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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.Refresh for updates.
McChrystal: More Forces or 'Mission Failure' -- [Greyhawk]
This is big: the day following President Obama's appearance on five Sunday news talk shows, in which he expressed his concerns over "mission creep" in Afghanistan, Bob Woodward publishes a declassified copy of General McChrystal's commander's assessment along with this report in the Washington Post...
The McChrystal Review: Yawn. -- [Registan]
Indeed, what I find most striking about this is just how thorough McChrystal's staff has been in leaking the report's most interesting portions beforehand. Much like the evolving narrative in which everything McChrystal does is genius and everything McKiernan did was EPIC FAIL, we can see here the power, or not, of an aggressive media campaign.
Also, wasn't the initial version classified in some way? Who made the decision to redact it for public consumption?
Anyway, some followup reporting by Rajiv Chandrasekaran and Karen DeYoung reveals what we've known for a while now: the Obama administration is paralyzed, apparently because it's realizing Afghanistan is not, in fact, as simple as "destroy al Qaeda."
And here's the kicker...
The Importance of Local Relevance -- [Registan]
This makes for something of a followup of my critique of the Pentagon's refusal to consider Afghans on their own terms before designing policies for the country. Ann Jones, an activist who normally writes on women's rights, recently visited a training center for the Afghan National Army and found something striking...
CIA expanding presence in Afghanistan -- [LA Times]
The buildup coincides with new warnings that the Taliban has continued to gain territory and strength. McChrystal wants to improve intelligence on the Taliban and focus on reducing the number of bombings.
The CIA is deploying teams of spies, analysts and paramilitary operatives to Afghanistan, part of a broad intelligence "surge" that will make its station there among the largest in the agency's history, U.S. officials say. When complete, the CIA's presence in the country is expected to rival the size of its massive stations in Iraq and Vietnam at the height of those wars. Precise numbers are classified, but one U.S. official said the agency already has nearly 700 employees in Afghanistan.
Double missions -- [Afghanistan My Last Tour - in Afghanistan]
So my 6-man team along with 2 other vehicles formed the convoy. We would have to travel through the capital city to get to our destination. In an attempt to avoid traffic and hoping the insurgents were still sleeping or preparing to celebrate Eid (holiday period signifying the end of Ramadan and fasting), we departed early. Some military personnel mispronounce E-i-d and say E-a-t. A common joke even among our interpreters is there is some truth to this. The Muslims no longer have to fast and can eat. Eid in the Muslim world is like our Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year combined into one celebratory period lasting for 3-4 days.
As planned, there was very little traffic in Kabul. Our armored convoy thundered through the city in record time and arrived at Camp Phoenix without incident. Everything was going as planned until we encountered
Il italiano forte -- [Quatto Zone - in Afghanistan]
After Thursday's suicide attack in Kabul that killed six Italian soldiers, the calls for withdrawal from Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Northern League leader Umberto Bossi were the predictable reflexes of political survivors who have been through this dance before. ...now that Italy has suddenly been called on to pay a price in blood for this cause that other countries have already paid in abundance (51 US troops died in August alone, 830 have died in all, and 214 British troops have been killed to date), we virtually have no choice but to reconsider the pros and cons of our participation in what is no longer a peace mission but a full-fledged war. We are reminded of the words spoken 10 days ago by Abdullah Abdullah, Karzai's main adversary in the elections: "It is going to be difficult for the allied governments to justify their support for the result of an election on which hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent and for which many NATO soldiers have died, but which is turning into a tragic farce."
Afghan-International Security Force Stops Militants in Khowst, Kandahar -- [ISAF]
An Afghan and international security joint force detained several suspected militants today, after searching a series of buildings in Khowst province and compounds in Kandahar province.
NZ sends elite troops back to Afghanistan -- [ABC]
By New Zealand correspondent Kerrie Ritchie At a press conference this afternoon, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key confirmed 71 SAS troops had flown into
Saving Private Allen -- [News Of The World]
Minutes after this picture Andy was blown up. But medics dedicated themselves to..
