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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.
Bound, gagged bodies of women found in Afghanistan -- [CNN]
Four bodies, including two bound and gagged women, were found in a compound in southeast Afghanistan, officials said Friday.
The bodies of the two women and two men -- who were not bound and gagged --were found during a joint operation between Afghan and NATO forces in Paktia province Thursday.
The troops were fired at as they approached the compound during the operation, according to NATO's International Security Assistance Force. A gunbattle ensued, and many men and women fled the compound. The troops searched the compound and found the bodies hidden in a room.
5 Americans hurt in suicide attack at U.S. Afghanistan base -- [Washington Times]
A suicide bomber wearing an Afghan border policeman's uniform blew himself up Thursday at a U.S. base near the Pakistani frontier, wounding five Americans, an Afghan official said. The spokesman for Paktia province, Roullah Samoun, said the attack occurred after sundown in a barracks at a U.S. facility in the Dand aw Patan district in eastern Afghanistan, about 35 miles east of Gardez.
He did not identify the base by name or say what kind of personnel are stationed there.
Taliban claim responsibility in US base attack -- [AP]
Taliban forces claimed responsibility Friday for an attack by a suicide bomber on a U.S. military base near the Pakistani border that injured five Americans.
Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the attack Thursday night in eastern Afghanistan was conducted by an insurgent wearing the uniform of a border policeman.
US troops close Taliban escape route before attack -- [Seattle Times]
Hundreds of Afghan soldiers were to join US Marines in the attack to emphasize ... on the northern edge of Marjah, closing off a main Taliban escape route.
Operation Moshtarak: Preparing for the Battle of Marjah -- [SWJ]
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has released a new backgrounder, Operation Moshtarak: Preparing for the Battle of Marjah, which is the first installment in series of publications analyzing the battle for Marjah by Afghanistan expert Jeffrey Dressler. As this large scale operation unfolds, ISW will continue to provide weekly on-the-ground assessments of the major fight brewing between coalition forces and the Taliban.
The Approach to Marjah -- [Greyhawk]
..."So the "assault" will likely be over quickly, with not much boom-boom for the camera crews." I hope that proves to be the case.
Meanwhile, we discover the new mission for the 5th Stryker Brigade:
Q&A: Why the Mission in Marjah is So Important and Well Publicized -- [The Times]
Nato has deliberately broadcast its intentions. Senior officers say it is to give civilians a chance to escape before the fighting starts. Others suspect that they may be trying to lure more insurgents into the fight to wipe them out with overwhelming force
Afghanistan's very public offensive : teasing out the Taliban or walking into a trap? -- [Reuters]
Reuters correspondent Golnar Motevalli is on an embed with U.S.-led NATO forces in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province ahead of a widely-flagged operation against the Taliban. Here's her account, going into battle.
...Operation Moshdarak, we have been told for the past two months, will apparently trump Khanjar in size and scale. It involves less Marines but more Afghan troops and more British troops. Moshdarak, which aims to take Marjah, a town said by Marine commanders to be one of the few left in Helmand still under total Taliban control, has been promoted by the U.S. military and NATO with enthusiasm and zeal.
Much has also been made of the Afghan army contribution to the operation.
The soul of Afghanistan -- [30 Days - in Afghanistan]
The beauty doesn't stop on the surface, where the rich blues, browns and greens reside. The beauty continues below the surface and if you let yourself go, you will be carried on a journey into their owner's soul.
I was taken on such a journey by two Afghan college students today. Their words were interesting and informative but they shared something deeper with me, and I felt honored.
Manizha, 21, was a little girl when coalition forces started liberating the Taliban from her country. For years, the Taliban had prevented her from going to school, forcing her parents to home school her. As she spoke of her past there was sadness in her eyes but as she talked about the future of Afghanistan, they lit up.
Mohammad, 23, and his family fled to Iran during the Taliban's rule and came back when they heard coalition forces were here.
No Armor and Afghans -- [30 Days - Day 3 - in Afghanistan]
Kabul | Day 3 - My family probably thinks I'm crazy for what Ken and I did yesterday. We walked through the streets of a Kabul suburb in civilian clothes and no body armor.
The fact remains though, that we're not crazy and we did it for multiple reasons. The first is because we wanted to talk with Afghans; we wanted to connect with them. From past experience, that's almost impossible when you're wrapped in kevlar and carrying weapons. Another reason we did it was to send a message - the people of Afghanistan are not our enemy, they are extremely hospitable, friendly and warm.
Seven - [Michael Yon]
American forces are stationed at bases far and wide around Afghanistan. Some bases are like towns, such as Camp Bastion, Kandahar Airfield, and Bagram Airfield. But mostly they are small, often occupied by only a handful of troops.
