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  • Author unknown

    In Pictures: From Rusafa to Sadr City

    http://www.indcjournal.com/archives/003166.php
    148 days ago in INDCJournal · Authority: 85

    A new slideshow featuring various pictures from my embed is up at the Long War Journal.

  • Author unknown

    Pics from scenic Baghdad

    http://www.blackfive.net/main/2008/05/pics-from-sceni.html
    148 days ago in BLACKFIVE · Authority: 944

    Mr. Ardolino keeps us up on the latest info from Baghdad with another excellent slide show. Miss Ladybug and CJ are helping out some JROTC folks. LongTabSigO highlights a good cause. Please take a moment to view the attached flyer. This appeal, started

  • Photo of Kate

    From Rusafa to Sadr City

    http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/008690.html
    148 days ago in small dead animals · Authority: 490

    Bill Ardolino has a new photo slideshow up from his embed in Iraq.

  • Photo of Flea

    From Rusafa to Sadr City

    http://www.ghostofaflea.com/archives/010554.html
    147 days ago in Ghost of a flea · Authority: 74

    Bill Ardolino posts more photography from Baghdad, this time featuring daylight. I am struck by...

  • Author unknown

    Pictures From Iraq

    http://www.deanesmay.com/2008/05/15/pictures-from-iraq/
    148 days ago in Defending the liberal tradition in history, science, and philosophy. — Dean’s World · Authority: 407

    Bill Ardolino has a new slideshow up. (Note: to view the slideshow, click on the first picture. The others will come.)

  • Photo of michellemalkin

    Ardolino in Iraq as Mosul operation moves forward

    http://hotair.com/archives/2008/05/15/ardolino-in-iraq-as-mo...
    148 days ago in Hot Air · Authority: 3,704

    Bill Ardolino has returned to Iraq to cover the events in Sadr City for the Long War Journal, and he starts off with an interesting slide show of operations in Sadr City. [] Read the rest »

  • Photo of mudville

    Dawn Patrol

    http://www.mudvillegazette.com/archives/030092.html
    147 days ago in Mudville Gazette · Authority: 458