Just 18 MINUTES LATER the young father-to-be is caught in the blast of a deadly improvised explosive device. His right leg is torn off, his left leg shredded and his eyes blinded. Terrified pals see the 19-year-old's British soldier's mangled body in a pool of blood and believe he is dead.
But he lets out a moan - and their frantic efforts to save him followed by months of intensive work by specialist doctors, nurses and therapists means he SURVIVES . . . and even gets to see his new baby.
Bloggin' catch-up - Trading covers... -- [3rd Time, New Country]
This will be a long-winded catch-up blog because it has been 2 weeks since my last entry. So much has happened yet I have been seriously slacking on updating this blog. Let me recap since I posted last... My first trip was to the Annex Hospital which is part of NMH but approximately 7 or 8 klicks away. It consists of a psych ward, a medical hold ward, and a TB ward. After our visit, we determined that it is mostly a redundant hospital and it would be better to transfer the majority of the staff back to NMH. NMH only has 1/3 of the nurses it needs to provide adequate care to the patients.
Eid and Range time -- [Doc H's International Adventure - in Afghanistan]
Today is the end of the month of Fasting- Ramadan. For the next 3 to 4 days families all over Afghanistan will be getting together to exchange presents and feast. No mentoring will be going on over this Holiday period. My team will be very busy once Eid is over, but the next three days will be our last leisurely ones for a while.
A Few Pictures -- [Sgt Danger - in Afghanistan]
This last mission was a four day trip and my first one in the turret. Just me, the wind, an M240B, and Elmo.
PRT engineers get bird's eye view of Kunar roads, bridges -- [PRT-Kunar]
"Overall, we all were very happy with the progress on the various ongoing road and bridge projects we saw on the flight, and we're hoping they're finished before winter starts," he said. "These roads and bridges are connecting the people here to their local, provincial and national government."
According to Daniel Dunleavy, USACE liaison to PRT-Kunar and native of Winchester, Va., the roads and bridges are improving provincial development by promoting commerce and transportation. "If you give people mobility, you bring in prosperity. An example is the Bar Shultan Bridge in the Shigal Valley. They're now building a bazaar on the other side of the bridge where before there was nothing," he said about the recently completed PRT project.
Iraq arrests 52 al-Qaida members -- [Xinhua]
Iraqi authorities detained 52 members of the underground al-Qaida organization Monday in a town south of Baghdad,...
Copter Crash Kills U.S. Soldier in Iraq -- [NY Times]
The crash occurred Saturday night at the air base in Balad, the largest American airfield in Iraq. The helicopter, a UH-60 Black Hawk, is the one most widely used in Iraq, regularly ferrying troops between the country's major bases.
The statement provided no details of the cause of the crash. Since it occurred inside the sprawling base, it appeared unlikely to be a result of hostile fire.
At Camp Virginia, Kuwait -- [Life at Joint Base Balad - leaving Iraq]
We spent about 5 hours just sitting on buses after we arrived, which annoyed me greatly. We got on buses after getting off the C-17, then got off to clear weapons, and got back on. Then we got off for a silly briefing, then got back on. Then got off to load luggage, then got back on. Then got off for another silly briefing, and got back on. We finally arrived at our tents at Camp Virginia, Kuwait, around midnight.
The Planetarium -- [Far From Perfect - in Iraq]
Here I sit in the dark at almost 1am in my little 4 foot by 6 foot space. I am under 2 layers of cover due to the overactive ECU, and my somewhat stinky PT clothes dangle 12 inches over my head because thats the only hook I have in my spot. There are 8 other people in the newly dubbed "Planetarium" sleeping quietly in their own little 4x6 spaces on their own cots, probably freezing as well. Funny thing is, its probably in the mid-70s to low 80s in the tent, but we are so used to 120+ degrees that 80 feels more like an Alaskan winter than a Florida summer. There are low rise concrete barriers surrounding the tent, and we hope to get the insulating foam covering sometime this week.
