Shia and Sunni Religious Leaders Met in Najaf Tuesday to Discuss Peace and Unity in Iraq

Proving that the Surge has provided a stable background and returnned many areas of Iraq into safe havens from terrorist attacks religious leaders from both Sunni and Shia sects met recently to discuss the progress of peace and security.

Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the top-ranking Shia cleric in Iraq, hosted the meeting, calling for an end to the sectarian violence that has plagued the country. Leading Sunni religious figures also attended, including Sheikh Khalid al-Mullah of the Sunni Muslim Scholars Association.

The an-Najaf talks come at a time when other factors, including the troop surge, the change in military tactics, the increasing effectiveness of the Iraqi security forces and the formation of Concerned Local Citizens groups, are having a positive impact on the security situation, military officials said.

Violence in Iraq is at its lowest level since January 2006.

Attack levels are continuing a downward trend that began in June of this year, with the number of weekly attacks reaching its lowest level since early February 2006 -- before the Samarra mosque bombing that month. Iraqi civilian deaths have also declined in recent months, and despite some sensational attacks on civlian targets, have been on a general downward trend since December 2006.

Even Mr. Murtha the mouth peace of doom and gloom has had to admit that progress is occuring and the surge is working. While leaders on teh ground admit that, "There is still a lot of work to be done..." the efforts towards peace by Sistani, Mullah and other religious leaders, demonstrate their concern for the safety of all Iraqis.

This is progress that can not be ignored.

New Healthcare Center Proves Adage: If You Build It, They Will Come

Rural Community All Smiles About New Healthcare Center

By Norris Jones
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

BAGHDAD — If you build it, they will come. And when a new primary healthcare center (PHC) recently opened between Baghdad and Fallujah, come they did in record numbers. Dr. Mohammad Gassan said at the old clinic they were seeing 75 to 150 patients daily. Today they are treating 250 to 450 patients daily.

“Some mothers are walking miles to bring their sick infants here,” he said. Through word of mouth, residents have heard that a new facility has opened with new equipment and they want the very best for their families, so they are willing to come from long distances to get here, he continued. “With the weather getting cooler, the most common ailment we’re seeing is upper respiratory infections including colds and flu.”

The clinic is open six days a week, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Physician’s assistant Sa’ad Naji Fayadz, who is in charge of the clinic’s respiratory department, points out that the project was delayed for more than two years and people kept asking, “When will it be finished?”

The delays continued and the situation did not improve “until we got rid of the insurgents.” He said the community was very grateful when construction restarted and the new facility finally opened earlier this month. “It’s very beautiful. Everything is as it should be and we’ve never seen a place like this in our lives,” he added.

Navy Cmdr. Steve Frost with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers knows from personal experience the turnaround in that community. “In April, as we were exiting the unfinished facility, we had a 40-minute gunfight there during which one of our vehicles was destroyed by an RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade). Today, you have mothers coming up, inviting you to hold their babies, a big step for Iraqis. It is truly rewarding to see the smiles on their faces and this has been well worth the effort.” Frost is overseeing the construction of 30 new PHCs in Baghdad Province and 11 PHCs in Al Anbar Province.

Read the Rest...

Continuing the Work of Dismantling the AlQaeda Network

Coalition forces with help from local Iraqis detained 18 suspects, and found numerous weapons caches Monday through Thursday during operations north of Bayji:

BAGHDAD, Iraq – During a multi-day operation, Coalition forces targeted al-Qaeda in Iraq networks operating north of Bayji. Reports indicate al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders routinely traveled through the targeted area, and used it as a logistical sanctuary and safe haven to plan and coordinate attacks.

With the help of two local Iraqis the ground force located and detained 18 suspected
terrorists and discovered two weapons caches, which were safely destroyed on site.

During the same operation Thursday, Coalition forces returned to the community and offered their condolences to local leaders and the families of three civilians killed Monday when their vehicle sped through a road block, ignoring Coalition forces’ warnings (SEE MNF-I RELEASE A071127a “Coalition forces target al-Qaeda senior leaders, two terrorists killed,” dated Nov. 27, 2007).

“Coalition forces continue to work with local Iraqis to gather information and help rid Iraq of terrorists who threaten the Iraqi people,” said Maj. Winfield Danielson, MNF-I spokesman. "With the help of the Awakening and Concerned Local Citizens, we can continue to dismantle the terrorist networks.”

Good work men, your efforts have mde it possible for thousands of Iraqi refugees to return to their homes.

Iraqi Army Seizes Counterfeit Money

IA Soldiers captured two insurgents and recovered 900 million conterfeit Iraqi Dinars:

FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – Iraqi Army troops captured two insurgents and recovered counterfeit Iraqi dinars during an operation in eastern Baghdad, Nov. 27.

More than 900 million counterfeit Iraqi dinars was uncovered in the operation, along with a printing press and four computers. The press and computers were also seized.

The suspects are being held for questioning.

Good work men, keep it up. Taking this funny money off the streets, no doubt intended to fund insurgent activities, will definately put a crimp in the terrorrists ability to operate.

VBIED Discovered Near Office of Council of Representatives Member Adnan al-Dulaimi; 40 Members of His Staff Were Detained

Iraqi and Coalition forces discovered a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, or VBIED, near the office compound of Council of Representatives member Adnan al-Dulaimi yesterday while pursuing suspected criminals wanted for the murder of a Concerned Citizen:

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqi and Coalition forces discovered a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, or VBIED, near the office compound of Council of Representatives member Adnan al-Dulaimi yesterday while pursuing suspected criminals.

More than 40 suspected criminals have been detained as a result of this operation.

Iraqi and Coalition forces responded to a report of the murder of a Concerned Local Citizen member approximately one block from al-Dulaimi's office compound. Witnesses observed the murder.

Coalition forces found a car matching the description of one that left the murder scene parked in the street and two men apparently taking refuge in al-Dulaimi's office compound. Coalition and Iraqi forces questioned al-Dulaimi's security guards and detained eight of them.

Independent of the murder investigation, a separate vehicle was found on the street outside of al-Dulaimi's office compound, and it appeared to be wired as a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, or SVBIED. One of the eight detained security guards had in his possession the keys to the SVBIED.

An additional five suspects were detained at a checkpoint near the office compound.

During the transfer of detainees, one suspect escaped. Iraqi Security Forces fired at the fleeing man, wounding two civilians, who were transported to a local hospital.

Coalition forces destroyed the VBIED with a controlled detonation, but a secondary explosion wounded five Coalition force soldiers and one Iraqi civilian, who was evacuated to a medical treatment facility. The Coalition force soldiers sustained only minor injuries and were returned to duty.

Iraqi security forces went to the residence of al-Dulaimi, approximately a half kilometer from his office compound, where they found him at home, detained 30-40 additional security and staff, and asked al-Dulaimi to remain in his residence for his own personal safety. Iraqi Security Forces posted guards outside his home and placed a curfew in the area.

The incidents are currently under investigation.

As many are want to say: developing....

Another Tip, Another Cache

Troopers form the 2nd Inf Div acting on a tip form area residents captured a cache in Eastern baghdad. This is the fourth recovered weapons cache this week:

FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – Soldiers with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, recovered a weapons cache for the fourth time in a week in eastern Baghdad, Nov. 28.

Acting on a tip from an area resident, Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment found five 120mm mortar rounds, 34 82mm mortar rounds, eight 60mm mortar rounds, six rocket-propelled grenade rounds, one 60mm mortar base plate, 150 rounds of small arms ammunition and four improvised explosive device triggers.

The discovery comes as U.S. and Iraqi forces continue to sweep out insurgent strongholds in eastern Baghdad. There has been a substantial reduction in violence in eastern Baghdad, and the recovered cache builds on that momentum.

Weapons and explosives off the streets mean that more and more residents can continue to live in peace, adn have their lives returned to normal.

"Black Lions" Capture Insurgent Leaders

Units of the 1st Battalion, 28th Inf Regiment "Black Lions" captured two extremist leaders during operations in West Rashid yesterday:

BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad forces arrested two alleged criminal extremist leaders and another suspect during a cordon and search operation in West Rashid, Nov. 28.

“Black Lions” from Company D, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, captured the suspects during an early morning operation.

