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February 3, 2007

H&I Fires* 3 Feb 2007

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite. [Hey - trackbacks work again!]

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

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DoD News Release.

Meanwhile, a senior defense official announced today that Charles "Cully" Stimson, deputy assistant secretary for detainee affairs, has resigned, effective today. Gates accepted Stimson's resignation yesterday, Bryan Whitman, deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, told reporters today.

Stimson offered his resignation in light of controversy over statements regarding lawyers who represent detainees, Whitman said. Stimson's statements were seen as urging law firms to stop representing Guantanamo Bay detainees.

Whitman said Stimson believed the controversy "hampered his ability to be effective" in his post and resigned because he put the Defense Department's interests above his own.

Whitman praised Stimson's "diligent" work regarding detainee affairs. He cited his efforts to increase transparency and strengthen relationships with other non-governmental organizations and other groups, particularly the International Committee of the Red Cross.

If only we could get elected officials to do the same thing...

Another interesting thing is - the resignation mostly seems to be of interest to lawyers, as far as blogs go.

I'm off to a militaria show.

Oh, and we had an inmate escape from the Federal Prison. Wheee! -the Armorer

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Here's some light Saturday reading... Non-binding Cartoon Surge. - FbL

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Speaking of "non-binding", a little analysis of how the Democrats AND Republicans are both trying to have their cake and eat it too.

Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows... »

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by Denizens on Feb 03, 2007 | General Commentary

Fisk! Fisk!

Man, am I hammered. Whoever invented the Rusty Nail is (was?) a frickin' GENIUS. Been flyin' my a$$ off and trying to read the new contract before I bid for March (inside baseball airline comment--don't try to understand). Remodeling the house. Walking the dog in sub-zero temps. Flyin' but able to see my family every month. Heh. Life is good.

Then I read Bill Arkin...both his first piece and the follow up.

Oi.

So, I have a few cocktails and ponder.

This is the attack pilot way. It is not to be questioned. Well, you CAN question it, but I won't care and I won't answer. So there.

And thus, without further ado, is my rejoinder....

Bill: The Arrogant and Intolerant Speak Out

Me: Oh, dear. It does not bode well for the writer when he or she begins the piece with an ad hominem attack on those who have criticized his work. “Methinks thou dost protest too much” comes to mind but, after thinking about it, it fits the pattern of a man who, at least at first blush, seems to know he’s done something wrong. Not morally wrong, mind you, but tactically dumb—coming out of defilade too early is a misstep he regrets, i.e., before spitting on veterans is in vogue at the nation’s airports and other ports of debarkation. Timing is everything and America just isn’t ready to give the troops (professional thugs, if you will) the treatment they actually deserve.

Bill: Well, one thing’s abundantly clear about who will actually defend our rights to say what we believe: It isn’t the hundreds who have written me saying they are soldiers or veterans or war supporters or real Americans — who also advise me to move to another country, to get f@##d, or to die a painful, violent death.

Me: For those who did that to Mr. Arkin, foul—depart the range, you’ve violated the ROE—by that I mean you’ve lowered yourself to his level (or worse, to Markos Moulitsas’).

Bill: Contrary to the typically inaccurate and overstated assertion in dozens of blogs, hundreds of comments, and thousands of e-mails I’ve received, I’ve never written that soldiers should “shut up,” quit whining, be spit upon, or that they have no right to an opinion.

Me: Well, lad, that’s a bit of a dodge, actually. There is literal and implied messaging in one’s product, especially when crafting an opinion piece. The impression many people got is that you sort of think the troops should, in one man’s words, “shut up and bleed.” Perhaps this is incorrect, but thousands came away with that impression. Moreover, in listening to your interview with John Gibson, you quite clearly implied (to me…not my fault, man, I was just sitting there listening) that the behavior at Abu Ghraib was not an anomaly but rather typical, because that’s what American soldiers do.

Bill: I said I was bothered by the notion that “the troops” were somehow becoming hallowed beings above society, that they had an attitude that only they had the means - or the right - to judge the worthiness of the Iraq endeavor.

Me: Please. First, the troops don’t need scare quotes. They exist. They are real. And they are hallowed beings to some extent in that they have voluntarily entered into the fray against barbarism. Second, many are post-9/11 enlistees and officer volunteers, conscious of what they were doing when they signed up and why. Third, they are willing to die for total strangers, in a faraway, alien place for a concept, not for a buck, not for health care, not for benefits but because they think it’s the right thing to do.
OK, I’ll give you that they’d probably prefer to live, but are willing to die if they must. Personally, I don’t think I’m fit to shine these guys’ boots…and I’m a retired senior officer (that would be a Colonel).

Bill: I was dead wrong in using the word "mercenary" to describe the American soldier today.

Me: Ah, the first step in rehab is admitting you have a problem…

Bill: These men and women are not fighting for money with little regard for the nation. The situation might be much worse than that: Evidently, far too many in uniform believe that they are the one true nation. They hide behind the constitution and the flag and then spew an anti-Democrat, anti-liberal, anti-journalism, anti-dissent, and anti-citizen message that reflects a certain contempt for the American people.

Me: Goodness. I really think you misheard them. First of all, “hide” used in the same sentence as “American soldier” is a bit of an operational oxymoron. Second, these are people who are willing to sacrifice everything, in the most literal sense, for you to say they most repugnant things about them you can conjure.
That, my friend, is not hiding behind the Constitution. It is defending it to the utmost. Now, I will grant you there may be some impatience with the Democrat Party, “liberals” (who are often anything but, given their proclivity for suppressing counters to their arguments—scare quotes justly earned), journalists, dissenters and anti-freedom citizens because what these warriors see, in person, up close and personal, utterly annihilates the premises under which the above-mentioned groups labor. Third, I defy you to present me with a credible example of an active duty soldier, sailor, airman or Marine that shows “contempt” for the American people. Do they exist? Hey, there’s a FEW bad apples in every barrel but the percentage is statistically negligible. I’d bet my life on it and I’d be willing to bet his/her peers have no use for them…nada, zero, zip.

Bill: What I’ve heard ever since my article “The Troops Also Need to Support the American People“ was published on Tuesday are a lot of people telling ME to shut up and be grateful for the sacrifices others are making.

Me: OK, there are a lot of people telling you to shut up. Not good. However, there are a LOT of people out there who recognized the article for what it was, a snarky, condescending smackdown of men and women putting their lives on the line for a noble cause and making the best of a bad situation. Your piece was petty. It was dismissive. It was small. It was unoriginal.

Bill: I never said we shouldn’t support the troops. I just lamented that “we support them in every possible way, and their attitude is that we should in addition roll over and play dead, defer to the military and the generals and let them fight their war, and give up our rights and responsibilities to speak up because they are above society?”

Me: Whoa, whoa, whoa! “We support them in EVERY POSSIBLE WAY?!?” C’mon, dude. Even the densest grunt and Jarhead KNOW that ain’t the case. “Support” refers to “giving aid and assistance to,” “providing encouragement to,” etc., and that isn’t a theme that jumps out in your piece. Your “lament” is crocodilian—tears that are shed for effect, not in sincerity. Then the paragraph descends into incoherence—“give up our rights and responsibilities to speak up” is sort of repudiated by the fact that you are doing so in one of the three most widely-read newspapers in the United States if not the world. “…[B]ecause they are above society” is called “projection”—assigning a shortcoming to an external entity that you in fact display in spades. (I know this is a waste of time, but I offer this as a way to support the troops: Support any and all efforts that lead to victory over Islamic fascism and contribute to establishing a viable democracy in the heart of the Middle East.)

Bill: Thousands have written telling me to “shut up and quit whining,” that the troops do support the American people - “with their lives.”
I can’t respond to everyone individually - keep the cards and letters coming though, I do read them - but I’ll try to tease out of the comments some themes that confirm in my mind the difficult state that this impossible war has put us.

Me: *Sigh* “Impossible war” you say?

Indeed.

Read up on the war in the Pacific between 1942 and ’45. Fraught with mistakes, thousands of casualties, knee-deep in blood, the Allies fought on.

In Europe, the casualty rate in one battle alone (The Bulge) was 26 times that suffered to date in Iraq.

I know this makes your head explode—no death is acceptable in fighting for freedom, at least when a Republican is the Commander-in-Chief, but perspective is everything.