    Welcome to the Dawn Patrol, our daily roundup of information on the War on Terror and other topics - from the MilBlogs and other 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. Support Our Troops, Read Their Stories ---------------------------------------------------------------------- IRAQ Report: Al-Qaeda Operatives Who Infiltrated Into Iraq From Syria Kill 11 Policemen -- [MERMI Blog] U.S. and Iraqi sources reported that Al-Qaeda operatives who infiltrated into Iraq from Syria had penetrated a settlement in the Al-Anbar province and attacked the homes of 11 policemen, killing all 11 as well as the son of one of the policemen. It was reported that the infiltrators wore U.S. military uniforms and that one, a Lebanese, was caught on his way back to Syria. Iraqi Army captures Special Groups cell leader in Husayniyah -- [MNF-I] Iraqi Army captures Special Groups cell leader in Husayniyah BALAD, Iraq – The Iraqi Army captured a mid-level Special Groups cell leader in Husayniyah, responsible for coordinating improvised explosive device, rocket and smallarms fire attacks against Iraqi Security and Coalition forces, approximately 30 km north of Baghdad, May 15. Iraqi Army soldiers conducted the operation to capture the Special Groups cell leader whose cell conducted attacks against the ISF and CF as recent as April 22. These criminals emplaced explosively-formed penetrators and conducted indirect fire attacks against static Coalition force positions. Three additional suspects were detained. “The capture of this cell leader will likely affect the ability of Special Groups criminals in Husayniyah to conduct attacks against Iraqi Security and Coalition forces,” said Col. Bill Buckner, MNC-I spokesman. “This will prevent Special Groups leadership from exploiting the city as a safe haven.” Ouch! Iraq Vows It Will Not Become Another Lebanon -- [Gateway Pundit] Talk about a sucker punch? That has got to hurt. The Iraqi foreign minister said that Iraq would not allow formation of a state within a state. ...In other good news from Iraq... The US announced that it is planning on turning Al-Anbar Province over to the Iraqis in June. This is amazing news considering the sprawling province was once believed lost to the insurgency. Attacks decrease in Sadr City; fighting shifts to western Baghdad -- [LWJ - Bill Roggio] The Mahdi Army continues to strike in Sadr City, but the intensity of the attacks has decreased significantly. Fighting may be shifting westward. ...The US and Iraqi military has insisted the Special Groups - the Iranian-armed and trained factions of the Mahdi Army - and not the Mahdi Army itself, are behind the attacks in Sadr City. But the lifting of the weapons and the reduction in attacks in Sadr City suggests otherwise. The Special Groups appear to be abiding by Sadr's order for a cease-fire to some degree. Letters from Iraq: Testing Sadr's control -- [ISN Security Watch] The recent ceasefire between Moqtada al-Sadr and the Iraqi government is fragile at best, and shows that some fighters are outside al-Sadr's control, Anna Badkhen writes from Baghdad for ISN Security Watch. ...Moqtada al-Sadr may have negotiated a fragile ceasefire with the Iraqi government after several weeks of street fighting in northern Baghdad, but in this part of the city, Shiite fighters who loosely associate themselves with Sadr's Mahdi Army militia couldn't care less. "My intelligence tells me that they are Jaish al-Mahdi special groups," said US Army Captain Andrew Betson, the commander of the outpost in Saidiyah, using the Arabic name for Sadr's militia and the American military term for Shiite militants that are believed to have splintered off from the mainstream. "I do not believe that they are mainstream Jaish al-Mahdi," he said. "At least they believe that they don't have to abide by the ceasefire." American government and military officials say the ceasefire is a test of how much control Sadr has over Shiite fighters who have been at the forefront of violence against coalition troops, Iraqi government forces and Sunni Iraqis. Sadr has demonstrated the ability to rally tens of thousands of fighters to battle and to order them to stop fighting. Baghdad Patrol - Sadr City In Pictures: From Rusafa to Sadr City -- [LWJ - Bill Ardolino - in Iraq] Click image to view slideshow. To remove the text in the images, click 'hide captions'. The 3rd Squadron of the 89th Cavalry conducts operations across central and northeast Baghdad: from the Tigris River, to downtown, to residential areas in northern Rusafa District, to the edge of conflict areas in Sadr City. The 3-89 Cav's missions include force protection of Iraqi Police Stations, day and night mounted and dismounted patrols, and raids on suspected Mahdi Army roadside bomb and weapons caches. Iraq News (16 May) -- [Lt Nixon - in Iraq] The Good: A Iraqi Parliament member has claimed that national reconciliation has taken place amongst quarreling blocs, which is a way to convince investors in Egypt to bring in more money. Arab investors have been sluggish to invest in Iraq due to security issues and perceived corruption within the Iraqi government. However, Iraq doesn't have any trouble bringing in money from religious tourists to its holy cities of Karbala and Najaf. General Cites Iranian Links to ‘Special Groups’ Terrorists in Iraq -- [MNF-I] So-called “special groups” terrorists operating in Iraq apparently are receiving training, arms and funding from Iranian sources, a senior U.S. military official posted in Iraq said May 14. “Over the course of the last several months, we have publicly discussed numerous times, and shown numerous times, the evidence on four separate occasions on what we have found and continue to find: Iranian-made weapons in the hands of criminals in Iraq,” Army Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner told reporters during a Baghdad news conference. How Iran Is Killing U.S. Troops in Iraq -- [PJM - Bob Owens] American and Iraqi military forces have repeatedly claimed to have uncovered evidence that Iran is supplying both Sunni and Shia insurgent groups in Iraq with various munitions. Operations in Basra and Baghdad’s Sadr City slum in recent weeks have allegedly uncovered Iranian weapons manufactured as recently as this year, which would seem to preclude Iranian weapons having been obtained on the black market. Instead, it suggests the direct supply of belligerents inside Iraq with Iranian weaponry by the Iranian military with the knowledge of the Iranian government. The Night of Gun-Toting, Barrel-Blazing Ghost Pandas -- [Kaboom - in Iraq] Gunfire in Iraq is not a rare thing – especially at night. Most of the time, the scattered, random shots heard somewhere off in the distant shadows fade away with time, not warranting any American attention other than a brief radio report sent from the roof of the combat outpost. That’s most of the time. Occasionally though, the scattered, random shots do not fade – instead progressing into something military vernacular junkies describe as “direct” and “sustained;” i.e. a firefight. This kind of gunplay tends to require our own special brand of attentive intervention. The night of the ghost pandas was one of these times. Basra Open For Business After Operation Charge Of The Knights Summer School -- [Toby Nunn's Briefing Rm - in Iraq] Sitting in our 5 thumbs down dinning facility today eating