Think of the DoD Early Bird Brief as the anti-Chrenkoff

From today's Early Bird Brief, this one's for Hairy Fish Nuts, the official scorekeeper for "desperate" usage:

Rumsfeld Predicts Rise In Violence Before Iraqi Vote
The Defense secretary, however, also depicts the insurgency as growing increasingly desperate.
[Los Angeles Times, August 10, 2005]
Secretary Rumsfeld said the near completion of an Iraqi constitution will prompt insurgents to increase the violence….

And this is another reminder of the grim reality of war:

Iraqi Pilot To Be Buried With U.S. Troops He Carried
Remains that became mixed in crash will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery
[USA Today, August 10, 2005, Pg. 2]
Iraqi Air Force pilot Capt. Ali Abass will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery---the first Iraqi citizen to be interred there. Abass was killed, along with several American troops, when their aircraft crashed in Diyala province.

Just a reminder: Today's Early Bird Brief is sponsored by Northrop Grumman (no joke), whose advert promises to deliver:

From concept to combat. And everything in between.

(No joke.)