Given the fact that we are engaged in a struggle with entities that would detonate a nuclear weapon on US soil given half a chance, the cost we have borne so far is miniscule by comparison.

Now, before you take this out of context, know that I consider the blood of an American soldier the most precious of things. If I could prevent a drop being spilled, I would do it. But I cannot. I believe that resistance is necessary, uncompromising, fierce, and unyielding. That means blood will be spilled. But, as long as we believe that victory is preferable over defeat, it will not be spilled in vain.

-Instapilot

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by Dusty on Feb 03, 2007 | Media Morons

Here we go again...

Remember the uproar a few Silly Seasons back when Piglet was banned in Britain for fear of "offending Muslim sensibilities"...?

Guess what? The Muttaween -- the religious policemen, not to be confused with The Religious Policeman (hurry up and finish that book so you can get back to blogging!) -- finally caught on that a cartoon pig was supposedly an instrument of the Peacock Angel.

Camper from Qatar Living recounts the tale, beginning (as is appropriate) at the beginning:

In Qatar there is only one decent bookshop (that happens to be a Saudi chain) that has a few shelves of English books. Shopping there is hit or miss - you don't go there to look for a title. You go there in the hope of stumbling upon something interesting.

The kids selection is not bad though. The other night we saw Disney's "My Very First Encyclopedia with Winnie the Pooh and friends". We grabbed it and thought it was exactly what we needed for our daughter - not only does she love Winnie the Pooh but she's also started taking a keen interest in nature.

And upon opening said Encyclopedia, camper discovered that Piglet had been blacked out. On every page. You'll get a small, painless lesson in current Middle Eastern events during camper's dissertation on why he found the censorship more disturbing than that which was censored.

This whole incident reminded me of a discussion with a friend from South Africa a few years ago. He was explaining kindness and mercy in Islam. He said that a even a pig, a creature which is seen as "despised" by Muslims, is a creature of God and should thus be treated with kindness and mercy. So while we should not eat it, that doesn't meant that Muslims are interested in torturing or trying to exterminate them... even if only with a brand new 3-inch black marker. If a pig was injured, it would be a Muslims duty to assist it.

One commenter wondered why the presence of Piglet in the bookstore was deemed offensive, but the presence of Mein Kampf was *not*...

The whole post is here. Don't forget the comments, either. Every now and then, it's nice to be reminded that Sensibility trumps Sensibilities -- and there are folks closer to the source than we are who don't want Wahhabism shoved down *their* throats, either...

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by CW4BillT on Feb 03, 2007 | Pugnacious Stupidity

February 2, 2007

H&I Fires* 2 Feb 2007

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite. [Hey - trackbacks work again!]

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

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Punxsutawney Phil says spring is coming early. Me, I'm holding out for more snow.

Well, it's official. This just in - the sun and sea-floor spreading activity have nothing to do with it. It's all just us. The UN says it's all our fault and there's nothing we can do about it. Of course, that won't stop them from trying some of the most breath-taking power grabs in the history of mankind. Heh. Glad I like mountains, and was never all that fond of the ocean. I don't have any beachfront property to worry about - and this just means I can move north, to less populated areas, to keep indulging my taste for snow. Keep in mind - we were going to freeze to death in the 70's. The truth is somewhere in between. -the Armorer

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Email discussion last night:

"Hey! I can't get on your site, what's up?"

"Hosting Matters is possibly under a DOS attack." (they weren't, it was a fiber trunk cut in Atlanta, but I didn't know that at the time.)

"Well, you should put up a note telling people that!"
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[crickets chirp]
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"Um, here's your sign..." -the Armorer

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Congratulations are in order!
This from Badgers Forward
Stop over at Acute Politics and congratulate the Teflon Don on his promotion to Specialist. Well deserved and I was proud to velcro his new rank to his unifrom this AM.
Passed along by Princess Crabby

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Sometimes listening to an opposing view can be healthy. Are we being petulant children about PRC with much more to be gained by cooperation?

Maybe.

But I know I still want the capability, if not the active design, to counter them if they go malignant. Cooperative but wary. That's what I think is prudent.

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Where's the outrage? Isn't this a war crime? Behead a man for not co-operating with you? Suspect him of being a spy for the other side and kill him without a trial? Oh, that's right, it's not MNF doing this so we don't get mad about it.
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There's some change coming down the pipe in Pakistan if this is right.
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Jaques Chirac says that if the US doesn't join the Kyoto Protocol we should be taxed.
ry.

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Further to Massa John’s entry yesterday…

You Gringos may all know this day for its reverence to a certain obstreperous rodent. However, we Spiks all around this fair Earth, know it better as El Dia de la Candelaria The Feast of Candelmas. The one and only day that we all Pyros out there can rejoice with abandon.

Back in the day when I was a little tyke of say 8 to 14 years of age, all kids in the neighborhood, would enter in a fierce competition. Starting January 7th, we would scour our neighborhood for all Christmas Trees thrown onto the curbs (Back home X-Mass Trees are kept until after Epiphany - Jan 6th). We would then stash them on top our roofs (All roofs being perfectly flat). And have the dried-up trees, “age” some more under the hot tropical sun for a few more weeks. Finally, at dusk of Feb 2nd, all kids in the neighborhood would gather-up all of their respective stashes (Braggin’ rights for the one with the biggest stash), and drag them up to the nearby playground. All trees then go into a big pile… a little spark of a friendly match… and FIRE!!!! The dried-up oils and resins of hundreds of trees go up in a purifying flame that reaches for the sky.

Ahhh – La Virgen de la Candelaria, unofficial protrectress of all PYROS, is my favorite. Sorry Saints Brigida & Babs, The Virgin Rules. - BOQ

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The sidebar isn't updating regularly(again). But this post by Kat---can I say I'm damn glad she's back again?---- really looks at something we all care about: media relations and informational warfare. Good read. Some real questions there.
ry

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Homefront Six has picture that says a thousand words. - FbL

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The Canadian Forces has just formally inked a deal with Boeing to purchase four C-17 Globemasters ASAP (formal announcement today at 1400 EST). Big thanks to the USAF for giving up slots in the production line for us. Given the political farting around on the regional pork aspect of the contract, I'm not sure we deserved the favour.

And in other CF-related news, our Navy and Air Force engineering shops have been working long hours for their Army brethren - putting threat-specific armour on our LAVIII armoured fighting vehicles in southern Afghanistan. If only CBC could get the story right... - Damian

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Blackfive is a goldmine today: a potential MoH SEAL, the military version of "six degrees," and an update on Rambo the Afghan. - FbL

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Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows... »

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by Denizens on Feb 02, 2007 | General Commentary

The SugarButtons Brigade in the Assault.

Be All That You Once Were!

More funny stuff, not always work-safe, here at FreakingNews.Com

H/t, the Auld Pharts in Korea, via Jim C.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Feb 02, 2007 | I think it's funny!

The nicely obscure whatzis...

As I expected, you guys collectively pretty much nailed it, if missing some of the fiddly details. It is in fact an airbrushed photo for an advertising brochure.

J. Walter Christie was a pretty talented designer of tanks. But, as happens to many people with talent, he got a little messianic now and again. That photo represented one of those ideas which just couldn't get out of his head.

He was fixated on developing a light tank that could be carried under a plane. You'd spin the tracks up to high speed, then the plane would skim along the ground, the tank would touch, the pilot (or tanker) would release, and voila! Aerial deployment of tanks.

Oddly enough, the Army never showed much interest in the concept, much less actually designing an aircraft capable of it. I'll let the pilots among us discuss all the technical reasons why even if technically feasible (an arguable question for the tech at the time) it's such a bad idea from so many perspectives. Not the least of which is flying some lumbering transport aircraft just feet above ground that is anything flatter than a runway.

That's a drawing of a M1940 Christie tank (which was never built) grafted on to a picture of a YB-17 as already determined by the Smart Guys in the comments.

Well done.

And now for something complete different.

So, whatziss?

You guys are always whining about scale, etc - so here's some context.

Here's a larger view, as if that's going to help.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Feb 02, 2007 | Gun Pr0n - A Naughty Expose' of the fiddly bits

Hope Rides Alone.

Sergeant Eddie Jeffers, via The New Media Journal.