lunch several of the Bad Voodoo NCO’s were commenting on the year. Being that we are stationed at the very camp that many soldiers visit on their way home we are constantly seeing new faces and I guess we just never paid attention to the atmosphere because even though we are permanent party here we have always been on the outside looking in and also advoid eating there as mich as possible because it is terrible. (By far the worst chow hall we have eaten in ALL year and Theater) ...The soldiers have all survived their tour which is very much like passing your finals and knowing you will graduate, (granted you show up) but still there with just enough time that you have to still “play the game”. We are graduates of combat or an “eminent danger tour” to be politically correct since its not right to admit combat these days so who are our Valedictorians? I would like to nominate the Bad Voodoo Squad Leaders, Bad Voodoo Team Leaders and Bad Voodoo Soldiers for doing it even though we didn’t always know what “it” was or why. The young men and some women that showed up and TRIED to do the right thing just not the Great Pretenders. “It’s easy to be the Hero when you’re the one telling the story” was a recent quote from a blank sleeve A/C using oxygen thief the other day. I simply replied “it’s easy to sit and criticize when you don’t know or do”, then I stole a quote from on of my favorite Political Science Professors D. Blair “Some have knowledge of and others have acquaintance with”. Chose wisely when picking sides it the topic of combat. Sanchez: Iraq Strategy Working & the War Was Worth It BLITZER: So is it moving in the right direction right now, U.S. strategy, or the wrong direction? SANCHEZ: No, absolutely, I think the tremendous successes that Dave (GEN Petraeus) and our great young Americans have achieved is, in fact, allowing us to move in the right direction. BLITZER: General, looking back, knowing what we know right now and obviously we’re all a lot smarter we are now as opposed to then. Was this war a mistake? SANCHEZ: Well I think when we look at exactly what the decision elements were that were being considered, the intelligence that we believed in, I don’t know that our nation’s leadership, both military and political, could have made any other decision. And, in fact, Saddam was a significant threat in the region and we expected that we had some sort of WMD capability that was likely to get in the hands of extremists. So, when you look back, given what we knew then, I don’t believe you can call it a mistake. Sanchez Concedes He Had Enough Troops in Iraq 2003 -- [Amy Proctor] LT GEN (RET) Ricardo Sanchez, former Multi-National Forces in Iraq commander, promoting his new book Wiser in Battle; a Soldier’s Story on CNN’s Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer, conceded he did tell Republican Senator Lindsey Graham in Iraq that he had enough troops on the ground in 2003. This contradicts his complaints both publicly since his retirement and in his book that throughout his command in Iraq he did not have enough troops. Kuwait -- [Pearl in the Desert - in Iraq] My journey home has begun – I bid a final farewell to Iraq yesterday and am now in Kuwait. ...Early Sunday morning we (those of us EWOs who are finally heading home) will move to a different base to actually begin the Warrior Transition Process. Some of it is quite important, like turning in all of our Army equipment, some of it is mandatory, like the “don’t go home and beat your family” lectures we get at the end of every deployment, but it is all intentionally designed to take longer than necessary to give us time to “decompress” from our time in a combat zone. I think their heart is in the right place but I imagine by the time I get on a plane to head home I will be more antsy than relaxed after all of the sitting around time. I will say it is nice not having a schedule today and being able to just wear my PT shorts and t-shirt in the 105 degree heat rather than having to wear my normal uniform with sleeves rolled down! AFGHANISTAN My Son's in Afghanistan: Complaining Because he isn't Fighting the Taliban Enough!-- [Times Online] Another traumatic phone call from 'Stan for our soldier's mum Mandy I have heard the term ‘I’m bored’ twice this week and am in real danger of swinging off my virtual ‘orse and drowning myself in my honey encrusted milk! Firstly, Ross phoned from Camp Bastion, full of roller-coasting emotion about having operations cancelled at the last minute every day this week. “It’s just so frustrating mum!” I bite my lip to quell the feelings of joy. So! There is a God! I immediately phone the Ministry of Pretence to thank them…..but they are too busy fielding calls from the Home Office. Baja 1000 - Part two... -- [Third Time's A Charm! - in Afghanistan] Last week I went on another convoy to Bagram. Again, I was convoy commander in what we lovingly refer to as a “two ship” (a nod to how we reference two aircraft on a CAS* mission), meaning we had two trucks with 5 guys between them both inside. The morning of the convoy I was uneasy, even secretly saying to myself, “Do I really want to go on this one today?... Is there any other way we can get these tasks completed without going to Bagram?”….. Much to my chagrin, I already knew the answers… and they were an obvious “No!” to both, and I had no choice. 24th MEU South Helmand Happy Mothers day from OEF -- [SandGram - in Afghanistan] ...All the Afghan’s that I have come in contact with are super nice and love to smile. You greet them with your right hand over your heart and say ‘Salaam Mailickem’ and they will do the same. Like people all around the world, they just want to provide food for their families and have some sort of home. I have to say that this place reminds me of Mexico in a way with the crazy drivers except you don’t see this everyday in Mexico–a flock of sheep going down the main street with cars whizzing around them at hyper speeds as the father and son try not to get them killed (now I know where our mystery meat comes from.) The women for the most part walk around in beautiful blue burkas, but the children don’t wear them from what I have seen. Sometimes I’ll be waiting for my ride to pick me up, and the children from the school two miles down will come over to say hello. Afghanistan’s Only Female Governor Meets With Coalition Forces -- [DVIDS] Afghanistan’s only female governor met with a top U.S. national security advisor at the governor’s palace in Bamyan province, Afghanistan. The governor and generals discussed ongoing needs for the province and the progress they have made with the help of the New Zealand provincial reconstruction team, TG CRIB 12, at Forward Operating Base Bamian. “In many provinces, there are problems between provincial council and local government, but here, there is not,” Sorabi said. “With the old system, the system of kings, they believed the people were slaves to them. With the new system, the democracy system, we believe we are the servants to the people.” Assignment Afghanistan: Entry #1 -- [The National Defense - embed in Iraq] So I get to work, do some nosing around, make acquaintance with a couple of people: one from the U.S. State Department and a U.S. Army Major, both of whom are members of the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT’s). I explain that I had been in-country a couple of years