World War IV Daily

11.30.2005

11.30.2005

WW4

Belgium Arrests 14 >>> These individuals were already under surveillance, yet the female suicide bomber managed to slip away to carry out her attack near Baghdad in early November.
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OIF

Combined Forces
>>> Bill Roggio details his experiences with the new Iraqi forces and makes it clear that they are certainly a diverse group. He also reports on Operation Iron Hammer in Hit, and the transfer of a US base near the Syrian border to ISF forces.

Coalition Propaganda In Iraq >>> David Axe's point is worth repeating: "A couple bad apples don't represent the entire Coalition infowar effort."

The Plan >>> This is it, in PDF format. For those of you tired hearing that there is no exit strategy from Iraq, here is your rebuttal: The National Strategy For Victory In Iraq. Whether it works or not remains to be seen, but the plan itself exists. So shut up.
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DEFENSE & TECHNOLOGY

MANPADs >>> All you ever wanted to know about a simple device that will one day bring down a US passenger jet--if it hasn't already--courtesy of the US State Department.
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11.29.2005

11.29.2005

WW4

Bangladesh >>> Largely ignored by the media, Bangladesh is certainly on the front lines of WWIV. Several attacks have occurred in the span of a few months, including one that involved nearly 500 bombs in 50 cities.

Fawaz Damra >>> While this shouldn't reflect negatively on the other signatories, it is certainly an embarrassing revelation and a mark on the fatwa's credibility.

Cross-Pollination In Iraq >>> Another example of how CT is a double-edged sword.

How Organized Crime Pays For Terror
>>> This is a long article, but you aren't a coward, are you?
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OIF

Belgian Woman Conducts Suicide Attack >>> While this is the first documented case of a European suicide bomber, there are many more Europeans conducting non-suicide attacks in-theater, and many of them have been killed.

Sex And Iraq >>> Certainly the moral trappings of Islam would be an obstacle to this kind of behavior, but as they said, 'Why screw up a great recruiting incentive?'
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11.28.2005

11.28.2005

OIF

Walking Husaybah >>> Bill Roggio--now reporting from Iraq--is near the Syrian border in the footprint of Operation Steel Curtain and its predecessors.
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DEFENSE & TECHNOLOGY

Thermobarics
>>> The Marine Corps' Project Albert is especially worth looking at. Follow the link via the word 'significant' to view a PowerPoint presentation on thermobaric weapons in an urban environment.
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11.27.2005

11.27.2005

WW4

Iran Training Chechen Fighters
>>> With the degree of suspicion between Moscow and Tehran escalating, the Russian proposal concerning Iran's nuclear program may be falling apart. Add the allegation of Iranian involvement in training Chechen fighters, this only deepens the rift.
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OEF(A)

Gumbad Investigation Concludes >>> Compared to the uproar that was created when this incident was first reported, the investigation has garnered very little press, and even those reports have been trivial and unfocused.
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OIF

Building The Iraqi Army >>> While the Iraqis might not be lucky enough to get any M-1s, any American leftovers would be a substantial contribution to their growing military.

Lions, Tigers, And Bears, Oh My! >>> After Operations Panthers, Bruins, and Lions, Operation Tigers targets the eastern districts of Ramadi. As mentioned before, the strategy in Ramadi is to bring the city to a 'slow-boil' with a number of precision operations rather than a massive Fallujah-type assault. We'll see if it works.
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11.25.2005

No Posts Until Sunday the 27th

Due to the hectic schedule of this weekend, I won't have time for any posts until Sunday the 27th. Have a great weekend!

