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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.
Democracy is firmly rooted in Iraq - British general -- [Reuters]
LONDON (Reuters) - British forces will leave Iraq this year with democracy "firmly rooted" and al Qaeda largely thwarted, a senior British army officer said in an interview published on Monday.
Lieutenant General John Cooper, outgoing deputy commanding general of the U.S.-led Multinational Force in Iraq, told the Guardian newspaper that a U.S. troop "surge" in 2007 and this year's provincial elections had been crucial in improving conditions.
The planned withdrawal of Western forces has sparked concerns about a power vacuum and a possible return to violence, six years after U.S. troops led an invasion to topple the government of Saddam Hussein.
"We have got democracy rooted here," Cooper said, "Clearly there is a long way to go to develop things. The provincial elections show that Iraqis have an appetite for it. They were free, fair and credible, and that reflects a desire for change."
The World According to John Bolton: -- [Uncommon Knowledge]
John Bolton reflects on the war in Iraq — from success to failure to success.
Today on Uncommon Knowledge, Bolton addresses Iraq. What, I ask, should President Obama do first? Bolton’s answer:
“Declare victory.”
You're damn right I wanted the Iraq war to fail. -- [LEE STRANAHAN]
Well, guess what? You're damn right I wanted the Iraq war to fail.
Yeah, I said it.
I think I'm not supposed to say that out loud because then I'm supposed to be afraid that I'll be accused of hating America and wanting troops to die. So maybe I should rephrase that tenderly and with great care....
"I wanted the Bush policy on Iraq to fail because the war and the ideas it was based were in complete opposition to my basic principles about how The United States should use its wealth and power. However, I was hoping that a magic genie would be found in Baghdad that would create a situation where Bush's policies didn't work but with no loss of life, damage to property, expense or harm to our nation's reputation."
The problem is - I'm not Bobby Jindal so I don't believe in magic.
So I repeat - damn right I wanted the Iraq war to fail.
Injured soldier says he would return to Iraq -- [Seacoastonline]
Spc. Jason Wiggin's return to the United States following his second tour of duty in Iraq is bittersweet.
An Army Reserve serving with the 167th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Jason was injured during an accident at the airbase in Tallil, Iraq, earlier this month that left his foot and ankle broken in several places. The Portsmouth resident is recovering after successful surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., according to his parents, Bruce and Donna Wiggin, of Kittery, Maine.
Jason, 25, first went to Iraq with the reserves in 2005 and spent 15 months there. Wiggin's second tour began in November, but was cut short by ...
Sons Of Iraq Meeting Salad Ad Din Province (VIDEO) -- [DVIDS]
Package about a meeting of the Sons of Iraq and their future plans for protecting their country. Produced by Spc. Derrick Call.
Feasting in Arafiyah: -- [Grims Hall - in Iraq]
Read the fine print - Opinion - [USATODAY]
Americans should be excused for believing they voted for an end to the war in Iraq by bringing congressional Democrats to power in 2006 and electing Barack Obama in 2008. Obama's campaign website promised, "Obama will responsibly end the war in Iraq" and "the removal of our troops will be responsible and phased." In last week's speech to a joint session of Congress, he succinctly pledged, "I will soon announce a way forward in Iraq that leaves Iraq to its people and responsibly ends this war."
We're really leaving Iraq -- [Salon - Juan Cole]
Some Iraq war critics are fretting about Obama's speech on Friday, and his plan to stay a little longer. But here's why there's no reason for alarm.
How Obama And Biden Fought The Surge
Obama Iraq Withdrawal Speech Met with Embarrassing ‘Tepid’ Response, Says CNN -- [Amy Proctor]
Barack Obama’s speech announcing the withdrawal from Iraq at the Marines Camp Lejune in North Carolina today was met with tepid response, according to CNN.
Actually, it was met with embarrassing response. Obama entered the room at the Marine base as the band played Hail to the Chief met with complete silence as a skeptical crowd offered no response to the Commander in Chief’s presence:
That was very awkward.
