The Cool Blue Blog

Task Force Duke confronts Sadr

I found this article published in a 1st ID publication called Danger Forward. I also posted a number of associtaed pictures to the 1-14th photo gallery. All of the action in an Najaf took place last month so while it is old news, there's plenty of new information (and photos) about what our Golden Dragons did there.

Task Force Duke confronts Sadr, militia

STORY AND PHOTO BY
SPC KIMBERLY SNOW
196TH MPAD

In the week leading up to the Easter holiday, violence erupted throughout Iraq as coalition forces battled insurgents spurred on by 30-year-old Shi’ite cleric, Muqtada Al-Sadr. The young cleric laid siege to the holy city of An Najaf, taking over government and police buildings, and warning coalition forces to stay out.

In response, CJTF-7 quickly assembled Task Force Duke, and on the eve of Easter Sunday, began a large-scale intra-theater move, taking the brigade-size force south to a new forward operating base 28 kilometers outside the holy city - a feat that hadn’t been attempted since the Vietnam War. The task force was comprised of about 2,800 soldiers from units throughout the country, the majority coming from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment; 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment; and 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment.

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Four Things

"O' my son, learn four things and (a further) four things from me. Nothing will harm you if you practise them. That the richest of riches is intelligence; the biggest destitution is foolishness; the wildest wildness is vanity and the best achievement is goodness of moral character.

"O' my son, you should avoid making friends with a fool because he may intend to benefit you but may harm you; you should avoid making friends with a miser because he will run away from you when you need him most; you should avoid making friends with a sinful person because he will sell you for naught; and you should avoid making friends with a liar because he is like a mirage, making you feel far things near and near things far."

- Hazrat Ali ibn Abu Talib

Dancing in Fallujah

On Outskirts of Fallujah, Marines Find Peace on Dance Floor

Submitted by: I Marine Expeditionary Force
Story by Lance Cpl. J.L. Bush

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (May 1, 2004) -- The sounds of Latin tunes blared out the door and the faint smell of sweat emitted from couples dancing for hours while black lights and glow sticks faintly lit the room. It may sound like a normal dance club, but there is nothing normal about “Club Fallujah.”

A few miles from the city where heavy fighting took place only weeks ago, Marines, sailors and soldiers danced into the night while sporting their camouflage utilities on May 1.

It is a big change to go from dodging bullets one day just a few miles away in Fallujah, to moving and grooving the next.

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Letter to the Editor

A local newspaper, The Addison Independent, conatined the follwoing letter to the editor entitled Soldier offers his own appraisal of the war in Iraq by SPC Michael J. Rist, 19 Delta Cavalry Scout, Camp Danger, Tikrit

The following letter was written by SPC Michael Rist, son of Debby Davignon Rist of Middlebury. It was originally written to an anti-war college professor, but the family wanted to share it with a broader community.

Let me first make clear, that I respect your opinion, and will gladly give my life to defend your rights to say such things. I do feel, however, your opinion is quite ignorant, very possibly due to the fact that you are misinformed.

I talked a great deal before my deployments to Bosnia and Iraq about the military occupying certain areas. My being Republican, I'm sure you can assume where I stand on such things.

I can tell you without a doubt in my mind that after being deployed I still have the same opinion. I object to the biased media, and their subtle liberal ideas being inserted to give you virtually all the information you base your opinion on.

You can't possibly argue that the people here (in Iraq) don't want us here. Every time we do a patrol around the city of Tikrit, it's like a parade. Kids come running and waving, adults do the same. Sometimes they hold back, however, for fear of the anti-coalition forces putting graffiti on their homes, destroying their property, or raping and assaulting them.

These people want freedom, and we are helping them in a slow but steady process. If your opinions are for shock value, or just to ofend soldiers, your opinion will only work to a point. On the surface, soldiers seem stressed and angry, however, it doesn't change the reason we are here. My willingness to defend you, your rights, your family, job, friends and country will remain strong until I can no longer carry my rifle.

