By Pfc. Micah E. Clare
4th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs
FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, Afghanistan - Less than 10 miles from training camps that produced many of the 9/11 hijackers, a team of coalition servicemembers are working together to make sure the area once home to Osama Bin Laden's terrorist organization becomes an environment that will deny such people a support base ever again.
But for this joint service team, spearheading the fight against terrorism in Eastern Afghanistan's Khowst province doesn't involve executing tactical military operations, but in providing reconstruction assistance.
The Khowst Provincial Reconstruction Team, based in Forward Operating Base Chapman near Khowst City, serves as the main effort in rebuilding Khowst province by distributing humanitarian aid, mentoring local government officials, planning for construction projects and providing security for important events, said Navy Cmdr. Dave Adams, commander of the Khowst PRT.
"We're a reconstruction organization with a military arm," Cmdr. Adams said.
PRTs were established in Afghanistan when it was realized in 2003 that units needed to focus on winning the security fight, and a separate military organization was required to head up the badly needed reconstruction efforts.
The Navy and Air Force answered the call and stepped up to assist, explained Cmdr. Adams, a submarine officer of 21 years who volunteered for this command. A team of military advisors, United States Agency for International Development and Department of State officials, joined together as a PRT; a board of directors working to synchronize their efforts and resources.
The Khowst PRT has brought assistance to the province in the past few years by sending its Army Civil Affairs teams to live in local communities to send back updates on area needs. Many construction projects such as irrigation systems, diversion dams, wells, schools, and roads have been set into motion by the PRT in this way, Cmdr. Adams said.
"These projects serve not only to improve the quality of life for the residents, but also to put shovels in the people's hands, providing them with jobs," he said.
A big part in bringing these quality of life improvements to Khowst is the necessity for security, he said. This is where the PRT security force comes in, typically provided by the Army National Guard.
Read the Rest...
May 31, 2007
Iraqis Take Lead at Al Suleikh JSS
Coalition forces and Iraqi security forces conducted patrols in Al Suleikh Wednesday.
For more than three months, U.S. Soldiers have been living and working side-by-side with the Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army at the Joint Security Station to coordinate security efforts in Al Suleikh.
“They know we’re here to support them, but at the same time, they’re getting to a point where they know security as a whole is in their hands,” said U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Jesse Bowman, an Alpha Battery platoon leader from Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division.
The difficult part will be to maintain the security while the U.S. forces step back and the ISF step up.
Ultimately, stability in Iraq depends on the Iraqi security forces taking the lead, said U.S. Army Capt. James Peay battery commander with the 82nd Abn. Div.
When the JSS was first established, the area was so dangerous that the police rarely left the station.
Read the Rest...
For more than three months, U.S. Soldiers have been living and working side-by-side with the Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army at the Joint Security Station to coordinate security efforts in Al Suleikh.
“They know we’re here to support them, but at the same time, they’re getting to a point where they know security as a whole is in their hands,” said U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Jesse Bowman, an Alpha Battery platoon leader from Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division.
The difficult part will be to maintain the security while the U.S. forces step back and the ISF step up.
Ultimately, stability in Iraq depends on the Iraqi security forces taking the lead, said U.S. Army Capt. James Peay battery commander with the 82nd Abn. Div.
When the JSS was first established, the area was so dangerous that the police rarely left the station.
Read the Rest...
Iraqi, Coalition Forces Clear Muqdadiya
TIKRIT — Twenty-four suspected insurgents were detained and one cache was discovered in the Molameen and Baloor neighborhoods near Muqdadiya, Iraq, during a joint Iraqi army and coalition operation Tuesday.
Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade, 5th Iraqi army, led the operation and were supported by Soldiers from 6-9 Armored Reconnaissance Squadron, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. The goal of the mission was to clear the area of insurgents and to provide a safe and secure environment for the people throughout the Muqdadiya Qadah.
“This mission was another example of how the IA is becoming a legitimate, credible force,” said Capt. James Locklear, commander for Troop B, 6-9 ARS. “They continue to improve and take more of a lead with every mission that we do.”
During the operation, a cache of improvised explosive-device making material was discovered including multiple propane tanks, timers, command wire, batteries and terrorist propaganda. Iraqi soldiers were responsible for clearing two objectives independent of coalition support.
“This operation showed Iraqi security forces as a unified force, giving credibility to both the Iraqi army and police while comforting the good people of Muqdadiya,” said Locklear. “There is no doubt the Iraqi army is effective at planning and conducting missions.”
Multinational Division – North PAO
Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade, 5th Iraqi army, led the operation and were supported by Soldiers from 6-9 Armored Reconnaissance Squadron, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. The goal of the mission was to clear the area of insurgents and to provide a safe and secure environment for the people throughout the Muqdadiya Qadah.
“This mission was another example of how the IA is becoming a legitimate, credible force,” said Capt. James Locklear, commander for Troop B, 6-9 ARS. “They continue to improve and take more of a lead with every mission that we do.”
During the operation, a cache of improvised explosive-device making material was discovered including multiple propane tanks, timers, command wire, batteries and terrorist propaganda. Iraqi soldiers were responsible for clearing two objectives independent of coalition support.
“This operation showed Iraqi security forces as a unified force, giving credibility to both the Iraqi army and police while comforting the good people of Muqdadiya,” said Locklear. “There is no doubt the Iraqi army is effective at planning and conducting missions.”
Multinational Division – North PAO
Medics Train Iraqi National Police Lifesaving Skills, Teamwork
By 2nd Lt. Ryan Wood
2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment
FORWARD OPERATING BASE RUSTAMIYAH — There is more to the fight for Iraq than just bullets and bombs, politics and pundits. There is a much smaller fight being waged which could be the most important aspect of this conflict: the fight for understanding and trust.
The medics of 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, took up the challenge and gave a day of combat medic training to12 members of the 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi National Police Division.
While medical training for Iraqi forces is ongoing throughout the country, the chance to train on a forward operating base using the equipment and expertise of a clinic staff is relatively rare. For most of the Iraqi policemen in attendance, this was there first time on an American FOB.
Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Hall of Centennial, Colo., a 2-16th medical platoon sergeant and Spc. David Corey of Maple Heights, Ohio, a medic with the battalion, conducted the training with assistance from interpreters and the 1-4-1st’s National Police Transition Team. Skills learned included wound care, fractures, sucking chest wounds and basic patient assessment.
According to Corey, the Iraqis seemed apprehensive and quiet when they first arrived on the FOB, but opened up as the training progressed.
Read the Rest...
2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment
FORWARD OPERATING BASE RUSTAMIYAH — There is more to the fight for Iraq than just bullets and bombs, politics and pundits. There is a much smaller fight being waged which could be the most important aspect of this conflict: the fight for understanding and trust.
The medics of 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, took up the challenge and gave a day of combat medic training to12 members of the 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi National Police Division.
While medical training for Iraqi forces is ongoing throughout the country, the chance to train on a forward operating base using the equipment and expertise of a clinic staff is relatively rare. For most of the Iraqi policemen in attendance, this was there first time on an American FOB.
Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Hall of Centennial, Colo., a 2-16th medical platoon sergeant and Spc. David Corey of Maple Heights, Ohio, a medic with the battalion, conducted the training with assistance from interpreters and the 1-4-1st’s National Police Transition Team. Skills learned included wound care, fractures, sucking chest wounds and basic patient assessment.
According to Corey, the Iraqis seemed apprehensive and quiet when they first arrived on the FOB, but opened up as the training progressed.
Read the Rest...
Three Suspected Terrorists Captured
MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER
Release A070531a
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqi and Coalition Forces detained three suspected terrorists during operations in central and eastern Iraq Thursday morning.
Iraqi and Coalition Forces detained two individuals in Sadr City during the first raid. They are believed to be members of the secret cell terrorist network known for facilitating the transport of weapons and explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, from Iran to Iraq, as well as bringing militants from Iraq to Iran for terrorist training.
Intelligence reports indicate one of the targeted individuals detained during the operation is suspected of providing facilitation and logistic support for trafficking weapons used in operations against Coalition Forces.
In a separate raid in Khanaqin, Coalition Forces captured a suspected liaison to al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders, who assists in the movement of information and documents from al-Qaeda in Iraq leadership in Baghdad to al-Qaeda senior leaders in Iran.
“We’re methodically disrupting terrorist networks in Iraq, and will continue to break down these networks so Iraqis can secure their own future,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER
Release A070531a
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqi and Coalition Forces detained three suspected terrorists during operations in central and eastern Iraq Thursday morning.
Iraqi and Coalition Forces detained two individuals in Sadr City during the first raid. They are believed to be members of the secret cell terrorist network known for facilitating the transport of weapons and explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, from Iran to Iraq, as well as bringing militants from Iraq to Iran for terrorist training.
Intelligence reports indicate one of the targeted individuals detained during the operation is suspected of providing facilitation and logistic support for trafficking weapons used in operations against Coalition Forces.
In a separate raid in Khanaqin, Coalition Forces captured a suspected liaison to al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders, who assists in the movement of information and documents from al-Qaeda in Iraq leadership in Baghdad to al-Qaeda senior leaders in Iran.
“We’re methodically disrupting terrorist networks in Iraq, and will continue to break down these networks so Iraqis can secure their own future,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.
Web Reconnaissance for 05/31/2007
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.
In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
Zoellick Debuts As Bank Nominee - Robert B. Zoellick, freshly anointed by President Bush as his choice to lead the World Bank, yesterday spoke in conciliatory tones about healing the rifts left from the tenure of the previous appointee, Paul D. Wolfowitz. (READ MORE)
Death of Guantanamo Detainee Is Apparent Suicide, Military Says - A Saudi detainee at the U.S. military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was found dead in his cell from an apparent suicide yesterday afternoon, military officials said. He would be the fourth detainee to take his own life at the facility in the past year. (READ MORE)
Bush Reaches to Putin as Relations Continue to Slide - President Bush yesterday launched a high-stakes effort to repair the dramatically deteriorating U.S. relationship with Russia by inviting President Vladimir Putin to visit the family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine, after weeks of rhetoric reminiscent of the Cold War. (READ MORE)
U.S. Hunts for 5 Britons Abducted in Iraq - BAGHDAD, May 30 -- Scores of U.S. troops descended on the vast Shiite district of Sadr City in Baghdad late Tuesday and early Wednesday, residents there said, searching several houses in what appeared to be an intense hunt for a British financial consultant and four British bodyguards... (READ MORE)
Stock Indexes Set New Records - The U.S. stock market yesterday brushed off a major plunge in Chinese stocks and surged to new milestones, with both the Standard & Poor's 500 and the Dow Jones stock indexes hitting their highest closes since the 2000 stock crash. (READ MORE)
U.N. to Set Up Lebanon Tribunal - The U.N. Security Council yesterday approved the creation of an international tribunal to try suspects in a series of Lebanese political assassinations, setting up a confrontation with Syria, which has said it will not cooperate with the new court. (READ MORE)
TB Case Stresses Access Limits - Federal officials said yesterday they're working hard to track down about 80 people who sat near a tuberculosis-infected man on two international flights but said new powers are needed to help officials contact travelers more quickly in similar future situations... (READ MORE)
Freshman Democrats Work With 'Rainmaker' - The class of 41 freshman House Democrats has selected a registered lobbyist to form its political action committee, in what ethics watchdogs and Republicans are calling a contradiction of their promise to end a "culture of corruption" in Washington. (READ MORE)
Morales, Correa Target TV Foes - The leaders of Bolivia and Ecuador are moving with Cuban encouragement and in concert with their mentor, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, to restrict press freedom in their countries. (READ MORE)
From the Front:
Omar: Imminent Major Battle in Diyala? “Diyala has arguably become the most dangerous place for both Iraqis and Americans. The recent crimes of al-Qaeda and affiliated groups in recent months in this province have cost tragic losses among Iraqi civilians, Iraqi security forces and American soldiers. I haven't found a confirmation of the following news elsewhere but I know al-Sabah is well-informed as it has access to official sources more than any other local news outlet.” (READ MORE)
Michael J. Totten: What Assad Fears Most Has Come to Pass “Syria's tyrant Bashar Assad has dreaded nothing so much over the past couple of years as a Chapter 7 United Nations Security Council Resolution establishing a tribunal to put on trial the assassins of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Chapter 7 means the international community will impose enforcement mechanisms on the guilty.” (READ MORE)
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross: Baghdad: Embedded Provisional Reconstruction Teams “A few days ago, I spoke with a U.S. official working for one of the new embedded provisional reconstruction teams (EPRTs) in Iraq. Last year ten provisional reconstruction teams (PRTs) were created throughout the country to operate parallel to the military. Each PRT was headed up by a foreign service officer; had a deputy from the U.S. Army; had at least one member from USAID; and had a bilingual, bicultural advisor (fluent in Arabic with a background that allows him to understand the Middle East). Typically there would be about ten people total working for a PRT. The PRTs were designed to further the U.S. mission in Iraq by helping to advance the political process of reconstruction in a variety of ways.” (READ MORE)
JD Johannes: Media Presence “In the foyer outside the Tactical Operations Center of JSS Black Lion poster sized Post-it note is on display. ‘When historians write about the war in Iraq they will write about the invasion of 2003 and the Surge....’ The media is already here in force... In 2005 when I drifted through the Combined Press Information Center I was always the lone member of the media. At Camp Fallujah I rarely saw another member of the media. In fact I saw more talk radio show hosts than members of the MSM.” (READ MORE)
Michael Yon: The Final Option "The city of Hit (pronounced “heat”) is a spot of green in the desert on the western bank of the Euphrates. The temperature is steadily rising here as the weeks melt into the mirage of summer; the haze shimmering at about 115°F now. The air was blowing hot and dry through the city Tuesday morning 29 May, when I accompanied LTC Doug Crissman for another day of meetings with local leaders in Hit and surrounding towns in Anbar Province. Crissman and the soldiers of Task Force 2-7 Infantry under his command have been welcomed in the area of Hit for about the last one hundred days. Prior to February, Hit was one of the hottest little battlegrounds of the war, with almost daily gun battles crackling through the air, mortars exploding on the bases, and bombs cratering the roads." (READ MORE)
Badger 6: MRAP is Just Fine or All Bombs Are Not Created Equal "USA Today brings us this nice piece of reporting: 'New military vehicles that are supposed to better protect troops from roadside explosions in Iraq aren't strong enough to withstand the latest type of bombs used by insurgents, according to Pentagon documents and military officials.' Yes Mr. Vanden Brook it's true the MRAP system can be defeated. But do you ever ask the question of how pervaisve the bomb in qeustion is? Read the entire article. You will walk away with the impression that just a new and superior vehicle is fielded the enemy comes up with a new way to defeat that vehicle or protection system. If I did not know better I would be very depressed after reading that article." (READ MORE)
Desert Flier: Hearts and Minds "Some of the top commanders and colonels in the area toured Charlie Medical yesterday. RK, our head surgeon and detachment commander, gave them a tour of the OR and our capabilities. While discussing area topics and patient care for the local populous and Iraqi Forces, the colonel had some genuinely positive encouragement regarding the care we are rending in Ramadi." (READ MORE)
On the Web:
La Shawn Barber: Low-Income Blacks and Illegal Immigration “The battle between blacks and Hispanics for preferred minority group status is only beginning. But blacks don’t need to look to pencil-pushing politicians to ‘lead’ them on this issue. All that is required is common sense and the will to demand that elected officials support immigration law enforcement and oppose any bill that grants the blessing of American citizenship on people who have no regard for this country’s laws.” (READ MORE)
Suzanne Fields: The Justice Teaches Civics “She's creating an interactive website for teaching civics. Remember civics? Civics was where the ‘products of the last century’ learned how their government was supposed to work, and were taught the responsibilities and obligations of an informed citizen. But fashions change, and ‘social studies’ became a catchall class to teach history, sociology and government, and rarely well.” (READ MORE)
Donald Lambro: Bush's Evolving Iraq Strategy “The administration's latest policy changes toward the Iraq war signal a gradual repositioning in anticipation of a shift in strategy by 2008. Some of President Bush's zigs and zags in the past year, as he fought the Democrats' efforts to tie a troop-pullout deadline to the war-funding bill, have led him to accept some of the Iraq Study Group's proposals.” (READ MORE)
George Will: Perennial Themes in Today's Political Argument “Conservatism's recovery of its intellectual equilibrium requires a confident explanation of why America has two parties and why the conservative one is preferable. Today's political argument involves perennial themes that give it more seriousness than many participants understand. The argument, like Western political philosophy generally, is about the meaning of, and the proper adjustment of the tension between, two important political goals -- freedom and equality.” (READ MORE)
Cal Thomas: It Takes a Socialist Village “Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has unveiled her economic vision. Should she be given the power to implement it, we can say goodbye to the prosperity and opportunity we have enjoyed since the Reagan years.” (READ MORE)
Terence Jeffrey: The Coming Consensus on Iraq “‘By September, when Gen. Petraeus is to make his report, I think most people in Congress believe, unless something extraordinary occurs, that we should be on a move to draw that surge number down,’ the senator said on CBS's ‘Face the Nation.’” (READ MORE)
Larry Elder: About Those "Skyrocketing" Gas Prices “What to do about -- choose the adjective – ‘spiraling,’ ‘skyrocketing,’ ‘out-of-control’ gas prices?” (READ MORE)
Ken Blackwell: Global Jihadists and American Spiritual Rearmament “The merciless monsters who constitute Al Qaeda and its terrorist movement are equal opportunity killers. They will use anyone - man, woman, pregnant mother, child - in acts of suicide to kill anyone.” (READ MORE)