President George W. Bush was always cheered ...
Shameless Displays -- [Military Pundits]
Were you as disgusted as we were with watching Barack Obama’s speech announcing the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and his acting like he was responsible for the victory? How shameless can you get!
Barack Obama and his allies in Congress, Democrat Senate leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, did all they could to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in Iraq. They fought President Bush at every turn. When Senator John McCain and our military leaders said we needed a troop surge, Bush listened. Obama and his consortium of anti-military Congressional pals opposed it.
But Bush and McCain proved themselves to be right
Iraq's "Chemical Ali" given third death sentence -- [International Herald Tribune]
By Aseel Kami Ali Hassan al-Majeed, a former official in Saddam Hussein's regime known as "Chemical Ali," was given a third death sentence Monday for his
Diversions -- [Greyhawk]
Indeed. "Let me say this as plainly as I can," the President dramatically announced, "By August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end." That provides an enterprising young reporter a great opportunity to ask exactly how many troops in Iraq have seen combat over the past year - but don't expect one to do so any time soon.
Certainly some have seen combat - and certainly there's still a need for Stryker Brigade Combat Teams there. Otherwise the Obama Administration - with massive media coverage of his "ending combat" announcement - wouldn't quietly be substituting identical Brigades for the ones who have been "switched to Afghanistan" as part of his wildly popular surge:
Hopefully there's still time to get them to that 10-month Arabic Language school. That little tidbit of information (which if accurate, exposes everything you've heard about troop deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan over the past two weeks as an absolute hoax on the American public) can be found buried deep in this blog entry from ABC.
Instant update: the original claim from ABC has been 'disappeared' without explanation from their web page. Here's what it says now:
ABC News has also learned that Gen. Odierno will continue to maintain a Stryker Brigade presence in Iraq through the upcoming elections as he had requested. There are currently two Stryker Brigades in Iraq. When their tours end later this year, only one of those departing brigades will be replaced by an incoming Stryker Brigade.
And here's the Google cache (while it lasts) of the original version.
Update two: The Google cache link now goes to the modified version, so here's a screen grab of the original (click image for larger version):
Medic honored for Afghanistan actions -- [Army Times]
Staff sgt. awarded Silver Star for saving patients, soldiers and medevac crewWhen Staff Sgt. Matthew S. Kinney’s boots touched the ground in Afghanistan’s rugged Korengal Valley, he knew that six wounded soldiers were waiting for him.
Pope Airman to get medal for valor -- [Fay Observer]
A Pope Air Force Base combat controller is scheduled to receive the Air Force’s second highest award for valor on March 10 in a ceremony at the Pentagon.
Staff Sgt. Zachary J. Rhyner will receive the Air Force Cross for his actions on April 6 in the Shok Valley in Afghanistan. Although shot in the left leg, he called in airstrikes, fired his M-4 rifle at the enemy and helped move other wounded people down a cliff.
Send In The Marines.
John Irvine talks to the young US Marines who are training for Obama's surge in Afghanistan
Taliban has 'lost' in Bajaur, Mohmand: Pakistan military -- [LWJ - Bill Roggio]
Two senior officers said the Taliban has been defeated in the insurgency-infested tribal agencies of Bajaur and Mohmand. But Taliban leaders remain at large.
Go For The Head Shot -- [Strategy Page]
Attacks on schools, teachers, and even students (usually girls) are so unpopular in Afghanistan, that the Taliban have to recruit men in Pakistan to do the dirty work, and pay them well. Based on interrogations of captured terrorists, a Pakistani Pushtun can make $5,000 or more to burn down a school, and less to kill or main a student or teacher.
Step aside, limey, this is how to fight the Taliban -- [Times Online]
Mar 1, 2009 ... THE American marines call Route 515 the most dangerous road in Afghanistan.
