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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.
8 U.S. deaths at military base in Afghanistan -- [CNN]
Eight Americans were killed in a suicide bombing Wednesday at a military base in eastern Afghanistan, according to a U.S. military official and a U.S. Embassy official.
A suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest attacked Forward Operating Base Chapman near the district of Khost in Khost province, said a third official, who asked not to be named.
Afghan soldier shoots dead US trooper -- [Guardian]
Soldier opens fire at military base in Afghanistan, killing one American and injuring two Italian troops
U.S. pledges $16 bln to train, equip Afghan army, says Kabul -- [Reuters]
The United States has pledged $16 billion to spend on training and equipping Afghanistan's army and air force, but the country needs more to build a force that can guarantee stability, an Afghan army official said on Wednesday.
Defence Ministry spokesman Zaher Azimy said Kabul hoped a donor conference in London next month would provide cash and supplies needed for ambitious plans to expand the army to 240,000 soldiers, from over 100,000 at present.
The fractured U.S. policy -- [Washington Times]
...White House spokesman Robert Gibbs, adviser David Axelrod, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and the president all indicated July 2011 was real, and senior White House sources said "winning" was not an objective.
In an extraordinary example of expository journalism on Page 1 of The Post, Rajiv Chandrasekaran laid bare the shockingly different understandings of the Afghan mission held by the White House and the Pentagon (see "Civilian, military planners have different views on new approach to Afghanistan," The Post, Saturday).
There are three broad areas of "misunderstanding." First,...
Confession -- [Sgt Danger - in Afghanistan]
I'm on a small base, much farther forward than where I live. I woke up this morning, just a half-hour ago, to the sound of gunfire. It wasn't the first time, but usually it's just the 6-8 round burst of a test-fire as a convoy rolls out. This was different.
Counterbureaucracy -- [Free Range International - in Afghanistan]
I'm back after a month off to find things have changed very little on the Afghan street. Nobody here seems to believe we are going anywhere in 18 months yet everyone I talk with thinks the international military effort is entering its final stage. I have been on the road for most of the week and have had the chance to talk with all sorts of folks from the military, USAID, and many Afghans. The lack of optimism regarding our effort was the common denominator in every conversation. That is not to say morale is down; the military is able to go out and do whatever they plan whenever they want. We are not being beaten by the Taliban; we are beating ourselves.
WUSF interview for yesterday and today -- [Afghanistan My Last Tour - in Afghanistan]
Had a chance to chat with WUSF Radios Bobbie O'Brien again while at Bagram. We talked about the how it is to return to camp after mid tour leave, the COIN strategy and some frustrated troops whom I met who are leaving Afghanistan after their deployment. Here's the link. ...
New Clinic Open -- [Doc H's International Adventure - in Afghanistan]
For those of you who have been following all along you may remember my post from 17 August. In that post I showed you an ANP clinic which was still under construction. Well, yesterday we visited the same clinic and it is now open and operational.
The Backbone's Connected to the ... What? -- [The Quatto Zone - in Afghanistan]
Six days ago, I suggested that President Karzai's ability to connect with the Afghan people -- a compassion and charisma evidenced in his visits with army casualties and police cadets -- could be an important source of the government's public rehabilitation. After the government's reaction to allegations of civilian casualties in Konar Province, it is clear that another important source must be political backbone.
Afghan probe says NATO fighting killed children -- [AP]
The head of a presidential delegation investigating the deaths of 10 people in eastern Afghanistan concluded Wednesday that civilians - including schoolchildren - were killed in an attack involving foreign troops, disputing NATO reports that the dead were insurgents. Asadullah Wafa, a senior adviser to President Hamid Karzai, told The Associated Press by telephone that eight schoolchildren between the ages of 12 and 14 were among the dead discovered in a village house in the Narang district of Kunar province.
Attack Puts Afghan Leader and NATO at Odds -- [New York Times]
The killing of at least nine men in a remote valley of eastern Afghanistan by a joint operation of Afghan and American forces put President Hamid Karzai and senior NATO officials at odds on Monday over whether those killed had been civilians or Taliban insurgents.
U.S. and Allies Must Detain Afghan Prisoners -- [Washington Post - Max Boot]
Canada, one of the largest contributors of troops to the war in Afghanistan, is embroiled in a controversy over the treatment of prisoners captured by its army. Its policy has been to turn detainees over to the Afghans, whose prisons are not exactly run according to Amnesty International standards. Now the chief of the Canadian defense staff, Gen. Walter Natynczyk, has set off a political firestorm by admitting that a detainee who had been beaten in 2006 had initially been in Canadian custody - something he had previously denied. "You continue to transfer prisoners to torture in the name of Canada," one Liberal parliamentarian told the Conservative government. "I think you stand indicted in the court of public opinion of turning a blind eye." Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his ministers have professed outrage in response, but
China Willing to Spend Big on Afghan Commerce -- [New York Times]
A Chinese company is undertaking the largest foreign investment project in war-torn Afghanistan.
Bulgaria Sending More Troops to Afghanistan -- [New York Times]
Bulgaria joined NATO in 2004 and has also provided troops for international operations in Iraq, Kosovo and Bosnia.
Provincial Governor Survives Iraq Bombings -- [New York Times]
Attacks by two suicide bombers on Wednesday in the city of Ramadi killed at least 24 people and wounded nearly 60, including the governor of Anbar Province, a police official said.
Bombs kill more than 30 in Iraq -- [Reuters]
RAMADI, Iraq - Twin suicide bombs killed at least 24 and wounded more than 100 in Iraq's Sunni Arab heartland on Wednesday and a roadside bomb killed seven pilgrims returning from a major Shi'ite Muslim religious festival.
Road Trip: Erbil -- [Ramblings from a painter - in Iraq]
This morning, we headed out bright and early for Erbil, which is one of the major cities in the Kurdish region. We didn't have much trouble with rush hour here in Kirkuk and our little convoy was soon heading out onto the wide rolling flat plains to the north of the city. It was a really gray morning and even more gray looking north. We passed a Hyundai dealership on the way out ... first car dealership I've seen in Iraq. (I know there are some in Baghad, but I've never seen them). We also passed a huge trash dump. They don't have very many regular landfills here, there are just vast areas where they dump trash, and this was one of them. Right in the middle of it was a soccer field that had been carefully graded flat and kept clean. The main highway is in pretty good condition and we were moving pretty fast. Our security team
Orbiting astronauts converse with soldiers in Iraq-- [Journal Sentinel] (Video)
Jeff Williams and T.J. Creamer pass by Baghdad with some regularity - actually, every 90 minutes. But it wasn't until Tuesday that they could give a shout out from 220 miles above Earth to American troops serving in Iraq.
During a 20-minute satellite link around 5 p.m. Baghdad time, the two American astronauts and Army veterans aboard the International Space Station answered questions and thanked the soldiers, including Wisconsin National Guard members, for their service.
With a large American flag and an Army pennant in the background, Williams and Creamer bobbed in weightlessness, passing a microphone to answer questions posed by the U.S. soldiers who gathered at an Armed Forces Network studio in Baghdad's international zone.
Iraq oil contract goes to Angola -- [BBC News]
Sonangol will be paid between $5 and $6 a barrel, one of the highest fees awarded in Iraq's oil deals. The two fields combined contain an estimated 1.7 billion barrels of oil.
Russian oil firms moving back into Iraq -- [The Gazette (Montreal)]
Potentially they could quadruple Iraq's oil production to about 12 million barrels daily, equalling Saudi Arabia's present maximum capacity.
U.S. seeks to defuse Iran-Iraq showdown after seizure of oil well -- [World Tribune]
Iran and Iraq have been embroiled in their first military standoff in more than 20 years. The Iraq Army, with U.S. support, deployed hundreds of troops along the border with Iran during a confrontation over a crude oil field, Middle East Newsline reported.
Iraq reviews oil well seizure -- [UPI]
Iraq established a special committee to find a way forward to settle disputes following the Iranian seizure of an oil well in Maysan province, officials said.
Abdulkarim al-Aibi, the inspector general for the Iraqi Oil Ministry, said the country set up a committee to develop ways to share oil fields that straddle the border with Iran, Iraq's Azzaman news service reports.
Gertrude Bell drew Iraqi borders -- [Iraqi Mojo]
I find it ironic that the majority of Iraqis, especially Iraqi Arabs and nationalists, are determined to keep Iraq united, given that Gertrude Bell, with T.E. Lawrence (of "Arabia"), drew Iraq's borders.
The US occupation has been very different from the British occupation of the 20th century. The US could have split up Iraq, but left it up to the Iraqi people to decide. The British, on the other hand, combined Mosul, Baghdad, and Basra and called it Iraq. The British exploited Iraq's oil resources. The Americans have not. Incidentally, two huge oil contracts (to two European companies) were signed today in Baghdad.
The Iraqi People Get It -- [Iraq Pundit]
I can't help but wonder whether anyone noticed the differences between this past weekend's events in the region. WaPo reports that about five thousand Iraqis protested the Nouri Al Maliki government of Iraq. NYT also reported on demonstrations in Iran where the government fired upon its own people, killing ten. Of course Juan Cole wrote that all hell broke loose in Iraq, but what else is new? The WaPo reporter said a couple of days ago that Saddam Hussein "discouraged" Ashoura events. Today he writes Saddam banned the observances. Well? Which was it? I thought these guys are supposed to know what they're reporting on. It's odd to me that they don't see that Iran, which so many say turned Iraq into another Iran, greets protesters with violence. But Iraq, which also had demonstrations, did not kill its protesters.
In Iraq, a Plan to Revive the Pulse of an Artery -- [New York Times]
A $5 billion plan to rebuild Baghdad's economic and cultural main street is the most ambitious vision put forward of a new Iraq.
British hostage released alive in Iraq -- [AP]
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband says a man held hostage in Baghdad for more than two years has been released alive....
Intel report: Iran seeking to smuggle raw uranium. -- [AP]
Iran is close to clinching a deal to clandestinely import 1,350 tons of purified uranium ore from Kazakhstan, according to an intelligence report obtained by The Associated Press. The assessment is heightening international concern about Tehran's nuclear activities, diplomats said.
Pakistani Taliban claim Karachi bombing -- [AP]
The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility Wednesday for a bombing against a Shiite Muslim procession in the southern city of Karachi earlier in the week that killed 44 people....
Interpol and U.N. Back 'Global Policing Doctrine' -- [New York Times]
Interpol and the United Nations are poised to become partners in fighting crime by jointly grooming a global police force that would be deployed as peacekeepers among rogue nations riven by war and organized crime, officials from both organizations say.
Somali Pirates Seize U.K. Tanker -- [AP]
Striking into the heavily patrolled Gulf of Aden, Somali pirates seized a British-flagged chemical tanker - the first merchant vessel to be hijacked there in nearly six months, the same day that a ship was taken by brigands in the Indian Ocean, officials said Tuesday.
Russia may send spacecraft to knock away asteroid -- [AP]
Russia is considering sending a spacecraft to a large asteroid to knock it off its path and prevent a possible collision with Earth, the head of the country's space agency said Wednesday....
The Military Must Stop Making Light of Security Breaches -- [The Chosun Ilbo]
Top brass in the U.S. Forces Korea have expressed serious concerns over the leak of a joint South Korea-U.S. defense plan being accessed by suspected North Korean hackers after a South Korean military officer used an unsecured USB memory stick on a computer. After the incident hit the headlines, the South Korean military got busy trying to downplay the importance of the information that was leaked, but when the USFK's concerns became public, the South Korean military suddenly claimed it, too, is "deeply concerned" about the situation.
Standoff Over US Base Closure Sours US-Japan Ties -- [New York Times]
... relations between Tokyo and Washington, delayed a plan to restructure America's military presence in Asia and divided Japan's political leadership.
U.S. Gov Knew of Airline Terror Plot Before Christmas and Did Nothing -- [Amy Proctor]
...it turns out that the attempted Christmas day terrorist attack by a Nigerian man backed by al-Qaeda aboard a Delta flight from Amsterdam to Detroit was also known by the government, which did nothing.
U.S. Had Early Signals of a Terror Plot, Obama Says -- [New York Times]
...The president was told during a private briefing on Tuesday morning while vacationing here in Hawaii that the government had a variety of information in its possession before the thwarted bombing that would have been a clear warning sign had it been shared among agencies, a senior official said.
Two officials said the government had intelligence from Yemen before Friday that leaders of a branch of Al Qaeda there were talking about "a Nigerian" being prepared for a terrorist attack.
CIA also knew about suspect -- [Politico]
The CIA learned the man's name in November, when his father came to the U.S. embassy in Nigeria and sought help in finding him, officials said.
A U.S. intelligence official defended the agency's handling of the elliptical information, telling POLITICO: "Abdulmutallab's father didn't say his son was a terrorist, let alone planning an attack. Not at all. I'm not aware of some magic piece of intelligence that suddenly would have flagged this guy ...
Al-Qaeda 'groomed Abdulmutallab in London' -- [Times Online]
The Christmas Day airline bomb plot suspect organised a conference under the banner "War on Terror Week" as he immersed himself in radical politics while a student in London, The Times has learnt.
Somali arrested at airport with chemicals, syringe -- [AP]
A man tried to board a commercial airliner in Mogadishu last month carrying powdered chemicals, liquid and a syringe that could have caused an explosion in a case bearing chilling similarities to the terrorist plot to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner, officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The Somali man - whose name has not yet been released - was arrested by African Union peacekeeping troops before the Nov. 13 Daallo Airlines flight took off. It had been scheduled to travel from Mogadishu to the northern Somali city of Hargeisa, then to Djibouti and Dubai. A Somali police spokesman, Abdulahi Hassan Barise, said the suspect is in Somali custody.
Dutch to use full body scanners for US flights -- [AP]
The Netherlands announced Wednesday it will immediately begin using full body scanners for flights heading to the United States, issuing a report that called the failed Christmas Day airline bombing a "professional" terror attack. "It is not exaggerating to say the world has escaped a disaster," Interior Minister Guusje Ter Horst told a news conference.
"Al-Qaeda practises beating body scanners" -- [RNW News] HT: Jawa Report
A body scanner at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport would not necessarily have detected the explosives which the would-be syringe bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab had sewn into his underwear. A Dutch military intelligence source told De Telegraaf newspaper that Al Qaeda has its own security scanners and has been practicing ways of concealing explosives. The terrorist group has even carried out test runs at smuggling explosives through European airports, the paper reports.
Analyze This: The Mind of the Underpants Bomber -- [Danger Room]
Here's a rare chance to step inside a would-be terrorist's head.
...Online, he complained about his "extreme loneliness," and the fact that "sometimes people are so mean." He questioned whether it was okay to take meals with his parents, even though they ate meat he considered unclean. He asked if Muhammad were alive today, "would he watch [soccer], play it, encourage it or what?" He talked about how much he enjoyed his studies in Yemen. He wondered, "when is lying allowed to deceive the enemy?" And he denounced the "global War On Terror [which resulted] in the death of thousands of innocent lives and thousands more detained illegally without trial or judgement [sic]."
Freed Qaeda creeps hatched undie-cover plan to blow up Christmas jet -- [NY Post]
A Yemeni al Qaeda faction -- whose masterminds had been released from Guantanimo Bay -- claimed responsibility yesterday for orchestrating the bungled Christmas Day terror attack aboard a Detroit-bound jet.
Said Ali al Shihri and Muhammad al Awfi were captured in Afghanistan in late 2001, ABC News reported. They were freed from Gitmo in November 2007 and promptly took up arms again against the United States after completing a bizarre "art-rehabilitation therapy" program in Saudi Arabia as a condition of their release. "The so-called rehabilitation programs are a joke," a US diplomat told ABC.
Yemen vows to eliminate al-Qaida from country -- [AP]
Yemen says it will continue hunting down al-Qaida members and launching military strikes against them until the group's powerful branch in the country is eliminated. Deputy Interior Minister Brig. Gen. Saleh al-Zawari made the pledge Wednesday at a meeting of senior military officials in Mareb, one of three provinces where al-Qaida militants are believed to have taken shelter.
It's time to sue Google -- [Cannoneer No. 4]
How many Jihadi videos did Hasan watch on YouTube?
Self-radicalization without Jihadi videos is like self-gratification without porn. Pictures get you there quicker.
UPDATE: 200911271035 The next time the Taliban kill an American, thank Google's YouTube service for helping spread their vile propaganda.
Wounded FdL Marine refuses to be an invalid -- [The Reporter]
...Wege had been in Afghanistan five months when he began a new assignment. He was hit with an explosive device four days later.
Wege said he couldn't feel his legs after the blast Oct. 4, but he was still trying to figure out what had just happened. He tried to move, but nothing was happening. I said, "Aw crap. I looked down and it (foot) was pretty much shredded."
..."The Purple Heart ceremony was done after dark fell, but was very touching, even in the dark. The darkness actually contributed to a feeling of privacy, though we were surrounded by hundreds of people. Josh was called forward in front of the assembly and the orders giving him the award were read. We heard remarks about his bravery and the example he set during his rehab serving to inspire the troops. Most impressive, however, were the individual reactions of Josh's platoon members when they realized he was standing among them." ..."They weren't expecting me to be standing," Wege said.
USS Cole horror finally ends for wounded sailor -- [Washington Times]
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Johann Gokool lost his left foot when a bomb ripped a hole in the side of the USS Cole nearly a decade ago, but the injury was nothing compared with the mental torment that ravaged him almost daily.
...One of the brothers he lived with found him dead in their home last Wednesday, just a week after his 31st birthday, Natala Gokool said. His cause of death was unknown, though she said foul play was not suspected. The family believes the seizures just became too much for his body to handle.
Body Armor and COIN -- [Combined Arms Center Blog]
The modern day US Soldier and Marine wields lethal weapons and daunting body armor reminiscent of a fierce crusader in full battle dress. Bulky plate carriers bearing large ceramic plates in addition to the elbow pads, knee pads, and the advanced combat helmet give a larger than life presence to a formidable warrior who wears ballistic safety glasses which hide the eyes. From a distance or when passing by, our Troops might strike awe in the minds of the people we work to protect and advise, but when confronted face to face, we likely intimidate those with whom we wish to assist.
The seemingly impenetrable armor worn by our Troops, although necessary, can effectively shield our intensions and foster the wrong perceptions in the minds of the population when perception carries a very high value.
Welcome-home committee forming for Iraq soldiers -- [Janesville Gazette]
Tim Donovan about the return home of National Guard troops from Janesville Anyone interested in serving on a committee to organize a welcome-home event for
Last 'Black Jack' troops arrive at Fort Hood -- [Killeen Daily Herald]
Yet, now on their second deployment to Iraq, the Edwardses knew exactly how and where to meet on the division's parade field where the welcome home
NCIS Goes PC -- [PJM]
...I settled in to watch an episode of NCIS called "Faith." I soon found myself growing increasingly uneasy as the plot developed. A Marine who had converted to Islam had been murdered at prayer; in the course of the investigation, it turned out the culprit was his younger brother, who committed the crime in order to salvage the family honor, for the father, a former military officer, was now a Christian minister. A curious inversion seemed to be occurring in which Muslim honor killing, usually targeting a daughter who is deemed to have violated the tenets of the faith, was now chiastically transposed into a Christian honor killing, targeting a son who had embarrassed his observant family.
Troubled in mind, I proceeded to watch NCIS: Los Angeles, which occupied the next hour slot. This episode was called "Brimstone" and, sure enough, a strangely similar story unfolded. A group of wounded soldiers recently returned from Iraq were being systematically eliminated by a mysterious serial killer. Suspicion fell on a Muslim soldier, a member of the unit who had been disfigured by a roadside bomb and who had gone into hiding. But as the investigation continued, it ultimately became clear that our suspect had been falsely accused and that the killer was a crazed Christian evangelist and fellow soldier, seeking redemption for an imagined battlefield atrocity by blowing up his comrades.
Perhaps this deviant "reading" of the world is now to be expected.
Ol' School to New School -- [Army Live]
...the Social Media "craze" within Public Affairs. I did not see any reason why we needed to go there. As the former CMF 46 Branch Manager, I received numerous emails from Public Affairs Enlisted Soldiers inviting me to places like Facebook, Twitter and other sites. Each time I cringed and reluctantly said "no." One day I finally gave in and opened a Facebook account.
...Luck would have it that I'm now currently working with the Office of Chief of Public Affairs' On-line Social Media Division. They're the team responsible to advise the Army's Public Affairs Chief on things like FACEBOOK. So, now I'm smack back in the middle of what I've been avoiding and actually loving it! I've
Obama takes the heat Bush did not -- [Politico]
Eight years ago, a terrorist bomber's attempt to blow up a transatlantic airliner was thwarted by a group of passengers, an incident that revealed some gaping holes in airline security just a few months after the attacks of Sept. 11.
I Think I'm Going To Puke... -- [Embrace the Suck]
This little fucking douche bag was in the same company as me in Afghanistan! I will never forgive him for this!
Code Pink's misfire on Afghan women -- [Calgary Herald]
In October, the women's antiwar organization, Code Pink, went to Afghanistan. The Christian Science Monitor reported that the pink T-shirted women were surprised to learn the overwhelming majority of women do not support a withdrawal of foreign troops from their country. Expecting their counterparts - Afghan activists fighting for peace and gender equality - to support their demands, they were confronted with the problem that perhaps their position has been counterproductive to the Afghan women's movement, or even wrong.
PART 1 - Confessions of a Dove in Afghanistan -- [Sara Davidson - who joined the Code Pink]
...There was no stopping us, even though the State Department issued a warning against travel to Afghanistan because of "an ongoing threat to kidnap and assassinate Americans." We were a group of eight women and one man organized by Code Pink, Women for Peace, and we arrived in Kabul believing the U.S. should withdraw its troops and spend more money on development.
Part 2, Real Housewives of Afghanistan -- [Sara Davidson - who joined the Code Pink]
...We're subdued as we ride away from the UN office. We're hearing numerous stories like this, which makes us probe and question our assumptions. Ann Wright, 63, a former army colonel and State Department officer who has kind blue eyes and speaks with a Southern lilt, says, "I have changed a little bit. Before this trip I was leaning toward: let's get the hell out! Accept the inevitable! Now I feel we have a responsibility--to be part of a security strategy and help provide education and jobs. That's a far better way to deal with terrorism."
(Need more? Dawn Patrols Archives are here.)
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.
Elite U.S. Force Expanding Hunt in Afghanistan - [New York Times]
Secretive branches of the military's Special Operations forces have increased counterterrorism missions against some of the most lethal groups in Afghanistan and, because of their success, plan an even bigger expansion next year, according to American commanders. The commandos, from the Army's Delta Force and the Navy's classified Seals units, have had success weakening the network of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the strongest Taliban warrior in eastern Afghanistan, the officers said.
Taliban execute Bajaur tribal leader -- [LWJ - Bill Roggio]
The anti-Taliban tribal leader is the sixth who has been assassinated in Bajaur since Oct. 3.
Soldier survives to fight another day -- [British Army Website]
Just three days before this picture (above) was taken, this young soldier had a miraculous escape after being hit in the neck during a fire fight with Taliban gunmen in southern Afghanistan.
Family pleads for soldier's release -- [Army Times]
The Taliban released a video Friday of an American soldier captured in Afghanistan, showing him apparently healthy but spouting criticism about the U.S. military operation.
The Taliban released a video Friday of an American soldier captured in Afghanistan, showing him apparently healthy but spouting criticism about the U.S. military operation.
In Idaho, Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl's family pleaded on Christmas Day for his release and urged him to "stay strong." Bergdahl disappeared June 30 while based in eastern Afghanistan and is the only known American serviceman in captivity.
Embedded with troops in Afghanistan 3:40 Rough Cut -- [Reuters]
Dec. 1 - Reuters TV takes you up close and personal with the British Royal Marines as they encounter the Taliban in the Desert of Death, Afghanistan
DBIEDs -- [Knights of Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
The disturbing bit is that when I was down in Kandahar a couple of weeks ago, I considered staying at the Continental for the night.
...My ISAF contacts told me it was "perfectly safe." That's why I rely on the locals to tell me what's safe and what's not. Lest you think I was kidding when I wrote one of the interliner notes on this post, here is confirmation that DBIEDs do exist.*
Rumi------ Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Balkhī جلال الدین محمد بلخى -- [Doc H's International Adventure - in Afghanistan]
Local boy becomes world class poet.
...I encourage you to investigate some of Rumi's works. You may be suprised what Afghanistan has contributed to the culture of the world.
Christmas Mission -- [HERMANEUTICS: AFGHANISTAN - in Afghanistan]
What you see above is the 6 hour process of loading a helicopter simulator into a C-5 Galaxy. Or, from a Soldier's perspective, 'like watching a python swallow a rabbit'. More specifically, we were tasked to help some civilian contractors move a Longbow Crew Trainer (for Apache Pilots) from here back to Texas. Because of its importance and price tag ($27M) it cannot travel through normal means. Because of its size, roughly two semi-trailers, it is only transportable by the largest plane in the Air Force Inventory.
IJC Operational Update -- [ISAF]
Afghan and ISAF forces began an operation Sunday near Bala Murghab district in Badghis province to secure Afghan National Security Force outposts as part of a development plan started nearly a month ago. After the joint force occupied security outposts, 60 insurgent fighters attacked the force with small arms and RPG fire from multiple locations including adjacent compounds.
ISAF and Afghan forces continue fighting an extended battle with small arms and mortar fire as well as precision air strikes on confirmed insurgent positions.
Denver sailor in Afghanistan gets Christmas Eve call from President Obama -- [Denver Post]
When the phone rang in Afghanistan on Christmas Eve, a Denver sailor received a present even Santa couldn't top.
President Barack Obama called to wish U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Luis Tunake a happy holiday.
US contractors paying to Taliban to secure supply lines -- [Bouhammer]
This is another great example of how you can rent an Afghan's loyalty, but you can never buy it.
As President Obama prepares a massive military buildup in Afghanistan, a House subcommittee has launched an investigation into whether Defense Department contractors are paying off the Taliban to protect American supply lines. The investigation was triggered by a Nation cover story. Representative John Tierney, chair of the national security and foreign affairs subcommittee, said a "preliminary inquiry," including testimony from "a couple of whistleblowers," produced enough evidence to merit a full-fledged investigation.
Trying to leave Kuwait -- [Afghanistan My Last Tour - leaving Afghanistan]
I've talked about FOO projects in my blog and all of the restrictions placed upon them. But there is also another pot of money used for larger projects and it is entitled CERP. Due to lack of sleep, I can't recall what this acronym stands for. These funds can be used to build roads, schools, clinics, dig wells, etc. Anyhow, Congress has taken an interest in the expenditure of these funds and has placed narrow limitations on them as well. So now it's much harder to build a road connecting these villages, but it is permissible to build a fire station or buy fire trucks. Hmmm ... first the villages need a source of water like wells first. Also, many of them don't even have vehicles or know how to drive and their houses are built of mud-brick which doesn't catch fire too easily. I'm not sure where the logic is or perhaps some aspiring junior Congressman or seasoned Senator is hoping for a contract for one of his constituents who builds fire engines. In my personal opinion, Congress needs to address the multi-million dollar contracts handed out like candy to their constituents and question the amount of money they are soaking the taxpayers for. Don't get me wrong, corporations deserve to make a profit, but 200-300 percent is egregious and in my opinion greedy. I might also point out that US contractors stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan and abroad should be well paid for their sacrifice, skills and for the risk they take. But ...
Eerie outpost unnerves US Marines with strange lights and whispers in the night -- [Times Online]
...Sergeant Josh Brown, 22, briefed his successor when a detachment of men from Golf Company was swapped for an incoming contingent from Fox Company, he warned of the strange atmosphere and inexplicable phenomena that plagued OP Rock. "The local people say this is a cursed place," he said. "You will definitely see weird-ass lights up here at night."
Others in the outgoing unit had reported odd sounds. "It is weird what you hear and don't hear around here," he added.
Each successive detachment that guards the Rock appears to add its own layer to the legend, which has spread through the Marine units pushing into southern Helmand.
Afghanistan children killed 'during Western operation' -- [BBC]
At least 10 Afghan civilians, including eight schoolchildren, have been killed in fighting involving Western troops, President Hamid Karzai has said.
...Nato said it had no record of operations or deaths in the area.
U.N. Officials Say American Offered Plan to Replace Karzai -- [New York Times]
As widespread fraud in the Afghanistan presidential election was becoming clear three months ago, the No. 2 United Nations official in the country, the American Peter W. Galbraith, proposed enlisting the White House in a plan to replace the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, according to two senior United Nations officials.
Letter: Re "U.N. Officials Say Aide Had a Plan: Replace Karzai" -- [New York Times - Peter W. Galbraith, United Nations' deputy special representative for Afghanistan]
Your article about my supposed plan to remove President Hamid Karzai simply recycled allegations that United Nations officials made in October. These false allegations are intended to divert attention from the real issue in the Afghanistan election controversy -- the United Nations' unwillingness to acknowledge fraud in an election it financed and supported.
U.S. troops' death toll in Afghanistan doubles in 2009 -- [China View]
With the death of a U.S. soldier on Saturday, U.S. military fatalities in Afghanistan this year have increased to exactly twice of those in the previous year, according to statistics released by an independent website on Monday.
A U.S. service member died following an IED strike in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, said a press release issued by the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) on Sunday.
Iraq Bombs Kill 6 Pilgrims as Shi'ites Observe Ashura -- [Voice of America]
Iraqi officials say bombs have exploded among Shi'ite pilgrims marking the holy day of Ashura, killing at least six people and wounding more than 30 others. Sunday's deadliest blast was in the northern Iraqi town of Tuz Khormato, about 180 kilometers north of Baghdad. A roadside bomb exploded during a pilgrims' procession, killing five and wounding 28. In the capital, a bomb exploded in Baghdad's Mansour district, striking a mini-bus carrying Shi'ite pilgrims. One pilgrim was killed and several others were wounded. Millions of Shi'ites joined processions across Iraq Sunday, the high point of the solemn 10-day religious observance.
'Twas The Day After Christmas -- [Ramblings from a painter - in Iraq]
This tree kinda sums up how I felt most of the day yesterday: pretty sad. Three of us celebrated Christmas Eve by going over to the clinic and getting our H1N1 innoculations. I had an extra bonus shot with an anthrax vaccination. Yessir, we know how to have fun on Christmas Eve in Baghdad!
Government to redevelop Sadr township in Baghdad -- [Azzaman]
The government has drawn up plans to build 30,000 housing units in the low-income neighborhood of Sadr City, a slum area where more than 2 million people live
Who Fights this War--Coach on the Range -- [In Iraq Now (at 56) -- in Iraq]
In addition to weapons training in the Marines, Guinn has received six months of advanced weapons instruction from several Army schools, including the five-phase Master Weapons Instructor School which he completed in 2004. He is currently on his third deployment. He went to East Timor with the Marines in 1998. He went to Kosovo with Bravo Company (Attack) 1-104th Aviation in 2005-6 before his current tour with Task Force Diablo.