One of the alleged extremist leaders suspected of ordering attacks on Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces, assassinations and kidnappings, was detained after he tried to drive through a checkpoint.

Another alleged extremist leader, believed to have ordered mortar and rocket attacks on Coalition bases, rocket-propelled grenade attacks and placing improvised explosive devices, was also arrested during the raid. The two alleged insurgents, along with a third suspect, are being held for further questioning.

Leadership positions in the insurgency are one of the hardest positions to fill, simply because we capture so many of them. Good work boys!

Web Reconnaissance for 11/30/2007

A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day...so check back often.


In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
Iraqis' Quality of Life Marked By Slow Gains, Many Setbacks - BAGHDAD, Nov. 29 -- This war-battered city, according to U.S. statistics, now receives an average of 11.9 hours of electricity a day, far more than earlier this year. But don't tell that to Ghaida al-Banna. (READ MORE)

FBI's Gun Ban Listing Swells - Since the Virginia Tech shootings last spring, the FBI has more than doubled the number of people nationwide who are prohibited from buying guns because of mental health problems, the Justice Department said yesterday. (READ MORE)

Processing of Iraqi Refugees Improves, Officials Say - Bush administration officials said yesterday that they are stepping up the processing of Iraqis who wish to come to the United States, but officials cautioned that the complexities of the two immigration programs involved will limit the number of entrants in the next few months. (READ MORE)

Globally, Deaths From Measles Drop Sharply - Worldwide deaths from measles have fallen by two-thirds since 2000, the result of stepped-up immunization efforts and the distribution of vitamin A capsules in developing countries, a partnership of five health organizations said yesterday. (READ MORE)

The Trial Bar on Trial - The barons of the tort bar must have thought 2007 would be a very good year: Some of their biggest cases (Katrina, Enron) were set to pay out, and a Democratic Congress meant no more worries about legal reform. Talk about reversal of fortune: As the year ends, we are witnessing nothing short of the dismantling of what are alleged to be major tort criminal enterprises. (READ MORE)

CNN Hit for Planted Questions - CNN intended for political sparks to fly during Wednesday"s Republican presidential debate, but outrage and accusations of partisanship were directed at the network instead. (READ MORE)

Intelligence report hits China deal - U.S. intelligence agencies informed a Treasury Department-led review committee recently that a merger between 3Com and a Chinese company would threaten U.S. national security, The Washington Times has learned. (READ MORE)

Immigration group: Huckabee a 'disaster'- Groups that support a crackdown on illegal aliens haven't settled on their champion in the race for the White House, but there's little doubt which Republican scares them most — former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. (READ MORE)

Sudanese call for teacher's death - Thousands of Sudanese, many armed with clubs and knives, rallied today in a central square and demanded the execution of a British teacher convicted of insulting Islam for allowing her students to name a teddy bear "Muhammad." (READ MORE)



From the Front:
From an Anthropological Perspective: Persecution of a Family - During the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein, many families were persecuted. One such family, the Aswads, lost their father and five of eight sons on allegations of being members of the Al Daawa Party (the political party of current Prime Minister Al Maliki). The Association of Free Prisoners kept files on this and other families to track such persecution given is pervasive nature. Saddam made membership in Al Daawa illegal and punishable by death. In some ways, allegations Saddam made membership in Al Daawa illegal and punishable by death. In some ways, allegations and resulting executions resemble the witch hunts that marked colonial American history. A jealous neighbor, business partner, co-worker, or relative could wreak havoc on a family or individual by informing intelligence agents in the Baath Party that their enemy was in Al Daawa. (READ MORE)

IraqPundit: Still Unsure About the Surge Strategy - While politicians such as Joe Biden and John Murtha struggle to figure out whether the surge strategy is working, life goes on in Iraq. Biden just called the surge "a fantasy," and Murtha just admitted that it's working. So now we are faced with a situation. What's the next step? Report news? Of course not! It is time to say improvements are too slow, and they exploit the Iraqi people. WaPo reporters know what to do: "As violence continues to dip across Iraq, U.S. officials say they will increasingly shift their barometers of success from security to basic services -- electricity, gasoline, water and sanitation -- that reflect whether life for Iraqis is returning to normal." (READ MORE)

Northern Disclosure: Somedays I should Pay the Army for what they do for me! - One thing that my Father has always impressed upon me was the value of an honest days pay for an honest days work. When I was younger I didn't receive an allowance I recieved a wage for the work or chores I did around the house. This was based of a basic contract outlining the daily task and its value. I did, even as a young boy try to bid higher and fight for better wages but my Father was firm he didn't run a Unionized shop. As many can relate being in the military or striking out from home one is faced with a bounty of friends and places that he/she would love to visit and return too. This however takes available time and more importantly the funding to make it all possible. Since being in the Army I have worked with the highest caliber of men and women in exotic to not so nice places. (READ MORE)

This War and Me: Dont Come Home Soon: Explained - I feel I need to explain my frustrations I expressed in my previous entry. I mentioned many months ago that the emotions I go through here are from one extreme to the other. There are times when I am very proud and excited to be here and other times where I am deeply depressed. I don't use the word 'depressed' lightly. I don't mean I get sad or feel down. I mean I reach a point where I sometimes pray that a rocket or gunman's aim will not stray. I don't want to hurt myself, but at times, I would feel relieved to 'come home soon'. There are times when I need to feel that every day is just one more day of being closer to going home and being with my family. There are times when I don't care what 'significant day' it is back home. Sometimes I don't care it is my birthday, anniversary, Valentine's, St. Patties Day or even Christmas. (READ MORE)

Sgt Hook: TIME - Time flys. Marking time. Time out. So little time. Time to go. Where has the time gone? Time’s up. Miller time. We focus a lot on time. We spend our days looking at our watches, checking calendars, marking the passage of time. Some count down a 15-month deployment to Iraq, others time how long it takes to run 2-miles. We track the amount of time it takes for a letter to make it from Afghanistan to Idaho or how much time is spent in a hot landing zone picking up wounded warriors. Some of those same wounded warriors will spend a lot of time getting fixed up by the amazing docs and medical staff at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Some wounds take a long time to heal. Many will live at WRAMC for a longer period of time than they had deployed. All will mark the time until they can go home or rejoin their brothers and sisters in arms. Imagine if someone would give each of our wounded warriors a very special calendar with which to mark that time. Imagine no more… (READ MORE)

Yellowhammering Afghanistan: A modesty proposal - Afghan girls can be hard to photograph. I caught her as she uncovered her face.Whether they are shy or the culture encourages them to hide from men, once my camera points to most of these girls, they hide their faces or run away. While such modesty is frustrating as a photographer, as the father of two girls I sort of like it. I was recently around a group of children in downtown Ghazni, handing out some candy and asking them their names. As is usually the case, girls giggled among themselves and looked at me, but when I turned to look at them or pulled out my camera for a photo, they turned their heads away or covered their faces. (READ MORE)



On the Web:
Kimberly A. Strassel: Fred's Folly - On Fox News this Sunday, Fred Thompson laid out the most creative tax proposal yet in the race for president. It should have been an important moment, the point at which GOP aspirants finally dug into a core issue and went a few rounds over marginal rates and corporate levies. Instead, nothing. The Thompson plan inspired little fanfare, less press and didn't even merit time during this week's GOP debate. The black hole says everything about the mess that is the Thompson campaign, and just as much about today's intellectually bereft Republican primary campaign. (READ MORE)

Peggy Noonan: Death, Taxes and Mrs. Clinton - I will never forget that breathtaking moment when, in the CNN/YouTube debate earlier this fall, the woman from Ohio held up a picture and said, "Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Obama, Mr. Edwards, this is a human fetus. Given a few more months, it will be a baby you could hold in your arms. You all say you're 'for the children.' I would ask you to look America in the eye and tell us how you can support laws to end this life. Thank you." They were momentarily nonplussed, then awkwardly struggled to answer, to regain lost high ground. One of them, John Edwards I think, finally criticizing the woman for being "manipulative," using "hot images" and indulging in "the politics of personal destruction." (READ MORE)