Marvin Olasky: No Student is an Island “Now that we're in commencement season, you may have seen reports of the political tilt at many universities, where Republicans exist as a fringe group and an unusual two-party system -- liberal or radical -- reigns.” (READ MORE)
Fred Thompson: Living in Terror “Let me ask you a hypothetical question. What do you think America would do if Canadian soldiers were firing dozens of missiles every day into Buffalo, N.Y.?” (READ MORE)
Ann Coulter: A Green Card in Every Pot “Americans -- at least really stupid Americans like George Bush -- believe the natural state of the world is to have individual self-determination, human rights, the rule of law and a robust democratic economy. On this view, most of the existing world and almost all of world history is a freakish aberration.” (READ MORE)
WSJ Review & Outlook: Zoellick's Clean-Up Duty “Having published at least a dozen of Robert Zoellick's op-eds over the years, we know him as a man who neither minces his words nor takes easily to editing. If that's an indication of the management style he'll bring to the World Bank, then President Bush has nominated a fine successor to outgoing bank president Paul Wolfowitz.” (READ MORE)
Daniel Henninger: How About Amnesty for the Market? “Several years ago, a think tank called the Migration Policy Institute produced a digital map of all the counties in the U.S., depicting where the foreign-born population lives. In other words, the immigrants, not only Hispanic but all ethnicities. The map is color-coded--with deep purple and navy blue counties holding the largest raw numbers of foreign-born people, from 23% to 50% of total county population (the U.S. county average then was 11.1%).” (READ MORE)
Michael Fumento: Is the MSM to blame for blocking good news from the wars? “I personally have repeatedly scored the MSM for wanting to write about nothing but The Car Bomb of the Day and ignoring hearts-and-minds projects. Now I realize that while the MSM still deserve scorn, perhaps things aren't quite as black and white as I thought. In preparing my article on my recent embed that will be appearing in next week's Weekly Standard I sought to get information on such projects in the Zabul Region of Afghanistan directly from the Provincial Reconstruction Team or PRT. Zabul's PRT is run by the Air Force. Here's what transpired:” (READ MORE)
Bill Roggio: Iraq Report: Kidnapped by Mahdi; Salahadin Salvation attacked “According to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebar, yesterday's kidnapping of five Britons, one adviser, and four security guards from the Finance Ministry is believed to have been carried out by elements of the Mahdi Army. Reports suggest the raid was carried out by Mahdi fighters who infiltrated the police and the ministry's security forces. ‘The number of people who were involved in the operation to seal off the building, to set roadblocks and to get into the building with such confidence must have some connections,’ said Mr. Zebari. The ministry is located near Sadr City, the Baghdad stronghold of Muqtada al Sadr and his Mahdi Army. Neighborhoods of Sadr City have been cordoned, and at least two raids have been carried out.” (READ MORE)
A Soldier's Mind: An Open Letter To Politicians On Both Sides Of The Aisle “I received this letter from one of the Soldier’s that we’ve featured here at ASM in the past. His letter, speaks eloquently of the frustration that our Troops in harms way are feeling when they are constantly barraged with the news coverage of the political posturing that constantly is occurring in Washington D.C. I can fully appreciate and understand his frustration and the frustration of the many men and women serving in our Nation’s Armed Forces. This is a letter which needs to be read by every single one of the Politicians currently sitting on their “thrones” in Washington D.C., not caring that their political posturing gravely affects the lives of the men and women so proudly and valiantly serving our Country.” (READ MORE)
AWTM: A Day at The Museum... “I was lucky enough to spend this past Memorial Day with my family. We spent a couple of days at Fort Benning, as DH is still in school. He had been telling me about how absolutely brilliant, driven, and focused his classmates are. I am proud to hear he is in such good company. Although as a military spouse, this does not surprise me. I know how amazing these men are. I married one. We spent part of the weekend at The Infantry Museum, which I have been to many times. Every visit, I learn something new, or see something I missed the last visit.” (READ MORE)
The Belmont Club: The Wilderness of Mirrors “AJ Strata examines the allegations of Andrei Lugovoy who claims Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky and Alexander Litvinenko were working for Britain's MI6 and that Litvinenko working to recruit him. In Lugovoy's version of events, Litvinenko was killed by MI6 or Berezovsky after showing signs of instability. Like some out of control missile, Litvinenko had to be destroyed by a range safety officer to avoid causing damage. What of the Polonium 210? Lugovoy implies that MI6 used it to hit Litvinenko, presumably so that the finger would point back toward Moscow.” (READ MORE)
Dafydd: A Balance of Question “A mostly anonymous group of ‘experts,’ speaking to the previously unheard-of Intelligence Science Board, has condemned some mostly unnamed methods of interrogation for mostly unspecified reasons. And the President of the United States hasn't even responded yet! ‘As the Bush administration completes secret new rules governing interrogations, a group of experts advising the intelligence agencies are arguing that the harsh techniques used since the 2001 terrorist attacks are outmoded, amateurish and unreliable. The psychologists and other specialists, commissioned by the Intelligence Science Board, make the case that more than five years after the Sept. 11 attacks, the Bush administration has yet to create an elite corps of interrogators trained to glean secrets from terrorism suspects.’” (READ MORE)
Ed Morrissey: Guess Who's Forming The Frosh PAC? “The Democrats, as often observed, won a majority in Congress by demanding an end to the ‘culture of corruption’ and undue lobbyist influence. The main beneficiaries of that campaign, the 41 freshman Democrats in the House, now want to form a political action committee to increase their clout on the Hill. So who did they choose to form and run it? Three guesses, and the first two don't count:” (READ MORE)
Flopping Aces: Hillary's Socialist Dreams “Hillary Clinton promises to combat rising inequality and rising pessimism in the United States workforce. Translated into english this means raising our taxes, repealing the cuts that are already in place. So lets look at a few things about our current economy. Now, just reminder, Bush inherited a economy that was going into a recession (beginning in March of 2001, yes I know this is two months after Bush took office but unless his immediate policies effected the economy in two months we know that it was the Clinton policies that created this recession)...just food for thought when you look at the below data:” (READ MORE)
Don Surber: Real torture ignored, fake torture flogged “If you know about the torture manual used by al-Qaida, then you did not learn about it by reading the Washington Post, the New York Times or sadly, this newspaper. Neither the Associated Press nor Reuters picked up on the story. Fox News was the only major outlet with the story. Sir Rupert Murdoch's newspapers in Australia republished the Fox report.” (READ MORE)
Dymphna: “Terror in the Skies”: One Woman's Persistence “Today the Washington Times released the full report they promised on May 27th regarding the ‘dry run’ Annie Jacobsen wrote about several years ago in both her columns and in her book, ‘Terror in the Skies’. I waited until now to post on this because I wanted to see the full Homeland Security report which the Times obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. The first time they tried to get it, all but two lines had been blacked out. Now most of it is contained in a pdf suppied by the Times.” (READ MORE)
Bryan Preston: (Audio) Chertoff discards basic crime-fighting techniques to support the amnesty bill “DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff appeared on the Mark Davis Show on WBAP-820 in Dallas last week to promote the Bush-Kennedy immigration bill. In the process of explaining why he thinks the bill is swell, he discards basic crime-fighting logic. Click to listen. That muffled thumping you heard was Eliot Ness rolling over in his grave.” (READ MORE)
Allahpundit: Linda Chavez: If you’re against open borders, you might be a Nazi “That’s a paraphrase, of course, but only a slight one. Dig it: ‘Some people just don’t like Mexicans — or anyone else from south of the border. They think Latinos are freeloaders and welfare cheats who are too lazy to learn English. They think Latinos have too many babies, and that Latino kids will dumb down our schools. They think Latinos are dirty, diseased, indolent and more prone to criminal behavior. They think Latinos are just too different from us ever to become real Americans.’” (READ MORE)
Jules Crittenden: Iraq = Korea = Kosovo= Bosnia = Germany = Japan = Australia = Britain = Iceland = ETC “Bush envisions U.S. troop presence in Iraq like S.Korea. Is anyone seriously surprised by this? Could anyone possibly disagree with this? OK, never mind that last question. Did anyone think an ongoing troop presence, Mideast bases somewhere other than Saudi Arabia, were not part of the scenario? Sectarian violence, largely a development of the past year and a half, being aggressively engaged with positive signs, but will require an ongoing presence for the foreseeable future.” (READ MORE)
Amy Proctor: Stop Calling Terrorism Jihad “Bottom Line Up Front: Iraqis know that terrorists are not martyrs when they die for their ‘faith’ in acts of terrorism and and we can win the war on terror when we understand this concept, too. Bassim al-Jabouri, brother of the fallen Iraqi police officer in Iraq who bravely gave his life to stop a suicide bomber, said this in the video: ‘I think my brother is a martyr, but the insurgents are not martyrs. They will go to hell; they are evil in this world.’” (READ MORE)
Neptunus Lex: Oh. Them “There was something in this article about Special Air Service operators in the UK prepping to join their brothers already on station in Iraq - and yes Mookie, there does appear to be a laser dot on your turban, why do you ask? - that brought a faint smile to your correspondent’s face, weary as he sometimes gets of hearing pols and pundits whose concerns about our troops seems to correlate more closely to the political party of their commander in chief than to any sense of the importance of the mission they are embarked upon. These have lately taken to banging their spoons ever more vigorously on their high chairs in an attempt to “hurry up and bring the troops home so that they can focus on fighting al-Qaeda.” Which, well:” (READ MORE)
Patterico's Pontifications: AP Spins for the Terrorists on GTMO Suicide “The AP reports on a recent suicide at Guantanamo, with characteristic pro-terrorist spin: ‘A Saudi Arabian detainee died Wednesday at Guantanamo Bay prison and the U.S. military said he apparently committed suicide. Critics of the detention center said the death showed the level of desperation among prisoners.’ Way to put that spin up front, AP! The article reinforces this spin again:” (READ MORE)
Bryan Pick: Overt threats (for your own good) “Seatbelt laws are as much a timeless libertarian bugaboo cliché as anything, joining bike helmet laws, trans fat bans and a thousand other instances of well-intentioned meddling. So why tread old water? Well, for one, I was slightly disturbed to hear recently, ‘I’m New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, and I should be dead.’ For another, it’s a bit ridiculous to see Bush chided for not buckling up to drive on his own property. Observe: ‘So why didn’t a brave cop give Dubya a ticket for driving around his “ranch” without wearing the seatbelt? It’s simple! If you are super rich, you just buy up all the land and then it’s “private property” and you can do whatever you want!’ Oh, Wonkette! How your satire delights me. (It was satire... right?)” (READ MORE)
William Teach: GOP Fights Bush On Immigration “You know, it is a shame that of all the topics President Bush wants to truly fight back on, it is an illegal immigration bill that goes against his own base. Iraq, the assaults on secret anti-terrorist programs, fixing social security, you name it, he has barely said a word. A few shots at Democrats, and move on. But with the illegal bill, he seems to want to take on the majority of Conservatives. And some Republicans in Congress are fighting back (Washington Times)” (READ MORE)
Right Wing Nut House: Fred Thompson: The Man, The Moment, The Mess “When I survey the disaster that is the current Republican party – a leaderless, rudderless, dispirited mob without a clue of how to begin fixing what’s broke – the obvious question that leaps to mind is can anything be salvaged from the current situation? Or is the GOP condemned to walk the earth like Zombies for the foreseeable future with no direction, no heart, and little in the way of motivation to animate its followers? You think I’m being too hard on Republicans, huh? Quick, name the leader of the Republican party. Time’s up. If you said Bush, I’ll give you points for loyalty but then take away your Haliburton Club card.” (READ MORE)
Jay Tea: Double crossed “Earlier this week, when it was revealed that Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann had escaped Europe and fled to Argentina on a passport issued by the International Committee of the Red Cross, I was shocked and disgusted. And then, as I thought about it some more, I was dismayed. At myself. I should not have been shocked. The International Committee of the Red Cross, which has won the Nobel Peace Prize three times (and its founder won the first Peace Prize for that feat), has spent years ‘cruising’ on its reputation, while repeatedly doing things that should have caused reasonable people to at least question the organization, if not revile it. Their role in aiding Nazi war criminals to escape justice (along with elements of the Catholic Church) are just part of it.” (READ MORE)
Right Truth: Clear and imminent danger, do you see it? “McMaster University in Hamilton Ontario is the former haunt of Adnan el Shukrijumah, thought to be the next Mohammad Atta and head of a terrorist cell intent on attacking America with suitcase nukes ... American Hiroshima. McMaster is also known as a 'nest' for many of the Canadian terrorists. Oh yes, McMaster has a 5-megawatt nuclear research reactor on campus.” (READ MORE)
Reflecting Light: Needed: a troop surge in Tucson "I lived in Tucson, Arizona, for three years. No compelling reason. I liked the landscape, the Spanish and Pueblo style architecture, and the general laid-back friendliness of the people. Today, thanks to our criminally irresponsible president and politicians who collude with him, Tucson is about to become a war zone, according to one local observer." (READ MORE)
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In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
Zoellick Debuts As Bank Nominee - Robert B. Zoellick, freshly anointed by President Bush as his choice to lead the World Bank, yesterday spoke in conciliatory tones about healing the rifts left from the tenure of the previous appointee, Paul D. Wolfowitz. (READ MORE)
Death of Guantanamo Detainee Is Apparent Suicide, Military Says - A Saudi detainee at the U.S. military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was found dead in his cell from an apparent suicide yesterday afternoon, military officials said. He would be the fourth detainee to take his own life at the facility in the past year. (READ MORE)
Bush Reaches to Putin as Relations Continue to Slide - President Bush yesterday launched a high-stakes effort to repair the dramatically deteriorating U.S. relationship with Russia by inviting President Vladimir Putin to visit the family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine, after weeks of rhetoric reminiscent of the Cold War. (READ MORE)
U.S. Hunts for 5 Britons Abducted in Iraq - BAGHDAD, May 30 -- Scores of U.S. troops descended on the vast Shiite district of Sadr City in Baghdad late Tuesday and early Wednesday, residents there said, searching several houses in what appeared to be an intense hunt for a British financial consultant and four British bodyguards... (READ MORE)
Stock Indexes Set New Records - The U.S. stock market yesterday brushed off a major plunge in Chinese stocks and surged to new milestones, with both the Standard & Poor's 500 and the Dow Jones stock indexes hitting their highest closes since the 2000 stock crash. (READ MORE)
U.N. to Set Up Lebanon Tribunal - The U.N. Security Council yesterday approved the creation of an international tribunal to try suspects in a series of Lebanese political assassinations, setting up a confrontation with Syria, which has said it will not cooperate with the new court. (READ MORE)
TB Case Stresses Access Limits - Federal officials said yesterday they're working hard to track down about 80 people who sat near a tuberculosis-infected man on two international flights but said new powers are needed to help officials contact travelers more quickly in similar future situations... (READ MORE)
Freshman Democrats Work With 'Rainmaker' - The class of 41 freshman House Democrats has selected a registered lobbyist to form its political action committee, in what ethics watchdogs and Republicans are calling a contradiction of their promise to end a "culture of corruption" in Washington. (READ MORE)
Morales, Correa Target TV Foes - The leaders of Bolivia and Ecuador are moving with Cuban encouragement and in concert with their mentor, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, to restrict press freedom in their countries. (READ MORE)
From the Front:
Omar: Imminent Major Battle in Diyala? “Diyala has arguably become the most dangerous place for both Iraqis and Americans. The recent crimes of al-Qaeda and affiliated groups in recent months in this province have cost tragic losses among Iraqi civilians, Iraqi security forces and American soldiers. I haven't found a confirmation of the following news elsewhere but I know al-Sabah is well-informed as it has access to official sources more than any other local news outlet.” (READ MORE)
Michael J. Totten: What Assad Fears Most Has Come to Pass “Syria's tyrant Bashar Assad has dreaded nothing so much over the past couple of years as a Chapter 7 United Nations Security Council Resolution establishing a tribunal to put on trial the assassins of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Chapter 7 means the international community will impose enforcement mechanisms on the guilty.” (READ MORE)
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross: Baghdad: Embedded Provisional Reconstruction Teams “A few days ago, I spoke with a U.S. official working for one of the new embedded provisional reconstruction teams (EPRTs) in Iraq. Last year ten provisional reconstruction teams (PRTs) were created throughout the country to operate parallel to the military. Each PRT was headed up by a foreign service officer; had a deputy from the U.S. Army; had at least one member from USAID; and had a bilingual, bicultural advisor (fluent in Arabic with a background that allows him to understand the Middle East). Typically there would be about ten people total working for a PRT. The PRTs were designed to further the U.S. mission in Iraq by helping to advance the political process of reconstruction in a variety of ways.” (READ MORE)
JD Johannes: Media Presence “In the foyer outside the Tactical Operations Center of JSS Black Lion poster sized Post-it note is on display. ‘When historians write about the war in Iraq they will write about the invasion of 2003 and the Surge....’ The media is already here in force... In 2005 when I drifted through the Combined Press Information Center I was always the lone member of the media. At Camp Fallujah I rarely saw another member of the media. In fact I saw more talk radio show hosts than members of the MSM.” (READ MORE)
Michael Yon: The Final Option "The city of Hit (pronounced “heat”) is a spot of green in the desert on the western bank of the Euphrates. The temperature is steadily rising here as the weeks melt into the mirage of summer; the haze shimmering at about 115°F now. The air was blowing hot and dry through the city Tuesday morning 29 May, when I accompanied LTC Doug Crissman for another day of meetings with local leaders in Hit and surrounding towns in Anbar Province. Crissman and the soldiers of Task Force 2-7 Infantry under his command have been welcomed in the area of Hit for about the last one hundred days. Prior to February, Hit was one of the hottest little battlegrounds of the war, with almost daily gun battles crackling through the air, mortars exploding on the bases, and bombs cratering the roads." (READ MORE)
Badger 6: MRAP is Just Fine or All Bombs Are Not Created Equal "USA Today brings us this nice piece of reporting: 'New military vehicles that are supposed to better protect troops from roadside explosions in Iraq aren't strong enough to withstand the latest type of bombs used by insurgents, according to Pentagon documents and military officials.' Yes Mr. Vanden Brook it's true the MRAP system can be defeated. But do you ever ask the question of how pervaisve the bomb in qeustion is? Read the entire article. You will walk away with the impression that just a new and superior vehicle is fielded the enemy comes up with a new way to defeat that vehicle or protection system. If I did not know better I would be very depressed after reading that article." (READ MORE)
Desert Flier: Hearts and Minds "Some of the top commanders and colonels in the area toured Charlie Medical yesterday. RK, our head surgeon and detachment commander, gave them a tour of the OR and our capabilities. While discussing area topics and patient care for the local populous and Iraqi Forces, the colonel had some genuinely positive encouragement regarding the care we are rending in Ramadi." (READ MORE)
