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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.
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A tale of two bases: how an Afghan war will be won or lost -- [The National - Hamida Ghafour - in Afghanistan]
...Nuristan is so removed from the rest of the country that when an Afghan official visited the province in January, the residents of one district had never heard of Afghanistan. They thought Nuristan was its own country and the valleys were provinces.
The region has had virtually no contact with Kabul since the Soviet invasion in 1979. There is a generation of Nuristanis whose only experience with the outside world was the Soviets, so when the Americans established a base in 2006 it seemed like a continuation of a foreign, non-Muslim invasion.
...But something interesting has happened. In the last few weeks, the Korengali leadership has reached out to the central government's representatives in Kunar's capital. The Americans are cautious but hopeful
Dispatches from the Front: Route Clearance and Escalation of Force in COIN -- [Kerplunk]
Today brings us a guest post by Lieutenant Smiles, an Army engineer currently deployed to Afghanistan.
"The success of COIN in Afghanistan rests on the shoulders of Route Clearance patrols. If you're not familiar with route clearance, it is the act of deliberately sweeping roads/routes for IEDs. Simply put, our only job is to look for and get rid of IEDs. Having done this a while I can say that there are generally only two outcomes - either you find the IED before it goes off, or you find it because it goes off."
US soldiers stalk Afghanistan's deadly wildlife -- [Sebastion Abbot/AP]
GHUNDY GHAR, Afghanistan -- As night falls on this small hilltop base in the heart of Taliban country in southern Afghanistan, U.S. Army soldiers break out their knives and flashlights and go hunting for some of the country's deadliest inhabitants: snakes and scorpions.
Tracking down the "creepy crawlies" that lurk in the nooks and crannies of the countryside is a favorite pastime, providing education, some entertainment -- arachnid fight night! -- or even a quick meal.
Karzai meets Obama on plan in Afghanistan -- [Matthew Lee and Robert Burns/AP/Military Times]
WASHINGTON -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai is meeting President Barack Obama in the White House after a day of intensive talks at the State Department and a visit with wounded U.S. troops.
Obama and Karzai were expected to try to set aside their differences during their meeting Wednesday following a year in which the White House grew estranged from the Kabul government it was fighting to defend.
Karzai Visits Washington, With Smiles All Around -- [NY Times]
Beneath twinkling chandeliers and amid tables of pastry and crudités, the Obama administration set out Tuesday to charm President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, rounding up cabinet members and other V.I.P.'s to welcome him and his ministers at a State Department reception.
Rebel Group Rejects Likely Afghan Exile Offer -- [Reuters/NY Times]
The Hezb-i-Islami (HIA) party led by a former premier Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, which runs a separate insurgency force from the Taliban against the government and NATO and U.S.-led forces, said the offer was "completely unacceptable and out of question".
An official for the party and member of its team which held an initial round of direct peace talks with Karzai in March, said the group still insisted on setting a withdrawal timetable for foreign troops before the start of any parley.
EXCLUSIVE: Mullah Omar Captured! -- [Brad Thor/Big Government]
Through key intelligence sources in Afghanistan and Pakistan, I have just learned that reclusive Taliban leader and top Osama bin Laden ally, Mullah Omar has been taken into custody.
Jawa Exclusive: Capture Of Mullah Omar Confirmed -- [Jawa Report]
An overseas intelligence source has confirmed to the Jawa Report that Mullah Omar has been captured as originally reported by Brad Thor.
Mullah Omar captured? -- [BlackFive]
Which Navy Seal punched Omar in the left eye?
You know the deal, if it ain't up at Long War Journal it's just talk. It would be lovely, but let's chill and see what turns up.
US reviewing Iraq troop pullout pace -- [AP/Stars and Stripes]
American commanders, worried about increased violence in the wake of Iraq's inconclusive elections, are now reconsidering the pace of a major troop pullout this summer, U.S. officials said Tuesday.
The withdrawal of the first major wave of troops is expected to be delayed by about a month, the officials said.
Iraqi security forces say politicians were behind Iraq attacks -- [Christian Science Monitor]
Many Iraqis, including police and soldiers, say they believe their own politicians are behind the attacks.
"I can't speak badly about security because I don't want to spoil the image of the security services, but to tell you the truth, it is not good," says a policeman near the site of one of the checkpoint attacks. "This is a struggle for power - none of the citizens are blindfolded - we can all see and understand the situation. I blame the government for this."