11.24.2005

11.24.2005

Happy Thanksgiving! >>> Jesse
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WW4

CT In France >>> This legislation has not been passed yet, but the vote should happen by the end of the year. More info here. CT operations continue in Germany, Belgium, Bosnia, and Spain, just to name a few.
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OIF

Operations In Ramadi and Bayji
>>> Bill Roggio--who is now in Iraq and reporting for ThreatsWatch.org--has a look at another small-scale operation in Ramadi and an air assault on a 'terrorist hideout' in Bayji, conducted jointly by soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division and the new Iraqi 4th Army Division. Also worth noting is the turnover of a Forward Operation Base in Tikrit to the ISF.
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OTHER

Israeli Politics For Dummies >>> And you thought American politics were messy....
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11.23.2005

11.23.2005

WW4

Assassination Plot Conviction
>>> For the conspiracy theorists out there, chew on this: He was born and raised in Falls Church, VA. Now, there is purportedly a Jamaat ul-Fuqra compound located in Falls Church. Connection? Put on your tin-foil hats, get online, and see what you can find!
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OIF

Ramadi >>> As the provincial capital of the Anbar province, Ramadi signifies the last major stronghold--if you can call it that--of insurgent activity. Note the force deployment of Operation Bruins is roughly 450 US Marines and ISF forces, an example of the increasingly smaller--and therefore more agile--strike forces that make up the more localized precision operations that are becoming more and more common--finally--in Iraq. Also, Ramadi is significantly larger than Fallujah, yet a large combined-arms assault is not necessary.

Steel Curtain Wraps Up >>> Security Watchtower has an in-depth look at the accomplishments of Steel Curtain, as well as links to their daily coverage of it.

The Foreign Fighters Debate >>> Evan Kohlmann at The Counterterrorism Blog has a thorough and well-balanced (read: free of partisan nonsense) look at the issue of foreign fighters in Iraq. There are several links within his post that are worth following. Don't worry, a little reading won't spoil the long weekend ahead of you. It may even give you something to talk about with your family as you gorge yourself with turkey and pumpkin pie tomorrow....

Iraqi Air Force? >>> Yeah, this could use some work. But as a matter of priority, an Air Force really isn't that important. In fact, New Zealand and the Philippines have ditched theirs.

Exit Strategy
>>> Armed Liberal at Winds of Change has an excellent example of how we should be framing the issue of withdrawing our troops from Iraq.
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11.22.2005

11.22.2005

WW4

Car From Japan Used In Hariri Assassination >>> No, it wasn't just made in Japan, it actually came from there! This is reminiscent of the story of a truck from Texas being used for a suicide attack in Iraq. Everything is connected....

Padilla Indicted
>>> The charges against Jose Padilla are anything but clear, but at least he's finally been indicted. Whether he is guilty or not will eventually be decided, but this story is a definite example of CT gone wrong. Unlike the Guantanamo detainees that get so much press attention, Padilla is a US citizen. 'Enemy combatant' or not, holding him for three years without charges is not only a violation of his rights but is a sharp contrast to the overall theme of the US legal system and the Constitution. Sure, maybe this guy was trying to blow something up and his lawyer was smuggling messages to his 'followers', but if the government can't hack it enough to find a legitimate charge and some evidence to back it up, you've got to let him go. Then follow him and if he does anything illegal, grab him and charge him. The Bush people are going to chalk this up as a victory for the PATRIOT Act, but this kind of stuff only encourages the police state conspiracy theories.
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DEFENSE & TECHNOLOGY

Cold War Redux? >>> Just when you thought about renting out your bomb shelter....

White Phosphorus A Chemical Weapon? >>> T
his site looks a little bit off the deep end, but information doesn't play favorites. The idea that the Pentagon refers to WP as chemical weapons when used by Saddam but not by us is indeed hypocritical, but beside the point. Whether the Pentagon refers to them as 'chemical' or not, they are 'incendiary weapons', which means their destructive effects derive from fire and/or explosive force. Yes, WP is made up of a chemical composition, but so is dynamite and C4. And gunpowder. It's a chemical, but it's not a 'chemical weapon'. There are precise categories for defining this stuff, and in the vast history--since 1874--of banning chemical weapons, WP has never made the list. Anybody--including the Pentagon--who labels WP as a chemical weapon is seriously misguided.
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OTHER

OSM Puts The Pajamas Back On >>> A somewhat humorous--and thankfully peaceful--misunderstanding between Open Source Media (OSM) and Open Source (a separate site concerning a radio show by Christopher Lydon) has been resolved. Both sites have acknowledged the graciousness and understanding of the other as this was all sorted out, and Lydon's reply can be read here. At the end of the day, friends were made and both sites got some free advertising. Besides, I think Pajamas Media is a much better name than OSM. Good call, gentlemen!
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11.21.2005

11.21.2005

WW4

Egypt >>> The number of 48 reported suspects--11 killed and 37 arrested--is an awful lot for one attack, considering the 9/11 attacks were planned and carried out by roughly 35-40 people.