And to think, I volunteered for this...

And I am ignorant to the rest of the world...or so I thought.

But even thousands of miles away, in Ramadi, Iraq, the cries and screams and complaints of the ungrateful reach me. In a year, I will be thrust back into society from a life and mentality that doesn't fit your average man. And then, I will be alone. And then, I will walk down the streets of America, and see the yellow ribbon stickers on the cars of the same people who compare our President to Hitler.

I will watch the television and watch the Cindy Sheehans, and the Al Frankens, and the rest of the ignorant sheep of America spout off their mouths about a subject they know nothing about. It is their right, however, and it is a right that is defended by hundreds of thousands of boys and girls scattered across the world, far from home. I use the word boys and girls, because that's what they are. In the Army, the average age of the infantryman is nineteen years old. The average rank of soldiers killed in action is Private First Class.


You can read the rest here. H/t, Jim C.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Feb 02, 2007 | Global War on Terror (GWOT)

February 1, 2007

H&I Fires* 1 Feb 2007

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite. [Hey - trackbacks work again!]

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

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As Ry predicted, William Arkin has ignited a blogstorm. For a good, old-fashioned beat-down, check out Uncle Jimbo. The more sedate may prefer Cassandra's calm and logical evisceration.

But I haven't seen a better summary than at Powerline:

The Peril of Newspaper Blogs... is that a reporter might say what he actually thinks before an editor catches up with him and makes him stop.

Blue Crab Boulevard has the definitive round-up.

Today's Day by Day gets in on the act, too. - FbL

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Video of Joshua Sparling confronting anti-war protestors last weekend (minus the spitting) - FbL

And to counter the seriousness of the other links so far... President Bush finds a new way to deal with the press: bury 'em.

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Unfortunately, Wild Bill Arkin isn't the only numbskull saying idiotic things. I wrote a letter to the editor of my local paper because I've had it up to my eyeballs with the "Poor, duped soldiers, oil and Iraq = Vietnam". Apparently, they are brilliant, well paid specimens of humanity in Afghanistan, but dumb as rocks as soon as they cross that Iraq border. (I was confused this weekend...when the marcher's were marching for peace, was that just Iraq or was that Afghanistan too?)

Anyhow, the letter was short (to hopefully get printed) and everything else I wish they'd give me the room for is on the blog.

While we're at it, here's some previews of the coming inter-regional Sunni/Shia war as soon as we abandon Iraq.

Finally, what if a democracy dies and nobody comes to the funeral?

Then Chirac opens his mouth and swallows his foot whole: Iran's possession of a nuclear weapon would not be "very dangerous" and that if used on Israel, Tehran would be immediately "razed."

It's that end part "Tehran would be razed". Kind of like that time it was announced "France has nukes and knows how to defend herself." Slip of the tongue? Or, the French version of Cowboy Bush?

-Kat (I had access to a computer, see how dangerous that is?)
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OK, maybe I jumped the gun on calling Arizona State Rep Warde Nichols a dillweed. Chalk it up to one of two things- either me misreading his statement, or the media taking it out of context, leading me to misread it. In any case, I apologize, Mr. Warde. FOXNew's new article on this subject casts a different light on his feelings toward the current ROE for National Guard members patroling our southern border.

Now, instead of just quoting him saying "What are they here for if they are going to retreat from people with automatic weapons", FOXNews has clarified his position by saying "Nichols said until the rules of engagement are changed, the troops are little more than "window dressing ... to say we are doing something about border security."
"We want to untie their hands," he added. "We want to put them in a primary role." "

Now THAT'S more like it! Untie their hands and put the Guard in a primary role guarding our border. After all, isn't that what the National Guard was created for? Protecting our homeland?
~AFSis

Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows... »

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by Denizens on Feb 01, 2007 | General Commentary

Good Golly Miss Molly Saint Brigid!

I'm married to the daughter of a brewer, we're both of Irish descent, and I just score a commitment for beer from Skippy-san and Lex... and I missed this?

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Brigid!

stb03001.jpg

Blessed woman of this quote:


"I would like the angels of Heaven to be among us. I would like an abundance of peace. I would like full vessels of charity. I would like rich treasures of mercy. I would like cheerfulness to preside over all. I would like Jesus to be present. I would like the three Marys of illustrious renown to be with us. I would like the friends of Heaven to be gathered around us from all
parts. I would like myself to be a rent payer to the Lord; that I should suffer distress, that he would bestow a good blessing upon me. I would like a great lake of beer for the King of Kings. I would like to be watching Heaven's family drinking it through all eternity."


-Saint Brigid of Ireland.

Heh. What she said.


Of course, Syrup-Swilling Hoser Alan who has a beer blog for heaven's sake, missed it too.

H/t, Good Catholic Beer Drinker Jim C.

Update: Jim adds:

Back to the Saint -- one her miracles:

None was more miraculous than this: when a group of clergy paid a visit, she realized she had nothing worthy to serve them; Brigid's tub of bathwater, so it is said, turned into the finest beer, and a cheerful feast was enjoyed by all. Also note: Brigid is the saint of students. Coincidence?

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Feb 01, 2007 | Something for the Soul

Where to begin? Where to end?

Lex has a nice, thoughtful post up over at his place. Okay, d-uh. Let's try again - Lex has a post up at his place that is a response to Skippy-san. Skippy-san is a serving (retired?) sailor and war sceptic.

Since Lex mentioned me, and someone pointed out the post to me, well, I thought I ought to go read what calumny that double-whammy (sailor *and* aviator) was spreading about yours truly.

So should you. Click here.

Prolly oughta read the comments, too.

I decided to weigh in, since I kinda occupy the middle ground between Skippy and Lex (heh, too hot, too cold, just right... yep. That's me, squishily in the muddle [sic]).

Lex said: …as a serving military officer my loyalties and responsibilities are clear.

So, I said...

My commission remains in effect, if in abeyance, so to speak.

Indeed - as a good staff officer I have offered my opinions when sought. And, sometimes when they weren't, too.

I have volunteered for recall to serve. However, apparently, rotund bearded redleg-historian-simgeeks are not needful to bring the foe to heel.

But if charged to do so, I will implement the decisions made, even those that I don't like, to the utmost of my ability. 'Tis duty, obligation.

This is one thing many in the anti-war left have trouble getting their brains around. They think we should object to participating in wars they don't like, and actively move to undermine them. Of course, they also think we should be jailed if we don't follow orders to participate in wars they think are acceptable. They really don't understand that outside of issues covered under the Conventions and indeed the UCMJ, they *really* don't want us picking and choosing whose orders we'll follow. Down this path lies the time when the decision is made by those who wield the instruments of the state's right to legitimate violence that *they* will make the decisions. And we join the list of Banana Republics.

Skippy understands all that. It’s not like he’s JadeGold, for heaven’s sake.

He still has to buy the first round, however. (this is the whole purpose of responding to them - I've got commitment now from Skippy to buy beer.)

And while I may not have been all that keen on invading Iraq - nor was I all that keen on invading Kosovo.

In fact, oddly enough, considering some of the invective tossed my way about things, I’m not keen on invading anything, generally. I'm much fonder of invading people who have done me clear harm. Unlike many of my fan base, who are all for invading some things. I'm not as averse as you think, I just have some idea of *how much* I don't know about many of the things you really should know before you decide to draw those lines on maps marked "Line of departure." It makes me cautious. I'm not a great fan of pre-emptive war... *but*. We don't live in clearly delimned times.

The *but* is that when the threat to you is one easily observed and tracked, such as a building Wehrmacht in central europe, that's an easier position to take.

When the threat is one that, as the Israelis perceived the Arabs in 1967, one that if they start and you aren't already in place ready to go, will roll you over or cause unacceptable loss - then yes, I can see the case for pre-emptive war.

But, as Iraq pointed out - you have to be careful, because the Unintended Consequences are going to reach out and touch you, and may just kick your butt.

But I do believe in finishing what you start, and making a true honest effort. And not just quitting because it took longer and cost more than you expected. Of course, every project I start at home follows that pattern, so perhaps I’m inured and just responding to a templated expectation.

And I will listen respectfully to people who think that staying there one more day is no different than the Generals sending one more wave into the Tractor Factory at Stalingrad.