Iraqi Deal to End De-Baathification -- [NY Times]
Iraqi politicians have reached an agreement to halt a four-month campaign to bar candidates from politics for ties to the Baath Party, American and Iraqi officials said, papering over the sectarian tensions it unleashed, at least for now, and removing an obstacle in the long-delayed process of forming a new government...
...officials said this week that an agreement was reached to end the de-Baathification campaign...
Attackers kill 99, wound 300 in Iraq's bloodiest day this year -- [Arkansas Online]
A man with explosives strapped to his belt blew himself up in a crowd, bombers struck a southern city, and gunmen sprayed fire on security checkpoints in attacks Monday that claimed nearly 100 lives - most of them in Shiite areas - in Iraq's deadliest day this year. More than 300 were injured.
Officials were quick to blame insurgents linked to al-Qaida-in-Iraq for the shootings in the capital, saying the militants were redoubling efforts to destabilize the country at a time of political uncertainty over who will control the next government.
Pace of US drawdown from Iraq on schedule: Pentagon -- [AFP]
U.S. drawdown in Iraq to pick up pace in June
The Pentagon said Tuesday the pace of a drawdown of US troops from Iraq was on schedule and had not been pushed back because of violence or ...
US Special Forces, Marines train African armies -- [AP]
KATI, Mali - A U.S. Special Forces instructor leans toward a steering wheel, showing some 50 Malian soldiers gathered around an army pickup how a passenger should take control of a car if the driver is killed in an ambush.
The elite Malian troops look on, perplexed. "But what can we do if we don't know how to drive?" asks Sgt. Amadou, echoing many of his colleagues' concern.
There are a few laughs, but the Malians are not joking; most of their unit does not know how.
US air campaign in Pakistan zeroes in on North Waziristan, Bahadar -- [Long War Journal]
The controversial US air campaign in Pakistan's tribal areas has continued unabated in 2010, and is on track to exceed the number of strikes carried out in 2009. So far this year, the US has carried out 35 strikes, just 18 shy of the 2009 total. With six and a half months left in 2010, the 2009 total should be surpassed sometime in July at the current pace. The strikes continue to target top leaders of al Qaeda, the Taliban, and allied jihadist groups based in the tribal areas, as well as the jihadist infrastructure and operatives used to carry out attacks against Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the West.
18 Missiles,' 14 Dead in Latest Drone Attack -- [Danger Room - Noah Shachtman]
There was a massive drone attack in Pakistan today -- one involving multiple unmanned aircraft and "up to 18 American missiles," according to the Associated Press. 14 people are dead. This second robotic strike in three days is the latest sign that the American drone war in Pakistan has reached a new peak. There have been 34 reported attacks in Pakistan in the first 19 weeks on 2010. That's almost as many as the 36 strikes carried out in all of 2009. And these strikes are no longer against specific, named terrorists. Signs of militant activity are enough to bring in the drones. The latest target, according to AFP: a training camp "run by militants attached to Taliban-linked Afghan warlord Hafiz Gul Bahadur, who is reputed to control up to 2,000 fighters who attack U.S.-led forces over the border in Afghanistan."
Drones of a Different Color -- [Threats Watch]
There are drones and then there are drones. Some drones are meant to retaliate against the Pakistani Taliban killing fourteen militants in Waziristan.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has warned of "very severe consequences" if an attack against the United States were traced back to Pakistan.
And then there are the Predators that Texas Governor Perry along with the support of Senators Hutchison and Cornyn, and Congressman Cuellar will start patrolling the Texas-Mexican border within weeks.
David Cameron is UK's new prime minister -- [BBC]
Conservative leader David Cameron has become the UK's new prime minister after the resignation of Gordon Brown.
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg will be his deputy after they agreed to the UK's first coalition government in 70 years.
Russia shows a friendlier face to the world but Britain is kept in the cold -- [Times (UK) Online]
...Russia's interests, the new policy stated, were served best by rapid modernisation, which required access to external sources of finance and technology. Russia would seek alliances with key European states and the EU. It would work to remove barriers to the transfer of high technology from the US and build strong ties with "dynamically developing" countries such as Brazil, India, South Korea and Singapore.
Somaliland Press: Russian Soldiers Stormed Ship & Executed All of Our Men -- [Gateway Pundit]
"The Russians never released the young men instead they shot them point-blank range then loaded their lifeless bodies back on the boat," he added.
The Russian media reports say pirates released on the open sea after hijacking a Russian oil tanker last week never made it ashore and are likely dead.
