We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:58:03 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification ...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... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html Tue, 20 Dec 2005 06:21:11 -0600 Thank you for the link, although it was not necessary! You know, I'll forward you all that I have when I receive it. It's been rather dry as of late. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36726 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36726 Tue, 20 Dec 2005 14:26:51 -0600 JimB - the question is not if Greece would help... the questions is _who_ would Greece help. Realistically, I suspect that at the very least Greece would allow us basing. What's that called? NATO Article V? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36700 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36700 Tue, 20 Dec 2005 11:28:27 -0600 I was thinking that those conformal fuel tanks made the -16I look oddly... F/A-18ish. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36699 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36699 Tue, 20 Dec 2005 11:25:07 -0600 pasdaran will rally 'round the Jihad Banner. Between the anti-Great Satan blurbs, the periodic crackdowns on wearers of sinful (i.e., Western) clothing and the recent farce masquerading as an election, the Iranians have pretty well had it with their rulers. Our best bet to keep the Persian pot simmering until it boils over is through the quiet, judicious application of designer jeans and cheap laptops, with the occasional bribe --ooops!-- "incentive payment" passed to the loyal opposition. It'll take a few years, but the mad mullahs will be so frustrated at seeing their pronouncements ignored (and power eroding), they'll eventually toss the repress-the-populace card on the table. Then we blanket Teheran and Qom with Tom Paine's stuff, suitably edited and translated into Farsi. Along with directions on where to find the cache of AKs... ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36698 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36698 Tue, 20 Dec 2005 11:25:03 -0600 I am. The fact that they want a nuke, and are close to getting one, will force Israel's hand. And we're in between it all. With our troops in Iraq (and our commitment to Iraqis), we have a stake in how this plays out, and unfortunately we have to be a factor in its resolution. We can't stand on the sidelines like we were able to when the Israelis took out Osirak. ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36697 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36697 Tue, 20 Dec 2005 11:19:39 -0600 Speaking of Russia as a potential problem, if Russia attacked Turkey from behind would Greece help? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36696 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36696 Tue, 20 Dec 2005 11:15:21 -0600 Thanks, Bill. Coulda done without that visual. F-16I - is it just me, or does it look like an F-16 with mumps? The extra legs will be well worth it, though. The Israelis have plenty of planes for close-in air-to-air - my hunch is these planes are for power pprojection, for when they want to reach out and touch someone (with a 1000-lb bomb). http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36695 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36695 Tue, 20 Dec 2005 10:58:08 -0600 Right, Lex. You can never say too much about parasite drag... *conjuring a horrible visual of tapeworms in little, teensy taffeta gowns* http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36693 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36693 Tue, 20 Dec 2005 10:32:49 -0600 I'm afraid we won't be getting any assist from Russia on Iran and if we try to stage a large invasion force in the stans I'm thinking that Russia is more likely to intervene on behalf of the Iranians (how timely since I just posted on this subject in rather long, lengthy prose as I am want to do; but I believe I covered all the bases). If we go to it with Iran, I have a feeling we will be bombing the holy mother of mullahs out of it for a very long time While we do blockade in the straits of Hormuz, cut their oil, natural gas, import and export lines in Iraq and Afghanistan and the other stans, freeze all assets, thus performing siege warfare on the largest fortress ever. Being prepared of course with the largest oil reserve known to man since every OPEC (that includes Venezuela who will be too happy to make our lives miserable) country will cut us off and so will Russia. Don't forget that China, who is a major trading partner and gets a nice chunk of their measely oil from there, will be equally pissed off. The only way it happens is that the preside, Ahmanidiot, represses people so far down that they are only to happy to take our money and arms and help from some black op folks, (along with money to get the military to change sides and us flying cover to keep the air force down) and they over throw these a-holes. Then again, maybe we could amass the largest amphibion force ever seen and go right through their only port, while we drop tons of airborne, tanks and artillary behind the lines taking major casualties. That's if or after we amass tons of missiles and tomahawks. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36692 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36692 Tue, 20 Dec 2005 10:29:08 -0600 had to post it twice. Plumber.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36691 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36691 Tue, 20 Dec 2005 10:24:29 -0600 need that stuff.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36690 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36690 Tue, 20 Dec 2005 10:20:56 -0600 need that stuff.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36689 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36689 Tue, 20 Dec 2005 10:20:30 -0600 ROFL ... What a 'who-oot' ;-) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36688 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36688 Tue, 20 Dec 2005 10:13:40 -0600 What's the name of the band?" Greg: "WHO!" Me [finally adding two plus two]: "Well then, where's What?" Greg: "Second base."]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36680 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/12/stuff_caught_by_the_hi_fireplan_today.html#comment-36680 Tue, 20 Dec 2005 08:21:29 -0600