Iraqi Shiites Protest Maliki's Government -- [Washington Post]
A group of 5,000 Iraqi Shiite demonstrators in the city of Karbala turned the religious observance of Ashura into a political protest against the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Sunday, expressing wide-ranging criticisms as the country prepares for a critical national election in early March. The protesters gathered outside the Imam Hussein shrine to greet the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who had descended on the city. "We don't vote for people who steal public money," the protesters shouted.
Clashes Continue in Tehran for 2nd Day as Protesters Defy Government -- [Voice of America]
Intense clashes have broken out between government security forces and opposition demonstrators for the second day in the Iranian capital, Tehran. Eyewitness reports and opposition websites say Security forces fired on the crowds in several places, causing casualties and killing four people. Clashes broke out in dozens of locations across the Iranian capital for a second day, Sunday, with demonstrators setting fire to police motorcycles, trash-cans, and other government property, in an unprecedented show of fervor and fury.
Pakistani Scientist Depicts More Advanced Nuclear Program in North Korea -- [Washington Post]
North Korea has constructed a plant to manufacture a gas needed for uranium enrichment, according to a previously unpublicized account by the father of Pakistan's atomic bomb program, a development that indicates Pyongyang opened a second way to build nuclear weapons as early as the 1990s. Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan also said that North Korea may have been enriching uranium on a small scale by 2002, with "maybe 3,000 or even more" centrifuges, and that Pakistan helped the country with vital machinery, drawings and technical advice for at least six years. North Korea's nuclear program is among the world's most opaque, and Khan's account could not be independently corroborated. But one U.S. intelligence official and a U.S. diplomat said his information adds to their suspicions that North Korea has long pursued the enrichment of uranium in addition to making plutonium for bombs,...
U.S. Missionary Illegally Marches Into North Korea -- [New York Times]
An American missionary carrying a letter for the North Korean dictator crossed illegally into the reclusive country to try bring international attention to the North Korean suffering, South Korean activists said Saturday. "I am an American citizen," Robert Park, 28, said as he crossed the frozen river separating China from North Korea on Friday, according to Jo Sung-rae, head of Pax Koreana, a conservative civic group based in Seoul. "I am coming here to deliver God's love.
Somali Pirates Release Chinese Ship -- [Voice of America]
The official Chinese news agency says a Chinese cargo ship seized two months ago off Somalia has been released by its hijackers and its crew of 25 is safe. Xinhua quotes the Chinese Marine Search and Rescue Center as saying the vessel (the De Xin Hai) is under protection of the Chinese naval escort fleet. The report made no mention of the payment of a ransom of nearly $4 million. The money was said to have been dropped by helicopter on the deck of the ship. Th vessel, carrying some 76,000 tons of coal from South Africa to India, was seized in mid-October about 650 kilometers northeast of the Seychelles islands and 1,300 kilometers off Somalia's coast.
They still don't love us -- [Miami Herald]
If you thought America would quickly regain the world's love, admiration and -- most important -- it's willingness to follow the U.S. lead once Barack Obama came to power, the news is disappointing. A useful guide to what has transpired comes from Venezuela's president and his most peculiar sulfurometer. Hugo Chávez, it seems, can smell the Devil, especially when the Prince of Darkness takes up residence in the body of an American president.
Executive Order Amended to Immunize INTERPOL In America - Is The ICC Next? -- [Threats Watch - Steve Schippert]
Last Thursday, December 17, 2009, The White House released an Executive Order "Amending Executive Order 12425." It grants INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organization) a new level of full diplomatic immunity afforded to foreign embassies and select other "International Organizations" as set forth in the United States International Organizations Immunities Act of 1945.
By removing language from President Reagan's 1983 Executive Order 12425, this international law enforcement body now operates - now operates - on American soil beyond the reach of our own top law enforcement arm, the FBI, and is immune from Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) requests....
Yemen focus of new US al-Qaeda push -- [Times Online]
Pentagon to spend $70 million over next 18 months and send teams of Special Forces to train and equip Yemeni military
Detroit Terror Attack: MI5 Hunt for Bomber's Accomplices - [Daily Telegraph]
MI5 is hunting for possible accomplices of the Detroit airline bomber amid fears that he may have been planning to launch the attack from Britain. Security sources believe that Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, 23, may have developed links with other extremists during the three years he spent studying at University College London. The Security Service is concerned that the son of a respected Nigerian banker was "off the radar" while living in Britain from 2005 to 2008 on a student visa. Little more than a year later he went on to attempt a terrorist attack after being trained by al-Qaeda. Officers are trying to track his movements and activities while in the country amid suspicions that he may not have acted alone.
More Questions on Why Terror Suspect Was Not Stopped -- [New York Times]
When a prominent Nigerian banker and former government official phoned the American Embassy in Abuja in October with a warning that his son had developed radical views, had disappeared and might have traveled to Yemen, embassy officials did not revoke the young man's visa to enter the United States, which was good until June 2010. Instead, officials said Sunday, they marked the file of the son, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, for a full investigation should he ever reapply for a visa. And when they passed the information on to Washington, Mr. Abdulmutallab's name was added to 550,000 others with some alleged terrorist connections - but ...
Uninvestigated Terrorism Warning About Detroit Suspect Called Not Unusual -- [Washington Post]
When Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab's father in Nigeria reported concern over his son's "radicalization" to the U.S. Embassy there last month, intelligence officials in the United States deemed the information insufficient to pursue. The young man's name was added to the half-million entries in a computer database in McLean and largely forgotten. The lack of attention was not unusual, according to U.S. intelligence officials, who said that thousands of similar bits of information flow into the National Counterterrorism Center each week from around the world.
Napolitano backtracks on Abdulmutallab: Security failed Northwest Flight 253 -- [Daily News]
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano conceded Monday the aviation security system failed miserably in the foiled Christmas bombing, a stark reversal after claiming the system worked "like clockwork."
Explosive on Flight 253 Is Among Most Powerful -- [New York Times]
Sewn into the underwear of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was a powerful plastic explosive, the authorities say. -- Had Mr. Abdulmutallab, sitting in seat 19A of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on Friday from Amsterdam to Detroit
Al-Qaeda Group in Yemen Gaining Prominence -- [Washington Post]
The al-Qaeda branch linked to the attempt to blow up a Detroit-bound Northwest Airlines flight has for the past year escalated efforts to exploit Yemen's instability and carve out a leadership role among terrorist groups, say Yemeni and Western officials, terrorism analysts, and tribal leaders. U.S. authorities say Umar Farouk Abdulmuttalab, the Nigerian suspect who tried to ignite explosive chemicals with a syringe sewn into his underwear, may have been equipped and trained by an al-Qaeda bombmaker in Yemen. He allegedly made that claim to FBI agents after his arrest. If the claim is true, it represents a significant increase in the activities of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the emergence of a major new threat to the United States, the Middle East and the Horn of Africa.
Terrorists turning Yemen into another Afghanistan -- [BIG News Network]
Yemen is emerging as the most probable and suitable hideout for al Qaeda terrorists after Afghanistan, Fox News has quoted intelligence and security officials, as saying.
According to these officials, if terrorism follows the path of least resistance, then Yemen may be the poor man's Afghanistan.
Memphis Man Arrested: Accused of Making Bomb Threats & Threatening to Start "Holy War" -- [WJKT-TV]
Tonight, Mohamed Ibrahim is out after posting $100 bond. Earlier in the day, he was arrested after police say he walked into several Memphis businesses and threatened to blow them up.
New studies may lead to breakthrough in PTSD treatment -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
The results of two studies shed new light on the complex interplay between PTSD, TBI, pain, and depression/other mental health issues. The findings have implications not only for treatment, but also may help to predict who is most susceptible.
Two SF soldiers awarded Silver Stars -- [Army Times]
At Fort Bragg, N.C., thousands of miles from the heat and noise of battle, two Special Forces soldiers were recognized for bravery under fire and saving the lives of their teammates.
Spirit of America in Afghanistan - [Wall Street Journal - Jim Hake]
In 2003, Sgt. First Class Jay Smith and his Army Special Forces team were based in Orgun-e, Afghanistan and were taking regular rocket fire from al Qaeda fighters. But Sgt. Smith and his men were armed with an effective counterweapon - gifts of school supplies and sports gear for children, and clothing, shoes and blankets for nearby families, all provided by American donors. After receiving these items, the grateful villagers reciprocated by forming a night-watch patrol to protect our soldiers.
Hadrian's Wall charity walk for Afghanistan soldier -- [BBC]
Capt Ed Poynter plans to leave the Army and train as a teacher
A veteran of the war in Afghanistan is walking the length of Hadrian's Wall to raise money for soldiers seriously injured in the conflict.
Army rethinks how it teaches ethics to soldiers -- [Army Times/AP]
Army leaders who've been prompted to rethink tactics and war-fighting doctrines because of Iraq and Afghanistan also see a need to re-examine how they educate soldiers about ethics.
Some of the interest in ethics is tied to the wars: the black eye of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, concerns that stress from unconventional conflict leads to bad decisions, and, for at least one retired general, the sense that the military lost the public's trust in Iraq. But some leaders also say the Army has worried for a while that it hasn't been doing a good enough job of instilling strong ethics.
Another Peril in War Zones: Sexual Abuse by Fellow G.I.'s -- [New York Times]
Sexual harassment and sexual assault, which the military now defines broadly to include not only rape but also crimes like groping and stalking, continue to afflict the ranks, and by some measures are rising. While tens of thousands of women have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, often in combat, often with distinction, the integration of men and women in places like Camp Taji has forced to the surface issues that commanders rarely, if ever confronted before. The military - belatedly, critics say - has radically changed the way it handles sexual abuse in particular, expanding access to treatment and toughening rules for prosecution.
New York soldiers get late Christmas present, reuniting with families after year tour in Afghanistan -- [New York Daily News]
That made yesterday all the more special for Herb and Myra Lloyd, who came all the way from Alabama to welcome home their 22-year-old daughter,
Whether it's AQ or not, nobody in Arab media cares -- [Foreign Policy News]
One of the real stories here, which has gone largely unremarked in the coverage I've seen, is that the Arab media generally couldn't care less. Today's news and opinion is dominated by Gaza -- an issue which commands far more popular outrage, anger, and politically mobilized attention than does anything to do with al-Qaeda.
In most of the Arab newspapers which I follow on a daily basis, the failed airplane plot didn't even make the front page -- or, at best, got a small and vague story.
Percy Sutton dies; His Obama revelation omitted from obituaries - (Video) -- [American Thinker]
Legendary lawyer and politician Percy Sutton has died at the age of 89, and the major media are omitting mention of one of his most notable acts. The former Borough President of Manhattan, Sutton had a long and distinguished career as a lawyer (he was Malcolm X's attorney) and media mogul, who purchased radio stations in New York and other cities, making them into high rated black-oriented outlets. He also purchased and renovated (thereby saving from the wrecking ball) New York's legendary Apollo Theatre in Harlem. To top it off, Sutton was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, one of the most celebrated groups in military aviation circles. A man of great accomplishment, whatever else one might think about his politics, and a man worthy of great respect.
However, one of Sutton's most notable moments is absent from the media hagiographies I have seen: he stated on television that he knew that an Islamic supremacist, Dr. Khalid al-Mansour, and advisor to a wealthy Saudi, had paid for Barack Obama's education at Harvard Law School.
Social Media, the Military, and the Public Sphere(s) -- [San Fran Chronicle]
No birthday party is complete without balloons.
In honor of the Internet's 40th birthday, the U.S. Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), who funded the original project, is launching a fascinating experiment. It's a social media "Grand Challenge" open to anyone. Tomorrow at 10am EST, at ten locations in the continental U.S., Darpa will launch 8-foot red balloons (seriously) and leave them up until 4pm. All will be visible "in readily accessible locations and visible from nearby roads." The first person or team to email in the locations of all ten wins a $40,000 prize.
Why is this an experiment in social media? Because the only practical way to solve it is to get strangers to share information. The key will be to design compelling reasons why those who spot one should share that information with you. Some people are offering $3,000 for information on a balloon, and a team at Georgia Tech said it will donate their entire winnings to, you guessed it: the Red Cross.
Bad News? Blame Bush! (As Predicted) -- [Charlie Foxtrot]
Gateway Pundit says: Pathetic. Obama White House Finds Way to Blame Bush for Detroit Terror Attempt. Blaming Bush for this flub was a stretch even for Obama.
But, it surprises no one.
Not that I want to crow too much (because it was such an easy prediction), but this is what I posted back on Christmas day....
Mary Matalin claims President Bush 'inherited' the September 11th terror attacks. -- [Think Progress]
On CNN today, GOP strategist and former Dick Cheney adviser Mary Matalin argued that President Obama is speaking too much about the severe debt, deficits, and economic recession he inherited from the previous administration.
New Year's Resolution: Don't Apologize for Democrats -- [Huffington Post]
If military occupation and deepening troop deployments were wrong under Bush, then they're wrong under Obama.
Imagine if McCain had defeated Obama in 2008 and soon tripled the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. I have little doubt that activists would have mobilized major opposition, denouncing the reality of more U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq combined than even Bush had deployed.
But as Obama goes about tripling the troops in Afghanistan, with more U.S. soldiers in war zones that Bush ever had -- and proposes the biggest military budget in world history -- many activists have lost their voices.
Lawmakers gearing up for 2010 "don't ask, don't tell" fight -- [Stars& Stripes]
Last week nearly 100 members of Congress sent a letter for Defense Secretary Robert Gates requesting details on servicemembers discharged in 2009 under the military's ban on homosexuals serving openly in the ranks.
(Need more? Dawn Patrols Archives are here.)
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.
Today we are highlighting the latest posts of milblogs in theater or heading that way. Many of our military and coalition troops will not be home for the Holidays. If you have a spare moment, consider leaving a comment at their site. Together, let's tell our men and women in uniform serving overseas, and their families waiting behind, that they're in our hearts this holiday season.
Updated 12/25/2009
Merry Christmas from Kabul... -- [3rd Time, New Country in Afghanistan]
I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas from Kabul. Here I am, on another Christmas away from family and friends. Christmas 2005 was in Al Taqqaddam, Iraq and Christmas 2009 is in Kabul, Afghanistan. As I write this, it is Christmas morning here. Santa is making his way from East to West across the United States.
I only have a few days left here in Kabul, so I will recap the past few days and reflect on my time here.
Christmas in Kabul -- [Quatto Zone - in Afghanistan]
Every morning while I'm shaving, there's a ritual sideways glance and a muttered "Good morning" to the other NATO officers shuffling up to the sinks in our latrine. This morning, the guy beside me turned to look me in the eye and boomed, in heavily accented English, "No 'good morning.' Merry Christmas!"
Well, yes and no. The military certainly does its best to make holidays away from home special.
It was not a silent night... -- [HERMANEUTICS: AFGHANISTAN - in Afghanistan]
Today after my 1600 meeting someone reminded us it was Christmas Eve so we should take a 'few hours' off. Tomorrow, Christmas morning, I will be on the flight line at 0530 for at least 5 hours for a special mission--more to follow later. But tonight, at least for a couple hours at the candlelight service it truly felt like Christmas. I've never heard Christmas songs sung so strong and loud, ...
Chistmas Day -- [Doc H's International Adventure - in Afghanistan]
Christmas was a wonderful but busy day. We had three services within 24 hours, with lots of good singing. I had the opportunity to watch a flock of goats for several hours on guard duty. Finally we had a good ole time at the First Annual 5k Jingle Bell run around Camp Spann.
Kabul Afghanistan Military District Christmas Devotional -- [Sgt Danger - in Afghanistan]
The following message is the Christmas edition of the weekly devotional that LDS soldiers in Afghanistan receive in our email from our Dsitrict Presidency. I've received permission from President Eugene Wikle to publish these messages on sgtdanger.com. Some formatting and all hyperlinks are additions from me and not the author.
This message particularly touched me and I want to share it with you. ...
11 Merry Christmas Kids!-- [Sgt Danger - in Afghanistan]
..."It's tough being away from home. Of course I miss my family and home, but I've got good people around me and I'm proud of my job. My favorite color is blue; I have blue shirts, socks, shoes, and jeans at home... but I can't wear any of that here. Just my Army uniform."
"So you're learning how to shoot a gun, too? If you're very safe and are always with a grown up, it can be fun. I enjoy shooting on our ranges; we have a lot of rules to keep us safe, too. I think you're right that it's ok to be afraid; it's a natural part of being a soldier. We just work through the fear."
Your Navy docs Rock! -- [One Marines View - in Afghanistan]
The other night as we concluded the day, two patrols were under attack and fought off a small group of enemy. Relentlessly pursuing the enemy when we find them they continue to realize we are a force to contend with. With the kinetic operations being conducted on one hand, a surgeon gets notified that a local national is suffering from a separate unrelated injury and is losing a lot of blood.
COIN and Stability Operations -- [Afghan Quest - in Afghanistan]
COIN and Stability Operations I run around training, mostly the militaries of the various nations present, in counterinsurgency. There is a fair amount of traveling as well. So far it is rare to find a unit actually implementing the most basic of population-centric tools to get to know the people whom they operate amongst. We teach a framework called
"Christmas in Kandahar: A soldier's thoughts" -- [The Torch]
Pity this sort of piece doesn't get wider play: " Cpl. James Dalton, 21, of the Canadian Scottish Regiment [Princess Mary's] in Victoria, was deployed to Afghanistan on Thanksgiving weekend. He's been writing monthly dispatches from the Canadian Forces base at Kandahar. This is his fourth column. - Last week, I went on a foot patrol through a built-up urban area of Kandahar with some Americans and Afghan police forces. This being my first patrol on foot, I was slightly edgy and careful of every step I took. Every bush I walked by I thought could potentially be a spot where someone could put a bomb. After walking for about 10 minutes, I started to relax a little. Kids come up to you constantly to say hello in hopes that maybe you have something to give them. Two boys asked me if I had money, chocolate or candy. I shook my head and held out my hand to show them I didn't have any, but they still grabbed it and went through each one of my fingers to make sure."
Afghanistan: One unit is fattening a goat for Christmas -- [Helmand Blog]
The riflemen manning mountainside observation posts around the Kajaki hydroelectric dam in Helmand have grown so proud of their own home-made pizzas this winter that there is little doubt what dish will top their bill of fare on Christmas Day. Yet, when 9 Platoon, C Company, 3 Rifles, deployed in October to Kajaki, the British Army's most isolated Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Afghanistan, not one of them had had any catering experience or training. In less than three months they have not only come to terms with their remote location and the difficulties of food supply, but have perfected from scratch the art of pizza-making as enthusiastic participants in their commanding officer Lieutenant Will Melia's "Kajaki Come Dine With Me" campaign. Some 30km from their nearest friendly neighbours, their base is inaccessible except by helicopters, which drop off all the platoon's food (largely boil-in-the-bag rations supplemented by fresh ingredients as available), along with their ammunition, fuel and mail.
Pundit Pablum 2 -- [Knights of Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
While it's true that Kabul is not entirely safe (after all, I do travel with a PSD or a weapon, or both), to describe the entire city as an armed camp is simply not accurate, at least as far as ISAF is concerned. There are plenty of ANP and ANA on the streets, and lots of checkpoints, and a large number of private security guards, but the ISAF military presence is limited to an extremely small area and most Afghans go about their daily lives as best they can. If you're going to provide a travelogue on Kabul, you should at least get out to see the city.
Sabbatical -- [A Major's Perspective - heading to Afghanistan]
With all the time being devoted to getting ready to deploy I'm just quite simply running out of time in general. With that being said, I am going to take a sabbatical for about a month. That will cover the time needed to finish my preperations for deployment, the actual movement to Afghanistan, and getting settled in and setting the blog up there in theater
Getting there -- Embedded in Afghanistan... in Afghanistan
Thankfully the worst part of all of my deployments has been the getting there. The anxiety of the unknown combined with saying goodbye to friends and family, as well as the actual travel involved in getting to yourself and your gear to these places on the other side of the earth combine to wear on you mentally and emotionally.
Long Overdue Update -- [Highland Sailor - in Afghanistan]
I have been extremely busy for the past 30 days. The command I am attached to has been transformed under NATO command, under the NATO Flag. It has been a learning experience for everyone. I've said farewell to some of my troops as they head back to the states, and welcomed and trained their reliefs. I was able to get some face-time on the Today show and I got to watch Navy Beat Army at 3:30am...overall it has been a great month.
Contracting Expectations -- [Quatto Zone - in Afghanistan]
It is perhaps no coincidence that contracting scandals in Afghanistan have emerged during the holiday season. At least since 1843 (the year Charles Dicken published A Christmas Carol), the holidays are the time when we can most clearly compare and contrast the material and moral forces of Western civilization, one Band-Aid music video at a time. Likewise, military contracting is a subject that tends to accentuate the sometimes productive and sometimes destructive tension between commerce and camaraderie in war. We want Scrooge and military contractors to do the Lord's work with the Devil's lucre, but up until the end it remains a close-run thing.
SITREP -- [HERMANEUTICS: AFGHANISTAN - in Afghanistan]
This week, with the Holidays here, I want to give a quick SITuation REPort via a few articles I read recently: Count this as my first victory. The barracks featured at the top of this article were finally finished last week, 6 months behind schedule, and our Soldiers are moving in to their temporary home. Yes, it is still crowded with six Soldiers per room but they have the luxury of indoor bathrooms (as opposed to the outhouses almost everyone else has to use.) ...Next time I'll write more about what Christmas is like so far from home. Hope all is well with you and yours.
Afganinstan Now Obama's War -- [Inside The Wire - in Afghanistan]
In the wake of President Obama's announced increase of 30,000 US troops in Afghanistan I want to share an article forwarded to me by a friend. Out of everything I've read and watched over the past two days this was the most insightful analysis of Obama's decision. I was a bit apprehensive at first due to the writer's glowing approval of Obama but his praise was tempered within a pragmatic and historical assessment of South Asian, or South Central Asian, security and politics. The only questions this leaves me is understanding whether Pakistan is fighting or supporting the Taliban and if a schism exists between the Pakistani government and the ISI?
The Milblog Embargo -- [Riding Shotgun with Team Zombiekiller - in Afghanistan]
...I for one will continue to blog about what we are doing over here because I feel it is my duty to not only tell the truth about what we are doing over here, but to also do my part to help win the "information war." I am not worried about a crackdown on bloggers however, since one other thing I learned at Ft Leavenworth is that not all of the senior leaders in the Army hate blogs and blogging. If you don't believe me you should just ask Lieutenant General Caldwell--heck he might even blog about it himself.
Shab e Yalda شب یلدا -- [Doc H's International Adventure - in Afghanistan]
In the western world we think of the 21st of December as the Winter solstice. The night of the 21st is the longest of the year for the northern hemisphere.
In Iranian and to some degree Afghan culture the night of the 21st of December is Shab-e Yalda شب یلدا .
Yes, I'm in Afghanistan -- [Dude Where's the Beach - in Afghanistan]
And yes, it's been a long time since I've last posted, but what can I say... I've been busy. I'm currently deployed in Kabul, working for the US Army, and life couldn't be more crazy/intersting since my arrival last week. I'll be here for a while, so stay tuned for more posts.
Single digit midgets... -- [3rd Time, New Country - in Afghanistan]
All of the new team is here and we have begun turnover. I have just over a week left in Kabul, then I begin the long journey back to the states, and eventually home. It has been a busy week.
Winter's blue-eyed souls -- [Captain's Cat's Diaries - in Afghanistan]
...Today I sat again, as I have done so many times here in the Southeast, on toshaks in a room filled with spin giri (white beards) and once again felt as though I had stepped back in time some two thousand years. A small wood stove hissed and crackled away in the centre of a long narrow room as snow fell quietly outside, covering this tribal land in a blanket of white.
A Holiday Is Not a Date On the Calendar -- [SpouseBuzz - Sarah husband in Afghanistan]
By the time Christmas rolls around, I will be too pregnant to travel. My family is trying to decide how to make sure I'm not alone. Both my father and brother will have to work on Christmas. My father suggested to my mother that she could come see me by herself so I'd have someone to spend Christmas with.
My mother was telling me this suggestion on the phone when she wistfully said, "But that would mean I would spend the first Christmas apart from your father in 34 years..."
And then she trailed off, because she obviously realized what she had just said to her pregnant daughter whose husband is deployed for the second year in a row.
Oh Starry Night IV -- [SpouseBuzz - MaintToad1]
It's windy. Loads of dust in the air. The air isn't crisp, it's down right cold. There are aircraft flying and at times the noise is so all-encompassing, that you can't think straight. And "we're supposed to sleep under these conditions?"
It's Christmas Day. And the newbies, the FNGs in the theater, want everyone to have the day off. Besides, it's Christmas. We can't work on Christmas! Really? REALLY? So, incoming shouldn't be met with return actions -- simply because it's Christmas? Grow up or go away ... besides, I really do have something else on my mind.
Yes, it is Christmas
Blue Christmas -- [SpouseBuzz - SemperFi Wife - husband in Afghanistan]
The Dark Prince is deployed now. We're about 5 weeks into his deployment and things are kind of calming down here. Kind of.
Even though I'm over the craptacular specialness of the first month of deployment, there's another hurdle I must deal with: Christmas.
Me, Me, Me, Me -- [SpouseBuzz - She of the Sea]
That's it. I can't go out until my husband gets home. Or I need to learn better social skills. Because lately, everywhere I go, all we ever talk about is me. How long has he been gone? When is he coming back? How do you do it? When are you moving? What do the kids think? I appreciate everyone's interest, and I understand that it sounds odd and different to y'all civilian folks, but aren't you sick of talking about me? It is sort of like this, but different.
Is she lying in a ditch somewhere? -- [Household6 - husband in Afghanistan]
No, I'm NOT! We are still here in CO , healthy and pretty happy. It's just been a whirlwind couple of weeks. ...Anyway,I'm here and we are all doing great! Looking forward to Christmas! I'll be posting some cool stuff about SGT Daddy later today , so stay tuned for that! : )
Upcoming deployment -- [CaliValleyGirl]
It will be a very different deployment. We will face different challenges: this time he will be saying goodbye to two young children, and his beloved dog, Susie. When he leaves our daughter will just be learning how to sit up, and might have a tooth or two. When he comes back she will be walking and talking. And our son, who is just 17 months old now, will be almost 3 when he gets back. So my husband will be missing out on a lot of developmental stages.
Military Wife Prepares to Send Three Sons, Husband to Afghanistan -- [ABC]
Three of her four sons and her husband will soon deploy to war-torn Afghanistan while her fourth and oldest son recuperates at home from injuries he suffered during his last tour of duty.
peace -- [Learning to Live - Gold Star Wife]
Where to begin . . . I always wonder what I should write on this day. I just went back and read the post from the previous years and one thing really stood out in my mind. I have changed; I would say mainly for the better . . . I have grown . . . oh how I have grown and changed the last year. I don't know what to say but something has been weighing heavy in my heart the last few months. I always think about the soldiers in Alpha Company around this day. I worry about them and the long term effects Fallujah might have had or are having on their lives. I really hope that they are all able to live as happy a life as they can with NO guilt. I know that is exactly what Sean would want and it is exactly what I want. Colin and I are good . . . we are living life and always thinking about them and remembering those who did not make it home from that mission. I miss Sean being here to see our son grow, but I also know that he would be very proud of me . .
Raw Video: Troops in Iraq Celebrate Christmas
A USO Christmas Tradition -- [Ramblings from a painter - in Iraq]
Last night the USO brought a Christmas show to Victory Base. I went with a small group to have some fun. The turnout was good: several thousand soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, civilians, and contractors gathered by the stage near the Oasis DFAC. I was sitting in the bleachers with a bunch of junior soldiers and sailors - a rowdy bunch, to say the least, but enthusiastic and totally into the experience.
The lone rogue post -- [In the Narmy Now - in Iraq]
Yes, this has what the blog has evolved into. Lone rogue posts. Whether it be lack of motivation or excitement, I just haven't had much to write about I guess. Things here are good. We are now considering ourselves on the "home stretch" as we near the last 70-80 days left here. The consensus around here, for the most part, has been "can't wait to get out of here".
Thankful in Iraq -- [The Life - in Iraq]
This Thanksgiving, there is so much to be thankful for. I would like to begin by thanking each of you that read this for your interest in our cause.
NORAD ready to track Santa's flight on Christmas Eve -- [Veterans Journal]
A new feature begins at 3 a.m. on Dec. 24: visitors to the NORAD Tracks Santa Web site can watch Santa prepare his sleigh, check his list, and prepare for his journey.
As soon as Santa departs from the North Pole, children will be able to track him with up-to-the-minute Google Maps and Google Earth reports on the Web site. Santa trackers will begin answering phones and replying to e-mail at 7 a.m., on Christmas Eve.
Mrs. Clause Must be a Military Spouse -- [Loving A Soldier]
Ten reasons we know.
(Yes, we know there's not an "E" on the end of Santa Claus, but given the military's penchant for "clauses" we enjoyed the humor! We hope you do, too.)
Faced with the prospect of spending another holiday alone, military wives might recognize a kindred spirit this Christmas season: Mrs. Clause. She must be a military wife! How do we know?
1. Mrs. Clause supports her spouse. Because she works tirelessly as part of "Team Clause the general public defines her by his job. We military wives realize, though, that she is so much more!...
Terrorist attack today; Not a merry Christmas for passengers on Northwest flight 253 (Video) -- [The Examiner]
Based on a report from MSNBC, A Nigerian man by the name of Abdul Mudallad, 23, was traveling one way, without a return ticket to Detroit when he tried to light a powder aboard a commercial jetliner before it landed today--Christmas day.
Nigerian Terrorist Tried to Blow Up Plane Over Detroit on Christmas Day -- [Cleveland Leader]
The reason behind heightened security at airports across the United States over the holidays has been revealed to be a result of a foiled terrorist attack. Officials say that an Al-Qaeda linked terrorist attempted to blow up a commercial jet over Detroit on Friday, but was tackled by passengers as he attempted to explode a bomb.
An Obama Christmas -- [ABC News (blog)]
Though President Obama's Hawaiian Christmas Day holiday was interrupted when he was called to deal with "an attempted act of terrorism," the president spent
Army Halts Delivery of Christmas Gifts to Front Lines -- [Huffington Post]
"Mr. Edwards, We're not going to be able to get you to Jalalabad. Enemy activity has increased in the last few days, the troops are at it 24/7; and we don't have any televisions or audio/visual equipment at the Forward Operating Bases for you to show your film on and besides, Brigade doesn't have time to do the prep to get you down there."