ago and was curious as to how/what things may have changed since then. ...And it’s here in Khost, that counterinsurgency directed and implemented by U.S. forces have met with success by way of roads, schools, clinics as well as establishing and improving economic opportunities. Okay, so now that I’ve heard about all of the success, I want to see it…experience it. U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD Pilot of First Burma Relief Mission Describes Experience -- [DVIDS] The Air Force pilot who flew the first U.S. relief flight to Burma said today that, while he and his crew were received warmly, it was clear to him that more relief is needed. "Everyone ... was so ecstatic or excited to have us there on the ground," Capt. Trevor Hall said during a teleconference with online journalists and "bloggers." "With very little broken English that we could make out, they were trying to say, 'Please bring more; please bring more.'" U.S. Aid to Myanmar Training (and Sweating) to standard -- [Strong Ideas - in Bangladesh] So the temperature in Bangladesh this time of year is hot. The average in the Farenheit grade has been between the high 80s and the high 90s with an average of 98 degrees, with a humidity of about 70%. Thus, being the sweat machine that deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and Katrina have proven me to be, I have shed about eight pounds since our arrival...now to keep it off. The exercise has enabled us to work with combat leaders from across the Asian subcontinent and it has been a great opportunity to get to know the cultures, values and training standards of these diverse peoples. It has also given us, as members of the Oregon National Guard, both Army and Air components, to get to know each other better, reminding us of the incredible value we bring to the expeditionary military environment we are currently so actively involved within. Interpol Confirms: US Democrat Was Secretly Working With FARC To Undermine Colombian Government -- [Gateway Pundit] US Democratic Congressman James McGovern was offering the Marxist FARC terrorists help in undermining the Colombian government. Interpol confirmed documents today showing that US Congressman James McGovern (D., Mass.) (pictured), a leading opponent of the Colombia free-trade deal has been working with a go-between, who has been offering the FARC terrorists help in undermining Colombia's elected and popular government. Colombia is America's closest ally in South America. Saudis see no reason to raise oil production now -- [AP] RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) - Saudi Arabian leaders made clear Friday they see no reason to increase oil production until their customers demand it, apparently rebuffing President Bush amid soaring U.S. gasoline prices. During Bush's second personal appeal this year to King Abdullah, Saudi officials stuck to their position that they are already meeting demand, the president's national security adviser told reporters. WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISM Dead Guy OBL Awakens Again For New Message -- [Jawa Report] From Laura Mansfield Just two weeks shy of the tenth anniversary of Osama Bin Laden's declaration in a televised press conference that he "does not differentiate between those dressed in military uniforms and civilians: they are all targets". Bin Laden once again attempts to take center stage, with the announcement of a message addressing the 60th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel. Do you want to help fight the cyber-GWOT? -- [jihadi SMACKDOWN of the day] HT: Jawa You can, and best of all it's easy! Help YouTube SMACKDOWN remove jihadi recruiting videos from YouTube. We know how valuable your time is, so we've made it simple. All you need to do is subscribe to this feed and flag ONE video a day. Al Qaeda Leader Punked -- [Strategy Page] May 15, 2008: The head of al Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al Masri, just got demoted. The U.S. reward for his capture, dead or alive, was reduced from $5 million to $100,000. There's been no response to this from mister al Masri, but one can assume that he is not happy. It's difficult to keep track of who is winning in the war on terror. But one measure of success is the size of the rewards offered for terrorist leaders. High rewards indicate a dangerous man. On the downside, those rewards require the guy in question has to be careful with where he goes and who he associates with. Earlier this month, Iraqi police thought they had arrested al Masri, but it turned out to be a case of mistaken identity. That incident apparently caused the U.S. to review its rewards policy for al Qaeda officials in Iraq. It's been a bad year for al Qaeda there, with heavy losses and a major reduction in capabilities. National Lab Security Failure - We Get What We Pay For -- [Counterterrorism Blog] Today, the Washington Times reported the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, that conducts research on America’s nuclear weapons and houses special nuclear material for that research, failed a crucial counter-terror security exercise (also reported in today’s CTB Newslinks section). The exercise was a “force-on-force” operation where mock commandos infiltrated and took over key parts of the facility, managing to gain access to what would have been quantities of that special nuclear material. SUPPORTING THE TROOPS...OR NOT NPR radio interview with DJ Emery -- [Soldiers' Angels Germany] The story focuses on the infection which nearly cost DJ his life after being wounded in February 2007. The infection which caused his doctors and his mom to be faced with the gut-wrenching choice between life or limb almost 6 weeks after his injury. Going back to the beginning, DJ also tells about getting blown up. "I was trying to get up, find my rifle and stuff... but I couldn't move. I couldn't see anything, either." Home from war, injured vet recalls darkest hour May 15: A roadside bomb left Sergeant Israel Del Toro severely burned and with little chance of survival. But medical advancements, 97 surgeries, and Del Toro's unwavering devotion to his son kept him going. NBC's Anna Davlantes reports. Wounded Warrior Games -- [Blog-ah] Wounded Warrior Summit helps warriors keep their skills current MADIGAN ARMY MEDICAL CENTER, Fort Lewis, Wash. –Madigan Army Medical Center’s Warrior Transition Battalion will host a two-day Wounded Warrior Summit May 20-21. Day one will kick off at the Fort Lewis Cowan Stadium. Hundreds of wounded warriors will participate in a variety of competition-style adaptive recreation activities and military skills testing – all are designed to prepare wounded Soldiers for their transition back to active service or civilian life. Additionally, there will be a variety of family oriented activities, information booths, and lots of food. Real People, Real Support We, as a society, are failures. -- [Chuck Z] ...All three were lauded by their local elected representatives and each was Proclaimed "insert entertainer's name here day" in their hometowns. They were given "heroes welcomes." Hero refers to people that, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, display courage and the will for self-sacrifice, that is, heroism, for some greater good, originally of martial courage or excellence but extended to more general moral excellence. Here's my point (and I do