The hard question is - and only answerable in the fullness of time - in that wise is: are we the Germans, or the Russians? For the Russians - it was the thing to do. For the Germans...

Armistead, or Meade? Thomas, or Longstreet? Would Reno have turned the tide at Little Big Horn - or did he in fact, do the right thing, rather than just add to the kill total for Crazy Horse and his crew?

That’s why historians can get so annoying. It’s all so clear, after they’ve sifted everything. Hundreds of them. For decades.

Too bad the decision maker is the Man in the Arena, as Teddy put it, and not the Bobblehead on TV, or, dare I say it, blogger.

Just ask Neville Chamberlain what it's like. Or Edouard Daladier.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Feb 01, 2007 | Global War on Terror (GWOT)

This is a nicely obscure whatzis...

Yadda yadda if you get the aircraft. That's easy.

Anybody got the skinny on the whole thing? What're we looking at here?

Impress me with your skilz.

Yes, I do.

Mind you - I just stumbled across this, it ain't something that was stuck in the brain housing group as actual knowledge or anything.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Feb 01, 2007 | Gun Pr0n - A Naughty Expose' of the fiddly bits | Tanks and AFVs

Going Viking.

Larry K, the Castle's Junction City/Coast Guard correspondent, sent us this for our delectation this morning.

I have no idea what is going on here but I thought you might like it is you haven’t seen it already.

Sort of reminds me of what it would be like if the Muppets Danish Chef were in the Army.

Flerdy flerdy flerdy fluefer flerdy fluefer flue BAMBAMBAMBAM flerdy fluefer flerdy compound BAMBAMBAMBAM fluefer flue BOOOOOOOOM flerdy yah!

Click here - and watch the Dutch Danish (hey, it was early, dammit. I do too know the difference) Army in action in a way it hasn't been since, oh, May, 1940?

Ahoy Talibani! Get some, Gentlemen and Ladies.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Feb 01, 2007 | Global War on Terror (GWOT)

January 31, 2007

H&I* Fires, 31 JAN 2007

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite. [Hey - trackbacks work again!]

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

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Michael Totten sure does get around. First he writes his own blog. Then he’s over at Dean’s World. Now I notice he’s at Winds of Change debunking Hezbollah infowar pablum---while writing from Lebanon no less. Stay safe, Mike, you 9/12 democrat you.
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Gertz and Reuters provide two stories on US ABMD recent tests and the context of these tests.
And yes, I did notice the claim in the first para of the Reuters piece.

Within a year, the U.S. missile defense system should be able to guard against enemy attacks, while testing new technologies, the deputy director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said on Monday.

I soooo wish.

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Bill Arkin painted a big ol’ bull’s-eye on his chest with his column. I wouldn’t want to be Bill for the next few days after writing this:

I'm all for everyone expressing their opinion, even those who wear the uniform of the United States Army. But I also hope that military commanders took the soldiers aside after the story and explained to them why it wasn't for them to disapprove of the American people.

Bonapartism is something to worry about, but, hey, if the media/pop-culture has made it such a big deal to care about those who â€have something on the line’ in this why shouldn’t the American public get the Grunt’s view and opinion? It’s their butts on the line. Or can’t we Normals take criticism we collectively earned?
ry

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Stock Tip of the Day: Invest in whoever markets this, the first truly bi-partisan bumper sticker --

RUN, HILLARY, RUN!!

Dems can affix it to their rear bumpers, Republicans to their front bumpers...

H/t to Doc E, who's been cleaning out the attic. -- BillT

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Here's a good snerk - in a comment to Bill's tank post, Sanger said: True... But I could put a 105mm on a dunebuggy and it still wouldn't be a tank.

Well, it would appear that WWII put the French Army in a somewhat parlous state, post-war. So the Army that gave us a truly revolutionary piece of artillery, the "French 75" found themselves trying again to revolutionize warfare. Apparently very fond of the 75mm caliber, while they were unable to produce a new gun on their own, they gave us a new mounting and deployment option for a 75mm gun.

Scooters up !

-the Armorer

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Longtime Denizens may remember that Arkin (linked in Ry's post above) is the guy who accused the milbloggers of being "bought" by the Army and linked little ol' me (rather than some of the bloggers who truly had an ideological impact in the online world) as an example. That was a fun little bit... Not! Yeah, I couldn't resist a fisking of Arkin's column, though I'm not exactly in my best form these days. - FbL.

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Bummer - Phred Felps and his Whelps lose one in Federal Court - the Feds refuse to prevent Missouri from enforcing their law banning protests at funerals. Glib Fortuna at Stop the ACLU has the story. Crocodile tears flow. -the Armorer

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Hey! I see the Adjutant showed up... yet there is no notice of... Neffi's Natal Day! Andre', where are you? All good Denizen/nes will go find Neffi presents! -the Armorer

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With two Hosers on the Denizen/nes roll, John et al now officially have a more open border policy than the U.S. government.

So to celebrate my shiny-new posting privileges, I plan to write something with enough extraneous vowels to properly show how honourable, colourful, and neighbourly we Canadians can really be...

But first, I'd like to draw your attention to Canada's rough analogue of Bob Hope, a Newfoundlander (never call them Newfies...to their faces at least) who is so consistently supportive of the Canadian Forces, he was recently named Honourary Colonel of a helicopter squadron that flies spin-tops older than he is.

In fact, Rick Mercer spent this past Christmas in Afghanistan. Not at Kandahar Air Field, mind you, but out in Sperwan Ghar at a quaint and cozy little FOB called Strong Point West, huddled around a Coleman stove "watching a pot of Tetley tea bags threaten to boil." Needless to say, he's not out there for a career boost.

He showed his true colours once again (for those who are counting, that's two superfluous vowels already) in delivering a well-deserved public shaming to a...wait for it...Women's Studies prof who complained in print about how her holidays were ruined by incessant reporting of Canadian troops in Kandahar, and went on to write off double amputee and hero Cpl Paul Franklin as some "poor sod." Mercer's rebuttal starts here, and just gets better:

I know I should just ignore the good professor and write her off as another bitter baby boom academic pining for what she fondly calls "the protest songs of yesteryear," but I can't help myself. A response is exactly what she wants; and so I include it here. After all, Newfoundlanders have seen this before: Noreen Golfman, sadly, is Margaret Wente without the wit.

Between that and his final salvo of "the gates of Auschwitz were not opened with peace talks," there's a bunch of fun reading.

And yes, for those who managed to keep reading this entry to the bitter end, I'll try to be less wordy next time. I promise.

But the extra vowels will stay. - Damian, aka Babbling Brooks

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Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows... »

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by Denizens on Jan 31, 2007 | General Commentary
» Cadillac Tight links with: Look

Potential Quds/Iranian invlovement in the Karbala Attack

When I see stuff like this report about potential Quds force involvement in the Karbala kidnap and execution â€measure twice but cut once’ goes thru my head.

We all need to be real careful with this one. The consequences of the final findings are too important to ruin, false or positive for Iranian influence, by doing the enemy’s infowar work for him by talking it to death and forming solid opinions before all the facts are known.

This is potentially an act of war. Be real careful with this. It isn’t *just* news. â€Measure twice but cut once.’

Oh Lord, please let this initial report be wrong. Please? Give the Grunts a break would you? Please?
ry

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by Denizens on Jan 31, 2007 | Global War on Terror (GWOT)

After Action Report- 100 Flags: Funeral service of Sergeant Ian Anderson Friday, January 26

[Armorer's note: This post is from Denizenne Kat, who attended the funeral.]

It was extremely cold Friday morning. It would have been warmer except the wind kept the wind chill to about 20 degrees. The Patriot Guard Riders met as planned at Home Depot to prepare for the mission. Soldier's Angels provided coffee and doughnuts to the frozen riders.

Some observations, besides the weather:

Not everyone in the Patriot Guard are veterans, though, on a quick scan, I would say they make up half or more of the "riders". Secondly, not everyone rides a bike, though that was the predominant mode of transportation. Many people showed up in "cages" (cars). I drove the car down. Third, if you have never ridden a motorcycle in any temperature below fifty degrees, you may not appreciate the kind of dedication that it takes to ride in the middle of January.