John Hawkins: Rudy Giuliani Would Be Our Bill Clinton - Perhaps the biggest oddity of the Republican primary season so far has been that GOP voters keep saying that they want another Reagan, the candidates keep comparing themselves to Reagan at every opportunity, and yet the man who is leading in the national polls, Rudy Giuliani, is about as far apart from Reagan as it's possible to get ideologically while still remaining in the Republican Party. Rudy Giuliani is no Reagan. What he is, and what he would be if he gets the nomination, is our Bill Clinton. (READ MORE)

Paul Greenberg: Whose Right to Bear Arms? - There long has been a legal, almost philosophical, question hanging over the Second Amendment. While it protects the right to keep and bear arms, is that an individual right or may it be exercised only in connection with the state's need to maintain a militia? The exact wording of this much-disputed amendment has been the subject of many an historical and even grammatical debate. To quote the sacred text itself: "A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." (READ MORE)

Lorie Byrd: Denying Progress in Iraq in 2008 - If you thought Bill Clinton’s recent convoluted claim that he was against the war in Iraq from the beginning was hard to swallow, just imagine some of the verbal gymnastics we are likely to witness over the next year if progress continues in Iraq. The Democrats running for President are now trying to appeal to their anti-war left base primary voters, and most congressional Democrats are still using the same old “Iraq is a hopeless failure” lines, but if the mission in Iraq is seen as anything close to a success next year the time between the primary and the general election will be spent by many Democrat candidates trying to find a way to get on the right side of the issue. (READ MORE)

Mike S. Adams: Kent State Fires Chair and Terrorist Sympathizer - My old buddy John Jameson just got fired from his job as Chair of the History Department at Kent State University. This action was a result of his decision to grant – without proper authority - a paid leave to terrorist supporting professor Julio Pino. Generally, it isn’t a good idea to let Muslim professors who advocate the mass killing of Jews and American troops go to the United Arab Emirates on paid leave. This is especially true when you don’t seek required approval from the higher administration. (READ MORE)

Paul Weyrich: The Need To Control Air Passengers Who Are Threatening To Other - Perhaps you have heard of the "Flying Imams" lawsuit, brought on by an incident on U.S. Airways in November 2006. The lawsuit against U.S. Airways and the United States Government was filed by six Muslim clerics who claim discrimination because they were removed from their flight before take-off on account of "suspicious behavior" noted by both the flight crew and fellow passengers. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), an unindicted co-conspirator in a separate trial recently brought by the United States Attorney General against terror front organizations, announced the imams' lawsuit earlier this year. The lawsuit originally included fellow passengers as defendants as well as U.S. Airways and the U.S. Government, although these passengers were removed after a public outcry. (READ MORE)

Oliver North: Peace Process? - As my FOX News team left the United States for our ninth embedment with U.S. combat troops in Iraq, the headlines were all about the resurrected "Mideast peace process." European papers touted the conference in Annapolis, Md., as a "long overdue breakthrough" because Syria attended. Buried deep in all these stories is the observation that Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas all have condemned the conference and its goals. It's doubtful that radical Islamists such as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran, Hezbollah's Sheik Hassan Nasrallah or Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh ever will accept Israel's existence or Western-style secular, consensual government in the Middle East. (READ MORE)

Jonah Goldberg: Cell Mates are in Full Backpedal - By now you've probably heard that scientists have discovered an elegant way to create the equivalent of embryonic stem cells (ECS) without having to create - and destroy - embryos. They just reprogram some skin cells and, voila, bypass all the controversial stuff. The long-promised miracle cures are still a long way off, if they're coming at all, and ECS research still has its boosters, but it seems pretty clear that stem cells have been decoupled from the abortion wars. Still, there has been one amazing breakthrough. Thanks to stem cells, journalists are finally growing backbones. (READ MORE)

Richard H. Collins: Hillary’s Albatross - Hillary Clinton owes a great deal of her popularity – her shrinking standing in recent polls notwithstanding – to an odd sort of nostalgia surrounding her husband. Rank and file Democrats generally hold him in high esteem and friends and critics alike admire his formidable political skills. Her eight years in the White House give her an aura of, if not actual, experience. But his recent statement that he was against the war in Iraq “from the beginning” points to the risks involved. Thanks to these almost offhand remarks, Bill once again made the news cycle about him and the potential negative impact on his wife. He also raised the difficult and unhelpful issue of the slippery nature of both Clinton’s positions on the war in Iraq. (READ MORE)

Rich Tucker: Bridge to Nowhere - When she won an Oscar a few years back, actress Sally Field memorably blurted, “You like me!” to her fellow Hollywood stars. It’s become commonplace for Americans traveling abroad to assume the opposite. As we skittishly pull out our passport, we nervously assume the natives won’t like us. But why not? In the Nov. 25 Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin, columnist David Rossie explains that “the United States, thanks to the Cheney/Bush administration, is about as popular world-wide as the Ebola virus.” He goes on to detail the “draconian penalties” handed down to some American bridge players (that’s the card game, not the congressional earmark game in which representatives attempt to direct billions of dollars to unnecessary hometown projects) who held up a sign reading “We Did Not Vote For Bush” after they won at an international competition. (READ MORE)

John McCaslin: Tribal Warfare - Terry McAuliffe left Washington yesterday, bound for Iowa — again. "I'm always in Iowa, I'm living in Iowa," the chairman of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign tells Inside the Beltway. "And I'll be in Iowa from here on out: 35 more days." Until the Jan. 3 Iowa Caucus, that is, the first major contest of the 2008 presidential election. Mr. McAuliffe remains "upbeat" about Mrs. Clinton's chances for what would be her first primary victory over her closest Democratic rival, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, whose candidacy is suddenly further illuminated by the star power of Oprah Winfrey. Whatever support in Iowa Mrs. Clinton can't muster for herself, the New York senator will rely on her husband, former President Clinton, to counter Miss Winfrey's cheerleading. (READ MORE)

Herb London: The Bad News Is The Good News Is Ignored - More than a decade ago Ben Wattenberg wrote a book with the marvelous title, The Good News Is The Bad News Is Wrong. If that book were republished today I would change the title to The Bad News Is The Good News Is Ignored. It isn’t surprising that in the world of media reportage only bad news counts. The problem with this condition is that it feeds a generally one dimensional view of politics, a misperception of the world that promotes weltschmerz and despair. Most of the reports about Iraq, for example, emphasize sectarian violence, failed policy and tactical errors. Overlooked, with rare exceptions, is that the “surge” and an emphasis on counterinsurgency have had a profound effect on the war effort. Civilian deaths have fallen 77 percent year over year, while military fatalities have declined by 64 percent. (READ MORE)

The Sandmonkey: The Teddy Bear Lady charged in Sudan - For inciting religious hatred. See, I told you , you can't name a cuddly toy after our Prophet without us getting mad at you. But what's really amusing is the school's response: “Several Sudanese newspapers ran a statement Tuesday reportedly from the school, saying the administration ‘offers an official apology to the students and their families and all Muslims for what came from an individual initiative.’ It said Gibbons had been ‘removed from her work at the school.’”While despicable, I believe the school's action is understandable: They don't want to get killed, especially not over a freaking Teddy Bear, and in Sudan, especially in this case, that's actually a possibility. Would you wanna lose your life because of a Teddy Bear political crisis? (READ MORE)

Meryl Yourish: Hamas calls for the end of Jews in “Palestine” - Yesterday, Hamas made quite clear exactly what they think of the nation of Israel: “Hamas on Thursday called on the UN to rescind the 1947 decision to partition Palestine into two states, one for Jews and one for Arabs. The group said in a statement, released on the 60th anniversary of the UN vote, that ‘Palestine is Arab Islamic land, from the river to the sea, including Jerusalem… there is no room in it for the Jews.’ Regarding the partition decision, Hamas said that ‘correcting mistakes is nothing to be ashamed of, but prolonging it is exploitation.’” This is the same organization that Jimmy Carter has been urging Israel to deal with for years. Because he’s really, really sure that Hamas wants peace with Israel. (READ MORE)

Cassy Fiano: More Iraq news that you won't see in the MSM - At least not prominently. No, it'll probably run somewhere around page A-16 or so in a little teeny, tiny column, where no one will see it unless they're really looking for it. In the QUAGMIRE! that is Iraq according to Dems, deaths have been dropping. Citizens have been returning. Progress is being made, and victory is inevitable, if Democratic leaders will only let us achieve it. A sign of our coming win in Iraq: "In the Iraq war, November has been one of the more deadly months for U.S. troops. However, this November has been the quietest since the U.S.-led coalition ousted Saddam Hussein in 2003." (READ MORE)