Why Russia's Dmitry Medvedev is visiting Syria -- [Christian Science Monitor]
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is visiting Syria as part of a bid to raise Russia's Mideast profile. He discussed possible atomic energy development, and called on Hamas to release captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Ex-airman due in court over flight diversion -- [AP/Air Force Times]
Prosecutors say Derek Stansberry got the attention of the flight crew when he passed along a note that said he had a fake passport. Later, he told air marshals that he had dynamite. The April 27 flight from Paris to Atlanta ended up landing at Bangor International Airport.
Defense lawyer Virginia Villa initially sought a competency hearing but she now says that he's competent...
The former Air Force intelligence specialist was working for a defense contractor in Africa.
Judge: Torture No Grounds to Dismiss Case - [Family Security Matters]
A Guantanamo Bay detainee brought to the United States for trial on charges he helped the bombing of two U.S. embassies in Africa while he was an aide to Osama bin Laden cannot use allegations of torture by the CIA to dismiss the indictment, a judge said Monday.
U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan made the ruling in Manhattan after months of consideration of documents, much of their contents redacted, that were submitted by attorneys for Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani and the government...
Preparing for the Next Terrorist -- [Counterterrorism Blog]
Last weekend, a combination of good fortune and exceptional law enforcement prevented a potential tragedy in Times Square and led to the capture of the alleged attempted bomber before he could leave the country.
Next time -- and there will be a next time -- we may not be so lucky.
The startling and depressing truth is that eight years after Sept. 11, we cannot say with confidence that we are likely to prevent the next attack here. The reason is not insufficient attention, resources or effort. It's the fact that there is no such thing as 100 percent success in counterterrorism.
We need ....
Technically dead for 15 minutes after being wounded, Soldier returns to unit 5 months later -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany ]
"I could feel myself starting to die, and I became desperate in my struggle to stay conscious. I started to repeat three names in my head over and over again: My mom, my sister Melissa, and my sister Kendra. For the last 60 seconds of my life, I rapidly repeated these three names in my head. They helped me hold on a little longer and knew I had to fight for them. But the feeling then crept to my chest, and I knew I was done. I calmly said my last thought, took my last breath, and died."
PROMISES A MARINE WIDOW CANNOT BEAR TO HEAR -- [Little Pink in a World of Camo/ Washington Post]
A cassette tape is waiting for me. It sits in a small bubble mailer on my night table. It stares at me when I walk in the room; it beckons to me as I walk out. But still it sits there and waits. It is the last thing. The last thing he sent to me from "over there."
Reaching Out to Military Widows -- [SpouseBuzz - Love My Tanker]
Dressed in black and seated in a folding chair in front of flag-draped coffin, the young woman is heartbroken. Her parents stand behind her with their hands on her shoulders. A soldier kneels before her, presents her a folded American flag and expresses gratitude for her husband's distinguished service in the military.
The official ceremony is over, but the grieving process has just begun.
That's when the American Widow Project (AWP) begins its work. Since 2007, the nonprofit organization, founded by military widow Taryn Davis of San Marcos, Texas, has helped an estimated 400 new and mostly young military widows piece together their shattered lives. And it's helped Mrs. Davis begin to heal as well.
The FST Sends A Fabulous Note of Appreciation -- [Kitchen Dispatch]
I wanted to mention a really nice letter I received from the Trauma NCO, SSG Willer of the 759th Forward Surgical Team. SSG Willer was part of a group that became a very tight team under the most trying of times in Afghanistan. Last year, they received dozens of packages from readers of this blog while my husband was there. The items sent ranged from a goofy Halloween mask sent by Coffeypot, snacks, decorations, books, yoga materials and shoes, socks and clothes for children gathered by my husband's 83-year old Aunt and her friends in Charlevoix MI. He wrote last week, and I wanted to make sure everyone who sent things got a chance to read it: "Thank you for everything you have done to help build the morale of the FST personnel, and raise the spirits and quality of life for the local national children whom we treat.
A little girl, a soldier and a special coin - [Northshore Journal]
"Thank you for your service."
Five simple words uttered by a little girl in a rush, left a grown solider nearly speechless.
At 9 years old, Savannah Perry is more patriotic than most Americans.
SSG Andrew O'Neal is a supply sergeant with the Louisiana National Guard and was shopping at the Covington Office Depot when Perry handed him the coin.
One of her favorite things is to thank soldiers, her mother, Greta Perry, said. "I want them to know that people care about them," she explained.