On the Web:
La Shawn Barber: Low-Income Blacks and Illegal Immigration “The battle between blacks and Hispanics for preferred minority group status is only beginning. But blacks don’t need to look to pencil-pushing politicians to ‘lead’ them on this issue. All that is required is common sense and the will to demand that elected officials support immigration law enforcement and oppose any bill that grants the blessing of American citizenship on people who have no regard for this country’s laws.” (READ MORE)
Suzanne Fields: The Justice Teaches Civics “She's creating an interactive website for teaching civics. Remember civics? Civics was where the ‘products of the last century’ learned how their government was supposed to work, and were taught the responsibilities and obligations of an informed citizen. But fashions change, and ‘social studies’ became a catchall class to teach history, sociology and government, and rarely well.” (READ MORE)
Donald Lambro: Bush's Evolving Iraq Strategy “The administration's latest policy changes toward the Iraq war signal a gradual repositioning in anticipation of a shift in strategy by 2008. Some of President Bush's zigs and zags in the past year, as he fought the Democrats' efforts to tie a troop-pullout deadline to the war-funding bill, have led him to accept some of the Iraq Study Group's proposals.” (READ MORE)
George Will: Perennial Themes in Today's Political Argument “Conservatism's recovery of its intellectual equilibrium requires a confident explanation of why America has two parties and why the conservative one is preferable. Today's political argument involves perennial themes that give it more seriousness than many participants understand. The argument, like Western political philosophy generally, is about the meaning of, and the proper adjustment of the tension between, two important political goals -- freedom and equality.” (READ MORE)
Cal Thomas: It Takes a Socialist Village “Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has unveiled her economic vision. Should she be given the power to implement it, we can say goodbye to the prosperity and opportunity we have enjoyed since the Reagan years.” (READ MORE)
Terence Jeffrey: The Coming Consensus on Iraq “‘By September, when Gen. Petraeus is to make his report, I think most people in Congress believe, unless something extraordinary occurs, that we should be on a move to draw that surge number down,’ the senator said on CBS's ‘Face the Nation.’” (READ MORE)
Larry Elder: About Those "Skyrocketing" Gas Prices “What to do about -- choose the adjective – ‘spiraling,’ ‘skyrocketing,’ ‘out-of-control’ gas prices?” (READ MORE)
Ken Blackwell: Global Jihadists and American Spiritual Rearmament “The merciless monsters who constitute Al Qaeda and its terrorist movement are equal opportunity killers. They will use anyone - man, woman, pregnant mother, child - in acts of suicide to kill anyone.” (READ MORE)
Marvin Olasky: No Student is an Island “Now that we're in commencement season, you may have seen reports of the political tilt at many universities, where Republicans exist as a fringe group and an unusual two-party system -- liberal or radical -- reigns.” (READ MORE)
Fred Thompson: Living in Terror “Let me ask you a hypothetical question. What do you think America would do if Canadian soldiers were firing dozens of missiles every day into Buffalo, N.Y.?” (READ MORE)
Ann Coulter: A Green Card in Every Pot “Americans -- at least really stupid Americans like George Bush -- believe the natural state of the world is to have individual self-determination, human rights, the rule of law and a robust democratic economy. On this view, most of the existing world and almost all of world history is a freakish aberration.” (READ MORE)
WSJ Review & Outlook: Zoellick's Clean-Up Duty “Having published at least a dozen of Robert Zoellick's op-eds over the years, we know him as a man who neither minces his words nor takes easily to editing. If that's an indication of the management style he'll bring to the World Bank, then President Bush has nominated a fine successor to outgoing bank president Paul Wolfowitz.” (READ MORE)
Daniel Henninger: How About Amnesty for the Market? “Several years ago, a think tank called the Migration Policy Institute produced a digital map of all the counties in the U.S., depicting where the foreign-born population lives. In other words, the immigrants, not only Hispanic but all ethnicities. The map is color-coded--with deep purple and navy blue counties holding the largest raw numbers of foreign-born people, from 23% to 50% of total county population (the U.S. county average then was 11.1%).” (READ MORE)
Michael Fumento: Is the MSM to blame for blocking good news from the wars? “I personally have repeatedly scored the MSM for wanting to write about nothing but The Car Bomb of the Day and ignoring hearts-and-minds projects. Now I realize that while the MSM still deserve scorn, perhaps things aren't quite as black and white as I thought. In preparing my article on my recent embed that will be appearing in next week's Weekly Standard I sought to get information on such projects in the Zabul Region of Afghanistan directly from the Provincial Reconstruction Team or PRT. Zabul's PRT is run by the Air Force. Here's what transpired:” (READ MORE)
Bill Roggio: Iraq Report: Kidnapped by Mahdi; Salahadin Salvation attacked “According to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebar, yesterday's kidnapping of five Britons, one adviser, and four security guards from the Finance Ministry is believed to have been carried out by elements of the Mahdi Army. Reports suggest the raid was carried out by Mahdi fighters who infiltrated the police and the ministry's security forces. ‘The number of people who were involved in the operation to seal off the building, to set roadblocks and to get into the building with such confidence must have some connections,’ said Mr. Zebari. The ministry is located near Sadr City, the Baghdad stronghold of Muqtada al Sadr and his Mahdi Army. Neighborhoods of Sadr City have been cordoned, and at least two raids have been carried out.” (READ MORE)
A Soldier's Mind: An Open Letter To Politicians On Both Sides Of The Aisle “I received this letter from one of the Soldier’s that we’ve featured here at ASM in the past. His letter, speaks eloquently of the frustration that our Troops in harms way are feeling when they are constantly barraged with the news coverage of the political posturing that constantly is occurring in Washington D.C. I can fully appreciate and understand his frustration and the frustration of the many men and women serving in our Nation’s Armed Forces. This is a letter which needs to be read by every single one of the Politicians currently sitting on their “thrones” in Washington D.C., not caring that their political posturing gravely affects the lives of the men and women so proudly and valiantly serving our Country.” (READ MORE)
AWTM: A Day at The Museum... “I was lucky enough to spend this past Memorial Day with my family. We spent a couple of days at Fort Benning, as DH is still in school. He had been telling me about how absolutely brilliant, driven, and focused his classmates are. I am proud to hear he is in such good company. Although as a military spouse, this does not surprise me. I know how amazing these men are. I married one. We spent part of the weekend at The Infantry Museum, which I have been to many times. Every visit, I learn something new, or see something I missed the last visit.” (READ MORE)
The Belmont Club: The Wilderness of Mirrors “AJ Strata examines the allegations of Andrei Lugovoy who claims Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky and Alexander Litvinenko were working for Britain's MI6 and that Litvinenko working to recruit him. In Lugovoy's version of events, Litvinenko was killed by MI6 or Berezovsky after showing signs of instability. Like some out of control missile, Litvinenko had to be destroyed by a range safety officer to avoid causing damage. What of the Polonium 210? Lugovoy implies that MI6 used it to hit Litvinenko, presumably so that the finger would point back toward Moscow.” (READ MORE)
Dafydd: A Balance of Question “A mostly anonymous group of ‘experts,’ speaking to the previously unheard-of Intelligence Science Board, has condemned some mostly unnamed methods of interrogation for mostly unspecified reasons. And the President of the United States hasn't even responded yet! ‘As the Bush administration completes secret new rules governing interrogations, a group of experts advising the intelligence agencies are arguing that the harsh techniques used since the 2001 terrorist attacks are outmoded, amateurish and unreliable. The psychologists and other specialists, commissioned by the Intelligence Science Board, make the case that more than five years after the Sept. 11 attacks, the Bush administration has yet to create an elite corps of interrogators trained to glean secrets from terrorism suspects.’” (READ MORE)
Ed Morrissey: Guess Who's Forming The Frosh PAC? “The Democrats, as often observed, won a majority in Congress by demanding an end to the ‘culture of corruption’ and undue lobbyist influence. The main beneficiaries of that campaign, the 41 freshman Democrats in the House, now want to form a political action committee to increase their clout on the Hill. So who did they choose to form and run it? Three guesses, and the first two don't count:” (READ MORE)
Flopping Aces: Hillary's Socialist Dreams “Hillary Clinton promises to combat rising inequality and rising pessimism in the United States workforce. Translated into english this means raising our taxes, repealing the cuts that are already in place. So lets look at a few things about our current economy. Now, just reminder, Bush inherited a economy that was going into a recession (beginning in March of 2001, yes I know this is two months after Bush took office but unless his immediate policies effected the economy in two months we know that it was the Clinton policies that created this recession)...just food for thought when you look at the below data:” (READ MORE)
Don Surber: Real torture ignored, fake torture flogged “If you know about the torture manual used by al-Qaida, then you did not learn about it by reading the Washington Post, the New York Times or sadly, this newspaper. Neither the Associated Press nor Reuters picked up on the story. Fox News was the only major outlet with the story. Sir Rupert Murdoch's newspapers in Australia republished the Fox report.” (READ MORE)
Dymphna: “Terror in the Skies”: One Woman's Persistence “Today the Washington Times released the full report they promised on May 27th regarding the ‘dry run’ Annie Jacobsen wrote about several years ago in both her columns and in her book, ‘Terror in the Skies’. I waited until now to post on this because I wanted to see the full Homeland Security report which the Times obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. The first time they tried to get it, all but two lines had been blacked out. Now most of it is contained in a pdf suppied by the Times.” (READ MORE)
Bryan Preston: (Audio) Chertoff discards basic crime-fighting techniques to support the amnesty bill “DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff appeared on the Mark Davis Show on WBAP-820 in Dallas last week to promote the Bush-Kennedy immigration bill. In the process of explaining why he thinks the bill is swell, he discards basic crime-fighting logic. Click to listen. That muffled thumping you heard was Eliot Ness rolling over in his grave.” (READ MORE)
Allahpundit: Linda Chavez: If you’re against open borders, you might be a Nazi “That’s a paraphrase, of course, but only a slight one. Dig it: ‘Some people just don’t like Mexicans — or anyone else from south of the border. They think Latinos are freeloaders and welfare cheats who are too lazy to learn English. They think Latinos have too many babies, and that Latino kids will dumb down our schools. They think Latinos are dirty, diseased, indolent and more prone to criminal behavior. They think Latinos are just too different from us ever to become real Americans.’” (READ MORE)
Jules Crittenden: Iraq = Korea = Kosovo= Bosnia = Germany = Japan = Australia = Britain = Iceland = ETC “Bush envisions U.S. troop presence in Iraq like S.Korea. Is anyone seriously surprised by this? Could anyone possibly disagree with this? OK, never mind that last question. Did anyone think an ongoing troop presence, Mideast bases somewhere other than Saudi Arabia, were not part of the scenario? Sectarian violence, largely a development of the past year and a half, being aggressively engaged with positive signs, but will require an ongoing presence for the foreseeable future.” (READ MORE)
Amy Proctor: Stop Calling Terrorism Jihad “Bottom Line Up Front: Iraqis know that terrorists are not martyrs when they die for their ‘faith’ in acts of terrorism and and we can win the war on terror when we understand this concept, too. Bassim al-Jabouri, brother of the fallen Iraqi police officer in Iraq who bravely gave his life to stop a suicide bomber, said this in the video: ‘I think my brother is a martyr, but the insurgents are not martyrs. They will go to hell; they are evil in this world.’” (READ MORE)
Neptunus Lex: Oh. Them “There was something in this article about Special Air Service operators in the UK prepping to join their brothers already on station in Iraq - and yes Mookie, there does appear to be a laser dot on your turban, why do you ask? - that brought a faint smile to your correspondent’s face, weary as he sometimes gets of hearing pols and pundits whose concerns about our troops seems to correlate more closely to the political party of their commander in chief than to any sense of the importance of the mission they are embarked upon. These have lately taken to banging their spoons ever more vigorously on their high chairs in an attempt to “hurry up and bring the troops home so that they can focus on fighting al-Qaeda.” Which, well:” (READ MORE)
Patterico's Pontifications: AP Spins for the Terrorists on GTMO Suicide “The AP reports on a recent suicide at Guantanamo, with characteristic pro-terrorist spin: ‘A Saudi Arabian detainee died Wednesday at Guantanamo Bay prison and the U.S. military said he apparently committed suicide. Critics of the detention center said the death showed the level of desperation among prisoners.’ Way to put that spin up front, AP! The article reinforces this spin again:” (READ MORE)
Bryan Pick: Overt threats (for your own good) “Seatbelt laws are as much a timeless libertarian bugaboo cliché as anything, joining bike helmet laws, trans fat bans and a thousand other instances of well-intentioned meddling. So why tread old water? Well, for one, I was slightly disturbed to hear recently, ‘I’m New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, and I should be dead.’ For another, it’s a bit ridiculous to see Bush chided for not buckling up to drive on his own property. Observe: ‘So why didn’t a brave cop give Dubya a ticket for driving around his “ranch” without wearing the seatbelt? It’s simple! If you are super rich, you just buy up all the land and then it’s “private property” and you can do whatever you want!’ Oh, Wonkette! How your satire delights me. (It was satire... right?)” (READ MORE)
William Teach: GOP Fights Bush On Immigration “You know, it is a shame that of all the topics President Bush wants to truly fight back on, it is an illegal immigration bill that goes against his own base. Iraq, the assaults on secret anti-terrorist programs, fixing social security, you name it, he has barely said a word. A few shots at Democrats, and move on. But with the illegal bill, he seems to want to take on the majority of Conservatives. And some Republicans in Congress are fighting back (Washington Times)” (READ MORE)
Right Wing Nut House: Fred Thompson: The Man, The Moment, The Mess “When I survey the disaster that is the current Republican party – a leaderless, rudderless, dispirited mob without a clue of how to begin fixing what’s broke – the obvious question that leaps to mind is can anything be salvaged from the current situation? Or is the GOP condemned to walk the earth like Zombies for the foreseeable future with no direction, no heart, and little in the way of motivation to animate its followers? You think I’m being too hard on Republicans, huh? Quick, name the leader of the Republican party. Time’s up. If you said Bush, I’ll give you points for loyalty but then take away your Haliburton Club card.” (READ MORE)
Jay Tea: Double crossed “Earlier this week, when it was revealed that Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann had escaped Europe and fled to Argentina on a passport issued by the International Committee of the Red Cross, I was shocked and disgusted. And then, as I thought about it some more, I was dismayed. At myself. I should not have been shocked. The International Committee of the Red Cross, which has won the Nobel Peace Prize three times (and its founder won the first Peace Prize for that feat), has spent years ‘cruising’ on its reputation, while repeatedly doing things that should have caused reasonable people to at least question the organization, if not revile it. Their role in aiding Nazi war criminals to escape justice (along with elements of the Catholic Church) are just part of it.” (READ MORE)
Right Truth: Clear and imminent danger, do you see it? “McMaster University in Hamilton Ontario is the former haunt of Adnan el Shukrijumah, thought to be the next Mohammad Atta and head of a terrorist cell intent on attacking America with suitcase nukes ... American Hiroshima. McMaster is also known as a 'nest' for many of the Canadian terrorists. Oh yes, McMaster has a 5-megawatt nuclear research reactor on campus.” (READ MORE)
Reflecting Light: Needed: a troop surge in Tucson "I lived in Tucson, Arizona, for three years. No compelling reason. I liked the landscape, the Spanish and Pueblo style architecture, and the general laid-back friendliness of the people. Today, thanks to our criminally irresponsible president and politicians who collude with him, Tucson is about to become a war zone, according to one local observer." (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.
May 30, 2007
Engineers Clear Way for New School
By Sgt. Armando Monroig
5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
Out of a tragic incident will come some good. U.S. troops triggered the process of healing and closure, May 20, at a former combat outpost in As Sadah, four miles north of Baqubah, Iraq.
The outpost was partially destroyed by a deadly car bomb attack in April. Members of 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, who operated the outpost, requested the remaining structure be torn down and a new school built in its place.
Combat engineers from Company E, 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas, were called in to demolish the remainder of the structure.
The engineers placed 520 pounds of explosives in the building, wired them together, and within hours, turned the outpost into a pile of rubble, facilitating the construction process, said 1st Lt. Benjamin Dowell, executive officer for Company E.
Safety measures were taken to ensure that homes in the community and the nearby mosque would not be damaged from the blast.
“Charges were placed on the opposite side of the building as the mosque, so that not only would the force of the blast be less on that area, but also so that the building would be much more likely to fall away from the mosque,” said Dowell.
Read the Rest...
5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
Out of a tragic incident will come some good. U.S. troops triggered the process of healing and closure, May 20, at a former combat outpost in As Sadah, four miles north of Baqubah, Iraq.
The outpost was partially destroyed by a deadly car bomb attack in April. Members of 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, who operated the outpost, requested the remaining structure be torn down and a new school built in its place.
Combat engineers from Company E, 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas, were called in to demolish the remainder of the structure.
The engineers placed 520 pounds of explosives in the building, wired them together, and within hours, turned the outpost into a pile of rubble, facilitating the construction process, said 1st Lt. Benjamin Dowell, executive officer for Company E.
Safety measures were taken to ensure that homes in the community and the nearby mosque would not be damaged from the blast.
“Charges were placed on the opposite side of the building as the mosque, so that not only would the force of the blast be less on that area, but also so that the building would be much more likely to fall away from the mosque,” said Dowell.
Read the Rest...
Iraqi Forces Detain 15 Suspected Insurgents During Central Iraq Operations
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070530-04
BAGHDAD – Iraqi Forces detained 15 suspected insurgents without incident during three operations in central Iraq May 26, 27 and 28. The operations disrupted insurgent networks launching attacks on innocent civilians and Coalition Forces.
During a raid May 26, Iraqi Army soldiers detained three suspected insurgents and destroyed one vehicle borne IED and several large weapons caches.
The Iraqi Army captured eight suspected insurgents during a raid May 27 seeking the two Soldiers who have been missing since May 13 when their convoy was attacked in Mahmoudiya.
Iraqi Special Operations Forces detained four individuals who are suspected of killing and torturing civilians, as well as forcing them out of their homes in the Baghdad area during a raid May 28.
Coalition Forces served as advisors during these operations. No Iraqi or Coalition Forces were injured during these operations
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070530-04
BAGHDAD – Iraqi Forces detained 15 suspected insurgents without incident during three operations in central Iraq May 26, 27 and 28. The operations disrupted insurgent networks launching attacks on innocent civilians and Coalition Forces.
During a raid May 26, Iraqi Army soldiers detained three suspected insurgents and destroyed one vehicle borne IED and several large weapons caches.