Is the U.S. About to Dump Syria? -- [Michael Totten]
Hussain Abdul-Hussain reports in Kuwait's Arabic-language daily Al Rai that the Obama administration has quietly decided not to return an ambassador to Syria as promised. He quotes unnamed officials who say president Bashar Assad is blackmailing the United States and its neighbors while conceding nothing in negotiations.
Obama set to slash nuclear arsenal -- [The Guardian]
Pentagon told to map out radical cuts as president prepares to chair UN talks -- Barack Obama has demanded the Pentagon conduct a radical review of US nuclear weapons doctrine to prepare the way for deep cuts in the country's arsenal, the Guardian can reveal.
Israel Will Not Attack Iran, Says Kremlin -- [The Times]
Israel has promised the Kremlin that it will not launch an attack on Iran, according to President Medvedev. Publicly at least, Israeli leaders have always refused to rule out the possiblity of a military strike against Iran's nuclear programme if it refuses to stop enriching uranium. But Mr Medvedev said that Shimon Peres, his Israeli counterpart, gave such an assurance during a meeting in the Black Sea resort of Sochi last month. In an interview with CNN aired today, Mr Medvedev said an Israeli assault would be "the worst thing that can be imagined", leading to "a humanitarian disaster, a vast number of refugees, Iran's wish to take revenge and not only upon Israel, to be honest, but upon other countries as well".
Obama Foreign Policy Advisor Calls For US to Shoot Down Israeli Jets -- [Gateway Pundit]
Last year Zbigniew Brzezinski, adviser to former US president Jimmy Carter, described the Bush administration's policy of maintaining the option of military action against Iran as "counterproductive."
Now Brzezinski, who advises Obama on foreign policy, is calling for the US to shoot down Israeli jets.
Our Missile-Defense Race Against Iran -- [Wall Street Journal]
Perhaps the most surprising thing about the Obama administration's decision last Thursday to scrap missile-defense deployments in Poland and the Czech Republic is that it was so long in coming. The handwriting has been on the wall since February, when President Barack Obama sent Russian President Dmitry Medvedev a secret letter proffering a quid pro quo of sorts to the Kremlin. The deal was simple...
As Talks With US Near, Iran Denies Nuclear Arms Effort -- [Washington Post]
On the eve of a visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the United States, Iran's supreme leader charged Sunday that the United States is falsely accusing the Islamic republic of trying to develop nuclear weapons, state television reported. The remarks come after President Obama on Thursday canceled a plan for a missile shield in Eastern Europe that was officially intended to thwart possible Iranian attacks. Earlier this month, the US representative to the United Nations nuclear watchdog said that Iran had enough low-enriched uranium to produce one nuclear weapon. "The US officials who claim that the Iranian missiles are dangerous or that we are seeking to produce atomic bombs know themselves that such statements are false," said Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Barack Obama in Diplomatic Dance to Avoid Gaddafi and Ahmadinejad at UN -- [The Times]
President Obama will get his much-sought photo opportunity with two Middle Eastern leaders when he makes his UN debut this week - but he will spend the rest of the time avoiding two others. The White House has announced that Mr Obama will host a meeting of Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, and Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, tomorrow as he makes his first appearance at the annual UN General Assembly session. Mr Obama is performing a carefully choreographed diplomatic dance. American diplomats have been busy behind the scenes trying to ensure that his star turn on the world stage is not marred by any uncomfortable encounters with the Libyan leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, or President Ahmadinejad of Iran.
Decapitation Terrorizes Al Qaeda -- [Strategy Page]
While the terrorist groups are concerned about the losses, especially among the leadership, what alarms them the most is how frequently the American UAVs are finding their key people. The real problem the terrorists have is that someone is ratting them out. Someone, or something, is helping the Americans find the terrorist leaders. It wasn't always that way. In 2007, there were only five UAV attacks, compared to three in 2006, one in 2005 and one in 2004. Back then, it wasn't just the lack of identified targets that kept the UAVs away, but fewer UAVs, and Pakistani resistance to American UAVs making attacks inside Pakistan (even though the targets were terrorists attacking Pakistanis, including senior leaders.) By 2008, the Pakistanis changed their mind
New York City Terror Plot and the Post-9/11 Catch-22 -- [PJM - Rusty Shackleford]
Do we arrest potential terrorists too early and allow them to plead to lesser charges? Or do we wait and risk an attack?