Over 70 motorcycles made the ride Friday. Wednesday night, the Patriot Riders had escorted Sergeant Anderson from KCI airport to the funeral home (video)

I read the jackets as we passed out coffee. Patriot Guard Riders came from as far away as Medicine Lodge and Liberal, Kansas. As I handed out the coffee, the pin on one jacket caught my attention. The gentleman wearing it was about 30 or so. Young compared to most of the "vets" there. I glanced at it again and realized it was a "CIB" or combat infantry badge. The back of his jacket read "Iraqi Freedom Vet" and other patches from the Big Red One, 4th Infantry and 1stArmored among six total that decorated his jacket (thank you John and all the military guys at the Castle for the education that allowed me to name them).

Later, I saw several other young men with "vet" patches and hats. The next generation of vets are already standing up.

The Ride Captain pulled out the bullhorn and circled up the troops. He said a prayer asking that the "other drivers" have their "eyes open" as we performed the task. Then he reminded everyone why they were there and the expectations of the PGR:

1) No interaction with protesters
2) No comments to them
3) No rude gestures
4) No physical contact

Our job was to simply be there and act as a barrier while providing support to the family.

We started out right at 9 AM and drove the short distance to the Church where the final service was being held. With no police escort or flashing lights indicating "funeral procession", it was a challenge to get 70 bikes and some 20 to 30 cars together at the Church.

The rude folks from Topeka did show up, but they were pretty far from the church all things considered. One of the PGR members told me that it was mostly "kids" (teenagers) that showed up at the protests with one or two adults. That was exactly what showed here. In reality, they were a non-factor really. Most of the people came in from the back and couldn't
see them anyway. Over 100 flags encircled the church and channel 9 covered the event again. Then it was time to escort Sergeant Anderson to his final resting place.

Again, over 70 motorcycles roared to life. With the additional cars, limos, hearse and two police escorts, the procession was at least five city blocks (appx. 1 mile). Flags were streaming as the procession passed. It was an awesome sight.

I have to give a big kudos to the people we passed. Everywhere you looked the cars were stopped. Some pulled to the side of the road and many just stopped where they were. I'm talking about everywhere, not just when the escort blocked an intersection. They stayed stopped until our procession when completely by. Even though that's proper "road etiquette" when approaching a funeral, that doesn't usually happen accept at intersections.

Whatever the reason for the courtesy, I can safely say that hundreds (if not thousands) of motorists were made aware that a soldier had come home Friday.

Second to the escort to the cemetery, the most impressive sight were the 100 flags that surrounded the funeral tent and lined the short drive. I believe the people and flags probably blocked 80% of the wind and 100% of the view from passers-by. The cemetery was pretty open and close to the road. Cars were slowing as they passed. The wind whipping the flags around was so loud you couldn't hear the chaplain.

Two buglers echoed taps. There's nothing more beautiful than taps echoing. The VFW buglers performed fantastically. Veterans saluted and civilians covered their hearts. The honor guard let loose with three volleys. Then the flag ceremony. Three flags were presented to the family. The troops acquitted themselves well considering the cold and wind.

Finally, when the ceremony was over, the family and friends began to leave. The PGR, through no command or previous direction, stayed in position until Sgt Anderson's wife and immediate family had been escorted back to the limos.

Really, these pictures and dispassionate recital cannot begin to express how much pride I felt watching the reaction of the people around us or my pride in being part of this activity to support the family and show them that we honored their soldier's service.

Additional Mission Photos can be found here and here (this set has photos that really show the length of the procession and the rest of the ceremonies)

100 Flags

I was standing in a cemetery
One hundred flags flying o'er me
Taps echoed in the wind
As the buglers played a final hymn

Men saluted as his widow cried
A captain knelt down by her side
Drew close and whispered in her ear
As the young wife dried her tears

On behalf of a grateful nation
Please accept this flag and citation
Thank you for your sacrifice
Freedom called and he paid the price

I listened to the words he had to say
I was proud to be a part
Of this ordinary day

(excerpt from poem by k.e.henry)

Welcome home, soldier.

Now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we dance: In Memoriam.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Jan 31, 2007 | Observations on things Military

Well, you *do* go to college to *learn*, right...?

Jake of Freedom Folks has a chuckle to liven your morning a bit. Seems some of the intellectual toddlers attending the U of I at Chicago decided to emulate the gliteratti and protest The War by targeting -- hang on, now -- a couple of Marine recruiters.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by CW4BillT on Jan 31, 2007 | I think it's funny!

Midnight In The Museum, Part 3.0

If you have no idea what Part 3 in the title is referring to, you need to check out MitM Part 1 and MitM Part 2. Go ahead -- I'll wait.

Hey, if John can spend three days milking a muffler for a sub-gun, I can spend three days milking a fiberglass horse. Uhhhhhh -- perhaps that was a poor choice of words. 'Specially since the horse is anatomically correct...

Getting back to the subject at hand topic of making a red plastic horse look quasi-lifelike, the next step in the process is to start building the color layers to get some illusory depth to the horse's "hair." Time to break out the acrylic paints.

A horse of a really different color

An overall coat of watered-down burnt sienna (forequarters) then an overall watered coat of sienna mixed with Mars black (hindquarters) then a dab of black mixed with gesso for the finer hairs on the head (uhh -- head). And, since the area around the eyes, the nose and the lips are pretty much hairless, some burnt sienna right from the tube, feathered in.

The ol’ grey mare just ain’t what she used to be…

And after all that dries, the final coat. Oil paint. It dries semi-glossy straight from the tube and gives a pretty good approximation of how a well-brushed horse reflects highlights.

Now we’ve got a horse goin’…

Ain't perfect, but it's close enough for gummint work.

Now, remember that this thing is supposed to look like it's got a bit in it's mouth. This bit

Horse goodies

to be precise. Those of you who have been paying attention probably noticed that there's no "mouth" to the horse. So, to affix a solid to a solid to give the illusion that one solid is going through the other solid -- you've gotta *cut* one solid so it's no longer solid. Are you still with me? Solid...

So, do I take an eighty-or-ninety-year-old piece of hardware and whack a chunk out of it or do I whack the chunk out of something in which I've invested twelve hours of sweat equity? Noooo contest.

See? It really is fiberglass…

Fifteen minutes with a hacksaw is all it takes (as long as you've got three Sea Scouts holding it steady). Then clean up the cut, pop the bit in, wire it so it doesn't drop out, stuff some fiberglass mesh under it, and epoxy the excised chunk back in place. Smooth the epoxy, wait 'til it dries, remove the wires, cammy the cut with paint and then hook up the harness.

Voila!

Ta-daaaaah!

For the ultra-curious, it's s'posed to be Bucephalus, Patton's horse.

Since High Desert Wanderer was a bit curious about the end result, I figured I might as well toss this pic on the table. too.

Get that %$#@! caisson away from me!

Soon as we get the McClellan saddle fit to be seen in public, I'll show you what it looks like with the dressmaker's dummy installed. Oh, yeah -- he's now got a saber, too. Not a *Patton* saber, but it'll cut butter...

Update: For the purists who shudder at the idea of poking through a squid mart for a cavalry weapon, Captain JMH offers this alternative. Wonder if George P had a Subadar as a polo partner back in the early days...

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by CW4BillT on Jan 31, 2007 | Historical Stuff

January 30, 2007

H&I* Fires, 30 JAN 2007

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite. [Hey - trackbacks work again!]

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

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The Armchair Generalist provides follow-up on the nuclear sting operation mentioned here. Nunn-Lugar seems to be working oh-so-well, doesn't it?

Oh, and does anyone have a good recipe for Buffalo wings?
ry
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Even the Taliban can't escape bad press about their recruiting woes

Like the anti-Soviet rebels of the 1980s and the pre-9/11 Taliban, the recruiters of today have turned to this cluster of about 25 ethnic Pashtun villages in search of volunteers.

The father of one dead enlistee says he feels honored, but with many of Shabqadar's young men dead or feared missing on the battlefield, mujaheddin recruiters are no longer welcome here.

A shopkeeper says 100 or more young men have gone missing, including his cousin, a 10th grade student, who mysteriously left home during the summer vacation and is believed to have gone to fight

They probably don't have any picket lines in front of the recruiting office or thousands of people marching in the street demonstrating against the war. It would be nice if they did, but, unlike in the United States, the "recruiters" of the Taliban/al Qaeda are more likely to shoot the protestors (why all the interviewees choose to remain anonymous) or send them a "midnight letter".

