Stuff caught by the H&I fireplan today...

...some being targets from yesterday. Which happens. Sometimes target intel is slow...

First up - *still* providing earthquake relief in Pakistan.

U.S. service members prepare to externally load humanitarian relief supplies onto a CH-47D Chinook helicopter at Muzaffarabad, Pakistan on December 17, 2005. The United States military is participating in humanitarian assistance operations, Operation Lifeline, in support of Pakistani-led relief efforts to bring aid to victims of the devastating earthquake that struck the region October 8, 2005. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Barry Loo)

Just sayin'.

Boudicca thought you Airpower Types might be interested in this view of the latest version of the F-16, the F-16I, which might be in the news, should Israel decide to act, for better or worse, on their concerns about the Iranian attempts to build the Islamic Bomb.

Bob at Confederate Yankee and Jay over at Stop The ACLU have a look at different sides of essentially the same story. Me, I don't know that the FISA thing will have traction or not. But I never thought Clinton would get impeached, either. I don't know enough to have an informed opinion, so, uncharacteristically, I'll keep mine to myself.

For news from those of us in the mushy middle (as perceived from the bi-polarites) the latest edition of RINO Sightings is available here, courtesy of Kesher Talk.

Damian Brooks points us to this post by Andrew at Bound By Gravity - about "American Patriots, Canadian Warriors." While I was aware of Americans enlisting in Commonwealth Forces during the early part of WWII (The Eagle Squadrons of the RAF, as an example - the sheer number in Canadian service had escaped me. Interesting aside here... Alan of GenX@40 has mildly snarked that in the two big wars of the last century, Americans came late to the fights, even after the threat was obvious. So, here we are, trying to come early, and Alan snarks. There's no satisfying some people. Just noting...

CAPT H. sends us this - the efforts of a Canadian to mine Google Earth for... Canadian Fortifications. I will admit to doing this on the US side. Sadly, some of our more interesting structures are not yet in the hi-res areas.

Other things historical that caught a target tic today...

1915 Russian troops capture Qom, Persia (Note - this is the *best* route into Iran, with another being through Turkey. If we ever invade, and try to do it via the Gulf, or Iraq... it will be a long, dangerous journey to get to Tehran. If it comes down to that - I hope there are more players in the game.

1917 Soviet secret police - the Cheka, NKVD, KGB, etc. - formed
1924 Adolf Hitler freed from jail early - D-oh!
1933 Bolivia & Paraguay sign ceasefire in Chaco War. Great Mauser Rifles from that era *are* available...
1944 Battle of Bastogne: 101st Airborne division surrounded - read about that... here!
1989 Operation Just Cause begins: US troops invade Panama. A Banana War I missed.

See the Flash Traffic/Extended Entry for targets from yesterday that went unserviced and were revalidated for today's target list. (Ooooo, Army-talk!)