The Iraqi Army captured eight suspected insurgents during a raid May 27 seeking the two Soldiers who have been missing since May 13 when their convoy was attacked in Mahmoudiya.
Iraqi Special Operations Forces detained four individuals who are suspected of killing and torturing civilians, as well as forcing them out of their homes in the Baghdad area during a raid May 28.
Coalition Forces served as advisors during these operations. No Iraqi or Coalition Forces were injured during these operations
Soldiers Engage Enemy, Confiscate Weapons, IEDs
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070530-01
AZ-ZAIDON, Iraq – Coalition Soldiers detained two suspected insurgents, found a cache, and seized a local vehicle after a small-arms attack Today near Az-Zaidon, Iraq, west of Baghdad.
Soldiers of the 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment ‘Wolverines’, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) out of Fort Drum, N.Y., were conducting counter improvised explosive device operations along a main Iraqi highway when they spotted a possible IED.
When the Soldiers followed the IED’s command wire, they were led to a small shack, and a man ran from the building.
During the search for the man, the patrol encountered two local vehicles in the area. As Soldiers approached, they were engaged with small-arms fire. The troops returned fire and cleared a nearby house, where they found another IED prepared for use.
One insurgent was killed in the firefight and another was wounded.
The Soldiers continued to receive small-arms fire but searched the vehicles, where they found a G-3 assault rifle, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, a suitcase full of falsified identification papers, six cell phones, a plastic bag with a cordless phone, and a box of loose ammunition and AK-47 magazines.
Another vehicle approached at a high rate of speed, and the Soldiers disabled it with rifle shots. Three men fled from the vehicle and the Soldiers found a 9mm pistol inside, but were unable to find the men.
Another pickup truck was searched, and the troops recovered a spool of copper wire and an empty spool as well as a rocket booster. The pickup truck was taken to a coalition base for further investigation.
The patrol evacuated the wounded man for medical treatment.
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070530-01
AZ-ZAIDON, Iraq – Coalition Soldiers detained two suspected insurgents, found a cache, and seized a local vehicle after a small-arms attack Today near Az-Zaidon, Iraq, west of Baghdad.
Soldiers of the 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment ‘Wolverines’, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) out of Fort Drum, N.Y., were conducting counter improvised explosive device operations along a main Iraqi highway when they spotted a possible IED.
When the Soldiers followed the IED’s command wire, they were led to a small shack, and a man ran from the building.
During the search for the man, the patrol encountered two local vehicles in the area. As Soldiers approached, they were engaged with small-arms fire. The troops returned fire and cleared a nearby house, where they found another IED prepared for use.
One insurgent was killed in the firefight and another was wounded.
The Soldiers continued to receive small-arms fire but searched the vehicles, where they found a G-3 assault rifle, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, a suitcase full of falsified identification papers, six cell phones, a plastic bag with a cordless phone, and a box of loose ammunition and AK-47 magazines.
Another vehicle approached at a high rate of speed, and the Soldiers disabled it with rifle shots. Three men fled from the vehicle and the Soldiers found a 9mm pistol inside, but were unable to find the men.
Another pickup truck was searched, and the troops recovered a spool of copper wire and an empty spool as well as a rocket booster. The pickup truck was taken to a coalition base for further investigation.
The patrol evacuated the wounded man for medical treatment.
Web Reconnaissance for 05/30/2007
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.
In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
Bush Hits Foes of Alien Bill - President Bush yesterday rebuked members of his own political party for trying to "frighten people" into opposing his immigration bill, prompting a quick backlash from some Republicans. (READ MORE)
Report Confirms Terror Dry Run - A newly released inspector general report backs eyewitness accounts of suspicious behavior by 13 Middle Eastern men on a Northwest Airlines flight in 2004 and reveals several missteps by government officials, including failure to file an incident report... (READ MORE)
Taliban Learns Tactics, Propaganda from Al-Qaeda - The Taliban has merged its propaganda and field operations with those of the global al Qaeda network led by Osama bin Laden, say senior Afghan officials and the group's former leaders. (READ MORE)
Bush to Name Zoellick to Lead World Bank - President Bush is expected to announce today that he will nominate former U.S. Trade Representative and Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick to replace Paul Wolfowitz as World Bank president, a senior Bush administration official said yesterday. (READ MORE)
Bush to Pick Zoellick for World Bank - President Bush today plans to name Robert B. Zoellick, a career diplomat and trade negotiator, to head the World Bank, seeking to dispatch the leadership crisis that has gripped the institution under Paul D. Wolfowitz, senior administration officials said last night. (READ MORE)
Over Ginsburg's Dissent, Court Limits Bias Suits - A Supreme Court once again split by the thinnest of margins ruled yesterday that workers may not sue their employers over unequal pay caused by discrimination alleged to have occurred years earlier. (READ MORE)
Americans in Iran Accused of Spying - Iran yesterday formally charged three Americans with espionage and endangering national security, the government's judicial spokesman said, signaling a widening clampdown against U.S. citizens in Iran. (READ MORE)
Green Gone Wild in Vegas - 'Gosh, I learned an important lesson," said Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons last fall. "Never to offer a helping hand to anybody ever again." His quip referred to a state program offering tax breaks if businesses built environmentally friendly buildings -- a program that has since triggered a major fiscal crisis. The real lesson here is that politicians ought to think before rushing ahead with a "green" agenda. (READ MORE) *Reg Req*
From the Front:
Gene E. Blanton: Featured Report from Iraq: The Intellectual Grunt – Part One “CAMP HABBANIYAH, AL ANBAR PROVINCE, IRAQ: According to Mr. Webster - the guy that wrote the dictionary - an intellectual is one who is “engaged in activity requiring the creative use of the intellect.” From the Commanding Officer to the newest Marine fresh out of the School of Infantry, today’s fight demands each Marine in the unit be an “intellectual grunt” who can think on his feet. Nothing could better describe the job of the infantrymen of 3rd Battalion 6th Marines (3/6) in Al Anbar Province.” (READ MORE)
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross: Baghdad: Update on the Security Situation in the International Zone “Shortly after arriving in Iraq, I blogged about the worsening security situation in the International Zone (IZ, also sometimes known as the ‘green zone’). In criticizing the media's coverage of the increase in mortar attacks against the IZ, I noted that the press has failed to answer some basic questions: ‘has there been an increase in attacks, or just an increase in their lethality? When did the IZ begin to see the increase in lethal mortar strikes? Are they being carried out by Sunnis are Shias? What is motivating these attacks?’ At the time I wrote that, my sources in the IZ were unable to answer all of these relevant questions -- but a recent briefing by Major Brynt Parmeter has helped to clarify these critical questions for me.” (READ MORE)
LTC Rich Phillips: Week 19--Progress "Well, progess continues on the hospital. Some major milestones were passed in the last few days. The hospital in now tied in to the main water lines for the FOB. Later it will be tied in to Prime Power. No generators, except for backup power. Ah, the luxuries of progress. One day we will be providing healthcare in a clean, dust-free environment. With no leaks and no puddles when it rains." (READ MORE)
JD Johannes: Not My Time to Go "Mortars are not like on TV. You barely hear them coming and you do not have time to run. Mortars being lobbed onto the International Zone and bases around Baghdad have been the theme in May. I was walking on base a few weeks ago when a series of crashing booms filled the air--a brief high pitched 'shhzzzz' before the next crashing explosion. One of them exploded 25 feet from me." (READ MORE)
On the Web:
Michael Medved: Should Mormonism Disqualify a Candidate? “Mitt Romney’s increasingly credible Presidential campaign raises urgent but uncomfortable questions about his Mormon faith. Does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints constitute a benevolent, mainstream religion or a dangerous cult with a deranged and bloody past?” (READ MORE)
Walter E. Williams: FDA: Friend or Foe? “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is charged with ensuring that only safe and effective drugs are marketed. Such a task is highly complex and fraught with difficulties. Consumers, the ostensible beneficiaries, should examine and question the incentive structure that FDA officials face.” (READ MORE)
John Stossel: The Double "Thank-You" Moment “Some people hate me because I defend free markets. Once someone accosted me on a New York City street and said, ‘I hope you die soon.’” (READ MORE)
Austin Bay: Counter-Insurgency and "The Single Narrative" “In war, the simple is difficult. Given the Internet and the glare of 24-7 news cameras, no war is more complex than contemporary irregular warfare.” (READ MORE)
Ben Shapiro: What I'm Doing To Stop Global Warming “According to the global left, the evidence is in: The earth is warming, and it's all your fault. Don't blame the sun. The giant ball of fiery gas responsible for all climate change over the past few million years isn't the problem. It's you.” (READ MORE)
Michelle Malkin: Doing the Booing Americans Won't Do “The United States government is on the verge of approving a mass amnesty to millions of illegal aliens -- a plan pushed aggressively by meddling Mexican officials who reap billions of dollars in remittances (illegal aliens' earnings sent back to Mexico) without having to lift a finger to clean up their own country. And the thanks we get? Internationally televised public humiliation.” (READ MORE)
David Limbaugh: Keep a Sharp Eye on Warming Zealots “Whether or not blind faith in man-made, catastrophic global warming has become a new religion, many of its adherents, ironically, embrace it with the same type of unquestioning zeal they sloppily attribute to and summarily condemn in Christians.” (READ MORE)
Thomas Sowell: A War of Words: Part II “With gasoline prices rising, political rhetoric is rising even faster. Liberals in Congress and in the media have launched a war of words, whose net result may well be a demand for some form of price control.” (READ MORE)
Maggie Gallagher: 'Hypocrisy' at the top “If you want to know why the immigration bill makes people so mad, just listen to the Bush administration defend it:” (READ MORE)
Cal Thomas: Unending War “Before Congress adjourned last week on another of its lengthy holidays, Speaker Nancy Pelosi repeated a phrase she has previously used about the war in Iraq. She again referred to it as ‘the Bush policy of unending war in Iraq.’” (READ MORE)
WSJ Review & Outlook: The Legal Visa Crunch “The Senate immigration bill continues to take lumps from all political sides, with some criticisms more deserving than others. The vote last week to halve the size of a guest-worker program for low-skilled workers is a big step in the wrong direction; skimping on visas will only lead to more illicit border crossings. But the bill's handling of high-skilled immigration is even more troubling: The proposed changes are worse than current law.” (READ MORE)
Norman Podhoretz: The Case for Bombing Iran “Although many persist in denying it, I continue to believe that what Sept 11, 2001, did was to plunge us headlong into nothing less than another world war. I call this new war World War IV, because I also believe that what is generally known as the Cold War was actually World War III, and that this one bears a closer resemblance to that great conflict than it does to World War II. Like the Cold War, as the military historian Eliot Cohen was the first to recognize, the one we are now in has ideological roots, pitting us against Islamofascism, yet another mutation of the totalitarian disease we defeated first in the shape of Nazism and fascism and then in the shape of communism; it is global in scope; it is being fought with a variety of weapons, not all of them military; and it is likely to go on for decades.” (READ MORE)
Kim Zigfeld: Russia: Postcards from the Neo-Soviet Union “Reporting in the Times of London, Moscow correspondent Mark Franchetti adds more evidence that Russians have rejected the concept of democracy and are willingly returning to the dark days of Soviet dictatorship, underlining the extent to which we were misled by the idiots who said, during the first cold war, that ordinary Russians were decent democrats who would do the right thing given a chance, and that they could ‘never go back’ to dictatorship once the Berlin Wall fell.” (READ MORE)
John Hinderaker: Alternative Reality at the Associated Press “We have written several times about Jennifer Loven, a reporter for the Associated Press who uses her ‘news’ articles as a platform to push her own partisan agenda, as, for example, when she wrote an AP article critiquing President Bush's environmental policies, without mentioning that her husband was an environmental adviser to the John Kerry campaign. Today, Loven authored an ‘analysis piece’ rather than a ‘news story,’ so she could tell us what she really thinks about President Bush. Not that it's easy to tell the difference. Loven's article is titled The Bush Take on U.S. Opinion. It portrays the President as out of touch and living in an ‘alternative reality:’” (READ MORE)
Jules Crittenden: Plame Game “So Valerie Plame was covert after all. Sort of.* Which raises the question, not particularly well addressed in this NBC article, of why $2 million worth of special prosecution produced only a highly questionable off-topic charge. Newsweek offers a little more but suggests some ambiguity, ‘Was She or Wasn’t She?’” (READ MORE)
Baron Bodissey: Youth Bulges, Violence, and the Fifth Village: “The Game is Over for Europe” “Below is a translation of an interview by Lars Hedegaard of the German sociologist Gunnar Heinsohn, from the May issue of the online magazine Sappho. The article was translated from the Danish by Zonka, who deserves our thanks for undertaking such a Herculean task. Dr. Heinsohn elaborates on a theme that Mark Steyn has made familiar: the impending demographic collapse of the West, particularly Europe, and the accompanying threat from a surplus of angry young Muslim males.” (READ MORE)
Flopping Aces: Peace: Theory and Reality “Following the 6 Day War and again, after the stunning reversal of the War of Atonement, Israeli troops utterly and completely defeated the Egyptian Army (and with them the army of Syria, Jordan, and troops from Iraq.) Israel had doubled the size of its country, put its cities out of artillery range, and opened up Jerusalem, which had been forbidden to them. But rather then revel in their victory, Israel later gave up most of this territory for the promise of Peace with Egypt in the Treaty with Sadat.” (READ MORE)
Crazy Politico: Explaining Eugene “Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post actually has some pretty good insights into the current presidential race today. Usually I don't agree with him, but I do today on almost everything he says. However, he never actually gets to the point in ‘Losing Focus’; why candidates for an election that is 18 months away are being fuzzy about where they stand. The reason is easy, the election is 18 months away.” (READ MORE)
Ed Morrissey: Media Embarrassment Over Socialist Rhetoric? “Hillary Clinton announced that she would campaign on a platform that would emphasize the need for collective economics and move away from individual performance and success. It could be called an extension of ‘It Takes A Village,’ and it might have been -- had the newspapers bothered to cover it:” (READ MORE)
The Belmont Club: Re-configuring to fight Terrorism “Captain's Quarters examines which political milestones in Iraq may be reached by September and whether the milestones are in fact the right ones. Some of the old ones may no longer be so relevant, suggests Captain Ed, because the US is gradually changing its strategy. Taking a new path. Westhawk definitely thinks the administration will change its strategy in September to one which may emphasize more local alliances and fewer American troops.” (READ MORE)
Augean Stables: Moral Equivalence as Moral Inversion: A Mediation of the Yawning Chasm “Rabbi Avi Shafran has an interesting meditation on the moral chasm that separates Israeli/Jewish culture from Palestinian culture. This essay seems to date to about 2002, but its points remain relevant today. In some senses, this gap is so huge, so terrifying to behold, that anyone not wanting to sound like a moral racist by acknowledging it ends up having to take the kind of position that JeffB took in his exchanges with me in an earlier discussion. When I asked him why, if [what he perceived as] Israeli refusal to admit error infuriated him, he was not frothing at the mouth about Palestinian demonizing and refusal to accept any responsibility, he responded:” (READ MORE)
Jay Tea: Contagious Myopia "Over the past few days, I've noticed more and more stories that seem to not only reflect a certain level of short-sightedness, but 'push' that as a fair reflection of reality.It -- no surprise here -- relates to the fighting in Iraq.I have, since the first day of the invasion, thought of the fighting there as 'the Iraq campaign of the War on Terror.' Just as Pearl Harbor did not result in us declaring war on Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the Japanese commander and architect of the attack, 9/11 did not result in us declaring Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda the ultimate foe." (READ MORE)
Big Dog: Mr. President, I Will Tell You What Is Right for America "I have been a supporter of President Bush since he was nominated by the party over eight years ago. He was certainly a better choice than either of the Democrats running and I have generally agreed with his policies. I support the war on terror and the war in Iraq and I believe that we need to wipe out what people call Islamic extremism but what is really mainstream Islam. I have however, disagreed with him on several issues and the most important one is ILLEGAL immigration." (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.
