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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 various 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.
Iraq Releases Video of Purported Al-Qaeda Leader -- [Gateway Pundit]
Iraq Releases Tape of Purported Captured Al-Qaeda Leader Abu Omar Al-Baghdadi--
The captured Al-Qaeda leader says he took orders from former Saddam offiicials and from Al-Qaeda. He also said his group was funded by charity organizations in Egypt, Syria and Saudi Arabia.
Groundhog Day, Revisited -- [Ramblings from a painter - in Iraq]
So within my own little Groundhog Day here in Baghdad, I'm getting to somewhat the same place as my dogs on their walks. I know what the routine is expected to be each day. But it never plays out the way it's supposed to. Meetings are changed or cancelled. Something that wasn't even on the radar is suddenly my top priority, at least for a few hours. I'll be tasked with preparing a decision briefing for the general that will affect how the Corps of Engineers will operate in Iraq for the next couple of years. Meanwhile
Have We Learned to Learn?? -- [S4 at War - in Iraq]
After inquiring as to my job in the Army (infantry type job, not S4 type job) they were curious about what we were doing in Iraq right now and I explained that kicking in doors is no longer the soup du jour. Strengthening governance, builing infrastructure, bolstering the economy, I explained, are all major focuses of ours. They looked at each other and said, “that is exactly what we are going to school to do, what training do you get to do that?” The answer, of course, is none. The Army has demonstrated a surprising capacity to learn on the fly in Iraq and has been unusually receptive to bottom up learning, something it totally neglected in Vietnam to its own peril.
Quick Reaction Force Ride Along
Iraq - Order of Battle -- [Institute for the Study of War]
This document (in Adobe Acrobat format) describes the location and area of responsibility of all Multi-National Force-Iraq units, down to the battalion level updated as of May 2009. Many new units have assumed responsibilities in Iraq. ISW derives all information in the Order of Battle from open sources that are readily available and cited in the document.
VIPs Stay Away -- [Sour Swinger - in Iraq]
Back in April President Obama decided to make a surprise visit to Victory Base which is right next door to my duty station, Camp Liberty. I remember this day quite clearly for two reasons. I failed my #2 fear and it set the record (at the time) for the longest mission.
NEFA Foundation: Q&A With Taliban Media Wing Representative -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
The NEFA Foundation has obtained and produced an edited transcript of an open question-and-answer session with Afghan Taliban media wing spokesman Ahmad Mukhtar that took place several days ago over an Arabic-language Internet chat forum.
Director of Political Committee of Taliban in Afghanistan Warns Iran, Tajikistan Against Cooperating With U.S. -- [MEMRI]
In an interview, Agha-Jan Mu'tasim, director of the political committee of the Taliban in Afghanistan, warns Iran against "cooperating with America" and demanded that "Tajikistan not allow the U.S. and NATO to use its territory." During the interview, which aired May 10, 2009 on an Arab TV channel, Mu’tasim’s face is blurred.
When in Doubt ATTACK! -- [Afghanistan Shrugged - in Afghanistan]
...The evening sets in and the wind begins to slow, with the dissipation of the heat. The sun sets over the mountains in Pakistan and calm rests upon the desert floor. An orange light is cast across the landscape almost pleasant, a harbinger of the next day. Maybe not a harbinger of ill events but a seizure of events. A choice to act before being acted upon.
After this we began putting the plan into action.
Pakistani al Qaeda leader killed in March 2008 Predator strike -- [LWJ - Bill Roggio]
A mid-level al Qaeda leader known as Dr. Arshad Waheed was killed in the March 16, 2008 airstrike in South Waziristan along with 19 other al Qaeda and Taliban fighters.
Pentagon Has Video of Afghan Civilian Casualty Incident -- [VOA News]
The Pentagon says it has video of the incident in Afghanistan's Farah Province two weeks ago, in which a U.S. air strike apparently killed some Afghan civilians. But U.S. officials dispute the Afghan government claim that as many as 140 civilians were killed.
NATO airstrike kills eight civilians in southern Afghanistan -- [Earth Times]
A NATO airstrike targeting the Taliban in southern Afghanistan resulted in deaths of eight civilians, the alliance said Wednesday, blaming the militants for using civilians as "human shields."Meanwhile, the US military said Wednesday that its ongoing investigation had found that only 20-30 civilians may have been killed in a May 4 airstrike in western Afghanistan. The Afghan probe said 140 civilians had been killed in the attack.
