The Daily Kos Quote of The Day

In a post entitled We 100% Condemn the Attempted Assassination on Cheney by davefromqueens at The Daily Kos where he claims that "there is an organized attempt by Republicans and their talk show minions to try and portray "The Left" as wild eyed radicals who wish Cheney had been assassinated" is "bullshit!"

We find this comment not cherry picked out of several dozen but a mear seven comments into the comment thread a thread that is 480 comments long and growing:

At First I thought A Patriot General Attacked (2+ / 1-)
Cheney.
I mean, I thought that maybe it wasn't a terrorist after all. Maybe it was one of those Generals who threatened to resign if the Cheney administration attacked Iran.

My first thought was too bad he missed. My second thought was maybe it wasn't a terrorist. Maybe it was a patriot. My third thought was maybe it was one of those Generals. My fourth thought said, naw, that would be too good of a story to be true: Kind of like Hitler's Generals going after him, that sort of thing.

The guy, Cheney, is positively insane. From Iraq having nuclear weapons and ties to Al Qaida, to being greated as liberators, to telling John Edwards he had never seen him before, live on television to the American public during the debates, to last throws, to British leaving Iraq being a sign of success, the guy has never been right, not once, and is completey bonkers. And he's in the driver seat. You gotta believe some of the generals walking around him think he needs to be removed, impeached or whatever. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if someone in the military or higher up in government, just bit the bullet, and attempted to take Cheney out. And if they did something like that, it would be while he was in some place like the Middle East or Afghanistan or something like that.

If Cheney were gone the equation would change compeletely. No one is going to impeach Bush just so Cheney can become president. In fact, Cheney is Bush's greatest security protection. Bush doesn't need secret service protection - no one in their right mind would shoot Bush so that Cheney could then become president. That would be insane. If Cheney were shot, congress would Impeach Bush in a fortnight, and boom, just like that Polosi would be President.
by The Wonder Moron on Wed Feb 28, 2007 at 07:45:35 AM PST

Well I have to admit...you definately picked the perfect nomdeplume my dear, I'll give you that.

So let me get this right...Cheney is comparable to Hitler and his General's should assassinate him, but you on the left hate assassination. Yeah, I see your point, the Right is completely wrong about you guys...you really are nuts!

Hostages Freed By Paratroopers, Weapons Cache Secured

Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070228-02

4th BCT (A), 25th Inf. Div. Public Affairs
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

KALSU, Iraq – Dismounted paratroopers located an insurgent safe house uncovering a weapons cache and freeing two hostages south of Baghdad Feb. 26.

Paratroopers from 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division located the safe house, where they found the two hostages and a weapons cache near Mahmudiyah. The cache contained three AK-47s, 14 30-round magazines, one 100-round magazine drum, two fragmentary grenades, one cell phone and one hand held radio.

The freed hostages were given immediate medical treatment.

Eight Terrorists Killed, Six Supects Detained in Raids

MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER
Release A070228a

BAGHDAD, Iraq –Coalition Forces killed eight terrorists and detained six suspects during operations Wednesday morning targeting foreign fighter facilitators and the al-Qaeda in Iraq network. Intelligence reports indicated terrorists associated with small arms and rocket attacks against Coalition Forces were operating northeast of Taji.

As Coalition Forces approached the targeted area, they noticed several armed men maneuvering toward them in a nearby palm grove. Coalition Forces called in close air support to eliminate the threat. Rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft used precision fires killing eight armed terrorists.

Two suspected terrorists were detained. Coalition Forces also captured two suspected terrorists in Amiriyah and two more in Baghdad with alleged ties to the al-Qaeda in Iraq network.

Iraqi Army, Task Force Lightning Unearth Massive Weapons Cache

Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
Release No. 02270228-07

MAALEF, Iraq – Based on information gathered from a source, soldiers from the 2ndBattalion, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Iraqi Army Division, supported by Soldiers from the 5thBattalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, uncovered a cache of illegal weapons Feb. 26near the village of Maalef.

The cache was buried in various plastic containers and refrigerators arrayed in a 200 meter radius circle and contained the following:
• Eight anti-personnel landmines
• 14 mortar tubes of various sizes to include 60, 82, and 120mm
• Seven assorted hand grenades
• 194 mortar rounds of various sizes to include 60,82, and 120mm
• 18 rocket-propelled grenade launchers
• 153 57mm rockets
• Five 81mm rockets
• Two 107mm rockets
• Two SA-7 launchers
• Two IP vests, one with plates, and one with a detonation button rigged as a suicide vest
• Almost 200 fuzes of various sizes
• Assorted bags of propellant, rolls of wire, and blasting caps
Read the Rest...

Iraqi Army Troops Nab Five Insurgents with Cavalry Paratroopers Supporting Operation

Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070228-08

4th BCT (Abn.), 25th Inf. Div. Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq – An Iraqi battalion conducted a raid with Multi-National Division – Baghdad troops supporting to curb sectarian violence south of Baghdad, capturing five suspected insurgents Feb. 27.

Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division with support from paratroopers of 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, raided buildings in Hawr Rajab, Iraq, detaining the five suspects. The raid was part of Operation Lion’s Roar which was an effort to curb sectarian violence south of Baghdad.

This was the second successful raid in Hawr Rejab in the last two weeks.

Iraqi Police Detains Four Suspects During Operations Against IED Cell Near Samarra

Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070228-05

Multi-National Corps – Iraq PAO

BAGHDAD – Samarra Iraqi Police and Coalition Forces captured a suspected insurgent bomber during operations Feb. 27 southwest of Samarra.

The suspect was captured during operations targeting an insurgent improvised explosive device cell conducting attacks against Coalition Forces and Iraqi Security Forces. The cell is responsible for emplacing IEDs targeting Coalition Forces and Iraqi Security Forces along Main Supply Route TAMPA and other locations in Samarra.

Three additional suspects were detained by Iraqi Police for further questioning. Iraqi and Coalition Forces caused only minimal damage during operations.

There were no Iraqi civilian, Iraqi forces or Coalition Forces casualties.

Iraqi SWAT Captures Eight Mahdawiyah Insurgent Group Members

Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070228-04

Multi-National Corps – Iraq PAO

BAGHDAD – Al Hillah Iraqi Special Weapons and Tactics personnel captured eight suspected members of the Mahdawiyah insurgent group during operations with Coalition advisors Feb. 26 in the Wardiyah district of Al Hillah. The suspects are believed to be involved in attacks against Iraqi Security Forces and civilians in the area.

The suspects are allegedly part of the insurgent group that fought against the Coalition force and Iraqi Security Forces Jan. 28 in Najaf. The suspects are believed to threatening the lives of persons within the leadership of Iraqi Security Forces in Babil Province.

There were no Iraqi civilian, Iraqi forces or Coalition force casualties.

Iraqi Tip Leads to Large IED Find

BAGHDAD – A large cache of improvised explosive devices was discovered Monday by Iraqi police and Coalition forces near the Baqubah area in the Diyala province.

Iraqi Police from Judidah and Soldiers from the 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division teamed up together and found the deadly arsenal.

Thanks to a tip received from a concerned Iraqi citizen, the team found the IED-making material in an open palm grove stashed under tarps and palms, said Capt. Clayton Combs, C company commander, 1-12 Cav. “Crazy Horse."

Combs, who commands the company that found the cache, said the significance in this particular find was the presence of explosively formed projectiles (EFP).

(PHOTO: Capt. Clayton Combs, C company commander, 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division displays one of 150 metallic disks that were part of a weapons cache that was discovered Feb. 24 in the Baqubah area. The disks are key in the construction of explosively formed projectiles (EFP).)