-kat
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Something else to make the French dislike us:
U.S. to become world's biggest wine market

It could be due to the changing demographics (ie, higher concentration of non-wine drinking immigrants) or it could be the ban on smoking.

"We do a lot of work with spices. Cigarettes affect the taste buds -- people wouldn't get as much out of the chef's work" if people were smoking, said owner Eddy Reignoux.

But he admits the mild climate in Marseille -- as in Italy where a ban on smoking in restaurants has been an overall success -- is a help: smokers can comfortably nip outside with a glass of wine for an open-air cigarette.

I imagine that, in places where it's colder, folks aren't nipping outside to have a cigarette with their wine. Which means, they aren't lingering around the table after dinner drinking that second or third bottle as they enjoy a smoke (the owner of this blog is a non-smoker; the denizen writing this is simply pointing out how one vice can financially impact another).
-Kat
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Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows... »

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by Denizens on Jan 30, 2007 | General Commentary

Support the Troops?

This won't be news to anyone who knows more than a handful of soldiers, but might be helpful in explaining things to those who don't...

Support the Troops?

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by Denizens on Jan 30, 2007 | Global War on Terror (GWOT) | Observations on things Military

Gun, Grease, SA M3A1, w/acc, 1 ea.

That is the Whatziss. Well, that's not true. The Whatziss is a *component* of this.

Now, it's not a grease gun like this.

No, not that at all. Though you can see where the GI naming inspiration came from. That, and perhaps the fact that it often was a mechanic's weapon, especially recovery vehicle crews. And tank crews. And, well, anyone who was authorized a subgun vice a rifle or carbine.

Nor is it to be confused with a sub-machinegun, .45 caliber, M3A1, either, like that one up there. Because, since the one in the Arsenal Holdings is shootable, well, that would be *BAD* if it were a Sub-machinegun, .45 caliber, M3A1, since the state of Kansas declines to allow it's citizens to own functional fully-automatic weaponry, though the state to the right (when facing north) that is about 1.5 miles away, does. What's really funny about that is that the state to the right of us is where the event occurred (the Union Station Massacre) that caused the State of Kansas to get it's panties in a twist about private ownership of fully automatic weapons... even though the people who were using the fully automatic weapons in the state to the right were criminals and not likely to give a hoot about the law that Kansas passed. But that's a post of a different color.

No, that's a Valkyrie Arms SA M3A1 (SA not for Springfield Arsenal but rather Semi-Automatic) and is officially classified as a rifle. With short (dummy) display barrel, long barrel, and fake suppressor barrel that apes the OSS Silenced Grease Gun. The fake suppressed barrel was the Whatziss. To be a rifle, it has to meet certain barrel-length requirements, hence the long barrel. To meet the requirements of the Ugly Rifles That Scare Me Assault Weapons Ban the stock also had to be fixed. Though, with the lapsing of that law, apparently I can now send the weapon back to Valkyrie and they could retro-fit a collapsible stock. At least they offer the service, and I assume they don't want to go to jail. They actually make a pistol version now, which allows the short, original barrel, and has no stock, but, frankly, especially with a full magazine, I can't imagine that wouldn't be rather awkward. I assume that the barrels for the pistol have a different threading for the barrel - or idiots out there will buy pistol barrels for their carbines and create illegal weapons.

The Armorer will not, as he does not wish to move to 1300 Metropolitan Avenue from his current address, which serves his modest needs just fine.

The original grease gun came into being because of WWII. Colonel Thompson's fine M1928 series subgun was the only weapon of it's type in mass production when the war opened, but, while a sturdy and reliable piece it was heavy, very complicated to manufacture (requiring lots of skilled machinist time perhaps better spent on other things) and, as a result, expensive. It was also machined from solid billet steel, which was, well, somewhat wasteful of a strategic material, considering how much had to be machined away. Photos of a finished receiver available here, at Philadelphia Ordnance.

In it's ultimate form, the M1A1, the Thompson was greatly simplified - but still just too dang expensive to produce in terms of cost, time, and skilled workmen. There was a war on. Something Had To Be Done.

After a brief flirtation with the Marlin-Hyde M2 sub-machine gun which took too long to produce good prototypes, along came the M3 Grease Gun. A metal tube, some stampings, some welding, and the only serious machining being the barrel and bolt. Sanger thoughtfully provide a nice picture of the M3A1 while we were discussing, among other things... the Whatziss.

Firing from an open bolt (most subguns do, so that heat won't cook-off a round in the chamber) it was cocked with a lever on the side, which, in service, tended to catch on things, bend, and otherwise annoy the user. The safety was the ejection port cover, which had a flange that projected down into a hole in the receiver. Cocked, with the port cover open, the thing was dangerous... something that probably is weighing heavily on the minds of these German POWs in Brittany.

Some product improvements were made, resulting in the M3A1. The cocking lever was dispensed with, and the user just opened the ejector port cover, and stuck his finger in a hole in the bolt and pulled it back to cock it. The stock was modified so that it could be used as a wrench for removing the barrel (required for cleaning). One end of the wire stock had a socket for a cleaning brush, the other had a slot for cleaning patches. There was a metal doohickey (official term) that served as a magazine loader. The weak point of the M3 guns were the magazines. Instead of being double-column, double-feed, they were double-column single feed - which made them a bitch to load and caused some jamming problems. The gun had an oil reservoir and oil brush in the pistol grip. All in all a handy weapon, cheap to produce, and simple to use and maintain.

And it lasted a long time - the last combat hurrah of the M3A1 was Desert Storm. The Armorer also carried one when he was a battery commander, trading his M1911A1 (a nice 1943 Remington Rand) with the VTR driver for his Guide Lamp (a division of GM that made grease guns) M3A1.

It's fun to shoot, with a slow, steady beat that will allow a good shooter to shoot single shots as needed/desired. The longer barrel makes the .45 ACP go farther a little faster, and what it hits stays... hit, and is usually distracted by same. Hence my desire to carry one while I was a Battery Commander. If I needed to defend myself, I probably had even bigger problems in the battery area and wanted a weapon that would really influence my surroundings.

The semi-auto in the Holdings of the Arsenal of Argghhh! languished in lay-away for a long time, and is as-yet unfired. But, come better weather, the M3 will make a trip to the range - along with a really rare bird a buddy of the Armorer owns - a Pedersen device. Yes, boys and girls - the Armorer is going to shoot a weapon very very very few people have shot. A semi-auto M1903 rifle...

I did find this cool video of a silenced grease gun being fired in the Phillipines, and this video of an M3A1 being fired in a range - note the use of the finger to cock and the slow rate of fire.

For you Airsoft aficionados - here's the Hudson Airsoft Grease Gun being fired with "blue gas" and with "green gas".


Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Jan 30, 2007 | Gun Pr0n - A Naughty Expose' of the fiddly bits

Midnight in the Museum, Part Deux

Continuing the saga of the red plastic horse, the first item on the agenda was to figure out which method (of several) for getting a tad more realism out of the critter would be most appropriate. Since the display would be where people could get up close and personal, airbrushing wouldn't give the effect of a real, live, thousand pound mammal supporting a real, live, dressmaker's dummy clad in John's castoffs.

'Nother words, it needed hair -- or the illusion of it, anyway. Besides, Big Red hadn't travelled well in the pickup truck...

Horse Dings

Airbrushing wouldn't do a thing until the gouges got filled. And the amount of modelling putty (aka, "green goop") required to fill the cracks, holes, scrapes and scratches would run the repair budget (aka, "maybe five dollars") deeply into the red.

Ever hear of acrylic gesso?

Work the brush properly when it's still wet and you get a reasonable facsimile of hair.

*No* Horse Dings

Slather two coats over the dings and the dings disappear. It dries to a nice matte finish and adheres to pretty much anything, even waxed plastic.

Half-n-half

Somebody call the E-Wing! Is this transformational, or what?

And, it helps to remember that horses don't have a whole bunch of hair surrounding their eyes and they *definitely* don't have hairy lips. So no undercoat in those areas.

Hi-yo, Silver! Get stuffed, Kemo Sabe…

That's definitely a horse of a different color. But not the *final* color. Not even close...

To be continued...