have one): The American Public, represented by the general public in these three towns, are so hopelessly out of touch with what deserves adulation and exaltation that they choose these individuals to put up on pedestals and give heroes (or prodigal children's) welcomes. As a society, unless we can change this, we are doomed to fail. 1,000 -- [ So that friendly competition where Jack Bauer was rushing to get home before I finished writing 1,000 cards for our wounded soldiers for Soldiers' Angels Germany. Well the competition is over. Jack Bauer made it home. But I had finished writing all the cards two days before. But we mailed 159 cards yesterday. Running total: 1,000 Here's the link to the post that got me started. If you want more information on how to start your own letter/card writing campaign (or other volunteer opportunities), visit Soldiers' Angels Germany MILITARY / MILITARY LIFE Disqualified General Won't Quit Tribunals-- [Miami Herald] San Juan, Puerto Rico - A Pentagon official said Wednesday that he will not resign as legal advisor to war-crimes tribunals at Guantánamo, despite his removal from the trial of Osama bin Laden's driver because of a lack of impartiality. But Air Force Brig. Gen. Thomas Hartmann left open the possibility that he could step aside if questions about his neutrality bog down other cases. "I am the legal advisor today. We take it one day at a time," Hartmann told The Associated Press. Last week, a military judge barred Hartmann from any role in the case against Salim Hamdan - Osama bin Laden's driver, possibly for case to go to trial - because he aligned himself too closely with prosecutors. Hartmann said he will abide by the judge's ruling and noted that he did not testify in the Hamdan case. Purple Heart For PTSD? -- [A Soldier's Perspective] It shouldn't be so, but Defense Secretary Robert Gates is saying that the possibility of awarding the Purple Heart to veterans of Iraq and Aghanistan "needs to be looked at". Does PTSD Warrant a Purple Heart? Readjustment And Trivia -- [Bill and Bob's Excellent Afghan Adventure - recently retuned home] The Army warns you about readjustment and "reintegration." Oddly enough, a lot of it is true. They warn about depression, or let-down. They warn about the family and things that happen normally as part of reintegration. A lot of it is true. I never felt overly "jacked-up" in Afghanistan. It all felt pretty normal to me, actually. There were a few times when I knew that I could easily be killed, and there were several times when I knew without a doubt that if the ACM had chosen to hit us at that moment that I was in a very very precarious position. I did, however, feel alert. There have been times here in the States that I have been inattentive, even though I was going through the motions. Those lean, mean, green Marines -- [Military Watch] When the Marines of the 1st Battalion 6th Marines come out of Garmsir, Afghanistan, where they've been fighting for two weeks, they will bring out with them their ... waste. Along with weapons and ammo, MREs, combat first-aid gear and a hundred other items, Marines are issued WAG (waste alleviation and gelling) bags. These are plastic pouches that hold granular stuff like kitty litter and, well, everything you need when other facilities aren't available. It all goes in a goof-proof zip-lock bag when you're done. And goes back in your rucksack. And you WILL carry it all out, Devil Dog. It's kind to the environment, of course. But it's also sound tactics. "Anything we take in, an MRE or a battery or anything, we take out," Army Wife Shares True Feelings -- [A Soldier's Perspective] -I’m the one you walk past in Wal-Mart smelling a man’s brand of deodorant and buying the same brand of shower gel. I’m trying to remember his smell. I’m the one that sprays his cologne on his pillow so it seems like he is by me when I go to sleep. -“I’m the one you see in the back of the church, a tear running down my face as the congregation prays for our country and our troops. He’s one of them. “I’m the one you beep at for sitting at a green light. I was looking at the flag blowing in the breeze at the corner gas station and thinking of all it means to me, to him, and to our life together. -“I’m the one with a trunk full of flat rate boxes and customs forms, I know my local postal workers by name. The package I send him makes him seem close to me. -“I’m the one you walk past as I completely fall apart and lose it because I left my cell phone at home. You might think ‘it’s just a phone,’ but it’s the life line of my marriage and it was his day to call. -“I’m the one you have labeled as quiet or reserved, the one who is never really part of anything, you don’t know I wear the faraway look because my heart boarded the plane with his... Saying Goodbye WELCOME HOME Home at last -- [Yellowhammering Afghanistan - home from Afghanistan] After a day of bus rides and airplane flights we were finally reunited with our families for a very brief ceremony in Montgomery Tuesday night. Family and friends cheered as our bus pulled in at the armory in Montgomery. After hugs, kisses and congratulations were passed around, all of us were just ready to get home. As we neared home, signs, banners and balloons lined our street and were scattered on the roadways in McCalla. (Thank you, Grafix South for the great job on all the signs and the Collins and Wade families for the surprise balloon work.) Back from Iraq, Army Strong Families, Reintegrating Balance -- [A Dog Faced Chaplin - home from Iraq] I am happy to write tonight from the comfort of my own home! I have been home now a couple of weeks and our Soldiers are streaming in every day from Iraq upon our successful completion of the mission there. I had the opportunity to return with the Advance Party in order to conduct a retreat for the Brigade. The 3 day retreat was sponsored by the Army Strong Bonds Program which is an initiative of the US Army Chaplain Corps to aid in building Families...Army Strong. POLITICS Ask the Candidates -- [MilBlogs - Andi] Do you have a question about "military and veteran issues" that you'd like to pose to the Presidential candidates? Here's your chance: Take part in this historic, online debate over military and veteran issues. You could be one of the 12 people chosen by our editors to have your question directly answered by Obama, Clinton and McCain. This is your chance to ask the candidates about the most important issues in the military community. Click here to submit your video questions. War Spending Part of Supplemental Bill Defeated -- [Defense News] House Republicans rebelled against a Democratic leadership-crafted emergency war spending bill today by helping anti-war members of the majority party kill a provision that would have sent $162.5 billion to the Pentagon for the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts. The move by a rebellious block of House Republicans sent ripple waves across Capitol Hill and cast doubt over when Congress will be able to send a final version of the measure to the White House. ...It is unclear when the House will vote again on the war funding measure. Pentagon Endorses Transfer of GI Bill Benefits to Spouses, Children -- [DefenseLink] WASHINGTON, May 15, 2008 – The Pentagon provided proposed legislation to Congress to make it easier for servicemembers to transfer GI Bill education benefits to their