...An onrush of thoughts suddenly freed up my mind; six months of work had been crammed into two frantic months, the soldiers' families had scrambled to help me assemble this "Surprise Christmas Present" for their troops, and all of us had been driven by the knowledge that the fun we had putting it together
Gold Star Christmas -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
To our Gold Star families, with love.
Merry Christmas from Heaven
I still hear the songs, I still see the lights
I still feel your love, on cold wintery nights
I still share your hopes, and all of your cares
I'll even remind you, to please say your prayers...
National Guard Troops Need $4,000 For Bus Trip -- [WSMV]
$9,000 Previously Secured Fell Through
Three buses are set to leave Monday Dec. 21 heading to Mississippi to pick up 130 members of the Tennessee Army National Guard. However, after the money fell through this week, those buses won't be making the trip unless $4,000 can be raised.
Last Sunday in Ashland City, tears were rolling down many faces when the 278th Calvary of the Tennessee Army National Guard departed.
Troops Make it Home in Time for Christmas -- [WLNS]
Dozens of Michigan soldiers have reunited with their families. Tuesday about 90 national guard soldiers returned home from training in Mississippi. The group will spend the holiday with their loved ones before they head out for a year long duty in Iraq.
But if it wasn't for the community, many of the soldiers would have been forced to celebrate Christmas away from home. It's a gift these soldiers are honored to receive.
Holiday cheer for veterans in hospital -- [Post Gazette] -
Richard Coccimiglio had many memorable moments on the American Legion Holiday Hospital Tour across the state, but one of the most poignant occurred in Pittsburgh.
The state contingent was accompanied for the day by five representatives of the 1,650-member American Legion Post 701 in White Oak.
"If it weren't for these people, we would be speaking a different language. It's an honor to do whatever we can do for them," said Bob Barker, 50, an unemployed mechanical engineer from Mc-Keesport, at the day's third stop -- the Oakland VA.
Christmas messages from the troops in Helmand -- [British Army Website]
Cpl Lee Martin, 31, from Swansea
"To Andrea and Elize, missing you loads. Can't wait to see you. Love you both. Also mum and Keith, can't wait to get home. Have a good Christmas, love from Lee. Xxx"
Fus Brae-Scott Williams, 26, from Swansea
"Sorry it's my fifth Christmas away I've been away. Don't know what else to say but hope you all get drunk and have one for me.
"Skyi, hope you OK. I've arrived safely and can't wait to get back there and spend every minute of my life with you. I'm one happy guy now I've met you and that promise I made you I ain't forgotten it. We are sure going xxx P.S. Missing you loads xxxx"
Sgt Darren Fryer, 35, from Colwyn Bay
"To my darling wife Alex and beautiful daughters Ellie, Alyssa and Bella, missing you all. Have a lovely Christmas. Thinking of you all. See you all soon. Love you loads. Xxxx"
Selly Oak's injured troops 'inundated' with presents -- [BBC]
Injured troops have been inundated with presents from the public
Military chiefs have asked well-wishers to stop sending Christmas presents to injured soldiers at Selly Oak Hospital because they already have too many.
The Birmingham hospital has received "hundreds and hundreds" of gifts, from bottles of whisky to DVD players.
Major Ian Cheesman said the support was "touching" and advised people to donate money to charity instead.
Secretary General's End Of Year Message To Deployed NATO-led Forces -- [ISAF]
As we approach the holiday season and the end of 2009, I should like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you who are deployed on NATO-led missions and operations, and my immense admiration for your professionalism, courage and dedication.
...It is understandable that in this festive season, you would wish to be at home with your families and loved ones. To those of you whose duties on behalf of the Alliance make this impossible, I should like you to know that whether you are deployed in Afghanistan, in the Balkans, in Iraq, on the Mediterranean Sea, or on the Indian Ocean off the Horn of Africa, my thoughts are very much with you.
I thank you all and send you my very best wishes for this holiday and for the New Year.
All Good Things Must End -- [Fire and Ice]
What can I say...it's been a great run since I first enlisted on June 11, 1975. I signed up that day alone in the haze of a hangover and under the shadow of dropping out of a third college. Last night I departed active duty in the presence of family and a wonderful circle of friends and comrades. I was completely sober and basking in the glow of a career full of many accomplishments. Thank you Marine Corps. Thank you God. Time to move on.
In a Christmas miracle, wounded Marine returns home for the holidays -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
...Stanz's homecoming is something of a miracle. Just four short months ago, it wasn't certain whether he'd survive the ambush attack that left him suffering from severe enclosed head trauma, multiple facial fractures, a fractured right hand, a fractured left foot, a dislocated right knee and damage to both of his lungs.
National Guard Troops Need $4,000 For Bus Trip -- [WSMV]
$9,000 Previously Secured Fell Through
Three buses are set to leave Monday Dec. 21 heading to Mississippi to pick up 130 members of the Tennessee Army National Guard. However, after the money fell through this week, those buses won't be making the trip unless $4,000 can be raised.
Last Sunday in Ashland City, tears were rolling down many faces when the 278th Calvary of the Tennessee Army National Guard departed.
Troops Make it Home in Time for Christmas -- [WLNS]
Dozens of Michigan soldiers have reunited with their families. Tuesday about 90 national guard soldiers returned home from training in Mississippi. The group will spend the holiday with their loved ones before they head out for a year long duty in Iraq.
But if it wasn't for the community, many of the soldiers would have been forced to celebrate Christmas away from home. It's a gift these soldiers are honored to receive.
Home Sweet Home, really this time! -- [There will never be sand in my... again! - home from Afghanistan]
...We are really happy to be home, although we were really happy to have the opportunity to see all, and I mean all, of our family and friends! It was exhausting for Shayna. On the way back across America I asked her what was the first thing she was going to do when we got home and she said she wanted to lock herself in the room to get away from me for about an hour, and then laughed. I guess I can be annoying sometimes, well probably a majority of times! haha. We are doing great, and no she didn't lock herself in the room.
Christmas in milblogs -- [Greyhawk] -
Beginning a series looking back at Christmases past, as brought to you by milbloggers.
Fûz (aka the Fusilier Pundit) was one of the first milbloggers. He's been blogging at WeckUpToThees since June, 2002. (Bonus points to those who know the blog title reference.)
(Need more? Dawn Patrols Archives are here.)
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.
'Good' Taliban destroy Afghan Army base -- [LWJ - Bill Roggio]
Pakistani Taliban forces under the command of Mullah Nazir blew up a military base across the border in Afghanistan.
Militants Killed in Wardak, Detained in Helmand; Soldiers Complete Mine Training -- [ISAF]
An Afghan-international security force killed a couple of militants in Wardak province today while pursuing a small group of Taliban.
The joint security force searched a compound near the village of Andar in the Nerkh district after intelligence sources determined the location of militant activities. During the operation the security force came under fire, returned fire and killed the militants.
The race against Obama's deadline in Afghanistan -- [Washington Post]
Adm. Mike Mullen, the personification of American military power, is walking the streets of this dusty village in Paktika province when the deferential deputy governor, Qadir Gul Zadran, tells him: "We hope you stay here forever." Sorry, responds the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but that's not going to happen. America is sending more troops to help boost security in places such as this Pashtun village south of Kabul, but they will begin leaving in 18 months. Asked later whether he had any worries about the new Afghanistan strategy, Mullen answers: "It's just the clock.
The only good Muslims -- [Greyhawk]
With a nod to an old axiom of uncertain origin, my title invokes what appears to be al Qaeda's philosophy on their fellow travelers in Islam: kill 'em all, let God sort 'em out.
Can convincing enough people of that help win what we used to call the war on terror? Perhaps - but perhaps not in Afghanistan. There's a more important battle to be fought there...
Arghandab and the Battle for Kandahar -- [Michael Yon - in Afghanistan]
People are confused about the war. The situation is difficult to resolve even for those who are here. For most of us, the conflict remains out of focus, lacking reference of almost any sort. Vertigo leaves us seeking orientation from places like Vietnam--where most of us never have been. So sad are our motley pundits-cum-navigators that those who have never have been to Afghanistan or Vietnam shamelessly use one to reference the other. We saw this in Iraq.
Afghan insurgency more pervasive, Mullen says -- [Defense Link]
The insurgency in Afghanistan has become more pervasive, more sophisticated and more violent, said the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff here today. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said during a news conference with Afghan and American reporters that the insurgents "have a dominant influence in 11 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces." The insurgents are becoming more effective at using improvised explosive devices and small-unit tactics, Mullen said. "I remain deeply concerned by the growing level of collusion between the Afghan Taliban and al-Qaida and other extremist groups taking refuge across the border in Pakistan," he said
Top U.S. commanders discuss strategy with Afghan and Pakistani leaders -- [Voice of America]
The top U.S. military commander met with Afghan leaders in Kabul to discuss the upcoming U.S troop buildup and training of local security forces. Meanwhile, the regional commander met with civilian and military leaders in neighboring Pakistan to urge them to step up pressure on Afghan Taliban hiding on the Pakistani side of the border. U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen arrived in Kabul just hours after suspected Taliban militants killed at least 16 Afghan policemen, underscoring the security crisis in the country. Foreign troops under command of General Stanley McChrystal also have suffered record numbers of casualties this year in Afghanistan. Speaking to reporters after talks with Afghan leaders, Admiral Mullen painted a grim picture of the security situation in the country.
Returning to Normal -- [Quatto Zone]
...Afghanistan thus becomes a cipher which can be decoded to represent anyone's hopes or fears. The conflict is about nation building, or the aversion to nation building. It is about a violent, militarized, imperial foreign policy, or about undue deference to political, diplomatic and moral niceties. Among these and many other contradictions that characterize the Afghanistan debate, the most relevant may be the one that generated the only hint of controversy during General McChrystal's testimony: is it reasonable to predict victory? ...Although it was maligned at the time, Richard Holbrooke's invocation of Justice Potter Stewart's definition of pornography to describe success in Afghanistan ("We'll know it when we see it.") is about right. More precisely, we'll know it when we know the Afghans see it. There are many indications that with a short, strong push from Coalition nations, Afghans are ready to see a practical solution to ending 30 years of conflict: a rejection of the most violent brands of extremism, reconciliation with insurgents, and stable political accommodations. Victory in those terms, viewed from an Afghan perspective, could be in sight within the next 12 to 18 months.
Pundit Pablum 2 -- [Knights of Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
...Here Dov reveals his ignorance (or hubris) by trying to paint an inaccurate picture of Kabul. I have no doubt that the short walk between Camp Eggers and the U.S. Embassy is "awash with a host of uniforms," but that's hardly true of the rest of Kabul. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen ISAF soldiers in Kabul outside of the main thoroughfares and the military district around Eggers,* and I've been here nearly ten months. They certainly don't "walk the streets fully equipped and armed." Quite simply, they're not allowed to go out.
Afghan citizens save American asset in Panjshir -- [CJTF - 82 - in Afghanistan]
The adventure began on the cold, wintery morning, Dec. 10, deep in the Hindu Kush Mountains of the Panjshir valley in Afghanistan. The Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team conducted a routine mission to deliver material assistance, such as clothing, food and other supplies to a high-altitude village in the Dara district of the valley.
PICTURE of the day: Perparing to fight the supply line -- [Helmand Blog]
The CLSR (Queens Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment) at Camp Bastion prepare on a 6 day Combat Logistic Patrol supplying the force by road.
This CLP is a joint effort between the CLSR, the Afghan National Army & the US Marines.
Merry Christmas Kids! -- [Sgt Danger - in Afghanistan]
Last week we spent five of the seven days on the road. We slept in tents and we slept under the stars. We ate a lot of junk food and drank caffeinated drinks. We spent our days crammed in the truck and our nights wrapped tightly in sleeping bags. We got rained on, snowed in, and mudded out. It was a tough week. When I got "home" to my bunk I found a package from Mrs. G back home.
SITREP -- [HERMANEUTICS: AFGHANISTAN - in Afghanistan]
This week, with the Holidays here, I want to give a quick SITuation REPort via a few articles I read recently: Count this as my first victory. The barracks featured at the top of this article were finally finished last week, 6 months behind schedule, and our Soldiers are moving in to their temporary home. Yes, it is still crowded with six Soldiers per room but they have the luxury of indoor bathrooms (as opposed to the outhouses almost everyone else has to use.) The article itself also highlights many of the current projects I am involved in around the base. Unfortunately the future soccer field is not going to happen :-(
In Afghanistan, Marines live a tough camp life -- [Miami Herald]
The young Marines at this outpost could be on a camping trip to Hell.
The living conditions in Helmand Province, one of the worst regions for trouble in Afghanistan, are such that most of friends and family in the United States wouldn't consider putting up with them for one day, much less the months these men will be assigned here.It's not even officially winter, yet temperatures routinely fall below freezing at night, and there's no heat in the tents. At night when standing guard in one of the security towers, the Marines put on layer after layer of clothes, including thermal suits. It does little to ward off the chill of the desert air.
There is no hot water.
Single digit midgets... -- [3rd Time, New Country - in Afghanistan]
Last Friday, we drove to KAIA after dark (supper time) to pick up half of the new team. When we got there, we learned that the team had been delayed in Bagram and wouldn't get to KAIA for a few more hours. We drove back to NKC. I drove lead with Dennis as my TC. It has been a long, long time since we have driven in the dark. Needless to say, there aren't many streetlights in Kabul
Long Overdue Update -- [Highland Sailor - in Afghanistan]
I have been extremely busy for the past 30 days. The command I am attached to has been transformed under NATO command, under the NATO Flag. It has been a learning experience for everyone. I've said farewell to some of my troops as they head back to the states, and welcomed and trained their reliefs.
Guest Blog by Andrew Lubin: Let the Afghan Army Fight -- [Steven Pressfield /Andrew Lubin]
Training the Afghans how to shoot and move is the easy part. A typical Afghan soldier can probably beat an American tri-athlete up a steep hill; add in the flak, Kevlar and other equipment our troops carry, and the Afghans look back at us in amusement.
An ANA soldier mans his post after a firefight near Camp Joyce; the Marines and ANA fought off an attack the prior night
What's not so amusing is the drug use, absurdly low pay, desertion, casual corruption, and problems caused in Kabul, much of which affects the ANA's ability to fight.
Custom kitchen, home cooked meals bring Marines together in Afghanistan -- [MEB-Afghanistan / TF Leatherneck - in Afghanistan]
When Marines hear they must live at a small patrol base for a long period of time, many think of primitive facilities, dirty conditions and bland, prepackaged meals coming from
General wants troops ready for 'complex human terrain' -- [Defense Link]
. U.S. troops need to be prepared to operate in a "complex human terrain" when they arrive in Afghanistan, the commander of International Security Assistance Force Joint Command said here today. Army Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez took over the job just two months ago. He commands U.S. troops assigned to NATO and troops of 42 other nations for daily operations throughout Afghanistan. "Now that we know where [U.S. troops] are going and when they are coming in, I think we'll be able to make them well-prepared for what they need to do," he said during an interview with reporters traveling with Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Afghan Town's Progress Provides Encouragement -- [ISAF]
An irrigation ditch bisects the main thoroughfare of this town in Helmand province, and shops line each side of the street. The shops sell everything from fresh vegetables to livestock to snack foods and transistor radios.
The town looks like nothing special, but it is. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff showed just how special it is when he walked down the street here yesterday, speaking with shop owners and officials and meeting children.
Navy Adm. Mike Mullen's four stars were on his soft cap, not a helmet. And he was not wearing his flak jacket - none of the party with him needed to.
1st Battalion 5th Marines passes the flag -- [MEB-Afghanistan / TF Leatherneck - in Afghanistan]
As 1st Battallion 5th Marines hands over Nawa district to the incoming battalion, they reflect on their time spent with their new Afghan friends building the local community, known as one of the most successful and productive relationships between
Commanders Look to Boost Security Force Training -- [ISAF]
With the first additional Marines beginning to stream into Afghanistan to help bolster security in the south and east, preparations are under way for the arrival of soldiers to focus on the other key goal of the surge: recruiting, equipping and training Afghan security forces.
Afghanistan and Pakistan: on the battle for Kandahar -- [Reuters]
...Just as "a tiger doesn't need to completely understand the jungle to survive, navigate, and then dominate", Yon argues, you don't have to master the full geographical and historical complexity of the Afghan war to grasp the importance of the Arghandab River Valley in securing Kandahar -- a battle he suggests will be crucial in 2010.
Taliban stall key Afghan project: report -- [Daily Times/AFP]
The future of an enormous hydroelectric turbine dragged through insurgency-hit Afghanistan by several thousand British troops for a major energy project is now in doubt, a report said Monday.
180 schools equipped with facilities -- [Alive in Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
Education officials say 180 schools in northern Samangan province were equipped with laboratory equipment and other necessary items worth 20 million afghanis.
Dr. Ahmad Khalid Rahmanzi, head of the National Capacity Building Programme at the Education Department, said the equipment was meant for enhancing the capacity of students and improving quality of education in the schools. He told Pajhwok Afghan News the apparatus included 300 books, cabinets, chairs, desks, tents and computers.
MP likens some media outlets to al-Qaeda & Taliban -- [Alive in Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
A member of the Wolesi Jirga, or lower house of parliament, has alleged some local media organisations are as dangerous as Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorist networks.
On Tuesday, the house asked acting Minister of Information and Culture Abdul Karim Khurram, Deputy Attorney-General Fazal Ahmad Faqiryar to clarify some media reports that were against the relevant law and Afghan values.
Afghan president defends decision on cabinet nominees - Voice of America. Afghan President Hamid Karzai is defending his new Cabinet picks, saying he and the ministers will be held accountable for any corruption. At a news conference Sunday with visiting Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme, Mr. Karzai dismissed criticism of the 23 nominees whose names were presented to parliament on Saturday.
Meeting Mrs. Mullen at MWR -- [In Iraq Now (at 56) - in Iraq]
On Friday, December 18, Deborah Mullen accompanied her husband, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, on a visit here at COB Adder. Sgt. Monique Usher NCOIC of MWR (Morale, Welfare & Recreation) for the Garrison Command asked me to meet Mrs. Mullen as part of her tour of medical and MWR facilities. I have led two book discussion groups since July. The six books we have read are by authors who have
been dead for half a century to two millenia. Mrs. Mullen walked straight up to me and introduced herself, then asked why I limit my book choice to dead authors.
Iraqi Qaeda group shifts to remain a threat -- [New York Times]
Even in its weakened state, the Iraqi insurgent group Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia remains a dangerous foe that has shown resiliency in carrying out major terrorist attacks intended to destabilize Iraq as the country prepares for pivotal elections early next year, according to several top American commanders. With its access to financing and fighters dwindling, the Qaeda affiliate in Iraq has shifted its tactics and strategy, husbanding resources to conduct less frequent but increasingly catastrophic attacks aimed at undermining public support for Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki's government in the months leading up to national elections in March, the officers said. "Al Qaeda has changed from a broad-based insurgency to a terrorist group trying to target the government," Gen. Ray Odierno, the commander of American forces in Iraq, said in a brief interview here.
The lone rogue post -- [In the Narmy - in Iraq]
The consensus around here, for the most part, has been "can't wait to get out of here". Believe it or not, there is actually a waiting list of guys who came out here with me, who would like to stay another year. I think the economy plays a part in most of those guys decision to extend another year. Maybe they don't have a job to go back to, or this one pays a little more, either way, to each his own I guess. Not this guy though. Actually, I'm the only guy on this mission that didn't volunteer for it. I guess technically, by joining the Navy I did, but everyone else said, "Please send me on this mission", while I was the recipient of "You are hereby ordered". So yeah, no extensions for me.
In Iraq, an opening for successful diplomacy -- [Washington Post]
Remember Iraq? For months our attention has been focused on Afghanistan, and you can be sure that the surge will be covered exhaustively as it unfolds in 2010. But next year could be even more pivotal in Iraq. The country will hold elections in March to determine its political future. Months of parliamentary horse-trading are likely to ensue, which could provoke a return to violence. The United States still has 120,000 troops stationed in Iraq, and all combat forces are scheduled to leave by August, further testing the country's ability to handle its own security. How we draw down in Iraq is just as critical as how we ramp up in Afghanistan: If handled badly, this withdrawal could be a disaster.
Iraqi election workers targets for insurgents -- [Washington Post]
Insurgents have begun targeting Iraqi election workers in an apparent attempt to derail the March parliamentary vote, Iraqi officials said, prompting electoral authorities to restrict the movement of their employees and shelter some at a hotel in the Green Zone. An election worker was killed in front of his Baghdad home last week, and a worker and the wife and son of another were kidnapped in the past 10 days, according to Faraj al-Haidari, head of the Independent High Electoral Commission. "It is not a coincidence to have three attacks against our employees," Haidari said. "Our situation is a tragedy. You can see the worry and mental anxiety on the faces of my employees." Iraqi officials described the attacks as the latest attempt by the Sunni insurgent group al-Qaeda in Iraq to destabilize the government ahead of the elections, scheduled for March 7. U.S.
U.S. reaching out to former foes in Iraq -- [Washington Times]
The U.S. is reaching out to followers of a key Shi'ite cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, whose militia once battled U.S. troops and who remains a powerful leader, particularly among Iraq's urban poor. A top Sadrist political leader in Baghdad, Qusay al-Suhail, told The Washington Times that he and his colleagues have been approached five times in the last five months by emissaries seeking to arrange meetings with senior U.S. military and civilian officials at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. "Yes, the Americans tried to talk to me and other Sadrists several times," Mr. al-Suhail said. "They try to talk to us as individuals, but we made it clear that there is no use to talking to us when you are an occupying power."
Iraq says Iranian troops withdrawn from oil well, still in Iraq -- [Voice of America]
Iraqi officials say Iranian troops have withdrawn from a disputed oil well on their border, but remain on Iraqi territory. A government spokesman says the Iranians took down their flag and moved back 50 meters from the well, but still have not returned to their original positions. Iraqi officials say 11 Iranian soldiers seized the well (Number 4) in the al-Fakkah oil field in Maysan province Friday, and that Iranian soldiers remained there Saturday. Iran insists the well is in Iranian territory.
Pregnant G.I.'s Could Be Punished -- [NY Times]
An Army general in northern Iraq has added pregnancy to the list of reasons a soldier under his command could be court-martialed.
The new policy, outlined last month by Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo and released Friday by the Army, would apply to female battlefield soldiers who become pregnant and the male soldiers who impregnate them.
US Airstrikes in Yemen: Continuation of a Failed Policy -- [Jawa Report]
Yesterday, a variety of media sources disclosed US involvement in raids against al Qaeda in Yemen, in particular air strikes in Abyan and on the outskirts of the capital, Sana'a. The prime target, Qasim al Reimi, escaped the Sana'a strike and scores of civilians were killed in the Abyan bombing. President Obama called Yemeni President Saleh after the raids to congratulate him for taking action against the terror group.
When a counter-terror air strike kills more civilians than an average suicide bombing, can it be called a success?
Obama team restocking hunting grounds in Yemen? -- [In the Crosshairs]
...OK riddle me this Obama-man, we are lobbing cruise missiles at AQ camps in Yemen and then turning more of their troopies over to a government that has had almost zero success holding or rehabbing the ones we have already sent them. And Yemen is a magnet for all kinds of terrorist types, like another Gitmo graduate we released to Saudi Arabia and who joined up with AQ in Yemen as their #2.
Hard Reality as US Pushes Pakistan -- [NY Times/AP]
Pakistan will not go as far as Washington wants, and there's nothing the U.S. can do about it: That's the sobering reality as the U.S. tries to persuade a hesitant Pakistan to finish off the fight against terrorists.
Expand the current assault against the Taliban? Pakistan has made clear that will happen only on its own terms. U.S. officials acknowledge that so far they haven't won the argument that militants who target America are enemies of Pakistan, too.
Shab e Yalda شب یلدا -- [Doc H's International Adventure - in Afghanistan]
In the western world we think of the 21st of December as the Winter solstice. The night of the 21st is the longest of the year for the northern hemisphere.
In Iranian and to some degree Afghan culture the night of the 21st of December is Shab-e Yalda شب یلدا .
It is an Iranian festival whose origins go all the way back to Babylonian and Zoroastrian religious rights.
Top US Officer: Force Must Be Option for Iran -- [NY Times]
Military force would have only limited effect in stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons but must remain an option, the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday.
Grand Ayatollah Montazeri's funeral sees hundreds of thousands challenge the Iranian regime -- [Telegraph]
Opposition supporters chanted anti-government slogans in Iran's holy city of Qom on Monday after the funeral of Ayatollah Montazeri.
Mourners wearing green items, a symbol of the protests that followed last June's presidential election, chanted slogans similar to those used in the post-ballot demonstrations.
Police expect Mumbai-style terror attack on City of London -- [The Times]
Scotland Yard has warned businesses in London to expect a Mumbai-style attack on the capital. In a briefing in the City of London 12 days ago, a senior detective from SO15, the Metropolitan police counter-terrorism command, said: "Mumbai is coming to London." The detective said companies should anticipate a shooting and hostage-taking raid "involving a small number of gunmen with handguns and improvised explosive devices". The warning - the bluntest issued by police - has underlined an assessment that a terrorist cell may be preparing an attack on London early next year.
Hackers Steal SKorean-U.S. Military Secrets -- [CIO Today]
The latest case came months after hackers launched high-profile cyberattacks that caused Web outages on prominent government-run sites in the U.S. and South Korea. Affected sites include those of the White House and the South's presidential Blue House. The attacker's IP address was traced back to North Korea's Ministry of Post.
North Korea Caught Red-Handed Selling Arms -- Again -- [PJM - Claudia Rosett]
Wherever these weapons were bound, the shipment was a violation of UN sanctions, and the likely buyer list is not encouraging.
Arms seized by Thailand were Iran-bound -- [Wall Street Journal]
A plane loaded with weapons from North Korea that was recently impounded in Bangkok was bound for Iran, according to documents obtained by arms-trafficking experts. The destination of the Ilyushin-76, which Thai authorities have said carried 35 tons of armaments, has been unknown. Thai officials said the plane flew to Pyongyang via Bangkok to collect its cargo, then returned to Bangkok to refuel on Dec. 11. It was seized during that stop and its five crew members were detained by Thai police. A flight plan for the IL-76, obtained by researchers in the U.S. and Belgium, shows that after Bangkok the plane was due to make refueling stops in Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and Ukraine before unloading its cargo in Tehran.
N.Korea says it may open fire near disputed sea border -- [AFP]
North Korea Monday warned South Korean ships to avoid the disputed Yellow Sea border area where a clash broke out last month, saying its coastal artillery would target the area in firing exercises. The communist state's naval command, in a statement on official media, said the move came in response to "reckless military provocations" from the South.
Copenhagen climate deal shows new world order may be led by U.S., China -- [Washington Post]
If the talks that resulted in an imperfect deal to combat global warming provided anything, it was a glimpse into a new world order in which international diplomacy will increasingly be shaped by the United States and emerging powers, most notably China. Friday's agreement, sources involved in the talks said, boiled down to President Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao personally hammering out a pact both could live with, even if many other leaders could not. Wen even squelched his own negotiator's protests. What Obama heralded as a "breakthrough" - after getting India and other rising powers to sign on - was decried by some nations as too little, too late.
Palestinian Sources: Abbas Rejected U.S. Proposal For Secret Negotiations -- [MEMRI Blog]
Palestinian sources said that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has rejected a U.S. proposal for secret negotiations with the Israeli government as a substitute for 10 months of U.S.-mediated indirect negotiations.
Congressional letter to SECDEF Gates demands end to Islamic lectures to troops by Louay Safi and ISNA -- [Jawa Report]
Earlier this month we were the first to report, along with JihadWatch, that terror-tied Islamic speaker Louay Safi had just given a lecture at Ft Hood on Islam to troops departing for Afghanistan. Andy McCarthy at NRO followed up on that reporting, as did other media outlets. Safi subsequently complained of being the victim of smears for us reporting that he had been recorded on FBI wiretaps talking to terrorist leaders and such (which is all a matter of public record).
Now a group of congressmen have sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates demanding that all lectures by Safi and the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) to military troops be halted immediately.
Bin Laden's brother-in-law target of latest US strike in Pakistan -- [LWJ - Bill Roggio]
Sheikh Saeed al Saudi, a member of al Qaeda's executive council, was targeted by the US after intelligence indicated he was attending a high-level meeting.
West warns that Somalia is becoming a haven for international terrorists -- [The Times]
Pass beyond what is described as government territory in the Somali capital - a few blocks between the airport, the harbour and the presidential palace - and you are at the mercy of al-Shabaab, the extremist Islamic group that holds sway across southern and central Somalia. Where it rules, it has implemented laws and punishments reminiscent of Afghanistan under Taleban rule.
The Homegrown Terrorist Threat to the US Homeland -- [Elcano]
The wave of arrests and thwarted plots recently seen in the United States has severely undermined the long-held assumption that American Muslims, unlike their European counterparts, are virtually immune to radicalization. In reality, argues this policy brief, evidence existed also before the fall of 2009 highlighting how radicalization affected some small segments of the American Muslim population exactly like it affects some fringe pockets of the Muslim population of each European country. After putting forth this argument, the brief analyzes the five concurring reasons traditionally used to explain the divergence between the levels of radicalization in Europe and the United States (better economic conditions, lack of urban ghettoes, lower presence of recruiting networks, different demographics, more inclusive sense of citizenship). While all these characteristics still hold true, they no longer represent a guarantee, as other factors such as perception of discrimination and frustration at U.S. foreign policies could lead to radicalization. Finally the brief will look at the post-9/11 evolution of the homegrown terrorist threat to the U.S. homeland and examine possible future scenarios.
A Terrorist in the Heart of America -- [PJM - Rusty Shackleford]
Last month I warned Pajamas Media readers that a Chicago-area man was involved in the worst act of terrorism to hit India in modern times. This month the Department of Justice indicted David Headley on 12 charges related to the Mumbai terror attacks and plans he and accomplices had in the works against a Danish newspaper that had printed controversial images of the prophet Muhammad. Six of those charges are for the murder of Americans abroad.
Giving up at Tora Bora -- [Washington Post]
Trapped in al-Qaeda's Tora Bora cave network two months after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Osama bin Laden seemed prepared to die. Instead, he was allowed to escape: The United States never fielded a serious ground effort to stop him, instead pointlessly trying to bomb him from the sky and handing out cash to Afghan warlords who had no intention of capturing him. The disaster flowed from one bad idea: that the United States could win in Afghanistan without a "big footprint," using locals who wouldn't trigger the renowned Afghan hostility to foreign invaders. Not to mention that deploying a small contingent of special forces armed with cash would prove Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's ideological point about the need to transform the U.S. armed services from a lumbering Cold War conventional force into a leaner, meaner, high-tech military capable of lightning strikes. Rumsfeld may have been right about the need for transformation. But ...
