B36 News - 08 September 2006

Allow me to introduce another member of the B36 team. This is The Liz. The Liz joins the B36 team as what is commonly referred to in the media as a "stringer".

In Iraq, a stringer is typically a local national who, for obvious reasons, can move much more freely throughout the more dangerous areas of the country and get information about what's going on. The stringer is then paid by a reporter for the story which is reprinted with the reporter's name attached to it.

In this case, my stringer is a local lizard who will be paid in small insects. The Liz will focus on infiltration and survellience style operations and will provide insider commentary on some of the stories reported here.

Presidential "Winning in Iraq"
The latest speech given by the President focused on the progress that's been made in the broader Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). Hopefully this will help show Americans that we are in fact winning this war and that as long as we are given the resources (time included) to get the job done, we will. Thank you, Mr. President, for supporting our efforts to win the war.

More Important Than Bullets!?
I found this story particularly interesting because it combines two of my personal interests; coffee and the military. The story is about a Starbucks employee who was also a member of the National Guard. He was called up to duty in Iraq and not only did Starbucks meet the federal requirements for employers of activated troops, but they're now sending him and his buddies critical supplies of coffee and coffee paraphenelia. While I'm no particular fan of Starbucks coffee (it always tastes like they burnt the beans), I admire the support they give their employees.

When my friends and family asked me what they could send me to make life a bit better here in the desert, my response was, "Send coffee!" Within a month my troops and I had collected so much coffee that we're still working through it all, that was about 9 months ago now. Thanks for your support!

Brings a Tear to My Eye
Tears of joy that is. I can't tell you what joy it brings me to read stories like this. It happens on a somewhat regular basis that when a bad guy is planting an IED, it detonates prematurely killing those planting it. Call it a sick sense of irony or twisted justice, but hearing these stories can really turn my frown upside-down.

Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

BAGHDAD – A terrorist prematurely detonated an improvised-explosive device, killing himself and severely wounding his accomplice at approximately 11 p.m. Wednesday in southern Baghdad’s Masaffee neighborhood.

Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers from 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, were flagged down by Iraqi citizens and told of a terrorist killed while placing an IED.
The wounded terrorist was taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

In another incident, Iraqi army soldiers from 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, seized various munitions while on patrol in northern Baghdad Wednesday night.

IA soldiers found two rocket-propelled grenade launchers, nine RPG rounds and 500 PKC machinegun rounds.

IA soldiers turned the cache over to the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

In a separate event, MND-B Soldiers from Company C, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 172nd SBCT, captured various weapons while conducting a cordon and search operation of an ice cream parlor in Adhamiyah Wednesday night.

The MND-B Soldiers seized two RPG launchers, four RPG rounds, a belt of PKC machinegun ammunition, loose ammunition and bomb-making materials.