Morocco
>>> Yet another example of former Guantanamo detainees stirring up trouble. The screening process at Gitmo needs some serious review. Now.
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OIF

Fallujah: One Year Later
>>> Note the correlation between unemployment and violence. Also, Col. Berger presents an interesting view concerning the number of US military trainers working with the ISF: that less could be more. For a look at Fallujah this time last year, view this excellent video.
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DEFENSE & TECHNOLOGY

Depleted Uranium >>> Like the white phosphorus uproar, there are plenty of misconceptions about depleted uranium and any negative health effects it may have.

Nineteen Types of UAVs In Iraq >>> Note the reference to on-board weapons systems, specifically energy weapons. Sure this is ten years out, but science fiction keeps getting closer to reality.

How To Down An F-117 >>> This is why technology, though it makes an impact, will never be as important as training, initiative, and imagination.
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11.20.2005

11.20.2005

WW4

Family To Zarqawi: Don't Call >>> It seems that the Jordanians are really taking this one seriously. Also, there is a great deal of intelligence potential from this, as several of his family members may know the details concerning Zarqawi's whereabouts. Years from now, when this guy is in the ground--either from a Coalition bullet or an Iraqi/Jordanian death sentence--I think that the Amman bombings will be viewed as the turning point in the fight against Zarqawi.
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OIF


SAS In Iraq
>>>
Arguably the finest special operations team in existence, the SAS is quite adept at these sorts of operations and it can readily assumed that this was only one of many. Also, SAS involvement in Iraq has always been suspected, but this is the first official confirmation of such.
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11.19.2005

11.19.2005

WW4

CIA Interrogation Techniques >>> Don't let the headline on this ABC News story fool you; it is a fair and well-researched story. Note that the methods listed could hardly constitute torture, with the possible exception of waterboarding. According to the story, the number of individuals that have experienced such 'enhanced interrogation' is just over a dozen.

Index of Political Freedom >>> Note that this index only regards the Middle East.
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11.18.2005

11.18.2005

OIF

The Mayor Of Ar Rutbah >>> In April 2003, with just $3,000 and 14 days, a US Special Forces company of roughly 72 men established a functioning democracy in a town of 25,000 people in the western frontier of Iraq. (see map) Taking place before the now-infamous Iraqi insurgency had even materialized, the success in Ar Rutbah is a story that would not be replicated until nearly two years afterwards. Unfortunately, the city now has a moderate insurgent presence, although the article's claim that it is now 'overrun with foreign insurgents' is quite a stretch. Though the city is still under Coalition and Iraqi control, it appears there is more work to be done in Ar Rutbah.

The Butcher Of Basra >>> An insiders perspective on Saddam's Iraq, as well a potential lead concerning the WMD debacle.

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DEFENSE & TECHNOLOGY

Australia Chooses F-35 >>> Their decision making process helps shed some light on the differences between modern fighter aircraft, and the cost disparity between the F-22 and F-35 is surprisingly large.
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11.17.2005

11.17.2005

WW4

Algerians Arrested In Italy >>> And more in Norway. While this story only concerns Algerians, this is indicative of how widespread these terror cells can be, especially in places like Europe where a free-society allows such operations to be sustained with great ease.