How seriously has law enforcement taken the plot? Serious enough for the FBI to have sent out warnings to local law enforcement to be on the lookout for bombs and bomb-making material.
Was a terrorist attack "imminent"? ...We may never know how close the alleged plotters were to actually carrying out their attacks. If this New York Post article is to be believed, sometime prior to the raid Zazi was warned that he was the subject of an FBI investigation. A friend of Zazi's apparently was questioned by the FBI about him. He then notified an imam who in turned warned Zazi's family.
Were the plotters then aware that the FBI was interested in them? That seems to be the implication. If so, one is left to wonder whether or not there was time for Zazi and his associates to get rid of important evidence.
The most troubling aspect of the story, if true, was the reaction by the imam to warn Zazi not to help the FBI or the NYPD root out a possible ring of terrorists among the local Muslim community.
Bank of America Removes American Flags Honoring Dead Marine -- [Captain's Journal]
The branch in Lexington [Main Street, Lexington, South Carolina, United States of America] refuses to fly the flag the tellers tell me they have on site. The flag pole has been naked for over 2 years now. It is a disgrace, and a poke in the eye."
So should BofA rename their corporation to bank of Russia? Is it Bank of America, or is it not? With whose offense were they worried? Really. Who, exactly, would have come into the bank and demanded that an American flag be removed for a Marine who perished in Afghanistan? And why would Bank of AMERICA have cared?
What corporate policy was in effect?
I lost my son -- let's save other returning warriors -- [A World Away]
From Kathy Rodrick of Racine.
Hello, I am a mother of a Marine who recently committed suicide.
I have a few ideas that I would like someone to listen to and maybe adapt. Let's do this so we can help our soldiers. First, according to the VFW NEWS WISCONSIN, the VA's Suicide Prevention Program Adds Chat Service. This is a wonderful idea but I think it is too hard for soldiers to access. How many people do not have a computer and how long will it take to begin talking to a live source. I think that a business card with the front of it saying something like, "SUICIDE IS NOT PAINLESS TO THE LOVE ONE LEFT BEHIND" with the phone number of someone they can speak to instantly. This is something they should be given at their debriefing, something they are told to put in their wallet. At this time, I would impress upon them ...
Get ready for Laughing Wolf's BBQ at Landstuhl! -- [Soldiers Angels Germany]
We're very excited to be hosting Blackfive's Laughing Wolf, chef extraodinaire, while he cooks for our patients at the Landstuhl USO's Warrior Center on Sunday.
Gates breaks the ice -- [FlightLines]
Defense Secretary Robert Gates walked into the lions den and lived to tell about it. He understood he hadn't made many friends within the Air Force Association over the past year, especially after ending F-22 production.
There he was, though, at their annual conference on Sept. 16 addressing the same organization that has outspokenly criticized the defense secretary saying he has put the nation at risk against future Chinese and Russian threats. What sent the national media rushing to their laptops was his announcement that the Air Force would take back control of the new aerial refueling tanker contract.
Airmen Celebrate Air Force's Birthday in AOR -- [DVIDS - in Iraq]
More than 200 service members attended a ceremony celebrating the Air Force's 62nd birthday at Al Faw palace Sept. 18.
Lt. Gen. Mike Hostage, Air Force Central Command commander, was in attendance as well as Maj. Gen. Joseph Reynes Jr., Air Component Coordination Element director, who served as the keynote speaker for the evening.
Upon arrival at the palace, attendees mingled during a social time before proceeding to the ball room for the official ceremony.
Parade gives troops a belated welcome home -- [phillyBurbs.com]
A little more than a year ago, Pierce was patrolling the same streets of Burlington City that held a welcome home parade in honor of his Company C 1-114th ...