But then she comes from a very patriotic family. When Savannah's father retired from the Army, her mother was looking for a way she could continue to give back as she had when she was a military wife. She found that opportunity in an organization called Soldier's Angels.
#MilitaryMon -- [Military Monday - Greta Perry]
To recognize our men and women in uniform, their families, our veterans, and honor our fallen on Twitter. Other Associated Hashtags: #SOT = Support Our Troops #MoS = Moment of Silence #HonorVets
1.9 percent military pay raise likely in 2011 -- [Stars and Stripes]
Lawmakers are poised to give servicemembers an extra boost in pay next year despite objections from the Defense Department over the long-term cost of the raise.
On Wednesday, the House Armed Services personnel subcommittee announced plans for a 1.9 percent pay raise next January, 0.5 percent above the target set by Pentagon planners in January...
"I would challenge anyone to find a civilian job that has the same set of requirements and risks as those experienced by our military personnel," said Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C.
PMSS + DTY = One Ridiculous Situation -- [Spouse Buzz - Andi]
My least favorite thing to do when my husband is away is dealing with mechanics, contractors and repair men. I'm not a helpless little female, and I can handle a lot of minor repairs myself, but I don't know the technical ins and outs of major repair work and unless I've been referred by someone I know and trust, I'm always trying to figure out if prices I'm being quoted are reasonable, or if I'm about to be taken for a ride. All I know is something is broken and needs to be fixed. But the main reason I don't like to handle this when my husband is away is that I occasionally suffer from PMSS. Paranoid Military Spouse Syndrome. PMSS afflicts some of us. It's that delusional state-of-mind when we think someone is out to get us. They know our spouse is away and it's a perfect time for them to take advantage of the situation.
13 female mids excited to be first on subs -- [Navy Times]
"I am really excited about the leadership opportunities and the technical side of submarine service," said Midshipman 1st Class Marquette Ried, who had originally planned to fly helicopters. "This is the perfect opportunity. The stars aligned, and I was at the right place at the right time."
Although Ried has never been on a submarine, she smiles wide when discussing "being part of the sub team and leading a division. Deckplate leadership is exactly what I want."
Vietnam vets to gather for 'welcome home': Are they ready to forgive? -- [The Cap Times/AP]
...Some of the dozen veterans interviewed for this story are eager to gather with buddies or bask in a moment of recognition. Others are bewildered by a tribute mounted four decades after they returned. A few are skeptical that the extravaganza is anything more than an opportunity to make money and to glorify the military.
But some observers say the gathering has the potential to move veterans wounded by their homecoming toward reconciliation with those who turned their backs, or raised their fists.
Warrior Games, Day 2 -- [Mothax/Burn Pit]
So, if you haven't read Part I and Part II of my stories on the Warrior Games taking place at the US Olympic Training Center, you should do so now.
Last night the actual games kicked off, and it was a sight to behold. We will begin, as usual with some videos...
Seriously, the USMC is schooling folks out here, and they aren't shy about it...
I went to the Army-Navy wheelchair basketball game and it was tight. And if you've never seen a game of it, it is no joke. They were clobbering each other out there. Both teams were fighting as hard as they could, and there wasn't an ounce of give by either of them. But at one point a chair got flipped over...
IG: VA lags on meeting own care standards -- [Rick Maze/Military Times]
Veterans Affairs Department hospitals and clinics are moving slowly to implement standardized policies for treatment of mental health disorders and substance abuse disorders, according to a new report by VA's inspector general.
The result is hurting veterans, said Christina Roof, assistant national legislative director with AmVets, one of the major veterans service organizations. "Findings in this report are quite disturbing," she said...
Sebastian Junger's 'War,' reviewed by Philip Caputo -- [Washington Post]
The ambitiousness of Sebastian Junger's "War" is summed up in its title. It's a story about war that is much more than a war story.
...Most of what we read and hear about the conflict in Afghanistan focuses on politics and strategy. Junger makes plain that he isn't interested in such abstractions but in the men we've sent far away to do our dirty work.
...The main character, so to speak, is Brendan O'Byrne. Pugnacious and hard-drinking, O'Byrne is very tough -- he humps up mountains carrying a machine gun as heavy as a jackhammer -- but also gifted with an ability to articulate thoughts his comrades can't or won't. He confesses to Junger that he prayed only once in Afghanistan, for a dying medic to live. "But God, Allah, Jehovah, Zeus . . . wasn't in that valley," he says. "Combat is the devil's game. . . . That's why our prayers weren't answered: the only one listening was Satan."
