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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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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.)
