---

Is that a Russian flag alongside ours? Sure as heck ain't French...

Trivia note: the cemetary where the picture was taken is also the resting place of Gen. George S. Patton. Been there several times.

posted by Heartless Libertarian on December 16, 2005 8:51 AM

---

The flag of Luxembourg, Heartless.

posted by John of Argghhh! on December 16, 2005 8:55 AM

---

The story of the 106th and the 14th Cav is expanded in Decision at St. Vith (Charles Whiting).

It's a dark read--the stars back at SHAEF do *not* come off well...

posted by cw4(ret)billt on December 16, 2005 10:06 AM

---

Thanks, John. Good post.

I think we forget, or least my generation does, just how desperate the Second World War does. When you look at how near-run a thing so many key battles were (Midway, D-Day, the Ardennes, just to name a few) it makes you wonder how easily things could have come out differently...

My grandpa was in an artillery unit in the battle. He was lucky - he was in a heavy artillery unit that was in some kind of corps or theater reserve - his unit didn't get into action until much later, when the Allies tried to pinch off and encircle the German attack.

And John - before you ask, he wasn't a gunner. He was a mechanic. But he still had some interesting stories to tell - grandpas always do.

He said his unit was equipped with "Long Toms," either 105's or 155's. I've got to make time to research that one.

posted by UtahMan on December 16, 2005 10:58 AM

---

The map showing Bastogne surrounded reminds me of the line from Band of Brothers:
Captain Winters, "we're paratroopers; we're supposed to be surrounded."

posted by Barb on December 16, 2005 10:59 AM

---

UtahMan - Long Tom was a 155.

posted by cw4(ret)billt on December 16, 2005 11:12 AM

---

Dammit, Bill - that's *my* job!

Like this! No fair that I'm working and you are apparently skating...

posted by John of Argghhh! on December 16, 2005 11:21 AM

---

Sorry to comment so soon again, but I just wanted to point this out from that Ardennes history John found.

Read Chapter 14:
"A small group of stragglers suddenly become tired of what seems to be eternally retreating. Miles back they ceased to be part of an organized combat formation, and recorded history, at that point, lost them. The sound of firing is heard for fifteen minutes, an hour, coming from a patch of woods, a tiny village, the opposite side of a hill. The enemy has been delayed; the enemy resumes the march westward. Weeks later a graves registration team uncovers mute evidence of a last-ditch stand at woods, village, or hill."

And we don't know who they were.

posted by UtahMan on December 16, 2005 11:28 AM

---

Thanks Bill! Thanks John!

Those would be them - because they were always moved by "prime movers," never trucks. Grandpa was enough of a car buff never to mix the two names.

Those would really ruin your day, wouldn't they?

posted by UtahMan on December 16, 2005 11:32 AM

---

Me, skating? Violating Rule #28 so soon after you posted, eh?

Figgers you'd find pix of Long Tom showing the gun bunnies trying to pull it out of the mud while the BC and the XO are riding on it...

posted by cw4(ret)billt on December 16, 2005 12:31 PM

---

And it shows why you got that BT company at Dix vice the gun battery - you can't even tell when the crew is trying to get the new equilibrator extended to seat it over the post after swapping out the old, failed one.

Pllllpppppptttt!

posted by John of Argghhh! on December 16, 2005 12:51 PM

---

Yeah, but I didn't have to go poking around the impact area marking duds with sticks, either.

Ummmm--don't bring up the grenade range, please...

posted by cw4(ret)billt on December 16, 2005 12:56 PM

---

And another unfortunate victim of the Great Hall Echo is heard from from from...

posted by cw4(ret)billt on December 16, 2005 7:39 PM

---

No, that was comment spam.

For a dessert place.

All gone.

posted by John of Argghhh! on December 16, 2005 8:26 PM

---

I don't know what it is about those simple marble headstones, but they absolutely give me the chills..

And I'm not normally shy around graveyards..

posted by MCart on December 17, 2005 5:33 AM

---

Once again, we are reminded that heros come from everywhere and are usually never identified in the annals of history.

I want to thank John for reminding us of these brave men who did their duty and are awaiting us on Fiddler's Green.