Kabul Military Training Center 100th Afghan Army Kandak
The graduation of the 100th Afghan National Army Kandak from the Kabul Military Training Center
Afstan: West's information ops suck/Taliban influence in Kabul -- [The Torch - in Afghanistan]
Why we may be on the way to losing the war for popular support
..."We did everything to the letter, but their media was a lot faster than ours," he said. "When a tree falls in the forest, the first to report the sound gets their version out. This was a huge learning curve for us and an important exercise in credibility [emphasis added]."..
The CF, for their part, are trying to do their bit in info ops--how successful?
Meanwhile, forward life for US Army troops in that area near Kabul:
Iran Boosts Taliban's Artillery - Michael Smit, The Australian -- [The Austrailian]
Iran is supplying the Taliban in Afghanistan with surface-to-air missiles capable of destroying a helicopter, according to US intelligence sources.
They believe the Taliban want to use the SA-14 Gremlin missiles to launch a "spectacular" attack against coalition forces in Helmand in the southwest of the country, where insurgents claim to be gaining the upper hand. Although coalition helicopters operating in southern Afghanistan are equipped with defensive systems to deflect an attempted strike, the SA-14 can evade such counter-measures.
Human Terrain Teams Build Friendships, Future -- [DefenseLink]
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, March 2, 2009 - "Human terrain teams" are becoming a large building block for victory in Afghanistan, officials said.
Tactical success, strategic defeat -- [MSNBC]
"We are afraid of the Taliban, but we are more afraid of the Americans now," said Abdul Ghaffar, a truck driver in the raided village. "The foreign forces are killing innocent people. We don't want them in Afghanistan. If they stay, one day we will stand against them, just like we stood against the Russians."
Afghanistan + More Troops = Catastrophe
Many Afghans Oppose Obama's Troop Buildup -- [Christian Science Monitor]
Parliamentarian Shukria Barakzai says she has an innovative amendment to Washington's planned injection of up to 30,000 new troops here."Send us 30,000 scholars instead. Or 30,000 engineers. But don't send more troops – it will just bring more violence."
Afghan president orders prompt election -- [MiamiHerald]
Mar 1, 2009 ... Afghan President Hamid Karzai stepped up a confrontation with his opposition Saturday, ordering this year's presidential election to be ...
Karzai under fire for changing Afghan election date -- [Trend News]
...opposition groups and some members of parliament had responded to the postponement by saying that they would not recognize Karzai as legitimate president after May 22.
In the decree Karzai, who has made clear he will run for a second term, justified his move by referring to the 63rd and 64th articles of the constitution, which leave the president with authority and responsibility to ensure and protect the country's supreme law.
A spokesman for Afghan Independent Election Commission said Sunday they were not officially notified by the president and they would announce their stance after consultations with all members of the commission.
Dow Drops Below 7,000 for the First Time Since ’97 -- [New York Times]
Concerns about financial companies and worries over Friday’s unemployment report continued to erode the markets.
Down Economy Boosts Military -- [Boston Globe]
The faltering US economy is fueling a dramatic turnaround in military recruiting, with new statistics showing that the Army is experiencing the highest rate of new enlistments in six years.
The Army exceeded its goals each month from October through January - the first quarter of the new fiscal year - for both the active-duty Army and the Army Reserve, according to figures compiled by the US Army Recruiting Command. Officials said it is the first time since the first quarter of fiscal year 2003, before the start of the Iraq War, that the Army has started out its recruiting year on such a high note.
Adm. Mullen Says Iran Has Material for Bomb -- [WSJ]
Both US and IAEA officials have stressed in recent days that Iran could still be far from developing a bomb.
Mullen, Gates Divided On Nukes -- [Washington Times]
Adm. Michael G. Mullen, the top U.S. military officer, said Sunday that Iran has enough fissile material to make an atomic bomb, but Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the U.S. has time to pursue negotiations because Iran is not close to building a bomb.