No place like home, Marseilles welcomes troops home from Afghan war -- [MyWebTimes]
Once dismissed, families, friends and troops rushed into each other's arms for long, lingering hugs and soft whispers of welcome home. ...
Soldiers Return To Heroes Welcome In Marion -- [WSIL TV]
From quality time with their wives, to kisses from their kids, the troops were finally at home. And truly amazed with the welcome they received.
Schofield soldiers back after year in Iraq -- [Honolulu Star-Bulletin]
The returning 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team "Bronco Brigade" soldiers were deployed in Sala ad Din province in northern Iraq.
Today's "That Crazy New Media" Moment -- [Wings Over Iraq - in Iraq]
I think that everyone in the Army got an e-mail today regarding "MI Space" (Military Intelligence Space), the new social networking tool for military intelligence. The e-mail even advertises an MI-Space Twitter page--which means that the Army really has embraced Web 2.0, down to the annoying spam e-mails asking for web traffic. Will they be asking me to check out their hot webcam pics next?
Anyway, I heard someone open his e-mail and exclaim "MI Space! Is this a joke e-mail?"
As he read a little further, he screamed "Twitter!? Have these guys ever heard of OPSEC?!"
Skype! -- [In the Narmy - in Iraq]
Not sure if I have told everyone or anyone, but I have been able to communicate with Christina over here using a program called Skype. Not sure if it is very popular in the states or if anyone even knows what it is. For the sake of the blog, I'll just assume everyone is clueless about it.
Skype is a program you can download to your computer for free. Once on your computer, you can use Skype to make calls to other people who have Skype on their computers. These calls are completely free.
Obama open to newspaper bailout bill -- [The Hill]
The president said he is "happy to look at" bills before Congress that would give struggling news organizations tax breaks if they were to restructure as nonprofit businesses.
"I haven't seen detailed proposals yet, but I'll be happy to look at them," Obama
Newspaper journalism gets words of praise Print media's role vital, Obama says -- [Toledo Blade]
Saying he is a "big newspaper junkie," President Obama expressed hope on Friday that newspapers can find their way through the financial crisis most are now mired in. -- In an Oval Office interview with editors...
Obama, in Media Blitz, Snubs 'Whining' Fox -- [ABC News]
President to Hit All Sunday News Talk Shows, Except Network That Skipped His Speech -- As President Barack Obama goes on an unprecedented presidential blitz of media appearances, the White House is in a war of words with the network that did not get an interview:
The Democrats' Hypocrisy -- [RealClear Politics]
When Obama picked Eric Shinseki to head the Department of Veterans Affairs, the left applauded because they liked the contrast with President George W. Bush. Shinseki was their hero because he had told Congress that the Bush administration should send "several hundred thousand"
U.S. troops to Iraq in 2003. Bush, Democrats used to argue, should have listened to the generals -- by which they meant Shinseki, not the other generals who suggested lower troop numbers -- and put smart military strategy before politics.
Now there is a push among top military personnel to increase the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan beyond the 68,000 planned by the end of the year.
Funny. You don't hear many Democrats demanding now that Obama put aside politics and give top brass the extra troops they say they need to succeed in Afghanistan.
Democrats to Obama: Um, what exactly are we getting for selling out Poland to Russia? -- [Hot Air]
What are you getting? You're getting the same thing you got when he sold out Honduras to Chavez over that non-coup "coup" they staged: The warm fuzzy glow of knowing that George Bush would heartily disapprove.
And that's the way it is -- [Greyhawk]
We've been checking the White House video archive for the addition of the video of the Medal of Honor ceremony for Sergeant First Class Jared Monti held last Thursday - as yet it is not there. Obviously not everything the President says and does merits inclusion, and lag time should be expected for those events that do. Certainly the staff is to be commended for their ability to get video posted immediately (other events from that day and later are up) and forgiven for whatever unfortunate delay is evident in this case.
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