Isn't this one of those times when we dance John?
*Insert ceremonial honor guard here*

posted by Jon The Mechanic on December 18, 2005 11:11 AM

---

We're gonna dance later, Wrench Monkey. You may stand down if you wish, until later.

posted by John of Argghhh! on December 18, 2005 11:19 AM

---

« Dismissed, Soldier!

---

So, the A-12 "Shrike" is the successor to the A-10, nicht wahr?

As for the barrel thickness on a M1: it's a smoothbore, thus there is little drag on the projectile, it goes down the barrel faster, thus with reduced pressure, therefore thick barrel walls are unnecessary. Tres simple!

Cheers

posted by J.M. Heinrichs on December 14, 2005 8:27 AM

---

One of the old airplane guys, checking in.

Oh. "Old" referring to *airplane.*

%$#@! I always get into trouble with those indeterminate adjectives...

posted by cw4(ret)billt on December 14, 2005 8:35 AM

---

Yes, that *is* nicht wahr.

And I don't care about the interior ballistics... it *still* looks thin!

posted by John of Argghhh! on December 14, 2005 8:36 AM

---

Hey, as of 9am Central, your up by 5 votes over Intel Dump: 532-527

posted by Masked Menace© on December 14, 2005 9:02 AM

---

By my accounting... that's neck and neck. 'Specially since Phil isn't even trying...

posted by John of Argghhh! on December 14, 2005 9:21 AM

---

Oh, it's still counts as neck and neck, but when I voted yesterday, you were behind 20-30 votes.

posted by Masked Menace© on December 14, 2005 12:00 PM

---

The absentee ballots I sent to some of the guys in the Sandbox are finally getting here, evidently. The voters have been kind of busy...

posted by cw4(ret)billt on December 14, 2005 12:31 PM

---

Thin tube massave breach and chamber assy. APFSDS-T is out the end of the tube (pipe) at approx 1600 meters per second. The tube is thick enough to withstand the pressure and thin enough not to impart too much gravity induced bending and flexing.

posted by Mudpuppy1975 on December 14, 2005 4:45 PM

---

Dang! Many thanx for the A-12 pix! I have some drawings of the plane in an old Model Airplane News; always thought it cool-looking if not practical. Had dispensers for light frag bombs between the cockpits, as I recall. These must be the later versions; they started out with big Curtiss liquid-cooled V-12s. That was back when Curtiss-Wright still sorta listened to their engineers (somewhat).

On that other pic: Problems of quick slew/traverse and elevating aside, I wonder if the equilibrator and suchlike homeostatic parts of the piece were up to shooting at that angle. Well, they were trying, I guess, and let the enemy aviators know they were appreciated.

posted by Justthisguy on December 15, 2005 12:06 AM

---

Where, Oh Where is the Brewster Buffalo??

posted by MCPO Airdale on December 15, 2005 12:15 PM

---

A lot of the Buffs went to Finland.

And the Finns loved 'em ...

posted by cw4(ret)billt on December 15, 2005 12:59 PM

---

thin walls? you callin me a "needle dick", dick?

plenty thick enough (in tube ballistics is the crux) and that bit about thermal and bending --- yeah, what he said!

posted by MajMike on December 15, 2005 4:37 PM

---

Thin walls 'round a large bore. Settle down, tanker-boy...

posted by John of Argghhh! on December 15, 2005 4:48 PM

---

Oh yeah the Finns did; but they did not have to load them down with a half-ton of USN-inflicted equipment, nor land them on carriers and distort the living poo out of the landing gear so that it would never again retract all the way. I also seem to recall reading somewhere that the Finns replaced the wings on some of them with wooden replicas made from that excellent Finnish birch plywood and spruce: Much smoother and more efficient, just like an old wooden Mooney or Bellanca.

posted by Justthisguy on December 17, 2005 1:55 PM

---

« Dismissed, Soldier!

---

*lordy*

I sure hope he hasn't worn out his GA's, Bill!

posted by AFSister on December 13, 2005 2:30 PM

---

*lordy*

I sure hope he hasn't worn out his GA's, Bill!

posted by AFSister on December 13, 2005 2:30 PM

---

It would appear that Bill's twitchy finger has affected me somehow, since I'm double-posting now.