Read the Rest...

Abandoned Youth Center Becomes Iraqi Police Headquarters

Story and photo by Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division

AD DAWR — An abandoned youth center is now the new headquarters for the Ad Dawr police department. An attack on Feb. 11, left the previous headquarters in rubble.

The attack came somewhat as a surprise, said an Ad Dawr police lieutenant through a translator. Ad Dawr is a very close-knit community and violence in the area hasn't been an issue like it has in other parts of the country.

The source of attack was a car bomb detonated from within the perimeter of the police station at around 9 a.m. It killed at least nine policemen and wounded six others, two of which were innocent bystanders.

(PHOTO: Sgt. Aaron George, infantryman, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, unloads a piece of wood, Feb. 12, 2007, at the new police headquarters in Ad Dawr, just east of Tikrit, Iraq. The previous police headquarters was destroyed by a car bomb.)

Read the Rest...

Web Reconnaissance for 02/28/2007

A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.



In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
U.S., N. Korea to normalize ties “North Korea's top nuclear negotiator was on his way to the United States yesterday for talks on issues that a State Department official said would include the first steps toward the normalization of diplomatic relations.” (READ MORE)

Doubts trigger 416-point Dow dive “The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 416 points yesterday, the most since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, as worries about the U.S. economy suddenly surged and sent inflated stock markets tumbling around the world.” (READ MORE)

New lawmakers seek war debate “Congressional Democrats -- especially new members -- are clamoring for action on the Iraq war, citing polls showing that American voters want to change course, but leaders have delayed significant action.” (READ MORE)

U.S. to attend talks with Iraq, neighbors “The United States said yesterday it would attend a pair of Iraqi-sponsored regional conferences in Baghdad over the next two months that will also be attended by archfoes Syria and Iran.” (READ MORE)Stock Sell-Off in China Hits Wall Street “A plunge in Chinese stocks rippled across global markets yesterday, triggering a massive wave of selling in the United States that sent the Dow Jones industrial average down 3.3 percent, or 416 points, its biggest decline since March 2003.” (READ MORE)

Iraq Bill Vexes Democrats “House Democratic leaders offered a full-throated defense last night of their plans to link Iraq war spending with rigorous standards for resting, training and equipping combat troops, saying that they would hold President Bush accountable for failing to meet those readiness tests.” (READ MORE)

Bombing Near Cheney Displays Boldness of Resurgent Taliban “Vice President Cheney was inside the main U.S. air base in Afghanistan yesterday when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives just outside the gates, killing as many as 23 people and showcasing insurgents' growing capabilities in advance of a widely expected spring offensive.” (READ MORE)



From the Front:
Jack Army: This logic is wrong. “I'd like to address some points that Ben makes in the comments of my recent post concerning my thoughts on Troop Support. So, here we go: ‘This logic is wrong. Not only because it polarizes debate and accuses normal Americans of not "supporting the troops" (whatever that means), but also because it is short-sighted and ignorant for foreign policy and basic national governance.’” (READ MORE)

Bill Roggio: Dividing the Mahdi Army “Multinational Forces Iraq is negotiating with elements of the Mahdi Army - With Muqtada al-Sadr now in Iran, the Iraqi government and Coalition forces are stepping up efforts to divide and conquer his Mahdi Army. Asharq Alawsat has confirmed that Multinational Forces Iraq (MNF-I) is ‘holding talks with commanders of Muqtada al-Sadr's Al-Mahdi Army with the Iraqi Government's blessing,' as well as ‘several Iraqi armed group.’” (READ MORE)

Mohammed: The more the merrier... “Advancing a political track is indispensable for a stable future for Iraq for sure. Experts and observers differ in their suggestions for solutions; some think politics must be given the priority while others insist the solution is military, but in fact both tracks are essential and should go hand in hand without giving one track a priority over the other even though one or the other sometimes seem to pose the greater challenge.” (READ MORE)


On the Web:
Michael Medved: Why liberals are right to hate the Ten Commandments “The left’s fiery obsession with removing Ten Commandments monuments from public property throughout the United States may seem odd and irrational but actually reflects the deepest values of contemporary liberalism.” (READ MORE)

Thomas Sowell: High Court and Low Politics: Part II “It is understandable that liberal Democratic presidents, beginning with Franklin D. Roosevelt, loaded the Supreme Court with liberal, Democratic justices.” (READ MORE)

Ben Shapiro: We Cannot Solve The World's Problems With A Soccer Ball “I am a long-time subscriber to Sports Illustrated. I realize the magazine leans left politically; Rick Reilly's liberalism is about as subtle as a brick through a plate-glass window.” (READ MORE)

Michelle Malkin: A Gathering of Eagles “How many times have you sat in front of the television over the last four years, watching anti-war activists march on Washington, chase the ROTC off your local college campus, vandalize war memorials, insult the troops and wreak havoc under the surrender banner?” (READ MORE)

AirCongress: HotlineTV: Al Gore’s Night With Oscar “’Is this sort of the last time we have to care about Al Gore for the next year or two?’ That’s the question Hotline senior editor John Mercurio wants answered after the former vice president won an Oscar on Sunday night for his ‘Inconvenient Truth’ documentary on global warming.” (READ MORE)

The Sundries Shack: Bloggers on the Left, Attack! “It looks like the story about Al Gore’s Carbon Casa has hit a nerve. Witness this outporing of reasoned argument and refutation of fact from the HuffPuff. ‘Actually, let’s start with a more basic question. Who are these people? Well , a quick check of Alexa reveals their web site gets no traffic. Are they legitimate?’” (READ MORE)

A.M. Mora y Leon: Chavista Livestock “In the slums of Caracas, Chavista grocery patrons are now being branded on their bellies (food goes into your belly, right?) with indelible ink by store personnel to ensure that they do not buy more chicken than the government arbitrarily allows. Since at least the beginning of the year, Venezuela’s groceries have been wracked by food shortages due to Chavista price controls and controls on foreign currency.” (READ MORE)

Right Wing Nut House: The Unbearable Invisibility of Common Deceny “First of all, I must point out that most of the blog posts on the left about the attack at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan that the Taliban claims targeted Vice President Dick Cheney have, for the most part, played it straight with a little grumbling about his gallivanting around the world at this point. (For some shocking and notable exceptions, see Malkin, AJ Strata, and Dean Barnett.) Having said that, this post at Down With Tyranny deserves special attention – not only for its towering ignorance but for its unhinged hatred and despicable comparison of Vice President Cheney to Reinhard Heydrich, Himmler’s chief lieutenant in the Gestapo and at the time of his assassination, Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia:” (READ MORE)

ShrinkWrapped: Iran and the Core “Iran is never far from the thoughts of people who are concerned about the future. It remains the state sponsor of some of the most effective terrorist groups in the world and has been threatening to destroy both the Great Satan (America) and the Little Satan (Israel) since the theocratic revolution of 1979. There are some who propose that we tolerate Iran gaining nuclear capabilities; they suggest containment worked during the last cold war and would work just as well with Iran.” (READ MORE)

Jules Crittenden: Evolution = Conservative Values “David Brooks posits the passing of the notion of innate human goodness, supplanted by recognition of natural tendencies to competitiveness and strife. ‘This belief (in human goodness) had gigantic ramifications over the years.’” (READ MORE)