Troops On The Border
>>> While Murdoc has a point in comparing the US-Mexico border to the Iraq-Syria border, stationing troops on our border is not an effective use of military manpower. While it is certainly valuable training and, their job is not to interdict marijuana smuggling and illegal immigration. There needs to be another group to take care of that, but good luck getting full-time volunteers who want to do it.
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OIF

Ramadi >>> The Coalition and the Iraqi Government is going to try and secure this place before the December 15th elections, and it won't happen. As Roggio's post states, they are building up the ISF force level slowly, rather than by mounting a large Fallujah or Tal Afar like operation. While this strategy may certainly work--the best way to kill a frog in a pot of water is to bring it to a slow boil--it won't happen very quickly, and the elections are less than a month away. Regardless of the election, it will be interesting to see if the 'slow boil' strategy works. If it doesn't, then--as I've stated before--Ramadi will be 2006's Fallujah or Mosul, and in a few months we'll be watching another Marine-led urban assault on a medium-sized town in Iraq.

Iraqi Special Operations Forces >>> These guys are already quite good, and with several years of urban combat and counter-insurgency work ahead of them chances are that in 5 years Iraq will possess one of the most highly-trained and battle-hardened SOF in the world, with its standard military not far behind.
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DEFENSE & TECHNOLOGY

Artillery Out Of A Job >>> The distinction here is not that the bombs are guided--because there are guided artillery shells and MLRS-launched rockets--but that the bombs have a much greater impact than the shells or rockets, (known as indirect-fire weapons). A 500 or 1,000 pound bomb dropped from thousands of feet in the air has both a greater amount of kinetic energy to penetrate the target and more explosive charge to let off once it does so. The indirect-fire is easier to deploy in theater--no waiting for an F-18 to arrive from the Gulf--and the smaller payload decreases the chances of collateral damage. But when there's hard target to take down, nothing works like a JDAM.
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11.16.2005

11.16.2005

DEFENSE & TECHNOLOGY

Small Arms In Iraq >>> A soldier's perspective on what worked and what didn't. Very insightful, though mind the occasional soldier language throughout.
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OTHER

Pajamas Media Becomes Open Source Media
>>> Today is an exciting day for bloggers (and their readers) everywhere with the launching of OSM, formerly Pajamas Media. As Matter at Security Watchtower said, 'the Pajamahadeen cometh!'
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11.15.2005

11.15.2005

WW4

Terror Warning In India >>> Rather than any specific intelligence, this is most likely a combination of the increased caution after the Amman bombings and upcoming holidays in India.

Are You Listening, Zarqawi? >>> It is quite possible that the divisions here go far deeper than we first imagined. While there are certainly tactical differences between the Zarqawi Doctrine and the bin Laden/Zawahiri Doctrine, this could be the beginning of a major schism within al-Qaeda. At this point it seems strictly ideological, but it is possible that these differences could spark violence within the organization, much like the recent fighting between al-Qaeda in Iraq and the home-grown Iraqi insurgency.
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OIF

French Help In Iraq
>>> The French antics in the Balkans were notoriously under-reported, but thankfully the Pentagon remembered them. Stereotypical French bashing aside, France has a well-trained military and an excellent intelligence service, but they clearly had ulterior motives concerning possible involvement in Iraq, as the Oil For Food fallout has made clear.

Ubaydi
>>> Another update here. Make sure to view the aerial photos, as they give a real sense of just how small these towns are. The insurgency is no longer making its stand in the Fallujahs and Mosuls, but in the tiny backwater frontier towns on the Syrian border. The only exceptions to this are sections of Ramadi and Baghdad. Slowly but surely the Iraqis, with Coalition help, are solidifying their control over their own country.
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DEFENSE & TECHNOLOGY

Cold War Sabotage >>> 23 years later, all this seems kind of funny....
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11.14.2005

11.14.2005

WW4

Women Suicide Bombers
>>> Apparently the woman arrested in Jordan could know a great deal of information about Zarqawi's terror network. Hopefully the Jordanians didn't jeopardize any potential CT response by publicizing her arrest so quickly after the bombing. As with any CT operation, there always is (or at least should be) a delay between the capture of an individual and the public declaration of said capture. Once the suspect has been interrogated and all relevant information has been gathered and acted on, then the announcement can take place. Failure to wait may allow additional individuals who could have been captured/killed with the new intelligence to escape to safety. Then again, maybe she knew nothing, and therefore the Jordanians saw no harm in publicizing her arrest. In CT, everything is double-edged sword.