In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
Bush Hits Foes of Alien Bill - President Bush yesterday rebuked members of his own political party for trying to "frighten people" into opposing his immigration bill, prompting a quick backlash from some Republicans. (READ MORE)
Report Confirms Terror Dry Run - A newly released inspector general report backs eyewitness accounts of suspicious behavior by 13 Middle Eastern men on a Northwest Airlines flight in 2004 and reveals several missteps by government officials, including failure to file an incident report... (READ MORE)
Taliban Learns Tactics, Propaganda from Al-Qaeda - The Taliban has merged its propaganda and field operations with those of the global al Qaeda network led by Osama bin Laden, say senior Afghan officials and the group's former leaders. (READ MORE)
Bush to Name Zoellick to Lead World Bank - President Bush is expected to announce today that he will nominate former U.S. Trade Representative and Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick to replace Paul Wolfowitz as World Bank president, a senior Bush administration official said yesterday. (READ MORE)
Bush to Pick Zoellick for World Bank - President Bush today plans to name Robert B. Zoellick, a career diplomat and trade negotiator, to head the World Bank, seeking to dispatch the leadership crisis that has gripped the institution under Paul D. Wolfowitz, senior administration officials said last night. (READ MORE)
Over Ginsburg's Dissent, Court Limits Bias Suits - A Supreme Court once again split by the thinnest of margins ruled yesterday that workers may not sue their employers over unequal pay caused by discrimination alleged to have occurred years earlier. (READ MORE)
Americans in Iran Accused of Spying - Iran yesterday formally charged three Americans with espionage and endangering national security, the government's judicial spokesman said, signaling a widening clampdown against U.S. citizens in Iran. (READ MORE)
Green Gone Wild in Vegas - 'Gosh, I learned an important lesson," said Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons last fall. "Never to offer a helping hand to anybody ever again." His quip referred to a state program offering tax breaks if businesses built environmentally friendly buildings -- a program that has since triggered a major fiscal crisis. The real lesson here is that politicians ought to think before rushing ahead with a "green" agenda. (READ MORE) *Reg Req*
From the Front:
Gene E. Blanton: Featured Report from Iraq: The Intellectual Grunt – Part One “CAMP HABBANIYAH, AL ANBAR PROVINCE, IRAQ: According to Mr. Webster - the guy that wrote the dictionary - an intellectual is one who is “engaged in activity requiring the creative use of the intellect.” From the Commanding Officer to the newest Marine fresh out of the School of Infantry, today’s fight demands each Marine in the unit be an “intellectual grunt” who can think on his feet. Nothing could better describe the job of the infantrymen of 3rd Battalion 6th Marines (3/6) in Al Anbar Province.” (READ MORE)
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross: Baghdad: Update on the Security Situation in the International Zone “Shortly after arriving in Iraq, I blogged about the worsening security situation in the International Zone (IZ, also sometimes known as the ‘green zone’). In criticizing the media's coverage of the increase in mortar attacks against the IZ, I noted that the press has failed to answer some basic questions: ‘has there been an increase in attacks, or just an increase in their lethality? When did the IZ begin to see the increase in lethal mortar strikes? Are they being carried out by Sunnis are Shias? What is motivating these attacks?’ At the time I wrote that, my sources in the IZ were unable to answer all of these relevant questions -- but a recent briefing by Major Brynt Parmeter has helped to clarify these critical questions for me.” (READ MORE)
LTC Rich Phillips: Week 19--Progress "Well, progess continues on the hospital. Some major milestones were passed in the last few days. The hospital in now tied in to the main water lines for the FOB. Later it will be tied in to Prime Power. No generators, except for backup power. Ah, the luxuries of progress. One day we will be providing healthcare in a clean, dust-free environment. With no leaks and no puddles when it rains." (READ MORE)
JD Johannes: Not My Time to Go "Mortars are not like on TV. You barely hear them coming and you do not have time to run. Mortars being lobbed onto the International Zone and bases around Baghdad have been the theme in May. I was walking on base a few weeks ago when a series of crashing booms filled the air--a brief high pitched 'shhzzzz' before the next crashing explosion. One of them exploded 25 feet from me." (READ MORE)
On the Web:
Michael Medved: Should Mormonism Disqualify a Candidate? “Mitt Romney’s increasingly credible Presidential campaign raises urgent but uncomfortable questions about his Mormon faith. Does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints constitute a benevolent, mainstream religion or a dangerous cult with a deranged and bloody past?” (READ MORE)
Walter E. Williams: FDA: Friend or Foe? “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is charged with ensuring that only safe and effective drugs are marketed. Such a task is highly complex and fraught with difficulties. Consumers, the ostensible beneficiaries, should examine and question the incentive structure that FDA officials face.” (READ MORE)
John Stossel: The Double "Thank-You" Moment “Some people hate me because I defend free markets. Once someone accosted me on a New York City street and said, ‘I hope you die soon.’” (READ MORE)
Austin Bay: Counter-Insurgency and "The Single Narrative" “In war, the simple is difficult. Given the Internet and the glare of 24-7 news cameras, no war is more complex than contemporary irregular warfare.” (READ MORE)
Ben Shapiro: What I'm Doing To Stop Global Warming “According to the global left, the evidence is in: The earth is warming, and it's all your fault. Don't blame the sun. The giant ball of fiery gas responsible for all climate change over the past few million years isn't the problem. It's you.” (READ MORE)
Michelle Malkin: Doing the Booing Americans Won't Do “The United States government is on the verge of approving a mass amnesty to millions of illegal aliens -- a plan pushed aggressively by meddling Mexican officials who reap billions of dollars in remittances (illegal aliens' earnings sent back to Mexico) without having to lift a finger to clean up their own country. And the thanks we get? Internationally televised public humiliation.” (READ MORE)
David Limbaugh: Keep a Sharp Eye on Warming Zealots “Whether or not blind faith in man-made, catastrophic global warming has become a new religion, many of its adherents, ironically, embrace it with the same type of unquestioning zeal they sloppily attribute to and summarily condemn in Christians.” (READ MORE)
Thomas Sowell: A War of Words: Part II “With gasoline prices rising, political rhetoric is rising even faster. Liberals in Congress and in the media have launched a war of words, whose net result may well be a demand for some form of price control.” (READ MORE)
Maggie Gallagher: 'Hypocrisy' at the top “If you want to know why the immigration bill makes people so mad, just listen to the Bush administration defend it:” (READ MORE)
Cal Thomas: Unending War “Before Congress adjourned last week on another of its lengthy holidays, Speaker Nancy Pelosi repeated a phrase she has previously used about the war in Iraq. She again referred to it as ‘the Bush policy of unending war in Iraq.’” (READ MORE)
WSJ Review & Outlook: The Legal Visa Crunch “The Senate immigration bill continues to take lumps from all political sides, with some criticisms more deserving than others. The vote last week to halve the size of a guest-worker program for low-skilled workers is a big step in the wrong direction; skimping on visas will only lead to more illicit border crossings. But the bill's handling of high-skilled immigration is even more troubling: The proposed changes are worse than current law.” (READ MORE)
Norman Podhoretz: The Case for Bombing Iran “Although many persist in denying it, I continue to believe that what Sept 11, 2001, did was to plunge us headlong into nothing less than another world war. I call this new war World War IV, because I also believe that what is generally known as the Cold War was actually World War III, and that this one bears a closer resemblance to that great conflict than it does to World War II. Like the Cold War, as the military historian Eliot Cohen was the first to recognize, the one we are now in has ideological roots, pitting us against Islamofascism, yet another mutation of the totalitarian disease we defeated first in the shape of Nazism and fascism and then in the shape of communism; it is global in scope; it is being fought with a variety of weapons, not all of them military; and it is likely to go on for decades.” (READ MORE)
Kim Zigfeld: Russia: Postcards from the Neo-Soviet Union “Reporting in the Times of London, Moscow correspondent Mark Franchetti adds more evidence that Russians have rejected the concept of democracy and are willingly returning to the dark days of Soviet dictatorship, underlining the extent to which we were misled by the idiots who said, during the first cold war, that ordinary Russians were decent democrats who would do the right thing given a chance, and that they could ‘never go back’ to dictatorship once the Berlin Wall fell.” (READ MORE)
John Hinderaker: Alternative Reality at the Associated Press “We have written several times about Jennifer Loven, a reporter for the Associated Press who uses her ‘news’ articles as a platform to push her own partisan agenda, as, for example, when she wrote an AP article critiquing President Bush's environmental policies, without mentioning that her husband was an environmental adviser to the John Kerry campaign. Today, Loven authored an ‘analysis piece’ rather than a ‘news story,’ so she could tell us what she really thinks about President Bush. Not that it's easy to tell the difference. Loven's article is titled The Bush Take on U.S. Opinion. It portrays the President as out of touch and living in an ‘alternative reality:’” (READ MORE)
Jules Crittenden: Plame Game “So Valerie Plame was covert after all. Sort of.* Which raises the question, not particularly well addressed in this NBC article, of why $2 million worth of special prosecution produced only a highly questionable off-topic charge. Newsweek offers a little more but suggests some ambiguity, ‘Was She or Wasn’t She?’” (READ MORE)
Baron Bodissey: Youth Bulges, Violence, and the Fifth Village: “The Game is Over for Europe” “Below is a translation of an interview by Lars Hedegaard of the German sociologist Gunnar Heinsohn, from the May issue of the online magazine Sappho. The article was translated from the Danish by Zonka, who deserves our thanks for undertaking such a Herculean task. Dr. Heinsohn elaborates on a theme that Mark Steyn has made familiar: the impending demographic collapse of the West, particularly Europe, and the accompanying threat from a surplus of angry young Muslim males.” (READ MORE)
Flopping Aces: Peace: Theory and Reality “Following the 6 Day War and again, after the stunning reversal of the War of Atonement, Israeli troops utterly and completely defeated the Egyptian Army (and with them the army of Syria, Jordan, and troops from Iraq.) Israel had doubled the size of its country, put its cities out of artillery range, and opened up Jerusalem, which had been forbidden to them. But rather then revel in their victory, Israel later gave up most of this territory for the promise of Peace with Egypt in the Treaty with Sadat.” (READ MORE)
Crazy Politico: Explaining Eugene “Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post actually has some pretty good insights into the current presidential race today. Usually I don't agree with him, but I do today on almost everything he says. However, he never actually gets to the point in ‘Losing Focus’; why candidates for an election that is 18 months away are being fuzzy about where they stand. The reason is easy, the election is 18 months away.” (READ MORE)
Ed Morrissey: Media Embarrassment Over Socialist Rhetoric? “Hillary Clinton announced that she would campaign on a platform that would emphasize the need for collective economics and move away from individual performance and success. It could be called an extension of ‘It Takes A Village,’ and it might have been -- had the newspapers bothered to cover it:” (READ MORE)
The Belmont Club: Re-configuring to fight Terrorism “Captain's Quarters examines which political milestones in Iraq may be reached by September and whether the milestones are in fact the right ones. Some of the old ones may no longer be so relevant, suggests Captain Ed, because the US is gradually changing its strategy. Taking a new path. Westhawk definitely thinks the administration will change its strategy in September to one which may emphasize more local alliances and fewer American troops.” (READ MORE)
Augean Stables: Moral Equivalence as Moral Inversion: A Mediation of the Yawning Chasm “Rabbi Avi Shafran has an interesting meditation on the moral chasm that separates Israeli/Jewish culture from Palestinian culture. This essay seems to date to about 2002, but its points remain relevant today. In some senses, this gap is so huge, so terrifying to behold, that anyone not wanting to sound like a moral racist by acknowledging it ends up having to take the kind of position that JeffB took in his exchanges with me in an earlier discussion. When I asked him why, if [what he perceived as] Israeli refusal to admit error infuriated him, he was not frothing at the mouth about Palestinian demonizing and refusal to accept any responsibility, he responded:” (READ MORE)
Jay Tea: Contagious Myopia "Over the past few days, I've noticed more and more stories that seem to not only reflect a certain level of short-sightedness, but 'push' that as a fair reflection of reality.It -- no surprise here -- relates to the fighting in Iraq.I have, since the first day of the invasion, thought of the fighting there as 'the Iraq campaign of the War on Terror.' Just as Pearl Harbor did not result in us declaring war on Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the Japanese commander and architect of the attack, 9/11 did not result in us declaring Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda the ultimate foe." (READ MORE)
Big Dog: Mr. President, I Will Tell You What Is Right for America "I have been a supporter of President Bush since he was nominated by the party over eight years ago. He was certainly a better choice than either of the Democrats running and I have generally agreed with his policies. I support the war on terror and the war in Iraq and I believe that we need to wipe out what people call Islamic extremism but what is really mainstream Islam. I have however, disagreed with him on several issues and the most important one is ILLEGAL immigration." (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.
Wednesday Hero - Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie
This Weeks Soldier Was Suggested By Kathy
Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie
41 years old from Ann-Arbor, Michigan
Specialist Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie is a Iraqi American U.S. Army linguist soldier, from Ann-Arbor, Michigan who was kidnapped on October 23, 2006 in Baghdad and has not been seen since.
al-Taayie joined the Army in 2004 to help not only his country, the United States, but also his birthplace of Iraq and was deployed in 2005. On October 23, 2006 he was visiting his wife in the Karrada Shiite neighborhood in central Baghdad when he and his cousin were kidnapped by a group calling themselves Ahel al-Beit Brigades. His cousin was released shortly after. On November 2, 2006 al-Taayie's uncle received a ransom demand of $250,000 for his return. Along with the ransom came a grainy video that showed a man beaten up who was identified as al-Taayie. No more has been heard from al-Taayie or his captures.
For more information on Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie you can go here
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.
41 years old from Ann-Arbor, Michigan
Specialist Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie is a Iraqi American U.S. Army linguist soldier, from Ann-Arbor, Michigan who was kidnapped on October 23, 2006 in Baghdad and has not been seen since.
al-Taayie joined the Army in 2004 to help not only his country, the United States, but also his birthplace of Iraq and was deployed in 2005. On October 23, 2006 he was visiting his wife in the Karrada Shiite neighborhood in central Baghdad when he and his cousin were kidnapped by a group calling themselves Ahel al-Beit Brigades. His cousin was released shortly after. On November 2, 2006 al-Taayie's uncle received a ransom demand of $250,000 for his return. Along with the ransom came a grainy video that showed a man beaten up who was identified as al-Taayie. No more has been heard from al-Taayie or his captures.
For more information on Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie you can go here
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.
May 29, 2007
Secret Cell Terrorist Detained in Sadr City
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi and Coalition Forces detained one suspected terrorist during multiple raids targeting secret cell terrorist leaders in Sadr City Sunday. Intelligence reports directed Iraqi and Coalition Forces to a residencewhere they detained an individual who is believed to have ties to a secret cell terrorist network. The network is known for facilitating the transport of weapons and explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, from Iran to Iraq, as well as bringing militants from Iraq to Iran for terrorist training.
Iraqi and Coalition Forces and Iraqi Police also searched for a suspected terrorist who was believed to have been injured in an operation May 25. Relatives of the targeted individual told Iraqi and Coalition Forces the man was at Jumla al-Hassabiyah Hospital in Baghdad, but the ground forces did not find him there. No civilians were detained or injured, and the hospital was not damaged.
Before dawn, Iraqi and Coalition Forces conducted an operation targeting a suspected weapons facilitator working for the secret cell terrorist network. During the operation, a vehicle approached Iraqi and Coalition Forces. Ground forces tried to get the driver to stop by using visual and audible signals, but when the vehicle showed hostile intent bycontinuing to approach them, a supporting Coalition Forces vehicle engaged it with automatic weapons. No civilians were injured but the vehicle ignited when a civilian returned to the vehicle and attempted to start the engine. Local fire emergency crews quickly responded and contained the fire.
"We will continue to target secret cell terrorists and their roguemilitia elements so Iraqis can live without the constant fear of their brutal attacks," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.
Iraqi and Coalition Forces and Iraqi Police also searched for a suspected terrorist who was believed to have been injured in an operation May 25. Relatives of the targeted individual told Iraqi and Coalition Forces the man was at Jumla al-Hassabiyah Hospital in Baghdad, but the ground forces did not find him there. No civilians were detained or injured, and the hospital was not damaged.
Before dawn, Iraqi and Coalition Forces conducted an operation targeting a suspected weapons facilitator working for the secret cell terrorist network. During the operation, a vehicle approached Iraqi and Coalition Forces. Ground forces tried to get the driver to stop by using visual and audible signals, but when the vehicle showed hostile intent bycontinuing to approach them, a supporting Coalition Forces vehicle engaged it with automatic weapons. No civilians were injured but the vehicle ignited when a civilian returned to the vehicle and attempted to start the engine. Local fire emergency crews quickly responded and contained the fire.
"We will continue to target secret cell terrorists and their roguemilitia elements so Iraqis can live without the constant fear of their brutal attacks," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.
Afghan National Police Detain Al-Qaeda Cell Commander in Khowst
KHOWST, Afghanistan - Afghan National Police, advised by Coalition forces, detained one al-Qaida cell commander in the Bak District of Khowst Province just after midnight on May 25.
Credible information led ANP and Coalition forces to the village of Pelekhail where they detained an al-Qaida cell commander, known only as Mujahid. ANP detained Mujahid and two other men for questioning while conducting a search of a compound in the village. No shots were fired during the successful operation and there were no injuries to Afghan civilians or ANP members.
The enemy commander, known only by his first name, has been responsible for multiple improvised explosive device and suicide bomber attacks in Khowst Province. Mujahid has targeted schools and government officials resulting in the deaths of dozens of innocent civilians. He has also been involved in weapons smuggling and supplying logistics to other al- Qaida fighters.
“The removal of Mujahid will help bring peace and stability to the Afghan civilians in Khowst Province,” said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force- 82 spokesperson. “Intelligence gained from this al-Qaida cell leader will surely lead us to other al-Qaida members. The enemies of Afghanistan may run but can not hide from Afghan National Security and Coalition forces.”
Credible information led ANP and Coalition forces to the village of Pelekhail where they detained an al-Qaida cell commander, known only as Mujahid. ANP detained Mujahid and two other men for questioning while conducting a search of a compound in the village. No shots were fired during the successful operation and there were no injuries to Afghan civilians or ANP members.
The enemy commander, known only by his first name, has been responsible for multiple improvised explosive device and suicide bomber attacks in Khowst Province. Mujahid has targeted schools and government officials resulting in the deaths of dozens of innocent civilians. He has also been involved in weapons smuggling and supplying logistics to other al- Qaida fighters.
“The removal of Mujahid will help bring peace and stability to the Afghan civilians in Khowst Province,” said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force- 82 spokesperson. “Intelligence gained from this al-Qaida cell leader will surely lead us to other al-Qaida members. The enemies of Afghanistan may run but can not hide from Afghan National Security and Coalition forces.”
PRT Takes Afghan Education to a New Level
FORWARD OPERATING BASE FENTY, Afghanistan—Soldiers of the Jalalabad Provincial Reconstruction Team traveled to the rural village of Dar Bhabba in the Nangahar District May 15 for a ground-breaking ceremony, which celebrated the construction of a new girl’s school.
In many Afghan villages, classrooms are feeble shelters covered in palm fronds or tattered tents with woven mats for floors.
As the country begins to move toward a more positive future, its dependence upon the vigilance of its youth is strong.
“These kids just break your heart,” said Army Capt. Paul Noce, PRT team leader. “There is a lot we hope to do to help them.”
A non-governmental organization is currently building a school for boys in the village. Area children are currently attending school in makeshift tents. Some students are currently being taught in the shelter of a crumbling mud wall.
The village of Dar Bhabba is but one of many areas the PRT travels to and works with to spur education advances in Afghanistan.
The new buildings will provide shelter and a more professional environment for the children to work in.
Read the Rest...
In many Afghan villages, classrooms are feeble shelters covered in palm fronds or tattered tents with woven mats for floors.
As the country begins to move toward a more positive future, its dependence upon the vigilance of its youth is strong.
“These kids just break your heart,” said Army Capt. Paul Noce, PRT team leader. “There is a lot we hope to do to help them.”
A non-governmental organization is currently building a school for boys in the village. Area children are currently attending school in makeshift tents. Some students are currently being taught in the shelter of a crumbling mud wall.
The village of Dar Bhabba is but one of many areas the PRT travels to and works with to spur education advances in Afghanistan.
The new buildings will provide shelter and a more professional environment for the children to work in.
Read the Rest...
Afghan Border Police Detain Nangarhar Province Taliban Leader
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Afghan Border Police, advised by Coalition forces, detained a Taliban leader in the Pachir Wa Agam district of Nangarhar province during an operation May 24.