Nick Grace: Bin Laden: Message to the European Peoples - Osama bin Laden’s awaited speech, titled “Message to the European Peoples,” was released on the Internet this evening. It was first delivered to al Jazeera approximately 9 hours before its public distribution on the Internet and was also the second new as-Sahab product disseminated on November 29. This is bin Laden’s sixth appearance in 2007 and since September alone. “Message to the European Peoples” is the 90th video product produced by as-Sahab, al-Qaeda’s central media wing, this year and actually comprises of three videos and a stand-alone audio file. The three videos are individually subtitled in German, English and Pashtu. The videos were posted by “Ekhlaas Correspondent” on behalf of al-Fajr Media, which regularly posts communiques and messaging products on behalf of frontline al-Qaeda nodes. (READ MORE)

Stop the ACLU: Santa Cruz Sheriff Says Illegals Aren’t ‘Criminals’? - The AP has used the somewhat heartwarming tale of an illegal alien who found an American boy and his mother suffering from a car accident in the Arizona desert and stayed with them until help arrived as an excuse to plead that illegals aren’t “criminals” and should somehow be given a break. The AP tried to pin this wild leap in logic on Santa Cruz County Sheriff Tony Estrada, but they offer no quote marks around the sentence, so it is hard to say if the Sheriff really said that or the AP was extrapolating and putting words in the Sheriff’s mouth. Still, that this one illegal did something morally right even while he was breaking our laws, does not erase all the illegalities and law breaking that every other illegal immigrant has done over the last 30 years. (READ MORE)

Sister Toldjah: CNN’s Plantgate continues - I tell ya, the more news that comes out about the liberally biased questioners at CNN’s Republican YouTube debate, the worse they look. Malkin’s latest column addresses the number of questioners who have actually been found out to be Democrats, ‘unaffiliated’ supporters of Democrat policies, or at the very least people who have declared support for Democrat contenders. Brian at Liberty Pundit makes a great point about the seriously foolish John Edwards’ attempt at a “gotcha” moment with his comment on Olby’s show last night about Republicans supposedly being “too afraid” to accept questions from Democrats: "And you know what the kicker is? That the Breck Girl (John Edwards) had the nerve to go on Keith Olberdork’s show last night and say that Republicans were afraid to be asked questions from Democrats. Correct me if I’m wrong, but they answered them, didn’t they? Unlike Silky and his comrades, who refuse to go on Fox, lest they be asked a serious question by a moderator. Hyprocrite, thy name is Edwards. Sit down, buy some conditioner, and shut up, pretty boy." (READ MORE)

ROFASix: AAR on Republican Debate - Part I - Thirty-three questions were posed last night to GOP hopefuls running for President. This 'debate' was a joint effort by CNN and Youtube which means you can go back and watch it again at your leisure. It is well worth it. Here is my take on Question #2 onward. I am skipping #1 which was hardly a question. It was a guitar solo diddy about the politicians. It was cute and also valueless except for those who were looking solely for entertainment instead of a Presidential nominee. If you watched it live you no doubt soon were overcome with the sheer volume of it all. This approach lets you look at each question and evaluate the responses and the responders. Sometimes they answered the questions. But more often they used it as a 'bridge' to what they really wanted to say. It drives the question, are these candidates unable to answer a straight question, or do they simply have no idea how to answer them? (READ MORE)

Rhymes with Right: Even Murtha Admits it - John Murtha is forced by reality to concede he was wrong about the surge. Now if he will only admit he tried to railroad the Haditha marines for political purposes. “U.S. Rep. John Murtha today said he saw signs of military progress during a brief trip to Iraq last week, but he warned that Iraqis need to play a larger role in providing their own security and the Bush administration still must develop an exit strategy. ‘I think the “surge” is working,’ the Democrat said in a videoconference from his Johnstown office, describing the president's decision to commit more than 20,000 additional combat troops this year. But the Iraqis ‘have got to take care of themselves.’” (READ MORE)

McQ: Dems on Iraq: Now What? - Congressional Democrats risk looking like obstructionists on Iraq now that one of the staunchest anti-war critics in the House has declared "the surge is working". Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), one of the leading anti-war voices in the House Democratic Caucus, is back from a trip to Iraq and he now says the "surge is working." “This could be a huge problem for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other Democratic leaders, who are blocking approval of the full $200 billion being sought by President Bush for combat operations in Iraq in 2008. Murtha’s latest comments are also a stark reversal from what he said earlier in the year. The Pennsylvania Democrat, who chairs the powerful Defense subcommittee on the House Appropriations Committee, has previously stated that the surge "is not working" and the United States faced a military disaster in Iraq.” (READ MORE)

The Monkey Tennis Centre: Will Hollywood learn from its Iraq flops? - I've been meaning to post for a while on the disastrous performance of the various anti-Iraq war/War on Terror movies that have been released over the past few weeks. I'd not long started blogging when the buzz began about Lions for Lambs, Rendition, Redacted, In The Valley of Elah and the rest, and I posted on the subject here and here. At the time the Surge was just starting to show signs of success, and I wrote: ‘Hopefully continued progress in Iraq and Afghanistan will diminish the public's appetite for fictionalised bad news stories. […] and if movie-goers shun the anti-war polemics, then Hollywood will be hit where it hurts – at the box office – and might just get the message.’ Continued progress was far from guaranteed at that point. (READ MORE)

Bill Roggio: Taking the fight to al Qaeda in the North - As al Qaeda in Iraq attempts to re-establish its networks in the Northern provinces, the Iraqi military and Multinational Forces Iraq have been shaping the battlefield in the north for a showdown with the terror group. Iraqi and US forces received a big boost the past week when a significant number of Iraqis formed a Concerned Local Citizens group in the region. Meanwhile, the Islamic Army of Iraq in Mosul has vowed to dig in and fight the Coalition. Iraqi and US forces have been focusing on the northern region – (READ MORE)

Jules Crittenden: I Have Not Yet Begun to Give Up! - Don’t Give Up the Surrender! Damn the Factedoes, Full Surrender Ahead! Inspiring words from American history, updated for current circumstances. But the last word on surrenderism, of course, came from McAuliffe, Bastogne, Christmas 1944. His enigmatic, Kraut-confusing response is marvelous in how it can used equally well to express defiance as to describe surrenderism … “Nuts!” Which brings us to Murtha, a diehard surrenderist now beginning to recognize his position is untenable, putting out capitulation feelers. (READ MORE)

Patrick Lasswell: Reconsidering the Oregon Guard Deployment - Open Letter to KINK-FM in Response to Their Latest KINK Considers Broadcast: Jacob, When I was in Kirkuk earlier this year, the locals pointed out the American patrol passing by as something they appreciated because it was helping them beat the terrorists. The police chief I had lunch with was looking forward to getting new Iraqi Police units in that were going to break the insurgency in Kirkuk. Everything in Iraq is complicated, so I find it disturbing that your comments regarding the war there is so incredibly simple. You may have heard the old saying that for every complex problem there is a simple solution, and that solution is invariably wrong. So it is with your tantrum regarding the Oregon National Guard's upcoming deployment to Iraq. (READ MORE)

Have an interesting post or know of a "must read?" Then send a trackback here and let us all know about it. Or you can send me an email with a link to the post and I'll update the Recon.

SpouseBuzz Live 3 is Headed to Fort Bragg

SpouseBuzz Live 3 is headed to Fort Bragg this December 1st.

Mission: to connect with other military spouses, normalize the "life" of military spouses in day where many of us are feeling the pressure of so many deployments, and separations. To join all service branches, and male and female spouses to connect, share stories, resources, and information so we can advocate for one another as a United effort.

Can't attend this live event? Not to worry, SpouseBuzz has connected with a company that will make it possible for us ALL to virtually attend and connect. Go to SpouseBuzz for more information.

Folks will need to register before the event to virtually attend!

The best thing about the internet, no more isolation, and support for those that need it.