Great.
Next thing you know I'll be sitting in the cockpit of a Cobra. Oh wait... I've already done that too.

Drat.

I hope I'm not giving my GA's a workout like Bill and Larry have!

posted by AFSister on December 13, 2005 2:35 PM

---

AFSis - Nope--that's one of the GAs in the bottom pic. She doesn't look *too* worn out.

*grinnn* Not as worn out as your "Post" button is becoming, anyway...

posted by cw4(ret)billt on December 13, 2005 2:36 PM

---

Ugh Bill. As if Castagneto doesn't have a big enough ego!!!!!! :-)

posted by V29 on December 13, 2005 7:27 PM

---

Tigger-Sis was right on - y'all are crazy you-know-whats!
But we loves ya for it ... *Grin*

posted by Barb on December 13, 2005 7:38 PM

---

Two-Niner - Wait'll his SigOther sees the chik-pic.
*pop!* goes the e-go...

Barb, if you think we're all crazy, you should've met us back-when.
Of course, you'd have been 'way too young to remember. Yup. Entirely too young (how'm I doing so far?)...

posted by cw4(ret)billt on December 13, 2005 8:06 PM

---

Much too young ...

(*psst -- doing great, Bill!*)

posted by Barb on December 14, 2005 12:07 AM

---

Problem with being a "babe" magnet is changing the diapers; and burping them. And magnets, sticky!

Cheers

posted by J.M. Heinrichs on December 14, 2005 7:52 AM

---

Magnets are "sticky" indeed.

But they lead to some interesting conundra when, say, a Bad Cat Robotic type passes within range...

*zzzzzzzzzzzzz--thunk!*

"Hi, there..."

posted by cw4(ret)billt on December 14, 2005 8:31 AM

---

« Dismissed, Soldier!

Techno Logic

War is changing.

It used to be about bringing more soldiers to the battlefield than did your opponent. Now, war is competition of technology and information.

That's why UAVs, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, have been so prevalent in the Iraq war. UAVs are remote-controlled flying drones. Some are launched by hand; others are close in size to normal planes.

UAVs serve an important role. They act as scouts, seeking out the enemy from on high without risking any soldiers' lives. Some UAVs are even equipped with weapons, such as the often-used Predator drone.

UAVs have become an invaluable part of the military's arsenal. Military officials seem to favor UAVs over conventional warplanes for most day-to-day activity. GRESSOR members recently took a 43% gain on one company that produces UAVs for the military.

Well, Boeing recently unveiled the latest evolution in unmanned flying technology. The new X-45C takes “unmanned” a step further than its predecessors. In the past, UAVs were remotely flown by a pilot in another location.

The X-45C drone closely resembles a stealth bomber, but with a wind intake vent where the cockpit would be. It has an F-18 engine, allowing it to fly at 40,000 feet at Mach 0.85. It has a range of up to 1,300 nautical miles.

The main feature of the X-45C is that it flies itself. There is no human at the controls, only a pre-entered flight plan. The drone identifies and prioritizes targets automatically; for each one, the remote pilot (the human monitoring the drone) gives a simple yes/no consent to strike.

Even more impressive is the fact that if two or more of the drones are in an operation, they formulate coordinated attack plans. That's right, these drones can re-plan attacks, coordinate attack patterns for multiple aircraft, and re-prioritize targets on the fly.

The X-45C is undergoing extensive testing; considering its US$1.2 billion price tag per plane, that's understandable. The drones have successfully completed all tests to date, including several simulated bombing runs. It's no shock that there's talk of new drones replacing human fighter pilots in the coming years.

This is an emerging technology, but the applications for it are near endless. Once it becomes proven with the military, you might see unmanned commercial airliners or delivery planes.

« Secure this line!

---

And *that* was only a problem with the tail rotor.

Now add the rest of the drive train (engine with assorted accessory gearboxes, transmission with assorted add-ons, driveshafts and hangar bearings), control tubing and linkages, hydraulic system(s) and accumulators, electrical system, fuel system, etc. and the vagueries of the main rotor system and the innumeable quirks of aerodynamics.

