REPORTS FROM THE FIELD

• Questing Cat provides a glimpse of the role of a combat lifesaver - he is one. Yes, Jersey Cowboy is ok, but he's angry. Caution! Combat Expedient Language in use!

• JK: Fighting goes on, from house-to-house searches in Sadr City, to suicide bombings, to airstrikes in Fallujah against Zarqawi's forces. Presumably, allied operations in Samarra and Ramadi are also ongoing.

• Iraq's Ministry of the Interior is training a third police commando battalion and recruiting for a fourth and fifth. This is after successful police operations in Baghdad, North Babil, and Samarra. These are no ordinary cops and are led by extraordinary men.

• JK: 49 unarmed Iraqi army recruits, based at Kirkush, were ambushed, forced from their vehicles, laid out in rows of twelve people, and murdered by gunshots to the head. al-Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claims responsibility, describing the dead as apostates. My question: why the hell were the recruits unarmed? (A: because they were headed out on leave)

• JK: Allied forces may now be moving against Sunni clerics suspected of involvement with Islamist forces. There are reports that Sheikh Abdel-Sattar Abdel-Jabbar and his 2 sons have been taken into custody.

• Blackfive brings us a letter from a Marine LTC about the loss of Lance Corporal Daniel Wyatt of Fox Co, 2nd Bn, 24th Marines.

RECONSTRUCTION & THE ECONOMY

• Iraq's Ministry of the Interior is training a third police commando battalion and recruiting for a fourth and fifth. This is after successful police operations in Baghdad, North Babil, and Samarra. These are no ordinary cops and are led by extraordinary men.

• Iraq plans to phase out subsidized fuel and electricity currently provided to citizens over the next three years. These subsidies represent 50% of Iraq's public spending. The plan consists of careful application of subsidy reduction to ensure the impact is minimal in areas where unemployment is still very high. The subsidies are a legacy of the UN's Oil for Food program.

• Iraq hopes to recover some of the $10 billion Saddam Hussein and his cronies skimmed from the UN Oil-For-Food program. This, combined with efforts to wipe most of Iraq's debt to other countries, would go a long way toward bringing a sense of prosperity to Iraqi citizens. Iraq's debt is currently six times their annual GDP.

• CARE Director Margaret Hassan was kidnapped on Tuesday as she drove to her office in Baghdad. Mrs. Hassan has been in Iraq for 25 years and was a vocal opponent to the war. She has been seen on a terrorist video asking the British government to meet the demands of the terrorists. Glen Wishard has some additional thoughts on the issues this raises.

• JK: Michael Bowen brings us news of a charity doing good things in Iraq. Jumpstart International works on the principle that it is not possible nor desirable for charitable organizations to care for the world's poor and disadvantaged -- but it is possible and desirable for charitable organizations to help the world's poor and disadvantaged to rise up, take care and provide for themselves.

IRAQI POLITICS

• Sunni leaders in Iraq are threatening a boycott of the general elections, if US forces mount a a large-scale strike on Fallujah. It is noted, however, that many of these leaders do not intended to support the elections anway Other leaders and associations in Iraq are encouraging Sunni citizens to vote.

• There is an important distinction being overlooked, which will shape how - and how much - democracy is used as a vehicle for Iraqi politics. Iraq is much less secular than the US and Britain - religion is the fiber from which their societal fabric is spun.

• Assyrian Christians are standing up and asserting themselves politically, following recent bombings of their churches by Islamists.

• JK: Meanwhile, our friends at the non-partisan charity Spirit of America have launched a new effort: the Friends of Democracy Project is aimed at helping Iraqis make their coming elections more effective and informed. Development of an Arabic blogging tool is just one of the project's worthy initiatives.

THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE

• The UN has rejected a request from the Iraqi government to train 30 judges involved in the trials of Saddam Hussein regime members. The UN states the fact that Iraq has the death penalty as a reason for the refusal. Ironicly, a UN official states, "In addition … we have serious doubts regarding the capability of the Iraqi Special Tribunal to meet the relevant international standards."

• UN Secretary General Koffi Annan finds it inconceivable for countries bribed by Saddam Hussein to have been influenced in their policy on Iraq. Via Normblog.

• Iraq's foreign minister has stated the UN participation in the upcoming elections is lacking. Koffi Anan has put a cap of 35 non-Iraqi workers, citing security reasons, yet East Timor had roughly 300 UN workers assisting with elections there.

• According to the Netherlands foreign minister, Dutch troops will not be extended past their March deadline. This would put the 1400 Dutch contingent in Iraq for 20 months.

• Russian president Vladimir Putin is calling for more international resources to be focused on Iraq and alluded to more participation by Russia in Iraq reconstruction efforts.

ETCETERA

• Johnny is not your typical 16 year old. Johnny helped US troops by giving them information, which led to the capture of 40 insurgents and several weapons caches. Johny is far from living in Baghdad streets these days though, he is in Nebraska. He gets to be a kid again.

• JK: JihadWatch looks at some history, links to a Slate piece, and says "Osama's Islamism and Saddam's Baathism are more alike than you think."

• Chief Wiggles needs our help! He is working to save a 9 month old Iraqi girl, "Tabby", by getting her the medical help she needs in the US. And here's the big update from Dean's World.

• SSG Ivan Frederick was sentenced to 8 years in prison, reduction in rank to E1, forfeiture of all pay and allowances. Upon his release from prison, Frederick will also receive a bad conduct discharge. SSG Frederick pleaded guilty in court martial to assault, committing an indecent act, conspiracy and dereliction of duty. Witnesses at the court martial described the atmosphere in Abu Ghraib as "confused", citing a lack of clear understanding regarding who was in charge.

• The troops are still there. So is the Winds of Change.NET consolidated directory of ways you can support the troops: American, Australian, British, Canadian & Polish. Anyone out there with more information, contact us!

• Don't forget Chief Wiggles' Toys for Iraq drive!