East China Sea (Sept. 11, 2006) - A pilot of an F/A-18 Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron One Nine Two (VFA-192) waves prior to launching off the flight deck aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) during a squadron fly-off. Currently under way in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility, Kitty Hawk demonstrates power projection and sea control as the U.S. Navy's only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Joshua Wayne LeGrand

Bill Crawford at the National Review has an article on the good news coming out of Iraq, and the skinny on what the Libs really mean:

With the political season at full-steam, it is appropriate to start with the words of Democratic Senator John Rockefeller, who had the courage, three years on, finally to say what the Democrats really think about Iraq:

Rockefeller went a step further. He says the world would be better off today if the United States had never invaded Iraq — even if it means Saddam Hussein would still be running Iraq.

At the same time, French-looking John Kerry was calling on Democrats to rally around his plan to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq.

Perhaps the senators should read what one Iraqi had to say recently about the trial of Saddam:

“I’m happy to see justice taking its course today,” said Haider Kadhim, 28,
the owner of an electronics shop in Baghdad, a city that suffers from chronic
power shortages.Kadhim said he had bought 20 litres of petrol for his generator to make sure he had the electricity needed to watch the trial, which was broadcast on all local channels with a 20-minute delay. This was to ensure that sensitive portions with security implications could be censored.“It is shameful that Saddam should claim he is the president and commander in chief of the armed forces,” said Kadhim, referring to Saddam’s self-introduction when he was asked by the judge to identify himself for the record.

In addition, let me reprint the words of the Sgt. Major of the Army, Kenneth O. Preston:

The morale of American GIs serving in Iraq continues to be high, regardless of the danger, difficult conditions and family sacrifices they face, the Army's top enlisted leader said yesterday.

"They really look at it as a badge of honor," the sergeant major said.

Indeed, the Army will meet its recruiting goal for 2006.

It's a must read -- check it out over at National Review Online

CLAIM FORM — U.S. Army Sgt. Ribbeck, of Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, fills out a claim form for a local resident during a cordon and search mission in Baghdad, Iraq, Sept. 10, 2006. Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Mike Buytas

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
65 Bodies Found in Iraq
Saddam prosecutor demands judge quit - Video
Zilmer: U.S. 'stifling' Iraq insurgency
Iraq asks Iran to reign in militants

Operation Enduring Freedom
Rebels Fire Rockets Ahead of Afghanistan President's Visit
U.S. NATO envoy calls for more troops in Afghanistan
173 killed in Afghan suicide bombing

Homeland Security / War on Terror
Seven Killed in Turkey Blast
Turkish police raid houses as bomb toll rises
Fourth attacker on U.S. embassy dies

Troops on Trial
Accused Marine won't face death penalty
Chaplain enters plea at court-martial

Other Military News
Government: Gulf War Illness Doesn't Exist
Landmine casualties up despite record clearing
Army secretary reveals combat death plan
Scientists remove Hunley's rear hatch
U.S. faces multiple security problems

Mid-East Ceasefire
Annan: 'Significant Progress' in Israel Withdrawal
Terrorist Rejoins Hezbollah After Prison Release
No change toward Israel despite unity deal: Hamas - Video

Immigration / Border Control
Dems Slam GOP 'Illegal Immigrant' College Campaign

Worldwide Wackos
EU-Iran atom talks set for Thursday
U.S. tries to contact N.Korea on nuclear issue : Seoul

Homegrown Moonbats
Fonda praises exec who scolded Lohan

Politics / Government
GOP Claims Victory After R.I. Primary
Moderate GOP candidate Lincoln Chafee wins race
Maryland Judge Orders Polls to Stay Open Late After Glitches
Clinton, Spencer Win N.Y. Senate Primaries
Fast Facts: N.Y.'s Election Results
Video: Primary Day
Fenty wins DC Democratic mayoral primary
Ex-N.J. Gov. McGreevey talks to Oprah
Rival admits leaking Schwarzenegger tape
GOP, Dems spar over Bush speech on 9/11