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by CW4BillT on Jan 30, 2007 | Historical Stuff

January 29, 2007

H&I* Fires, 29 JAN 2007

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite. [Hey - trackbacks work again!]

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

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I was gonna bring up John Kerry at Davos, but I see that Brit Hume did it better than I would have anyway:

Ouch [John Podhoretz]

In response to Bill Kristol saying John Kerry shouldn't have left home to criticize American foreign policy abroad, Brit Hume yesterday quipped: "Is it really fair to John Kerry to argue, Bill, that when he's in Switzerland, he's away from home?" Chris Wallace responded by calling it a "cheap shot," which it was, and a great one.

H/t, JPod at NRO.

Heh. While I was compositing that bit - Fuzzybear Lioness sends this link to Powerline's post on the subject of Senator Kerry in Davos.

Interesting bit of blogging trivia. When this place gets a link from blogfather Jonah Goldberg, it's worth about 4500 visits. When Jonah's dog Cosmo links here to a picture of a sniper kitty, it's worth... 10K visits. It's clear - people prefer dog's opinions to pundit's opinions. I'll have to set Houdini up with access.

Right Wing Comfort Food as Right Wing Nation hosts the Carnival of the Recipes.

Gary Sinise and his support for the Disabled Veterans Memorial. Way to go, Lt. Dan. -the Armorer

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I don't typically pimp myself out on H&I Fires... but I just had to this time. Head over to my place for a little lesson in citizenship... compliments of my son's Webelo Pack. Trust me- you'll want to know what today's young boys are learning about American history. ~AFSis

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In Australia, at La Trobe University, toilets have been set aside for the exclusive use of Muslim students, who can access them via a cypher-lock door.

Heh.

I must say, I'm with Andrew Bolt on this one. -the Armorer

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Over the weekend Uncle Jimbo's post on Iran and the latest kidnapping has inspired fascinating discussion in comments--ranging from history to diplomacy to tactical discussions and speculation about the future. Check it out... thought-provoking and fascinating. - FbL

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"What are they here for if they are going to retreat from people with automatic weapons?" asked Arizona House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Warde Nichols. How about this, dillweed... back them up, unlike Texas did, and maybe next time they'll return fire. ~AFSis

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The Armorer feels that AFSis is being a bit hard on Arizona State Representative Nichols, who, it would appear is actually asking the question in a way to suggest the answer she is hoping for - and of the people who can make that policy change.

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Yes, that is true, John... but I'm also guessing that the charges against the two Border Patrol agents is weighing heavily on the minds of all who patrol our borders these days.

Our government officials seem to have gotten into a habit of wanting law and order but they're not willing to take the steps necessary to protect those who promote law and order, no matter if they altercation occurs here in the US or in a war zone. -AFSis

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Steve Schippert of Threatswatch has a very detailed analysis of the Karbala abductions. - FbL

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Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows... »

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by Denizens on Jan 29, 2007 | General Commentary
» My Side of the Puddle links with: Out of the mouths of babes

The Whatziss... Day 3.

Mebbe this will help.

Confused by what all this means - you've missed this post, then.

Okay, y'all are there.

More on it tomorrow. Larger format pic here.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Jan 29, 2007 | Gun Pr0n - A Naughty Expose' of the fiddly bits

The official story on the attack at Karbala last week.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2007 - Insurgents who attacked the Provincial Joint Coordination Center in Karbala, Iraq, were dressed in U.S. Army-styled combat uniforms and carried U.S.-type weapons, convincing Iraqi checkpoints to allow them passage, military officials released today.

During the Jan. 20 attack, the enemy fighters captured and killed four U.S. soldiers. Another soldier was also killed and three others wounded in the attack on the center, located about 30 miles south of Baghdad.

Local officials and Iraqi and coalition security forces meet at the center to address security needs.

"The precision of the attack, the equipment used and the possible use of explosives to destroy the military vehicles in the compound suggests that the attack was well rehearsed prior to execution," said Army Lt. Col. Scott Bleichwehl, spokesman for Multinational Division Baghdad. "The attackers went straight to where Americans were located in the provincial government facility, bypassing the Iraqi police in the compound."

At about 5 p.m. that day, a convoy consisting of at least five sport utility vehicles entered the Karbala compound and about 12 armed militants attacked the American troops with rifle fire and hand grenades, officials said.

One soldier was killed and three others wounded by a hand grenade thrown into the center's main office. Other explosions within the compound destroyed three Humvees.

The attackers withdrew with four captured U.S. soldiers and drove out of the Karbala province into the neighboring Babil province. Iraqi police began trailing the assailants after they drew suspicion at a checkpoint.

Three soldiers were found dead and one fatally wounded, along with five abandoned vehicles, near the town of Mahawil. Two were found handcuffed together in the back of one of the vehicles. The other two were found nearby on the ground. One soldier was found alive but died en route to a nearby hospital. All suffered from gunshot wounds.

Also recovered at the site were U.S. Army-type combat uniforms, boots, radios and a non-U.S. made rifle, officials said.

Officials are investigating the breach in security at the center. "We are looking at all the evidence to determine who or what was responsible for the breakdown in security at the compound and the perpetration of the assault," Bleichwehl said. "Our hearts go out to the families of the fallen warriors from Karbala. They were true heroes who fought to the last."

The names of four of the soldiers have been released. The fifth name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Killed were:

-- Army 1st Lt. Jacob N. Fritz, 25, of Verdon, Neb.;

-- Army Spc. Johnathan B. Chism, 22, of Gonzales, La.;

-- Army Pfc. Shawn P. Falter, 25, of Cortland, N.Y.; and

-- Army Pvt. Johnathon M. Millican, 20, of Trafford, Ala.

The soldiers were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

(From Multinational Corps Iraq and DoD news releases.)

BTW. It's a war crime. A capital offense. If we catch these guys we can, under international law (the great shibboleth of the MSM) stand 'em in front of a wall and shoot 'em.

Anybody heard the MSM griping about *this* war crime? C'mon, they're fair and balanced and they know the law inside and out, where's the analysis?

[crickets chirp]

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Jan 29, 2007 | Global War on Terror (GWOT)

Was 9/11 really that bad?


Protecting His Comrades
Photo by Sgt. Martin K. Newton January 26, 2007

Pfc. Pedro Rangel, 1st Cavalry Division, provides security with his M240B machine gun from a rooftop while fellow Soldiers build a new combat outpost in Ghazaliya, Iraq, Jan. 14.

That's the title of an OpEd in the LA Times by a Professor David Bell.

IMAGINE THAT on 9/11, six hours after the assault on the twin towers and the Pentagon, terrorists had carried out a second wave of attacks on the United States, taking an additional 3,000 lives. Imagine that six hours after that, there had been yet another wave. Now imagine that the attacks had continued, every six hours, for another four years, until nearly 20 million Americans were dead. This is roughly what the Soviet Union suffered during World War II, and contemplating these numbers may help put in perspective what the United States has so far experienced during the war against terrorism.

It also raises several questions. Has the American reaction to the attacks in fact been a massive overreaction? Is the widespread belief that 9/11 plunged us into one of the deadliest struggles of our time simply wrong? If we did overreact, why did we do so? Does history provide any insight?

Probably. The problem is agreeing on what that insight is. As Professor Bell and I look at the same event, but reach different conclusions based on the biases (oddly enough, both historical) we bring to the table.

As ever - you should read the whole thing, not just my snippets.

But it is no disrespect to the victims of 9/11, or to the men and women of our armed forces, to say that, by the standards of past wars, the war against terrorism has so far inflicted a very small human cost on the United States. As an instance of mass murder, the attacks were unspeakable, but they still pale in comparison with any number of military assaults on civilian targets of the recent past, from Hiroshima on down.

Even if one counts our dead in Iraq and Afghanistan as casualties of the war against terrorism, which brings us to about 6,500, we should remember that roughly the same number of Americans die every two months in automobile accidents.

I've made that point before, too - if not for this purpose. It's the point of we're practicing an immense amount of restraint, vice the manner in which other wars - existential wars - have been conducted. And now Professor Bell almost gripes at us about it, in the sense that he uses it to hone his rhetorical scalpel.

So why has there been such an overreaction? Unfortunately, the commentators who detect one have generally explained it in a tired, predictably ideological way: calling the United States a uniquely paranoid aggressor that always overreacts to provocation.