FBI walks tightrope in outreach to Muslims, fighting terrorism - [Washington Post]
At a retirement party last week for the head of the FBI's Washington field office, Muslim and Arab leaders presented the guest of honor with a crystal plaque. It thanked Joseph Persichini Jr. for reaching out to the local Muslim and Arab communities. Yet even as the tribute on Capitol Hill went on, his agents had a different mission. They were flying to Pakistan to interrogate five Washington area Muslim men arrested in a terrorism probe. The outcome of that investigation threatens to undermine the very relationships their boss tried to foster. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, FBI agents from the same office have met with Muslim leaders, fielded questions at mosques and participated in Ramadan feasts.
Adopt a hero today -- [Soldiers' Angels LA]
Soldiers' Angels hero adoption waiting list is over 2,000. Many of our heroes are on their third or fourth deployment. Sure, they may be getting some mail or care packages from home, but nothing means more than knowing a complete stranger cares enough to show their support. When you adopt a hero, you are asked to commit a letter a week and 1-2 small care packages a month during the length of their deployment. Soldiers' Angels Store has plenty of pre-made packages and will ship them directly to your hero. For as little as $20 a month you can bring some support for someone who is putting their life on the line for us. Adopt a hero today.
Operation Christmas Drop: The longest-running humanitarian airdrop mission in Air Force history -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
...Operation Christmas Drop's mission officially kicked off with a Push Ceremony held Dec. 15. Members of the Andersen family and representatives from the local community were on hand to assist in loading boxes onto a C-130 Hercules, in essence preparing the first sortie's load of donations for delivery.
A Message from Soldiers' Angels RE: Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center at Dover AFB -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
While everyone plays an very important role in the Global War on Terror, a group of very dedicated service members appear to fly under the radar day in and day out, that team is located at the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center. It is the center's mission and privilege to fulfill the nation's sacred commitment of ensuring dignity, honor, and respect to the fallen and care, service, and support to their families. A solemn dignified transfer of remains is conducted upon arrival at Dover Air Force Base, Del., from the aircraft to a transfer vehicle to honor those who have given their lives in the service of the country. The vehicle then moves the fallen to the Port Mortuary.
An Officer and a Creative Man -- [New York Times]
It doesn't need to be this way in the Army. After all, the Marine Corps has succeeded in inducing its officers to operate independently. More than twice as many Marine survey respondents as Army respondents -- 58 percent -- said that their service encouraged risk-taking. Marine culture is different because the career Marine officers who shape it are, on average, less risk-averse than career Army officers.
Does The United States Still Need USSOCOM? (Updated) -- [SWJ]
...many outside the military establishment are enamored with the myth and romanticism of Special Operations. There are so many "groupies" among staffers and in academia that it is hard to see Special Operations for what it really is and what it has become. And within the military, Special Operations has been "hijacked" by a group of hyper-conventional Ranger types and other supporting elements that Special Operations and most important, its heart and soul - Special Forces - has lost its way. There are so many in and out of the military who claim ties to Special Operations that it is unlikely that there will ever be a critical look at USSOCOM and what it has become.
A million soldiers deployed since 9/11 -- [Army Times]
Eight years since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, American troops have deployed almost 3.3 million times to Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Defense Department data.
The numbers, as of October 2009, show that more than 2 million men and women have shouldered those deployments, with 793,000 of them deploying more than once.
PATTON: REMEMBERING THE MAN, THE HERO -- [Third wave Dave]
On December 21, 1945, General George S. Patton Jr died. For a man who survived two World Wars, the manner in which he died was quite unusual and unexpected: an automobile accident.
Operation Just Cause -- [Boots on the Ground: Chuck Holton]
Twenty years ago on in the early morning of December 20, 1989, I was one of 2500 Rangers that parachuted into the country of Panama to take down a corrupt Dictator, Manuel Noriega. It was my first taste of actual combat. Compared to the fighting most of today's warriors experience, Operation Just Cause was extremely short and had a nice, tidy ending with the surrender of Manuel Noriega three weeks after we dropped in. Today, nobody disputes that we did the right thing in removing him, though some Panamanians believe we could have been, say, gentler about it. Thinking back on the chaos of that night in 1989, and looking at the strong, stable democracy that Panama has become, I can confidently say I'm glad to have played some very small part in that history.
British troops to get first new camouflage in 40 years -- [CNN]
British troops will get new camouflage uniforms for the first time in more than 40 years, based on computer modeling of Afghanistan's terrain, the Ministry of Defence announced Sunday.
Our Christmas Present!! -- [This is our life...]
Our Christmas present has arrived!! He flew in at 1PM yesterday. Everything just feels right again. I have my husband back. The kids have their dad. I wish I had a great picture of us hugging him at the airport, but I don't. We will be in the Standard Journal though so watch for us. Now, I'm off to snuggle with my sleeping husband!! :)
Fort Hood welcomes troops back home -- [Houston Chronicle]
and other relatives waved American flags, balloons and signs that read "Welcome Home" and "You're My Hero." Buhman's husband found her in the crowd after
Soldier's mom gets holiday homecoming surprise -- [KGO-TV]
She went to Mineta-San Jose International Airport to welcome home troops returning from Afghanistan and what she did not know was that her ...
Spc. Amanda Sandlin returns home after tour in Afghanistan -- [Maryville Daily Times]
Several unrolled a "Welcome Home to Our Favorite Soldier" banner as the crowd waited at McGhee Tyson Airport Saturday afternoon.
Red Cross Volunteers Welcome Home Servicemen -- [WENY-TV]
O'Neill-Merchant is a Red Cross volunteer, and is often at the airport to greet other troops as they come home.
MRC Announces Awards for the Worst Media Performance of 2009 -- [NewsBusters]
The Media Research Center today announced its Best Notable Quotables of 2009: The 22nd Annual Awards for the Year's Worst Reporting, and Discover magazine's Melissa Lafsky has won the dis-honor of "Quote of the Year." On August 27, a few days after Senator Edward Kennedy's death, Lafsky posted the following on the Huffington Post blog:
The Phenomenon, Politics and Art of 'Avatar' -- [FOXNews]
And did I mention there's a maniacal military officer as the heavy? Needless to say, this character, Colonel Quaritch, gets all the best lines in the film,
Inconceivable! Gates blasts Senate Republican's filibuster attempt on defense bill -- [Stars & Stripes]
In the middle of the night - literally while Washington was sleeping - Senate Republicans early Friday revealed that they hate the troops.
Obama to clear secret records -- [Washington Times]
Executive order follow-up on inaugural pledge
President Obama plans to deal with a Dec. 31 deadline that automatically would declassify secrets in more than 400 million pages of Cold War-era documents by ordering governmentwide changes that could sharply curb the number of new and old government records hidden from the public.
Executive Order 12425 What The Hell Is This? What Did Obama Just Do? -- [Pierre Legrand's Pink Flamingo Bar]
What the hell is going on?
Executive Order 12425 - EO: AMENDING EXECUTIVE ORDER 12425 DESIGNATING INTERPOL AS A PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 1 of the International Organizations Immunities Act (22 U.S.C. 288), and in order to extend the appropriate privileges, exemptions, and immunities to the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), it is hereby ordered that Executive Order 12425 of June 16, 1983, as amended, is further amended by deleting from the first sentence the words "except those provided by Section 2(c), Section 3, Section 4, Section 5, and Section 6 of that Act" and the semicolon that immediately precedes them.
A double standard on military votes? -- [MSNBC]
Over the last several years, Republicans accusing Democrats of voting against military funding bills -- for whatever the reason -- became an common line of political attack.
Here's one example: ...
Billions in earmarks inflate defense bill's cost -- [San Francisco Chronicle]
... pork-barrel politics at its worst. The Presidio closed as a military entity in 1989 and was transferred to the National Park Service five years later.
Obama Year One: Betrayal and Failure -- [The Baltimore Chronicle]
In Obama's America, only the privileged have rights, not people of color, the poor, and growing numbers going hungry, without jobs, and other life's essentials his budget allocations won't fund. Promising change after eight George Bush and Republican dominated years, Barack Obama won the most sweeping non-incumbent victory in over 50 years along with congressional Democrats gaining large House and Senate majorities. In addition, at 56.8%, voter turnout was the highest since Richard Nixon's "secret plan" to end the Vietnam war and his "Southern" and "law and order" strategies beat Hubert Humphrey and independent George Wallace in 1968.
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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.
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Your Navy docs Rock! -- [One Marines View - in Afghanistan]
The other night as we concluded the day, two patrols were under attack and fought off a small group of enemy. Relentlessly pursuing the enemy when we find them they continue to realize we are a force to contend with. With the kinetic operations being conducted on one hand, a surgeon gets notified that a local national is suffering from a separate unrelated injury and is losing a lot of blood. The weather is past deteriorating and is now terrible. Fog so bad you couldn't see 10 feet ahead of you with drizzle. The docs worked their magical touch and was able to stabilize the local national with professionalism within their bombed out stone structure. The relatives of the injured were very grateful for the doctors help. We planned
Gen: Some troops will arrive later in Afghanistan -- [AP]
The second-highest ranking U.S. general in Afghanistan says it will take longer to send some troops to the ramped-up war there, indicating it will probably be nine to 11 months before all are in place.
Special forces troops open up new front against the Taliban in Helmand -- [Daily Telegraph]
British and U.S. special forces are set to open a new front in southern Afghanistan in a bid to "break the back" of the Taliban insurgency. A task force composed of members of British, U.S. and Afghan special forces will be ordered to hunt down and kill or capture senior Taliban and al-Qaeda leaders as part of American-lead Nato surge into southern Afghanistan and the border region of Pakistan. The operation to "decapitate" the Taliban leadership will begin in earnest in the next few weeks and form part of a series of "shaping operations" prior to a major offensive against key insurgent strongholds in central Helmand. The British special forces group, called Task Force Crichton, will focus on targeting medium value targets (MVTs) such as Taliban bomb teams and middle-ranking insurgency commanders.
Top US officer fears Taliban-Pakistan militants -- [AP]
America's top military officer expressed concern Monday about the "growing level of collusion" between Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan and al-Qaida and other militant groups taking refuge across the border in Pakistan.
Adm. Mike Mullen, in Kabul to discuss the upcoming U.S. troop buildup and training of Afghanistan's security force, told reporters he would discuss the issue with Pakistani authorities during talks in Islamabad later this week.
Drone attacks may be expanded in Pakistan -- [Los Angeles Times]
Senior U.S. officials are pushing to expand CIA drone strikes beyond Pakistan's tribal region and into a major city in an attempt to pressure the Pakistani government to pursue Taliban leaders based in Quetta. The proposal has opened a contentious new front in the clandestine war. The prospect of Predator aircraft strikes in Quetta, a sprawling city, signals a new U.S. resolve to decapitate the Taliban. But it also risks rupturing Washington's relationship with Islamabad. The concern has created tension among Obama administration officials over whether unmanned aircraft strikes in a city of 850,000 are a realistic option. Proponents, including some military leaders, argue that attacking the Taliban in Quetta - or at least threatening to do so - is crucial to the success of the revised war strategy President Obama unveiled last week. "If we don't do this - at least have a real discussion of it - Pakistan might not think we are serious," said a senior U.S. official involved in war planning.
Obama says Afghan buildup must show results -- [New York Times]
President Obama said in a taped interview that military officials should know by the end of December 2010 whether a strategy to secure population centers in Afghanistan is meeting its objectives. "If the approach that's been recommended doesn't work, we're going to be changing approaches," Mr. Obama said in the interview that aired on CBS's "60 Minutes" Sunday night. The interview was conducted last week at the White House, before the president traveled to Europe to accept the Nobel Peace Prize on Thursday.
FOO-lishness -- [Doc H's International Adventure - in Afghanistan]
There are some issues or events that never even make it to a post. Others, like today's, I have to think about for a long time before posting since I endeavor to be positive about our role here. Today's issue still has the potential to be a rant instead of informative.
Basic Warfare 101 teaches us that armed conflict is just an extension of diplomacy. There is a published Army Field Manual that provides guidance on the use of money as a weapons system. Out of all the tools at our disposal to effect positive change in this country, money is the most effective.
...The FOO program exists to fill in the shortfalls in logistical planning so that the Afghans can continue their mission in a timely manner. It requires a two person US team to go through a short course, then be responsible and accountable for money signed over by the US Government. ...Unfortunately the accountants and contact clearance personnel in Kabul have essentially scuttled this program. What may have been a useful program to offset shortcomings in the Afghan military planning process is now useless. About two months into our time here a new team of accountants at Kabul took over and radically changed the rules of what could be bought and how it was justified.
...One Army National Guard Lt is having to pay $900 dollars out of his own pocket to reimburse the government for 'unauthorized purchases'. He bought water for the Afghan National Army so that they could complete a field mission.
For U.S. troops in Afghanistan, supplies are another battle -- [Wall Street Journal]
The White House has settled on sending additional troops to Afghanistan, and now the Pentagon must grapple with another thorny problem: how to support them once they get there. For Ashton Carter, the top Pentagon official in charge of weapons purchases, that has meant focusing on the concrete - literally. Basic materials for building bases are in short supply or nonexistent in Afghanistan, so U.S. officials must search for staples like concrete next door in Pakistan. Another priority: Getting thousands of blast-resistant trucks from Oshkosh Corp.'s factory in Oshkosh, Wis., to U.S. forces in the Afghan hinterlands. "At this phase, Afghanistan is a logistics war as much as any other kind of war," said Mr. Carter, whose formal title is under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, in a recent interview. Unlike Iraq, Afghanistan has no modern infrastructure.
Hungarian Troops Help Afghans Brace for Winter In Baghlan -- [ISAF]
Hungarian forces distributed warm clothes and winter supplies to more than 200 local Afghan families in Baghlan Province.
The Afghan Ministry of Women's Affairs selected single mothers and widows for the delivery given out at the Afghan National Army base near the edge of the town.
The International Security Assistance Force and international aid organizations have provided aid to thousands of Afghans in recent weeks to help during the harsh winter months.
The Spirit of Charitable Gift Giving -- [Afghanistan Women's Clinic - in Afghanistan]
...For people who want to focus on the spirit of giving this year we have created a Target wish list. All of these items will go towards supporting our mission. You can choose to buy items for the Midwife starter kits that women will receive after they graduate from training or you could choose to buy items that will be used for the babies once they are born. All items will be sent to the programs we are supporting in Afghanistan. Or if you would rather make a monetary donation you can do so by ...
School Supplies for Afghan Children on WUSF -- [Afghanistan My Last Tour - in Afghanistan]
While we enjoy our wonderful mid deployment vacation together in Germany, we got a note from reporter Mark Schreiner that his special University Beat radio, TV and web presentation about Rex's school supplies project is now airing back home in Tampa, Fla. Mark's series also showcases the work of Nicole Johnson, former Miss America and USF alum, on this project and her recent trip to Afghanistan.
Transition -- [Riding Shotgun with Team Zombiekiller - in Afghanistan]
Our training cycle is shifting gears and we will be picking up some new folks here over the next couple of days. We'll have to go through all the same silly nonesense of dealing with fouled up equipment draws, inaccurate personnel stats, and students trying to change their assignments at the last minute. Good times.
Having said all that, we've worked the bugs out of our training program over the course of the last month, so this one should go pretty smoothly. The best part is that we will be picking up some instructors from the French Army to assist us this time. They seem ...
9 Dec 09 -- -- [Dude in the Desert - in Afghanistan]
and now, the rest of the trip...after our two hour ride thru "death valley"-as I later found out that what it's called, because of all the IEDs on that area-we arrived at the FOB and met up with two other AF guys that were here for about a week in the beginning of our deployment...one vehicle maintenance guy and one generator guy...we dropped our gear and headed to chow ...their chow hall is outside the camp on the main base area ...it kinda sucked for such a big base-well,
Getting there -- [Embedded in Afghanistan... - in Afghanistan]
...My deployment to Afghanistan has come with a special sense of concern, and is the only time in my life thus far I have felt compelled to buy more life insurance. If the numbers involved put the probabilities in your favor you have to invest right...? Going to a place as well known for danger as the Korengal Valley, one can't help but be a little apprehensive, although those feelings of worry are offset somewhat by the excitement for the adventure and challenge ahead. All of us headed out the Korengal volunteered to be here, and several other Marines had wanted to be out here but couldn't be.
Militants Detained in Khost, Kandahar -- [ISAF]
An Afghan-international security force detained a Haqqani weapons facilitator and a small group of other militants in Khost province today. The facilitator is responsible for the supply and distribution of weapons to several militant elements in the area.
The joint force searched a compound near the village of Paru Kheyl in the Sabari district where intelligence sources reported the facilitator to be located.
Afghan promises to insurgents often empty -- [Washington Post]
His path marked by moonlight, with a Kalashnikov strapped to his back, Feda Mohammed hiked the well-worn trail through the mountains of Pakistan and into Afghanistan. He had traveled the route dozens of times before to attack U.S. soldiers. But this time, Mohammed was on a secret mission to surrender. Lured to quit the insurgency by the government's promise of a job, land for his family and an end to the misery of fighting, Mohammed illustrated the hope of the top U.S. commander, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, for ultimately bringing about an end to the eight-year-old war.
Taliban can be admired for their faith and loyalty, says bishop -- [Telegraph]
The Taliban can be admired for their conviction to their faith and their sense of loyalty to one another, the new bishop for the Armed Forces has claimed.
Armed forces bishop says sorry for praising Taliban -- [BBC]
The new bishop to the armed forces has apologised over comments he made about how the Taliban could be admired for their "conviction to their faith".
Iraqi official: 13 arrested in connection to Baghdad bombings -- [Voice of America]
An Iraqi Interior Ministry official says 13 people are in custody in connection to last week's coordinated bombings in Baghdad that killed 127 people and wounded 400. Sunday's announcement of the arrests came as lawmakers again questioned officials about security lapses in the capital, where there have been three massive attacks since the beginning of August. An al-Qaida-linked group known as the Islamic State of Iraq has claimed responsibility for Tuesday's bombings and warned of more attacks. On Saturday, Iraq's Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani said security forces had prior warning of Tuesday's bombings. He said bureaucracy and a lack of cooperation between government ministries were to blame for security gaps and the inability to stop the attacks.
US military warned Iraq of possible Baghdad blasts -- [AP]
The U.S. military says it warned Iraqi officials about possible attacks in Baghdad the same day that bombers struck government sites in the country's capital last week.
The U.S. military said in a statement to The Associated Press on Monday that the information it shared with the Iraqis addressed such attacks -- but that there was no "specific actionable intelligence" related to the bombings that killed 127 people.
U.S. firms lag in bids for Iraqi oil -- [Washington Post]
Chinese, Russian and European companies won the right this weekend to develop major oil fields in Iraq, while U.S. firms made a paltry showing at auctions that represent the first major incursion of foreign oil companies into Iraq in four decades. The companies that secured 10 contracts in auctions held over the weekend and in June stand to profit handsomely, but they are taking a significant gamble. Iraq has the third-largest proven crude reserves in the world, but the country remains perilous; it suffers from chronic corruption and acrimonious politics that have prevented the passing of new laws to regulate the sector. Of the seven U.S. companies that registered for the auctions, only one emerged as the leading partner in a consortium that won a contract. Another U.S. company has a minority stake in a contract. China's state-owned oil company has a major stake in two contracts. Russian firms are
Iraq inquiry - day by day timeline of evidence given -- [BBC]
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has yet to appear before the Chilcot inquiry. However, asked about the decision to go to war in a BBC TV interview, he said he would have done so even if he had known Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction. The "notion" that Iraq was a threat to the region had tilted him in favour of the invasion, he added. Reacting to the remarks, Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said he was "surprised" by them while Sir Ken MacDonald, a former director of public prosecutions, has accused Mr Blair of "alarming subterfuge" in justifying the war.
Iraq war inquiry depicts Britain as sidekick to U.S. -- [New York Times]
As public inquiries go, Britain's review of its involvement in the Iraq war had all the promise of a damp firecracker when it was empaneled by Prime Minister Gordon Brown last summer - and there was ample evidence, in the restrictive mandate initially set by Mr. Brown, that he never intended it to be the far-reaching, unsparing inquiry that war opponents had demanded. But one of the main criticisms against Mr. Brown since he replaced Tony Blair 30 months ago is that he has been haplessly lacking in political touch. So it is little surprise that the inquiry's first three weeks of hearings have unfolded in ways that have done little to blunt a common view in Britain that the war, conducted on the governing Labour Party's watch, was a historic blunder.
Secret document exposes Iran's nuclear trigger -- [The Times]
Confidential intelligence documents obtained by The Times show that Iran is working on testing a key final component of a nuclear bomb. The notes, from Iran's most sensitive military nuclear project, describe a four-year plan to test a neutron initiator, the component of a nuclear bomb that triggers an explosion. Foreign intelligence agencies date them to early 2007, four years after Iran was thought to have suspended its weapons programme. An Asian intelligence source last week confirmed to The Times that his country also believed that weapons work was being carried out as recently as 2007 - specifically, work on a neutron initiator.
West decries Iran's latest nuclear offer -- [Wall Street Journal]
Western officials said the Iranian foreign minister's weekend comments that Tehran would be willing to make a uranium trade in small batches, and on Iranian soil, fell well short of their demands. A proposed deal hammered out in October between U.S., French, Russian and International Atomic Energy Agency negotiators and their Iranian counterparts had called for Iran to ship the bulk of its low-enriched uranium outside the country to be further enriched, and then shipped back to Iran for use in a medical-research reactor. Senior Iranian officials, however, have refused to endorse the proposal, instead offering a series of sometimes-contradictory counteroffers and demands for major changes, in public comments. Western officials have said they won't consider a major reworking of the deal, insisting on a clear yes or no from Iran on the IAEA-brokered proposal.
Iran's Supreme Leader lashes out at opposition and threatens action -- [Voice of America]
As the Iranian government wages a media campaign against the opposition for allegedly burning a poster of Islamic Republic founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has raised the gauntlet against movement leaders Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi. Calling them "former brothers," Khamenei warns them to dissociate themselves with the picture burners. Looking stern and sounding angry Ayatollah Khamenei lashed out at Iran's opposition movement, once again calling its supporters "rioters" and "lackies" of Iran's foreign enemies.
India successfully tests nuclear-capable missile -- [Voice of America]
India says it has successfully test fired a short range, nuclear-capable missile. Officials fired the surface-to-surface Dhanush missile Sunday from a ship in the Bay of Bengal. The missile can hit a target up to 350 kilometers away. India last tested the Dhanush missile in 2007. India and neighboring Pakistan routinely test-fire missiles.
U.S. envoy says North Korea open to direct talks with Japan -- [Voice of America]
North Korea may be willing to begin direct talks with Japan. That's the message from senior U.S. envoy Stephen Bosworth. Bosworth made the comments in Tokyo, where he briefed Japanese leaders on his recent trip to North Korea. U.S. envoy Stephen Bosworth went to North Korea to convince the reclusive country to reconvene six party talks aimted at dismantling its nuclear programs. Bosworth says Pyongyang gave no indication they would restart those discussions but top officials suggested they were open to direct talks with Japan.
Terror probe leads FBI to India, Pakistan -- [Los Angeles Times]
FBI agents made an urgent trip to India and Pakistan last week after they learned of plotting for Mumbai-style terrorism attacks while investigating a Chicago man's case, according to current and former U.S., Indian and European counter-terrorism officials. The man, David Coleman Headley, was recently charged with being a longtime clandestine operative for Lashkar-e-Taiba and another Pakistan-based militant group affiliated with Al Qaeda. The alleged plots, believed to be in the works for months, were aimed mostly at locations frequented by Americans, Israelis and other Westerners, such as hotels or synagogues, according to the officials.
Terrorist recruiters leverage the Web -- [Washington Post]
Pakistani authorities on Saturday were searching for an insurgent figure believed to have aided five Northern Virginia men who allegedly tried to join al-Qaeda, saying the case could help unravel a growing network of terrorist recruiters who scour the Internet for radicalized young men. Investigators have identified the man, known as Saifullah, as a recruiter for the Pakistani Taliban and said he contacted one of the American men on YouTube, exchanged coded e-mails with the group, invited them to Pakistan and guided them once they arrived. But the men, all Muslims from the Alexandria area, failed to reach the remote tribal zone that is al-Qaeda's home because the terrorist network's commanders thought they were sent by the CIA to infiltrate al-Qaeda - and Saifullah could not convince them otherwise,...
Pakistan looks at militant as key to Americans' journey -- [Los Angeles Times]
The investigation of five American Muslims held on suspicion of having links with terrorist groups has focused on a Pakistani militant whom the young men communicated with over the Internet and who became their primary contact as they tried to make their way to Afghanistan, Pakistani authorities said Saturday.
Meet SPC Brendan Marrocco, an American Hero -- [Soldiers Angel Germany]
"Whenever anyone has told me I couldn't do something, I shut them down. And I did it."
- SPC Brendan Marrocco
On Easter Sunday, US Army Specialist Brendan Marrocco lost all four limbs in combat in Iraq. Glenn Osten Anderson of the Guardian UK visits Marrocco at Walter Reed Army Medical Centre as he recovers from his injuries and learns to use his prosthetic arms and legs.
Back from combat, women struggle for acceptance -- [AP]
Nobody wants to buy them a beer
More than 230,000 American women have fought in those recent wars and at least 120 have died doing so, yet the public still doesn't completely understand their contributions on the modern battlefield.
For some, it's a lonely transition as they struggle to find their place.
Santa Comes To Alton, Military Style -- [Gazette Virginian]
Santa Claus arrived in style aboard this huge National Guard 7-tonner Saturday just in time for the annual Alton Christmas Parade.
Mentors offer shoulder to cry on for military kids who've lost parents -- [Dallas Morning News]
In fact, most of the TAPS mentors in Dallas were either soldiers or had family in the military. Giuranna has completed a tour in Afghanistan and two in Iraq
Stephen King gets in the Christmas spirit, pays for troops to come home for the holidays strong> -- [The Examiner]
Horror novelist Stephen King and his wife are footing the bill so that 150 members of the Maine Army National Guard can come home for the holidays. The soldiers left Maine last week for Camp Atterbury, for some training. In January of next year, they are scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan.
Military should be wary of doing its business like Washington does -- [News Sentinel]
The military soon learned that the planner behind the ambush was one Ahmid Hashim Abed. So, the Navy SEALS, doing what they do best, went hunting.
Super Stars honored at local VFW Club -- [KHAS-TV]
(12/13/09) By Ginger ten Bensel - Soldiers who recently served in Iraq and Afghanistan got a special welcome home celebration...
New York Troops At Home -- in Japan -- [ReadMedia (press release)]
"I felt completely at home and completely welcome," said Sgt. First Class Denis Topliffe, who was one of eight division Soldiers selected to visit Japanese
Pics reveal CAIR backstage coordination of media in Rifqa Bary case and how the media kept silent -- [Jawa Report]
***Bumped by Rusty: You really need to read all the way to the end to get why this is so important. The pictures do, in fact, reveal a media silent on CAIR's coordinated message about Rifqa Bary. Especially an image of a CAIR computer with a document titled "DO NOT RELEASE TO PUBLIC" and "FATHIMA RIFQA BARY TALKING POINTS".
Prize-filled day for 'The Hurt Locker' -- [LA Times]
Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. and the American Film Institute name the Iraq war film the year's top drama.
"Hurt Locker" filmmakers walked a minefield -- [Reuters]
ESTLOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Standing in the middle of Madaba, a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan near the border with Iraq, Kathryn Bigelow thought she might have erred in choosing to shoot a night sequence in such a volatile area.
Barack Obama: Naked, Black and Alone -- [Huffington Post]
...Whether organic or manufactured, personal or political, the distractions plaguing the Obama White House have reached a critical critical-mass. Laden with double-talk -- not to mention double-standards -- they reflect a fascination with the First Family unprecedented in its scope and rancor. Confirming the old maxim "the personal is political," Obama's "distraction problem" also reveals some rather unfortunate truths about America's unease with race, class and elitism. Along the way, this national fascination with nonsense and non-stories obscures the real challenges facing the nation -- such as health care, poverty, climate change, foreign wars and social justice.
Unlike any President in recent history, Barack Obama came to the world stage naked, Black and alone. Lacking the family lineage of Bush II or Clinton's old-boy Arkansas machine, Obama offered America little more than ... well ... himself.
(Need more? Dawn Patrols Archives are here.)
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.
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US Military: Afghan Surge Begins Next Week -- [Voice of America]
US Admiral Michael Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says the military's focus now is the rapid deployment of 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan and the initial elements of the surge will begin arriving next week. Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon, Admiral Mullen says orders have been issued to combat infantry, engineers and civil affairs experts to deploy to Afghanistan, with 1,500 Marines expected to arrive in southern Helmand Province next week. Mullen indicated there is a sense of urgency at the Pentagon to implement US President Barack Obama's decision to send tens of thousands of additional troops to the war and then begin withdrawing them by July 2011. "The debate is over, the decision has been made, it is - it is time to execute," said Admiral Mullen. "That must be our focus now, our only focus, and it is." Admiral Mullen says the Pentagon is accelerating deployment plans for the surge forces and the bulk of the new troops will be in place within the next six months.
Afghan Security Leaders Thank Gates for Support -- [ISAF]
Senior Afghan military and national police leaders gathered today at Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates' departure to thank him for his support for President Barack Obama's new strategy for Afghanistan and a strong military team to support it.
Top UN official in Afghanistan wants to leave -- [AP/San Diego Union Tribune]
The top U.N. official in Afghanistan said Friday he will not renew his two-year contract when it expires in March.
Kai Eide, a Norwegian diplomat, said he is not stepping down but has asked U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to start searching for a replacement.
"I'm not resigning," Eide told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "It's a question of telling New York that I'm not renewing my contract."
US strike kills 4 al Qaeda, 2 Taliban in South Waziristan -- [LWJ - Bill Roggio]
Today's strike is the first in South Waziristan since late September. The strike took place in an area where Baitullah Mehsud and Khalid Habib were killed in prior attacks.
Company Lanes -- [Riding Shotgun with Team Zombiekiller - in Afghanistan]
We were out yesterday conducting tactical lane training with our Afghan companies. We focused on react to contact drills throughout the day, and all in all we had a pretty productive day of training. While out and about we ran into the typical things, goats, Kuchis and reckless drivers cruising down the dirt roads at white-knuckle speeds. Pretty normal stuff really.
I find the field training to be the most rewarding thing we get to do, as it really gets us into the business of teaching the leadership. We get a lot of them telling us that they "know everything already," and that we are wasting their time teaching them. Of course it all comes out in the wash when we take them to the field.
Shebergan Mission -- [Doc H's International Adventure - in Afghanistan]
Yesterday was an altogether wholesome and satisfying day. It always feels good to give or provide services to those with so little. At the end of a day it is a very good feeling when I can say that Afghanistan is better off because of what we did today.