Personal Identity in a War Zone -- [AT War - NY Times Blog]
A call to active duty soldiers and officers: Capt. Timothy Hsia is leaving active duty after nearly a year of being the main writer of our "A Soldier Writes" feature. We thank him for all his insightful posts and wish him the very best. At War would like to experiment with the feature, asking any active duty service member, especially those posted in Afghanistan and Iraq, to send in postings for publication. Below we are printing a piece from Capt. Henry Brewster, who sent in a post about religion and identity in Iraq.
We welcome posts that raise a topic about military life, from tactics to equipment to hardship on those left at home. The idea is more to spur discussion among readers, both in the military and out. We avoid overtly political issues, but topics like "Is counterinsurgency warfare working in Afghanistan?" would be completely appropriate.
Milblogger Group Statement: Don't Ask Don't Tell -- [Hooah Wife ... - Greta]
...Today, it appears inevitable to us that the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy and law restricting open homosexual behavior from serving will be changed. And yet, very little will actually change. Homosexuals have always served in the US Military, and there have been no real problems caused by that.
Taking a Breather -- [Rajiv Srinivasan - in Afghsnistan]
Friends, Family, and Supporters,
Please forgive me as my posts become more infrequent over the next few weeks. We're coming down to the line, and my focus is oriented solely on the safe return of my men during a most formidable final stretch. Will keep posting soon .
But as I take a step back and look at where this simple website is today from where it started almost a year ago, I shake my head in disbelief. What started as a means of sharing stories from the front lines has turned into my haven away from the battlefield. Managing this site has been a therapeutic release for me during a stressful tour.
From Kandahar, View of a 'Counterproductive Counterinsurgency' -- [Spencer Ackerman/Washington Independent]
The source's reluctant viewpoint, which is making its way through official channels in Afghanistan, is that the coordination necessary for successful counterinsurgency between civilian and military forces is not in evidence. Neither is the coordination between NATO and Afghan forces. Lumbering bureaucracy inhibits the rapid application of services and economic aid after military forces clear an area...
Hold fire, earn a medal -- [Military Times]
Consideration of such an award, first reported by an Associated Press reporter in Afghanistan, doesn't mean that, if approved, troops would be pressured to prevent such casualties at risk to themselves, Sholtis said.
"We absolutely support the right of our forces to defend themselves," Sholtis said. "Valuing restraint in a potentially dangerous situation is not the same thing as denying troops the right to employ lethal force when they determine that it is necessary."
Oates: Anti-IED effort needs fewer restrictions -- [Military Times]
"We have got to knock down the barriers that deny the free flow of technology and information with our coalition partners," Army Lt. Gen. Michael Oates, director of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Organization, told a morning audience at joint warfighting conference.
"We disable ourselves by an inability to share information," Oates said. "At the tactical level it is absolutely essential."
EU proposes new rules on ash avoidance -- [Stars and Stripes]
Daniel Hoeltgen said the new solution would adopt the U.S. practice of imposing a 120-mile (190 kilometer) no-fly buffer zone for all aircraft in the vicinity of any visible ash plume...
Last month, a large part of European airspace was closed when ash from the Icelandic volcano drifted over northern and western parts of the continent. Many critics have criticized the move as an unnecessary overreaction...
Gay ban memo to factor in court confirmation -- [AP/Military Times]
In a widely circulated 2003 memo, Harvard Law School dean Elena Kagan blasted the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy for gay soldiers as "a moral injustice of the first order."
...The next year, after a federal appeals court struck down the law as unconstitutional, Kagan re-imposed a ban on recruiters -- a move that is now expected to be used as "antimilitary" fodder by Republicans opposed to her confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Homes Evacuated After WWII-Era Bombs Found -- [AP/ABC News Charleston]
Columbia, SC - Ten homes were evacuated after two World War II-era bombs were found in a South Carolina neighborhood. Multiple media outlets reported the bombs were found by a man digging in his yard...
Richland County Sheriff's spokeswoman Monique Mack says the department's bomb squad found one of the 250-pound bombs had a small explosive charge still attached...
If you always wanted to be a sailor.... -- [Argghhh]
But just never got around to it... well, since I'm a models and sims guy, here's a simulation you can use to get the experience without the long periods of boredom floating about. From an email: How to Simulate Being in the Navy...
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