We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:29:13 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Net connectivity has been a bit hinky the past week, but I've been able to pop in often enough to read what's been going on -- although my comments usually earn a "Gee, IE can't display that page, and it's really, really sorry about that. Try again next month" message. So, I have a bit of time after work to yak with the Junior Birdmen. The following came out in a one-on-one that took place a couple of days ago, and I think it ties in nicely with what Kat's been saying, particularly in her Global Jihad All Star Team... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html Thu, 03 Apr 2008 03:57:18 -0600 Seriously? Why marinate goat for 36 hours? Won't it spoil? I have refrigeration to do it, but 36 hours? I can ask the halal meat department at the DeKalb Farmer's Market about it...they get goat, lamb, Rocky Mountain Oysters.. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71579 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71579 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:35:29 -0600 Bill, you are a good man. -- Dagnabbit, Ledger, I've got a *curmudgeon* rep to maintain! Brab! You survived the puppy onslaught! ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71556 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71556 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 02:57:33 -0600 Good story, Bill. Tell Hussan he's one of the good guys, and we're proud of him! I noticed the good work of the cops as well, very good to see how professional they have become. And I'm not sure Iraq will survive having Unka Bill and Godzilla ranging together - but the Denizennes will surely love it !!! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71551 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71551 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:18:52 -0600 Sgt B. Get "Outside the Wire" ASAP and take a look at Bad Voodoo's PBS Frontline Special. So far, those are the two best videos I've seen showing multiple aspects of the different objectives (ie, three block war, convoy duty). As you are a marine, Outside the Wire is probably the best considering the area you are likely going to. See my post below for ordering information. I don't know when you are going, but I hear that Michael Yon's "Moment of Truth" is an excellent book as well. It's not out for another week or so but you can pre-order it. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71543 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71543 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:19:02 -0600 Excellent reporting Bill! If Saddam’s family still has power – let them be rooted out. If the MSM has slanted reporting – let them be rooted out. Keep the information flowing. Btw, it will be argued in the military if you could have destroyed Saddam with proper ammo in the first strike (incendiary bombs, or cluster bombs, mines or small nukes). Certainly, it would have been best to destroy Saddam and his daughters in the first strike – but it’s unsure whether it could have been done. Bush hit them with only 4 penetrator bombs, and rest of the air package was cruise missiles – it only damaged Saddam’s arm. As I recall, Clinton hit that target with over 70 tons of explosive and Saddam got away. I don’t know if Bush's Air Force could have done better than Clinton. Q: Would it have been best to destroy Dora’s Ranch with any/all ammo? A: Unknown to the average citizen. Keep up the great reporting. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71542 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71542 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:10:54 -0600 Nice to see you, Oh Trivety One. Tell Hussan we are axing the same question too...and we are proud of you both! Gots me an Afghan cookbook and have been skewering Many Things. The back deck is off the house, making that first step out the back door a doozy... thinking of y'all... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71541 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71541 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:07:20 -0600 Bill, you are a good man. You are certainly pulling your weight. There are not too many of you out there. Keep up the good work. Carry on. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71540 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71540 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:21:32 -0600 You'll *love* the MRAPs, Sarge. Stay tuned... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71539 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71539 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:58:26 -0600 “So, why do the CNN reporters say this is *Iraqi* insurgency?” Good fraggin' question!!! With time passing by quickly, I'm trying to gather up as much information on our destination as possible. Our home base over there is by no means a fighting hole half filled with water in the middle of Hades, which comforts these old bones... But all of the pertinant questions are more along the lines of what's going on outside of the wire... And, ya know, it's not as scary as I had first thought it to be. There are more and more stories about the Iraqis coming together. Signs that the infrastructure is jelling, that old ideas are taking a step aside in favor of new ones. We'll have to stay frosty, of course, but it doesn't look like we'll be facing anything even close to the combat seen in the past. Makes me feel a whole lot better, even if the prospect of earning that CIB starts diminishing. I'm hoping that this will be one long and boring year... I'm counting on increasing a majority of my skills set, and doing a lot of self improvement. I'm taking it as a good sign that my mind is thinking beyond this deployment (that hadn't always been the case)... In an absolutely positive spin, I might be able to link up with the Chief, and I'm sure that the Denizennes will keep me on my toes...]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71538 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71538 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:53:42 -0600 Linked! Thanks, guys - excellent post. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71537 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71537 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 08:20:27 -0600 I wondered how long it would take somebody to twig to the cops. Two items struck me when Hussan was talking about them: 1. These weren't National Police, they were locals -- in "the time of Saddam" they'd have been Ba'athist flunkies gathering an easy paycheck and augmenting it by shaking down the locals. Note the local folks ran to help the first cops who went down? That's a *huge* change. 2. The cops moved into the open and oriented their weapons on the sniper as the US troops moved up, which said to them "We're friendlies and we've got yer six." http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71536 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71536 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 08:18:39 -0600 bad voodoo's story. another instance of what the media don't get.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71535 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71535 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 07:56:07 -0600 Sign me up with Trias - there are two stories here... the one you emphasize with the closer, and the one you notice, if you're of the bent to - about the performance of the Iraqi police - a good performance. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71534 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71534 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 07:29:04 -0600 Right to the point, as always, UnkaBill. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71533 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71533 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 07:22:47 -0600 Additional food for thought: Hussan's family is Shi'a and (what's left of them) still lives in eastern Diyala. That's like being Second Amendment advocates at the Democrats' National Convention... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71531 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71531 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 06:18:18 -0600 Chris Muir has the answer...just review his last couple of strips. Heh. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71530 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71530 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 06:00:46 -0600 Interesting and a good point. Prolly a good point about discipline too to be made in there. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71528 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/04/hussans_story.html#comment-71528 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 05:29:33 -0600