Al-Qaeda Gets New MANPADs >>> This is bad news no matter how you look at it.
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OIF

Steel Curtain Continues >>> Steel Curtain has pretty much fallen below the radar screen of the media, but it's still alive and kicking. More at Security Watchtower. Make sure to check out the maps.
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DEFENSE & TECHNOLOGY

Thermobaric Weapons In Urban Combat >>> Mr. Hambling's assessment is spot-on. If the military refuses to talk about these kinds of weapons it defaults the information to the media, which is more than happy to do the talking for them. Almost all of the time the media screws it up, as the link below will demonstrate. The military needs to get out there and explain what these weapons are how they are used. More importantly, they need to make it clear what they AREN'T, and how they ARE NOT used.

White Phosphorus, Yellow Journalism >>> A excellent and informed perspective on the WP uproar. This story is just one more example of what happens when you combine ideology with ignorance of military doctrine and technology. The reason I post on defense and technology issues is so that this garbage doesn't find any more fertile ground than it has to. I have zero military experience, yet I could run Juan Cole into the ground talking about white phosphorus or any other aspect of the military, and he's the accomplished scholar. Go figure.
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11.13.2005

11.13.2005

WW4

Iraqi Woman's Bomb Failed To Explode >>> It is interesting that not only did al-Qaeda have knowledge of the Amman bombings before they occurred, but they tipped their hand by revealing so much information afterwards. They admitted that a husband and wife team were responsible for one of the bombings without realizing that the wife's bomb had failed to go off. Acting on the information, Jordanian authorities quickly arrested her.

New Delhi 'Mastermind' Arrested >>> The New Delhi bombings have been widely reported as an al-Qaeda attack, which is erroneous. Al-Qaeda is just a fraction of the worldwide terror network of militant Islam but they get the most media attention, given their high-profile attacks like 9/11. The organization behind this attack was a little-known Kashmiri group, but the attack was still quite devastating.
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OIF

Saudi Suicide Bombers In Iraq >>> While the actual percentage of Saudi involvement is unknown, it is not surprising to hear that it may be quite high. Suicide bombers in Iraq have come from all over the world, even France.
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11.12.2005

11.12.2005

WW4

Iranian Nuclear Program >>> An extensive overview of the Iranian nuclear situation. It is extremely important that the intelligence failure regarding Iraq not be allowed to interfere with the Iranian issue. They are two separate weapons programs and failures in identifying the first should not be assumed to indicate failures regarding the second.

Released Guantanamo Detainee Involved In Nalchik Attacks >>> Sure, one can easily use this story to further the view that
though the Guantanamo system is nowhere-near a sound solution, the people being held there are indeed dangerous and should be imprisoned. However, I would like to go a different route: Why did the US release this individual in the first place?

Zarqawi's Reckless Strategy >>> It would interesting to hear what Ayman al-Zawahiri thinks of the Jordan attacks given his recent displeasure at the public relations shortcomings of Zarqawi's other tactics, such as the Iraqi beheadings. It is quite possible that Zarqawi is running his own rogue group within al-Qaeda; a fanatical splinter group of an already fanatical terrorist organization.
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OIF

Hungarian T-72s Arrive In Iraq
>>> This is both a fine example of generosity towards Iraq from other countries and a testament to the spirit of the new Iraqi military units.
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11.11.2005

11.11.2005

For every man and woman who has ever lived and died in the United States Armed Forces at home and abroad, thank you for your service and your sacrifice. >>> Jesse
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WW4

120 Arrested In Jordan >>> 120 people is an awful lot in two days and likely means one of two things: Either the Jordanian security forces are grabbing anybody who arouses the slightest suspicion, or they already had a list of people with terrorist connections and just hadn't arrested them yet. Choose your poison.