Logistics into Afghanistan is a nightmare, and it only gets worse after you cross the border from the North or from Pakistan. By comparison, Iraq "logs" was like a run to a convenience store down the road. Afghan logs are more like driving from Miami to Seattle for grocery shopping, and then driving the groceries back to Miami while under threat of attack. Not a speck of exaggeration in that statement. Enemy logs interdiction was a large constituent of the Soviet defeat, despite that the Soviet Union comprised the entire northern border of Afghanistan. When the Soviet hammer tried to crack the Afghan rock, the hammer shattered. The Soviets can easily put people in space and keep them there, but they couldn't handle backdoor logistics during their Afghan war. It's easier to keep people in space than to supply our war here.
Afghan hands -- [Your experience may vary - in Afghanistan]
...Today, the MoD operates and maintains the Print Plant machinery with only a little help from a supporting contractor. And they do all the graphic design work themselves.
Unfortunately, this level of autonomy is still rare within the Afghan National Security Forces. But the MoD Print Plant is existence proof that transition of responsibility to Afghan hands can work REALLY well.
Bottom line: The best things don't just spontaneously happen. But Afghan and Coalition hands can make flowers grow in even the most unlikely places.
Green Log Books, Orange Oranges, and Kabul Travel -- [My View; Our Mission - in Afghanistan]
...A US Navy Surgeon General several years ago had a focus to remove green log books from military hospitals and move administrative/patient sign-in sheets, etc into the computer age. (Green log books are US Government issued green, hard-covered small or large notebooks that people would use as steno pads or so people could sign into a que. I still see people carrying them around today as steno pads.) As such, there was a push to ensure there were no green log books around, particularly when he came to your office/hospitals. Pretty successful effort as the military health care system does have a pretty high-tech IM/IT systems in place.
The reason I bring this all up is to give you a comparison to the ANP Hospital where we spend most of our mentoring time.
Change of Mission -- [Afghanistan My Last Tour - in Afghanistan]
Our mission was canceled and another unit was taking over. In reality we were never given the execution order, but we prepared accordingly. Since the vehicles were mission ready, our ETT leader decided to go on a different mission ...
...The burned out building is the result of the last attack by insurgents on the capital city. Some local businesses are trying to restore operations by selling their wares using the ground level cubicles that didn't suffer as much damage. According to a local newspaper report, the insurgent activity resulted in 5 million dollars in losses and damages.
Iraqi, U.S. forces battle militia group, five killed -- [Reuters]
Iraqi security forces backed by U.S. troops killed at least five people on Friday in a raid on suspected members of what Washington calls an Iranian-backed terrorist group, the U.S. military said.
While overall violence in Iraq has fallen over the last two years, attacks and fighting remain common as Iraq gears up for a March 7 election and U.S. troops prepare to stop combat operations ahead of a withdrawal by the end of 2011.
Iraq parliamentary election campaign kicks off -- [Press TV]
The parliamentary election campaign has officially kicked off in Iraq with 6172 candidates competing in the March 7 nationwide election.
Iraq allows 28 banned election candidates to stand -- [AFP]
Iraqi judges on Thursday ruled that 28 candidates banned from the March 7 general election for alleged links to the regime of executed dictator Saddam Hussein could stand after all.
The announcement came after Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said ...
Questions on Rule of Law Raised by Leader's Use of Army -- [New York Times]
In a dispute over the provincial council's legal powers to appoint a governor, Mr. Maliki ordered in the military here -- for the second time -- to exert his influence. American military commanders and diplomats expressed alarm at his willingness to use force.
"You have the law on your side," Col. Henry A. Arnold III, commander of the First Infantry Division's Fourth Brigade, told a council member outside the besieged building on Wednesday morning. "Maliki knows it. The Americans know it. And they're going to keep reminding him of it."
Joe Biden has won, too? (Two) -- [Greyhawk]
There's an odd thing about this administration claiming credit for victory in Iraq - half the country knows Biden and Obama had nothing to do with it, and the other half will never admit there is a victory to claim. However, since they think we're all stupid, I guess the White House wants to give it a shot.
For the record, this was Barack Obama's plan for Iraq:...
Iraq Orders Blackwater Security Guards to Leave -- [Daily Telegraph]
Iraq has ordered hundreds of private security guards linked to Blackwater Worldwide to leave the country within seven days or face possible ...
Troops Carry Out 'Cool' Mission in Antarctica -- [DoD]
While the U.S. East Coast feels the closest it has come in many years to "extreme" weather, some servicemembers are facing real cold as they support the National Science Foundation's efforts in Antarctica.
U.S. successfully tests airborne laser on missile -- [Reuters]
A U.S. high-powered airborne laser weapon shot down a ballistic missile in the first successful test of a futuristic directed energy weapon, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said on Friday.
France does not believe Iran's nuclear claim -- [Washington Post]
AP PARIS -- France does not believe Iran's claim that it is capable of enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels, the country's foreign minister said
Obama Officials Wrong on Padilla -- [Weekly Standard]
Gibbs argued that the administration was right to treat Abdulmutallab as a criminal defendant, instead of as an enemy combatant. "Just because you make somebody an enemy combatant [it] doesn't make them talk," Gibbs argued. He then pointed to an example from the Bush years to supposedly support his point.