Report: Marine One Information Found on Computer in Iran -- [FOX News]
Sensitive information about Marine One was reportedly found by Tiversa employees at an IP address in Tehran, Iran.
Cyber Security: Less Advice, More Action -- [Threats Watch]
On the heels of a new policy recommendations and new audit recommendations for cyber security issues comes this news:
Tiversa employees found engineering and communications information about Marine One at an IP address in Tehran, Iran. Bob Boback, CEO of Tiversa, said, "We found a file containing entire blueprints and avionics package for Marine One, ...
"What appears to be a defense contractor in Bethesda, MD had a file sharing program on one of their systems that also contained highly sensitive blueprints for Marine One," Boback said.
Meet some of our recovering Soldiers at Walter Reed - (VIDEO) -- [Soldiers Angels Germany]
The other day Oprah aired what I think are several really nice interviews carried out with recovering Soldiers during her recent visit to Walter Reed. Two of them are below, and MsUnderestimated (who uploaded all of them to LiveLeak - thanks!) has more at her blog. Most of them are pretty short and definately worth your time.
Injured Vets Find Safety Net Online -- [Chicago Tribune]
...Desperate for help and hobbled by federal bureaucracy, the men went public with their needs, recently posting their stories to total strangers on USATogether.org, a non-profit group created by a Silicon Valley entrepreneur to help injured veterans.
ESGR -- [Soldiers Angels LA]
Filed under: America Supports You, deployed, military, veterans — Libbie @ 10:04 am
The Employer Support of Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is an group designed to provide assistance to those returning from deployment. They assist in mediation with an employer if needed. This is only one of the many services they offer. For more information about the program visit
Veteran Marine Pushes Wounded Warrior (in his wheelchair) In Marathon -- [You Served]
Navy veteran Michael Kuhn of Ocala, Florida, is brain injured and receives care at the VA medical facility in Tampa, Florida. He will participate in the Tampa Gasparilla Marathon on Sunday March 1, 2009 as an ambassador for the AFF and the WWP. Marc Reed (Veteran USMC) from SRI St. Petersburg will push Michael, in his wheelchair, all the way to the finish line to help raise awareness for America’s veterans.
Robert Morris University is offering free tuition to veterans. -- [From My Position]
Robert Morris University officials announced Thursday they are launching the RMU Military Service Award, which will pay the difference between its tuition and the subsidy for qualified veterans under the post-9/11 GI Bill.
Seriously? -- [From My Position]
Chuck, with the utmost respect, I humbly beg to differ with you.
You don't have to beg.
I am deeply sorry that you were severely wounded,
(I don't want your pity)
for nothing
(ah, not sorry enough to not try to tell me my sacrifice was meaningless),
for a country that doesn't give a shit
(I never asked it to give a shit, and I've worked with literally thousands of military and civilians who DO give a shit).
Army creates electronic warfare career field -- [War on Terror News]
This cell phone was rigged as a detonator for an improvised explosive device. The detonator was recovered undamaged after having been successfully jammed by electronic warfare personnel using Counter Radio-Controlled IED Electronic Warfare equipment funded by the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization. By: Department of Defense
Mom: Army Duty Leaves Kids Without Care -- [AJC]
Davidson, N.C.--When Lisa Pagan reports for duty today, four long years after she was honorably discharged from the Army, she’ll arrive with more than her old uniform. She’s bringing her kids, too.
“I have to bring them with me,” she said. “I don’t have a choice.”
Pagan is among thousands of former service members who have left active duty since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, only to receive orders to return to service. They’re not in training, and they’re not getting a Defense Department salary. But when they first enlist, all soldiers must sign a contract that obligates them to serve for eight years. During that time, if they are not on active duty, they are on reserve status and subject to recall at any time.
Older Soldiers Find A Niche In New Army -- [Mami Herald]
'GI Jorge,' a father, grandfather and struggling property appraiser, is becoming a soldier at 40 to secure his family's financial future.