Afghans killed during insurgent attack -- [ISAF - NATO News Release]
On the morning of 19 May, ISAF troops came under fire from approximately twenty-five insurgents. Finding it difficult to extract themselves from this dangerous situation, ISAF troops resorted to calling for close air support. An aircraft supported the soldiers by dropping one piece of ordnance, which ended the engagement.
The ISAF troops, however, were not aware that the insurgents were once again using civilians as human shields.
ISAF Goes Social -- [Registan]
One of the big challenges facing the mission in Afghanistan is that, given the severe disadvantages in strategic communications and information operations, they need to be more transparent about their methods, methodologies, and intentions. As one example, some of the elders in Kapisa province complained bitterly that the Coalition soldiers were behaving too gruffly with their search operations.
Afghan gov't regains control of southern district from Taliban -- [Trend News]
Afghan forces in an operation flushed out Taliban from Marja district of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan and re-established government writ there Tuesday, a private television channel reported.
"Marja, after one and half year, was regained by government troops," TOLO reported in its news bulletin.
SecDef Gates: Afghans Lead 2 to 4 Years Away -- [American Forces Press Service]
The Afghan national army could lead operations in Afghanistan in two to four years, with the U.S. playing a support role, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said during a May 8 interview, portions of which aired on CBS' "60 Minutes" Sunday.
Taliban Tactics: Massing of Troops -- [The Captain’s Journal]
There remains an uproar over this incident because of noncombatant casualties, and some of it even over military analysis web sites. The focus of much of the discussion is on how counterinsurgency cannot succeed with noncombatant casualties, and that successful counterinsurgency must be population centric. True enough within context, this point misses the mark by a wide margin and succeeds only in parroting doctrinal talking points without a true understanding of what this incident can tell us about the campaign.
Regular readers of The Captain’s Journal can do better. Be circumspect, smart and deliberate, and consider the question of what we might learn from this incident?
News from a not-so-forgotten war. Heartless Libertarian got his gun. -- [Castle Argghhh!!!]
The Heartless Libertarian has deployed to Afghanistan, and has kindly, with only a little arm-twisting, taken on the role of Castle Argghhh! (FWD). This is his first publishable report.
...One of the guys I'm replacing (I'm replacing three guys, at least temporarily, until SAMS spits out its next class) told me, "There are fun experiences, and there are life experiences. This is mostly a life experience. But a year from now, when you look at that map, and remember what it used to look like, you'll say 'Damn, look at what we did.'"
Khalilzad Said to Be in Talks With Karzai -- [WaPo]
Zalmay Khalilzad, an Afghan American who served as ambassador to Afghanistan in the Bush administration, has been holding discussions with Afghan President Hamid Karzai about becoming a senior adviser to his government, U.S. officials said.
Op Ed: What’s This AGF Crap!? -- [A Battlefield Tourist]
It is time to officially coronate the enemies of the Afghan government, and ultimately coalition forces, as Anti Government Forces or AGF for short. ...In Regional Command East, not only are you dealing with Pashtun nationalists, but wahabbi extremists, islamic revolutionaries, timber barons, drug smuglers, al Qaeda operatives, nationalists, opportunists and, of course, Taliban.
Point is, there are dozens of groups with dozens of issues loosely operating together in a fluidity of rivalry, opportunity and convenience and they are NOT all Taliban. They ARE all AGF.
Arms Sent by U.S. May Be Falling Into Taliban Hands -- [NY Times]
Insurgents in Afghanistan, fighting from some of the poorest and most remote regions on earth, have managed for years to maintain an intensive guerrilla war against materially superior American and Afghan forces.
Military burns unsolicited Bibles sent to Afghanistan -- [Trend News]
Military personnel threw away, and ultimately burned, confiscated Bibles that were printed in the two most common Afghan languages amid concern they would be used to try to convert Afghans, a Defense Department spokesman said Tuesday, CNN reported.
US troops urged to share faith in Afghanistan
I’m female, I couldn’t be in charge. -- [Misuchan’s Milblog - in Afghanistan]
May 18th, 2009 No comments When we get a new person on the FOB and they come into our work area for the first time, they always seem to introduce themselves to the wrong person. Part of the reason is that we don’t wear our ACU tops in here due to the heat. So myself and a male soldier will be sitting here, and they automatically start talking to him as if I don’t exist. Then my soldier directs them to discuss the issue with his sergeant, and motions his hand towards myself, the “female.” And they wonder why I seem like a bitch when they first meet me.
Iran Says It Tests Missile, Israel Within Range -- [WaPo]
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran test-fired a new advanced missile Wednesday with a range of about 1,200 miles, far enough to strike Israel and southeastern Europe.