In a recent book, for instance, political scientist John Mueller evaluated the threat that terrorists pose to the United States and convincingly concluded that it has been, to quote his title, "Overblown." But he undercut his own argument by adding that the United States has overreacted to every threat in its recent history, including even Pearl Harbor (rather than trying to defeat Japan, he argued, we should have tried containment!).

Give the man credit, he's not being screedy!

He then moves on to how our prosecution of this war is in fact... a unintended consequence of a huge flaw in Western Civilization - The Enlightenment. Bear with me - there is actually some fire with this smoke, especially when you look at the political paradigm adopted by the Republicans and Democrats.

The Enlightenment, however, popularized the notion that war was a barbaric relic of mankind's infancy, an anachronism that should soon vanish from the Earth. Human societies, wrote the influential thinkers of the time, followed a common path of historical evolution from savage beginnings toward ever-greater levels of peaceful civilization, politeness and commercial exchange.

Which leads to this....

The unexpected consequence of this change was that those who considered themselves "enlightened," but who still thought they needed to go to war, found it hard to justify war as anything other than an apocalyptic struggle for survival against an irredeemably evil enemy. In such struggles, of course, there could be no reason to practice restraint or to treat the enemy as an honorable opponent.
Ever since, the enlightened dream of perpetual peace and the nightmare of modern total war have been bound closely to each other in the West. Precisely when the Enlightenment hopes glowed most brightly, wars often took on an especially hideous character.

The Enlightenment was followed by the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars, which touched every European state, sparked vicious guerrilla conflicts across the Continent and killed millions (including, probably, a higher proportion of young Frenchmen than died from 1914 to 1918).

Now for the kicker:

Yet as the comparison with the Soviet experience should remind us, the war against terrorism has not yet been much of a war at all, let alone a war to end all wars. It is a messy, difficult, long-term struggle against exceptionally dangerous criminals who actually like nothing better than being put on the same level of historical importance as Hitler — can you imagine a better recruiting tool? To fight them effectively, we need coolness, resolve and stamina. But we also need to overcome long habit and remind ourselves that not every enemy is in fact a threat to our existence.

Okay, let's recap. Professor Bell says we're over-reacting, citing the rhetorical requirements of going to war in a democracy birthed from the Enlightenment. Okay. Then he cites the horrors of wars, as practiced by the West as a result of the world-view acquired as a result of the Enlightenment. He then goes to assert, with that slightly condescending tone used by much of the residents of the Ivory Tower when speaking to the unwashed, (yet Enlightened) that this isn't really much of a war, after all. And it almost sounds like that annoys him.

Snerk.

Well, it strikes me, that if he's annoyed about the Unintended Consequences of the Enlightenment, and how that has shaped the Western Way of War, he's missed an essential conclusion. In this war, we have fused the rhetorical requirements of Enlightenment thought with the rather more pragmatic restraint of pre-Enlightenment forms of conflict resolution. In other words - he should actually be pleased we are conducting this war with such restraint - though I don't really think that's what he's after. In other words - President Bush et cie have managed to break the link, and are perhaps avoiding the Great War paradigm, even as they couch their actions in the rhetoric of the Enlightenment. Enlightened Conflict, perhaps?

Flip side - a question I've asked before. Granting that Islamofascists don't necessarily have the capacity (an arguable point on the issue of economic impacts of a successful nuke/chem/bio attack on Wall Street for example, but I'll accept the point for argument's sake) to constitute an existential threat to the United States, neither did Adolf Hitler when he sent his Army in to re-occupy the Rhineland. If Daladier had acted as he was authorized to under international law - and kicked the German army out of the Rhineland, and Hitler had fallen from power - what would the verdict of history be? Don't assume it would be a sigh of relief. Because WWII would not have happened as it did (though there still would have been a war in the Pacific at least, and who knows what the Soviet Union might have done in the late 40's and 50's had WWII in Europe not occurred as it did) would not Daladier most likely be reviled for stepping on the legitimate aspirations of the Germans? Vice the man who saved Europe from a 7 year Urban Removal Project?

One of the great problems with history - what looks so neat and tidy after the historians have parsed it all out was never *nearly* that clear to the participants who had to make their decisions based on the incomplete information that they had at the moment. It is one of the conceits of historians that gripes me the most - the smug "but of course they should have done this" aspect that derives from perfect knowledge.

As I said - you should read the good Professor's whole piece, alone, without my interjections. I just find it interesting that he and I look at roughly the same data set - but interpret it differently.

Afoot with the Artillery Photo by Staff Sgt. Bennie Corbett January 26, 2007

A curious Iraqi child observes Sgt. Ilhoo Lhondohomoilhoo of the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery, 10th Mountain Division.

I admit - the good Sergeant's name tickles me.

For a view of Dr. Bell's Op-Ed (and the right-wing reaction to it) from the Left - go see The Mahablog. Read all the way through - there are points worth pondering there.


Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows... »

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Jan 29, 2007 | Global War on Terror (GWOT)
» Techography links with: Monday Round Up
» Blue Crab Boulevard links with: A Severe Case
» Dean's World links with: Have we over-reacted to 9/11?
» The Queen of All Evil links with: Overreacting Americans
» The Jawa Report links with: 9/11? No. Big. Deal.
» Electric Venom links with: Things That Make Me Go Argghhh!

Midnight in the Museum

Here's the situation: You're the honcho of a museum full of militaria and, since the neighborhood is full of retirees who started their careers in a horse-drawn artillery outfit, one of your displays just happens to be --

Chairborne Ranger

-- an officer's horsie togs from the thirties.

With horsie accoutrements, naturally.

Horse goodies

Now, out of the blue, a museum visitor says, "You know what you need? A horse. Want one?"

After determining that the visitor is referring to an equine mannequin (reitpferdequin?) and not a genuine oat-burner, you say, "You betcha!"

Two days later, you're the proud owner of a fiberglass horse.

A horse of a different color

A *red* fiberglass horse. So, you stick your fake rider on your fake horse and it looks like

A horse is a horse of course, of course…

a dressmaker's dummy sitting on a red plastic horse. Changing your viewing position doesn't change your viewpoint -- it looks like a dressmaker's dummy sitting on a red plastic horse no matter where you're standing...

Wilbur -- dig the old geek walking past Sanger's tank…

Okay, it's time to unpack the artsy-stuff and get some trompe l'oiel-ishness goin' here...

To be continued.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by CW4BillT on Jan 29, 2007 | Historical Stuff

January 28, 2007

The Whatziss from yesterday...

...is proving to be a bit of a poser.

Catch up by clicking here.

Here's a hint.

This, plus answers from yesterday actually provide all the elements you need to pull it together. You just have to be the out-of-the-box analyst...

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Jan 28, 2007 | Historical Stuff

Here's a thought...

Mark Steyn might agree.

Building on Fuzzybear Lioness' link in the comments:

"It's not the American people or the U.S. Congress who are emboldening the enemy," said Democratic Sen. Joe Biden, a White House hopeful in 2008. "It's the failed policy of this president — going to war without a strategy, going to war prematurely."

So, going to war was still a Good Thing, then Senator? We only opened the campaign "prematurely"? If so - how about the Democrats proposing a plan to *win* it then? Of course, it's easy to carp. Talking heads (myself included) have that bit easy, don't we?

No doubt the campaign (it's *not* a war, it's a component of an overall war) has not gone as envisioned, and that the vision, while broad and expansive, was not undergirt well.

But, since you apparently approve of going to war, just not how - how do you propose to retrieve the situation? We already know about the effective abandonment plans. Are there others, that might lead to a more satisfying solution that is in the national interest?

Or, if full withdrawal is the only option left - and that's all you've got - then say so.

Don't be the mealy-mouthed teller of lies and half-truths you accuse the President of being.

C'mon. Stand and deliver. You keep saying that's what we want. When are we going to see affirmative, and accountable, actions to match the rhetoric?

As I said of Prime Minister Maliki - Actions, sir. Actions.

Let's get some proposals on the table that aren't just rhetorical gambits and let's vote on 'em.

Y'all got the brass ring. Do something with it besides... pose.

Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »

by John on Jan 28, 2007 | Global War on Terror (GWOT)