''It's the only answer for me to secure our way of life right now,'' he said soberly, noting that the 21st century GI bill means that he can pass college benefits along to his 18-year-old son.
Muela's tale shows how the financial crisis may be subtly aiding the Army, which struggled to meet its recruitment goals in 2004 and 2005.
Muela was able to become ''GI Jorge'' because Congress in 2006 raised the Army's age cap from 35 to 42.
...''Since the economy has gone into the tanks, the recruiting environment has gotten a lot better,'' says Andrew F. Krepinevich Jr., president of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a Washington policy research group.
90-day program gives former military doctors chance to serve again -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
The story about 74 year old Dr. (Lt Col) John Burson`s recent deployment to Afghanistan - after two prior deployments to Iraq - has been all over the news lately. (If you haven't see it, check it out here.) But he's not the only former military doctor headed back downrange.
Foreign citizens answer call to service - [The Boston Globe]
When the Pentagon announced in December that Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates had ordered the military to recruit a small number of foreign citizens to cover for shortages in certain specialties, personnel officials didn't know what to expect.
Now, as the effort gets underway to enlist nearly 900 foreign-language specialists and medical professionals who hold visas to study or work in the United States, personnel officials have their answer: There are likely to be more volunteers than they can handle.
...But many of them, like Linas Tumasonis, a 23-year-old student from Lithuania at the Georgia Institute of Technology, will likely be passed over because they either do not qualify or live too far away from the recruiting centers. "I was interested in applying on the basis of my foreign language skills," said Tumasonis, adding that earning a green card and ultimately citizenship was "a huge factor."
...The enormous response so far highlights an untapped resource that could be critical to filling severe shortages in the military of doctors and nurses and people who speak languages such as Arabic, Hindu, or Pashtun that could prove crucial to operating in foreign countries.
Obama faces test on gay military ban -- [Politico]
It is precisely the sort of knife fight no president wants to get into, especially in his first 100 days. But it seems that President Barack Obama is about to get dragged down the same dark alley as Bill Clinton when he was forced to confront
Defense Spending - On The Long Term Chopping Block -- [MCQ - BlackFive]
Spending for defense is one of the few Constitutionally mandated requirements of government. Yes, we're certainly going through financial difficulties and yes, we should all share the sacrifice that entails. But as the article points out, that's not the case here.
Thoughts on the “New Media” - [Small Wars Journal]
Last weekend I sent out the following “RFI” to a number of bloggers I know:
New Media and Modern War -- [Registan]
The Small Wars Journal sent out a thought-piece (I just can’t stomach calling it an “RFI”) to a bunch of important people to seek their thoughts on “new media”—that is, teh interwebz and related technologies—and how they’ve changed the nature of both warfare and how we fight it. This is a topic I’ve obsessed over at this blog for several years now, to much complaint from the old Uzbek crowd, and I think it might be neat to offer my thoughts on the matter as well.
Particularly over the last year or so, as I transitioned into a new job I got almost entirely due to blogging, the power of this medium I think has been misunderestimated.
The Difference -- [Greyhawk]
If there has been any diminution of that strength over the past years (or failure to reach above a level attained some time ago) it's been coincident with a decline in that more or less congenial interactivity. Obviously the topic "do we matter?" is one to invite such discussion. Are there others?
Facebook Politics -- [Wings over Iraq - in Iraq]
The New Media has revolutionized the manner in which military professionals discuss professional issues. It gives a new sense of empowerment to younger, more junior troops, who have respectfully challenged the status quo via their mastery of these new forms of media. They've (We've) grown up with computers in their homes all their (our) lives, and their comfort with this new medium has allowed them to voice their opinions all the way to the top.