John Hinderaker: Follow That Armadillo! “One of the early articles that Scott and I wrote was called, with characteristic understatement, "The Global Warming Hoax." It appeared in the Minnesota Journal of Law and Politics in late 1992. One of the things we wrote about was the global cooling scare of the 1970s; we quoted articles from Time and Newsweek about fears that we humans were about to cause another ice age.” (READ MORE)

Iraq War Today: Support Our Troops Day, March 26th “Here is one Michigan teenager who knows how to support our Heroes: ‘My name is Alexandra Lynn McGregor and I am a junior at Waterford Kettering High School. Everyday I get to enjoy the freedoms of living in the United States of America. I can freely live the life I choose to live because there are women and men fighting all over the world, to protect me and everyone else around me. In honor of the people who fight for me, I would like to hold a national ‘Support Our Troops Day’ on March 26, 2007.’” (READ MORE)

Flopping Aces: Hilarity From Greenwald “Would anyone really be surprised to learn that Glenn Greenwald is a hypocrite? If so, please take a seat....just in case you get a case of the vapors. Via Patterico's Pontifications we find that the raging lefty is indeed, a hypocrite: (writing about the disgusting comments left on HuffPo re: the attempt on Cheney's life)” (READ MORE)

Dan Riehl: Liberal Blogs Heading Toward A Meltdown “On news that the Senate and now the House are backing away from de-funding the war in Iraq, the Liberal blogosphere is starting to look like an ice cream cone in an Al Gore movie. These are just a few early reax - look for many more.” (READ MORE)

Soldiers’ Angels Germany: Medical Warriors “I've been getting some emails about the first installment of a 5-part NBC News Special called Wounds of War. Although I don't get American TV here, Bonnie sent me the link to the piece on the MSNBC website. From what I know and have seen personally, this is the real thing and quite well done.” (READ MORE)

Captain Ed: Quid Pro Qu'Iran “The Bush administration has reversed its position on engaging with the two terror-sponsoring nations in the Middle East to help stabilize Iraq. After rejecting the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group to start conducting diplomatic talks with Iran and Syria, Condoleezza Rice announced that she would be doing just that -- but only after the White House forced Iraq to forge an agreement on its toughest internal issue:” (READ MORE)

Blonde Sagacity: Free Speech - A Fading Paragon “Everyone claims there should be free speech for everyone -and everyone definitely wants it for themselves, but the truth is...most Americans abhor it regardless of the lip service they pay the ideal. Free Speech means FREE speech. It means not only being able to say anything you want, but also listening to MANY things that make you sick. I know that seems like I'm stating the obvious, but I think it needs to be said.” (READ MORE)

Ian: Video: Coulter on Gore: ‘he may be a hypocrite but at least he’s not a moron’ “Ann Coulter along with environmental whackivists Daryl Hannah and Jon Coifman appeared on Hannity & Colmes last night to discuss Algore’s enormous energy bill. Coulter laid out Gore in this gem:” (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.

DADISM # 58

"Don't you know any normal boys?"

{Dad's definition of normal: Clean, well dressed, gainfully employed, and college bound. Preferably the daughter's age but no more than two years older. Short, coservative hairstyle. No peircings or tattoos. Absent of leather except for letter jackets. Drives a conservative car. Well-mannered. Comes to the front door on dates; converses with Dad with a well-rounded knowledge of business and sports, especially golf.}

This effectively eliminates 98% of all teenage boys.

1,400 Extra UK Troops to Deploy to Afghanistan

Approximately 1,400 additional UK troops are to deploy to southern Afghanistan at NATO's request, Defence Secretary Des Browne announced today, 26 February 2007.

This additional force will bring the total number of UK forces in Afghanistan to around 7,700 personnel.

UK forces are part of NATO's UN mandated International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The additional troops will provide NATO commanders in Regional Command (South) with a flexible capability for use across the southern region.

(Photo: Royal Marine Commandos from M Company, 42 Commando, take a moment to reflect after a successful operation clearing compounds used by the Taliban in the Kajaki area of northern Helmand, Afghanistan [Picture: PO (Phot) Sean Clee])

Read the Rest...

Keeping an Eye On The Smugglers in Southern Iraq

The Queen's Royal Lancers (QRL) have recently taken on the role of a reconnaissance unit on the Iraq/Iran border region of Maysaan Province. Their new role is vital in helping the Iraqi authorities combat the smuggling of weapons and bomb-making equipment into Iraq.

The QRL make up the Maysaan Battlegroup. After re-roling from being a Challenger Tank unit less than two years ago they had to learn their new craft quickly after arriving in November right at the start of a particularly harsh winter. Their mission now is to patrol approximately 175 kilometres of the Iran/Iraq border.

The Regiment has a Headquarters element and two Sabre Squadrons, with Scimitar Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) and Weapons Mounted Installation Kit (cut-down Land Rover) vehicles deployed in the desert. These small manoeuvrable armoured tracked vehicles and heavily Armed Mobile Land Rovers are supported by command and logistical elements permanently living in the desert. The vehicles are equipped with General Purpose Machine Guns and 30mm canons, providing the Regiment with plenty of firepower.

(Photo: The QRL prove that 'You can never do too much reconnaissance'[Picture: Corporal Ian Forsyth RLC])

Read the Rest...

U.S. Soldiers Save Iraqi Baby Boy's Life

By Staff Sgt. Angela McKinzie
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division

YUSUFIYAH, Iraq, Feb. 26, 2007 — Soldiers recently received something they least expected – a baby.

Soldiers from the 210th Brigade Support Battalion “Providers” and the 4th Battalion 31st Infantry Regiment “Polar Bears,” both units of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), took care of a sick Iraqi baby boy at the Patrol Base Yusufiyah aid station here.

“The baby’s mother brought him to us because he was very sick,” said Maj. Casey Geaney, a native of Portland, Ore., who serves as a battalion surgeon currently attached to the 4-31st. Knowing that the baby, Sajad, was very ill and that the Iraqi medical system did not have the capabilities to care for the infant, Geaney decided Sajad would become an in-patient.

“Usually this is not an in-patient facility,” Geaney explained. “However, after discovering the child had an infection we did not want him to go home.”

Sajad, who was seven months of age, was only the size of a two-month-old. He was believed to have suffered brain injury during his birth.

Read the Rest...

Mosque Opens For First Time Since Terrorist Attack

Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070227-06

2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. (LI) Public Affairs

YUSUFIYAH, Iraq – To most Iraqis, a mosque is a sacred place, but to terrorists it can be a target for sectarian violence.

Iraqis celebrated the re-opening of a Yusufiyah mosque as Soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), the 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division and the Iraqi Police secured the area for the event Feb. 23. The mosque had been closed since it was attacked by terrorists last October. Since then, the Iraqis have been working diligently to reopen the mosque.

“This is a good day for the people of Iraq,” said 1st Lt. Ali Kudair, an Iraqi police officer. “There are a lot of mosques opening in the area and it shows that we are progressing as a nation.”

Although the Yusufiyah area is primarily Shia there has been tension with neighboring Sunnis. The opening signifies the unity of the sects.

“Both tribes are welcome to the mosque,” Kudair explained. “This opening shows that we can get along since we are brothers.”

Read the Rest...

Iraqi Army Detains 16 Suspects During Operations Against Rogue JAM

MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER
Release A070227b

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Special Iraqi Army Forces detained 16 suspected militiamen during operations Feb. 27 with Coalition advisers in Sadr City targeting the leadership of several rogue Jaysh Al-Mahdi cells operating against Iraqi civilians.

Iraqi forces targeted several individuals who allegedly control multiple rogue JAM cells and illegally direct and perpetrate sectarian murder, torture and kidnapping. The wanted individuals are reported to operate out of Sadr City and are linked to attacks on Coalition Forces and the supply of weapons and munitions which support continued rogue JAM violence.