spouses or children and to increase the tuition ceiling amount paid by the program, a senior Defense Department official said here today. The proposal was sent to Capitol Hill on April 21. It reflects departmental desire to improve education and job opportunities for servicemembers and military spouses that President Bush cited in his Jan. 28 State of the Union speech. The ability for servicemembers to transfer their Montgomery GI Bill education benefits to spouses exists now, but it’s an either/or re-enlistment option, with most servicemembers choosing bonuses when they sign up for another “hitch,” Bill Carr, deputy undersecretary of defense for military personnel policy, said during a conference call with military analysts. Army spouses routinely say that obtaining education benefits is one of their top concerns, Carr noted. I'm no fan of Senator Jim Webb -- [Signaleer] That said, Senator Webb is not an armchair quarterback. He is a Vietnam Marine who received the Navy Cross for heroism. Under President Reagan, he resigned as the Secretary of the Navy as a protest because the Administration wouldn't increase his department's budget to handle the Cold War mission. His son is a Marine and OIF veteran. And yet he's still willing to throw the mission and us with it, under the bus. Aside from that, His new bill, S22, a generous (too generous) restructuring of the GI Bill, is really another attempt to bleed the DoD budget. Apparently ... -- [CounterColumn] ...we're NOT at war with Al Qaeda in Iraq. Gary Hart: "If John McCain seriously believes we are at war with al Qaeda in Iraq, that alone is such a serious error in judgment as to rank him with George W. Bush at his worst and therefore disqualify him from any chance to govern this country." I suspect Mr. Hart's viewpoint is news to Al Qaeda in Iraq. Apparently, David Bellavia imagined the whole thing. Oh. Hart compares neoconservatives to Nazis for good measure. McCain predicts 2013 Iraq exit8 hours ago -- [Times Union] ...McCain's comments quickly drew widespread condemnation from Democrats and questions about whether he was actually setting a timetable for withdrawal, something he has strenuously criticized. "It's not a timetable; it's victory. It's victory, which I have always predicted," McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, told reporters. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., who favors a withdrawal, said McCain offered no concrete proposals to back up his goal. "This is not the first time Sen. McCain has predicted victory in Iraq," Clinton said. "He promises more of the same Bush policies that have weakened our military, our national security, and our standing in the world. Our country cannot afford more empty promises on Iraq." ACLU Manufactures a Crisis With Iraqi Detainees -- [LT Nixon - in Iraq] The wags at the ACLU are attempting to make mountains of molehills with the issue of juvenile detainees at Camp Cropper in Baghdad. After Abu Ghraib, the U.S. military realized the urgent necessity to be more forthcoming with how Iraqi detainees were treated and the importance of rehabilitation to the overall counter-insurgency campaign as Small Wars Journal explains. The ACLU "broke" this earth-shattering news with a cornball press release yesterday, which made a big stink in the media. ...I guess the ACLU doesn't have "Teh Google" at work, because the issue of juvenile detainees in Iraq was already in the news...last year. Similar to the ~100,000 juvenile prisoners in America, the juvenile detainees are taken off Iraq's streets because they are in urgent need of reform and rehabilitation. Obama Moonbat... Another Strange Foreign Policy Gaffe -- [Gateway Pundit] "Right now, we don't have enough troops, and NATO hasn't provided enough troops because they are still angry about us going into Iraq." Hmm... Do you suppose Obama heard that at church? This was one of those slips that reveals the Far Left core of the Obamessiah. ...Truly... Obama sees ending the Iraq "mistake" a key point in his foreign policy agenda. But, more than that, his statement shows that Obama believes our NATO allies act in mean spiteful ways and make foreign policy decisions based on emotion. That seems a bit immature for the man who wants to be president of the United States, wouldn't you say? And, where did Obama get this?... From Daily Kos or Trinity UCC? Obama is wrong about NATO troops. Obama's sniper tale? When he stood up to Detroit's 'cold' shoulder -- [LA Times] Is this another Bosnian sniper incident, where a Democratic candidate for president describes a scene involving some personal courage, but later videotape shows that maybe perhaps it wasn't really quite all like that exactly? THE MEDIA Media victory in Iraq -- [From the Fronline] Sociologist Andrew M. Lindner writes in the latest issue of the American Sociological Association’s Context magazine about his findings on how the media reported, and continue to report, the Iraq war. He says, the dearth of embedded reporting effectively gave an Iraq “media victory” for the Bush Administration, Tribeca Film Festival: Lioness. -- [My American-Iraq Life] a man with an Obama pin was behind me. He looked really excited...not for the film, he just seemed excited about life...really smiley and non-threatening. I asked him what brought him out to see the film... and he said, "it seemed interesting." He then asked me the same question, I told him I was a vet and was really excited to see a documentary that just focused on female Soldiers. ...I had no idea before seeing this that there were groups of females nicknamed "Lioness", who supported raids. They went out with male Soldiers to search female Iraqis and to ease them while their houses/husbands were being searched. ...Throughout the film, you learn about each females story and struggles. They all engaged in fire fights, some have killed, they had to prove themselves to the male Soldiers, and you get a glimpse into what war is like through a females eyes. Silver Star Being Used as Feminist Symbol -- [The Tank - Elaine Donnelly] A front-page May 1 story by Washington Post reporter Ann Scott Tyson, titled “Woman Gains Silver Star – And Removal from Combat; Case Shows Contradictions of Army Rules,” omitted much of the story in order to push a favorite feminist cause. The Bloodless Bullets of Baghdad -- [Confederate Yankee] I suspect that this is less a case of "fauxtography" than a curious physiological response, but Associated Press cameraman Karim Kadim captured this photo of a Sadr City woman having a bullet removed from her forearm. Here is an enlarged and cropped version of the photo as tweaked in PhotoShop to focus on the wound. I got as close as I could without distorting the image significantly. Matthews Rips Guest For Ignorance of History, Then Claims Cole Attack Happened Under Bush -- [NewsBusters] Message to Chris Matthews: when ripping a guest for his lack of historical knowledge, try to avoid making a history mistake of your own in the same segment. It happened on this afternoon's Hardball. After lambasting a guest for not knowing his Neville Chamberlain history, Matthews surmised that the attack on the USS Cole in October, 2000 happened under . . . President Bush. HUMOR / SATIRE Day By Day (Need more? Dawn Patrols Archives are here.) Iraq, Afghanistan, War, Terrorism, Military, Politics, Media, MilBlogs, dawn patrolMudville