Zarqawi Hometown Reacts
>>> It seems ludicrous that Zarqawi would attack the only Middle Eastern country where support for his organization has increased, but remember the response that al-Qaeda received after the Madrid bombings: Spain pulled their troops out of Iraq and al-Qaeda chalked up the victory. Jordan is lending a great deal of support to the United States' efforts in Iraq and therefore is a prime target for al-Qaeda, so Zarqawi's efforts are easily understood, flawed though they may be. Al-Qaeda does not understand that most of the Western world reacts to terrorism by fighting against it, and their victory in Madrid only added to the confusion.

More On Jordanian Reaction >>> Bill Roggio has his take on the Amman bombings, as well as an interesting theory: Perhaps Zarqawi struck in Amman because his ability to launch attacks in Iraq has been negated by US and ISF operations in that country.
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OIF

Ramadi >>> Look for Ramadi to take center stage as Insurgent City of the Year in 2006, just as Fallujah was in 2004 and Mosul in 2005.

Al-Douri Dead? >>> This is NOT confirmed, and false reports of al-Douri's death have surfaced in the past as he is reportedly suffering from leukemia. Al-Douri is said to have a large influence over the Iraqi insurgency, having been chosen to oversee it by Saddam himself just before the 2003 invasion of Coalition forces.
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11.10.2005

11.10.2005

Happy Birthday, USMC. Semper fi! >>> Jesse
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WW4

Al-Qaeda Claims Amman Attacks >>> No surprise here. There is also a report floating around that three Iraqi nationals have been arrested, but at this point there is no evidence to conclusively prove this.

Jordanians Stunned >>> A little while back, I posted a link detailing the decline of al-Qaeda's public support in the Muslim world, specifically the Middle East. Jordan was the only country where public support of al-Qaeda had increased. All that changed on Wednesday.

Israelis Evacuated Before Bombings >>> Whether this is accurate or not is unknown, but it is disturbing that only the Israelis would be evacuated. Even if they were the target, other people were just as easily killed by the bombs. Death does not respect the boundaries of nationality, sex, race, or religion.

But You Didn't Evacuate This Guy?
>>> This is awfully ironic....

Australian Arrests >>> It is still unclear what the targets were, but the rivalry between the Melbourne group and the Sydney group is quite interesting. At the very least, it forced the Melbourne cell to rush their plans, possibly tipping their hand and allowing the Australian government either the reason or the ability to take them down.
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OIF

On To Karabilah >>> Note the strategy of US and ISF troops was to first take Sa'dah, the eastern-most of the three towns, then skip to the western-most, Husaybah. That leaves Karabilah in between the two of them, allowing a greater range of motion for the Coalition assault.

Insurgency Split Widens >>> While at first glance this looks like the Sunni vs. Shi'a civil war we've been promised, both of these groups are Sunni. Also, though this seems like a positive development for the Coalition and Iraq as a whole, any sort of open combat in the streets of Iraq is a losing situation for everybody. Sure, it's great that the insurgents are killing each other off, but we don't need anymore stray bullets and RPGs adding to the civilian casualties in Iraq. Whether they died under Coalition or insurgent fire is beside the point, because at the end of the day the United States will be blamed for the death of every Iraqi civilian since they first invaded, whether they were actually responsible for it or not. After all, it was the United States that brought the war to Iraq.
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11.09.2005

11.9.2005

WW4

Suicide Attacks In Jordan >>> At this point, information is still coming in, but don't be surprised to see the name 'Zarqawi' turn up eventually.

JI Bomb-Maker Killed >>> There is a great deal of background information in this article, most of notable of which is that fact that Azahari was a university lecturer and had a PhD, making him another example of the higher education prevalent in many terrorist groups.

Indonesian Terror Training Camp >>> It can reasonably be assumed that Azahari had some connection to this camp. Perhaps they discovered its location from information found in his residence, or maybe he even taught bomb-making skills there. The geographics of an archipelago like Indonesia make it quite easy for small camps like these to evade detection by the Indonesian government.
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OIF

Operation Steel Curtain Completed
>>> As Col. Davis mentioned, construction is underway on facilities to enable a permanent presence of Coalition and ISF forces in the region, thereby bringing the 'clear and hold' phase of the Anbar Campaign to yet another town.

