Phil Ochs said it for 'Nam. He's every bit as on target today.
LISTEN!
Unfortunately, Bush's War is far from over. From dailyKos comes this. It's a daily briefing of hostile acts in Iraq for yesterday, September 23, 2004. These "security bulletins", put together by USAID, are distributed to international aid workers and NGOs. :
SECURITY UPDATE - ISSUED 24 SEP 04
BAGHDAD
EVENTS OF INTEREST - 23 SEP 04:
Baghdad
MNF activity in Sadr City recently has resulted in an increase in reported insurgent incidents.
The BIAP Road and 14 Ramadan Street (Routes IRISH and
FORCE respectively) are under sustained attack with the terrorists trying to break into the BIAP. The vehicle borne IED threat remains high in these areas.
There are unofficial reports of criminal gangs in Baghdad conducting activity with a view to kidnapping ex-pats for the bounty offered by terrorist organizations. Currently the threat of kidnapping is extremely high.
Historically, MNF activity in Sadr City has generated reprisal or indirect fire attacks into the International Zone and personnel are warned of an increased likelihood of such attacks in the near future.
The threat of abduction from within the International Zone remains and personnel should check their personal, individual security arrangements accordingly.
0115 hrs Small arms fire attack on an Iraqi Police patrol in Ur District.
0110 hrs IED attack on a convoy in the area of the 14 Ramadan street/Route 10 intersection (Routes FORCE and CARDINALS).
0200 hrs Six IEDs found and cleared in Sadr City.
0808 hrs.Indirect fire attack on MNF facilities in the northern area of the airport.
0937 hrs. IED attack on a patrol on Route PREDATORS.
1132 hrs. Indirect fire attack (mortar) on an MNF base in the Shawra Wa Um Jidir District.
1220 hrs. RPG attack on a patrol on Haifa Street.
OTHER AREAS:
EVENTS OF INTEREST - 23 SEP 04:
NORTH
The high level of activity in the North continues with no immediate prospect of a reduction. A general trend is emerging of attacks spreading into historically less active areas; planners should re-evaluate their movement policy in the light of the changing threat. More attacks on the oil infrastructure and personnel connected with it are expected, as is an increase in sectarian motivated terrorism.
The TAMPA Corridor, which includes the parallel Route DOVER, remains under sustained attack and movement along it should be limited to essential tasks only.
An official report comments on the increase in IED attacks in Diyala Province to the northeast of Baghdad and routes in this area should now also be regarded as at an increased level of threat.
Baqubah
0048 hrs. Small arms fire attack on the Iraqi Police in the Baqubah area.
0120 hrs. Indirect and small arms fire attack on the ING in the Baqubah area.
Ad-Dujayl
0800 hrs. IED found and cleared on Route HEATHER in the Ad-Dujayl area. Duluiyah
1330 hrs. RPG attack on a patrol in Duluiyah.
1405 hrs. Indirect fire attack on a patrol in northern Duluiyah.
Hawija
1230 hrs. Unofficial report: An IED comprising a rocket, det cord and a timer was found and cleared in the Hawija area.
Al-Khalis
0840 hrs. RPG attack on a patrol in the Al-Khalis area.
Mosul
23 Sep 04. Unofficial report: The Deputy Director of Oil Products for the Northern Oil company, Sana Toma Suleiman, was shot dead on his way to work in Mosul.
0126 hrs. Small arms fire attack in the Mosul area.
1250 hrs. Indirect fire attack (mortar) on a patrol in Mosul.
1345 hrs. Small arms fire attack on a patrol in Mosul.
Samarra
0138 hrs. Small arms fire attack on a convoy in the Samarra area.
1408 hrs. Indirect fire attack in the Samarra area.
Tikrit
0800 hrs. Unofficial report: An MNF convoy discovered an IED comprising a 155mm artillery shell at the intersection of Route TAMPA and the Tikrit bypass. A secondary device found in the area proved to be a hoax.
1000 hrs. Unofficial report: An anti-personnel mine was found and cleared on Route TAMPA North of Tikrti.
WEST
The MNF offensive continues in Fallujah and Ramadi. Travel along the Fallujah/Ramadi routes should be avoided.
Fallujah
Untimed. Indirect fire attack in the Fallujah area.
0818 hrs. IED attack on an oil pipeline 30km southwest of Fallujah.
Habbaniyah
0410 hrs. RPG and small arms fire on a MNF helo in the Al-Taqaddam area, near Habbaniyah. Husaybah
1258 hrs. IED attack on a patrol in southern Husaybah.
Khaladiyah
0915 hrs. IED attack on a patrol using Route MICHIGAN in the Khaladiyah area. The device was placed on the northern side of the road.
1315 hrs. IED attack on a patrol in the area of Route MICHIGAN in the Khalidiyah area.
1315 hrs. IED attack on a patrol traveling eastwards on Route MICHIGAN in the Khalidiyah area. The device was placed on the southern side of the road.
SOUTH
The increase in activity in Basrah continues following unofficial reports of an instruction having been issued by the Mehdi command to carry out attacks in the South in response to arrests of senior Sadrists and MNF operations.
The Military is unofficially reported to have issued warnings regarding a threat to the white (civilian) fleet North of Basrah and en route to the airport. A similar warning has been issued regarding the intention to kidnap MNF personnel.
It was also reported that. "A large number of US Army desert uniforms have been smuggled into the country by SCIRI. The guess is these uniforms will be used in an attempt to breech security and get VBIEDs closer to targets. Make sure just wearing a US uniform is not the ticket into your camps, the wearer still needs proper ID. Also need to be suspicious of people wearing US uniforms in situations that don't look right, ie someone in uniform driving a local garbage truck up to a camp check point. Wearing IPS uniforms has been a common tactic for the insurgents and this attempt is a logical next step to improve the tactic.
Most movement restrictions in Basrah have been lifted, however: the situation is subject to change at very short notice and it is most strongly advised to consult the Military before moving.
Basrah
0055 hrs. Indirect fire attack (mortar) on an MNF base in Basrah.
0200 hrs. RPG and small arms fire attack on an MNF patrol in Basrah.
1051 hrs. IED found and cleared in the area of the Shatt Al-Arab Hotel in Basrah.
Suwayrah
0730 hrs. Indirect fire attack (rocket) on an MNF base in Suwayrah.
MEDIA REPORTS.
GENERAL
IED and IDF are the preferred method of attacks, along with drive-by SAF and rolling ambushes, with the trend towards vehicle borne IED increasing. As high value targets become more difficult and with less opportunity, softer targets are expected become the main focus with numbers (mass casualties) being the primary objective to inspire fear and captivate the media.
Kidnapping of Iraqi employees working for Foreign Companies and international staff remain a high threat. Security measures should be reviewed with the aim of conducting awareness training, surveillance detection etc..
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