Iraqi forces entered several secondary objectives during operations, but caused only minimal damage. There were no Iraqi civilian, Iraqi Forces or Coalition Forces casualties during the operation.

Iraqi Troops Complete NCO Course

Story and photo by Spc. Chris McCann
2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. (LI) Public Affairs


MAHMUDIYAH — The Iraqi Army has historically been top-heavy, giving leadership responsibility to officers and officers alone. But the “backbone” of the U.S. Army is the noncommissioned officer corps, charged with leading and caring for the troops and their well-being, while officers plan and execute operations.

To help build the Iraqi Army into a well-oiled and highly-functioning force, the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) has worked extensively with the 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi army Division to train new NCOs in the soldier and leadership skills necessary for success. A class of about 30 NCOs graduated from a Warrior Leaders Course in a ceremony at the Iraqi Army compound on Feb. 21.

“The principle is the same as in the U.S. Army,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony Mahoney, the senior noncommissioned officer for the 2nd “Commando” Brigade. “It’s an entry-level course on the fundamentals of being an NCO.

(Photo: Maj. Abbas Khuddur of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi army Division, patrols through the streets of Mahmudiyah, Iraq, Feb. 19, with the soldiers of the battalion on their final dismounted patrol during the Warriors Leader Course for new noncommissioned officers.)

Read the Rest...

Gunmen Can’t Stop Medical Operation

AL TARAQ — Terrorists commonly use scare tactics to disrupt the everyday lives of others; however, their tactics were unsuccessful during a recent medical operation.

Soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment and the 210th Brigade Support Battalion, both units of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), conducted a medical operation at the Ahmed Suhel School in Al Taraq, Iraq, Feb. 22.

Although the school offered a comfortable atmosphere, terrorists tried to disrupt the day’s activities with small arms fire and a rocket-propelled grenade attack.

But the medical operation continued and Iraqis still received care.

Read the Rest...

Admin Note

I just realized that a slew of trackbacks sent this morning for today's Web Reconnaissance went awry and will trackback to the Web Reconnaissance post for 02/26/07.

The correct post is here.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Web Reconnaissance for 02/27/2007

A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.


In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
Insurgent Activity Spurs Cheney Trip to Pakistan “The White House signaled its growing impatience with Pakistan's failure to crack down on Islamic extremists, dispatching Vice President Cheney for an unannounced visit yesterday to pressure President Pervez Musharraf to do more against a resurgent Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters.” (READ MORE)

Majority in Poll Favor Deadline For Iraq Pullout “With Congress preparing for renewed debate over President Bush's Iraq policies, a majority of Americans now support setting a deadline for withdrawing U.S. forces from the war-torn nation and support putting new conditions on the military that could limit the number of personnel available for duty there, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll...” (READ MORE)

Diplomats Seek Way to 'Reengage' Iran “Representatives of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany said after meeting in London on Monday that they were committed to seeking a negotiated solution with Iran, which has defied a U.N. order to halt its uranium enrichment program.” (READ MORE)

CDC doctor opposes law for vaccine “The chairman of the federal panel that recommended the new cervical-cancer vaccine for pre-teen girls says lawmakers should not make the inoculation mandatory, as the District and more than 20 states, including Virginia, are considering.” (READ MORE)

Ex-CIA official urges silence after spy 'sting' “A former high-ranking CIA official refused FBI appeals for help in tracking Chinese spies and urged others via e-mail not to cooperate because of the recent prosecution of former Defense Intelligence Agency analyst Ron Montaperto.” (READ MORE)

Iranian leader's rhetoric criticized “Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad faced a new round of sharp criticism at home yesterday after he said Iran's nuclear program is an unstoppable train without brakes, language opponents say only inflames the West as it considers further sanctions.” (READ MORE)

McCain strategy courts middle “Sen. John McCain is playing both sides against the middle as he supports sending more than 21,500 additional troops to Iraq while trying to distance himself from President Bush by labeling the war a ‘train wreck.’” (READ MORE)


From the Front:
Bill Roggio: Pakistan: A Debate at the Council on Foreign Relations “The Council on Foreign Relations has invited me to participate in a debate on Pakistan. The topic is: Is Pakistan Doing All It Should to Secure Its Afghan Border? I am debating Council on Foreign Relations Fellow Kathy Gannon, author of I is for Infidel and a longtime AP correspondent currently living in Pakistan.” (READ MORE)

Jack Army: Troop Support "I have to get this off my chest.I am so tired of reading about folks that claim to support the troops but not the war. They think my commander in chief preemtively, on his own, without a shred of real evidence or reason, decided to start a war on Iraq and while they don't support his decision, they do support me. Bullshit." (READ MORE)


On the Web:
Anne Applebaum: The Gall To Speak Her Mind “Clearly, there is something about Ayaan Hirsi Ali that annoys, rankles, irritates. I am speaking as one who does not know Hirsi Ali -- the outspoken Dutch-Somali critic of Islam -- but as one who, while living in Europe, cannot seem to avoid meeting her detractors. Most recently I met a Dutch diplomat who positively glowered when her name was mentioned.” (READ MORE)

Douglas MacKinnon: Our Very Politicians Ensure That Al Qaeda Destroys Us…Unless “With each passing day, I’m finding it more and more plausible to believe that Al Qaeda or its imitators, will inflict catastrophic and lasting damage upon our republic. The evidence is everywhere, but most of us choose to ignore that which enables the evil intent on killing us all.” (READ MORE)

David Limbaugh: Ending Democrats' Free Ride on Iraq “For liberals like Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne, it is far worse for Vice President Dick Cheney to accuse congressional Democrats of playing into Al Qaeda's hands on Iraq than for Democrats actually to play into Al Qaeda's hands on Iraq.” (READ MORE)

Thomas Sowell: High Court and Low Politics “The late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan said that you are entitled to your own opinion but not to your own facts. However, many on the political left act as if they are entitled to their own facts -- and especially the ‘fact’ that those who oppose their ideas are either intellectually or morally inferior.” (READ MORE)

Mark M. Alexander: Global Warming: Fact, Fiction and Political Endgame “’There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.’ --James Madison” (READ MORE)

Victor Davis Hanson: Democrats Disingenuous in Their Anti-war Rhetoric “Why did a majority of Democratic Senators — such as Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Harry Reid, Jay Rockefeller and Chuck Schumer — vote to authorize a war with Iraq on Oct. 11, 2002? And why is this war now supposedly George Bush's misfortune and not theirs?” (READ MORE)

Ian: Video: 60 Minutes Interviews Astroturfing Anti-War Soldier “Mudville Gazette has the low down on Lara Logan’s 60 Minutes report. The CBS correspondent interviewed several anti-Iraq War soldiers, including Navy Petty Officer Jonathan Hutto. (h/t Michelle) Who is Jonathan Hutto? Media Lies has a great background on him. Here’s a little gem:” (READ MORE)

Dean Barnett: The Nutroots' Frustration “Markos Moulitsas is perplexed. The polls are all breaking the Democrats’ way. In response to the question, “Who do you trust to do a better job handling the situation in Iraq?” 34% said the President and 54% said the Democrats. And yet the Democrats still have yet to surrender in Iraq and begin formulating a plan for offering government-subsidized prayer rugs. Markos wonders, What gives? Why, he asks, are the Democrats “being so timid” in pulling the plug on Iraq?” (READ MORE)