  • Author unknown

    In Pictures: From Rusafa to Sadr City

    http://blog.yourpharmaciespro.org/bg/Body/64053/in-pictures-...
    145 days ago in Body · Authority: 2

    In Pictures: From Rusafa to Sadr City by Body @ Sun, 18 May 2008 14:55:29 -0700 Images from Bill Ardolino's recent embed with the 3rd Squadron of the 89th Cavalry in Rusafa and Military Police units in Sadr City.... Original post: In Pictures: From Rusafa to Sadr City by at Google Blog Search: city Blog tag: Body Technorati tag: Body Sat, 17 May 2008 16:55:19 -0700

  • Author unknown

    16 May SWJ News, Op-Ed, Events & Blog Roundup

    http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/2008/05/16-may-swj-news-ope...
    147 days ago in 坓⁊求杯 · Authority: 337

    IRAQ McCain Sees Troops Leaving Iraq by 2013 - Shear and DeYoung, Washington Post McCain Predicts Troops Out by 2013 - Neuman and Reston, Los Angeles Times McCain: US Can Win Iraq War Within Four Years - Reuters Arab Neighbors Reluctant to Offer Embrace - Karen DeYoung, Washington Post More Pressure Needed to Curtail Iran’s Destabilizing Activities - AFPS General Cites Iranian Links to ‘Special Groups’ Terrorists in Iraq - AFPS Gunmen Wound Three Iranian Embassy Staff in Baghdad - Reuters Iraqi Forces Mount al-Qaida Hunt in Mosul - Associated Press Al-Maliki Offers Amnesty in Mosul - Associated Press Iraqi PM Vows to Impose Order in al Qaeda Haven - Reuters US General Cites Steady Progress in Baghdad, Basra, Mosul - AFPS Commander Charts Progress in Baghdad, Diyala - AFPS ‘Village of Hope’ Graduates Ready to Rebuild in Iraq - AFPS House GOP Strips War Funds From Bill - S.A. Miller, Washington Times House Blocks Iraq War Money and Sets Pullout Plan - Reuters Blackwater’s Impunity - New York Times editorial Attacks Decrease in Sadr City - Bill Roggio, The Long War Journal We Lied - Richard Fernandez, The Belmont Club What Truce? The War Over the Wall - Dr. iRack, Abu Muqawama How to Exploit Sucess in Iraq - Uncle Jimbo, Blackfive In Pictures: From Rusafa to Sadr City - Bill Ardolino, The Long War Journal Another AP Photographer, a Magic Bullet... - Steve Schippert, The Tank Iraq Status Report - Iraq Status Report AFGHANISTAN / PAKISTAN TRIBAL AREAS Pakistan Defies U.S. on Halting Afghanistan Raids - Jane Perlez, New York Times Pakistan: No Knowledge of Missile Strike - Ali and King, Los Angeles Times Afghanistan's President Wants $50bn - Bronwen Maddox, London Times UN Official Raises Alarms Over Killings - Carlotta Gall, New York Times UN Official Says Foreign Agents are Killing Afghans - Associated Press Hunger and Food Prices Push Afghanistan to Brink - Carlotta Gall, New York Times Afghan Aid that Works - Mohammad Ehsan Zia, Christian Science Monitor opinion Successful Marine Operations in Helmand - Herschel Smith, The Captain's Journal IRAN Iran Calls UN Sanctions Illegal, Offers a Proposal for Talks - Associated Press Iran Says Nuclear Talks With UN Watchdog Positive - Reuters Iran's Pawns Move - Arnaud de Borchgrave, Washington Times opinion THE LONG WAR Euro 2008: al-Qa'eda Threatens Attack - Alexandra Williams, London Daily Telegraph Torture's Blowback - Washington Post editorial Former 'Islamic Extremists' - James Zumwalt, Washington Times opinion The French for Terrorist Prosecution - Phillip Carter, Intel Dump We’re the Real Enemy - Emanuele Ottolenghi, Contentions US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DoD Scales Back AFRICOM Ambitions - Gordon Lubold, Christian Science Monitor GI Bill Blues - Los Angeles Times editorial Reagan and the Draft - Lawrence Korb, Washington Times opinion Proper Promotions - Max Boot, Contentions This is Promising News - David Betz, Kings of War The New Generalship - Mark Safranski, ZenPundit McMaster Promoted, Finally... - Abu Muqawama, Abu Muqawama Last War, This War, Next War - Jules Crittenden, Forward Movement Prisoners in Kosovo - Phillip Carter, Intel Dump US DEPARTMENT OF STATE State Nominee Defends VOA - Nicholas Kralev, Washington Times Passport Cards Called Security Vulnerability - Bill Gertz, Washington Times Gates on Diplomats, Again... - Galrahn, Information Dissemination US INTERAGENCY Gates Lauds Moves to Bolster Civilian Agencies - AFPS Of Budgets and Priorities and the War of Ideas - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner US INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY The Impartial Intelligence Analyst - Richard Fernandez, The Belmont Club AFRICA Council Backs Stronger UN Presence in Somalia - Reuters Darfur Rebel Leader Gains Momentum - Derek Kilner, VOA Zimbabwe's Opposition Seeks Intervention - Craig Timberg, Washington Post Zimbabwe’s Rulers Unleash Police on Anglicans - Celia Dugger, New York Times Zimbabwe Presidential Runoff on June 27 - Associated Press Zimbabwe Bank Issues $500m Note - BBC News Kenya Intimidating Refugees Out of Camp-aid Group - Reuters Lagos Pipeline Blast 'Kills 100' - BBC News Algeria Issues Rare Kidnapping Tally - Associated Press AMERICAS Venezuelan Help to Colombian Rebels Highly Disturbing - David Gollust, VOA Colombia Did Not Alter FARC Files - Sibylla Brodzinsky, Christian Science Monitor FARC Computer Files Are Authentic - Juan Forero, Washington Post Interpol Says Colombia FARC Documents Authentic - Reuters FARC Rebel Link Files 'Genuine' - BBC News Chávez and Colombia - Wall Street Journal editorial Why is Chavez Supporting FARC? - Westhawk, Westhawk Congress Cuts Back Bush Anti-drug Plan for Mexico - Reuters Three Killed as Violence Mars Dominican Election - Reuters ASIA PACIFIC China Quake Toll 'To Top 50,000' - BBC News Rescue, Recovery Efforts Continue After China Quake - Jill Drew, Washington Post Toll Rises Amid Struggle to Reach Survivors - Andrew Jacobs, New York Times China Allows Foreign Teams - Magnier and Demick, Los Angeles Times Hope Fades for China Missing - Jane Macartney, London Times In Departure, China Invites Outside Help - French and Wong, New York Times Rescuers Aim for Chinese Villages Yet Unreached - Jim Yardley, New York Times China Earthquake: 50,000 May Have Died - David Blair, London Daily Telegraph What's Still to Fall in China - Boston Globe editorial China Shows a Human Face - Con Coughlin, London Daily Telegraph opinion Burma Requests Aid to Rehabilitate Farms - Kazmin and Branigin, Washington Post Burma Farmers May Miss Harvest - New York Times Burma Junta Hails Poll Win as People Suffer - Kenneth Denby, London Times Burma: Monks vs. Junta - Christopher Johnson, Christian Science Monitor Pentagon Calls on Burma's Junta to Accept Aid - Al Pessin, VOA Aid for Burma 'Must be Monitored' - BBC News Limited Options in Burma - Austin