Chaos Over Iraq
>>> The downside of technology. Whoops.
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11.08.2005

11.8.2005

WW4

Car-B-Q >>> Wretchard continues to lead the field in his reporting on the French riots. Note that the graph is measuring the total Car-B-Qs PER DAY, not the running total since the riots began. The total number of Car-B-Qs is somewhere over 5,000. Now let's assume that each car cost 10,000 US dollars, which is a fairly conservative number. That would total 50 million US dollars in damage just from the destroyed cars.

CT Down Under >>> Whether any 'catastrophic act of terrorism' was prevented or not is unclear, but the 17 or so arrests made yesterday have already inspired a new series of raids, and the wheels of Australian CT are turning. We'll see what they produce. Read more about the raids here. Note the Molotov cocktail reference in the last paragraph. Sound familiar?
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OIF

Al-Qaeda Demands End Of Steel Curtain
>>> Oh. I'm sorry. Were we bothering you?
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DEFENSE & TECHNOLOGY

Middle Eastern Air Forces >>> It should be noted that while Syria seems to have a greater number of aircraft compared to it's neighbors, they are certainly the most antiquated.

Iran Protests UAV Flights >>> It would be interesting to hear if there are UFO sightings coming out of Iran.
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11.07.2005

11.7.2005

WW4

French Riots Continue >>> Wretchard continues to provide excellent coverage of the riots, and the map at the bottom of his post is a startling example of how widespread these riots really are.

Spread to Germany? >>> This is not surprising. Given that many of the rioters in France are impressionable teenagers who are having the time of their lives setting cars on fire, the kids in Germany must be feeling a little left out of the action.
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OIF

Steel Curtain - Day 3 >>> We'll just have to wait and see what kind of response al-Qaeda musters.

Video of Steel Curtain
>>> CNN has a nice video report of the combat in Husaybah. There is excellent footage of Iraqi forces in training, and Steel Curtain is put in its proper context as part of the overall Anbar campaign.

The Jimmy Massey Story >>> His stories were hardly investigated by the media outlets that reported them, and now this guy has people believing him. And how did this guy ever make it to staff sergeant in the Marines?
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DOMESTIC

Jamaat ul-Fuqra Returns >>> Once again, The Baron ventures out into rural Virginia.

There's More >>> The Politics of CP takes Baron's findings and uncovers some interesting leads.
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11.06.2005

11.6.2005

WW4

French Riots Continue
>>> The Belmont Club provides a view of the riots in comparison to other notable urban battles, and how the tactics of the French youth are quite similar.

Police Find Bomb-Making Factory >>> No, this is not Iraq. This is France.

Nuclear Bombs For Dummies >>> Why these kinds of websites are allowed to operate is puzzling, but perhaps there's something working beneath the surface. It's possible to track people who visit the site, but with 57,000 hits where do you start?
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OIF

Snipers vs. IEDs >>> Note the amount of freedom that the sniper teams have in engaging their targets. While obviously they relay information up the command chain, it's their choice when and where to pull the trigger. They simply wait for hostile intent, which can include anything from a guy digging a hole alongside a road to a man with binoculars observing the sniper team or any other friendly forces in the area. No doubt this freedom amounts to a great deal of the effectiveness of the sniper team.
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11.05.2005

11.5.2005

WW4

France On Fire >>> Wretchard once again provides an excellent look at the ever-growing riots in France, as well as the conditions that brought them about and what the French government is doing (or not) about it.
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OIF

Operation Steel Curtain
>>> This is the largest operation in the Anbar province since the Battle of Fallujah almost exactly one year ago. Read more here.

NY Times' Objective Reporting
>>> No surprise here. This is merely one of many examples of MSM bias.
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11.04.2005

11.4.2005

WW4

Paris Riots Expand >>> Wretchard provides some excellent analysis of how widespread the riots are and what the French government is doing about it.

Al-Qaeda Cell Disrupted In Canada
>>> Note that none of these men were actually arrested; instead they were deported to the United States and are still at large. Check out the links for more on GSPC.