After receiving information on the whereabouts of Sayed Gulab, a notorious Nangarhar Taliban area commander and improvised explosive device cell facilitator, ABP members quickly moved to the village of Shir Wagan and detained him. Gulab is currently being held for questioning in a Coalition detention facility.
No Afghan civilians or ABP members were injured during the successful operation.
Gulab has been responsible for emplacing IED’s in the Pachir Wa Agam district resulting in the injuries and deaths of innocent Afghan civilians and Afghan National Security Forces. He is also known to have extensive connections with other senior Taliban and Al Qaeda leadership in Nangarhar and Pakistan.
“The detention of Sayed Gulab will lead to information on Taliban and Al Qaeda leaders; including their operations within Nangarhar and neighboring provinces,” said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force- 82 spokesperson. “The enemies of Afghanistan may run but can not hide from Afghan National Security and Coalition forces.”
After receiving information on the whereabouts of Sayed Gulab, a notorious Nangarhar Taliban area commander and improvised explosive device cell facilitator, ABP members quickly moved to the village of Shir Wagan and detained him. Gulab is currently being held for questioning in a Coalition detention facility.
No Afghan civilians or ABP members were injured during the successful operation.
Gulab has been responsible for emplacing IED’s in the Pachir Wa Agam district resulting in the injuries and deaths of innocent Afghan civilians and Afghan National Security Forces. He is also known to have extensive connections with other senior Taliban and Al Qaeda leadership in Nangarhar and Pakistan.
“The detention of Sayed Gulab will lead to information on Taliban and Al Qaeda leaders; including their operations within Nangarhar and neighboring provinces,” said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force- 82 spokesperson. “The enemies of Afghanistan may run but can not hide from Afghan National Security and Coalition forces.”
IA, CF Rescue 42 Individuals at Al-Qaeda Hideout Near Baquba
Multinational Corps Iraq
Iraqi Army and Coalition forces conducted a raid based on a tip from a local citizen, and discovered 42 individuals at an al-Qaeda in Iraq hideout six miles south of Baquba, Iraq Sunday.
During the raid Soldiers from 5th Iraqi Army Division and U.S. Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, discovered the men, who claimed to have been held captive by al-Qaeda. Some claimed to have been held as long as four months.
A joint air and ground operation, lead by the 5th IAD, was launched to locate the alleged AQI hideout after receiving information from a local citizen.
The individuals, who were found in a small, concrete and mud compound located approximately one-half mile west of the village, were sleeping in cramped rooms on dirty blankets and pillows, according to Coalition Forces present at the site.
Soldiers also described the surroundings as having rotting food inside the building and outside on the ground.
The men were transported by Coalition Forces to a nearby combat outpost for further medical evaluation. The individuals were provided with food and water and were questioned about their abductors’ whereabouts.
There was evidence of torture and some had broken bones.
“This is one more example of how al-Qaeda treats the citizens of Iraq – and we mean ALL the citizens, not based along sectarian lines or any other lines,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Christopher C. Garver, a Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesman. “This is another example of why we must win this fight against al- Qaeda.”
Iraqi Army and Coalition forces conducted a raid based on a tip from a local citizen, and discovered 42 individuals at an al-Qaeda in Iraq hideout six miles south of Baquba, Iraq Sunday.
During the raid Soldiers from 5th Iraqi Army Division and U.S. Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, discovered the men, who claimed to have been held captive by al-Qaeda. Some claimed to have been held as long as four months.
A joint air and ground operation, lead by the 5th IAD, was launched to locate the alleged AQI hideout after receiving information from a local citizen.
The individuals, who were found in a small, concrete and mud compound located approximately one-half mile west of the village, were sleeping in cramped rooms on dirty blankets and pillows, according to Coalition Forces present at the site.
Soldiers also described the surroundings as having rotting food inside the building and outside on the ground.
The men were transported by Coalition Forces to a nearby combat outpost for further medical evaluation. The individuals were provided with food and water and were questioned about their abductors’ whereabouts.
There was evidence of torture and some had broken bones.
“This is one more example of how al-Qaeda treats the citizens of Iraq – and we mean ALL the citizens, not based along sectarian lines or any other lines,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Christopher C. Garver, a Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesman. “This is another example of why we must win this fight against al- Qaeda.”
Seven Hostages Rescued in Baqubah
Coalition forces rescued seven kidnapped victims during a three-day operation in Chibernat, a village north of Baqubah, Wednesday.
Coalition forces also discovered more than 10 caches, nine improvised explosive devices and detained 11 suspected insurgents throughout the course of the operation.
The caches consisted of rocket-propelled grenade munitions, small-arms weapon systems, approximately 200 loaded AK-47 magazines, IED-making materials, grenades, mortar rounds and a suicide vest.
Iraqi Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division and U,S Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, attached to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, conducted the target-driven operation to eliminate the insurgents’ perceived safe havens throughout the area and secure the population of Chibernat.
“We continue to aggressively target the enemy, destroying the insurgents’ perceived power base and depleting their supplies,” said Col. David W. Sutherland, 3-1 Cav. commander and senior U.S. Army officer in Diyala.
“They offer nothing but death and destruction, and will be brought to justice,” he added.
Read the Rest...
Coalition forces also discovered more than 10 caches, nine improvised explosive devices and detained 11 suspected insurgents throughout the course of the operation.
The caches consisted of rocket-propelled grenade munitions, small-arms weapon systems, approximately 200 loaded AK-47 magazines, IED-making materials, grenades, mortar rounds and a suicide vest.
Iraqi Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division and U,S Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, attached to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, conducted the target-driven operation to eliminate the insurgents’ perceived safe havens throughout the area and secure the population of Chibernat.
“We continue to aggressively target the enemy, destroying the insurgents’ perceived power base and depleting their supplies,” said Col. David W. Sutherland, 3-1 Cav. commander and senior U.S. Army officer in Diyala.
“They offer nothing but death and destruction, and will be brought to justice,” he added.
Read the Rest...
Iraqi Police Reach Out to Communities Through Security, Presence
Spc. Carl N. Hudson,
Combined Press Information Center
Iraqi Police have been recognized for their determination across the nation this week, which included a ceremony in Ramadi Sunday.
Iraqi Police across the country have improved security while providing humanitarian aid for children in cities such as Ramadi and Baghdad.
“Every day I see Iraqi Police putting their lives on the line to protect the people of [Ramadi],” said U.S. Army Col. John Charlton, commander of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. “It is because of their continued bravery that children can play outside and people can open shops and begin to live normal lives again.”
As Iraqi citizens continue to support Iraqi and Coalition forces by providing key information on terrorists and weapons caches, security forces utilize the information to secure the cities.
“[Terrorists] know the police are the only thing preventing them from coming into the area and taking over,” said Charlton.
Not only have the Iraqi Police been successful in securing key areas, they’ve also reached out to local communities through public gatherings.
Read the Rest...
Combined Press Information Center
Iraqi Police have been recognized for their determination across the nation this week, which included a ceremony in Ramadi Sunday.
Iraqi Police across the country have improved security while providing humanitarian aid for children in cities such as Ramadi and Baghdad.
“Every day I see Iraqi Police putting their lives on the line to protect the people of [Ramadi],” said U.S. Army Col. John Charlton, commander of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. “It is because of their continued bravery that children can play outside and people can open shops and begin to live normal lives again.”
As Iraqi citizens continue to support Iraqi and Coalition forces by providing key information on terrorists and weapons caches, security forces utilize the information to secure the cities.
“[Terrorists] know the police are the only thing preventing them from coming into the area and taking over,” said Charlton.
Not only have the Iraqi Police been successful in securing key areas, they’ve also reached out to local communities through public gatherings.
Read the Rest...
Army Paratroopers Share Thoughts on Surge
By Sgt. Michael Pryor
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
In the first days after his battalion began operating in east Baghdad’s Sha’ab neighborhood, Capt. Will Canda said he often saw the beds of Iraqi police trucks stained red with dried blood.
“It was like they had just come from a butcher shop,” said Canda, a Westcliffe, Colo. native and commander of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment.
Like wagons rolling through plague-stricken villages in medieval times, the police trucks were being used to pick up the bodies of murder victims found littering the neighborhood.
That was in February, when Canda’s battalion became one of the first units to move into a battle space as part of Operation Fardh al Qanoon – which translated, means “enforcing the law” and is the name for the strategy to stabilize violence in Baghdad by pushing thousands of additional U.S. and Iraqi forces into the city’s neighborhoods.
Since then, troops have continued to pour in, dotting Baghdad with small outposts and joint security stations.
Read the Rest...
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
In the first days after his battalion began operating in east Baghdad’s Sha’ab neighborhood, Capt. Will Canda said he often saw the beds of Iraqi police trucks stained red with dried blood.
“It was like they had just come from a butcher shop,” said Canda, a Westcliffe, Colo. native and commander of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment.
Like wagons rolling through plague-stricken villages in medieval times, the police trucks were being used to pick up the bodies of murder victims found littering the neighborhood.
That was in February, when Canda’s battalion became one of the first units to move into a battle space as part of Operation Fardh al Qanoon – which translated, means “enforcing the law” and is the name for the strategy to stabilize violence in Baghdad by pushing thousands of additional U.S. and Iraqi forces into the city’s neighborhoods.
Since then, troops have continued to pour in, dotting Baghdad with small outposts and joint security stations.
Read the Rest...
Iraqi Security Forces Break Up Terrorist Cell in Samarra
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070529-04
BAGHDAD – Iraqi police, acting upon a tip from an anonymous informant, on May 27 captured nine suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq operatives and seized materials believed to be used for small arms attacks, murder, kidnapping and ransom.
The raid netted a small cache of weapons including two AK-47 assault rifles, two grenades, more than 600 rounds of ammunition, three ski masks, military equipment, large sums of money, and a video camera with evidence of a recent car bomb attack in Samarra. The VBIED attack destroyed the home of the Samarra City Council President.
This raid was conducted in order to disrupt an entire insurgent cell operating in the Samarra area.
No Iraqi or Coalition Forces were injured during this operation. Coalition Forces served as advisors during this operation.
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070529-04
BAGHDAD – Iraqi police, acting upon a tip from an anonymous informant, on May 27 captured nine suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq operatives and seized materials believed to be used for small arms attacks, murder, kidnapping and ransom.
The raid netted a small cache of weapons including two AK-47 assault rifles, two grenades, more than 600 rounds of ammunition, three ski masks, military equipment, large sums of money, and a video camera with evidence of a recent car bomb attack in Samarra. The VBIED attack destroyed the home of the Samarra City Council President.
This raid was conducted in order to disrupt an entire insurgent cell operating in the Samarra area.
No Iraqi or Coalition Forces were injured during this operation. Coalition Forces served as advisors during this operation.
Air Strike Kills Two Individuals Emplacing IED
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070430-01
Baghdad, Iraq – Coalition forces launched an early morning air strike on two insurgentssetting an improvised explosive device on a local street north of Baghdad April 30.
The air strike was called in as the two individuals emplaced a roadside IEDshowing hostile intent in the Kamiz al-Hajj neighborhood, 20 miles north of Baghdad.
No civilians were injured during the air strike. Collateral damage was minimal dueto the location and precision of the strike
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070430-01
Baghdad, Iraq – Coalition forces launched an early morning air strike on two insurgentssetting an improvised explosive device on a local street north of Baghdad April 30.
The air strike was called in as the two individuals emplaced a roadside IEDshowing hostile intent in the Kamiz al-Hajj neighborhood, 20 miles north of Baghdad.
No civilians were injured during the air strike. Collateral damage was minimal dueto the location and precision of the strike
Al-Qaeda Regional Emir, 13 Others Detained
MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER
Release A070529a
BAGHDAD, Iraq – In operations around Iraq Tuesday morning, Coalition Forces detained 14 suspected terrorists, including a suspected al-Qaeda regional emir.
Coalition Forces raided a building in Baghdad searching for an alleged terrorist leader. When they found the building empty, the ground force moved to a follow-on target. There, they detained four suspected terrorists, including the alleged al-Qaeda in Iraq emir in charge of the Hay al-Jamah area of the city.
In Mosul, Coalition Forces detained a suspected terrorist leader and his brother-in-law in two coordinated operations. Intelligence reports indicate the suspected terrorist leader was allegedly the emir of Ansar al-Sunna in Mosul until he fled to Syria in 2005 to avoid capture by Coalition Forces. He returned to Iraq in January.
Information gained from two successful operations May 28 led Coalition Forces to six buildings north of Fallujah, where they detained two suspected terrorists for their alleged ties to the al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leadership network.
North of Taji, Coalition Forces raided three buildings in search of an al-Qaeda senior leader. Six individuals were detained for their suspected association with the al-Qaeda network.
“We’re continuing our deliberate and methodical operations to hunt down and capture or kill terrorists trying to prevent a peaceful and stable Iraq,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER
Release A070529a
BAGHDAD, Iraq – In operations around Iraq Tuesday morning, Coalition Forces detained 14 suspected terrorists, including a suspected al-Qaeda regional emir.
Coalition Forces raided a building in Baghdad searching for an alleged terrorist leader. When they found the building empty, the ground force moved to a follow-on target. There, they detained four suspected terrorists, including the alleged al-Qaeda in Iraq emir in charge of the Hay al-Jamah area of the city.
In Mosul, Coalition Forces detained a suspected terrorist leader and his brother-in-law in two coordinated operations. Intelligence reports indicate the suspected terrorist leader was allegedly the emir of Ansar al-Sunna in Mosul until he fled to Syria in 2005 to avoid capture by Coalition Forces. He returned to Iraq in January.
Information gained from two successful operations May 28 led Coalition Forces to six buildings north of Fallujah, where they detained two suspected terrorists for their alleged ties to the al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leadership network.
North of Taji, Coalition Forces raided three buildings in search of an al-Qaeda senior leader. Six individuals were detained for their suspected association with the al-Qaeda network.
“We’re continuing our deliberate and methodical operations to hunt down and capture or kill terrorists trying to prevent a peaceful and stable Iraq,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.
Warrior Battalion Defeats 18 IEDs in 48 Hours
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070527-07
BAGHDAD — Tips from local citizens led Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Division–Baghdad troops to discover 18 improvised explosive devices in the Rashid District of Baghdad May 23 -24.
Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 3rd Iraqi Army Division, together with Companies A and B of 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, found the devices after following tips from citizens in the Doura neighborhood of the city.
“We found these IEDs thanks to peace-loving Iraqis who are obviously tired of the violence and danger in their neighborhoods,” said Col. Ricky D. Gibbs, commander of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. “Their trust in the Warrior Battalion to successfully act on the information given them is a great news story in East Rashid and serves as a great example for others to follow.”
The Fort Carson, Colo.-based 2-12th Infantry is attached to the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, from Fort Riley, Kan.
The units were clearing the area in support of Operation Dragon Fire East when they were alerted to the whereabouts of the explosive devices.
The IEDs consisted of one propane tank rigged with explosives, nine antitank mines, one cylinder laden with explosives, a propane tank with wires, another tank filled with homemade explosives, three 155mm artillery rounds and one 120mm artillery round filled with homemade explosives. In all, 160 lbs. of homemade explosives were discovered.
Explosive ordnance disposal units disposed of the munitions and explosives.
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070527-07
BAGHDAD — Tips from local citizens led Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Division–Baghdad troops to discover 18 improvised explosive devices in the Rashid District of Baghdad May 23 -24.
Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 3rd Iraqi Army Division, together with Companies A and B of 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, found the devices after following tips from citizens in the Doura neighborhood of the city.
“We found these IEDs thanks to peace-loving Iraqis who are obviously tired of the violence and danger in their neighborhoods,” said Col. Ricky D. Gibbs, commander of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. “Their trust in the Warrior Battalion to successfully act on the information given them is a great news story in East Rashid and serves as a great example for others to follow.”
The Fort Carson, Colo.-based 2-12th Infantry is attached to the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, from Fort Riley, Kan.
The units were clearing the area in support of Operation Dragon Fire East when they were alerted to the whereabouts of the explosive devices.
The IEDs consisted of one propane tank rigged with explosives, nine antitank mines, one cylinder laden with explosives, a propane tank with wires, another tank filled with homemade explosives, three 155mm artillery rounds and one 120mm artillery round filled with homemade explosives. In all, 160 lbs. of homemade explosives were discovered.
Explosive ordnance disposal units disposed of the munitions and explosives.
Rashid Clearing Operations: Terrorist Hunt Moves to East Rashid
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070527-12
BAGHDAD — Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers and Iraqi Security Forces moved clearing operations into the East Rashid security district of southern Baghdad May 26, detaining three suspected insurgents and finding two weapons caches.
The operation, known as Dragon Fire East, includes approximately 2,000 U.S Army Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division and 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.
They are joined in the operation by Iraqi troops from the 7th Brigade, 2nd Iraqi National Police Division.
During the first hours of Operation Dragon Fire East, 3-2nd SBCT Soldiers discovered a cache which contained six 57mm projectiles rigged as two separate improvised explosive devices; two additional 57mm rounds; a 60mm mortar; a 130mm round and a concrete block hollowed out to fit a 130mm projectile.
A search at another location revealed 2,000 loose rounds of 7.62 ammunition, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers with seven sights, one roll of white double-strand wire used for fabricating IEDs and one AK-47 assault rifle.
Soldiers found and destroyed one IED, as well. The three suspected terrorists detained during the operation were held for further questioning.
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070527-12
BAGHDAD — Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers and Iraqi Security Forces moved clearing operations into the East Rashid security district of southern Baghdad May 26, detaining three suspected insurgents and finding two weapons caches.
The operation, known as Dragon Fire East, includes approximately 2,000 U.S Army Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division and 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.
They are joined in the operation by Iraqi troops from the 7th Brigade, 2nd Iraqi National Police Division.
During the first hours of Operation Dragon Fire East, 3-2nd SBCT Soldiers discovered a cache which contained six 57mm projectiles rigged as two separate improvised explosive devices; two additional 57mm rounds; a 60mm mortar; a 130mm round and a concrete block hollowed out to fit a 130mm projectile.
A search at another location revealed 2,000 loose rounds of 7.62 ammunition, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers with seven sights, one roll of white double-strand wire used for fabricating IEDs and one AK-47 assault rifle.
Soldiers found and destroyed one IED, as well. The three suspected terrorists detained during the operation were held for further questioning.
Web Reconnaissance for 05/29/2007
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.