Jay Tea: The cowards of the country “A little while ago, I ripped Congress for their appallingly craven approach to the ‘surge’ plans in Iraq. They hemmed and hawed and bleated, and finally decided on the ‘appropriate’ course of action: a ‘non-binding resolution’ opposing it. It was mealy-mouthed, half-assed, utterly pointless, and without a single redeeming feature.” (READ MORE)

Kim Priestap: Al Gore's Own Inconvenient Truth “Al Gore's mansion uses more than twice the electricity in one month than the average household does in an entire year. From the Tennessee Center for Policy Research: ‘Last night, Al Gore's global-warming documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, collected an Oscar for best documentary feature, but the Tennessee Center for Policy Research has found that Gore deserves a gold statue for hypocrisy.’” (READ MORE)

The Anchoress: Laughing at The Jesus Tomb “Last Friday - the first Friday of Lent, actually - I posted this story about the so-called ‘Tomb of Jesus’ being ‘found,’ and then forgot about it. So, I was surprised today to find the post getting eleventy billion hits.” (READ MORE)

Don Surber: Cohen rewrites Gore’s history “Richard Cohen of the Washington Post wrote a tribute to Al Gore, ‘An Oscar For His Second Act,’ which showed the fact-checker at the Post had an off day. I like the Post. Home newspaper of Dr. Charles Krauthammer, George Will and Anne Applebaum. Cohen?” (READ MORE)

Right Wing Nut House: Musharref Thumbs His Nose at Us “With Vice President Cheney’s ‘nannounced’ visit to Islamabad, the Bush Administration appears to be finally waking up to the fact that the situation in Pakistan has deteriorated to the point that it threatens not only Musharraf’s status as our primary ally in the region in fighting the War on Terror but also the safety and viability of the government of Afghanistan.” (READ MORE)

Jules Crittenden: Apologism Rules “Eli Lake at the New York Sun on the growing Iraq apology trend and (a couple of the reasons) why the apologists are full of it: ‘What the apologists are asking for, if only by default, is a return to the amorality of détente and Realpolitik. Again, Iraq demonstrates this.’” (READ MORE)

McQ: On Iraq, Carl Levin Can’t Win, nor can the Democrats (Update) “Matt Stoller of MyDD demonstrates the box that Democrats have put themselves in. Talking about Sen. Carl Levin's appearance that I discussed below, Stoller is quite upset with what Levin had to say. You remember that Levin said: ‘Things have changed in Iraq. We don't believe that it's going to be possible to remove all of our troops from Iraq because there's going to be a limited purpose that they're going to need to serve, including a training, continued training of the Iraqi army, support for logistics in the Iraqi army, a counterterrorism purpose or a mission because there's about 5,000 al-Qaida in Iraq.’” (READ MORE)

Reformed Chicks Blabbing: Democrats backing down? “Wouldn't you think that now, when the war is at it's lowest ebb of support that the Democrats would strike and do something decisive to put a stop to the surge? That's what they have been promising to do ever since Bush announced he would be sending additional troops months ago. But now they are taking about postponing legislation:” (READ MORE)

Chickenhawk Express: Appeal for Redress Member Admits to War Crimes “Boy the 60 Minutes piece on Appeal for Redress is getting the star treatment from Yahoo.com. They have a whole section devoted to it - and to stoke the anti-war fire they titled it simply ‘Dissension’. If you missed the broadcast you can literally watch the entire thing in video clips on the website. I took some Phenergan so I could keep my supper down before watching some of the clips. At least we finally get some names to go with those ‘nonymous’signatures...” (READ MORE)

Dan Riehl: Jumping Jihadist “I can imagine the response to this video below, I give CAIR about ten seconds to jump all over it. It's just one video from www.ourcountry.com, created by Lee Troxler, Writer/Producer of FarenHYPE 911 and Floyd G. Brown of the Young America’s Foundation. OurCountry touts itself as sort of a YouTube meets MySpace meets Internet Comedy Central for Conservatives.” (READ MORE)

John Hawkins: The Democratic Underground Post Of The Day: Wow! The Bushies Missed (Cheney)! “When I heard a suicide bomber had attacked a US base in Afghanistan while Dick Cheney was there (he's ok, although an American soldier and contractor, among others, were killed), the first place I went to was the Democratic Underground to look around for libs who wished Cheney was killed or were spinning conspiracy theories about the incident. Sadly, they did not disappoint.” (READ MORE)

Little Green Footballs: Muslim Girl Ejected from Canadian Soccer Tournament “Someone pushed an 11-year old Muslim girl into trying to play in a soccer tournament wearing the symbol of radical Islam’s suppression of women—the hijab. She was ejected, according to the rules. And now the second-guessing starts.” (READ MORE)

Captain Ed: Democrats Hit Reverse On Hitting Reverse “Democrats have delayed further consideration to restrict or cripple the Iraq war deployments, apparently stunned by the lack of cohesion among their own caucuses and fearful of the backlash their efforts might produce. Harry Reid has delayed the progress of a Joe Biden bill to revoke the 2002 AUMF, and Nancy Pelosi has started to distance herself from John Murtha (via Memeorandum):” (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.

Betrayal From Washington

It seems that the Democrat's plan is turning out to be nothing more than this:

A Step into the Fetid Swamps

What passes for cutting edge reading and analysis at the Daily Kos? If the recommended diaries are any indication it’s not good. At the top of the list is a post pushing Wesley Clark’s efforts to derail a war that hasn’t even started: To stop a war by jasmint53. Yes you heard me right; Retired General Wesley Clark has founded the StopIranWar.com campaign and joined forces with the Iraq war vets of VoteVets.org.

Up next is a piece of satire that can only be considered juvenile at best as diarist JekyllnHyde writes "Gore Oscar in Doubt," Says Supreme Court of the United States. You read that right folks, the diarists at DK have now taken to writing fictional pieces about Gore being stripped of his Oscar for the “documentary” An Inconvenient Truth. While I believe he should be stripped of his Oscar for other reasons concerning his fauxumentary, the kos kids believe it will happen as some conspiracy theory organized by Bush and Rove.

My favorite diary today though has to be Sept 23, 2002, Why Al Gore Should be President by davefromqueens. David pens his masterpiece by quoting at length a single speech given by Al Gore on September 23, 2002. A rambling diatribe that takes President Bush to task for contemplating an invasion of Iraq, the diarist still can’t come to grips with reality as he clearly states:

“Boy do I love this man! (The post 2000 Gore) In a time where Bush and Cheney are scaring Americans, Gore correctly stands up to the problem by pointing out that the war in Iraq weakens us and hurts our ability to fight the real terrorists. Gore says it first, even when the entire news media was cheerleading Bush.”

I suppose that since Al hasn’t changed his story in a decade and a half that all the same things he was saying before 2000 couldn’t possibly be the truth.

To round out the gallery, the kos kids have once again elevated their favorite media megalomaniac, Keith Olberman to the high alter of kossakdom with the promotion of The King of Everything: Olbermann's Commentary Tonight by SusanHu. Susan reminds us that tonight the high priest of idiotarianism will go after Condoleezza Rice:

"[W]ho chastised the renegades in Congress who would dare to curb a renitent Bush
administration by legislating troop withdrawal or revising the 2002 Iraq authorization."

That’s right friends; Olberman will attack the Secretary of State for reminding the members of Congress that surrender is not an option we should be even considering.

Is it any wonder why we question their patriotism?

The Baroness knew them before we did, and they murdered the finest of French culture and threw that country into 200 years of turmoil, before they could be stopped. Will we allow them to do the same to us before they are stopped?