The Taliban: Their Time has Come and Gone

Major Michael Tomberlin is not only a Soldier, he is also a journalist. Earlier this year he hung up his journalist hat and put on his Kevlar helmet for a tour of duty in Afghanistan as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom. He blogs at Yellowhammering Afghanistan and his posts provide great insight into the everyday occurrences of our troopers deployed in support of the GWOT.

Recently The Thunder Run was able to catch-up with Major Tomberlin to bring you this interview in the continuing series of Boots On The Ground Interviews.

Major Tomberlin. thank you for taking the time to speak with us, can you start by providing us with a brief bio?

I'm from Alabama, originally from Covington County but now I live in McCalla, a suburb of Birmingham. I joined the Alabama Army National Guard when I was 17, starting out enlisted as a forward observer. I got my commission through ROTC at The University of Alabama and went to OBC at Fort Sill, Okla. I was in the same battalion -- 1st of the 117th FA -- for more than 20 years. The only time I've left the battalion was for this deployment to Afghanistan. In my civilian job, I'm a journalist with The Birmingham News, the state's largest newspaper. I am married to Alison and we have two daughters -- Flannery and Michaela.

And can you give us an overview of your mission in the Afghanistan Theater of Operations?

I am part of a Provincial Mentoring Team working with the Afghan National Police. We are taking the Embedded Training Team model that worked so well with U.S. and Coalition troops training and mentoring the Afghan National Army over the last five years and applying that to the police. Having a reliable police force trusted by the citizens of this country is going to be critical to defeating the Taliban-lead insurgency. Beyond that, the police is critical to a democracy and in giving a society the foundation it needs to grow and prosper. The ANP does not have the best of reputations among the population here, but hopefully with some help that will change. I believe it will and I'm convinced it will not take five or six years as it did with the army.

Why is your blog called Yellowhammering Afghanistan, what is the significance?

The yellowhammer is Alabama's state bird. When it came time to name the blog, I wanted something that connected me to my home state but also said something about what I'm doing here. I like the hammer as a symbol because it is a tool for rebuilding and a weapon for fighting, both of which apply to what we're doing here. To top it off, the Vulcan statue in Birmingham uses a hammer which the artist who created my logo incorporated in the design. I ended up at Camp Vulcan in Ghazni, ironically enough.

You asked the question in your first blog post “What the heck am I doing in Afghanistan?” and answered it with: “Trying to make a difference.” You are now at the half-way point of your tour; can you give us an update on your progress?

There are goals we set for ourselves as trainers and mentors and I think we have met most of those at this point. That's one measure. I've also seen the leadership among the ANP do many of the things necessary to ensure they have long-term success even if it causes them some short-term pain. I plan on taking a hard look at what we have or have not accomplished closer to the end of my tour. Right now, I'm so into the task at hand that I think I'm too close to see how much of a difference we might have made. I like to think "Yellowhammering Afghanistan" has made a difference simply by raising awareness of what is taking place here to the people back home. I know the humanitarian assistance visits we have made have certainly made a difference in the lives of the Afghans who got the help. Still, I feel like there is much more we can get done in the time we have left.

Do you have an event that sticks with you as a watershed moment of your time in Afghanistan so far?

Members of our team have been involved in four IED strikes and we disrupted a fifth attempt to hit a convoy I was on. We came here primarily as mentors and trainers and we have found ourselves in the middle of the fighting, particularly when our enemy uses a coward's weapon like the IED. We've also participated in combat operations with the ANP, the ANA and the 82nd Airborne and had some nice successes. But when this deployment ends, I have a feeling I'm going to look at the huge outpouring of support we witness here almost daily. People send items to me and the other soldiers, but they also send food, clothing, toys, candy and all sorts of great things for the people of Afghanistan. One of the greatest things I think we have accomplished thus far has been building the image of the police among multitudes of people each time we let them take the lead in distributing the HA. You see a visible change in the way people look at their police and the way the police look at the people. It fits so perfectly with what we are here to do and at the same time in involves the people back home in our mission.

Afghanistan has been pretty much the forgotten theatre, do you feel that the successes your troops are accomplishing are getting out or are there a lot of great stories being ignored that need to be told?

Being a member of the media, I understand the primary story here is the successes and failures of the counterinsurgency as the young government tries to grow. For some time, there was no real story here because militarily the Taliban were defeated and ousted, elections were held and democracy was formed. Now that the insurgency is trying to exert itself against this young government, that is the main story. The detailed things we are doing with the ANP -- apart from the HA -- would not make for good copy. Fighting and attacks and death will always trump the hard, "boring" work stuff. If we do our jobs right, there will be less to say about the insurgency and more about the things Afghanistan is doing to better iteself. There are stories here, powerful ones, that have the ability to touch people on many levels. Those are stories that have a shelf-life far greater than the latest death tolls. You can find some of them in the media if you look hard enough. You should be finding more of them more easily.

I’ve been seeing reports coming out of Afghanistan indicating that the insurgency / Taliban are regrouping and increasing their attacks on US and NATO forces have you encountered this in your area of operations, and if so do you have any opinions as to why the sudden upturn in activity is taking place?

Ghazni is a very active area when it comes to the insurgency. It has always been a militarily significant province. This is the province where the Korean hostages were taken and held earlier this year. So, yes, Ghazni is sort of a hotbed for insurgent activity. You have a young government and a struggling economy, so if the Taliban-lead insurgency was ever going to try to reclaim power, this would be it. They can't wait any longer as the government begins to get stronger and expands its influence - which is happening. They also take advantage of the poor and disillusioned both here and from neighboring countries to join the fight for profit. I would be curious to know how many of those involved in the insurgency consider themselves hard-core Islamic extremists or even would call themselves "Taliban." I'm under the impression greed is the main motivation for most. Imagine yourself as a leader of the Taliban. You were easily thrown from power and since then the overwhelming majority of the people have made it clear they never liked you in the first place. You have watched the Afghan National Army go from an undisciplined band of ragamuffins to an effective fighting force in half a decade. Now, the same is being done to transform the police at an even faster rate. If you were going to take one last stab at regaining power, now is pretty much you're only shot. And guess what? Even in what may be your most successful year, you're still losing.

In Iraq there has been a phenomenon of local citizens forming what are called Concerned Citizen’s group to provide for their own security. These groups are turning on alQaeda in Iraq and the other insurgent groups operating in their cities and villages. Have you encountered any such occurrence in Afghanistan?

Not on the scale I've heard of in Iraq. But you have to remember, Afghanistan is very splintered with its tribalism. You have large groups of the population that refuse to work closely together or fully trust each other all because of a difference in tribal name. It's amazing because, as I said, the overwhelming majority of the people here dislike the Taliban and want to see the new democracy take hold here. Yet, they won't show the unity that I believe could really tip the balance and make real change come at a rapid rate. But I'm optimistic they will get past that tribalism, at least on the real important issues.

This week the big news out of Afghanistan for the rest of the world is the torture and murder of five policemen in southern Afghanistan. These men had been held for 2 months now, why do you think the Taliban chose now to torture and murder them?

I can't speak to the specifics of that event because that's outside my AO. Generally speaking, you have a group of cowards who were only able to hold power by emotional and physical torture and murder that included public executions for adultery. They have to resort to these tactics, because they can't win on ideas -- the people have already made it know they reject those. I have to wonder what about them makes them think they could ever regain power in this country again. Their time has come and gone and I can't imagine a circumstance that would ever allow their time to come again.

What about opium production in Afghanistan, is there a possible end to it or is it there to stay?

Ghazni is not a major player in the opium trade, so I'm no really well versed on the subject. Drug production and drug use is a big problem throughout this country.

What is its relationship to the Taliban?

It's been proven that the Taliban relies heavily on the opium trade to finance the insurgency. Unfortunately, many farmers who may not be part of the Taliban or insurgency also rely on it to put food on their tables. There are people above my pay grade making the tough decisions how best to deal with it.

How do you see Afghanistan coming out of this?

I am naturally optimistic, but even if I wasn't there are enough good things you can easily find to be positive about here. You can point to economic measures, to political progress or to any number of societal improvements. It's also easy to point to the things that have to improve -- like corruption in all levels of government, the need for quality education and the way this society treats women. When you look at the rich history of this country and you recognize the historic times we are seeing today --even in light of that amazing past -- it's easy to believe Afghanistan's best days are ahead of it. The people here are hungry for progress.