Shake well. Serve garnished with a high density altitude and you've got normal rotary wing flight.

For combat operations, spoon in an over-max-gross-weight-on-each-mission, stir in a soupçon of sustained automatic weapons fire, drop in a pinch of RPGs, add of add a dash of large-caliber AA and a few IR-seeking missiles and stir. Serve garnished with Rules of Engagement.

That's why, if you go into the O-Club bar late at night, you usually see helicopter pilots with a whole bunch of drinks in front of them.

Heh. The extras are for the GAs.

posted by cw4(ret)billt on December 13, 2005 9:09 AM

---

CW4(ret)Billt: Just curious, why do you say it was just the tail rotor? near the end I see the spiraling that indicates the loss of the t/r, but that first "nose dive" near the beginning may have played a role in the tail going out. If I were to venture a guess I'd say more than one thing went wrong, but I'll defer to the expert. Either way, a landing you can walk away from is a good landing, and kudos to the pilot.

posted by John from VA on December 13, 2005 9:25 AM

---

I dunno.....
Having an aircraft that can think and fly itself is scary to me. Think "Terminator".... and run.

posted by AFSister on December 13, 2005 10:31 AM

---

I wasn't always this twitchy. Made it through the Crusades, the siege of Vienna, and the invention of the accordion with my sang froid intact, but it was all downhill after the Wright Brothers. Then they had to invent helicopters -- apparently based on the premise that flying is throwing yourself at the ground and missing.

If you look real close at the video clip, you can see first ANGSPC Credulous "Butterfingers" losing his grip on the stabilizer, then ANGSPC Atrium doing an outstanding (but ultimately futile) job of trying to keep the bird up all by himself, and finally Credulous redeeming himself by cushioning the landing with his own body. That's not smoke, it's finely shredded feathers. Courage and professionalism in the finest tradition of the Angelic Corps.

posted by Carborundum on December 13, 2005 10:35 AM

---

I can't vote...work computer doesn't have a new enough Flash software...and I don't have Admin privilidges to install it. I'll try when I get home though.

posted by Heartless Libertarian on December 13, 2005 10:51 AM

---

John from VA - The dive appears to be the pilot attempting to gain airspeed, for a couple of reasons.

1. In many helicopters, the pressure of the slipstream along the tailboom and stabilization surfaces in combination with a reduction in torque (reduce the throttle and/or collective--but you sacrifice lift) will stop the rotation. This will allow you to fly to an area suitable for
a. a running landing, i.e., making a shallow approach with sufficient airspeed to keep the thing halfway straight, then controlling the transmission torque by using the throttle to get you completely straight the split-second before you touch down--otherwise, you roll over; or
b. an autorotational landing, in which you reduce the throttle and turn the critter into a glider and control your heading using the internal friction of the transmission gearing and small increases in throttle.

2. Increasing your airspeed just might enable you to reach an area that is better suited for an autorotational landing--when the engine quits, you still have some options. Limited, but options. And if you're over water, or wooded or urban terrain, your options are even more severely limited.

In this instance, he didn't have much choice; he was attempting to get to a clear spot (a parking lot) and saw he wasn't going to make it, so he went with his only other option--landing on a rooftop without hitting air shaft vents, TV antennas, telephone wires or satellite dishes and without dropping it through a skylight.

And he almost did it, too--but he had the misfortune of landing too close to the edge of the roof. Forward momentum and friction set up a pivot point which threw his center of gravity outside the skid footprint, and at that point, they all became passengers.

That said, I can tell you unequivocably that, if you lose your tail rotor in a Huey or a Cobra, maintaining your power settings and trying to streamline the critter (as in option 1) won't work worth a plugged nickel...