As far as soldiers' enthusiasm and devotion here, I'll let you in on something. When it's 110 degrees outside, and you're wearing a kevlar helmet, two armor plates inside an already constricting flack vest, knee and elbow pads, carrying 210 rounds of ammunition, and a weapon, you're not thinking about democracy, you're thinking of the guy next to you going through the same thing and how you's do anything to keep him safe.

He took his own flag to Afghanistan

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Joe Ramos

Airman Carries American Flag Everywhere
By Air Force Master Sgt. Andrew Gates / 455th Expeditionary Operations Group Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, June 25, 2004 — When some people say they carry the American flag close to their heart, it is usually just a figure of speech.

However, when one 455th Expeditionary Operations Group airmen here said that, he meant it -- and he has the flag to prove it.

“My grandfather gave me a 3-foot by 5-foot flag when I was 12,” said Master Sgt. Joe Ramos, the operations superintendent for the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. “That flag has gone everywhere with me since then -- wherever I move and wherever I deploy.”

So far, the flag has been to more than 50 different countries, including Iceland, Chad, Honduras, Sierra Leone, Turkey, Egypt, Russia and most recently, Afghanistan. While here, Ramos also carries it on operations around Afghanistan -- securing the colors inside his body armor when he goes on security missions with other agencies.

“The flag has a lot of significance to me," he said. "I treat it with respect and as an essential piece of equipment like my weapon. I don’t leave home with out it. When I pack my bag, I make sure that I have my flag folded into a triangle and packed as well. When I get in-country and open my bag, it’s a nice reminder of my grandfather.”

More evidence

The New Tork Times is reporting more evidence of al Qaeda-Iraq collaboration:

Contacts between Iraqi intelligence agents and Osama bin Laden when he was in Sudan in the mid-1990's were part of a broad effort by Baghdad to work with organizations opposing the Saudi ruling family, according to a newly disclosed document obtained by the Americans in Iraq.

You suppose someone should clue in Al Gore?

But then again, how could he not know.

A translation of the new Iraqi document was reviewed by a Pentagon working group in the spring, officials said. It included senior analysts from the military's Joint Staff, the Defense Intelligence Agency and a joint intelligence task force that specialized in counterterrorism issues, they said.

The task force concluded that the document "appeared authentic," and that it "corroborates and expands on previous reporting" about contacts between Iraqi intelligence and Mr. bin Laden in Sudan, according to the task force's analysis.

But wait!

The new document, which appears to have circulated only since April, was provided to The New York Times several weeks ago,

Is this the same New York Times that last week called for the White House to apologize for stating that there were ties between Saddam and al Qaeda (ties I have documented here and here)

The same New York Times that was in possession of this document when it made the call?

before the commission's report was released.

And fact checking the Grey Lady of Record, the commission has not released a report. A staff report was leaked. Staff notes who's conclusions were neither seen nor voted on by the commission. A commission who's co-chairs have stated that their commissions findings are not in disagreement with White House statements.

Perhaps neither Al Gore nor the New York Times got the memo.

Stitching together the future

Marines sewing together new future for Iraq

Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification #: 20046253152
Story by Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Iraq(June 23, 2004) -- Marines with 1st Marine Division are helping to rebuild Iraq one stitch at a time.

With assistance from the Los Angeles-based charity Spirit of America, the division recently donated nearly $27,000 worth of equipment to the Ar Ramadi Sewing Center.

According to Lt. Col. John Lutkenhouse, 1st Marine Division plans officer for economic development, this is the first wave of sewing machine donations throughout the Al Anbar Province.

"The commander of the division understood that sewing machines would be a great way to improve Iraq's economy," Lutkenhouse explained. "The country's women will especially benefit because this will give them the opportunity to earn money and gain social empowerment."

According to Abdul Hameed Ibraheem, women were treated poorly during Saddam Hussein's regime. They were discouraged from attending school and finding employment.

Ibraheem, the Al Anbar Province director of economic programs, said all that has begun to change.

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