Suspected al-Qaeda Emir, 14 Others Captured

MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER
Release A070226a

BAGHDAD, Iraq –Coalition Forces detained 15 suspected terrorists including a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq emir during raids Monday morning targeting foreign fighter facilitators and the al-Qaeda in Iraq network.

During an operation in Baghdad, Coalition Forces captured a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq emir and one of his associates. Three suspected foreign terrorist facilitators were captured in operations northeast of Samarra, and eight more were captured in a foreign fighter safe house west of Mahmudiyah.

In downtown Ramadi, Coalition Forces captured two suspects in a foreign fighter safe house. Intelligence reports indicated members of the cell were allegedly planning suicide operations against Coalition or Iraqi Forces.

“Coalition Forces are making progress dismantling the foreign fighter and al-Qaeda terrorist networks inside Iraq,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson. "These operations send a message to terrorists that they will be caught and prosecuted for their crimes under the Iraqi justice system."

Iraqi Police, Coalition Forces Discover Large EFP Cache

Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070226-01

BAQUBAH, Iraq – An informant’s tip led Iraqi Police officers from Judidah, Iraq, and Coalition force members from the 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1stCavalry Division, to a large improvised explosive device cache in the Baqubah areaSaturday.

The cache consisted of:
• 2 explosively formed projectiles in various stages of assembly
• One completed improvised mine and more than a dozen others in various stages of construction
• More than two dozen mortar rounds and 15 rockets
• Over 130 disks capable of producing as many individual EFPs
• Six rocket launchers
• Five anti-aircraft rounds
• Over two dozen RPG warheads
• More than 400 plastic and steel containers in various stages of fabrication forIED construction
• Large quantities of IED-making material such as detonation cord, C4, blastingcaps, fuses, EFP launching tubes, bags of ball bearings and voltage regulators

"The vigilance of the Iraqi Police and the willingness of the people of Diyala toend the cycle of violence led to this discovery,” said Col. David W. Sutherland, 3-1 Cav.commander and senior U.S. Army officer in Diyala province.
Read the Rest...

Suspected Senior Al-Qaeda Leader Captured in Mosul

MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER
Release A070225a

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces killed two terrorists and captured a suspected senior al-Qaida leader during a raid Sunday morning in Mosul. While approaching the first targeted building, Coalition Forces began receiving enemy fire from an adjacent building. Coalition Forces fired back, killing one terrorist.

Upon entering the adjacent building, ground forces were confronted by an armed terrorist who began maneuvering on the ground forces. Ground forces took proper self-defense measures and killed the armed terrorist.

During the raid, Coalition Forces detained six suspected terrorists, including the targeted individual who is believed to be a senior al-Qaeda in Iraq leader operating a terrorist cell in Mosul.

This operation was part of ongoing efforts to empower the Iraqi people to defend, govern and rebuild their country. Coalition Forces will continue to hunt down and capture or kill terrorists trying to prevent a peaceful and stable Iraq," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.

Cavalry Troops Find Cache, Detain Suspect

Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No.20070225-01

2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. (LI) Public Affairs

KORESH, Iraq — Multi-National Division – Baghdad troops found a weapons cachenear the village of Koresh, Iraq during a security patrol at approximately 9:30 a.m.

Feb.24. Soldiers of the 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade CombatTeam, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) found a weapons stockpile consisting oftwo rocket-propelled grenade warheads, a star-cluster flare, 600 rounds of linked7.62mm ammunition, an assault rifle, two machine guns, a machine-gun barrel and twobipods for rifles.

The Soldiers detained the owner of the property where the cache was discoveredfor questioning. An explosive ordnance disposal team was called in and conducted acontrolled detonation to destroy the weapons and munitions.

Three-day Operation Leads to 15 Terrorists Killed, IED Factory Destroyed

MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER
Release A070225c


BAGHDAD, Iraq – During a recent three-day operation in Salman Pak targeting al-Qaida in Iraq terrorists, Coalition Forces killed 15 terrorists involved in an improvised explosives device cell, destroyed an IED factory and thwarted two explosives emplacements.

On Feb. 14, Coalition Forces began receiving enemy contact on the ground from a fortified building in the area. Determining the targets too hostile for ground troops, Coalition Forces called for close air support. Fixed wing aircraft used precision fires to destroy the building killing five terrorists and wounding four suspected terrorists.

Also during this raid, Coalition Forces disrupted two separate groups of terrorists who were in the process of emplacing IEDs alongside a road. Due to the high level of danger, fixed wing aircraft were used to destroy the IEDs. Ten terrorists are believed to have been killed as a result.
Read the Rest...

ENGLISH SLIDES

ARABIC SLIDES

VIDEO

Iraqi Roads Get Facelift

By Polli Barnes Keller
Gulf Region North

TIKRIT — As the decision making for construction projects fall more to the local and regional governments throughout Iraq, Provincial Reconstruction Development Committees are stepping up to the challenge.

Eleven concrete road paving projects - at a cost of $3 million - were recently awarded in the Ninewa Province to 10 municipalities. These 11 projects were recommended by the local PRDC.

Created through the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT), the PRDC was designed to teach, coach and mentor Iraqi engineers in all aspects of project and reconstruction and development. Committee membership is composed of elected Provincial Council members and Iraqi government engineers, while the PRT representatives serve as advisors to this committee.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plays an important role in the overall PRDC process. “We ensure each PRT is staffed with an engineer officer serving as the PRT lead infrastructure engineer,” said Lt. Col. G. Thatch Shepard, deputy commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region North.

Read the Rest...

Iraqi Translator Has American Dreams

Story and photo by Megan McCloskey
Stars and Stripes

CAMP TAQADDUM — He’s got the strut, the confident Devil Dog swagger. He peppers his speech with “awesome” (and more than occasionally drops the F-bomb). He’s definitely gung-ho.

After three years of working with the U.S.-led coalition, “Sam,” an Iraqi translator for the 9th Engineer Support Battalion, has adopted the mannerisms of a typical young Marine.

Now, he wants to be one.

The 25-year-old is hoping to immigrate to the United States, enlist in the Marine Corps, become an American citizen, and then join the officer ranks.

Read the Rest...

Iraqi Army sends troops to support Fardh Al-Qanoon Iraqi Army sends troops to support Fardh Al-Qanoon

The Iraqi Government took an important step Sunday in both uniting their country and following through with Fardh Al-Qanoon (the Baghdad Security Plan) when Soldiers from Kurdistan arrived at the Iraqi side of Baghdad International Airport and set out to train and eventually augment with Iraqi Soldiers currently protecting Baghdad.

A significant number of troops from the 2nd Division of the Iraqi Army flew in on a C-130 plane, owned by the Iraqi Air Force, participated in a short ceremony, then boarded busses en route to Besmaya. Once there they will participate in intense, collective training, similar to the training U.S. troops undergo at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Ca., said United States Army Maj. Gerald Ostlund, deputy public affairs officer, Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq.

Once they left the airfield they became part of the Iraqi Ground Forces Command, said Ostlund, who felt this event shows much progress for the Iraqi Government.

(Photo: Soldiers from the 2nd Division of the Iraqi Army, who were originally stationed in Kurdistan, offload at the Iraqi side of the Baghdad International Airport. These Soldiers will undergo collective training and then augment with Iraqi Soldiers serving in the Baghdad area. Their transportation into Baghdad was provided by the Iraqi Air Force.)

Read the Rest...

Web Reconnaissance for 02/26/2007

A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.