More Boondoggles and let the turnover begin... -- [3rd Time, New Country - in Afghanistan]
On Monday, we took our normal trip to NDS, but I was a passenger this time. After our mentoring, the team dropped of DJ, Tim and I at the airport (KAIA) for a trip to Bagram. The US Air Force Hospital (Craig Hospital) has a 2-week training program for the Afghans. I took the Chief OT nurse, DJ took one of his anesthesia residents, and Tim took a pharmacy tech.
A Timely Reminder -- [OPFOR - Lt Col P - in Afghanistan]
Every time I glance around me at NATO afield, I wonder about the future of the alliance. However, we can always count on our old pals the Russians to chime in with a timely reminder of why there is a NATO in the first place.
Will someone please take the car keys from them? They're not fit to drive.
Afghan frontline diary -- [BBC]
Behind the headlines, what is it like to fight in Afghanistan?
The 3rd Battalion of the Rifles Regiment is in the country today for a six-month tour.
Among their number is Major Richard Streatfeild. He commands "A Company" from a base in the upper Sangin valley, where the heaviest of the fighting has been so far.
Winter's blue-eyed souls -- [Captain Cat's Diaries - in Afghanistan]
A tribal elder from Ahmadabad district in Paktia province reading a manual on the "Basics of Afghan Law and Criminal Justice"
There is so much more to Afghanistan than what is reported in the news about the war and the Taliban and the shady machinations of a corrupt government. Five years on and I'm still under this country's spell, filled to the brim with love for its people, for their gentleness and warmth, their perseverance and hope and overwhelming hospitality despite everything they've been through. I still feel so lucky to be here.
Hundreds of women lead protest in Afghanistan -- [RAWA]
Followed by about 500 men, they demand that the government purge anyone connected to the Taliban, war crimes or corruption. Many hold pictures of slain relatives.
Contractors Watching Contractors -- [The Nation]
The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has hired a private corporation to help prepare government reports for Congress about US government contracts with other corporations in Afghanistan. The massive consulting firm Deloitte and Touche was hired on a one year contract signed with the US Army's Contracting Center of Excellence in May for $3.7 million. In the end, the contract could be worth up to $7.5 million, according to federal contract data reviewed by The Nation.
Defense Secretary Gates Arrives In Iraq -- [NPR]
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates flew to Iraq on Thursday to begin the second leg of his tour of two major war zones.
Gates' visit to Iraq comes during a week in which coordinated Baghdad bombings have killed 127 people and wounded more than 500. Al-Qaida's umbrella group in Iraq claimed responsibility Thursday for the bombings and warned of more strikes to come against the Iraqi government.
US sees Arabs, Kurds in Iraq settling differences -- [Reuters]
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Friday that Arab and Kurdish leaders in Iraq were moving toward settling their differences and he urged them to form an inclusive government quickly after a March vote.
Visiting U.S. troops and Iraqi police in the contested northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, Gates called Arab-Kurdish tensions "perhaps the most worrisome issue in Iraq."
...But Gates, who arrived in Iraq on Thursday after a visit to Afghanistan, said: "All the evidence we see indicates that they will work out these differences."
"They've made some real headway in recent weeks."
Beleaguered Iraqi Leader Puts Off Gates Meeting -- [NY Times]
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here on Thursday for talks with Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, but the prime minister said he was too busy to see Mr. Gates because he had to defend himself before a Parliament outraged by a recent series of bombings.
Maliki, lawmakers trade accusations -- [Washington Post]
Iraqi lawmakers on Thursday chastised Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for his government's failure to prevent the massive bombings that rocked the capital this week, even as Maliki accused parliament of impeding his ability to improve security.
During a closed-door, six-hour exchange, Maliki chided lawmakers for not passing legislation that would fund and legitimize anti-terrorism forces that report directly to him, according to lawmakers.
http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28895&Itemid=128 -- [MNF-I]
It is necessary and right that Iraqi Soldiers and Police assume security responsibilities for their people, the commander of Multi-National Force - Iraq said in New York City yesterday.
U.S. Army Transfers Property to Iraq Government -- [DVIDS]
Emotional Roller Coaster -- [In Iraq Now (at 56) - in Iraq]
Tomorrow is the goodbye ceremony for most of our Brigade. We will be the last battalion to go home in Pennsylvania's biggest deployment since World War 2. Not the distinction I wanted. Many of the soldiers who are going home very much wanted to stay.
The Ziggurat -- [Sour Swinger]
...When time was available, my platoon decided to make a pit stop to check out the Ziggurat. After setting up a 360 perimeter, we sent groups of soldiers up armed with their cameras. This was the one and only time I actually felt like a tourist. It didn't take long for kids to show up from the local village wondering what we were doing.
Lucky dog survives Iraq bombing (Video) -- [AP]
A man who was presumed dead in this week's string of attacks in Baghdad stunned neighbors Wednesday when returned to his toppled home, and then he drew more stares as he cuddled his pet dog that was
Who is counting the bodies in Iraq? -- [BBC]
"We don't do body counts." These were the words of Gen Tommy Franks, the man in charge of the US-led invasion of Iraq.
But more than six-and-a-half years after the invasion, the body count has become a critical measure of success and failure in Iraq.
US Growing Impatient With Iran -- [Wall Street Journal]
Gen. James Jones has the ramrod-straight demeanor and no-frills speaking style befitting someone who once was the commandant of the Marine Corps. And so it is with matter-of-fact precision that President Barack Obama's national security adviser describes where things stand in the quest to walk back Iran's nuclear program. "Iran still controls its destiny on this issue," he says in an interview in his West Wing office. The door to diplomatic discussion with the Iranians remains ajar, "but it's not going to stay open much longer." If Iran doesn't show it's serious about addressing international concerns that it is pursuing nuclear weapons, the action will shift in January to imposing sanctions at the United Nations Security Council.
US, UK, France Poised to Seek New Sanctions Against Iran -- [Voice of America]
Japan's UN ambassador, who heads the Security Council Sanctions Committee on Iran, briefed the council on violations of existing resolutions that have taken place during the last three months. Later, Britain's UN Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant outlined those violations to reporters. "This report set out a pattern of violations by Iran of Security Council resolutions - including the illegal export, two illegal exports, of shipments of arms from Iran in direct contradiction of resolution 1747," he said. "And if you add this together with the continued uranium enrichment activities of Iran, in violation of Security Council resolutions - of Iran's failure to answer questions to the IAEA about its weaponization activities, the revelation of a secret enrichment site at Qom, and Iran's rejection of the offer over the Tehran Nuclear Research Reactor - then I think you can see there is clearly this pattern of violations of international obligations and an unwillingness of Iran to negotiate seriously with the international community over the nuclear issue," he said.
'Useful' US Visit to N. Korea Yields No Date for Nuclear Talks -- [Voice of America]
The top US envoy on North Korean nuclear disarmament says he had good discussions in Pyongyang, but secured no formal commitment for the North to come back to negotiations. US envoy Stephen Bosworth in Seoul Thursday said he had "very useful" meetings with senior North Korean officials this week. He says "common understandings" were reached about the need to get rid of the North's nuclear weapons. Still, North Korea, also known as the DPRK, set no date for sitting down to talk about implementing its nuclear disarmament commitments. "It remains to be seen when and how the DPRK will return to the six party talks," he said. "This is something that requires further consultations among all six of us."
Five Muslim Americans detained in Pakistan were en route to Waziristan -- [LWJ- Threat Matrix]
The is plenty of interesting information available on the five Americans detained in Pakistan who were trying to link up with al Qaeda and allied terror groups within Pakistan. The radicalization process and recruitment via the Internet by "Saifullah," a known jihadist, will certainly raise some eyebrows. Ultimately, it seems all roads to jihad pass through Pakistan, and more specifically, Waziristan.
N. Va. Men Allegedly Tried to Join Jihadists -- [Washington Post]
Five men from Northern Virginia who were arrested Tuesday in Pakistan traveled abroad hoping to work with jihadist groups and battle US troops in Afghanistan, Pakistani officials said Thursday. The men contacted extremist organizations, including two with links to al-Qaeda, and proudly told their Pakistani interrogators, "We are here for jihad," said Usman Anwar, the local Pakistani police chief whose officers interrogated the men, all Muslims from the Alexandria area. Anwar said police recovered jihadist literature, laptop computers and maps of parts of Pakistan when the men were arrested near Lahore. The maps included areas where the Taliban train. The men first made contact with the two extremist organizations by e-mail in August, officials said, but the groups apparently rejected their overtures because they couldn't find people to vouch for them.
Defense Dept. Faulted for Not Taping Detainee -- [Washington Post]
A federal judge ruled Thursday that the Defense Department was in contempt of court for failing to videotape the testimony of a Guantanamo Bay detainee who is challenging his detention in court. US District Judge Gladys Kessler had ordered the government to videotape Mohammed Al-Adahi, 47, when he testified June 23 via a secure video link from the prison in Cuba to her courtroom in Washington. Like scores of detainees, Adahi is contesting his confinement through federal lawsuits under the centuries-old legal doctrine of habeas corpus.
Christmas Wreath Laying -- [Knottie's Niche - Gold Star Mother]
A couple of days ago a friend of mine called from the local Chamber of Commerce to tell me the Daughters of the American Revolution were going to be laying a Christmas wreath at the memorial downtown and wanted to honor my son when they did so. My son is the last name to be engraved on the memorial. I hope his will be the very last ever.
Lessons From the War Zone -- [NY Times]
One morning as a medical student on the surgery service, I learned about a patient who had been hemorrhaging on the operating table the night before. The intern who had assisted during the operation took great pains to describe every detail of the failed efforts of several senior surgeons and the final, ultimately lifesaving, maneuvers of the department chairman. "He came in and just got control of the bleeding," the intern concluded, waving his hands as if the chairman's work had involved magic. "How did he manage that?" one of my classmates asked.
"He's one of the best," the intern answered matter-of-factly. "He was a surgeon in Vietnam."
...Not long ago I saw my former chairman again for the first time in nearly 20 years. He was older and slightly grayer, and still possessed of the stunning carriage that made him stand out in a room. But as I stood before him, what I remembered was not his having served in Vietnam nor even his remarkable skill, but his profound respect for the humanity of those he cared for, whoever they might have been.
...It has been two years since Dr. Coppola's last tour of duty. I asked him how he and his practice have changed. "I'm older and grayer," he said, "and ...
Ft. Hood day of healing -- [Bouhammer]
Friday, December 11th is going to be a special day at Ft. Hood Tx. The kind folks at the USO along with the MWR and AAFES have put together a great event to facilitate the continued healing that Ft. Hood and its families are still going through. Bloggers, tweeters, people on Facebook can all help. Please read below to learn more and to see what you can do to spread the word.
Touched by an Angel: Team Kadena Members Donate Gifts to Charity -- [DVIDS]
It's the season for giving, for helping those in need and for appreciating the kindness of others. One such opportunity that gives back to the Kadena Air Base community is the Angel Tree program.
School uniform argument may lead to lawsuit -- [WND]
Principal contacted dad's Army commanders when faced with criticism
A decorated member of the U.S. military says he may bring a lawsuit against school officials in Huntsville, Ala., after they complained to his military commanders when he objected to plans to require students, including his children, to spend $400 on uniforms.
Blogger Landmines -- [The SandGram]
I have been writing on and off for four years now and one of the things in the back of mind is "Will I get hammered for this?" There are opinions that I feel very strongly about and have put words to paper but after running them by my parents (who usually have the first chop on my posts) for a sanity check, I will delete or change some stuff around. You have to worry about giving info to the enemy, comfort to the wacko left wing nut jobs or violating one of the six million rules in the Military on social media that have cropped up.
AAA Commission Releases Final Report on Army Human Terrain System -- [American Anthropological Association]
The AAA's Commission on the Engagement of Anthropology with the US Security and Intelligence Communities (CEAUSSIC) released its Final Report on the Army's Human Terrain System Proof of Concept Program [pdf]. CEAUSSIC held a press conference on the report during the 2009 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia.
The Aftermath of the Fort Hood Massacre (MP3 Download) -- [Strategy Page Talk]
Austin and Jim discuss the Fort Hood shooting and what changes it might prompt internally within the U.S. Military.
Counterinsurgency and Professional Military Education -- [SWJ - Dr. Mark Moyar]
Major Niel Smith's article "Integrating COIN into Army Professional Education" contains valuable insights and has provoked a large amount of fruitful dialogue on the Small Wars Journal website. What follows here is intended to add some thoughts to the discussion, to point out some challenges involved in achieving change, and to offer suggestions for overcoming those challenges. Although I am a professor at the Marine Corps University, these views are strictly my own, not those of the Marine Corps University.
Regarding Analogies and Metaphors -- [Wings Over Iraq]
One of the things that I find amusing about the milblog community is that there's usually quite civil debate when it comes to the principles of war and counterinsurgency. But when we come to actually discussing analogies and metaphors, therein lies the fiercest debate.
...Patrick Porter brought up the topic of Afghanistan being the oft-mentioned "Graveyard of Empires" in a recent post on Kings of War. Certainly, we've all heard this phrase before, but I think it might mean many things to many people. I always took it to refer to the fact that many empires have tried to conquer, absorb, or pacify the area, with little success. Certainly, the loss of many thousands of troops during Alexander's campaign (Stephen Pressfield claims some 80% of his force), the first British campaign (which left but one survivor), and the Soviet misadventure contribute to this image.
But ...
FLIGHT OF TEARS PART 2: The Mumbai Conspiracy -- [Castra Praetoria - coming home from Iraq]
Marines openly flirted with stewardess as our flight path took us into Indian air space. Theories vary about what actually took place at this point but what I think happened is our brilliant pilot used the wrong call sign talking to the Mumbai tower then tried to use a new one. They caught him in the act. Somehow they found out there were 200 U.S. Marines on board and all hell broke loose. The mental image of a tower full of Indian air traffic controllers losing their minds as 200 storm troopers enter their airspace is comical. Sovereign nations being what they are (petulant children), instead of letting us go home we had to land in Mumbai because now big bad ugly America was violating their air space. Sad part is they were right. It was their air space and they get to do with it as they please. I blame our pilot for the mix up but the joy of the Mumbai experience I lay firmly at the feet of our "allies" in India.
Obama Snubs Kids Event In Oslo, Cardboard Cutout Put In His Place -- [NewsBusters]
Nobel Peace Prize winner Barack Obama skipped a "Save the Children" benefit concert in Oslo, Norway, Thursday, and a cardboard cutout of the American president was placed on stage in his absence.
In Oslo to receive an award that most people believe he didn't deserve, Obama claimed, "I still have a lot of work to do back in Washington, D.C., before the year is done."
According to the Associated Press, Obama also skipped lunch with the King of Norway.
(Need more? Dawn Patrols Archives are here.)
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.
Updating...
McChrystal: Uprooting bin Laden and Taliban key to winning in Afghanistan -- [CNN]
Finding al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and rolling back a resurgent Taliban are necessary steps toward winning the war in Afghanistan, the top U.S. commander there told a Senate committee Tuesday.
Afghanistan has Taliban shadow government -- [UPI]
A Taliban shadow government of police chiefs, judges, administrators and governors already has ruling authority in Afghanistan, officials said.
"These people in the shadow government are running the country now," Khalid Pashtoon, a legislator from Kandahar, told The Washington Post. "They're an important part of the chaos.
Afghan Says Army Will Need Help Until 2024 -- [New York Times]
President Hamid Karzai said Tuesday that Afghanistan would not be able to pay for its own security until at least 2024, underscoring his government's long-term financial dependence on the United States and NATO even as President Obama has pledged to begin withdrawing American troops in 2011. Mr. Karzai spoke at a news conference here with Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, who did not put a timetable on the American and allied financial commitment but acknowledged that there was a "realism on our part that it will be some time before Afghanistan is able to sustain its security forces entirely on its own." The news conference came just hours after as many as a dozen people were killed during an allied raid in Laghman Province, Afghan officials said, prompting hundreds of villagers to march in protest.
Afghanistan will need U.S. help for 15 to 20 years, Karzai says -- [Los Angeles Times]
Reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan, and Washington - Afghanistan's security forces will need U.S. support for another 15 to 20 years, President Hamid Karzai said Tuesday in the latest in a series of indications that U.S. involvement there is likely to last far into the future.
Also Tuesday, the top U.S. and allied commander in Afghanistan, Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, told lawmakers in Washington that the U.S. needed to signal a long-term commitment in Afghanistan in order to reverse the momentum of the Taliban-led insurgency, a commitment that he said must continue even after combat forces begin to draw down in 2011.
Taliban Warns South Korea Against Troop Deployment In Afghanistan -- [RTTNews]
Afghanistan's rebel militant group Taliban has warned South Korean government of 'bad consequences' if it dispatches its defense force to take part in the fight against insurgents in the war-torn country.
They Deploy By The Horde -- [OPFOR - Lt Col P - in Afghanistan]
The long awaited (?) deployment of Mongolians to Kabul has occurred. For several weeks we had a handful wandering around, now we have what looks to be a company (check below the fold for more). We are certainly glad to have them, and their reception and integration has gone mostly well. However, on the second or third day due to an unfortunate mistranslation of the hours for the mess hall, they ate all the food, carried off everything of value, then burned the place to the ground. The new CG thanked them for the zeal with which they are applying themselves to the task at hand, but asked that they refrain henceforth from that age-old (and otherwise admirable) practice.
Clear, Hold, Build: The End Of The Beginning In Afghanistan -- [Chronicles & Dissent - Terry Glavin - in Afghanistan]
We're not quite on the home stretch, but still. When you look back at where we've been, and you look at the distance we've managed to travel over these long and bloody years, the picture looks anything but grim. Every inch of progress is precarious. We win ground and we lose ground. But we're winning, and anyone who can't see that just hasn't been paying attention.
Konduz and back, 18 hours in an MRAP -- [Doc H's International Adventure - in Afghanistan]
We took a whirlwind trip to the Konduz and back in the last 48 hours. At least 18 of which were spent in full battle gear sitting in the back of an MRAP. Konduz is a hot spot of trouble here in the north since there is an isolated Pashto area in the otherwise Tajik and Uzbek areas of the north.
Company Lanes -- [League of Military Professionals - in Afghanistan]
We were out yesterday conducting tactical lane training with our Afghan companies. We focused on react to contact drills throughout the day, and all in all we had a pretty productive day of training. While out and about we ran into the typical things, goats, Kuchis and reckless drivers cruising down the dirt roads at white-knuckle speeds. Pretty normal stuff really.
Mother of all baptisms on first tour of Helmand -- [The Northern Echo]
Northern Echo journalist Will Roberts meets a Bishop Auckland-born nurse who was faced with a major incident on the first shift of his maiden tour of Afghanistan.
FLIGHT Sergeant Tony Kyle's first shift on his maiden tour to Afghanistan is one he will never forget.
8 Dec 09 -- [Dude in the Desert - in Afghanistan]
so, I am back at Bagram, alive and well...had a fun, cold trip over the past few days, but glad to be back...we started out at 0430, Saturday, 5 December...woke up early to ensure I had all me gear packed and ready to rock...0530 me and Joe headed over to the ops center to see if we were in fact flying out...things looked good...around 0600 we headed over to the barn and loaded up a kicker full of mail going out to our same destination...
A Few More Pictures -- [Sgt Danger - in Afghanistan]
With little time to write, I've chosen a handful of photos to tell their own stories
NATO denies civilians killed in Afghan attack -- [Reuters]
The NATO-led force denied on Tuesday it had killed any civilians in an operation in eastern Afghanistan, but a provincial official said 12 people, probably civilians, had been killed in the attack.
US Seeks New Guards in Kabul -- [Wall Street Journal]
The State Department plans to seek new bids to protect the US Embassy in Kabul after the current firm ran into staffing and oversight problems. The company, ArmorGroup North America, a unit of Wackenhut Services Inc., will be allowed to bid on the new contract, the State Department said. "The recent allegations of misconduct and various contract compliance deficiencies led us to conclude it was in the best interest of the government to compete a new contract," said P.J. Crowley, assistant secretary of state for public affairs.
US Ready to Expand Military Help for Pakistan -- [Voice of America]
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the United States is prepared to expand defense cooperation with Pakistan as quickly as that country wants, particularly in the wake of continuing attacks inside Pakistan by groups linked to the Taliban and al-Qaida. Gates, who arrived in Kabul, Afghanistan on Tuesday morning, told reporters during his flight that the United States welcomes Pakistan's increased operations against militants in its autonomous tribal areas near the Afghan border, and offered as much assistance as the Pakistanis want. "We are prepared to move ahead with that relationship and cooperation just as fast as they are prepared to accept it," he said. The United States has long called on Pakistan to be more aggressive against the militants in the border region.
Meanwhile, back in Iraq -- [Greyhawk]
Horrific news from Iraq today: Coordinated Bombings in Baghdad Kill at Least 121. Here's what American forces are doing in the aftermath...
Spineless Killers -- [IraqPundit]
Just as Iraq's parliament reached an agreement and announced the elections will be held March 6, a series of car bombs killed at least 120 people and wounded hundreds more today in Baghdad. The explosions were loud, buildings shook, we trembled. We could definitely feel it. At first it was really hard to tell where the killers struck and who was killed. Later we learned that a prestigious university (Technology), a popular old market (Shorja), and the Institute of Fine Arts were among those hit. Why? A bystander told me it's typical of terrorists to target civilians. He said whenever the country stabilizes a little and the economy moves a bit, the population gears up to re-elect whoever's in power. He swore he said that without indicating support for any specific candidate or party. He said one of car bombs went off near the home and headquarters of Ayad Allawi. But he still believes the killers want to scare people into staying home and not voting at all.
Odierno Cites Iraq's 'Deliberate, Steady Progress' -- [Defense Link]
On the eve of holding parliamentary elections early next year, Iraq continues to make steady progress as a sovereign country that is a valued US ally in the Middle East, the commander of Multinational Force Iraq said in Killeen, Texas, yesterday. "Today, Iraq is a nascent democracy that is rebuilding its strategic depth as a regional power in the Middle East," Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno said at an Association of the United States Army-sponsored event held in the city that hosts the Fort Hood Army base. Iraq also remains of vital interest to the United States, Odierno said, noting its strategic location makes it "a crucial link" between America's allies along the Arabian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea. "Over the past several years, we have continued to make deliberate and steady progress in Iraq," Odierno said.
45-minute WMD claim 'may have come from an Iraqi taxi driver' -- [The Guardian]
An Iraqi taxi driver may have been the source of the discredited claim that Saddam Hussein could unleash weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes, a Tory MP claimed today.
Somone You Should Know: Lt. Col. Ahmed Subhi al-Fahal -- [Outside the Wire - back from Iraq]
LTC Ahmed, the commander of an elite police unit in Salah ad Din province, was assassinated on by a suicide bomber on Dec. 4th in central Tikrit, Iraq.
Ahmed was among the first to step forward in 2003 and 2004 to work with Coalition forces in Tikrit. From the powerful Jabouri tribe centered North of the city, he quickly gained a reputation for being brash, fearless and willing to whatever it took to eliminate terrorists.
I met him a few times this past October while embedded with 2-32 Field Artillery, the US Battalion that worked side-by-side with Ahmed.
And he lives up to the quotes about him. "He was controversial, flamboyant, brave, and effective," U.S. Col. Walt Piatt told the Associated Press . "He single-handedly disrupted numerous enemy plots during the last election - He was the go-to-guy in the province."
Iranian Foreign Ministry: Saudi Arabia Extradited Iranian Nuclear Scientist To U.S. -- [MEMRI Blog]
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast has said that Saudi Arabia has handed Iranian nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri over to the U.S.
US: Immediate North Korean Decision on Nuclear Talks Unlikely -- [Voice of America]
US envoy Stephen Bosworth is in Pyongyang to determine North Korea's readiness to return to the Chinese-sponsored six-party nuclear talks. But a senior State Department official says that given Pyongyang's record on such matters, it may take more than one round of talks to determine if the negotiations, stalled for more than a year, can be restarted. Bosworth arrived in the North Korean capital with a small inter-agency team of US officials Tuesday on the first visit of its kind since former US nuclear envoy Christopher Hill went there in October of last year.
Report: Japan Suspends Talks About US Air Base -- [Washington Post]
A rift between the United States and Japan over the future of a military air station on Okinawa widened Tuesday, as Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada told Japanese media that talks on relocating the base have been suspended. The report offers additional evidence that the newly elected government of Japan is uncomfortable with the military footprint of the United States. Most of the 36,000 U.S. military personnel in Japan are based on the southern island of Okinawa.
Massive TSA Security Breach As Agency Gives Away Its Secrets -- [ABC News]
Online Posting Reveals a "How To" for Terrorists to Get Through Airport Security -- In a massive security breach, the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) inadvertently posted online its entire airport screening procedures manual ...
Breaking: TSA posts info on thwarting security -- [Hot Air]
...The publication of this data removes the requirement to throw lots of resources against the security protocol to learn its weak points. That means that people flying now are at higher risk, thanks to the exposure of this information. It almost certainly means that TSA will have to change these procedures, which will mean longer waits at security checkpoints for the foreseeable future, as they attempt to close the breach they themselves created
US to Unveil Biological Threat Strategy - [Washington Post]
The Obama administration has decided not to support a global monitoring system for biological weapons, a move that affirms an earlier determination by the Bush administration but that will disappoint some nonproliferation experts. The decision will be reflected in the administration's new strategy for countering biological threats, which is due out Wednesday, officials said. Its release comes amid growing concern about the number of nations - and potentially terrorists - developing the scientific expertise to create biological weapons. White House officials said the strategy includes an increased focus on international collaboration and on the prevention of biological attacks, as well as on the response to them.
NYC top cop: 9/11 trials' security costs higher -- [USA Today]
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said Tuesday that "common sense" indicates terrorists may try to disrupt the murder trials of accused Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four co-defendants just blocks from the epicenter of the terror attacks.
Kelly told USA TODAY the security costs of holding the trials has soared "way beyond" the estimate of at least $75 million that Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., gave at a Senate hearing last month. "We certainly can't do it alone," he said.
FBI to Probe Panels that Reviewed E-mails from Alleged Fort Hood Gunman -- [Washington Post]
FBI leaders announced Tuesday that they are launching an independent investigation into the policies and actions of two bureau task forces that reviewed e-mails from the alleged Fort Hood shooter in the months before the Nov. 5 massacre at the Army base. The inquiry will be headed by William H. Webster, who served as director of both the FBI and the CIA in the 1980s. He will have free rein to probe whether there were lapses in sharing information about Army Maj. Nidal M. Hasan within the FBI and between that agency and the military. Hasan, a military psychiatrist, has been charged with murder and attempted murder in the deaths of 13 people and the wounding of nearly three dozen others at the base in Texas last month. The action by FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III is the first significant signal since the attack that the bureau is concerned about its own actions. The Defense Department had already launched such an inquiry, led by former military officials.
END OF LIFE -- [The Sandbox - RN Clara Hart]
End of life, withdraw care, comfort measures -- whatever nice euphemism you want to use it all means the same. We are going to remove the breathing tube, disconnect the vent, turn off all the life sustaining medications and devices and allow you to die.
Twice in my last three shifts I have done that. With two separate patients and two different families. The strange thing is I don't remember the faces of my patients. I remember the families, the encouraging words I said, and the arms I opened to hug the grieving. But I don't recall the faces of those I cared for. Is there something wrong with that?
...After my most recent patient died, I quietly tapped on the door in which a husband sat in sorrow. As I slowly entered the room I saw him standing at the bedside of his deceased wife combing her hair. "I'm not very good at this, but she always liked her hair to look pretty," he told me. Wordlessly I walked to the other side of the bed, and with tears streaming down my face helped him comb her hair.
Coalition to Salute America's Heroes -- [Salute American Heroes]
My name is Major General John K. Singlaub, U.S. Army (Ret.).
I parachuted into Nazi-occupied France during WWII to prepare French Resistance fighters for the Allied invasion, trained Chinese guerrillas for operations against the Japanese, ran covert operations against the North Koreans and the Chinese, and commanded all U.S. Special Operations Forces in Southeast Asia.
Now I'm working with the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, an excellent nonprofit organization that provides emergency aid to our troops who have been severely wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan.
As the patriotic Veterans Day holiday approaches, Coalition supporters will be providing emergency financial aid to disabled GIs facing evictions, home foreclosures, utility cutoffs, car repossessions and other crises. Please click here to learn more.
Law of the Navy -- [Neptunus Lex]
The three Navy SEALs accused of detainee abuse, dereliction of duty and lying to investigators have broad public support, but are taking a high-risk gamble. NJP carries only limited punitive potential, but a court martial conviction - should one be made - can have a more permanent effect. "McCabe and Huertas both deferred a decision on whether to be tried by a military judge or jury. Lombardi said they couldn't choose because they still have not received the prosecution's evidence. The men could have accepted a nonjudicial reprimand but wanted to go to trial to clear their names, Lombardi said. A reprimand could have resulted in a loss of rank; if they are convicted at trial, they could get up to a year in jail, a bad conduct discharge, or a loss of rank or pay... Military officials have cautioned against a public rush to judgment, saying a true picture will emerge when all the evidence is heard. However, more than 45,000 people have signed onto a Facebook page supporting the SEALs, and U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., said in a letter to Gates last week that the prosecution was an overreaction by the military."
Thank you SoCal Volunteers for your Support! -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
From our dear friend Linda Green in Southern California, who organized her third massive supply drive for Soldiers' Angels Germany in November. She rallied the entire community to donate, sort, and pack the items, but none of it would have been possible without her passion and leadership.
New Soldiers' Angels Warehouse Announcement -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Troop Support Warehouse Run by Veterans - Soldiers' Angels Opens New Facility
Soldiers' Angels announces its first Angel-operated warehouse, staffed by four recent veterans and Angel volunteers. The warehouse streamlines SA's extensive packing, shipping and screen-printing activities in support of the troops, reducing the nonprofit's expenses and providing an employment opportunity for veterans.
old times there are not forgotten. -- [The Burn Pit]
On the way into the office this morning, I was reflecting on many things. This time of the year, people take the opportunity to count their blessings, remember times past and generally take an inventory of the last year. Since my office is quite a walk from where I park (about half a mile) this reflection time is even more pronounced, but today's hike was slightly different than usual. Allow me to explain; see I work smack dab in the middle of Georgia's capitol, a literal stone's throw from the Gold Dome. As a result, when I'm schlepping my way from the parking deck to my office, I pass all manner of memorials, statuary, commemorative plaques, historical markers...well, you get the idea. Today, something caused me to truly take in my surroundings and what I discovered spurred me to write this missive. Perhaps it was the 32 degree temperature, or the aforementioned season we find ourselves in, but something sparked me to stop momentarily and observe.