Ahmadinejad's Mein Kampf >>> A sobering comparison between the Iranian president and Adolf Hitler.

Al-Qaeda's Internal Debate
>>> It's important to understand the necessity of an actual physical location from which the Jihad can base itself. Surely the idea of 'liberating' any part of Iraq or Afghanistan is far-fetched, but there is certainly a good amount of 'prime real estate' for al-Qaeda in places like Syria, Pakistan, Somalia and Iran. Of course, more clandestine establishments could be easily constructed in Germany, France and the UK, though it is probable that they already exist.
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OIF

Iraq Update
>>> The Fourth Rail has the details on what's new in Iraq.
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11.03.2005

11.3.2005

WW4

Key al-Qaeda Figure Arrested >>> It's interesting to note that while US officials claim he was arrested in Pakistan, Pakistani authorities say they aren't aware of any arrests. Sounds like a CIA snatch-and-grab.

Riots Continue In Paris >>> It's important to recognize that the rioters are Muslims and that this is a much bigger issue than the accidental death of two teenagers.

And In Denmark >>> More on the Paris riots and those in Denmark from Winds of Change.
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OIF

ISF Reaches 210,000 >>> Note that if the current trend continues, the 270K mark will be met ahead of schedule.
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DOMESTIC

Five Muslim Men Detained At Stadium >>> Five people, who
happened to be Muslims, congregating next to the main air duct of a stadium full of 80,000 people and a former President. Even if they were just praying, how stupid can you be? And why wasn't this area sealed off?

Jamaat ul-Fuqra >>> Politics of CP has the details on a notable JF associate, named Clement Rodney Hampton-El.
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DEFENSE & TECHNOLOGY

More Praise For The Stryker >>> The debate over the Stryker continues to rage, even after good reviews from those who used them in Iraq.
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11.02.2005

11.2.2005

WW4

Sorry, I Couldn't Resist >>> While this is certainly a little tongue-in-cheek, it is quite interesting that while there is a massive democratic revolution underway in Iraq, there are riots in Paris. I'll just let this one speak for itself.
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OIF

Anbar Campaign Update >>> There seems to be a slow-but-steady war of attrition being mounted against al-Qaeda fighters in Western Iraq. Every day brings another two-or-three captured or killed, many of them in some sort of leadership capacity. While not very substantial in their own right, they do add up quickly.
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DEFENSE & TECHNOLOGY

Raven UAV Draws Praise >>> There are several good links at the bottom of the page with additional information on UAVs, including their use in combat zones such as Fallujah.

XM-8 Cancelled? >>> While the XM-8 is a superb weapon, recent experience in Iraq and Afghanistan have raised serious questions about the effectiveness (meaning stopping power) of the 5.56mm round. ***PREDICTION ALERT*** Look for the XM-8 to make a comeback in the new 6.8mm Remington cartridge.

Marines Get SOF >>> No word yet on how this will affect the USMC's Force Reconnaissance and the other various special teams they operate.
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11.01.2005

11.1.2005

WW4

Syria Feels The Heat >>> The exchange between Straw and al-Sharaa is quite interesting. No word on whether the UN response to Syrian non-compliance will be an actual resolution stating their displeasure or simply a note.

The Myth Of Cheap Terrorism >>> An extremely well-written article by Joshua Prober about the various financial aspects of not only pulling off a bombing, but training the operatives responsible and establishing the infrastructure for their attack to be successful.

The Cicero Articles >>> These articles, published by the German magazine Cicero, examine the threat of Iran's radical Islamists with great detail. Note that portions are of the second article are first quoted in German, but if you scroll down you will find the English translation. The two articles together are a good deal of reading, but they are certainly revealing enough to be worth the time.
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OIF

Animals >>> Bill Roggio lets loose on the morally reprehensible tactics of the Iraqi insurgency.

Ba'quba >>> Another textbook example of how things are getting better in Iraq and nobody is talking about it.
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OEF(A)

Small Unit Tactics In The 'Stan >>> Once again, technology and combined arms make it possible.
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