Do you have anything you’d like to add?

Just that those of us here on the ground could not do what we do without the tons of support we receive, whether it's care packages, letters or cards from the U.S. or blogs like Thunder Run that help us get the word out about what we're doing here. It all matters and it matters in ways that those who support us probably can't even imagine. Sure, we're the face of it all, but the heart of what we do is made of so many unsung heroes our there. I thank all of them from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you for taking the time to talk to us and thank you for your service to our country.

Crossposted at: H&I Fires for 11/30/2007 at Argghhh!

Web Reconnaissance for 11/29/2007

A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day...so check back often.


In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
Foes Use Obama's Muslim Ties to Fuel Rumors About Him - In his speeches and often on the Internet, the part of Sen. Barack Obama's biography that gets the most attention is not his race but his connections to the Muslim world. (READ MORE)

In Debate, Romney and Giuliani Clash on Immigration Issues - ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Nov. 28 -- The Republican candidates for president engaged in a two-hour free-for-all Wednesday night, repeatedly confronting one another directly even as they fielded video questions submitted by Internet users in the most spirited debate of the 2008 presidential campaign. (READ MORE)

Moscow May Host Middle East Follow-Up - Russia and the United States are tentatively planning a second Middle East peace conference, in Moscow in early 2008, with major parties hoping to begin a comprehensive peace effort that would include direct talks between Israel and Syria, according to U.S., Russian, Arab and European officials. (READ MORE)

Judge Calls for Data on Telecom Lobby - An electronic privacy group challenging President Bush's domestic spying program scored a minor victory when a judge ordered the federal government to release information about lobbying efforts by telecommunications companies to protect them from prosecution. (READ MORE)

Bill Clinton's Claim of Opposing Iraq War From Outset Disputed - A former senior aide to then-national security adviser Condoleezza Rice disputed Bill Clinton's statement this week that he "opposed Iraq from the beginning," saying that the former president was privately briefed by top White House officials about war planning in 2003 and that he told them he supported the invasion. (READ MORE)

Citi of Arabia - Investors seem delighted that Abu Dhabi is injecting $7.5 billion into Citigroup, bidding up stocks in general on new confidence that the mortgage solvency crisis might ease. We hate to spoil the party, but it strikes us as unfortunate, if not a tragedy, that America's largest bank had to go hat in hand to Arab sheiks because of bad management and blundering U.S. monetary policy. The Citi play is being spun as a master-stroke by Robert Rubin, the chairman of the bank's executive committee. (READ MORE)

Romney, Giuliani Battle in Debate - The eighth Republican debate got off to a blistering start and quickly became the Mitt and Rudy Show, with the two front-running candidates going toe to toe on immigration, interrupting each other until they were booed by the boisterous crowd. (READ MORE)

Musharraf now Civilian President - Pervez Musharraf embarked on a new, five-year term as a civilian president of Pakistan today, a day after ceding the powerful post of army chief – the basis of his rule for the past eight years. (READ MORE)

U.S. to hold N. Korea to Nuclear Promises - The chief U.S. negotiator with North Korea, concerned that Pyongyang might fail to provide a full declaration of its nuclear-related materials and activities by year's end, as it has promised, will return to the North on Monday, U.S. officials said yesterday. (READ MORE)

Immigrants, Illegals use Welfare More Often - Both immigrants and illegal aliens are more likely to be poor and to use welfare programs than native-born Americans because they come to the country with lower levels of education, according to a new study looking at U.S. Census Bureau data. (READ MORE)

Iraq a Loud No-Show at Talks - Faced with a difficult political and military insurgency at home, and having to balance competing sectarian and diplomatic demands, the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki decided it did not have the time or resources to attend Mr. Bush's high-stakes gathering. (READ MORE)



From the Front:
A Battlefield Tourist: More Positive Effects of the “Surge” - Sunni attacks up because areas have no security. Rush in troops to indicate to the locals, who are scared to death, “We will support you.” Locals see support and believe in it. They gain confidence to defend themselves from Al Qaeda; the “Concerned Citizens” are born. “Concerned Citizens” of great trust are id’d and brought into intel services. Intel services get better and begin planting spies. Spy network is set up to begin interdiction of attacks. Attacks decrease as high value targets are taken out, attacks are successfully defended and insurgents are running around wondering who the spies are. (READ MORE)

Badger 6: So Much Misinformation - Watching Fox News this morning and they are reporting live from the headquarters of Force Protection, Inc. as they celebrate the delivery of their 1000th MRAP. The biggest problem I have with these news reports is they make it seem like the MRAP is a panacea to protecting Soldiers and Marines from Improvised Explosive Devices. They are not. They are another tool and they are better for a variety of reasons than the HUMVEE, but they don't solve all the issues. People should not be lulled into thinking they do. (READ MORE)

Fightin' 6th Marines: Iraqi family culture - In the story below it tells about Marines with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, visiting people in their homes in Fallujah, Iraq. This is an introduction written by Pfc. Brian Jones about the some of the circumstances of Iraqi culture that Marines have discovered for themselves and have curiously questioned. As violence subsides in Fallujah, “the city of mosques”, Marines find time to indulge in investigating their cultural curiosities of the Iraqi people who surround them. Marines communicate, work and in some cases live with them offering ample amounts of opportunity to get to know them. (READ MORE)

Matt Sanchez: Trauma, shrapnel and the fight for life - One of the rules for a media embed is that you're not allowed to show the faces of injured people without their consent. I had to keep that in mind while spending time recently at the Air Force hospital in Balad, a level three facility, which makes it the best hospital in the entire Middle East for trauma. "Any doctor who has spent four months here is probably ready to handle anything," Lt. Col. Christopher Coppola told me. What set the newly completed facility apart from emergency rooms back home was the typical patient and "the severity and multiplicity of wounds," Coppola explained. (READ MORE)

On Point: Spinning Up the Afghan Army and Police - Although most of the military and media attention remains focused on Iraq, there is still a vicious war raging in Afghanistan. Islamic extremists from Pakistan cross the border nightly in an effort to destabilize the Karzai government by terrorizing the local populace; home-grown extremists have adapted IED and suicide bomber tactics they’ve seen so popular in Iraq, and the drug lords and local criminal element work hard in advancing their own corrupt agenda. In the midst of all this are 24,000+ American troops and a large contingent of troops from NATO and other countries who are attempting to stabilize the country, defeat Al-Qaeda, and perhaps drag it into the 21st - or at least the 20th - century. (READ MORE)

This War and Me: Don't Come Home Soon - The other day a friend of mine and I were talking and I realized that I hate to hear phrases like, "Come home soon" or "Wish you were here". The holidays are upon us and I have missed many of them. There are several days lately, hell throughout the past year, that I get depressed knowing I am missing things that I enjoy back home. The good intentions of those from home are quite appreciated, but annoy me just the same. To say, "We love you, come home soon" is annoying to me. There are only a couple of ways I will get to come home soon and I do not like any of them. Even the option of a total military withdrawl where I come home alive and in one piece, means that we leave before the region is stable enough to stand on it's own and my brothers and sisters have died in vain. (READ MORE)

Yellowhammering Afghanistan: Different kind of dusting - Since we arrived in Afghanistan in May, we have seen more than our share of dust due to the dry, desert, powdery sand that seems to find its way on everything, indoors and outdoors. But we awoke this morning to a different kind of dusting. Last night it snowed for the first time since we've arrived. The inch or so covering the ground was minimal compared to the four or five feet of it we can expect on the worst days we're here, I'm told. Still, it was kind of a pleasant surprise to step out the door in my mostly un-clothed body on the way to the shower and walk through the snow rather than on top of the bare gravel. (READ MORE)

Michael Yon: Men of Valor: Part III - The 4 Rifles first trip into Basra brought more than 15 hours of fighting that left a Pakistani driver killed, dragged away and never seen again by the British. Two British killed in action and many more wounded, a convoy of banged-up vehicles that ran the damage gamut from flat tire to complete destruction, and almost no break before it was time for Major Steve Webb to saddle up and move on again, his Welsh Warriors always taking point on another convoy. Major Steve Webb fought through those 15 hours two days before. Webb became one of the most respected leaders in the battalion. Each time one of his men described Webb, they said things like, “he’s a very courageous man,” or, “Major Webb is inspiring.” High praise in such company. (READ MORE)