PTSD: A Different Perspective, Part II -- [Some Soldier's Mom]
My blog, Some Soldier's Mom, followed my son through his deployment, his wounding, his evacuation and our journey to Germany, his return home, the memorial services and funerals attended for many of his friends, his efforts to handle his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) himself and his subsequent acceptance of formal care for his invisible wounds. We -- his parents, family and friends -- were drawn into this nightmare by our love for our soldier; we have spent countless hours researching, learning, supporting and advocating. Through all of this, we have tracked his progress -- both the steps forward and the steps back. I have ranted, raved, blogged and asked the obvious questions about diagnosis, treatment and the stigma of PTSD. I have blogged many times about the changes in our son. For those that truly have PTSD -- that is,
Air Force delays new PT standards -- [FlightlinesJust in case you missed it, those new PT standards every one has been talking about will not go into effect Jan. 1 as planned. Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz OK'd a plan to push back the start date until July 1, 2010.
I'm sure plenty of airmen don't care about the reasons as long as those dreaded minimum scores don't go into effect Jan. 1. And I don't think its fair to compare a PT test to an air war, but this is a perfect example how the layers and layers of bureaucracy built into Air Force decision making slows the service down.
Here is the BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) on what is happening.
The rise and fall of a military blogger -- [Military Times]
Decorated soldier's blog attracts loyal following, but he says his bosses are muzzling him
Master Sgt. C.J. Grisham is not the type to shy away from a fight. Decorated for valor in Iraq, the 15-year Army veteran is also saluted as one of the most popular, if sometimes controversial, bloggers in the military. Where the average life expectancy of a blog is said to be less than three months, Grisham's has survived for six years.
But he says he has had enough. "Blogging is no longer worth the trouble," Grisham recently wrote on his blog, A Soldier's Perspective, under the headline "ASP Closed for Business."
Sir, Let Me Tell Our Story -- [A Soldier's Perspective]
The Military Times family of publications have devoted the lead story in the "Off Duty" section to CJ's continuing battle with Huntsville City Schools, the PTA, and the Army this week (note, the article is not live online as of this update). CJ's story is an amazing one and well worth the read if you're able to pick up a copy of the Times publication in your area. If you're not able to, our very good friend Troy has posted the article and all pictures to Bouhammer. Go read, then come back. Done already? You speed reader, you. Are you sure you didn't skim? GO BACK AND FINISH READING! Done this time? Okay, good. There isn't much new information in the article itself, so make sure you read what Troy had to add at the end. I won't rehash it all here. It is amazing how something that should have been as small as a uniform discussion between the school staff and parents exploded into something this big
The Extreme (Part one) -- [Greyhawk]
"During the invasion of Iraq, Grisham took down a squad of Iraqis when his counterintelligence detachment got pinned down in an ambush. He earned the Bronze Star with "V" after rushing through the gunfire by himself with just a 9mm pistol and a hand grenade."
...So my friend CJ isn't afraid of a fight. And now he's got one. I introduced as much of the story as I could here recently, but as you can see from the above picture there's now more in the Army (and Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps) Times - via the "Off Duty" insert that appears in each.
Milblogger and dear friend needs your help -- [Bouhammer]
My very close friend and brother in arms, brother in milblogging, brother in You Served Radio show hosting, Mr. CJ Grisham needs your help. Anyone that has read this blog for more than a day know that CJ and I are partnered in several endevours together and are always doing things to raise money for troop-supporting groups or at least highlight them so others know about these groups. He an I started www.militarypundits.com together, we both write at YouServed.com and of course, along with our Producer Marcus we run the You Served Radio Show together.
Someone else anyone who reads this blog probably knows is that CJ and his family have went through one hell of a time in the last few months.
Soldier Defense Fund -- [From my position... On the way!]
There's a guy I know who is going through a rough time. To the best of my knowledge, he has not jumped into a river to save an angel's life (yet), but either way, he's in a spot where he had to reluctantly ask for help:
...CJ has always been there to send Girl Scout cookies to deployed or wounded troops. He's helped raise funds for Fisher House and Soldiers Angels' Valour-IT. He's remembered the fallen at They Have Names. As long as I've been reading wherever he's been writing, I don't recall him ever asking for anything for himself.
Military Blogger under fire -- [This Ain't Hell...]
Among other things, the MilBlog community has been watching the case of MSG CJ Grisham closely to gauge the Army's attitude towards active duty bloggers. CJ, in addition to being a senior NCO and a groundbreaking milblogger, is also a parent. When he opposed a local school district's policy in regards to his kids, he complained at a PTA meeting. The school principal complained about MSG Grisham's complaint to the Army.
Help a Soldier in Need -- [Blackfive]
My friend and fellow MARNE soldier,CJ Grisham, needs some assistance. He is an enlisted soldier and combat veteran. And he's done more for the troops by his words and actions than just about anyone I know.
Christmas homecoming in jeopardy for Fort Mill soldiers -- [The Herald]
More than $35,000 must be raised to get guardsmen home before leaving for Afghanistan.
There's Pierson Young at home Monday with 4-month-old daughter, Addison, and a National Guard husband in Wisconsin training for war in Afghanistan. And Cindy Horne with five daughters at home, all under 11, and a husband off at the same training camp readying for the same war. And Bonnie Hoagland with a husband and two sons in the same unit, all gone, training -- readying to fight this war.
But if wives and mothers like them can't raise at least $35,000, their men might not get home for Christmas before leaving for Afghanistan.
Leaving BAF for Germany -- [Afghanistan My Last Tour - leaving Afghanistan]
It rained all night at BAF and since my cot was positioned close to the tent flap, I was a bit cold. The next morning I went over to outprocess with the Army Liaison office and then visited the Passenger Terminal to find about my flight itinerary. Due to weather, some flights were previously canceled and the backlog of people departing for R&R was growing. I tried to stay optimistic and positive. At the briefing, we were informed a C-17 would be able to transport 150 passengers and I was listed on the manifest. Our lockdown and roll call would begin at 2:30 pm. I was excited and went back over to the MWR building to notify Liisa. While I was there waiting in line for a phone and a computer, I watched part of a movie on the big screen. It's like a small cinema and can hold over 100 people. Later on I visited the USO building for some hot coffee. It was named in honor of the late Pat Tillman.
Home Sweet Home, again! -- [There will never be sand in my... again! - home from Afghanistan]
...More visiting to come this week and then we're hitting the road for the final time on Friday for the 3.5 day drive back to real HOME! woohoo. Take care.
I revamped the countdown clock to show the number of days to the Navy retirement. The Navy has been great to me, but everything must end, only 650+ days to go!
Social media--cause they're already bad mouthing you -- [Armed and Curious]
I think one of the most compelling arguments to engage in the social media world for government public relations folks simply lies in being part of the conversation that is occurring already. This has always been obvious to me but it really came to mind while I attended the Department of Defense All Services Social Media Conference at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars last week in DC.
At lunch one day I had a fascinating conversation with an exasperated government communicator working for one of the most controversial agencies in DoD.
Knight Center Social Media -- [BlackFive - Uncle Jimbo]
The seminar Grim and I attended focused on Foreign Policy, but it also had an excellent Social Media track. The topics discussed and speakers were very knowledgeable about a brand new industry and one I am deeply involved in
War costs, while high, are small part of U.S. budget deficit -- [Miami Herald]
Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are not the main reason the publicly held national debt has doubled since the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Obama to Accept Nobel Peace Prize as War President, Address Afghanistan Troop Surge -- [ABC News]
There is a bit of irony that just 10 days after announcing the deployment of 30,000 more American troops to Afghanistan, President Obama will accept the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize tomorrow in Oslo, Norway.
More PhotosThe award, which the Nobel committee said was for Obama's "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples," comes as he presides over wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and faces an American public that is increasingly skeptical about the U.S.-led efforts there.
Obama will walk a delicate line in his acceptance speech, and ...
At war, honored for peace: Obama's tricky moment -- [AP]
He's the Nobel Peace Prize winner who just ordered 30000 more troops to war. He's the laureate who says he doesn't deserve the award.
'Surge' sends Obama soaring -- [Asia Times]
"It would be hard to imagine worse circumstances to go to accept a Nobel Peace Prize." The Gallup daily presidential tracking poll on Monday found Obama
Obama's 47 Percent Approval Lowest of Any President at This Point -- [FOX News]
President Obama's job approval rating has fallen to 47 percent in the latest Gallup poll, the lowest ever recorded for any president at this point in his term.
Chiroux and Brower; being something they ain't -- [This Ain't Hell...]
In the beginning of the video, Chiroux says "I know from experience that [the war in Afghanistan] is genocide" - "From experience"? Sitting at Baskin-Robbins on Bagram for six days (give or take a few hours)? Of course, none of the hippies to whom he's speaking care - as long as he wears his BDU jacket and stands in front of them, that's all they need.
He says he's a veteran of "the situation". What situation, Matthis? Does he mean "the situation" in Germany and Japan, because those are the only places he's been.
Using Vets to push a Horrible Healthcare Bill -- [Blackfive]
Jon Soltz, probably the least favorite vet in the least favorite vet organization around here, put out a statement.
(Need more? Dawn Patrols Archives are here.)
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No Firm Plans for a US Exit in Afghanistan -- [New York Times]
The Obama administration sent a forceful public message Sunday that American military forces could remain in Afghanistan for a long time, seeking to blunt criticism that President Obama had sent the wrong signal in his war-strategy speech last week by projecting July 2011 as the start of a withdrawal. In a flurry of coordinated television interviews, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and other top administration officials said that any troop pullout beginning in July 2011 would be slow and that the Americans would only then be starting to transfer security responsibilities to Afghan forces under Mr. Obama's new plan.
Obama Pressed for Faster Surge -- [Washington Post]
President Obama, seated at the head of a conference table strewn with papers in the White House Situation Room, stared at charts showing various options for sending additional US troops into Afghanistan. He and his top national security advisers had been debating the way forward for two full months. On this day, Nov. 11, the president scanned the choices with a trace of irritation. At a meeting more than two weeks earlier, he had asked for a plan to deploy and pull out troops quickly - a "surge" similar to the one that his Republican predecessor had executed in Iraq, but with a fixed date to begin withdrawals. What was in front of Obama - scenarios in which it took too long to get in and too long to get out - was not what he wanted. "I don't know how we can describe this as a surge," he said in a tone that others around the table registered as annoyance. "I'm usually more sedate than this," Obama acknowledged, according to a senior adviser who read from notes he took at the meeting. By the time Obama returned 10 days later from a trip to Asia, military officials had come up with plans to deploy troops much more rapidly than originally proposed by Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan.
Petraeus: Afghanistan war surge won't have quick results -- [USA Today]
Petraeus, who commanded U.S. forces in Iraq in 2007, said the Afghanistan plan will focus on selected regions and proceed in phases.
"This will be a step-by-step operational campaign," Petraeus told USA TODAY. "There will at times be increases in violence, undoubtedly, as the Taliban fight back to try to hang on to a particular safe haven and sanctuary."
UK Expects Not to Add Troops -- [Wall Street Journal]
The UK's top defense official said in an interview that Britain, having committed 1,200 more troops to the war in Afghanistan, probably won't further increase its troop commitment. Bob Ainsworth, Britain's secretary of state for defense, said he believes President Barack Obama's announcement last week that he is committing at least 30,000 additional US troops to Afghanistan and his backing for a counterinsurgency strategy favored by Britain represent a major turning point in the war. "There is a huge opportunity there that we have got to seize," Mr. Ainsworth said. "I think that we are going to be able to show some real progress in Afghanistan." But, he said, he thinks it is unlikely that troops can withdraw from Afghanistan on the two-year timetable proposed by Mr. Obama.
How to Win in Afghanistan, One Village at a Time -- [Washington Post]
In mid-October and early November 2001, about three dozen Army Special Forces soldiers landed in northern Afghanistan and, with the help of a handful of CIA officers, quickly routed a Taliban army whose estimated size ranged from 25,000 to 50,000 fighters. Allied with Afghan fighters, this incredibly small number of first-in soldiers achieved in about eight weeks what the Pentagon had thought would take two years.
Talks With Taliban Not Ruled Out, U.S. Officials Say (Update1) -- [Bloomberg]
The U.S. hasn't ruled out negotiations with Taliban leaders in Afghanistan to persuade them to end the insurgency, senior Obama administration officials said today.
"Putting them in a position where they suddenly begin to realize that they're likely to lose" could spur them to talks, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on ABC's "This Week." The surge of additional U.S. troops could reverse the Taliban's "momentum," Gates said.
Marine Assault Finds Few Taliban -- [AP/Washington Times]
US Marines and Afghan troops killed at least seven Taliban fighters during the first US-led offensive since President Obama announced a new American war plan last week, Afghan officials said Saturday. American and Afghan troops have met little resistance since Operation Cobra's Anger was launched Friday to disrupt Taliban supply and communications lines in the strategic Now Zad Valley of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan, Marine officials said. About 1,000 Marines and 150 Afghan troops are taking part in the offensive, including hundreds of Marines dropped behind Taliban lines by helicopters and MV-22 Osprey aircraft. A second, larger Marine force pushed northward from the Marines' main base. "We're not taking for granted the low level of contact," Marine spokesman Maj. William Pelletier said Saturday. "Just because it's quiet now doesn't mean it will be in 24 hours. Part of the operation is to have a disruptive effect on the Taliban resupply activities. The Marines and Afghan forces are continuing the clearing operation, continuing to move through the valley." No coalition casualties have been reported.
First December Report From Afghanistan -- [Michael Yon/Bay News 9]
"And frankly I thought he was ready to tap out. I thought he might be ready to quit, and it's clear some of the soldiers thought the same thing. He really just spent some political capital," Yon said. "It took moral courage to do that."
Yon says morale among British and U.S. troops had stayed pretty high, and now the troops there are really ready to take the fight to the enemy.
"Just in the past couple of days since I have gotten back, I have talked with quite a few," he said. "It's clear they see this troop commitment is very important. And it's clear it's bolstered their morale."
Yon says the commitment of additional troops is a signal to Afghan tribes in troubled areas they should fight on the U.S. side.
"Because the people do have to make sensible choices on whose side they are going to pick. They have to know," Yon said. "They have to think they are picking the side of the winner." Yon says the next 18 months will be a make or break time for the war.
Shout Outs Pt III -- [League of Military Professionals - in Afghanistan]
...Dale Flowers sent along a package full of soaps and shampoos, and those items have been snatched up greedily. On regular occasion after receiving Baen Bulk items in the mail, I will get the word out and have the boys stop by the hootch to see if they are interested in any of the stuff. I am here to tell you that the soaps, shampoos and deoderants go fast. Real fast. Those boxes get emptied out quick and Dale's package got worked over in no time. It was like watching a pack of makos after throwing chum in the water. I am particularly grateful for this, since any incentive to get the boys to bathe is a welcome one.
NATO strike destroys Taliban bastion: officials -- [AFP]
ASADABAD, Afghanistan -- NATO warplanes pounded a Taliban stronghold in eastern Afghanistan on Monday, killing more than 20 insurgents and destroying a bunker complex, military officials said.
Noor Akbar, a regional Taliban commander was among those killed in the raid in the province of Kunar, a mountainous region and Taliban flashpoint area near the Pakistan border, Afghan army general Mohammad Qasim Bitanai told AFP.
Contractor Hirings in Afghanistan to Emphasize Locals -- [Washington Post]
New contract solicitations by the US military for private guards at forward operating bases in Afghanistan require that at least half of those hired be Afghans who come from nearby towns or villages. "The contractor shall hire a minimum of 50% of its guard force from within a 50 kilometer [30-mile] radius of the location requiring security," reads a solicitation that the Joint Contracting Command-Iraq/Afghanistan posted Nov. 30 at FBODaily.com. The solicitations also limit what guards may do, starting with rules prohibiting their involvement in offensive operations. "Security guards may not use force except to defend themselves, the roads leading into the [forward operating base], the construction of the road network or the traffic on the roads entering the FOB from hostile attack," according to a solicitation for Forward Operating Base Lightning, in the southeastern province of Paktia. In addition, contract guards will not be allowed to engage in law enforcement.
$10 million is smuggled out of Afghanistan daily, official says -- [Los Angeles Times]
The culprits are drug cartels and corrupt officials and businesses, Finance Minister Omar Zakhilwal says. U.S. and Afghan officials believe much of the cash is going to the Taliban. An estimated $10 million a day is smuggled out of Afghanistan, most of it through Kabul's international airport, rather than through secret routes over the mountains or across the desert, the country's finance ...
Millions' Worth of Gear Left in Iraq - [Washington Post]
Even as the US military scrambles to support a troop surge in Afghanistan, it is donating passenger vehicles, generators and other equipment worth tens of millions of dollars to the Iraqi government. Under new authority granted by the Pentagon, US commanders in Iraq may now donate to the Iraqis up to $30 million worth of equipment from each facility they leave, up from the $2 million cap established when the guidelines were first set in 2005. The new cap applies at scores of posts that the US military is expected to leave in coming months as it scales back its presence from about 280 facilities to six large bases and a few small ones by the end of next summer. Some of the items that commanders may now leave behind, including passenger vehicles and generators, are among what commanders in Afghanistan need most urgently, according to Pentagon memos.
Iraqis defy bombs to go back to movies -- [Gulf Times]
Small crowds of Iraqi movie-goers defied the threat of bomb attacks this week to watch films at a Baghdad outdoor cinema, an event unimaginable for years as violence swirled.
Huddled against winds blowing off the Tigris, viewers laughed beneath the bombed facade of the foreign ministry at a screening of Taqweem Shakhasi (Personal Calendar) which pokes fun at Iraqis unable to remember the days of the week as they contend with the confusion brought on by war.
A Little This 'n' That -- [Ramblings from a painter - in Iraq]
...Despite my griping about the DFAC, the internet, and the mud, I have to say that I really love what I'm doing at work now. I'm convinced that I have the coolest job in the entire command. After months of work, two of my projects will finally go out for bids from contractors in the next couple of weeks. Both of them are projects to provide training to Iraqis all around the country in things like equipment maintenance, urban planning, construction management, facilities management, and several other areas. The Iraqis, at the worker level, are showing more interest in learning how to do these things for themselves. I've got three more projects in the development stage to create detailed plans for some critically needed services in one city, economic growth in another province, and a significant improvement to a large university. Not only are these important projects in their own right, but the Iraqis involved, from the provincial governor on down, are excited and anxious about them as well.
Iraqi Lawmakers Reach Deal on Seat Allotment Ahead of Election -- [Washington Post]
In a last-minute compromise reached under heavy US pressure, Iraqi lawmakers on Sunday approved a law on seat distribution for the upcoming parliamentary election. The vote appeared to resolve an impasse that threatened to delay the election beyond the expiration of the current government and force the US military to slow down the withdrawal of US troops. Minutes before midnight, the deadline for Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi to veto the election law, lawmakers hurried into parliament and voted on the deal. "The crisis is over," Omar al-Mashadani, a spokesman for speaker Ayad al-Samarraie, said late Sunday.
For Nigel--MEDEVAC Trip to Bases at Al Kut and Garry Owen -- [In Iraq Now (at 56) - in Iraq]
Today I flew with the new MEDEVAC unit to Al Kut (FOB Delta) and Garry Owen. The trip was routine, the weather was good and I got some pictures of Blackhawks flying, getting fuel and landing. Here's pictures for Nigel--and anyone else who likes helicopter pictures.
Getting Ready to Go Home -- [In Iraq Now (at 56) - in Iraq]
In a week we will turn in a footlocker, a duffel bag and a rucksack (big backpack) to begin the process of loading them in containers for shipping home. ...I filled the footlocker this morning--mostly books and boots. I will fill a duffel bag next week before turn in. I will also mail a box or two home. I can bring a duffel bag and a half with me on the plane--we need half of one bag for the bulletproof vest and helmet.
In the afternoon and evening I was worn out with two really good interviews. I got to interview our brigade commander--the first woman to command a combat brigade in Iraq. Other women have commanded support brigades. She is the first to be the top officer in a combat aviation unit. In the evening I thought I was talking to a Blackhawk company commander about a routine part of his mission, but it turned out 1/3rd of his soldiers were here to support operations in the battle for Fallujah five years ago and the Armored Brigade commander here was a battalion commander in that battle. So the pilots and the ground commander were reiunited after five years.
Seven children killed by bomb at Baghdad school -- [Reuters]
Seven children were killed and 42 wounded in a Shi'ite district of Baghdad on Monday when a bomb exploded outside a school, police said.
The explosion occurred in Baghdad's Sadr City slum as primary school pupils aged between 6 and 12 were leaving at the end of the school day, an army officer said.
It was not clear if the bomb had been set to go off at that time or was inadvertently detonated after a rubbish heap was set on fire, the officer said. The blast made a crater 2 metres (6 feet) deep and 5 metres (16 feet) wide, he added.
1-2 soldiers tasked with getting Iraqis autonomy
By Seth Robson, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Friday, December 4, 2009
Ben Bloker / S&S
Pfc. Austin Kirkeberg, left, and Sgt. Brandon Lindsay, both assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, pull security at the main gate of Patrol Base Hamiya during the final U.S.-backed "Sons of Iraq" payments Feb. 4.
Seth Robson / S&S
Related stories:
1-77 brought the big guns, but rarely fired them
Bringing back Balad Ruz: Area swept of al-Qaida in grueling battle
Road warriors of Gila
1-2 soldiers tasked with getting Iraqis autonomy -- [Stars and Stripes]
Despite new restrictions, battalion kept traveling to supply troops
With Iraq violence down, 2-28 focused on training, rebuilding
GRAFENWÖHR, Germany -- Members of Task Force 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment watched June 30 as thousands of Iraqi security personnel paraded through the city of Diwaniyah, Iraq, in a display that marked the handover of responsibility and symbolized the success of the task force's mission.
Iran's Students Prepare for Battle as Regime Imposes Students' Day Crackdown -- [The Times]
December 7 is traditionally the date when the Iranian Government stages rallies to commemorate the deaths of three student demonstrators killed by the Shah's security forces in 1953. The tables have now turned. Today the security forces will attempt to crush student demonstrations against its own brutality and repression.
No Reliable Bin Laden Information in Years, Says Robert Gates -- [Daily Telegraph]
The United States has had no reliable intelligence reports on the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden for years, Robert Gates, the Defence Secretary, has said. Asked whether he could confirm recently a claim by a Taliban detainee that the al-Qaeda leader had been seen earlier this year in Afghanistan, Mr Gates replied flatly: "No." "We don't know for a fact where Osama bin Laden is. If we did we'd go get him," Mr Gates told ABC's This Week. He added that the best estimate was that bin Laden was somewhere in North Waziristan, a densely mountainous tribal area in Pakistan where the "government has not had a presence for some time". Gen James Jones, the US national security adviser, said that the terror leader may sometimes move across the border into Afghanistan. Various reports, all of limited credibility, have in the past few years placed the man behind the September 11 attacks in the Kurram agency bordering North Waziristan, and the Chitral area. President Barack Obama conspicuously omitted to mention bin Laden when he unveiled his plan for Afghanistan last week. After eight years of failing to come even close to finding the terror leader, the administration has chosen to play down the importance of hunting him down.
Jones: Bin Laden still spends time in Afghanistan -- [Washingtopn Post]
National security adviser James Jones said Sunday that al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden still spends some time inside Afghanistan. Most recent U.S. estimates have placed bin Laden inside Pakistan. But Jones, a retired general, said the best estimate is that bin Laden "is somewhere in North Waziristan, sometimes on the Pakistani side of the border, sometimes on the Afghan side of the border."
Jones described it as "very, very rough, mountainous area. Generally ungoverned and we're going to have to get after that to make sure that this very, very important symbol of what al-Qaida stands for is either, once again, on the run or captured or killed."
Americans Rally in Thousands to Protest Eric Holder's Terror Trial Decision -- [9/11 families] CSpan VIDEO
Despite bitter cold, strong winds and heavy rain the crowd stayed through the 2-hour rally. The event was organized by the 9/11 Coalition to Never Forget and featured speakers representing 9/11 family members, first responders and our troops.
Among the notable moments: actor Brian Dennehy read a statement from Judea and Ruth Pearl, the parents of slain Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. Dennehy, reading their words, said "We, who witnessed the darkest side of hell, and have since spent every moment of our lives studying the anatomy of terror, we refuse to accept the strategy of normalization that Holder's decision represents. Terror is a crime against society, and should not be tried in the same court as crimes against individuals or against a particular country."
Illinois prison likely to house detainees -- [Washington Post]
Despite opposition from congressional Republicans, the Obama administration is signaling that a state prison in rural Thomson, Ill., will probably become the new home for scores of terrorism suspects now housed at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
US Sees Homegrown Muslim Extremism as Rising Threat -- [Los Angeles Times]
The Obama administration, grappling with a spate of recent Islamic terrorism cases on US soil, has concluded that the country confronts a rising threat from homegrown extremism. Anti-terrorism officials and experts see signs of accelerated radicalization among American Muslims, driven by a wave of English-language online propaganda and reflected in aspiring fighters' trips to hot spots such as Pakistan and Somalia. Europe had been the front line, the target of successive attacks and major plots, while the US remained relatively calm. But the number, variety and scale of recent US cases suggest 2009 has been the most dangerous year domestically since 2001, anti-terrorism experts said. Last week, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano issued her strongest public comments yet on the homegrown threat. "We've seen an increased number of arrests here in the US of individuals suspected of plotting terrorist attacks, or supporting terror groups abroad such as Al Qaeda," Napolitano said in a speech in New York. "Home-based terrorism is here. And, like violent extremism abroad, it will be part of the threat picture that we must now confront."
Chicago Man Charged in Mumbai Massacre -- [Jawa Report]
The importance of this being that radical Islamists are now using their American passports to bypass suspicion that would normally be put on them if traveling under, say, a Pakistani passport. They are using their American citizenship to plot and execute terrorist plots abroad. And this is not too fine a point to make either for Headley was originally born Daood Gilani and only changed his name to make it sound less Muslim and more flyover country American. He also admits he did this to make international traveling easier.
Up until now we have only seen cases of individual Americans joining terror groups (eg, al Shabaab in Somalia, al Qaeda in Afghanistan) abroad. Americans have also been involved in planning failed terror plots at home. But Headley would be the first case of an American actually involved in the planning of a major terror attack abroad.
Think about that. An American involved in international terrorism abroad. That's a big deal and a far cry from our template of what the usual suspects would look like.
The curious case of Air Tran flight 297 -- [The Marietta Daily Journal]
Last week, I spent more than my share of hours trying to track down the truth about an incident on an AirTran flight out of Atlanta on Nov. 17.
Flight 297 to Houston, with about 70 passengers onboard, departed gate C-16 at 4:43 p.m. Until something happened that caused the pilot to turn around and come back.
Two and a half weeks later, the incident is in high dispute, thanks to some passengers who have spoken out on the Internet about what they say is a cover-up by AirTran and other transportation officials.
On Friday, AirTran spokesman Christopher White, formerly with the TSA, was snide and rude when I called to inquire about the incident. He refused to answer questions and referred me to the above-mentioned website, which is not an official statement from AirTran but a public rebuking of a customer's circulating e-mail.
...Brown, who is also chairman of the Marietta History Museum, confirmed late Saturday that he was on Flight 297 and that there was chaos on the plane.
Charge Sheets Released for Three Accused Sailors -- [Navy.mil]
In September 2009, evidence of possible detainee abuse came to light at a Forward Operating Base in Iraq.
Upon receipt of this evidence, Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) initiated an investigation which was conducted by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
Based upon the evidence uncovered in this investigation, three Sailors were accused of making false official statements with the intent to deceive the investigator and dereliction of duty for failing to safeguard a detainee who was in their custody.
One of the three Sailors has been charged with assaulting the detainee after the prisoner had been apprehended and while he was in their custody at the base.
Another has been charged with an additional offense of impeding an investigation by unlawfully attempting to influence a witness in the investigation.
Mom of Slain Contractor Supports Navy SEALs -- [Navy SEALs Blog]
It took quite a bit of time and the expertise of Navy SEALs to capture the alleged mastermind behind the killings - Ahmed Hashim Abed - but he has since wreaked havoc by accusing his captors of punching him in the gut.
A fat lip? -- [Greyhawk]
Or a black eye for the DoD?
...The AP reports "Lawmakers are seeking a reprieve for three Navy SEALs facing court-martial because one allegedly punched a suspect after arresting him for an ambush killing of U.S. contractors in Iraq."
Putting The Cart Before The Horse -- [Boston Maggie]
OK, there is a certain order to things. You know - horse.....cart.
In the matter of the Navy SEALs case....it should be ...accusation....investigation.....Courts Martial....verdict. Then presuming that they are found guilty (and that's a mighty big "if" in my book), prior to sentencing....you make the case for leniency.
That's the point where you roll out your character witnesses....your records of achievement....your extenuating circumstances.
This is an open question for all those who are falling over themselves to excuse why the SEALs in question might have *abused* Ahmed Hashim Abed - What if they didn't?
U.S. Navy marks Pearl Harbor Day by eating its own -- [Examiner]
On Sunday morning, December 7th, 1941 the Japanese attacked the United States Naval base at Pearl Harbor, with devastating results. On Monday, December 7th, 2009, the United States Navy, in a fit of political correctness run amok, will hold the arraignment of three Navy Seals in preparation for their court martials, which are to be held in January at Norfolk Naval Base.
"A date that will live in infamy..." -- [Greyhawk]
Great calendar work: the Navy scheduled the first court appearance on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor. And here's a Facebook group with 52,641 members (so far): "Support The Navy Seals who Captured Ahmed Hashim Abed"
Quick Thinking Earns GIs Silver Star -- [Military.com]
Now, after being rocked by improvised explosive devices, more than two dozen Taliban fighters opened fire with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades from about 900 meters away. Sgt. 1st Class Randy Shorter was riding in the last MRAP when he noticed that all the fire was focused on the lead vehicle. "Their primary focus was just trying to kill everyone around that MRAP," Shorter said of the insurgents.
He grabbed an AT4 rocket launcher -- a shoulder-fired bazooka with barely enough range to reach the attackers -- and fired it to buy some time. Remaining soldiers in the convoy jumped from their vehicles to return fire with their .50-caliber machine guns and M4 rifles.
Shorter then ran toward the lead vehicle, hoping someone was still alive inside it.
By the end of the ambush a few hours later, nearly 30 Taliban lay dead. For their actions in the heated engagement, both Shorter and Waters were awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action.
Justices face facts -- [Buffalo News]
In blocking execution, Supreme Court acknowledges the truth of combat stress
In a remarkable and relevant move by the U. S. Supreme Court, the death sentence for a decorated Korean War veteran has been unanimously overturned, suggesting a strong recognition that post-traumatic stress disorder has afflicted veterans of wars past and present. This is an important topic, as soldiers continue to return from Afghanistan and Iraq, where many have been traumatized beyond our civilian imaginations. And, as was the case with Korean War veteran George Porter Jr., there are lingering wounds that never healed.