British Troops Mutiny -- [Strategy Page]
The British Army is facing a mutiny as the brass try to limit Internet use by the troops. On February 4th, British Ministry of Defence issued new rules that, basically, prohibited the troops from using blogs, message boards social networking sites (like Face book) or online games (which usually involve parallel use of messaging systems). The response was immediate and unexpectedly mutinous. Troops openly insisted that they would ignore the ban. Some simply pointed out that these communications tools were essential to maintaining morale.
Candy thief claims Iraq veteran status -- [This ain’t Hell]
Someone sent me this article about some clown in Florida who claimed he was an Iraq war veteran which gave him the “right” to steal as many M&Ms as he wanted
UPDATE: Now see this is what pisses me off the most about this story. In this article, WPBF TV an ABC affiliate just takes for granted that Ambrose is a homeless veteran without a bit of research;
They don’t question his claim that he was in Iraq or that he was a veteran (even though a few hours of checking around from my home computer has cast some credible doubt on the claim) - just his claim that he should get free candy. They admit in the story that he lied to police about whether he had purchased the items he stole, but he must be telling the truth about being a homeless veteran. I hate the media.
Why Limbaugh Is Right to Oppose Obama's Economic Policies -- [Huffington Post - Lee StranahanFilmmake]
El Rushbo didn't stop there, of course. Limbaugh went on at CPAC to suggest that liberals opposed to the war in Iraq wanted the war to fail. Oh, shock and outrage!!!
Well, guess what? You're damn right I wanted the Iraq war to fail.
Yeah, I said it.
I think I'm not supposed to say that out loud because then I'm supposed to be afraid that I'll be accused of hating America and wanting troops to die. So maybe I should rephrase that tenderly and with great care....
Interview With Secretary Gates -- [NBC - David Gregory]
Transcript of Secretary Gates' Sunday appearance on NBC's 'Meet the Press.'
Defense Chief Says Obama More Analytical Than Bush -- [Washingtonpost]
..."I think that probably President Obama is somewhat more analytical. And he makes sure he hears from everybody in the room on an issue. And if they don't speak up, he calls on them."
Gates Says He Probably Will Not Finish Obama Term
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said it would be "a challenge" to remain in his E-Ring post for the entirety of President Obama's current White House term, which will expire in January 2013.
Just how long the Bush-appointed Gates stays "is probably up to the president," Gates said during a March 1 appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" program.
Interview With Admiral Mullen -- [CNN - John King]
Transcripts of Admiral Mullen's Sunday appearance on CNN's 'State of the Union'
InterviewWith Admiral Mullen -- [FOX News - Chris Wallace]
Transcripts of Admiral Mullen's Sunday appearances on 'Fox News Sunday.'
RIP Paul Harvey -- [Michelle Malkin]
One of the great voices of authentic heartland America fell silent today. Paul Harvey was doing nationwide conservative talk radio for decades before anyone thought of it as conservative talk radio. Everybody recognizes his distinctive, quirky voice with the…….odd pauses and offbeat emphases, but his success was about far more than his distinctive diction.
NYT To Launch Citizen Journalism Sites -- [Sweetness&Light]
Asked about the dangers of having inexperienced non-journalists doing reporting for the sites, Schachter said, "I don’t think we would expect to get the exact same thing that we would get from a New York Times reporter. One of the qualities that we bring to the plan is our good judgment."
He also said the new approach is not meant to replace some suburban coverage that has had to be reduced in recent years: "It is a grassroots effort, to see if there is a new kind of journalism we can be part of."
Obama’s Kenyan Family At White House -- [Daily Mail]
These are the first pictures of Barack Obama inside the White House with his British stepmother.
Taken the day he was sworn in as President, they show him giving Kezia Obama and the rest of his extended family a tour of his new home.
Embraced by Mrs Obama, who travelled to Washington DC from her council house in Bracknell, the President proudly posed in an official reception for the family.
He is also surrounded by his half-brother Abongo, his sister-in-law, niece, nephew and other relatives, who all travelled from Kenya and were in the VIP enclosure for his inauguration in January…
(Need more? Dawn Patrols Archives are here.)