In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
Baghdad Plan Has Elusive Targets “The engineer stood aside as Iraqi and American soldiers rifled through his daughter's wardrobe and peered under her bed. He did not mind when they confiscated the second clip for his AK-47, because he knew it could be easily replaced.” (READ MORE)

Rice decries Democrats' war tactics “Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday denounced the Iraq war resolutions being planned by congressional Democrats as "the worst of micromanagement" that would intrude on the president's power as commander in chief to manage the war.” (READ MORE)

Mexican wives seek ouster of husbands from U.S. “The women of Tecalpulco, Mexico, want the U.S. government to enforce its immigration laws because they want to force their husbands to come back home from working illegally in the United States.” (READ MORE)

Israel's economy leaps upward despite unrest “Israel's economy continued to bound forward with growth above 5 percent for the third straight year in 2006, despite Palestinian unrest and last year's border war in southern Lebanon.” (READ MORE)

Murtha Stumbles on Iraq Funding Curbs “The plan was bold: By tying President Bush's $100 billion war request to strict standards of troop safety and readiness, Democrats believed they could grab hold of Iraq war policy while forcing Republicans to defend sending troops into battle without the necessary training or equipment.” (READ MORE)

As Bush's ID Plan Was Delayed, Coalition Formed Against It “Inspired by the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, a sweeping federal law to tighten security requirements for driver's licenses is in jeopardy of unraveling after missteps by Congress and the Homeland Security Department, analysts and lawmakers said.” (READ MORE)


From the Front:
Bill Roggio: al-Qaeda on Sunni violence in Anbar “al-Qaeda in Iraq targeted Sattar and an Imam who opposed the Islamic State of Iraq - Al-Qaeda in Iraq has stepped up its campaign to eliminate the indigenous Sunni opposition in Anbar province. According to an American intelligence official and a military officer, al-Qaeda in Iraq is attempting to destroy all effective Sunni opposition in the province.” (READ MORE)

Michael J. Totten: On My Way to Iraq “I’ll be spending some quality time in Iraq over the next two and a half months doing consulting work, journalism, and video – first in the northern Kurdistan region and then in Baghdad and the heart of the Sunni Triangle.” (READ MORE)

Mohammed: Operation Baghdad: Week II “It's been less than two weeks since the Baghdad operation was officially launched. This period, though short, has been full of events; both good and bad ones. Here we are not in a rush to judge the operation unlike some media or politicians who seek anything they can use to serve their agendas. We, Baghdadis, only want this operation to succeed and we still have some patience to show.” (READ MORE)

Acute Politics: Nervous Tics “The road is ugly- it's narrow, muddy, sloped slightly towards the deep canal on the right, and elevated between six and ten feet above the field to the left. It's the kind of road that would make you nervous to drive on at home, and here there are people trying to blast you off of it into the canal. It makes me very nervous.” (READ MORE)

The Calm Before the Sand: A Face I Recognize “Ali Al Saleem Airbase, Kuwait - The first few hours after I arrive back on the ground are hectic--I sit through a mess of late-night briefings, and struggle to find my bag. Things smooth out a bit after they separate those of us taking leave in Germany, and after a few more quick briefs, I'm able to settle down in a transient housing tent. Still, all told, I don't end up getting to bed until almost 4 a.m.” (READ MORE)


On the Web:
Crazy Politico: Politics, Politics, Politics “The Democratic party is the gift that keeps on giving for guys like me. I mentioned that they were "fractured" a few days ago, and they keep on proving it, as usual. Shoprat, a frequent reader and commenter gets it right when he says that having that many victims groups under the same umbrella makes it impossible to not be fractured.” (READ MORE)

Allahpundit: Video: Ayaan Hirsi Ali schools Darrell Issa on Dhimmitude “What she says about targeting Saudi Arabia is silly, mainly because the west collectively lacks the bravery and commitment she has personally in such abundance.” (READ MORE)

Hugh Hewitt: Democrats To Try Again: They Will Accept Nothing Short Of Defeat “The Democrats rededication to the politics of defeatism allows Mitch McConnell to again get his colleagues together and demonstrate that there remain at least 40 Republicans who are committed to victory in the war. Those 40, voting along with Senator Lieberman, guarantee that this latest stunt will fail just as the ‘nonbinding’ resolution did, and the exercise helps brand the Democrats as not only invested in defeat in Iraq but also as without any agenda for their new majorities.” (READ MORE)

Jay Tea: An Inconvenient Truth: Bill Clinton Was Right “For a lot of people, the "Y2K" bug turned out to be much ado about nothing. Despite the dire warnings of catastrophes and disasters and mayhem when the calendar moved from 1999 to 2000, not a heck of a lot happened. But I think I've discovered one lasting effect from that time.” (READ MORE)

Joe Lieberman: The Choice on Iraq “Two months into the 110th Congress, Washington has never been more bitterly divided over our mission in Iraq. The Senate and House of Representatives are bracing for parliamentary trench warfare--trapped in an escalating dynamic of division and confrontation that will neither resolve the tough challenges we face in Iraq nor strengthen our nation against its terrorist enemies around the world.” (READ MORE)

Baron Bodissey: All Muslims Are Moderates “There are no moderate Muslims. There are no extremist Muslims. There are only Muslims. Got that? That’s according to the former prime minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamed, the man who became notorious when he said that ‘today the Jews rule this world by proxy.’” (READ MORE)

Don Surber: Hillary’s free speech problem “The schoolgirl plan was simple: Marry an up-and-coming politician. Help him get elected chief executive. Succeed him when term limits prevent him from running again. And so Lurleen Walalce went from working at the five-and-dime to Governor of Alabama.” (READ MORE)

Right Wing Nut House: Today's Loony Conspiracy Theory Has Been Cancelled “Time for the left to get their annual tin foil hat adjustment. And judging by the news coming out of Florida’s 13th Congressional District, they may wish to start saving up their Crackerjack boxtops to buy a new model: ‘An audit of touch-screen voting machines at the center of a dispute in a congressional election found no evidence of malfunction, Florida’s secretary of state said Friday.’” (READ MORE)

Jules Crittenden: Once-Promising Strategy “Murtha trips over shark, falls under bus as other Dems look on idly. The funny part about this Washington Post article is the way it appears to be suggesting that if Murtha had just sprung his troop-undercutting plan by surprise next week, or if Democrats had leapt to his defense, his ‘once promising strategy’ might still have promise.” (READ MORE)

John Hinderaker: Letters From Home and Iraq “The two most noteworthy items I've seen today are both from the Power Line Forum. In the Global War on Terror Forum, Tom Glennon posts this fine tribute to his son: ‘At 2:30 PM EST, Friday, February 23rd, my youngest son recited his reenlistment oath to serve his country for another four years. He was on duty at the time, but was relieved by a fellow Airman so that he could have the oath administered, and a few pictures taken. He then went back to his job, and finished his scheduled assignment.’” (READ MORE)

Reformed Chicks Blabbing: Bill Maher trashes Islam “It's not surprising that Maher would trash Islam, he is an atheist and opposed to any organized religion. What is great about this video is how Ayaan Hirsi Ali shoots down the idea that Christians and Muslims co-exist in peace in Arab countries and educates the panel on the dhimmi status of the Christians and Jews under Islam.” (READ MORE)

Captain Ed: Controversial For Showing The Truth “The documentary Obsession has finally started to receive attention for its presentation of the indoctrination of Arabs into an Islamist mindset, thanks to programs shown on state-run television in places like Saudi Arabia, Iran, and other countries in the Middle East. The New York Times reports on the controversy the documentary has created on college campuses:” (READ MORE)

One Marine's View: Silver Star - Heroes Call “Urban combat often devolves into a series of actions that traverse winding streets and narrow alleys--sometimes for hours. That was certainly the case for Sgt. 1st Class Stephens on June 24, 2004, in Baqubah.” (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.