Vets and volunteers team up for MS troops in Iraq -- [WLOX-TV]
WAVELAND, MS (WLOX) - Hundreds of Mississippi soldiers deployed overseas will have a merrier Christmas this year thanks to "Soldiers' Angels." It's a non-profit group working to provide comfort and support to the men and women of our Armed Forces.
0755AM, December 7, 1941-- [Castle Argghhh!!!]
Air Raid Pearl Harbor. This is no drill. Stark words clattering from the teletype machine.It was a bad day, 68 years ago, throughout a large swath of the Pacific Ocean, as the Japanese moved to secure their "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere."And kicked a giant in the nuts.
Alabama veteran recalls Pearl Harbor attack -- [Stars and Stripes]
Gilbert Crutchfield of Tanner wishes he had had a machine gun instead of a shotgun. If he had, he promises, he would have wiped the smiles off the faces of the Japanese fighter pilots that Sunday morning in Hawaii 68 years ago
Pearl Harbor survivor back for first time since war -- [AP/NashuaTelegraph]
Ed Johann will always remember the sound of planes diving out of the sky to bomb U.S. battleships, the explosions and the screams of sailors. He still recalls the stench of burning oil and flesh.
The 86-year-old retired firefighter is due to return today to Pearl Harbor for the first time since World War II to attend a ceremony marking the 68th anniversary of the Japanese attack.
"I really don't know how I'm going to handle it," said Johann, from his home in Oregon. "When I think about it, all I have is unpleasantness. I'm sure it's not like that now."
Memories fresh of Pearl Harbor attack -- [Savannah Morning News]
Judy Weiher will always remember the tranquil morning Japanese warplanes dropped a barrage of bombs on Pearl Harbor.Her ceaseless, paralyzing fear of fire won't allow her to forget."As far as I could see was fire," said Weiher,
Welcome Home 172nd Infantry Brigade -- [Stars and Stripes]
A Stars and Stripes special feature
22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit Returns From Seven-month Deployment -- [DVIDS]
On Friday, a majority of the unit was offloaded from naval shipping. At receptions across Camp Lejeune, New River Air Station and Cherry Point, Marines and Sailors were met by throngs of family members and friends holding banners and balloons to welcome them home.
"When I stepped off the bus, it felt like Christmas coming early," said Cpl. Pedro H. Castillo, a native of Islip, N.Y., and legal clerk with the MEU. "I saw my wife, toddler and new baby and I knew I was home."
This was Castillo's first deployment and while he was deployed, his second daughter was born. Across the unit, approximately 77 children were born to MEU Marines and sailors while the unit was deployed.
It's Official: The "Fifth Annual Milblog Conference and Party" Scheduled for April 9 and 10, 2010, Going to Be the Best Yet! -- [milblogging.com]
The first Official Milblog Conference occurred nearly five years ago, and the Five Year Anniversary is going to be something special. There are some really big, big plans in the works and the 5th Anniversary will be the BEST yet. There is a great lineup of special guests, events, and other exciting details that I'll be sharing on Milblogging.com over the next several weeks as I receive all the details.
NPR reporter pressured over Fox role -- [Politico]
Executives at National Public Radio recently asked the network's top political correspondent, Mara Liasson, to reconsider her regular appearances on Fox News because of what they perceived as the network's political bias, two sources familiar with the effort said.
Twelve leakers leaking -- [Greyhawk]
...the Post's story is based on "interviews by more than a dozen senior administration and military officials who took part in the strategy review" - but didn't want their names in the paper. (The first citation: "a senior adviser who read from notes he took at the meeting.") And while the Post story is based on interviews with dozens, the Times' is based on "dozens of interviews":
Video: McCain rips transparent, post-partisan president for closed-door "pep talk" with Dems -- [Hot Air]
How low will Obama's numbers go if he's forced to drop the public plan just weeks after breaking the left's heart with a surge in Afghanistan? What'll be left of the cult of Hopenchange?
Your reflector belt humor of the day -- [Wings Over Iraq]
For those of you who are new, let me fill you in on a little running gag I have here on this site. In the military (and not just the US military--apparently everyone in NATO, plus even neutral countries) must wear a reflector belt after dark in combat zones to avoid being hit by the enemy.
This asinine policy has spurred considerable parody, causing even the most reputable journalistsand bloggers to join in. It's also spurred a page on Facebook, filled with hilarious reflector belt pictures, which I have dutifully posted for you below.
(Need more? Dawn Patrols Archives are here.)
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.
Updating...
US Marines launch large offensive in Afghanistan -- [AP]
U.S. Marines and Afghan troops on Friday launched the first offensive since President Barack Obama announced an American troop surge, striking against Taliban communications and supply lines in a southern insurgent stronghold, a military spokesman said. Hundreds of troops from the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines and the Marine reconnaissance unit Task Force Raider were dropped by helicopter and MV-22 Osprey aircraft behind Taliban lines in the northern end of the Now Zad Valley of Helmand province, scene of heavy fighting last summer, according to Marine spokesman Maj. William Pelletier.
A U.S. military official in Washington said it was the first use of Ospreys, aircrafts that combine features of helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, in an offensive involving units larger than platoons.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to detail the operation, said that Ospreys have previously been used for intelligence and patrol operations.
NATO to send more troops to Afghanistan
Non-U.S. nations operating under the NATO command in Afghanistan have promised about 7,000 more troops to battle Taliban and al Qaeda extremists and train Afghan forces, NATO's secretary-general said Friday.
"At least 25 countries will send more forces to the mission in 2010," Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters after holding talks with NATO foreign ministers. "They have offered around 7,000 forces with more to come."
20 NATO Countries to Send More Troops to Afghanistan -- [VOA]
NATO says more than 20 countries plan to increase troop levels in Afghanistan, following US President Obama's increased commitment to the war.
..."I can confirm we have now well over 20 countries that are indicating or have already indicated they intend to increase the amounts of forces they have in the country - in Afghanistan. This is on top of the 38,000 (troops from other NATO members and allies) that are already there, taking into account a doubling over the past two years," he said.
Apparthurai said that based on discussions over the past two days, non-U.S. troop contributions to Afghanistan would easily surpass the 5,000 soldiers NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen had predicted.
The reinforcements could bring total troop numbers to 140,00 or more.
NATO Promises Troops, Some Members Stall -- [Der Spiegel]
NATO has promised to send at least 5,000 more soldiers to Afghanistan. The question is: Where will they come from? Some nations, including Germany, say they will not make any decisions until next year, while other nations are saying that their soldiers can go -- but not fight.
Gates: 'No Deadlines' on Troop Withdrawal -- [Washington Post]
The withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, scheduled to begin in July 2011, will "probably" take two or three years, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Thursday, although he added that "there are no deadlines in terms of when our troops will all be out." The Pentagon, meanwhile, quietly acknowledged slippage on the front end of the 30,000-troop deployment that President Obama authorized for the first half of 2010. "They are not all going to be there in six months," a senior military official said. The current thinking, the official said, is that the Pentagon will be able to push about 20,000 to 25,000 troops into the country by late summer, but that the final brigade - about 5,000 troops - will probably not arrive until early fall. New details fleshed out the revamped strategy Obama outlined Tuesday night as Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified before Congress on the plan for a second day.
Surge Strategy Borrows From Bush Argument -- [Wall Street Journal]
The Obama administration, faced with mounting Congressional criticism, is trying to build support for its new Afghan strategy by explicitly linking the planned escalation to the Bush administration's 2007 Iraq surge. The argument has been pressed most vocally by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who told skeptical lawmakers Thursday that the surge troops were able to leave Iraq just over a year after they had deployed there, a timeline roughly akin to the one the White House now envisions in Afghanistan. "It will be similar to the gradual but steady, conditions-based drawdown that began to take place in Iraq about 14 months after the surge began," Mr. Gates, a Bush administration holdover who presided over the Iraq surge, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Afghans See Sharp Shift in US Tone -- [New York Times]
For Afghans, the change in tone was unmistakable. Unlike Bush-era speeches pledging unending support, President Obama suddenly introduced a timeline and a period of 18 months before the start of a drawdown of troops. The timetable set off alarm here. It was the subject of television discussions and journalists' questions to the American ambassador, Karl W. Eikenberry, a retired lieutenant general, as well as to Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the commander of American forces here.
The Taliban Reaction: "Regarding Obama's New Strategy" -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new communique released by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban) responding to President Obama's remarks, titled, "Regarding Obama's New Strategy". The statement noted, "The American President Obama has announced his strategy after months of dithering. The essence of the strategy shows that the needs and wants of the American people have been overlooked during the framing of this strategy and it has been formulated under the pressure of (Army) Generals in the Pentagon, the American Neo-conservatives and the wealthiest few in America and for the protection of their interests. Hence it is a strategy of colonialism aimed at securing interests of the American capitalists and it seems America has vast and protracted but wicked and hostile plans not only for Afghanistan but for the whole region." The Taliban warned that "the reinforcements will provide better opportunities for the Mujahideen to launch offensives. On the other hand, it will deepen the crisis of the American economy which is already in shambles."
Kim Sengupta: Marines give their verdict on Obama's troop surge -- [The Independent]
...The Marines, who have been at the cutting edge of the fighting since their arrival in southern Afghanistan, are about to embark on a number of operations that were put on hold as the president mulled over his decision. Colonel Martin Wetterauer, a battalion commander, said he was content with an approach that aims to help forces hold on to territory after it is won. He said: "The extra troops will mean that we can carry out our operations quicker, make more areas under Afghan government control, and also speed up the training of Afghan security forces, which would also mean that we can leave this country earlier having finished our mission.
Sending the Wrong Message -- [Boots on the Ground - Chuck Holton]
This is obviously an attempt by Mr. Obama to make sure the war is wrapped up with a tidy bow on top before the 2012 elections. But it is a large gamble, and one I will predict that he'll lose. Here's why.
What Obama said: We are sending 30,000 more troops, but they will begin to come home less than 18 months after they all arrive in country.
What the Taliban heard: We no longer need to defeat the Americans and drive them out of our country. We have only to survive for another 18 months and then we can declare victory when the infidels run for (political) safety.
What the Taliban will now tell the Afghans: Assisting the Americans is a fools errand, because they have now made it official - their support will evaporate in less than two years. But we will still be here, and will then be free to punish anyone who did not support our cause.
What the West Pointers heard: "Most of you likely joined the military to make a difference and defend our country from those who would destroy us. Well, too bad. The war will be over before most of you graduate. Better luck next time."
What Obama said: "I do not make this decision lightly."
What America heard: ...
AP Interview: Karzai praises Obama's deadline -- [AP]
KABUL -- President Hamid Karzai put a brave face Thursday on President Barack Obama's decision to start pulling out troops in mid-2011, telling The Associated Press in his first public response that it will push Afghans to take control of their own destiny.
Afghans United Against Each Other -- [Strategy Page]
The Afghan Army is becoming another battleground in the war against the Taliban. That's because the Pushtuns, the largest minority, are not joining the army in large numbers. That's because nearly all the fighting is in the Pushtun south, and soldiers are more loyal to their tribe than to their nation. In Afghanistan, all you have is tribes, and the national government is an ongoing anarchy of deal making and attempts to keep the peace between the tribes. President Karzai is a tribal leader from one of the larger Pushtun tribes.
You heard what? -- [One Marines View - in Afghanistan]
...Your warriors are hooking and jabbing with bad guys that believe they can scare off your fighting Marines. ....well, they have another thing coming! Patrols are relentless, the weather is getting colder and morale is high. If I have to hear another news article about how your warriors morale is bad I'm gonna puke. Apparently they aren't talking to warriors here in country because your Marines work their butts off daily and then go out for more. Thousands of miles away from home, equipped with the best gear possible on the planet, they march directly into the bad guys and make them have a very bad day. So if you happen to read some tree-hugging report about this and that and boo hoo they don't have this or that, its BS....and most importantly, the ones doing the fighting, are feeding off of it.
Marines eat, sleep, operate out of Afghan National Police compound -- [Lejeune Deployed]
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan -- Almost like clockwork, as soon as the Marines with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment's Police Mentoring Team rise from their cots, shave any overnight facial stubble and brush their teeth, Lali, an 8-year-old Afghan boy from Hazar Geft, enters the Afghan National Police compound and waits.
The PMT Marines eat, sleep and operate out of the ANP compound in Garmsir, Afghanistan. Lali stands by, greeting the groggy Marines with a "good morning," and waits for any tasks the Marines have for him.
Engineer Marines overcome adversity in Afghan deployment -- [MEB-Afghanistan / TF Leatherneck - Sgt. Aaron Rooks]
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan -The 8th Engineer Support Battalion, a subordinate command of the 2nd Marine Logistics Group, was scheduled to deploy to Iraq's Al Anbar province in early 2009.
The engineer unit from Camp Lejeune, N.C., steadily trained for more than three months in preparation for its return to Al Anbar. That changed in early February when Lt. Col. William Truax, the battalion's commanding officer, received word that his Marines were headed to Afghanistan. He learned of the official decision while the majority of his Marines were on their predeployment leave.
Welcome to Helmand -- [Frontline Bloggers - Tim, Economic Adviser - in Afghanistan]
I work in a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Helmand province, Afghanistan - part of the international mission to support the Government of Afghanistan and help Afghans govern their country for themselves.
We're a multinational team, made up of staff from the UK, Afghanistan, Estonia, Denmark and the US, and working closely with the UK and US military, known as Taskforce Helmand and Taskforce Leatherneck respectively. I'm the new kid. I flew in from Kabul last week - so I'm still getting used to the way things work and learning all the military terminology. (To me, M&E means monitoring and evaluation. To the military it means mines and explosives. It's important to be clear exactly what we're talking about).
Life here is very different from the picture of Afghanistan you see on the news.
Embassy Kabul -- [Charlie Simpson's War - in Afghanistan]
I've been back in Kabul proper this week, and yesterday we walked over to the Embassy (it's more or less across the street from the main ISAF compound). Talk about a tale of two cities!
At the Embassy, people wear suits, skirts, and heels. At ISAF it's utility uniforms, contractor casual, and a no-salute zone.
The Embassy is a big, well designed, stucco + glass building. ISAF is a collection of cargo containers.*
The Embassy has a lawn. ISAF has mud pits.
The Embassy also has a swimming pool and tennis court. ISAF has...mud pits.
Raised voices behind burqas -- [Captain Cat's Diary - in Afghanistan]
Who am I to give false hope to these women. I told them I had worked with some of the most extraordinary people here over the past few years, committed to improving women's lives, and that things can change. But it's a fact that over the past few years, of the many women who have bravely taken seats in parliament or who are working as doctors or journalists or for national and international organizations seeking to promote women's rights, many have received death threats, have been beaten or even killed - not by the Taliban, but by their own families and community members.
This country will be doomed until women realize that they can and must demand equal rights. And they won't until they can trust that there are institutions working to help them achieve this, that there are safety nets and that the government is on their side and will hold accountable anyone who feels it's their right to mistreat them.
'Don't tell me there isn't a God' -- [Stars and Stripes]
Maybe the Afghan kids shouting in the distance were telling the soldiers to get out of their neighborhood. Perhaps they were trying to warn the troops not to make that right turn.
Or maybe they were signaling the triggerman around the corner to blow up some Americans on Nov. 24, a cold and damp Tuesday afternoon.
But just as the men of 1st Platoon turned onto yet another muddy path, a bomb buried near an orchard gate detonated next to Spc. Burch Swigert.
In Afghan town cited as a success, still a long road ahead -- [Stars and Stripes]
LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan -- Within hours of President Barack Obama's announcement of a new surge of 30,000 troops into Afghanistan, the man charged with winning the war stood before reporters in Kabul and offered what he said was a shining example of how the new counterinsurgency strategy can succeed: the Baraki Barak district of embattled Logar province.
Change to the change to the change -- [Afghanistan My Last Tour - in Afghanistan]
Our mission was two-fold. First we would drive to FOB Airborne and drop off a 5-ton loaded with supplies. Then we would pick up a brigade member along with some vital communication equipment and transport it to Bagram Air Field. At BAF, we would pick up one of our team members who is returning from R&R leave and drop me off at the terminal so I can start my R&R leave in a few days.
What happened to my doughnut? -- [Flit]
The Globe and Mail's Patrick White, who is evidently still getting his chops as a war correspondent, amused me this week by putting forward the headline, "Canadian troops to form doughnut of stability," referring to efforts around Kandahar City. At some point later, sober individuals prevailed, and "doughnut" was changed to "ring."
To be fair, since there's no real approaches to Kandahar City from the Northeast, it really was more like a croissant of stability, anyway...
All the indications are that the effort is being placed where it should be, that being in the semi-rural districts around Kandahar City, rather than in Kandahar City proper. Joe Klein's fever dreams aside, it's hard to see how more Western forces inside the city proper would help.
Workin' on a Building... -- [HERMANEUTICS - in Afghanistan]
So what is my purpose thus far? On the surface my duty title is the Deputy Brigade S4. In short, Logistics: Supply & Services, Transportation, Property, Accountability, Food Service, Budget, Ground Maintenance. I oversee 15 Soldiers to ensure that our units have the beans and bullets they need to fight this war. Believe it or not, every dollar is vetted through multiple levels of authority and every single piece of Army property that is lost or damaged demands a full investigation (which can result in losing a month's paycheck!) To give you an idea of what I deal with on a daily basis here are a couple quotes/comments recently overheard in our section.
Winter weather -- [Doc H's International Adventure - in Afghanistan]
We are really into winter weather here at Camp Spann. Long gone are the sweltering days of summer. Today is the first day in about a week where we could even see a hint of blue sky. The weather has really been more like Washington State in winter for the past week. It was a drizzly, misty rain steadily for several days. The temperatures ranged from 30 to 50 degrees and puddles formed all over camp.
Suicide Bomber Kills Senior Iraqi Plice Official, 4 Others in Tikrit -- [Washington Post]
A suicide bomber killed a senior Iraqi police official in the northern city of Tikrit on Thursday in an attack that authorities blamed on al-Qaeda in Iraq. The bomber ran toward Lt. Col. Ahmad al-Fahal, who headed the city's anti-terrorism and anti-riot force, as he was walking in a crowded market, according to Lt. Ibrahim al-Duri, a police spokesman in Tikrit. Duri said the bomber yelled the colonel's name before detonating the explosives, which also killed two guards and two civilians. Nine people, including two policemen, were wounded. Tikrit was the home town of deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Violence in Iraq has ebbed in recent months, but ...
'People Woke Up, and They Were Gone' -- [Washington Post]
The US military called it shock and awe, and it began on March 21, 2003 - 8:09 p.m., to be exact. It concluded here with a sigh. No one quite remembers when the Americans withdrew from Forward Operating Base Summers. "One morning they left, and they never came back," said Osama Majid, a vendor on the road to the base, as he hovered over his shelves of Iranian and Turkish packaged sweets. "People woke up, and they were gone." Occupations probably never really end. Even after the last of the 115,000 US soldiers leave, this one will live on in the national psyche, in the bearing of Iraq's military, in cowboy boots, tattoos and, of course, language. "Badjat," demand Iraqi sentries at Summers' gates, waiting for a visitor's identity card. Sometimes occupations leave behind the banal. Summers is like an archaeological dig.
Iraqi Women's Organizations Campaign to Prevent Violence Against Women -- [MEMRI Blog]
Four Iraqi women's organizations have launched a campaign to prevent violence against women at the social level. They called for establishing a government-sponsored agency specializing in this issue; training the judiciary system, and passing legislature to fight violence against women.
'Defining moment' as US revealed Iraq plans -- [BBC]
Maj Gen David Wilson, who was UK adviser to US Central Army Command, disclosed the UK was made "privy" to US plans in Florida in June 2002.
The UK later said it could not offer "even basic support" if political and legal hurdles were not cleared. The Chilcot inquiry is examining UK policy on Iraq between 2001 and 2009.
Who Fights This War? -- All Female MEDEVAC Crew -- [In Iraq Now (at 56) - in Iraq]
"Charlie's Angels" Fly First Mission as All-Female Crew
For the three days before Thanksgiving, one of the on-alert crews for Charlie Company, 3-238th MEDEVAC, is the first all-female MEDEVAC crew to fly in this company's history. "This is the first time an all-female crew has come up in the rotation for us," said Maj. David Mattimore, 38, of Hampton, N. H., the Charlie Company Commander. "And it would not have been possible until one of our avionics sergeants became a crew chief."
The four women that comprise this crew have a total of nine deployments and each has between eight and twelve years of service. "This is the first all-female crew any of us have flown with," said Capt. Trish "Cocaine" Barker, operations officer.
Yousuf Raza Gilani: We are Fighting the Taleban and Reviving Democracy -- [The Times]
"It is our war that we are fighting, not a proxy war for the US," Pakistan's Prime Minister said yesterday, arguing that his country was an ally among equals in the battle against terrorism, not an American or British stooge. Rejecting Gordon Brown's charge that Osama bin Laden was probably in Pakistan's wild tribal territories and that the Government should have done more to catch him, Yousuf Raza Gilani said: "Certainly, he's not there." The al-Qaeda leader had not been in Pakistan during his tenure - since March 2008 - he said, in an exclusive interview with The Times, nor had he any intelligence that bin Laden had been on Pakistani soil at any point since the attacks of September 11, 2001. If the US wanted Pakistan to pursue him it would have to furnish evidence that he was there, he said.
CIA Authorized to Expand Use of Drones in Pakistan -- [New York Times]
Two weeks ago in Pakistan, Central Intelligence Agency sharpshooters killed eight people suspected of being militants of the Taliban and Al Qaeda, and wounded two others in a compound that was said to be used for terrorist training. Then, the job in North Waziristan done, the CIA officers could head home from the agency's Langley, Va., headquarters, facing only the hazards of the area's famously snarled suburban traffic. It was only the latest strike by the agency's covert program to kill operatives of Al Qaeda, the Taliban and their allies using Hellfire missiles fired from Predator aircraft controlled from half a world away.
Rally to the Captain!!! -- [USNI]
In case you missed it, John Curran at AP reported on the latest chapter of the Maersk Alabama's first pirate incident. JAGs .... perk up your ears.
Richard Phillips, the ship captain toasted as a hero after he was taken captive by Somali pirates, ignored repeated warnings last spring to keep his freighter at least 600 miles off the African coast because of the heightened risk of attack, some members of his crew now allege.
Mexico Still Waiting for US Aid, Report Says -- [New York Times]
The United States government has spent only 2 percent of the more than $1 billion it has pledged to help Mexico win its battle against drug traffickers, according to a government study released Thursday. Despite vows by the Bush administration, and now the Obama administration, to help President Felipe Calderón of Mexico in his three-year-long assault against drug cartels, actual spending totaled only about $24 million by the end of September, the Government Accountability Office said.
US presses Japan to resolve base dispute -- [Washington Post]
The threat squeezed Hatoyama between the imperatives of politics and the expectations of the United States. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates threatened in ...
Putin tells Russians: I am not leaving politics -- [Reuters]
MOSCOW, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Thursday ruled out leaving Russian politics, telling a questioner asking about his departure
Surprising Study On Terrorism -- [Der Spiegel]
Al-Qaida Kills Eight Times More Muslims Than Non-Muslims
Few would deny that Muslims too are victims of Islamist terror. But a new study by the Combating Terrorism Center in the US has shown that an overwhelming majority of al-Qaida victims are, in fact, co-religionists.
Resumed Military Panels Face New Challenges -- [Washington Post]
Military commissions at Guantanamo Bay, which President Obama suspended amid much fanfare immediately after taking office, quietly resumed this week with new signs of the legal complexities of the cases and the challenges for prosecutors. The military court had to grapple with determining where a defendant, Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al Qosi - and by extension other detainees - stand under the new military commissions law enacted in October to provide more due process for detainees. Under the old system, Qosi and other detainees were called "unlawful enemy combatants," but the new law refers to them as "alien unprivileged enemy belligerents," a moniker that military prosecutors said is more in line with the Geneva Conventions.
New Charges Planned for Suspect in Terror Plot Case -- [New York Times]
Federal prosecutors expect to file additional charges against the Denver airport shuttle bus driver who was indicted in September on a single count that he plotted to set off bombs in the United States, the lead prosecutor in the case said on Thursday. The prosecutor, Jeffrey H. Knox, an assistant United States attorney, made the disclosure in United States District Court in Brooklyn in response to a question from the judge hearing the case of the driver, Najibullah Zazi, 24. "We're still evaluating the evidence and the investigation continues, but our expectation at this point is, is that we will be seeking a superseding indictment," Mr. Knox told the judge,
140,000 Holiday Care Packages -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany]
Boxes of Love and Support
Right now, about 140,000 service members are spending yet another holiday in a war zone, and now more will be on the way before Christmas. We want them to know that they are remembered, that we are thinking of them during this Holiday Season, and that we are grateful for their service.
"Impact on Our Lives" -- [Soldiers Angels]
Rock (yes, that's his name) travels around Afghanistan as he works hard to take care of Soldiers who are in the thick of the fighting. Recently he sent a note about how much the support of Soldiers' Angels means to him and his men...
I wanted to write and thank you for your continued support of my team. Also, I wanted to share a quick story with you about the impact your organization makes in our lives.
A couple of weeks ago, I was at Combat Outpost [redacted] in the province of [redacted]. Those Soldiers have been there for seven months and live in the most dire conditions. They do not have running water, fresh vegetables are rare, their gym is home-made and triples up as a sleeping area and dining hall. An old roommate of mine had not showered for 2.5 months when I saw him. The only bit of luxury at that COP has the Soldiers' Angels logo on it. The care packages you send are the only deviation from the Meals-Ready-to-Eat and one hot meal a day they get... and everyone there was so appreciative of it.
Thanks for the blankets! -- [Soldiers' Angel LA - Greta]
Hello my name is MSG C and am with a Special Forces Group. I recently received some boxes for my team and they all loved each one. The item that was really needed was the blankets that were put in each one. We enjoyed how each one was different. You are wonderful Americans and we appreciate all of your support from the bottom of our hearts. You make it easier to serve over here in Afghanistan, knowing we are thought of and that true Americans are there for us.
Panel Criticizes Military's Use of Embedded Anthropologists -- [NY Times]
A two-year-old Pentagon program that assigns social scientists to work with military units in Iraq and Afghanistan has come under sharp criticism from a panel of anthropologists who argue that the undertaking is dangerous, unethical and unscholarly.
Overdue Bill: Integrating Counterinsurgency into Army Professional Education -- [Small Wars Journal - Major Niel Smith]
In the eight years since the invasion of Afghanistan, the U.S. Army has failed to integrate counterinsurgency (COIN) into Professional Military Education (PME). Counterinsurgency instruction remains uneven in quantity and quality throughout Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) institutions, which have failed to define standards, competencies and outcomes for COIN education. This lack of consistency contributes to ongoing operational confusion and poor execution of operations in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom due to lack of common concept of what counterinsurgency is and what it entails, despite great advances in COIN application and execution by troops in the field.
Integrating COIN into PME is crucial for improving the ability of the Army to wage our current wars.
Web Site Aims to Uncover Fakers in Fatigues -- [FOX News]
Military impostors, beware: A Web site has been launched to root out fraudulent veterans and fakers in fatigues.
ReportStolenValor.org aims to expose people who fabricate or embellish military accomplishments by making it easier to report suspected Stolen Valor Act offenders to federal authorities and local media outlets.
AMVETS, an organization representing more than 250,000 veterans, will unveil the site Friday.
Making Better Spouses in Combat -- [DVIDS]
Soldiers from the 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division are doing everything they can to become better spouses and combat the high divorce rate among service members.
Old technology impeding some GI Bill payments -- [Stars and Stripes]
Amanda Collier started college last August armed with a certificate of eligibility to use Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits that her dad, a Coast Guardsman of 22 years, had earned and transferred to her. Next week Amanda will take final exams for her first semester at the University of Central Oklahoma. But neither she nor the university has received any GI Bill money yet to cover her tuition, housing or other costs.
...
Bush Can't Swim - The AP outdoes itself in Obama puffery. -- [Wall Street Journal]
This is a magnificent bit of puffery. When the AP refers to "an unpopular and faltering war," it means two different wars: Iraq in Bush's case and Afghanistan in Obama's. Afghanistan became "an unpopular and faltering war" only after Obama took office -- which is to say that whereas Bush maintained popular and bipartisan support for the Afghan effort throughout his term, Obama managed to lose much of it in less than a year. Thus the AP describes Obama has having succeeded where Bush failed, when in fact it is Obama who has so far failed where Bush succeeded.
CNN's Sanchez Retracts His Claim of a 400 Percent Increase in Presidential Death Threats -- [NewsBusters]
On August 28, CNN Newsroom anchor Rick Sanchez shared disturbing information with his viewers:
A CNN source with very close to the U.S. Secret Service confirmed to me today that threats on the life of the president of the United States have now risen by as much as 400 percent since his inauguration, 400 percent death threats against Barack Obama
In poll, majority of young adults disapproves of US troop buildup in Afghanistan -- [Boston Globe]
Two-thirds of young adults oppose sending more US troops to Afghanistan, according to a national poll released yesterday by the Harvard University Institute of Politics that suggests fissures in a key demographic that helped President Obama capture the White House.
Early Returns: Obama gets a bump -- [Greyhawk]
...The best he could have as far as public support goes - again, how that plays out in the combat zone is to be determined.
But this should surprise no one - less than a quarter of Americans want a new "war tax":
The poll finds little appetite for the "war surtax" proposed by House Appropriations Chairman Dave Obey, D-Wis., and others to pay for the war. By 68%-24%, those surveyed oppose the idea.
The most important number in politics today -- [Washington Post]
That's the percentage of Americans who said the country should "mind its own business internationally" in a new Pew poll, a potentially troubling isolationist sentiment for President Barack Obama in the wake of his commitment of 30,000 more American troops to Afghanistan earlier this week.
The trend line on the question in the Pew poll, which is conducted every four years and is aimed at testing the American public's sentiment about its place in the world community, is somewhat remarkable.
I Am Proud to Lead You Men to the Nearest Off-Ramp -- [IowaHawk]
At ease, men.
As your battalion commanders and General Axelrod have already briefed you, you embark today on an important mission to the Af-Pak Theater. The success of this mission will not only insure the future of democracy and human civilization, but also my Gallup net favorable index. I have every confidence that you will succeed in this great educational field trip, because you represent the finest right-sized, nonviolent time killing force ever assembled.
(Need more? Dawn Patrols Archives are here.)
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.
AP Interview: Karzai willing to talk to Taliban -- [AP]
KABUL -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Thursday he's willing to talk with the Taliban chief in a bid to bring peace to the country if the move has the backing of the United States and other international partners.
Karzai had previously offered to talk with Taliban leader Mullah Omar, but the Bush administration opposed such contacts. President Barack Obama has said the U.S. must "open the door" to Taliban members who abandon violence.