1.4 million Pakistanis Flee Fighting, 250,000 Pigs Slaughtered in Egypt, Women Win in Kuwait -- [PJ TV]
The latest Sharia & Jihad headlines you aren't going to find in the mainstream media.
North Korea’s Body Snatchers -- [Pajamas Media]
Is Kim Jong Il taking hostages to get what he wants from the international community?
Last Thursday, North Korea announced that the trial of two American reporters, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, will begin on June 4. Pyongyang’s soldiers snatched the pair on March 17 while they were, according to conflicting reports, in North Korea, in China, or wading across the Tumen River, which forms part of the border between the two countries. The young journalists, working for Current TV of San Francisco, were reporting on refugees fleeing Kim Jong Il’s paradise. Last month, Ling and Lee were charged with illegal entry and hostile acts and could spend at least five years in prison.
US and Russia Begin Arms Talks With a December Deadline -- [New York Times]
After months of prelude, Russian and American teams sat down in Moscow on Tuesday to begin renegotiating the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or Start, a key plank in the promised “reset” of relations between the countries. The negotiators face a tight timeline if they are to replace the old agreement, which runs more than 700 pages, before it expires on Dec. 5. In recent days, top Russian officials have suggested that success at renegotiating Start is contingent on changes to an American plan for a missile defense system, a difficult negotiation in its own right.
Exclusive: Liberty City Six al Qaeda Cell Convicted for Conspiracy to Kill Americans -- [Family Security Matters]
In what should be big news, five men were convicted of multiple charges, including conspiracy to wage war against the U.S.
Go, Keith!! -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Keith is one of "our" former patients and it's wonderful to see him zipping around on his Segway. What's particularly amazing is that he was hurt just three months ago. You can see video stories about him from his local newspaper here and here.
OPERATION GRATITUDE SALUTES MEMORIAL WEEKEND WITH PATRIOTIC CARE PACKAGE DRIVE -- [Operation Gratitude]
Van Nuys, CA - May 20, 2009 - On Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Weekend, May 23-24, 2009, hundreds of dedicated Operation Gratitude Volunteers will assemble and ship 20,000 Care Packages to U.S. Military personnel deployed in Afghanistan, Iraq and on ships at sea, during the signature weekend of the organization's 2009 Patriotic Drive. Additional assembly days will take place during the weekend of June 13-14 to complete the goal of shipping 40,000 Patriotic Packages this season.
Legislation in the House of Interest to Veterans -- [Castle Argghhh!!!]
Of the 2377 House and 1016 Senate pieces of legislation introduced in the 111th Congress to date, the following House Bills are of interest to the non-active duty veteran community. The whole list being too long for the blog software to handle, the Senate legislation is a separate entry.
Moonbats Target West Point Graduation -- [You Served]
They line West Point Highway with flag draped coffins and banners with disgustingly negative messages to demoralize our graduates and their families. The families of these graduates already have a high anxiety level with their children embarking on a military career in a time of war. The additional stress is unwelcome and unwanted.
For the third year the Gathering of Eagles (GOE) will provide a counterpoint to the insurgents. We will hold flags and signs of encouragement for the graduates, our troops and their families.
They Were My Brothers -- [Villianous Co.]
I received an email today about a medically retired young Marine running a 100 mile marathon down in the Keys over the weekend.
He ran it for the Marines who won't ever run again.
He ran it for the special ops guys from all branches who won't either.
His youtube is found here.
By the way, he finished the marathon in 31 hours, 03 minutes and 21 seconds. 0321 is the MOS for Recon.
Get great Music and help Fisher House -- [Bouhammer]
Last Thursday on You Served Radio I had Tom Neely on from the band, Bridge of Sighs on the show. They donated a couple signed copies of their first studio released CD, Angry Clouds, to be auctioned off on the You Served eBay store to raise money for Fisher House.
Well the band has went one step further.
GPS system threatened by satellite failures -- [Inquirer]
By INQUIRER Newsdesk THE GLOBAL POSITIONING SERVICE (GPS) on which satellite navigation devices rely could begin to fail by next year, a report has warned.
Boeing loses lawsuit on pricing for GPS satellites -- [AP]
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Air Force can disclose the rates that Boeing Co. charged for the next generation of global positioning satellites to the public and
EFMB - the mark of distinction among medical professionals -- [Soldier's Angel Germany]
The Expert Field Medical Badge, or EFMB, is earned by a only a fraction of the hundreds who try for it every year, and almost no one makes it on their first attempt.
Not Sure -- [Conversations in the Desert]
I will be reviving posts from my first blogging venture. Starting with my second post which was brought on by a few disgruntled students of a local university after I sent a mass recruiting email to them.