Hey, AFSis--any time you get on a commercial starched-wing, it's flying itself. The pilot makes the takeoff and landing because the FAA says he's got to, but George is doing the enroute portion. The French discovered the biggest problem with computerized flying when that Airbus decided to land itself in the woods a few years back--by the time the pilots figured out the plane thought a gear-extended, full-flaps, low pass over the runway meant that it was in landing configuration, it was too late. Whole lotta "Mon Dieu's" in the videotape voiceover...

posted by cw4(ret)billt on December 13, 2005 11:43 AM

---

My guardian angel works on the motto "No joke is too cruel if it's funny."

In '73 I was assigned to the Signal Corp unit attached to the 28th Air Defense Artillery at Arlington Heights, just outside Chicago. These guys were in charge of the Nike sites around Chicago. Mostly I worked the communications center but, occasionally I was a courier of crypto gub to the outlying sites. Usually two of us would just take whatever van was running that day and drive around.

One day we got a helicopter for our rounds, an old Huey (Were they ever new?). Somebody needed flight hours.

We started off headed North to make a clockwise circuit to the Nike sites in the forest preserves around Chicago. Had a great view of downtown Chigaco as we flew South along the lake shore.

That's when the helicopter caught fire.

Are we going down in Lake Michigan? Quick look down.

That's Gary, Indiana down there.

Oh.

We are flying through steel mill belch.

Guardian angel laughing, laughing, laughing.

posted by Fred on December 13, 2005 12:43 PM

---

Fred - I usually operated under the premise that we weren't on fire (at least, not *badly* on fire) unless

1. the crewchief and doorgunner were sitting up front with us and their flight suits were smoldering or

2. one of 'em asked if we remembered to bring the marshmallows...

posted by cw4(ret)billt on December 13, 2005 1:11 PM

---

But flying a helicopter isn't all *that* difficult.

You might even call it child's play...

I love NASA. Really.

posted by cw4(ret)billt on December 13, 2005 3:07 PM

---

Ah, this looks like Flutterby's Bedtime Stories...

posted by John of Argghhh! on December 13, 2005 3:27 PM

---

Heh. Knowing Gary, Indiana you're safer off in Lake Michigan.

posted by ry on December 13, 2005 4:08 PM

---

When my friend the "Church Lady" (she works for a company that makes desktop publishing software to do church bulletins) goes to Gary her husband drives and they are met at the locked gates of the church by an armed guard.

posted by Fred on December 13, 2005 5:22 PM

---

Yeah, that sounds like Gary.
It might be safer if they used the armored vehicle collections that some of the folk here have though. It's not South Central Los Angeles, but it's pretty bad.

posted by ry on December 13, 2005 8:32 PM

---

« Dismissed, Soldier!

---

Good stuff, John. Castle Argghhh! Not Just An Adventure, An Education!

posted by Neffi on December 12, 2005 2:19 PM

---

So *that* is why the French 75mm rounds are always shown in pictures with a thingy sticking out of their noses. Guess they didn't have the Krupp Patentzuender, with the clockwork in it, that caused the icky death/fuze calculation in the lawsuit.

In other news, the Sweety and I went shooting together yesterday; first time in 3 years for both of us. We didn't do too badly, all things considered; I think both of us can reliably hit you in the upper torso from across the room.

But, man do I hate indoor ranges! (realistic as they are for any probable serious social use of our pieces)

Yah, JoA, I saw that comment. Will try to write something. Real Soon Now.

posted by Justthisguy on December 12, 2005 11:16 PM

---

P.S.: I'm amazed that a rifled breech-loading piece, with presumed tight seal of the rotating band, would reliably light that fuze. I guess it's a very hot environment just in front of the muzzle just after firing.

I voted for you again, that makes three times. Sorry I dint do more, but was distracted. What I can't understand is how Blackfive got so many votes. I mean, the boy visited Naples FL and actually *liked* the place! He therefore obviously doesn't have full use of all neurons. Isn't he some kind of infantry person? Maybe that explains it.

posted by Justthisguy on December 13, 2005 12:04 AM

---

Hmmpf. Wouldn't put it past him to have snuck into the computer centers of all of the Retirementvilles and switched his addy with the hotlink to AARP...

posted by cw4(ret)billt on December 13, 2005 3:55 PM

---

« Dismissed, Soldier!