Vengeance and Hate

“A surging, seething, murmuring crowd of beings that are human only in name, for to eye and ear they seem naught but savage creatures, animated by vile passions and by the lust of vengeance and hate.” Baroness Orczy – The Scarlet Pimpernel

When the Baroness wrote that line in 1905 she used it to set the stage so that her readers would know how the populace of the revolution reacted to the events of their day. Little did she suspect or even fathom that those same words could be used to describe a large segment of the populace of the one country that founded the revolution on the basis of freedom and not revenge, the United States.

Harsh? Possibly, but how else should we describe the actions of the members of Code Pink that hang about the gates of our military hospitals not unlike the crowds, the citizenry of the Baroness’ books, that hang about the square watching the spectacle of madam guillotine, and then rush towards the gates of the city to watch as the aristocrats seek to escape their lust of hate, and hopefully be capture by the guards and brought forth for trial? Are their comrades that march in the streets actively calling for the assassination of our elected leaders, not also motivated by the same passions, do they not allow their hate of a single person drive their every action? Are our elected leaders in the hallowed halls of Congress not also driven to force this country into a dark age all so that they can be the party in power?

To all of these questions I must truthfully answer in the affirmative, not because I hate them, but because I love this country more. Those on the left scold us when we question their patriotism, and yet they take upon themselves the mantle of anti-patriots, actively engaged in destroying those values that created this country. How else should we describe them if not honestly, is the truth so horrible to them that they must force us all to live in some fantasy? A world where up is down and right is wrong? Where freedom is only noble if it comes from the hands of one who will also defend the oppressor? How is that possible and how do they reconcile that their heroes, brought power unto themselves by murdering millions who only wanted to live freely?

Those on the left claim that us on the right are suffering from some vile mental illness, but I say it is those on the left who live some perverted schizophrenic dream, where everyone is oppressed and under the control of the government, even when they can freely march about in the streets claiming its all a charade, the government is oppressing them, and we must revolt. In their dream world a man who buries his enemies in mass graves and gasses his own people because he is paranoid is to be hailed as a unifier and true leader but a man who frees 50 million people from a murdering tyrant is somehow a terrorist.

They have become the citizenry that cheered on Chauvelin and Robespierre as they decimated the French aristocracy and claimed power for themselves. They have become a surging, seething, murmuring crowd of beings that are human only in name, for to eye and ear they seem naught but savage creatures, animated by vile passions and by the lust of vengeance and hate, and we should pity them but we should also defy them, and set them right. Their passions of vengeance and hate will only destroy us all and as free men we cannot allow our freedoms to be usurped.

~~~
Yankee Mom links with Rainy Sunday Blogging

Welcome

Welcome Right Wing News readers.

The Thunder Run, fast becoming the single source for information and Good News around the web and out of Iraq, Afghanistan and all things GWOT, typically does not publish on weekends, especially today since I am installing a new bar in my basement. However, I am planning on publishing an original piece this weekend. A re-reading of The Scarlet Pimpernel has given me a renewed insight into the anti-war, anti-American left and I need to get those thoughts on paper before they fly away.

Please look around and stop in on the one of the Web Reconnaissance posts, there is one for every weekday so scrolling through the archives will make it easier, since only recently have they been labeled with an appropriate tag.

Thanks for stopping by and please come back often as the content changes regularly.

When you are done here, go visit Cassandra, she writes a wonderful piece about the war that asks the perfect question:

"The war has been a pastiche of heartbreak and hope, of tears and embraces. Whom do you believe? David Ignatius at his keyboard, or Mohammed in Baghdad? Jack Murtha, or David Petraeus?
Your choice. Hope, or despair. Prevarification, or Purpose?"

They Walk Among Us

I walked into a Blimpie's with a buy-one-get-one-free coupon for a sandwich. I handed it to the girl and she looked over at a little chalkboard that said "buy one- get one free". "They're already buy-one-get-one-free", she said, "so I guess they're both free". She handed me my free sandwiches and I walked out the door.

They walk among us, and many work retail.

One day I was walking down the beach with some friends when one of them shouted, "Look at that dead bird!" Someone looked up at the sky and said, "Where?"

They walk among us!

While looking at a house, my brother asked the real estate agent which direction was north because, he explained, he didn't want the sun waking him up every morning. She asked, "Does the sun rise in the north?" When my brother explained that the sun rises in the east, and has for sometime, she shook her head and said, "Oh, I don't keep up with that stuff."

They walk among us!!

I used to work in technical support for a 24/7 call center. One day I got a call from an individual who asked what hours the call center was open. I told him, "The number you dialed is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week." He responded, "Is that Eastern or Pacific time?" Wanting to end the call quickly, I said, "Uh, Pacific."

They walk among us!

My sister has a life-saving tool in her car designed to cut through a seat belt if she gets trapped. She keeps it in the trunk.

They walk among Us!

My friends and I were on a beer run and noticed that the cases were discounted 10%. Since it was a big party, we bought 2 cases. The cashier multiplied 2 times 10% and gave us a 20% discount.

They walk among us!

I couldn't find my luggage at the airport baggage area, so I went to the lost luggage office and told the woman there that my bags never showed up. She smiled and told me not to worry because she was a trained professional and I was in good hands. "Now," she asked me, "has your plane arrived yet?"

They walk among us!

While working at a pizza parlor I observed a man ordering a small pizza to go. He appeared to be alone and the cook asked him if he would like it cut into 4 pieces or 6. He thought about it for some time before responding. "Just cut it into 4 pieces; I don't think I'm hungry enough to eat 6 pieces."

Yep, they walk among us!

They walk among us,

AND they reproduce

AND they vote!!!!!

Operation Troy: A Real Success

The largest, most successful security operation in Basra City since 2003 began on Thursday 15 Feburary 2007 - Operation TROY.

Operation TROY saw several different agencies from the Iraqi Security Forces work and plan together.

539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines (539 ASRM) worked alongside the Iraqi Coast Guard Inland Waterways Department (CGIWD) to patrol the Shaat Al Arab Waterway and the network of waterways running off it into the city.

During the 72-hour operation the level of insurgent attacks dropped substantially and the local population provided positive feedback.

(Photo: Side by side British Royal Marines and Iraqi coastguard patrol the Shatt Al Arab waterway[Picture: Cpl Ian Forsyth RLC])

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Royal Marines Work Alongside Iraqis on Operation THUNDERBIRD

Under Operation THUNDERBIRD, troops from 539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines (539 ASRM) and the Iraqi Department of Border Enforcement (DBE) have carried out anti-smuggling patrols of the Southern Maysaan waterways.

Concealing themselves in the marshes, troops set up observation posts to catch criminals illegally smuggling contraband and weapons into Iraq over the waterways.

Using their fast air boats, the Iraqi Border Police (DBE) patrolled the waters supported by the Royal Marines in their Zodiac Raiding craft.

Throughout the operation, the joint force searched all types of craft for illegal contraband and weapons. The surrounding marshlands were searched for hidden weapon caches.

(PHOTO:Troops from 539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines and Iraqi Department of Border Enforcement jointly patrol anti-smuggling routes on Operation THUNDERBIRD in the Maysan province of Iraq[Picture: Corporal Andy Benson RAF HQMND(SE)])

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