As your local Army Recruiter, I’d like to tell you about the many opportunities the Army has to offer students like yourself.
...The response I recieved:
I find your email laughable and rather ironic.
The army doesn't have a place for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender persons, now does it?
World War II Vets Get Paid -- [Strategy Page]
After over sixty years of lobbying, Filipinos who fought against the Japanese in the Philippines, or served in the colonial armed forces, during World War II, are finally receiving the compensation. The Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund pays $15,000 to those veterans who are now American citizens, and $9,000 to those who are not.
Ft. Sill troops homecoming -- [KSWO]
The troops trained at Fort Sill, and deployed to Iraq last August. A hearty welcome home to the 34th Combat
Aviation Brigade from all of us here at 7News.
Welcome Home Celebration For Troops -- [WCPO]
The group offers care packages and greeting card from school children and the community to give troops abroad a taste of home. Another his group offers is ...
Families welcome troops home -- [Quad City Times]
Olivia Naber 3, from North Liberty gives her father, Iowa National Guardsman Jacob Naber, a kiss during welcome home activities. (John Schultz/Quad-City ...
Imaginary Death Squads -- [Greyhawk]
...can result in real death.
Accusation's that U.S. military members assassinated Benazir Bhutto aren't the first such allegations built on the foundation of Seymour Hersh's fable of "Dick Cheney's Death Squads" - and Hersh isn't the only "credible" source providing fodder for world-wide conspiracy theorists. They should be the last. They won't be.
Sigh, Hersh -- [Jonah Goldberg/NRO]
Greyhawk does a wonderful service taking him apart.
PSEUDOLOGIA FANTASTICA OF THE SINISTER VARIETY -- [Dr. Sanity]
Is Seymour Hersh flagrantly psychotic and paranoid?? That would be the kindest explanation of his behavior that fits the facts. It would even be treatable.
Of course, pseudologia fantastica also fits the bill...which is just the fancy name for pathological lying, which (to quote from the link) "is falsification entirely disproportionate to any discernible end in view, may be extensive and very complicated, and may manifest over a period of years or even a lifetime."
Disconnect between journalists & the military (& everything else) -- [BlackFive - Uncle Jimbo]
...So let's take a look at how a hugely respected magazine The New Yorker treats reporting on the military. Here is a succession of Tweets detailing the hiring and story development of the new military writer for them. It is also a perfect example of just how stupid Twitter is for anything other than live updates of an event in progress. Try to ignore the foolishness of 140 character content farts and focus on the fact that they are shameless and unapologetic about their ignorance.
Oh, the Irony... After Hiding Khalidi Tape Before Election- LA Times Demands That Obama Release Torture Photos! -- [Gateway Pundit]
Oh, this is rich!
The LA Times demanded this week that President Obama release the detainee torture photos:
Perfect Valor at the GI Film Fest -- [BlackFive - Uncle Jimbo]
The film Perfect Valor takes you to the second Battle of Fallujah by telling the personal tales of five people who were there, two grunts, a doctor, a nurse and a chaplain. In case you need any introduction to this battle one of the grunts SSgt Jeremiah Workman offers it "At the time, Fallujah was the most dangerous city on Earth".
Enter the Labyrinth -- [Belmont Club]
The Associated Press reports the loss of a mere terabyte of data recording the Clinton era from the National Archives. An investigation has been launched with the hope of recovering the data. The dates during which the data went missing — “October 2008 and March 2009″ –may provide a clue as to the perpetrators. Just saying.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The National Archives lost a computer hard drive containing massive amounts of sensitive data from the Clinton administration, including Social Security numbers, addresses, and Secret Service and White House operating procedures, congressional officials said Tuesday.
Senate Democrats won't fund Gitmo closing for now -- [AP]
President Barack Obama's allies in the Senate will not provide funds to close the Guantanamo Bay prison until the administration comes up with a satisfactory plan for transferring the detainees held there, top Democrats said Tuesday. And in a further break with Obama, the Senate's top Democrat said he opposes transferring any Guantanamo prisoners to the United States for their trials or to serve their sentences. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has said 50 to 100 Guantanamo detainees may be transferred to U.S. facilities.
"I can't make it any more clear," Reid said. "We will never allow terrorists to be released in the United States."
Senator Reid’s Gitmo truth: ‘You can’t put them in prison unless you release them’ -- [911 Families - Tim Sumner]
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) finally told the truth about President Barack Obama’s plan to bring Guantanamo detainees into the United States. The New York Times (and others) has Senator Reid on the record.
(Need more? Dawn Patrols Archives are here.)