---

I applaud your effort on this endeavor John. I believe my counterpart Jason has contacted you on this issue, he handles what little money we have to run our site. There is also a posting on our site regarding this issue. It is a great thing that you do to bring attention to issues like this. Good luck.God Bless.
Raymond B
www.voteswagon.com

posted by Raymond B on December 11, 2005 6:56 PM

---

Indeed he did, Raymond. And thank you.

posted by John of Argghhh! on December 11, 2005 7:33 PM

---

Done

posted by kat-missouri on December 11, 2005 8:03 PM

---

Been there, done that. Last year at Christmas in Kabul, the care packages from family AND strangers were greatly appreciated. And I got to make a lot of new friends. This is a good program and should continue, way past Christmas. The Man above has been good to me this year, so here's my part. Come on guys, ante up!

Dear Keith Johnson,

This email confirms that you have paid donations@marinecorpsmoms.com (donations@marinecorpsmoms.com) $50.00 USD using PayPal.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Payment Details

Transaction ID: 2X662937BW788931J
Sales Tax: $0.00 USD
Total: $50.00 USD
Item/Product Name: Marine Corps Moms
Buyer: Keith Johnson
Message: I was in Afghanistan last Christmas, and packages from home were very welcome. Good luck!

Master Sgt. D. Keith Johnson

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

posted by msg keith on December 11, 2005 8:59 PM

---

...once more unto the breech!
Oorah...

posted by Neffi on December 11, 2005 10:48 PM

---

Present and accounted for. Thanks for making it easy for us. I read about these folks in a magazine in a waiting room but got called in before I could write down the address.

posted by punctilious on December 11, 2005 10:55 PM

---

Dropped my dime in (well, $25 anyway).

John, I was trying to force a ping to Marine Corps Moms, and ended up pinging you twice. My bad.

posted by Casey Tompkins on December 11, 2005 11:29 PM

---

Done and Done ...

Deb is an Angel in Elf disguise!

posted by Barb on December 12, 2005 10:44 AM

---

And Keith is SO right! This is something to do any day of the year, and pays back in new friends and blogspawn ;-)

posted by Barb on December 12, 2005 1:44 PM

---

John darlin'

Have I ever told you what a lovely man you are?

posted by Cassandra on December 12, 2005 2:06 PM

---

Cassie - ssssshhhh! First off, it's gonna get SWWBO and the Big Unit talkin'... second off, yer spoilin' my "Gurl-Hating He-Man" image!

posted by John of Argghhh! on December 12, 2005 3:25 PM

---

Done.

This email confirms that you have paid donations@marinecorpsmoms.com (donations@marinecorpsmoms.com) $50.00 USD using PayPal.

posted by Donal on December 12, 2005 8:14 PM

---

:)

posted by Cassandra on December 12, 2005 8:23 PM

---

After a whirlwind of a weekend, the boxes have been mailed and the living room is back in order. I mailed about 400 pounds of holiday treats - individual holiday bags filled with food, socks, and handwarmers; and boxes filled with stuff for the guys to share. They'll get beefsticks, cheese, some excellent chocolate, and other candy, plus hot chocolate and spiced cider mix and other stuff that seemed like a really good idea. It wouldn't have happened on the scale it did without your support and I'm so appreciative of your support. I'm hoping for pictures and I'll share. :-)

Deb

posted by Deb on December 14, 2005 3:40 AM

---

« Dismissed, Soldier!

---

As always, I blame BushHaliburtonRumsfeldCheney.

posted by CDR Salamander on December 11, 2005 2:28 PM

---

It won't get spun -- it'll get ignored and/or buried. It's too good to allow to spread.

posted by Barb on December 11, 2005 2:39 PM

---

Salamander - that's BushHalliCheneyFeld, please!

posted by John of Argghhh! on December 11, 2005 2:42 PM

---

Barb's got it right-it won't be spun, it will be actively ignored, because it doesn't fit the picture the LSM is trying to paint for the American public.

posted by Heartless Libertarian on December 11, 2005 2:43 PM

---

Not only will it be ignored, the reporters will dig up one or two people who say, "the election is rigged by the Americans, so we're not gonna vote and we're going to continue to fight until the Infidel Occupiers leave."

