[TexKat]

Joint Patrol in Ar Ramadi Photo Essay

A new Iraqi Army soldier crouches on the side of a street during a mission with U.S. Marines with the 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, May 16, 2006. Fifteen new Iraqi Army soldiers accompanied U.S. Marines with the 3rd Platoon and together conducted a cordon and search mission of a neighborhood. The three-hour joint-operation was geared toward keeping a military presence in area and establishing a positive relationship between Iraqi civilians and members of their own military. The Marines and their Iraqi counterparts executed the mission without incident. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tom Sloan

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Christopher A. Hook, a rifleman and team leader with the 2nd Squad, 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, gives a young Iraqi boy candy during a search mission, in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, May 16, 2005. The three-hour joint-operation was geared toward keeping a military presence in area and establishing a positive relationship between Iraqi civilians and members of their own military. The Marines and their Iraqi counterparts executed the mission without incident. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tom Sloan

Two new Iraqi Army soldiers walk down a staircase in a home during a mission with U.S. Marines from the 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, May 16, 2005. Fifteen new Iraqi Army soldiers accompanied Marines with the 3rd Platoon and together conducted a cordon and search mission of a neighborhood. The three-hour joint-operation was geared toward keeping a military presence in area and establishing a positive relationship between Iraqi civilians and members of their own military. The Marines and their Iraqi counterparts executed the mission without incident. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tom Sloan

A new Iraqi Army soldier sits in the back of a 7-ton truck with U.S. Marines from the 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, as they travel to their destination in the city of Ar Ramadi, Iraq, May 16, 2005, for a mission. The three-hour joint-operation was geared toward keeping a military presence in area and establishing a positive relationship between Iraqi civilians and members of their own military. The Marines and their Iraqi counterparts executed the mission without incident. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tom Sloan

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Troy C. Arnold, squad leader and rifleman with the 2nd Squad, 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, discusses with new Iraqi Army soldiers the details of a mission they’re about to conduct in the city of Ar Ramadi, Iraq, May 16, 2005. The three-hour joint-operation was geared toward keeping a military presence in area and establishing a positive relationship between Iraqi civilians and members of their own military. The Marines and their Iraqi counterparts executed the mission without incident. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tom Sloan

U.S. Marine Cpl. Eric W. Witt, a rifleman with the 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, points a new Iraqi Army soldier in the direction where he needs to position himself during a mission in the city of Ar Ramadi, Iraq, May 16, 2005. The three-hour joint-operation was geared toward keeping a military presence in area and establishing a positive relationship between Iraqi civilians and members of their own military. The Marines and their Iraqi counterparts executed the mission without incident. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tom Sloan

A new Iraqi Army soldier stands in the doorway of a home and posts security during a mission with U.S. Marines with the 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, May 16. 2005. The three-hour joint-operation was geared toward keeping a military presence in area and establishing a positive relationship between Iraqi civilians and members of their own military. The Marines and their Iraqi counterparts executed the mission without incident. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tom Sloan

U.S. Marine Cpl. Joel Jaime, squad leader for 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, talks on his radio to his fellow Marines while a new Iraqi Army soldier stands off to the side, in a joint operation in the city of Ar Ramadi, Iraq, May 16, 2005. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tom Sloan

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Anthony J. Diklich, a squad automatic weapon gunner with 2nd Squad, 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, and a new Iraqi Army soldier charge out of the entrance of a residence after searching it during a mission in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, May 16, 2005. The three-hour joint-operation was geared toward keeping a military presence in area and establishing a positive relationship between Iraqi civilians and members of their own military. The Marines and their Iraqi counterparts executed the mission without incident. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tom Sloan

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Aaron C. Cardenas, a rifleman with the 2nd Squad, 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, is joined by a new Iraqi Army soldier during a mission in the city of Ar Ramadi, Iraq, May 16, 2005. The three-hour joint-operation was geared toward keeping a military presence in area and establishing a positive relationship between Iraqi civilians and members of their own military. The Marines and their Iraqi counterparts executed the mission without incident. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tom Sloan

A U.S. Marine with the 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, runs through the entrance of a home during a mission while his comrade posts security in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, May 16, 2005. The three-hour joint-operation was geared toward keeping a military presence in area and establishing a positive relationship between Iraqi civilians and members of their own military. The Marines and their Iraqi counterparts executed the mission without incident. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tom Sloan

A new Iraqi Army soldier crouches on the side of a street during a mission with U.S. Marines from the 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, May 16, 2005. Fifteen new Iraqi Army soldiers accompanied Marines with the 3rd Platoon and together conducted a cordon and search mission of a neighborhood. The three-hour joint-operation was geared toward keeping a military presence in area and establishing a positive relationship between Iraqi civilians and members of their own military. The Marines and their Iraqi counterparts executed the mission without incident. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tom Sloan

[Gucho]

Howard Dean, MTP, and the OBL/Saddam thaang

May 22nd, 2005

By: Mark Kilmer · Section: Diaries

From the transcript of this morning's Meet the Press:

MR. RUSSERT: "Well, you said there were weapons of mass destruction."

DR. DEAN: "I said I wasn't sure, but I said I thought there probably were. But the thing that really bothered me the most, which the 9-11 Commission said also wasn't true, is the insinuation that the president continues to make to this day that Osama bin Laden had something to do with supporting terrorists that attacked the United States. That is false. The 9-11 Commission, chaired by a Republican, said it was false. Is it wrong to send people to war without telling them the truth. And the truth was Osama bin Laden was a very bad person who was doing terrible things, but that Iraq was never a threat to the United States. That was the truth."

Ooops.

So the President keeps saying that OBL had something to do with supporting the terrorists who attacked the U.S. Dean thinks the 9-11 commission found that he had nothing to do with it.

I hope he misspoke, confusing Osama bin Laden's name with that of Saddam Hussein. My best political advice for Governor Dean: Do not speak in public and especially not in front of cameras.