In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
Bush Looks To Intensify Pressure On Sudan - President Bush has decided to implement a plan to pressure Sudan's government into cooperating with international efforts to halt the violence in its troubled Darfur region, where his administration said almost three years ago that genocide was taking place. (READ MORE)
Campaign Puts New Strain on Secret Service - The U.S. Secret Service expects to borrow more than 2,000 immigration officers and federal airport screeners next year to help guard an ever-expanding field of presidential candidates, while shifting 250 of its own agents from investigations to security details. (READ MORE)
U.S., Iran Open Dialogue On Iraq - The United States and Iran held their first official high-level, face-to-face talks in almost 30 years Monday to discuss the deteriorating security situation in Iraq, and officials emerged generally upbeat about the renewed dialogue, suggesting additional meetings were likely. (READ MORE)
Talks revive U.S.-Iran ties - The United States and Iran broke a 27-year diplomatic freeze yesterday with a four-hour meeting on Iraqi security. The American envoy said there was broad policy agreement but that Iran must stop arming and financing militants who are attacking U.S. and Iraqi forces. (READ MORE)
Jihadists moving into Lebanon from Syria - Heavily armed foreign jihadists have been entering Lebanon from Syria from around the time Western authorities noticed a drop in the infiltration of foreign fighters from Syria to Iraq, Lebanese officials say. (READ MORE)
Minority caucuses question alien bill - Members of the House minority caucuses say they have serious misgivings about the Senate immigration bill and the debate surrounding it, saying that many of the important issues of trade and agricultural policy are being overlooked. (READ MORE)
Chavez channel prompts protests - National guard troops fired tear gas and rubber bullets yesterday into a crowd of protesters angry over a decision by President Hugo Chavez that forced a critical television station off the air. (READ MORE)
From the Front:
Badger 6: Transition “It's late. Late in our time here to be changing missions, but missions is why we are here and the Soldiers will do what they need to do to accomplish those missions. Although all of our Soldiers in the Sapper platoons trained to do the Route Clearance missions, however, for a variety of reasons, when we arrived in Ar Ramadi some of those Soldiers though were tasked with other missions.” (READ MORE)
Duke in Iraq: Casualties of War “Women and children are both a direct and indirect casualty of war. One of my roles during this deployment has been to care for the children who have been injured as well as care for those who have come to our gates seeking help where many Iraqi’s consider the only place in their country where their children can be helped. There are many reasons why children are injured. The most common reason children come to us is from IED blasts or mortar attacks.” (READ MORE)
Duke in Iraq: Final “I am flying on a C-17 flying to Andrews AFB. I have finished my second tour in Iraq and now I am accompanying about 40 injured home. I am on this flight as a medical attendant for an Army Sergeant who was shot in the back by the Taliban after leaving a ‘Peace talk’ meeting the US Army had set up to help the Afghani and Pakistani border guards get along. As he and his fellow soldiers left the meeting they were ambushed by members of the Taliban from behind. He was shot in the back three times. He requires an attendant so continuous pain medicine can be slowly dripped directly over his spinal nerves (an epidural) for pain relief. It is an honor to leave my deployment in Iraq in this manner.” (READ MORE)
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross: Featured Report from Iraq: A look at the surge from Baghdad “As I write this, I’m nearing the end of my time embedded with the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery (known as 2-32), which is working with the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division while in Iraq. During my time in the country, I was able to go on a number of patrols; see some of the fruits of the current military ‘surge’; get a look at the Iraqi security forces and interview American soldiers and officials about their progress; speak with a number of servicemen, military officials, and Iraqis; and visit several locations in Iraq, including the International Zone and Baghdad outside the wire. This report, which I wrote exclusively for The Fourth Rail, is designed to summarize what I found.” (READ MORE)
Gene E. Blanton: Featured Report from Iraq: Grandkids and War Zones “CAMP HABBANIYAH, AL ANBAR PROVINCE, IRAQ: In September 2005, when I told my wife, Shelia that I was going to be embedded with the 2nd Marine Division in Al Anbar Province, she said ‘When most guys hit fifty, they get a Corvette, or a Harley or a woman half their age. You run off and play Marine.’ I planned the trip around the arrival of my granddaughter – Hannah - who was scheduled to be born five days after my return. By scheduling the trip to coincide with the new arrival, I knew it would keep my wife busy with less time to worry about me. I had given my daughter, Heather, a direct order that she was not to deliver before I returned. She disobeyed the order.” (READ MORE)
Omar: And so they met today! “Iran's and America's ambassadors to Baghdad met here today. Iran's attitude didn't only make the meeting unproductive, it made it insulting. Ignore the meaningless diplomatic pleasantries of ‘the meeting was positive’ or ‘we'd like to meet you again in the future’ and stuff like that that we hear after almost every meeting between diplomats. Iran mocked Iraq and America today, their ambassador was here just to laugh at us and buy time for his regime by trying to fool us with his we-want-to-work-this-out-through-negotiations.” (READ MORE)
Noah Pollak: Remember the conventional wisdom? “I’ve had little time to post over the past week, as we’re in full production mode at the journal I work for and my days have been busy. But I wanted to make a brief observation about the situation today in Gaza, as by my lights there are three fundamentally important premises of recent Middle East diplomacy that the lawlessness there has overturned -- and quite violently, at that. The first is the notion that power would moderate Hamas.” (READ MORE)
JD Johannes: Kharmah Awakens "'In fact, there is a civil war in progress in Iraq, one comparable in important respects to other civil wars that have occurred in postcolonial states with weak institutions. Those cases suggest that the Bush administration's political objective in Iraq--creating a stable, peaceful, somewhat democratic regime that can survive the departure of U.S. troops--is unrealistic.' Professor James D. Fearon, writing in the March/April edition of Foreign Affairs. There is one problem with Professor Fearon's thesis--the facts on the ground that I am seeing right now and that he has not seen in person or not seen recently." (READ MORE)
On the Web:
W. Thomas Smith, Jr: For the families “This Memorial Day week - I say week, because Monday was MD observed, Wednesday is MD actual - we remember lives lost in all of America’s wars since 1775. But I personally feel it is especially important to remember the most recent losses.” (READ MORE)
Ashley Herzog: Why feminists don't speak for me “During my three years as a columnist for my college newspaper, I’ve resisted frequent requests that I explain my opposition to feminism.” (READ MORE)
Thomas Sowell: A War of Words “It has long been recognized that those on the political left are more articulate than their opponents.” (READ MORE)
Amanda Carpenter: Liberal Hypocrisy on the 2008 Campaign Trail “There’s been no shortage of stories to strengthen the ‘hypocrite’ label that’s dogged John Edwards’s presidential campaign, but that doesn’t mean the other Democrats running for the White House haven’t been acting holier-than-thou. Here are few liberal campaign follies you might have missed because you were watching the Johnboy?s ‘I Feel Pretty’ YouTube for the 100th time.” (READ MORE)
Peter Berkowitz: The Conservative Mind “The left prides itself on, and frequently boasts of, its superior appreciation of the complexity and depth of moral and political life. But political debate in America today tells a different story. On a variety of issues that currently divide the nation, those to the left of center seem to be converging, their ranks increasingly untroubled by debate or dissent, except on daily tactics and long-term strategy. Meanwhile, those to the right of center are engaged in an intense intra-party struggle to balance competing principles and goods.” (READ MORE)
Bret Stephens: Bond of the Sea “Aboard the USS San Jacinto--This Memorial Day weekend, Martin Brown boarded a ship he had first known as a much younger man. The USS San Jacinto is today a 9,600 ton, 567-foot Aegis cruiser with phased-array radar that can simultaneously track scores of targets over hundreds of miles. In the spring of 1945, when Mr. Brown first came aboard, it was an 11,000 ton, 622-foot aircraft carrier headed for battle off the coast of Japan. ‘They have things on this ship we couldn't even contemplate,’ says Mr. Brown, 80. Yet the two San Jacs have more in common than just a namesake.” (READ MORE)
Andrew Roberts: 1688 and All That “When the English-speaking peoples consider the forces that have made them the global hegemonic political culture since the mid-19th century--representative institutions, the rule of law, religious toleration and property rights among them--they look back to Britain's ‘Glorious’ Revolution of 1688. What at first looks merely like a minor coup d'état that replaced the Catholic King James II with his Protestant Dutch nephew and son-in-law, King William III, was much more than that. It heralded nothing less than a complete realignment of worldview for the Anglosphere. It changed everything.” (READ MORE)
WSJ: Another Iranian Milestone “In 2005, the U.S. National Intelligence Estimate predicted that Iran would be unable to produce sufficient quantities of weapons-grade uranium until ‘early to mid-next decade.’ Last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that Iran was operating 1,312 centrifuges -- up from 164 just last year -- and could be operating as many as 3,000 within a month. That's enough to produce one bomb's worth of uranium every year. So much for another CIA ‘slam dunk.’” (READ MORE)
Augean Stables: Israele Siamo Noi: Italy’s New Bestseller? “Ruthie Blum, whose laser vision has skewered more than one unsuspecting victim, interviews Fiamma Nirenstein, the fiery Italian journalist who went from 60s radicalism to proud Zionism in her life of passionate integrity. Fiamma’s new book — Israele Siamo Noi — represents what I hope will be the beginning of a turn-around in European perceptions… from the sick (in the Nietzschean sense) self-hatred and dhimmi appeasement of the current anti-American, anti-Zionist “left” to a healthy respect for all that Western culture has achieved in the way of civic culture, freedom and tolerance, and the courage to defend it against global Jihadis.” (READ MORE)
American Ranger: Memorial Day, 2007: We Must Never Forget “I remember the 18-year-old kid from Tennessee who let me use his transistor radio, the baby-faced private from North Carolina with the big grin, Staff Sergeant James, Sergeant Brezinski and Sergeant Dowjotas. There are others whose names, God forgive me, I cannot recall. All of their names are on the Vietnam wall because they gave their lives for their country.” (READ MORE)
The Anchoress: Stunning media spin on Chavez “The initial headlines are either unclear or they’re working at happy spin: ‘Chavez launches new Venezuela TV station.’ That sounds merry, doesn’t it - as though Hugo Chavez is happily launching a new enterprise and celebrating! The story is a bit different, though:” (READ MORE)
The Belmont Club: One Man, One Vote, One Time “There was a joke that once went the round of programmers which posed this challenge. ‘Write a procedure to determine whether power has been cut off to the CPU.’ Like many jokes, especially Polish ones, it relies upon the existence of an implicit contradiction. Look for the implicit contradiction pointed out in this observation from Samizdata, which is unfortunately in deadly earnest: ‘Venezuela is a case study of how democracy is no sure defence against tyranny and how it can actually be the means by which it comes about. I realise we already have the example of Germany in the 1930's, but unlike the NSDAP, the democratic majority for Chavez was far less ambiguous than the ones that incrementally brought Hitler to power.’” (READ MORE)
Big Dog: Cindy Sheehan Says Bye-Bye “Cindy Sheehan is leaving the anti war activism gig that she has enjoyed for a few years since her son was killed in the war. Cindy is upset because she is being attacked by Democrats for taking them to task for their stance on the war. She has come to the realization that she was the darling of the Democrats while bashing the Republicans but as soon as she aimed her anger at them they would have no use for her. We have known this for a long time and many of us said that she would no longer be useful once the Democrats took control of Congress.” (READ MORE)
Ed Morrissey: Cindy Sheehan Says Adios “Once the ‘darling’ of the Left, a woman to whom crowds flocked, Cindy Sheehan has discovered that she has worn out her welcome by attacking everyone. In a missive she sent to the Democratic caucuses in Congress, Sheehan has renounced her membership in the party, claiming to have been as abused by the Left as she was by the Right:” (READ MORE)
Chickenhawk Express: And THIS is Honoring the Soldiers on Memorial Day? “Some on the left are complaining that yesterday's Day by Day Cartoon wasn't really a Memorial Day salute but more of a media bash with old facts. Actually the fact that the good news from Iraq is still not being reported IS appropriate to bring up when talking about Memorial Day. After all, the soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq are dishonored everytime the media goes into ‘if it bleeds, it leads’ mode instead of balanced reporting. Then I find this report about how Iraq Veterans Against the War and their comrades at Code Pink and Veterans for Peace saluted the soldiers on this Memorial Day weekend.” (READ MORE)
Baron Bodissey: Piano Wire Time for Ward Churchill “The mills of the University of Colorado grind slowly, but they’re about to grind Ward Churchill exceedingly fine. The president of his own university has recommended firing the infamous ‘Native American activist’: ‘The president of the University of Colorado has recommended that a professor who likened some Sept. 11 victims to a Nazi should be fired, according to the professor and the school.’” (READ MORE)
Gribbit: Congressional Dems Proving That They Cannot Govern “I’ve been saying since before the midterms that the Dems are incapable of governing. This is being proven by the mistake popularly known as the 110th Congress. Syndicated columnist Robert Novak hits the ball out of the park with his piece, ‘DO-NOTHING CONGRESS‘. He says…” (READ MORE)
Amy Proctor: Marine Mom Disputes Richardson's Campaign Story “Bottom Line Up Front: Democratic Presidential candidate and Governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson refuses to apologize to a Marine mom who says Richardson is using her son’s death to boost his campaign.” (READ MORE)
A.M. Mora y Leon: All Hell Breaks Loose In Caracas “Students went on strike all over Venezuela today, shutting down every major university in the name of free speech. El Universal reports that it's about eight big ones with all the kids marching onto OAS headquarters to urge the hemisphere's democracy-certifier to grow a spine. Miguel has a live report about what he saw in the streets, as well as photos. It sounds like turmoil and now troops have opened fire with rubber bullets and tear gas to break up the protests.” (REAR MORE)
McQ: Someone You Should Know: CPL Robert J Mitchell Jr “When I prepare these stories for presentation on the ‘Someone You Should Know’ segment of WRKO's ‘Pundit Review’ radio show (Sunday nights 7-10), I have to practice them a number of times because, well, I have a tendency to get choked up. Just can't help it. What these young people do just has that effect. So I have to practice over and over and over again just to make it through without that long obvious pause while I collect myself.” (READ MORE)
ROFASix: Thinking 'Mission' in Iraq “Memorial Day was an appropriate time to check assumptions and revisit what we are asking our warriors to do in Iraq. Its funny how suggesting that can become a political 'hot potato.' But when I suggest that, it isn't really about supporting the war against terrorists, or whether war is an appropriate tool of foreign policy. I am personally all for aggressively seeking and killing those terrorists who threaten America and agree that war, no matter how ugly, is sometimes necessary given the evil that threatens us.” (READ MORE)
ShrinkWrapped: How Not to Report "Some of the News That's Fit to Print" “The MSM are remarkable in the bias that they hide from themselves. If the New York Times were an honest newspaper, they would be clear about their biases and their news stories would be more believable for just that reason. Instead, through commission and more often, through omission, they tell stories that present their views while labeling them news. On the front page of the New York Times today is a typically slanted story which contains all the elements of the Times programmatic approach to the news.” (READ MORE)
GBear: Memorial Day Meaning “I am very privileged to have contact with some of the personnel, military and civilian, in-theatre. People I have universally come to admire and will, unfortunately for me, probably never meet! I was recently blessed with an email from one such person about his Memorial Day experience down range today. It was too good to keep to myself. Thought I'd share with you that this email was sent to me by a civilian working in support of the military. He has been in Iraq for two years and has volunteered to extend his stay through December in order to finish out the tour with the troops who are there with him now! Thanks to all who are willing to serve, civilian and military. Your sacrifices are monumental and mostly unknown!” (READ MORE)
Tarek Heggy: Between Tribalism and Statehood “The sociology of the Arabian peninsula tribes is the key to understanding the Arab character and mentality. In order to trace the historical features of that character and mentality, we must try to imagine the way of life in the inland wastes of the eastern regions of the peninsula over the last twenty centuries. But why the eastern not the western regions? We shall explain why after presenting a panoramic survey of the historical features of the character and mental make-up of the tribes inhabiting the eastern regions of the Arabian peninsula, specifically the tribes of the hinterland, not the coastal areas.” (READ MORE)
TigerHawk: Propaganda we hope is true “On the brink of tomorrow's face-to-face negotiations with Iran, the United States stands accused of -- say it is so -- spying. ‘Iran summoned the Swiss ambassador Sunday to protest what it called recently uncovered U.S. espionage networks, state television reported, the day before the Islamic republic planned ambassador-level talks with the U.S. on Iraq.’” (READ MORE)
Ron Winter: A Memorial Day Tale of Two Warriors; One Tour of Duty Ends, One Begins “Memorial Day, USA. Parades, speeches, shows of support for the troops, followed by backyard picnics, time with the family, perhaps even the beginning of vacations and summer leisure. Well, for some of us. On this Memorial Day the family of Deborah Johns is celebrating and thanking God for her son William's safe return from Iraq. He has just finished his third tour there as a Marine and received a well-deserved hero's welcome Saturday when he arrived in San Francisco. For my sister-in-law, my nieces, and our entire extended family, there is a different mood, as this Memorial Day marks the end of my brother-in-law David's first week in Iraq. His first tour as a U.S. Army pilot is just beginning as is the long year of waiting and worrying.” (READ MORE)
SnoopyTheGoon: Gullibility of fools? “A person’s power of self-persuasion is nothing short of miraculous. Watching the comedy unfolding in the Hay festival with the new darling of the British press, one Ghazi Hamad, I really do not know whether to laugh or to cry. The miraculous power that makes apparently intelligent people believe any outrageous lie and disregard the truth they are facing is really the best builder of mental walls. Read the report by Katharine Viner who is the features editor of the Guardian and, incidentally ‘the editor of the award-winning play My Name is Rachel Corrie’ (nothing wrong here, it is all about art after all). The report deals with a momentous event - appearance of the above mentioned Hamas’ luminary on stage at the Hay festival for an interview.” (READ MORE)
John Donovan: Heh. As usual, Bill Arkin gets it *almost* right. “...and thus proves the point. Bill sez: 'As I see it, beyond the social networking and communications functions, the Milblogs have set themselves up as an anti-news media squad. The conference included many discussions of the deficiencies of mainstream press coverage of Iraq. In fact, some people actually believe that, with the availability of worldwide news on the Web and the emergence of military blogs, the Pentagon press corps and even the mainstream news media is obsolete.'” (READ MORE)