posted by FbL on December 11, 2005 3:23 PM

---

Sorry John-

Posted trackback at wrong link :-(

posted by Jason on December 11, 2005 6:46 PM

---

Heh...FbL is probably right because, any such news is good news is propaganda. ;)

Actually, I believe that certain Democratic Senators have been hedging their bets this whole time, allowing some of their fellows to act like the military wing of the party and attack, demanding withdrawal, insisting its defeat, while others are saying "it was a bad idea to go in in the first place, but now we are there we need to do it right" so they can claim that their urging of the president to "change course" meant to change strategy so when it finally comes down to a peaceful and secure Iraq (ie, victory), they can claim they were part of it the whole time and the Democrat party will shove their "defeatists" in the background (all those who were never planning to or expecting to ever run for president in the first place) and once again attempt to claim they are and have always been for a strong, secure United States.

As a matter of fact, it is not dissimilar to the tactics of said "sunni insurgents" now called "Saddamists" (which is way to close to another word), who have used their political wing to continue to negotiate and, whenever if seems they have stalled, the military wing comes in and makes a big fuss, hoping to force the government to move. And, if AQ gets in on the play and adds to their power, all the better.

Of course, the problem with too many dispirate groups (kind of like Palestine) without a true central command, means that sometimes the actions of the ad hoc military wing undermine the political (ie, uncontrolled Dean constantly making people roll their eyes at the Dems and undermining their "strong security" facade).

Whici is why you see these groups telling AQ to mind their manners because they see that they have negotiated good things with their two track political and military activities and they need participating to install representatives in the government who can seal the deal and guarantee it.

Aren't politics grand?

Or better yet, was Clausewitz freaking brilliant when he said war was politics continued?

posted by kat-missouri on December 11, 2005 7:33 PM

---

I can't imagine this will get spun. It won't make the MSM. Just as the capture and turn-over by locals of an Al Quiada honcho probably didn't make the big news there, though it got exposure in the BBC World (which was a surprise). I'm convinced the MS will not allow anything positive to be made a big deal of prior to this coming year's elections. And for my part, i say Go Joe Lieberman!!

Anyway, that's it. This keyboard (German), on a linux machine argghhhh!!!!

posted by sangerM on December 12, 2005 2:00 PM

---

« Dismissed, Soldier!

---

That's a great story. It made me cry, but it's a great story.

posted by beth on December 11, 2005 2:20 PM

---

That's awesome! I was aware that he was a MOH recipient, but not the details of his personal life, or the actions for which he was recognized. Thanks for that great link!

posted by Barb on December 11, 2005 2:35 PM

---

Heh..thanks John. Great reminder.

posted by kat-missouri on December 11, 2005 7:55 PM

---

My parents had a Burl Ives album with that song. So far that's the only rendition of it I've ever heard. I also recall a folk album of my parents' (think it was the Gateway Singers) with a song about the USS Reuben James, a destroyer torpedoed by a U-boat prior to the US entry in the Second World War.

Odd to think there was a time when performers, as a rule, did not depsise the military.

posted by Steve Skubinna on December 11, 2005 11:39 PM

---

Wonder if Arlo Guthrie, he of Alice's Restaurant (a great song, regardless) approved of the song about the Reuben James, it having been written by his father, Woody Guthrie.

posted by John of Argghhh! on December 12, 2005 5:30 AM

---

I became aware that he was a MOH recipient when I went through the "movement under direct fire" range down at Ft Benning when I was going through the basic course back in '94. Appropriately enough, the range is named "Rodger Young" range. Starship Troopers was one of the books on the Infantry School's professional reading list for lieutenants, so the majority of us had read it by the time we went through, but I did not know the details associated with the story. Thanks for providing.

posted by Chadd on December 12, 2005 9:45 AM

---

We used to sing this song in music class when I was in grade school.

posted by WV.Hillbilly on December 12, 2005 10:15 AM

---

I love the movie Starship Troopers.
Raymond B
www.voteswagon.com

posted by Raymond B on December 13, 2005 9:01 PM

---

« Dismissed, Soldier!