Bay, Washington Times opinion Burma's Junta Will Survive the Cyclone - Leslie Hook, Wall Street Journal opinion N. Korea May be Hit by a New Famine - Leo Lewis, London Times Protest Over New Fiji Death Threat - Mark Dodd, The Australian Australian Anger Over Fiji Threat - BBC News EUROPE New Russian President Vows to Fund Nuclear Weapons - Associated Press Italy Arrests Nearly 400 in Security Crackdown - Associated Press Italian Police Swoop on Migrants - BBC News Russia, Georgia Joust Over Talk on Abkhazia Base - Associated Press Russia Accuses Georgia of Aiding Rebels - Reuters Serbians Close to Coalition Government - Associated Press Cyprus, Turkey Peace Talks Fading - Andrew Borowiec, Washington Times Serbia's Mighty Challenge - Washington Times editorial MIDDLE EAST Bush Denounces Mideast Extremists - Abramowitz and Branigin, Washington Post Bush Exalts Ties to Israel - Joshua Mitnick, Washington Times Bush Outlines Blunt Vision for ME - Ilene Prusher, Christian Science Monitor Bush to Hold Talks With Saudi King on Oil Prices - VOA Bush to Press Saudi King on Oil Prices and Iran - Reuters Abbas Pledges to End Israeli Occupation - BBC News Israel Warns of Gaza Rocket Range - BBC News Bin Laden Marks Israel Anniversary with Combat Vow - Reuters Olmert's Political Abyss - Washington Times editorial A Test for Abbas - Adam Brodsky, New York Post opinion Lebanese Adversaries to Meet - Challiss McDonough, VOA Lebanese to Hold Crisis Talks in Qatar - Reuters Feuding Lebanese Factions Reach Deal to Elect President - Associated Press Deal Seeks to End Lebanon Strife - BBC News Hezbollah Shows Might in Lebanon, but Faces Limits - Associated Press SOUTH ASIA Mystery Militants Claim Jaipur Carnage - Bruce Loudon, The Australian Islamist Group Threatens India Tourist Attacks - Rhys Blakely, London Times Militant Group Claims India Bombing - Associated Press Jihad in Jaipur - Wall Street Journal editorial Bickering in Pakistan - London Times editorial Sri Lanka Fighting Kills 29 - Associated Press Suicide Blast Kills 10 in Sri Lanka - Associated Press WORLD Is Democracy Advancing or Retreating? - Clifford May, Washington Times opinion RECOMMENDED READING Links I Liked - Chris Blattman, Chris Blattman Iraq Status Report - Iraq Status Report UK CT & COIN Features - Will Hartley, Insurgency Research Group EVENTS OF INTEREST 4-5 June 208 - 2008 Joint Symposium - Strategic Re-Assessment: From Long-Range Planning to Future Strategy and Forces (Public Event). Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Institute for National Strategic Studies, the Office of the Secretary of Defense and US Joint Forces Command. Fundamental to the development and implementation of a successful future defense posture is a foundation comprised of a well-reasoned assessment of the future security environment, a clear understanding of the “realm of the possible” for and limitations of military forces, and an understanding of the nation’s security objectives. Developing an appropriate assessment of the future security environment is not something done in a vacuum as it is impossible to fully separate purely military or national security issues from other elements of the national and global environment. This is particularly true for the United States. Technical innovation and adaptation, the rise and decline of other actors on the international stage, domestic politics, globalization and its effects on trade, migration, communications, and the power of nonstate actors all, bear heavily on any security assessment. There is no shortage of assessments of the future security environment. In the last decade, National Defense University itself has produced several, most recently, Strategic Challenges – America’s Global Security Agenda. The objectives of this symposium are to examine some of these strategic assessments, to review our success at incorporating their key elements into strategic and operational plans, and to propose ways to institutionalize best practices into the process for future force development and joint force planning. We will explore these issues through a series of panel discussions and keynote addresses. Featured speakers will include military officers, government officials, and experts from research institutes. 17-19 June 208 - 3rd Annual North American Security Colloquium: Wars Without Borders (Public Event). Kingston, Ontario. Sponsored by the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College, Queen's Centre for International Relations, and Defence Management Studies at Queen's University, and the Canadian 'Forces' Land Doctrine and Training System. The conflicts today in Iraq and in Afghanistan are examples of what some leading scholars and many commanders have termed “continuous wars among the people.” This type of conflict is developing or occurring in other regions of the world, in Africa and in Latin America for example. In many of these situations traditional and legal borders no longer define or contain the conflict, nor do obvious sovereign entities control belligerents. International commitments to control these conflicts necessarily demand complex, multi-dimensional diplomatic, military, police, and humanitarian responses. What has been learned about such conflicts from operations in Iraq and Afghanistan may to some degree be transferable to conflicts in other regions. Assuming that the international community may well face future operations characterized by regional, borderless “wars among the people”, the centres at Queen’s University and their partners propose convening a distinguished group of approximately 200 experts from academic, military, governmental, and international institutions to examine how best to prepare commanders, military units and governments to plan for and conduct complex, multi-dimensional stability campaigns in this new environment. 16-18 September 2008 - The U.S. Army and the Interagency Process: A Historical Perspective (Public Event - Conference / Call for Papers). Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Sponsored by the U.S. Army Combat Studies Institute. The symposium will include a variety of guest speakers, panel sessions, and general discussions. This symposium will explore the partnership between the U.S. Army and government agencies in attaining national goals and objectives in peace and war within a historical context. Separate international topics may be presented. The symposium will also examine current issues, dilemmas, problems, trends, and practices associated with U.S. Army operations requiring close interagency cooperation.

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