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In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
Bush Looks To Intensify Pressure On Sudan - President Bush has decided to implement a plan to pressure Sudan's government into cooperating with international efforts to halt the violence in its troubled Darfur region, where his administration said almost three years ago that genocide was taking place. (READ MORE)
Campaign Puts New Strain on Secret Service - The U.S. Secret Service expects to borrow more than 2,000 immigration officers and federal airport screeners next year to help guard an ever-expanding field of presidential candidates, while shifting 250 of its own agents from investigations to security details. (READ MORE)
U.S., Iran Open Dialogue On Iraq - The United States and Iran held their first official high-level, face-to-face talks in almost 30 years Monday to discuss the deteriorating security situation in Iraq, and officials emerged generally upbeat about the renewed dialogue, suggesting additional meetings were likely. (READ MORE)
Talks revive U.S.-Iran ties - The United States and Iran broke a 27-year diplomatic freeze yesterday with a four-hour meeting on Iraqi security. The American envoy said there was broad policy agreement but that Iran must stop arming and financing militants who are attacking U.S. and Iraqi forces. (READ MORE)
Jihadists moving into Lebanon from Syria - Heavily armed foreign jihadists have been entering Lebanon from Syria from around the time Western authorities noticed a drop in the infiltration of foreign fighters from Syria to Iraq, Lebanese officials say. (READ MORE)
Minority caucuses question alien bill - Members of the House minority caucuses say they have serious misgivings about the Senate immigration bill and the debate surrounding it, saying that many of the important issues of trade and agricultural policy are being overlooked. (READ MORE)
Chavez channel prompts protests - National guard troops fired tear gas and rubber bullets yesterday into a crowd of protesters angry over a decision by President Hugo Chavez that forced a critical television station off the air. (READ MORE)
From the Front:
Badger 6: Transition “It's late. Late in our time here to be changing missions, but missions is why we are here and the Soldiers will do what they need to do to accomplish those missions. Although all of our Soldiers in the Sapper platoons trained to do the Route Clearance missions, however, for a variety of reasons, when we arrived in Ar Ramadi some of those Soldiers though were tasked with other missions.” (READ MORE)
Duke in Iraq: Casualties of War “Women and children are both a direct and indirect casualty of war. One of my roles during this deployment has been to care for the children who have been injured as well as care for those who have come to our gates seeking help where many Iraqi’s consider the only place in their country where their children can be helped. There are many reasons why children are injured. The most common reason children come to us is from IED blasts or mortar attacks.” (READ MORE)
Duke in Iraq: Final “I am flying on a C-17 flying to Andrews AFB. I have finished my second tour in Iraq and now I am accompanying about 40 injured home. I am on this flight as a medical attendant for an Army Sergeant who was shot in the back by the Taliban after leaving a ‘Peace talk’ meeting the US Army had set up to help the Afghani and Pakistani border guards get along. As he and his fellow soldiers left the meeting they were ambushed by members of the Taliban from behind. He was shot in the back three times. He requires an attendant so continuous pain medicine can be slowly dripped directly over his spinal nerves (an epidural) for pain relief. It is an honor to leave my deployment in Iraq in this manner.” (READ MORE)
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross: Featured Report from Iraq: A look at the surge from Baghdad “As I write this, I’m nearing the end of my time embedded with the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery (known as 2-32), which is working with the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division while in Iraq. During my time in the country, I was able to go on a number of patrols; see some of the fruits of the current military ‘surge’; get a look at the Iraqi security forces and interview American soldiers and officials about their progress; speak with a number of servicemen, military officials, and Iraqis; and visit several locations in Iraq, including the International Zone and Baghdad outside the wire. This report, which I wrote exclusively for The Fourth Rail, is designed to summarize what I found.” (READ MORE)
Gene E. Blanton: Featured Report from Iraq: Grandkids and War Zones “CAMP HABBANIYAH, AL ANBAR PROVINCE, IRAQ: In September 2005, when I told my wife, Shelia that I was going to be embedded with the 2nd Marine Division in Al Anbar Province, she said ‘When most guys hit fifty, they get a Corvette, or a Harley or a woman half their age. You run off and play Marine.’ I planned the trip around the arrival of my granddaughter – Hannah - who was scheduled to be born five days after my return. By scheduling the trip to coincide with the new arrival, I knew it would keep my wife busy with less time to worry about me. I had given my daughter, Heather, a direct order that she was not to deliver before I returned. She disobeyed the order.” (READ MORE)
Omar: And so they met today! “Iran's and America's ambassadors to Baghdad met here today. Iran's attitude didn't only make the meeting unproductive, it made it insulting. Ignore the meaningless diplomatic pleasantries of ‘the meeting was positive’ or ‘we'd like to meet you again in the future’ and stuff like that that we hear after almost every meeting between diplomats. Iran mocked Iraq and America today, their ambassador was here just to laugh at us and buy time for his regime by trying to fool us with his we-want-to-work-this-out-through-negotiations.” (READ MORE)
Noah Pollak: Remember the conventional wisdom? “I’ve had little time to post over the past week, as we’re in full production mode at the journal I work for and my days have been busy. But I wanted to make a brief observation about the situation today in Gaza, as by my lights there are three fundamentally important premises of recent Middle East diplomacy that the lawlessness there has overturned -- and quite violently, at that. The first is the notion that power would moderate Hamas.” (READ MORE)
JD Johannes: Kharmah Awakens "'In fact, there is a civil war in progress in Iraq, one comparable in important respects to other civil wars that have occurred in postcolonial states with weak institutions. Those cases suggest that the Bush administration's political objective in Iraq--creating a stable, peaceful, somewhat democratic regime that can survive the departure of U.S. troops--is unrealistic.' Professor James D. Fearon, writing in the March/April edition of Foreign Affairs. There is one problem with Professor Fearon's thesis--the facts on the ground that I am seeing right now and that he has not seen in person or not seen recently." (READ MORE)
On the Web:
W. Thomas Smith, Jr: For the families “This Memorial Day week - I say week, because Monday was MD observed, Wednesday is MD actual - we remember lives lost in all of America’s wars since 1775. But I personally feel it is especially important to remember the most recent losses.” (READ MORE)
Ashley Herzog: Why feminists don't speak for me “During my three years as a columnist for my college newspaper, I’ve resisted frequent requests that I explain my opposition to feminism.” (READ MORE)
Thomas Sowell: A War of Words “It has long been recognized that those on the political left are more articulate than their opponents.” (READ MORE)
Amanda Carpenter: Liberal Hypocrisy on the 2008 Campaign Trail “There’s been no shortage of stories to strengthen the ‘hypocrite’ label that’s dogged John Edwards’s presidential campaign, but that doesn’t mean the other Democrats running for the White House haven’t been acting holier-than-thou. Here are few liberal campaign follies you might have missed because you were watching the Johnboy?s ‘I Feel Pretty’ YouTube for the 100th time.” (READ MORE)
Peter Berkowitz: The Conservative Mind “The left prides itself on, and frequently boasts of, its superior appreciation of the complexity and depth of moral and political life. But political debate in America today tells a different story. On a variety of issues that currently divide the nation, those to the left of center seem to be converging, their ranks increasingly untroubled by debate or dissent, except on daily tactics and long-term strategy. Meanwhile, those to the right of center are engaged in an intense intra-party struggle to balance competing principles and goods.” (READ MORE)
Bret Stephens: Bond of the Sea “Aboard the USS San Jacinto--This Memorial Day weekend, Martin Brown boarded a ship he had first known as a much younger man. The USS San Jacinto is today a 9,600 ton, 567-foot Aegis cruiser with phased-array radar that can simultaneously track scores of targets over hundreds of miles. In the spring of 1945, when Mr. Brown first came aboard, it was an 11,000 ton, 622-foot aircraft carrier headed for battle off the coast of Japan. ‘They have things on this ship we couldn't even contemplate,’ says Mr. Brown, 80. Yet the two San Jacs have more in common than just a namesake.” (READ MORE)
Andrew Roberts: 1688 and All That “When the English-speaking peoples consider the forces that have made them the global hegemonic political culture since the mid-19th century--representative institutions, the rule of law, religious toleration and property rights among them--they look back to Britain's ‘Glorious’ Revolution of 1688. What at first looks merely like a minor coup d'état that replaced the Catholic King James II with his Protestant Dutch nephew and son-in-law, King William III, was much more than that. It heralded nothing less than a complete realignment of worldview for the Anglosphere. It changed everything.” (READ MORE)
WSJ: Another Iranian Milestone “In 2005, the U.S. National Intelligence Estimate predicted that Iran would be unable to produce sufficient quantities of weapons-grade uranium until ‘early to mid-next decade.’ Last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that Iran was operating 1,312 centrifuges -- up from 164 just last year -- and could be operating as many as 3,000 within a month. That's enough to produce one bomb's worth of uranium every year. So much for another CIA ‘slam dunk.’” (READ MORE)
Augean Stables: Israele Siamo Noi: Italy’s New Bestseller? “Ruthie Blum, whose laser vision has skewered more than one unsuspecting victim, interviews Fiamma Nirenstein, the fiery Italian journalist who went from 60s radicalism to proud Zionism in her life of passionate integrity. Fiamma’s new book — Israele Siamo Noi — represents what I hope will be the beginning of a turn-around in European perceptions… from the sick (in the Nietzschean sense) self-hatred and dhimmi appeasement of the current anti-American, anti-Zionist “left” to a healthy respect for all that Western culture has achieved in the way of civic culture, freedom and tolerance, and the courage to defend it against global Jihadis.” (READ MORE)
American Ranger: Memorial Day, 2007: We Must Never Forget “I remember the 18-year-old kid from Tennessee who let me use his transistor radio, the baby-faced private from North Carolina with the big grin, Staff Sergeant James, Sergeant Brezinski and Sergeant Dowjotas. There are others whose names, God forgive me, I cannot recall. All of their names are on the Vietnam wall because they gave their lives for their country.” (READ MORE)
The Anchoress: Stunning media spin on Chavez “The initial headlines are either unclear or they’re working at happy spin: ‘Chavez launches new Venezuela TV station.’ That sounds merry, doesn’t it - as though Hugo Chavez is happily launching a new enterprise and celebrating! The story is a bit different, though:” (READ MORE)
The Belmont Club: One Man, One Vote, One Time “There was a joke that once went the round of programmers which posed this challenge. ‘Write a procedure to determine whether power has been cut off to the CPU.’ Like many jokes, especially Polish ones, it relies upon the existence of an implicit contradiction. Look for the implicit contradiction pointed out in this observation from Samizdata, which is unfortunately in deadly earnest: ‘Venezuela is a case study of how democracy is no sure defence against tyranny and how it can actually be the means by which it comes about. I realise we already have the example of Germany in the 1930's, but unlike the NSDAP, the democratic majority for Chavez was far less ambiguous than the ones that incrementally brought Hitler to power.’” (READ MORE)
Big Dog: Cindy Sheehan Says Bye-Bye “Cindy Sheehan is leaving the anti war activism gig that she has enjoyed for a few years since her son was killed in the war. Cindy is upset because she is being attacked by Democrats for taking them to task for their stance on the war. She has come to the realization that she was the darling of the Democrats while bashing the Republicans but as soon as she aimed her anger at them they would have no use for her. We have known this for a long time and many of us said that she would no longer be useful once the Democrats took control of Congress.” (READ MORE)
Ed Morrissey: Cindy Sheehan Says Adios “Once the ‘darling’ of the Left, a woman to whom crowds flocked, Cindy Sheehan has discovered that she has worn out her welcome by attacking everyone. In a missive she sent to the Democratic caucuses in Congress, Sheehan has renounced her membership in the party, claiming to have been as abused by the Left as she was by the Right:” (READ MORE)
Chickenhawk Express: And THIS is Honoring the Soldiers on Memorial Day? “Some on the left are complaining that yesterday's Day by Day Cartoon wasn't really a Memorial Day salute but more of a media bash with old facts. Actually the fact that the good news from Iraq is still not being reported IS appropriate to bring up when talking about Memorial Day. After all, the soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq are dishonored everytime the media goes into ‘if it bleeds, it leads’ mode instead of balanced reporting. Then I find this report about how Iraq Veterans Against the War and their comrades at Code Pink and Veterans for Peace saluted the soldiers on this Memorial Day weekend.” (READ MORE)
Baron Bodissey: Piano Wire Time for Ward Churchill “The mills of the University of Colorado grind slowly, but they’re about to grind Ward Churchill exceedingly fine. The president of his own university has recommended firing the infamous ‘Native American activist’: ‘The president of the University of Colorado has recommended that a professor who likened some Sept. 11 victims to a Nazi should be fired, according to the professor and the school.’” (READ MORE)
Gribbit: Congressional Dems Proving That They Cannot Govern “I’ve been saying since before the midterms that the Dems are incapable of governing. This is being proven by the mistake popularly known as the 110th Congress. Syndicated columnist Robert Novak hits the ball out of the park with his piece, ‘DO-NOTHING CONGRESS‘. He says…” (READ MORE)
Amy Proctor: Marine Mom Disputes Richardson's Campaign Story “Bottom Line Up Front: Democratic Presidential candidate and Governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson refuses to apologize to a Marine mom who says Richardson is using her son’s death to boost his campaign.” (READ MORE)
A.M. Mora y Leon: All Hell Breaks Loose In Caracas “Students went on strike all over Venezuela today, shutting down every major university in the name of free speech. El Universal reports that it's about eight big ones with all the kids marching onto OAS headquarters to urge the hemisphere's democracy-certifier to grow a spine. Miguel has a live report about what he saw in the streets, as well as photos. It sounds like turmoil and now troops have opened fire with rubber bullets and tear gas to break up the protests.” (REAR MORE)
McQ: Someone You Should Know: CPL Robert J Mitchell Jr “When I prepare these stories for presentation on the ‘Someone You Should Know’ segment of WRKO's ‘Pundit Review’ radio show (Sunday nights 7-10), I have to practice them a number of times because, well, I have a tendency to get choked up. Just can't help it. What these young people do just has that effect. So I have to practice over and over and over again just to make it through without that long obvious pause while I collect myself.” (READ MORE)
ROFASix: Thinking 'Mission' in Iraq “Memorial Day was an appropriate time to check assumptions and revisit what we are asking our warriors to do in Iraq. Its funny how suggesting that can become a political 'hot potato.' But when I suggest that, it isn't really about supporting the war against terrorists, or whether war is an appropriate tool of foreign policy. I am personally all for aggressively seeking and killing those terrorists who threaten America and agree that war, no matter how ugly, is sometimes necessary given the evil that threatens us.” (READ MORE)
ShrinkWrapped: How Not to Report "Some of the News That's Fit to Print" “The MSM are remarkable in the bias that they hide from themselves. If the New York Times were an honest newspaper, they would be clear about their biases and their news stories would be more believable for just that reason. Instead, through commission and more often, through omission, they tell stories that present their views while labeling them news. On the front page of the New York Times today is a typically slanted story which contains all the elements of the Times programmatic approach to the news.” (READ MORE)
GBear: Memorial Day Meaning “I am very privileged to have contact with some of the personnel, military and civilian, in-theatre. People I have universally come to admire and will, unfortunately for me, probably never meet! I was recently blessed with an email from one such person about his Memorial Day experience down range today. It was too good to keep to myself. Thought I'd share with you that this email was sent to me by a civilian working in support of the military. He has been in Iraq for two years and has volunteered to extend his stay through December in order to finish out the tour with the troops who are there with him now! Thanks to all who are willing to serve, civilian and military. Your sacrifices are monumental and mostly unknown!” (READ MORE)
Tarek Heggy: Between Tribalism and Statehood “The sociology of the Arabian peninsula tribes is the key to understanding the Arab character and mentality. In order to trace the historical features of that character and mentality, we must try to imagine the way of life in the inland wastes of the eastern regions of the peninsula over the last twenty centuries. But why the eastern not the western regions? We shall explain why after presenting a panoramic survey of the historical features of the character and mental make-up of the tribes inhabiting the eastern regions of the Arabian peninsula, specifically the tribes of the hinterland, not the coastal areas.” (READ MORE)
TigerHawk: Propaganda we hope is true “On the brink of tomorrow's face-to-face negotiations with Iran, the United States stands accused of -- say it is so -- spying. ‘Iran summoned the Swiss ambassador Sunday to protest what it called recently uncovered U.S. espionage networks, state television reported, the day before the Islamic republic planned ambassador-level talks with the U.S. on Iraq.’” (READ MORE)
Ron Winter: A Memorial Day Tale of Two Warriors; One Tour of Duty Ends, One Begins “Memorial Day, USA. Parades, speeches, shows of support for the troops, followed by backyard picnics, time with the family, perhaps even the beginning of vacations and summer leisure. Well, for some of us. On this Memorial Day the family of Deborah Johns is celebrating and thanking God for her son William's safe return from Iraq. He has just finished his third tour there as a Marine and received a well-deserved hero's welcome Saturday when he arrived in San Francisco. For my sister-in-law, my nieces, and our entire extended family, there is a different mood, as this Memorial Day marks the end of my brother-in-law David's first week in Iraq. His first tour as a U.S. Army pilot is just beginning as is the long year of waiting and worrying.” (READ MORE)
SnoopyTheGoon: Gullibility of fools? “A person’s power of self-persuasion is nothing short of miraculous. Watching the comedy unfolding in the Hay festival with the new darling of the British press, one Ghazi Hamad, I really do not know whether to laugh or to cry. The miraculous power that makes apparently intelligent people believe any outrageous lie and disregard the truth they are facing is really the best builder of mental walls. Read the report by Katharine Viner who is the features editor of the Guardian and, incidentally ‘the editor of the award-winning play My Name is Rachel Corrie’ (nothing wrong here, it is all about art after all). The report deals with a momentous event - appearance of the above mentioned Hamas’ luminary on stage at the Hay festival for an interview.” (READ MORE)
John Donovan: Heh. As usual, Bill Arkin gets it *almost* right. “...and thus proves the point. Bill sez: 'As I see it, beyond the social networking and communications functions, the Milblogs have set themselves up as an anti-news media squad. The conference included many discussions of the deficiencies of mainstream press coverage of Iraq. In fact, some people actually believe that, with the availability of worldwide news on the Web and the emergence of military blogs, the Pentagon press corps and even the mainstream news media is obsolete.'” (READ MORE)
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