepted cell phone and email chatter repeatedly using the cryptic phrase “big plans for the holidays,” today raised the homeland airport crowding threat level to ‘Orange’, and ordered the Federal Aviation Administration to take preemptive action to head off “potentially devastating inconveniences” to U.S. air passengers.
(Need more? The previous Dawn Patrol is here.)
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Inside the Surge -- [Healing Iraq - Iraqi in Iraq]
I asked Zaidan what sort of deal had led to the Sunni Awakening. “It’s not a deal,” he said, bristling. “People have come to realize that our fate is tied to the Americans’, and theirs to ours. If they are successful in Iraq, it will depend on Anbar. We always said this. Time was lost. America was lost, but now it’s woken up; it now holds a thread in its hand. For the first time, they’re doing something right.”
Zaidan said that Anbar’s Sunni tribes no longer had any need to exact blood vengeance on U.S. forces. “We’ve already taken our revenge,” he said. “We’re the ones who’ve made them crawl on their stomachs, and now we’re the ones to pick them up.” He added, “Once Anbar is settled, we must take control of Baghdad, and we will.” There would have to be a lot more fighting before the capital was taken back from the Shiites, he said. “The Anbaris will take charge of the purge. What the whole world failed to do in Anbar, we have done overnight. Baghdad will be a lot easier.”
Sunni Warlords Reconsider -- [Strategy Page]
November 14, 2007: The centuries old battle between Sunni and Shia Moslems in Iraq has just shifted gears. Sunni Arab groups that have been fighting since 2003 to regain power, have renounced their 2004 alliance with al Qaeda and sought to eliminate al Qaeda militias in their territory. What is unclear, both to foreigners and the Shia dominated government of Iraq, is what the Sunni Arab warlords will do next.
Last days in Mosul
CNN rides with soldiers of the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment on one of their last missions in Mosul, Iraq.
November 13, 2007
Baath Holds The White Flag -- [Iraq the Model - Iraqis in Iraq]
The formation of a so called political council for Iraqi resistance was met by different reactions from the public and the politicians who are now divided into proponents and opponents. Whereas the Accord Front called for mediation between the council and the government some parties in the UIA see that the council cannot be negotiated with and declared it a continuation of the former regime
GOP finds solid ground on Iraq war -- [The Politico]
For the first time since losing control of Congress in 2006, Republicans are back on offense in the political struggle over the Iraq war, as Democratic plans to force a change in strategy by President Bush through peeling away his GOP support continue to yield few results.
Republicans are increasingly buoyed by perceived divisions among Democrats, seeming signs of progress on the ground in Iraq and the fact that the first brigade of U.S. troops started coming home Tuesday.
Unit Blasts 'Desperate' AQI Element
Footage of U.S. helicopters engaging two buildings and a tower from which an insurgent force was firing.
Iraq: Positive Signs -- [Stratfor]
The latest reports concerning the war in Iraq suggest the situation is looking up for the United States. First, U.S. military and Iraqi civilian casualties continue to fall. Second, there are confirmed reports that Sunni insurgents controlled by local leaders have turned on al Qaeda militants, particularly those from outside the country. Third, the head of U.S. Central Command, in an interview with the Financial Times, implied that an attack against Iran is a distant possibility.
Are We Winning in Iraq? -- [Time]
The reduction of violence is real. The defeat of Al Qaeda in Iraq--sneezed at by some antiwar commentators--is nothing to sneeze at. The bottom-up efforts to reconcile Sunnis and Shi'ites across the scarred Anbar/Karbala provincial border, which I wrote about a few weeks ago, quite possibly reflect an Iraqi exhaustion with violence that has to be taken seriously as well. There is no question that the performance of the US military has improved markedly under the smarter, more flexible and creative leadership provided this year by General Petraeus. And the withdrawal of U.S. troops is beginning. The refusal of the antiwar movement--or some sections of it--to recognize these developments isn't helping its credibility.
Winning the Iraq War? -- [Outside the Beltway]
David Sands and Sharon Behn join a growing chorus asking, “Are we winning the war?”
While stopping short of declaring victory, they cite “a growing number of indicators that the fighting has taken a new, more hopeful turn.” Most of them are familiar: lower casualties among American troops and Iraqi civilians, fewer mortar attacks, and the like. Those things tend to be cyclical and could be construed negatively as well — for example, as evidence that ethnic cleansing has done its dirty job or that we’ve given up fighting in certain territories. This, however, is good news:
Citizenship Ceremony
Footage of the largest Naturalization Ceremony in Iraq. Scenes include service members observing the speeches and walking up to receive their certificate. Also see "Troops Become Citizens" in the package section and "Spc. Madut" and "Secretary of Homeland Security Chertoff" in the interview section.
Turkish Special Forces Attack PKK Inside Iraq -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
Just over a week after President Bush promised Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan aid in fighting PKK, Turkish special forces attacked across the border into Iraq. The limited action, apparently consisting of helicopter gunship raids on two villages, is a clear sign of more cross-border activity to come, as the army basically promised last week after the meeting. Reports after last week's meeting indicated that the U.S. would provide detailed intelligence which would enable the Turkish military to hit specific PKK targets, and Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki publicly signaled his government's support for Turkish incursions. "The prime minister renewed the willingness of the Iraqi government to take steps to isolate the terrorist PKK, prevent any help reaching its members, chase and arrest them, and put them in front of the Iraqi judiciary because of their terrorist activities."
Operation Iron Hammer targets al Qaeda in Iraq’s north -- [LWJ]
Multinational Forces Iraq and the Iraqi Security Forces maintain pressure on al Qaeda’s network in the northern provinces, where violence has increased. Over 200 insurgents have been detained in latest sweep.
Targeting al Qaeda in Iraq's Network -- [Weekly Standard - Roggio]
U.S. and Iraqi Security Forces are maintaining the pressure on al Qaeda in Iraq's network nationwide and October netted the highest number of senior terror leaders since the surge went into full effect in June. While Coalition forces have degraded al Qaeda's network inside Baghdad and in the Belts, the terror group is attempting to regroup in the north and east.
The daily raids conduct by Task Force 88, the hunter-killer teams assigned to dismantle al Qaeda's network in Iraq, have resulted in significant losses for the terror network. Forty-five senior al Qaeda in Iraq operatives were killed or captured during the month of October, said Colonel Donald Bacon, the Chief of Strategy and Plans, Strategic Communications at Multinational Forces Iraq, in an interview on November 13. Among those captured or killed include: ...
Aid and comfort -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
U.S. Army Capt. Edmond Hardy of 1st Armored Division, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, 4th Squadron, Outlaw Troop commander holds a local child and her new toy monkey while giving orders during an aide mission in the Al Doreen neighborhood of Iraq, Oct. 14. Outlaw Troop handed out blankets, toys and kerosene heaters in preparation for the winter months. Photo Spc. Larayne Hurd.
Scouting In Baghdad? Who’d Have Thought…-- [A Soldier’s Mind]
One thing that’s a normal part of growing up in the United States is Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Many of us probably participated in these organizations when we were younger and our children may have as well. In Iraq, that’s been quite a different story. Thanks to coalition volunteers though, that’s quickly changing.
SADDAM FAKED HAVING WMD ARSENAL TO TRICK IRAN -- [NY Daily News]
..."What better way to do that than have the Americans think he had WMDs?" Kessler told me last week. If true, that was as big a miscalculation by Saddam as the decision by the U.S. to invad