"Jose Padilla was made an enemy combatant so that we could get him to talk," Gibbs said. "And guess what happened when we made him an enemy combatant, he didn't talk. He did talk when he was transferred back into a civilian court."
...Brennan and Gibbs are wrong. In fact, Jose Padilla only started cooperating once he was transferred into the military's custody and interrogated.
Obama will help select location of Khalid Sheik Mohammed terrorism trial -- [Washington Post]
President Obama is planning to insert himself into the debate about where to try the accused mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, three administration officials said Thursday, signaling a recognition that the administration had mishandled the process and triggered a political backlash.
Newly Released Sept. 11th Aerial Photos of Ground Zero -- [Flopping Aces]
A stunning reminder of what happens when national security is conducted with a September 10th mentality!
With the Obama Administration falling all over itself to treat terrorism as a criminal matter, these newly released photos (full size images here) are a reminder of the consequences:
Airport Body Scanners Violate the Teachings of Islam, Says Muslim Group - [CNS News]
"The Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) emphasizes that a general and public use of such scanners is against the teachings of Islam, natural law and all religions and cultures that stand for decency and modesty," the group said in a Feb. 10 statement posted at Islam Online.
Right to Free Speech Collides With Fight Against Terror -- [New York Times]
The Supreme Court will soon hear Mr. Fertig's challenge to the law, in a case that pits First Amendment freedoms against the government's efforts to combat terrorism. The case represents the court's first encounter with the free speech and association rights of American citizens in the context of terrorism since the Sept. 11 attacks -- and its first chance to test the constitutionality of a provision of the USA Patriot Act.
Saying Good Bye... -- [Knottie's Niche - Gold Star Mom]
I don't think I have ever truly said good bye to my son. There was a moment at the funeral when they had put the casket on the hearse and I wanted with every fiber of my being to walk through the parted crowd and kiss it and say good bye..but someone turned me to express their condolences and I miss my moment to say good bye to my son how I wanted to. That I didn't push through and take those steps still haunts me. Oh I had spent time at the funeral home the night before. But it was that moment I needed to do what my heart begged to do and I didn't. I hate myself for not walking through that parted crowd.
Operation Yellow Elephant: Snowpocalypse: How to Support Our Troops! -- [Operation Yellow Elephant]
If you're in the Mid-Atlantic region on the East Coast, here's one really great thing you can do to Support Our Troops: Forget the care packages. Just shovel snow from military and other families whose key member
U.S. officers disciplined over Fort Hood massacre -- [The Examiner]
The U.S. Army has found six officers guilty of negligence that let Major Hassan stay in the service long enough to massacre people at Ft. Hood. The six failed to act on Hassan's signs of brooding trouble. Some of them were too focused on their professional work to supervise carefully.
AWOL Mom gets discharged -- [TAH]
Alexis Hutchison, the single Army Mom who went AWOL with her son to avoid deployment will get an administrative discharge and a reduction in grade as a result. She should get reduced - there's no excuse for missing movement and going AWOL. But I blame her mother and the father of the child for the rest.
Breaking the Silence: Women Soldiers Speak Out -- [The Baltimore Chronicle]
Additional roles today include intelligence, technology, combat support, and as volunteer combatants. During Israel's War of Independence, women performed
Ft. Carson Welcomes Home Soldiers -- [KKTV 11 News]
A year in the field is over and the welcome home is just beginning. Nearly a hundred more soldiers returned to southern Colorado Thursday night.
Wilson and Murtha, Together in Arms --[NY Times]
As recounted in the book, "Charlie Wilson's War," then Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill asked the colorful Mr. Wilson to take a spot on the House ethics committee to help shut down an inquiry into Mr. Murtha, who had gotten caught up in the Abscam bribery investigation. Mr. Murtha wasn't prosecuted for his role, but the internal watchdog committee was looking into whether he broke House rules by not reporting a bribery attempt.
Support for Gays in the Military Depends on the Question -- [CBS News]
A new CBS News/ New York Times poll finds that the wording of the question is key when it comes to determining whether Americans support allowing gays to serve in the military.
Don't Ask Don't Tell poll, and what did Adm. Mullen say? -- [BlackFive - Crush]
Yesterday, Quinnipiac University released a poll which shows that 59% of Americans support a repeal of the military's "Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT)" policy. Reading the results, however shows that those polled - and perhaps the pollsters at Quinnipiac as well - don't understand what DADT says. I will cover this in depth in an upcoming article today, which I will link to.
To me, this poll is nothing more than a measurement of the effectiveness of the White House and an activist media' message.
Bill Clinton released from hospital -- [CNN]
Former President Clinton left a New York hospital early Friday, less than a day after doctors performed a procedure to restore blood flow in one of his coronary arteries.
(Need more? Dawn Patrols Archives are here.)