The Speech at West Point -- [Greyhawk]
Summary: it was a speech, short on details. If you were inspired, then mission accomplished. I'm looking forward seeing the clear plan promised to the troops.
General McChrystal Statement -- [Greyhawk]
KABUL, Afghanistan (Dec. 2) - The statement of General Stanley McChrystal, Commander NATO International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan regarding the address by The President of the United States:...
Afghans unimpressed by Obama's troops surge -- [Reuters]
Thirty thousand more U.S. troops for Afghanistan? Esmatullah only shrugged.
"Even if they bring the whole of America, they won't be able to stabilize Afghanistan," said the young construction worker out on a Kabul street corner on Wednesday morning. "Only Afghans understand our traditions, geography and way of life."
Pakistan officials wary of Obama's strategy for Afghanistan -- [Washington Post]
Pakistan's government expressed confusion and concern Wednesday about President Obama's new Afghan strategy, which calls for Pakistan to step up its cooperation against terrorism in exchange for a pledge of a long-term partnership "after the guns fall silent."
Taliban vow to step up resistance in Afghanistan -- [BBC News]
The Taliban say they will step up their fight in Afghanistan, after pledges by the US and its allies to send large reinforcements to the country.
..."Obama will witness lots of coffins heading to America from Afghanistan."
"Their hope to control Afghanistan by military means will not become reality. The extra 30,000 troops that will come to Afghanistan will provoke stronger resistance and fighting."
US commander: Offer Taliban chance to end fight -- [AP]
The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said Wednesday that the Afghan government and its international partners should use the coming 18 months to convince the Taliban they can't win and offer militants a way to quit the insurgency "with dignity."
Counterinsurgency incoherence -- [Washington Times - Steve Schippert]
...The guiding exit strategy is based upon handing control over to Afghan forces. Two things fly in the face of this logic. First is the administration's recently expressed, inexplicable opposition to Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal's request to double the size of Afghan security forces.
Second, according to yet another managed leak to the New York Times on Monday, is a determination to hand over control of provinces down that road on an undefined timetable that "would not be tied to particular conditions on the ground." Considering the rabblelike state of the Afghan army and the current initiative of the Taliban enemy, how can conditions on the ground not be the determining factor? What conditions remain other than purely political?
US troops hopeful Obama plan will wind down war -- AP]
FORWARD OPERATING BASE AIRBORNE, Afghanistan (AP) -- U.S. service members in Afghanistan said Wednesday that President Barack Obama's decision to send 30,000 more troops offered hope that they can go home - if the reinforcements can build up the Afghan army to protect civilians against the Taliban.
The troops at this base in Wardak province, west of Kabul, learned of Obama's decision while watching TV clips of his speech during their breakfast of sausage, eggs, hash browns, fruit and cereal. Obama said that if conditions permit, the troops could begin coming home in 18 months.
"Really, I'm truly happy," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Phillip M. Hauser, an explosive demolition expert from Salina, Kansas, who is on his fourth tour of Afghanistan and Iraq. "As soon as the Afghans can do it on their own without our help, we can go home."
Update - [Military Consciousness - in Afghanistan]
well, we just had about 10-12 "light" explosions outside... not sure what they were...not mortars for sure... maybe RPGs...doesn't seem like they hit inside the fence, but I don't know for sure... I am fine, and our camp seems to be fine...another day in tha hood yo
My Thoughts on War -- [Sgt Danger - in Afghanistan]
So far, I've pretty much avoided writing about anything beyond my personal experiences in Afghanistan. But now, with the President's upcoming* announcement of a revised strategy for Afghanistan, I feel like I need to share some of my thoughts on the big picture issues. I've wrestled through a half dozen rough drafts, writing some 4,000 words. I've been all over the place:
- the events of a long eight years of fighting in Afghanistan,
- NATO's inability to implement an all out counter-insurgency (COIN) strategy,
- the practical implications of deploying thousands of new troops to already crowded bases,
- the impact of an Army strained by years of fighting across two theaters,
- the powerful forces that profit from either the status quo or an escalation.
Wisconsin soldier describes blast that put him on the cover of Time -- [A World Away]
The LaCrosse Tribune interviewed Master Sgt. Chet Millard about President Obama's plans to send more troops to Afghanistan. Millard recalled missions that would last for weeks, with scant opportunities for rest. "We were constantly being pushed, with very little down time," Millard said Tuesday from his home in Sparta. Reporter Chris Hubbuch of the Tribune also talked to Millard about the blast the resulted in his appearance on the cover of a national news magazine. He was serving with the 951st Engineer Company with the Wisconsin National Guard, when the truck he was riding in hit a roadside bomb. A photographer from Time came to the scene, and Millard ended up on the cover.
Getting the most out of the ANA, so we can do less -- [Defense Professionals - USMC Col (retd.) Haynes]
Since 2002, the United States has expended billions of dollars and deployed thousands of advisors to Afghanistan in order to build the Afghan National Army. Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A), the US-led organization tasked with creating the ANA, has made great strides in developing five geographically dispersed Corps, a Capitol Division, and an Air Corps all totaling over 93,000 Afghan soldiers.
Despite CSTC-A's phenomenal achievements, the ANA has not been allowed or required to assume a decisive role in the security and stability of Afghanistan. While numerous Western experts discuss strategies and US troop numbers for Afghanistan, few consider the ANA in any detail and even fewer actually understand its strengths and weaknesses. Most experts typically call for the rapid expansion of the ANA, believing that a larger Afghan army will increase capacity leading to the ANA assuming an ever greater responsibility for the security of Afghanistan. That is naïve. The rapid expansion of the ANA will likely undermine the fragile success that has been achieved to date. It will also set back not hasten its assumption of the lead role in defeating a resurgent Taliban. Unfortunately, too many of the people who are developing Afghan security strategy have never worked with the ANA and do not have a clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses.
The White House -- [Embedded in Afghanistan - in Afghanistan]
Our typical mission was to conduct "Leader's Engagements" with the populace. Basically, that meant we'd go into the villages and talk to the people, typically the head man. The idea was to get the ANA out there mingling with the populace and basically showing themselves to be present and competent. Gathering information about security developments in the area and what projects the villagers would like to see done was a secondary part of those missions. We may have considered the actual information gathered to have been the most important part of the mission, and not of ancillary importance, if we'd been able to get relevant information about the security (enemy disposition, whereabouts, etc.) more often, or ever for that matter. Given the peoples' reluctance to tell us anything about the enemy we'd usually just talk about happenings in the area in a general way, unless we had something specific we wanted to talk to them about.
A trip outside the gate -- [Curmudgeon: An Unlikely Army Chaplain - in Afghanistan]
...I chatted (through Mr. A) with the Imam for quite a while. His home, with its extensive theological library, was the first home in the village that was burned to the ground when the war started. Many of the families that fled during those dark times have not returned, but he and his family rebuilt their home not long after the UN brought US forces into the region.
This man LOVES the United States military.
On the Afghan 'surge' -- [Threat Matrix - Bill Roggio]
The number of troops, 30,000 US soldiers and Marines plus an undetermined number of troops from NATO, is short of the 40,000 requested by General McChrystal, but close enough to what he requested to be acceptable to the military. My sources tell me this is about the maximum number that can be sustained given the current logistical constraints in Afghanistan anyway.
• As I briefly explained at The Corner, setting the time line for withdrawal is a big mistake. It encourages the Taliban, reinforces to the Pakistanis that we are seeking the exit, and sends the absolutely wrong message to the Afghan people.
• The message to the Afghan people was muddled at best. President Obama told them their security is paramount, but then said that the US goal of destroying al Qaeda takes precedence.
This Afghanistan timetable is CRAZY!! -- [Bouhammer]
There is no way, NO WAY this is going to happen. In about 5 minutes I will be on a Blogger's Roundtable talking with Mr. David S. Sedney, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia, and Brig. Gen. John W. Nicholson, Jr. Director, Pakistan-Afghanistan Coordination Cell, Joint Staff. I am going to ask some hard questions about the timeline that the President just outlined. Why does he think that a mere 1 year after he surges in 30,000 additional forces, that he can start withdrawing forces. How is that much progress going to happen in 12 months. In Jan, 2007 MG Durbin stated that he wanted Task Force Phoenix to start mentoring and training the Afghan Police and wanted them up to the level of the Afghan Army (which we had been embedded with for the last 5 years). We said then that MG Durbin was on crack to think we could turn around the ANP that fast. Well I am starting to think that again now of the President.
Local troops would like some help in Afghanistan -- [The News Tribune]
Some soldiers of 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division have openly called for more troops to bolster the war effort in Kandahar province, where many of them are trying to crush a raging insurgency.
And while the president didn't specify which regions would get the additional troops, various news leaks say many will be sent to Helmand and Kandahar provinces. The majority of 5th Brigade's troops are in Kandahar, the spiritual birthplace of the Taliban.
The news shouldn't affect any other major Fort Lewis units. The post's other major units - including I Corps and two Stryker brigades - are already deployed to Iraq and are unlikely to be redirected months into their tours.
Clear, Hold, Build A Bit and Leave -- [DOD Buzz]
The Republicans like President Obama's surge and don't like the exit strategy. Left leaning Democrats don't like the surge and love the exit strategy. There. We got the tribal political reactions to the president's Tuesday might speech at West Point out of the way. Now let's discuss what really matters. President Obama may have tried to please too many constituencies with his speech. And he has apparently dropped what was a keystone of the first Obama Afghanistan strategy: the civilian surge.
Pentagon Hopes 30,000-Troop 'Counterpunch' Can Buy Time for Afghanistan's Homegrown Forces -- [Danger Room - Noah Shachtman]
President Obama doesn't want to do long-term nation-building in Afghanistan. He said so in his speech tonight, announcing 30,000 new U.S. troops for the warzone there. A full-tilt counterinsurgency doesn't appear to be his goal; Obama never mentioned the word or alluded to the approach in his talk at West Point. Al Qaeda's leadership remains largely bottled up in Pakistan. So what are all those fresh troops going to do in Afghanistan? And how much can they really expect to accomplish in 18 months, when Obama expects those forces to begin to come home? Top Defense Department officials say the new troops are meant to throw the Taliban off-balance for a year and a half, while the local army and police get their acts together. "Buy space and time for the growth of the Afghan forces," Brig. Gen. John "Mick" Nicholson, director of the Pentagon's Afghan/Pakistan Coordination, tells a conference call with bloggers and reporters.
500 more troops set for Afghanistan -- [The Guardian]
The Prime Minister has announced that Britain's total military effort in Afghanistan will increase to over 10,000 troops.
In a detailed Commons statement, Mr Brown confirmed that all the conditions had been met to allow an extra 500 troops to be deployed in December - taking the force level to 9,500. But he also disclosed that when special forces were included, the "total military effort" in Afghanistan will be in excess of 10,000 troops.
Those who have never been in Helmand give their view, but the soldiers are silent -- [Helmand Blog]
It is absolutely clear that the campaign in Afghanistan, and in particular Helmand province, isn't fully understood by the UK population. They are force-fed a diet of soldiers dying in a faraway country for a cause they don't understand or believe in, without clear aims or even proper equipment. In their eagerness to show support for the armed forces, they take out their frustrations on the Government's lack of strategy, they finger-point at the MoD and shout about poor equipment and battle plans. Ultimately, they cry for withdrawal of all British troops. But what effect does this negativity have on the soldier getting ready to go to Afghanistan, and what effect does it have on the soldier living, fighting and working in Helmand on a day-to-day basis? "An unwinnable war," say some. "A price not worth paying," say others. "The military presence is making the whole situation in Afghanistan far worse."
UK Launches Its Own Shaky 'Surge' Into Afghanistan -- [Danger Room]
The British surge into Afghanistan may not be as large as the American one -- 500 British forces, compared to 30,000 U.S. troops. But the political opposition to the war in the UK is even more formidable than in America, and even this modest increase could only be achieved after several conditions were met. In particular, British troops have to be better equipped and better supported than they have been for the past several years. In Afghanistan, there have been many warnings that the lack of sufficient helicopters means that troops have to travel by road. This makes them vulnerable to roadside bombs and other hazards. A new force of RAF Merlin helicopters was deployed to Afghanistan earlier this month after a £42m ($70m) upgrade program.
NATO chief: Allies will provide 5,000 more troops -- [AP]
BRUSSELS -- European and other U.S. allies will contribute more than 5,000 more troops to the international force in Afghanistan, NATO's chief said Wednesday, declaring that "this is not just America's war."
NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen spoke just hours after President Barack Obama announced the new deployment of 30,000 fresh U.S. troops to Afghanistan and called for additional commitments from America's NATO allies.
Reacting to his call, a Polish official said the government will likely send 600 reinforcements to beef up its existing 2,000-strong contingent in Afghanistan.
The Cost of Risk Aversion -- [Free Range International - in Afghanistan]
...As I stated there I have consistently raised the point that the level of money being expended on our current Afghan campaign cannot and should not be sustained. Not because our great nation cannot afford to keep 60,000 or so troops in the field but because a majority of it is being wasted. We can and should prosecute this war with far less financial expenditures. But this initiative sponsored by David Obey (D) Wisconsin is ludicrous. Congressman Obey is concerned about shoveling billions of dollars of taxes generated by the war effort off on future generations.
Frustrating FOO -- [Afghanistan My Last Tour - in Afghanistan]
...The rules changed again this month and now we need an O-5 (Lt Col) to sign a memorandum stating they reviewed all of our purchases. In my mind, I am thinking this is a minor setback, just wished I had received the policy change before traveling here. The next problem was with the electrical work and repairs we had done. Two of our ANA B-huts were destroyed by insurgent rockets and we scrambled to find shelter to protect them against the subfreezing weather. Note: If we wait for the Ministry of Defense, it might be several months until any action is taken. We used a base contractor to assist with the electrical work with hooking up heater systems in the tents. Several soldiers in Iraq have died due to shoddy electrical work and have caused a micro-scrutiny on all contracts involving electricity. So now I have to provide evidence this contractor is NEC (National Electric Code) certified.
Rookie Move -- [3rd Time, New Country - in Afghanistan]
I have two quick updates for the blog. The first happened on Monday on our trip to NDS. As usual, I was driving the lead HMMV with Dennis as the right seat. We left early morning and arrived to NDS without incident. We didn't do much mentoring as it was the first workday after Eid. Most of the Afghans greeted each other, had hugs and handshakes, then spent the rest of the time drinking chai and discussing Eid.
Early Morning School and Health Clinic Check -- [PRT-Kunar - in Afghanistan]
Workers at a construction site toss dirt into the air as they dig trenches for the foundation of a new school in the village of Pashad, Afghanistan, while a Provincial Reconstruction Team - Kunar security force member sets up security for visiting PRT engineers, Dec. 1, 2009. The engineers visited the school to assess current progress and ensure the school is constructed to specifications. The school is part of a four more school contract valued at more than $1 million for the area.
Iraq's Enduring Image -- [The Writings of a Man's Man - in Iraq]
A lot of you may wonder why I haven't given a few more insights into what is going on in Iraq. I purposely don't give out a whole lot of information or opinions due to the fact that I am in the military. Typically I fill the screen with funny anecdotes that give you a glimpse into the life of a modern soldier. However l will now try to provide you with a little glimpse of Iraq from my perspective.
Meanwhile, in Iraq, Mass in the language of Jesus -- [Castle Argghhh!!!]
The press finding Iraq to be boring these days I thought this story would be of interest. It's the kind of story that the MSM would have little interest in trying to find time or space for, especially since there's no blood or policy failures involved - which makes it perfect for this place, where we like to tell the tale not told.
...A brief glimpse into Christianity in Iraq
Complete Absence of Censorship in Basra -- [MEMRI Blog]
The absence of censorship over the sale of books, magazines, DVDs and CDs in Basra, the second largest city in Iraq, and across Iraq in general, has allowed bookstores to offer their customers all titles.
Iraq's civilian death toll in November is lowest since war began -- [CNN]
Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- Fewer Iraqi civilians were killed in November as a result of war-related violence than in any other month since the US-led invasion
Grim Milestone Alert: Casualties mount as more US soldiers killed by Islamic terrorists in US than Iraq in November (UPDATED) -- [Jawa Report]
...iCasualties.org reports 11 Coalition fatalities in Iraq in November. There were 12 soldiers, 1 civilian worker and 1 unborn child killed by Major Nidal Hasan at Ft Hood on November 5th.
U.S. Military Prepares To Move Out Of Iraq -- [NPR]
The U.S. military is preparing for its withdrawal from Iraq, and some equipment is already on the move.
The delay in Iraq's national elections, which had been scheduled for January until a political dispute over the election law erupted last month, has posed some uncertainty over just when U.S. troops will begin to leave.
What Does Socialism Look Like? It Looks Like Us. -- [In Iraq Now (at 56) - in Iraq]
When I listen to the TV or radio news commentary from back home I
hear political commentators accusing each other of Socialism. Many of
those commentators have no idea what Socialism really looks like.
But we do over here. It looks like us.
Shoe-throwing Iraqi journalist has shoe thrown at him -- [Telegraph]
Muntader al-Zaidi's footwear assault on President Bush last December became a symbol of Iraqi anger against "the occupier". But during Mr Zaidi's press conference yesterday to promote his campaign for the "victims of the US occupation in Iraq", a fellow Iraqi critic turned the tables on him, shouting: "Here's another shoe for you".
Before throwing the shoe, the man made a brief speech in Arabic, defending US policy and accusing Mr Zaidi of "working for dictatorship in Iraq".
Mysterious 'Saddam Channel' hits Iraq TV -- [AP]
The channel, which is broadcast across the Arab world, dredges up the sectarian divisions that Saddam inspired among Shiites and Sunnis at a time when Iraq
Gateway to Baghdad -- [NY Times]
The construction site of one of four "Model Checkpoints" that are to be erected at the four main entrances to Baghdad.
Maj. Gen. Qassim Atta, the spokesman of Baghdad Operations Command, said that the checkpoints will be equipped with sonar devices for people and vehicles, that will help security forces detect hidden explosives.
He said the checkpoint will be completed this year, and will alleviate traffic jams at the entrance to the Iraqi capital.
Oil Companies Look to the Future in Iraq -- [New York Times]
Deals on three top oil fields show that Iraq may be on a path to joining the world's major oil-producing nations, analysts say.
U.S. Power Slipping, Analysts Warn -- [DOD Buzz]
Two influential analysts told lawmakers on Capitol Hill this week that America's strategic position in the world is eroding. America is losing its technological edge and is in deep financial trouble, while purchasing power is shifting from the West to Asia. Those trends cannot be undone, they warned, so the U.S. must adapt and seek greater cooperation with allies and establish "rules of the road" with potential rivals.
Iran Says Nuclear Enrichment Will Increase -- [New York Times]
The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, announced Wednesday that his nation would move to produce uranium of much higher enrichment levels, comments almost certain to heighten tensions over Iran's nuclear ambitions.
...The declaration comes just days after Iran angrily rejected demands that it cooperate with international nuclear inspectors and shut down a once-secret enrichment plant, and instead vowed to build 10 more such plants. Mr. Ahmadinejad announced that his cabinet would order a study of what Iran would need to enrich its existing stockpiles of uranium.
Screening Asymmetrical and Symmetrical Threats at Sea -- [Information Dissemination]
The latest Office of Naval Intelligence report (PDF) on the activities of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps at sea is getting some attention.
...This section in the ONI report creates an interesting discussion because it follows a bit of logic that may not be accurate as presented.
New Tape Shows Terror Training on U.S. Soil -- [PJM]
On the heels of a deadly FBI shootout with a radical imam in Detroit and a Muslim extremist in the military launching a shooting attack at Fort Hood killing 13 people, a new videotape has been publicized showing American Muslims training in similar tactics, almost without a doubt on American soil.
The tape was given to me as the national security researcher for the Christian Action Network by a reliable law enforcement source. This source has provided me with other credible information on the Jamaat ul-Fuqra group that operates in the U.S. under the name of "Muslims of America" and the International Quranic Open University, among others.
Of SEALS and Terrorists... -- [The Burn Pit]
"They are not police officers nor should they be political pawns." After reading the articles on the Navy Seals abusing a terrorist that they had captured I had to write this article. Are these killers wearing a military uniform-NO. Do they subscribe to the Geneva and Hague conventions-NO. Do they treat captured combatants humanely-NO. Do they look to the welfare of captured combatants, looking after their safety and any needed medical treatments-NO. The fact is that they slaughter people who are taken captive and drag their bodies through the streets and hang their burned bodies from a bridge. They have murdered people while videoing the act and mutilated both military and noncombatants. They target schools, hospitals, place of worship and kill people who are teachers, those offering support and a safe place to gather. They murder the police and leaders of their nation and do not care about how many are killed in the collateral damage they inflect.
Terrorism Suspect Asks Judge to Dismiss Case -- [New York Times]
Lawyers for a terrorism suspect once held at Guantánamo Bay who is now facing prosecution in Manhattan asked a judge on Tuesday to dismiss his case
Fort Hood Investigations: Underlying Attitudes Deserve Examining -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
The U.S. government's investigation into Major Nidal M. Hassan's shooting spree at Fort Hood apparently is a week or so away from submitting a report to the White House, the Washington Post reported today. The investigation is reviewing problems in sharing information between various government agencies, and rightly so.
MEMRI: Shutting Down Cyber Jihad Really Not All that Hard -- [Jawa Report]
A new report by MEMRI boils down the cyber jihad to five major sites. Shut these guys down and you've effectively killed the head of the beast. These are the five sites used by the actual terrorists to communicate with their cyber fans.
Italy's Gitmo detainees linked to al-Qaida base -- [AP]
ROME -- Two former Guantanamo detainees who will be tried in Italy on terrorism charges have been linked to an Islamic center in Milan described by US
140,000 Holiday Care Packages - Boxes of Love and Support -- [Soldiers Angels]
Right now, about 140,000 service members are spending yet another holiday in a war zone, and now more will be on the way before Christmas. We want them to know that they are remembered, that we are thinking of them during this Holiday Season, and that we are grateful for their service.
Fortunately, Angels and donors have come through for Wrapped in Holiday Spirit
PTSD: A Different Perspective, Part I -- [PBS - Carla Lois, Some Soldier's Mom]
...Through this road with our son, we have learned a few things:
1. 80-85% of all returning Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)/Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) military do not and will not have any symptoms of post-traumatic stress (PTS).
2. Of the 15-20% of OIF/OEF survivors that do exhibit symptoms of PTS, less than half will develop symptoms that are severe enough to require extensive treatment ‐ most symptoms actually resolve with time or brief treatment and/or counseling.
3. No one with chronic symptoms gets better without first admitting they need help.
4. If they ask for help, they will receive it.
I have preached that we should not rush to judgment, and not paint everyone with symptoms of combat-PTS as being "broken": PTS is a normal response to war and it usually doesn't rise to the level of disorder. But
VFW buys replacement uniforms for wounded at Landstuhl -- [This Ain't Hell...]
To dispel rumors that we're a covert American Legion blog, I communicate with the VFW, too. The post commander at Post #27 in Weisbaden Germany wants to let you know that that your VFW dues are helping troops who arrive in Germany from the war with nothing but the clothes on their backs. So here's a video from AFN that he sent me;
Strain of Military Service Meets Resolve -- [NY Times]
Over the past eight years, deployments to the Middle East have become so routine at this military base that President Obama's declaration Tuesday of a military buildup in Afghanistan was like an announcement that winter was coming.
...Over the past eight years, deployments to the Middle East have become so routine at this military base that President Obama's declaration Tuesday of a military buildup in Afghanistan was like an announcement that winter was coming.
It's been a year -- [The Yllescas Family]
A year has passed. Yet it seems like yesterday that my world came crashing down and I had to make the hardest decision of my life. It's still so hard to believe he is gone. It's been a year and yet still so surreal. So much has happened in a year. A year ago, I never would have pictured my life where it is today. With the help of my wonderful family and friends, and the hugs and kisses from my beautiful girls, I have managed to put one foot in front of the other and try to make the best out of a horrible situation. Over the past year, there were days that I wanted to lay in bed, put the covers over my head, and never wake up. But how would that help the situation any? How would that make me a better mom? And Rob would NOT want that. This is my reality. This is my life now. Nothing I do will change that. So, for my sake and the sake of my daughters, I need to make life as normal and happy as possible for us. Our life will never be the "old normal" so we're making a "new normal".
Obama's Tuesday Evening: What It Will Mean -- [The Kitchen Dispatch]
President Obama is preparing to give a speech to the nation about his plans to send more troops into Afghanistan. No doubt, many of us will be watching. Those who will not will be the ones who disagree with him altogether. Nothing he says, and nothing the milbloggers (from BabaTim to BlackFive) have been continuously saying will sway them from their isolationist opinion. Certainly, I realize that a commitment will mean more deployments for my husband. But I always knew this is how we'd be spending the next decade or two of our lives. ...
Another Surge: Taking Your Temperature -- [SpouseBuzz]
I was asked this afternoon for military family reaction to "the idea of a surge in Afghanistan," so the best thing to do is ask you what you think so people can read it for themselves.
Families will remain steadfast in support of their loved ones -- [Manatee's Military Moms]
What does it mean? The troop surge? For folks with a loved one serving in the military, it's just another day at the office. Well, of course there is the broader picture...the world's reaction...and what does that mean for political relations with Pakistan, Yemen, Britain, the world? Everyone seems to be second-guessing and putting in their two cents and opining their heads off... But we know that every day is fraught with hazards and hardships for our loved ones. They serve in the cold; on rough seas; in the heat. There are too many dangers to list, but we know what they are. For families, they are the crippling thoughts that we push from our heads every day to focus on the most important mission of all: support. We will stand tall.
New laser weapon can safely destroy IEDs from distance -- [UPI]
... A new laser weapon mounted on an Avenger combat vehicle has gone through successful tests to enable the armed forces to destroy improvised
Home Sweet Home -- [There's sand in my... -- home from Afghanistan]
Home sweet home, well almost! It took a total of 43 hours of travel from Kandahar to Lemoore, CA. Three days after arriving in Lemoore, I picked up the new Explorer and drove 34 hours to Wisconsin to see my honey! The picture on the top left is the first meal we had at the Sundara spa in the Wisconsin Dells, fantastic, even though we really had no idea what we were eating!
Matthews Calls West Point, Site of Obama Speech 'The Enemy Camp,' 'Strange Venue' -- [NewsBusters]
Either MSNBC "Hardball" host Chris Matthews let one slip tonight, or it was an extremely poor choice of words. -- Following President Barack Obama's Dec. 1 speech, which he announced his intentions ...
Chris Matthews Owes West Point an Apology -- [Military.com - Ward Carroll]
...So four thousand-plus young men and women -- Eagle Scouts, student council presidents, varsity letter winners, former enlisted war vets -- who have taken the first bold step toward becoming the next generation of Army leadership comprise the "enemy camp"? And West Point -- the place that produced Grant, Eisenhower, and Petraeus among many other national heroes -- is politically reduced to the place where neocons went to lead America astray?
Here's a clue for Mr. Matthews as he arcs around DC living the privileged life and listening to himself talk: Those cadets didn't choose to be in the crowd. They were told to muster in front of the hall some hours prior and wasted a lot of precious study time (final exams are looming, after all) filing into their seats. And they were instructed to conduct themselves as Army cadets, which they did brilliantly.
Media reaction to Afghan troop surge -- [BBC News]
The media had long speculated about the president's plans, with leaks from the meetings between the president and his advisers making headline news.
So how has his announcement of the deployment of 30,000 extra US troops coupled with the warning that America would begin to withdraw its military by 2011 been received by commentators?
The New York Times finds the president's arguments "persuasive"....
Google to limit free news access -- [BBC News]
Newspaper publishers will now be able to set a limit on the number of free news articles people can read through Google, the company has announced.
Outside of West Point last night -- [This Ain't Hell ...]
West Point War Protest - Our buddy DanNY, from Gathering of Eagles; New York sent along this report from Gathering of Eagles who faced down the anti-war crowd last night as they swooned outside of the gates of West Point.
Searching in Vain for the Obama Magic -- [Der Speigel]
Never before has a speech by President Barack Obama felt as false as his Tuesday address announcing America's new strategy for Afghanistan. It seemed like a campaign speech combined with Bush rhetoric -- and left both dreamers and realists feeling distraught.
One can hardly blame the West Point leadership. The academy commanders did their best to ensure that Commander-in-Chief Barack Obama's speech would be well-received.
Just minutes before the president took the stage inside Eisenhower Hall, the gathered cadets were asked to respond "enthusiastically" to the speech. But it didn't help: The soldiers' reception was cool.
Almost Everyone Hated Obama's Afghanistan Speech -- [Daily Intel]
President Obama's task last night wasn't enviable: make a costly and unpopular decision with unpredictable prospects of success sound like something America should have confidence in. It's like looking for support from your wife and kids after gathering them in the living room to tell them you're putting the last of the family savings into your dream of opening a restaurant that only serves applesauce -- "Just applesauce? Can that actually work?" -- except, obviously, way more serious and consequential, since actual human lives and billions upon billions of dollars are at stake. Anyway, judging by the reactions to President Obama's speech, he has a lot more convincing to do.
Afghanistan: troops, strategy, politics and duct tape -- [Seattle Times - David Brooks]
Instead, these wars are better seen as political arguments for the loyalty of the population. Get villagers to work with you by offering them security.
Troop Costs Vie With Weapons -- [DOD Buzz]
...While Goldberg listed weapons cost growth as a factor in higher budgets, CBO actually shaved $25 billion from DoD's projected investment accounts (investment spending includes procurement funds and research and development spending). The savings come from Defense Secretary Robert Gates' recent weapons cancellations. With those cuts, CBO projects investment spending to drop to $177 billion by 2013, down from $194 billion in the base budget in 2009.
Still, defense budgets will continue to see big increases even with Gates' cuts. Put simply, labor costs are killing DoD's investment plans. Military healthcare alone costs over $47 billion a year and the Center for Strategic and Budget Assessment's projects healthcare spending to nearly double in ten years.
Battles looming over ways to pay growing war costs -- [Philadelphia Inquirer]
And members of Congress are unsure how to pay for the conflicts. The new Afghan strategy will cost at least $30 billion more than current spending,
Economic Commissions Approve War Tax -- [Poder 360]
This afternoon, Congress's economic commissions approved the new war or estate tax. The initiative seeks to tax 0.6% any capital between $3000 and $5000
Obey wants war tax but Feingold threatens to block funding -- [Pierce County Herald]
Levin mentions a possible tax increase for the rich - or a small federal gas tax hike that would be phased out if fuel prices go dramatically higher.
Hoyer Signals Support for War Tax -- [CNSNews]
The number two House Democrat said that his only reservation was the impact such a tax might have on a struggling US economy, saying that getting a war tax ...
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