My friend Cliff, a very knowledgeable guy when it comes to military, current events, politics, says:

Hey, boys and girls. For the last few weeks, I've had a feed to Google Reader from a guy named Michael Yon. He's an independent reporter/blogger working in Iraq right now, and the stuff he comes out with is pretty eye opening...mainly because, unlike network reporters hiding in the Green Zone and hiring Iraqis to go shoot footage for them, he's actually gotten permission to station at forward bases, and go out on patrols. It's pretty eye opening stuff, and if there's any kind of filter, I sure as Hell haven't seen it. (there have been numerous mentions of unsuredness of the Iraqi army's capabilities, and several sharp criticisms of how the war's being fought, and being totally open about the fact the US is now fighting alongside several Sunni militia groups, which I have NEVER read anywhere else). I've read elsewhere that, while many admin people would love to shut him up, he's built up enough of a community both in and out of the services, that they've decided they have to grin and bear it. (Also, it's a little tricky to shut someone up when he doesn't have any corporate overseers to pressure).

Anyway, I've really enjoyed reading it, and since you guys seem to be most likely to get in to it, I figured I'd send you the link. One word of warning, it's pretty graphic at times. Today's dispatch featured a van being blown apart by a 25mm. Bradley cannon (and a shot of the aftermath of that), and a Sunni militiaman bleeding out with a sucking chest wound. It ain't pretty, so if you'd rather not see that, don't check this out.

http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp

nb. Ordinarily, I'd like to Cliff's blog, but he has yet to start one. Perhaps by pilfering his best emailed material I'll manage to goad him into starting a blog. That or make him fat and lazy as he begins to consider me his copyeditor.