Mother Nature
Gordon Becomes Atlantic's Third Hurricane of Season

Oddities
Skinny models wearing thin in fashion shocker
Electric man electrocuted

Fox News
Former JonBenet Slaying Suspect Arrives in California
Controllers Complained Before Comair Crash
Stocks to Watch: HP

Reuters: Top News
Shuttle astronauts go out for second spacewalk
South Korea tells U.S. beef import tariffs negotiable
Shuttle astronauts go out for second spacewalk
Kashmir's monster Mahseer carp set to make comeback
Yahoo and Intel to pipe sports data to TV screens
Apple to offer movies on iTunes
U.S. gay couples struggle to adopt
Disneyland struggles to make magic in Hong Kong
Vitamin D halves pancreatic cancer risk: study
India to ask young villagers to encourage safe sex
Did Britney do it again? Baby birth rumors swirl
The Who launch tour with classic-laden show
Lights, camera, action as profits jump at Pinewood
Wall Street set for lackluster start
Acambis boosted by new U.S. smallpox vaccine deal
M&S rises on property revaluation talk
Crude oil bubble: Deflated or burst?
Goldman's gold standard
IMF remake under spotlight as finance chiefs meet
Oracle offers to buy 20 pct more of India's i-flex
Soros gives $50 mln to tackle African poverty
NBC and MediaZone in Web sports programming deal
Oil eases back below $64
Singapore puts the squeeze on protesters at IMF meet

AP World News
Hewlett-Packard chair to step down
Armstrong calls EPO report 'hatchet job'
NTSB looking into motorcycle crashes
Yanks' Abreu drives in 7; Matsui returns
Green tea: Mixed review as health aid
Isles sign DiPietro for $67.5 million
Workers tried CPR to save Smith's son
Dow ends up 101 on Goldman earnings
John Mark Karr faces porn charges

Military.com
Whistleblower Calls Out Lockheed
S. Korea, US to Revisit Alliance
The Battle for Guantanamo
Missing Major in Process of Returning Home
US Can't Protect All Targets, Chertoff Says
31st MEU Leads Training Surge in Water Survival

CENTCOM: News Releases
ONE COALITION SOLDIER DIES, ONE INJURED IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT

SUSPECTED IED EXPERT CAPTURED BY AFGHAN, COALITION FORCES

STATEMENT ON THE STATUS OF Al ANBAR PROVINCE BY MAJ. GEN. RICHARD ZILMER

USJFCOM
Urban Resolve 2015 continues with personnel-controlled experiments
Wireless for the Warfighter capability fills communication gaps for warfighter - podcast

Department of Defense
NEWS UPDATES
Bio-Based Products Aid Security - Story
B-52 Flight to Test Synthetic Fuel
For Top News Visit DefenseLink

ON THE GROUND
Airmen Deploy to Monitor Airspace, Battlefield - Story
Soldiers, Civilians Hold 9-11 Memorial Race - Story
Troops in Iraq Honor Victims of Sept. 11 Attacks - Story

IN IRAQ
Quality of Life Projects Continue to Find Success
Officials Award Health-Care Clinic Contracts
Marines Work to Enhance Communications
U.S. Personnel Open Restored Water Well
Tameem Railway Station Receives Upgrades
Iraqis Disregard Threats to Repair Damaged Roads
New Iraqi Recruits Show Courage and Honor

IN AFGHANISTAN
Legacy of Fallen Citadel Graduate Lives On
Coalition Forces Deliver Cement to Afghan Village
Reconstruction Team Donates Prayer Rugs

IN DJIBOUTI
20 Servicemembers Become U.S. Citizens in Africa

BACKGROUND
IRAQ
Renewal In Iraq
Iraq: Security, Stability
Fact Sheet: Progress and Work Ahead
Report: Strategy for Victory in Iraq
Iraq Daily Update
This Week in Iraq
Multinational Force Iraq
State Dept. Weekly Iraq Report (PDF)
'Boots on the Ground' Audio Archive
Weekly Reconstruction Report (PDF)
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps

AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Fact Sheet: Budget Request
Fact Sheet: War on Terror
Fact Sheet: Terror Plots Disrupted
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

CASUALTIES
Officials Identify Casualties - Story

Weather
Iraq
Al Azamiyah Al Basrah Al Hillah Al Karkh Al Kazimiyah Al Kut
An Nasiriyah Baghdad Baqubah Mosul Najaf Nineveh Tall Kayf

Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul

Gitmo

Today in History
0122 - Building of Hadrian's Wall commences.
1625 - Rabbi Isiah Horowith 15 others are arrested in Jerusalem.
1788 - New York City becomes the capital of the United States.
1789 - NYC banks make the first loan to the U.S. Government.
1867 - General E. R. S. Canby orders SC courts to impanel blacks as jurors.
1882 - Britain invades Egypt.
1906 - Europe sees its first airplane flight.
1922 - A temperature of 136.4° F (58° C) is recorded in El Aziziyah, Libya, in the shade - a world record.
1942 - German forces attack Stalingrad.
1943 - Chiang Kai-shek became president of China.
1948 - Margaret Chase Smith (ME) is elected Senator, becoming the first woman to serve in both houses of Congress.
1959 - The U.S.S.R's Luna-2 becomes the first probe to contact another celestial body.
1961 - "Car 54 Where are You?" premiers on TV; the unmanned Mercury-Atlas 4 is launched into orbit.
1963 - "The Outer Limits" premiers on TV.
1965 - For the first time, the "Today Show" is broadcast entirely in color.
1970 - IBM announces its System 370 computer.
1971 - A takeover at Attica results in the deaths of 9 hostage and 28 prisoners.
1973 - Congress passes a bill to football's blackout.
1974 - The Phillies set a NL record, using 27 players in one game (St Louis uses 24, tying the total record of 51); the Phillies win the game.
1977 - TV's first viewer discretion warning is given, for "Soap."
1979 - South Africa grants independence to Venda; it is not recognized outside of South Africa.
1983 - The U.S. mint strikes its first gold coin in 50 years (the Olympic Eagle).
1990 - In Kuwait, Iraqi troops storm the French ambassador's residence; David Souter's confirmation hearing opens.

Birthdays
1739 - Grigory Potemkin, Russian army officer, statesman, Czarina Catherine II's lover
1755 - Oliver Evans pioneered high-pressure steam engine
1851 - Walter Reed, US Army Surgeon, proved mosquitoes transmit yellow fever
1860 - General John J. (Blackjack) Pershing, U.S. commander in WW I.
1863 - Arthur Henderson, British socialist/disarmament worker, Nobel Prize winner (1934)
1866 - Adolf Meyer, psychiatrist/neurologist (pioneered mental hygiene)
1937 - Fred Silverman, broadcasting executive (ABC/NBC)
1938 - Judith Martin (Miss Manners)
1941 - Oscar Arias Sanchez, president of Costa Rica (1986- ), Nobel Prize winner (1987)

Passings
1321 - Dante Alighieri, author of "The Divine Comedy"
1598 - King Philip II of Spain (1556-98)
1759 - James Wolfe, British general (Plains of Abraham)
1803 - John Barry, first American Commodore
1991 - Joseph Pasternak, movie producer

Reported Missing in Action
1965
Mossman, Joe R., USNR (PA); A4E shot down, KIA, body not recovered

1966
Coakley, William F., USN (MA); A4C shot down, KIA, remains retrned May, 1989

1967
Reid, Harold Erich, USMC (UT); disappeared from guard post; KIA in firefight - remains ID'd March, 1999

1968
Brigham, James W., US Army (FL); released January, 1969 - died after his return, of wounds sustained in capivity

1970
Miller, Wyatt, Jr., US Army (PA); Killed while surfing in South China Sea - body not recovered