On the Web:
Bill Whittle: Freedom versus Justice - Are you in favor of Freedom? Well, who isn’t? What about Justice? Put me down for that too. Everybody wants freedom, and everybody wants justice… but it occurs to me, if you really get down to brass tacks, that pure freedom and pure justice are mutually exclusive. For example, if one was truly free, utterly at liberty to do whatever one wanted, whenever they wanted to do it, then that person would leave a vast wake of injustice. To walk wherever you wanted: trespassing. To take what you wanted: stealing (or rape if it was who you wanted). If you were absolutely, utterly free you could murder at will. Or perhaps just drive as fast as you want. The fact that you are not able to do any of these things puts constraints on your liberty. It limits your freedom to act. (READ MORE)

John C. Hulsman: A Man on a Mission - Michael Gerson, long praised (some would say over-praised) as President Bush's genius speechwriter, is also, it turns out, a would-be moral philosopher and political strategist. In "Heroic Conservatism," he calls for the Republican Party to redefine itself and brighten its future by casting aside its suspicion of big government and pursuing lofty projects of statist do-goodery. Let us hope that Republicans ignore him. (READ MORE)

Daniel Henninger: Does Reading Matter? - Time-pressed Christmas shoppers who visit Amazon.com nowadays see a homepage pushing Kindle. Kindle is Amazon's "revolutionary wireless reading device." This ambitious ($400) and ultimately admirable gadget springs from the hopes of Amazon's visionary founder, Jeff Bezos, whose e-company began with books but in time found that profitability required the selling of things that people prefer to do with their ever-dwindling free time. (READ MORE)

Ann Coulter: NYT: An undocumented newspaper - Last week, in an article titled "Walking a Tightrope on Immigration," The New York Times made the fact-defying claim that the illegal immigration issue poses a risk for Republicans who appeal to voters "angry" about illegal immigration. (This is as opposed to voters "angry" that they spent good money buying a copy of The New York Times.) In support of this assertion, the Times was required not only to ignore the stunning defeat of this year's amnesty bill, but also to proffer provably absurd evidence. (READ MORE)

Amanda Carpenter: Signs Hillary Will Tap Clark as VP - Hillary Clinton has been working closely with decorated anti-war retired Gen. Wesley Clark on foreign policy, fueling rumors he could be vice-president on a “Clinton-Clark” ticket in 2008. In recent months Clark has joined Clinton several times on the campaign trail, has been publishing a number of profile-raising editorials, and is making a substantial effort to keep his slick PAC website updated with his media schedule. He also promotes email campaigns that solicit names and contact information, as he did in his recent push to remove Rush Limbaugh from Armed Forces Radio. (READ MORE)

Steve Chapman: The Eternal Life of NFL Sudden Death - The Chicago Bears won a football game Sunday in a way that is possible only in the National Football League. Tied with the Broncos at the end of regulation, they won the coin toss for overtime, elected to receive, took the kickoff, proceeded down the field and kicked a field goal, leaving Denver without so much as a single touch of the football. For those of us who live in Chicago, it was great fun -- but ridiculously unfair. Imagine an extra-inning baseball game decided by this sudden-death approach: (READ MORE)

Hugh Hewitt: Romney Wins. Big. - Mitt Romney won the last night's debate because he emerged as a plausible, indeed compelling match-up to Hillary. Rudy hit him hard --and below the belt, with the "sanctuary mansion" shot. But so what? We aren't expecting the Clinton's to play nice. Our candidate will have to be able to be "strong" without being "mean," superior on the issues and intellect and ahead on the key test of "Who shares my values?" That's Romney, and I expect the Clintons know it and will work overtime to take him off the board in the next six weeks. (READ MORE)

Victor Davis Hanson: A Few Good People - In the last few years, it has become popular to say that history is determined largely by sweeping inanimate forces of technology, the environment, gender, class or race. We play down the role of individuals — as if the notion that one person can shape history is old-fashioned. But that’s hardly the case. Take Nicolas Sarkozy, the new president of France. For 60 years, the power of the state in France had steadily increased. Government workers were handed lavish entitlements and retirement packages while French competitiveness diminished in a new globalized world. (READ MORE)

William Rusher: The Giuliani Conundrum - Rudy Giuliani's candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination presents conservative Republicans with a real conundrum. Should they support the candidate who will put up the best fight, though he (or she) disagrees with them on virtually all of the social issues? Or should they insist on a candidate who truly represents conservative values, even if they suspect he might be a degree or two less combative against (say) Hillary Clinton in the campaign? My own brooding on this question is decisively affected by my conviction that 2008 is going to be a Democratic year. I believe the Democrats are very likely to win the presidency and strengthen their hold on both Houses of Congress. (READ MORE)

Cal Thomas: Changing Nation - No one ever accused Patrick J. Buchanan of lacking conviction or of consulting a focus group before saying what he thinks. In his new book, "Day of Reckoning," the former presidential candidate, columnist and TV pundit confronts readers with many irrefutable facts that if left unaddressed, he believes, will lead to America's destruction. That may sound extreme, even apocalyptic, until one considers his assertions: "The Army is breaking and is too small to meet America's global commitments; (READ MORE)

Emmett Tyrrell: The Intriguing Britney Spears and Iraq - WASHINGTON -- Have you noticed that during the past few days, Britney Spears has vanished completely from the news? For that matter, Paris Hilton has, too, and she has been absent for an even longer period than the intriguing Spears. Possibly their significance to our nation was not as great as the media space accorded them would suggest. For that matter, perhaps the significance of our war in Iraq has been exaggerated, also. It, too, has vanished from the news. There was a wire story on Nov. 27 that the Bush administration is planning negotiations with the Iraqi government for withdrawing the bulk of U.S. forces by the end of 2008, but that story only made it into the indispensable New York Sun and The Kansas City Star. (READ MORE)

John McCaslin: Go Figure - "Good evening," the U.S. president began in a hastily called address to the nation, which many Americans have chosen to forget. "Earlier today, I ordered America's armed forces to strike military and security targets in Iraq. They are joined by British forces. Their mission is to attack Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors." His expression determined, his goals clear, the president continued: "I have no doubt today, that left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will use these terrible weapons again." (READ MORE)

Austin Bay: Al-Qaida's Emerging Defeat - The postwar relationship between Iraq and the United States is now a broader public topic. This week, the White House and the Iraqi government announced that state-to-state discussions are taking place with the goal of reaching detailed agreements that will govern Iraq and America's long-term political, economic and military ties. Iraqis have asked for "an enduring relationship with America." I use the term "broader public topic" because this matter has been a subject of constant discussion since April 2003, with little of that discussion hush-hush. (READ MORE)

Ed Morrissey: About That Economy .... - As the presidential election continues to draw nearer, we keep hearing about our collapsing economy from the usual media hysterics. The housing market is near collapse! The credit crunch! The subprime markets are melting, melting, I say! Well, what about the actual economy? Real gross domestic product -- the output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States -- increased at an annual rate of 4.9 percent in the third quarter of 2007, according to preliminary estimates released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. (READ MORE)

Jay Tea: "CNN: If It's News To You, It's News To Us" - I was feeling tired, so I slept through the Republican debate last night. And it sounds like I missed a humdinger. But as is so often the case, the really interesting stuff was the behind-the-scenes dirt. As Kevin pointed out, it turns out that one of the questioners -- retired General Keith Kerr -- is a Hillary Clinton advisor. And others have been doing some digging, and have found that three other questioners also have ties to Democratic candidates. Michelle Malkin has a good roundup of the plants: the abortion questioner is a proud John Edwards supporter, the Log Cabin Republican is backing Barack Obama, the lead-in-toys mom is an aide to a prominent union leader and John Edwards supporter, and the aforementioned General Kerr also helped John Kerry back in 2004. (READ MORE)

Kevin Aylward: CNN/YouTube Debate Features Hillary Plant - CNN would have you believe that out of all the people THEY selected to ask video taped questions of the Republican presidential candidates the this evening at the CNN/YouTube debate they had no idea that Keith Kerr, retired Colonel., U.S. Army; retired Brigadier General, California National Reserve, was a member of a Hillary Clinton LGBT Steering Committee. Nor did they know was on the National Veterans for Kerry Steering Committee in 2004. CNN was, however, able to find this 13-year-old Mitt Romney quote about gays in the military to make Kerr's question into a booby-trap for Romney: (READ MORE)

The Belmont Club: War movies - Roger Simon tries to understand why antiwar movies have been doing so badly at the box office. Brian de Palma's Redacted recently grossed so little worldwide it has excited the pity of even amateur movie makers. The artistic failure, Simon believes, is rooted in the distance between the film-maker and the subject. They don't care about the great perils facing the world. They don't care about the history of war-torn regions. They don't care about the causes of the war itself except as a backdrop to make a political statements. The action of Redacted might be located in Iraq, but everyone knows it is really set in Vietnam. (READ MORE)

Bear Creek Ledger: CNN’s Plants Thrive in YouTube Republican Debate - CNN has once again proved itself incapable of shedding it’s anti-Republican fervor. To say this YouTube debate was pathetic is an understatement. The snowman did make it once again to the screen even though it wasn’t for a debate question. I was following the Free Republic forum thread which revealed early on that the “gay” General was a plant from the Hillary campaign. But Michelle Malkin has exposed 3 additional “planted” questioners - all Dhimmicrats. This is a Republican debate, why so many Democrat questioners? (READ MORE)

Blogmeister: CNN's YouTube Republican Debate: The Shenanigans Continue - Good lord, will CNN never learn? There were 5,000 questions submitted for last night's debate and a *surprising* number of them were from committed Democrat candidate supporters. Michelle Malkin and Hot Air have lots and lots of details. I only caught the second hour of the debate and watched the first half hour of the discussion afterward. The alarm bells first started ringing when Bill Bennett (the only conservative commentator out of six in the after-debate mish mash) said he was getting e-mails saying one of the questioners (I think the guy who said, "What would Jesus do?" about capital punishment) was connected with the Hillary Clinton campaign. Anderson Cooper started hemming and hawing, saying that he didn't know anything about that, but CNN would look into it. Seems to me they might have wanted to look into it BEFORE the debate. Or did they? (READ MORE)

Don Surber: Defining away victory - Chris Matthews’s new definition of Victory in Iraq means we lost World War II. But, hey, we finally won Vietnam. Growing up, I always heard America wins the war, loses the peace. The nation never was big on diplomacy. But in an asymmetrical war, there are no diplomatic negotiations. That’s where some in the media step in to try to give our military victories away. Consider this quote from Chris Matthews on his show last night while he was interviewing David Ignatius: (READ MORE)

Bryan Preston: (Video) Karl Rove says Congress pushed the Iraq war resolution too soon - Former Bush administration adviser Karl Rove appeared on the Charlie Rose show just before Thanksgiving for a wide-ranging interview. When the subject turned to the Iraq war, Rove offered a surprising take: That Congress took up its war resolution too soon, sooner than the Bush administration wanted, and that Congress’ timing made the resolution and thereby the war political. This sequence begins with Rove answering whether the Bush administration has made any mistakes in the war, then flows into the section on the war resolution. (READ MORE)

Allahpundit: (Video) The disappearing Hillary plant; Update: Does it matter who the questions come from? - Tough call for CNN on re-broadcast. Do they stick with the footage of Keith Kerr after having been de-pantsed by Bill Bennett an hour or so before? Edit out the footage? Leave it in with a graphic at the bottom of the screen disclosing his campaign affiliation? Decisions, decisions. Here’s your answer. This is what went down at around 9:45 ET… and this is how it played at 1:45 on re-broadcast: (READ MORE)

Jules Crittenden: Syriously, Though - This is funny, in a sad-clown, third-world tinpot dictatorship and sponsor of terrorism in benighted neighboring countries kind of way. Official Syrian press columnist calls Bush “the Fuehrer of the 21st century” and predicts US empire’s fall. MEMRI: “ … Even a novice to politics and international relations can see very clearly that President Bush Jr.’s escapade in Iraq is a significant turning point that will go down in history as the beginning of the fall of the great American empire.” (READ MORE)

Bill Roggio: Hunting al Qaeda in Iraq's propaganda cells - After a nearly two-month lull in videos released by al Furqan, al Qaeda in Iraq's primary propaganda arm, two new videos of attacks on US forces have been released over the past three days. Al Qaeda in Iraq is attempting to reestablish its propaganda presence in Iraq, while Multinational Forces Iraq is seeking to dismantle the network. "Despite the recent loss of numerous cells across Iraq, the media wing of al-Qaeda’s Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) has produced a second video product, which the al Fajr Media Center posted Tuesday night on the main Jihadi message boards: (READ MORE)

Michelle Malkin: More diversity lunacy: The Army Intelligence and Security Command’s list of forbidden words; Update: Add “brown people” to the list - Update: Nine-year-old suspended for saying “Brown people.” In response to the Denver diversity video debacle, a military reader shared his own diversity lunacy story: “I’m not sure this tops the Denver story but this past August the Army Intelligence and Security Command’s (INSCOM) Equal Opportunity (EO) promulgated a list of forbidden words. Some of the words on this list wouldn’t be used in the work place by most people with any common sense — but some of the words on the list are ridiculous and epitomize the overreaching hysteria of the PC speech police.” (READ MORE)

McQ: Combat leaders and perfumed princes - Ralph Peters, who usually enjoys smacking the "brass" around, gives some rare praise in his most recent article. I bring it up because of who it is he praises. He praises LTG Ricardo Sanchez’s replacement, LTG Ray Odierno (he also praises Petraus), and he gives voice to why Sanchez is a retired LTG and sniping for the Democrats from the sidelines: “Even as some of us began to suspect that Iraqi society was hopelessly sick, our troops stood to and did their duty bravely. The tenacity of our soldiers and Marines in the face of mortal enemies in Iraq and blithe traitors at home is the No. 1 reason why Iraq has turned around. Without their valor and sacrifice, nothing else would’ve mattered. Key leaders were courageous, too - men such as now-Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno. Big Ray was pilloried in our media for being too warlike, too aggressive and just too damned tough on our enemies.” (READ MORE)

Political Vindication: Leaked Government Report Reveals Serious Weaknesses In Haditha Case - Here is an article from the CNS that is worth reading. I’ll offer a quote or two, and look forward to any thoughts you might have: “Military prosecutors have tried to make the case that the soldiers - supposedly motivated by revenge - intended to kill the civilians after a roadside bomb killed one Marine and injured two others. However, according to a 37-page military assessment recently obtained by Newsweek , the Haditha case is unraveling. The report, by investigator Lt. Col. Paul Ware, said, ‘The evidence is contradictory, the forensic analysis is limited, and almost all the witnesses have an obvious bias or prejudice.’” (READ MORE)

Soccerdad: 60 years old and still premature - In a sense, today Israel is 60 years old today. The partition plan that split the portion of the Palestine Mandate that hadn’t already been lopped off to create Transjordan (now Jordan) into Jewish and Arab sections was approved today. Infolive.tv sums it up nicely: “Sixty years later, Israel is still under threat, and continues to strive for recognition in the Arab world. Israel sixty years later, still suffers from Palestinian initiated violence and terror and still strives to live within secure borders. It appears that despite all negotiations for peace, history once again is repeating itself. As Israel marks the 60th anniversary of the UN Resolution 181, the United Nations declares an official day of solidarity with the Palestinian people.” (READ MORE)

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Operation Love From Home - Update

Folks, I've been terribly remiss in not pushing this this year, but Kat in Ga sends us an update on her current Christmas Card drive.

Current Update on our 2007 Christmas Card Drive for the Troops:

Between the Christmas cards I've received (and am still getting in) and the letters leftover from Q100's Big Thank You that I was given, we are currently up to... 15,719 cards/letters/etc to ship to our heroes all over the world!!! This is by no means the "final count." I don't think I'll truly have the final final count until late Friday night! But it's bound to be a huge number! :) Too darn awesome. :)

Thanks everyone for all you've done to make this year such a success!!!!!

I wish I had done more Kat, but I'm glad that once again it was a success. I know for those deployed it may be difficult to find the cheer in the holiday season but I want you all to know that I am eternally grateful for your service to our country.