You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
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I can kind of see it. BCR of SnarkPatrol could probably explain the real physics better than I ever could. I can also see why it doesn’t work as ‘Road Warrior’ type vehicle modifications and how it shortens vehicle lifespan. Extra weight tends to do that, even with things like semis which are designed to haul heavy loads.
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Continuing the Russian opposition to ABMD in select European countries topic from yesterday here’s Austin Bay on it.
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A look at the double edged sword that is ‘open source intelligence’ here at Robi Sen’s place.
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Cassie was a bit prescient yesterday about working within ‘The System’, seeing as how that OSI link by Robi, a frequent commentator on the Dunnigan FYEO list, feel into my lap last night backing her up on it.

Good call Cass, but what is this with cheese Danish? Oh well. My child-like mind probably couldn’t comprehend it even if you could explain. Can I play with the stuffed marmoset now?
-- ry
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News from MNF-I:

Iraqi, Coalition forces continue security operations in Adhamiyah

New courthouse complex takes shape

Iraqis take lead in community project

Golden Dragons, Strykers clear Radwaniyah

From CENTCOM:

82nd Airborne goes “all the Way” during Operation Achilles

And a reminder that Iraq and the 'Stan aren't the only places we are engaging the locals...

Team work in Djibouti gets ships underway

Puppies@War.

And let's give a shout out to our Ozzie allies. Australian Military Fills Role Vital to War on Terror

In related GWOT news - has Al Qaeda gone mad? Or do they just assess themselves as strong enough to open this front - given their method of waging war?

From a listserv I belong to:

Al Jazeera has an Agence France-Presse story reporting that Indian officials have a video CD alleging to be from an Al-Qaeda source. Stratfor also reports that a DVD, delivered to Indian media, was made by a man in a black mask claiming to be top Al-Qaeda cadre and using the probable pseudonym Abu Abdul Rehman Ansari. They further report that the video, made in Arabic and Urdu, declares war on India.

The Al-Jazeera story about Al-Qaeda opening a new front in their War on the World is here.

Moving on...

The music sucks - but these Finn tankers are having some fun with their Leos! -the Armorer

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Last night, SWWBO and I were invited to help Leavenworth Blogger and just-down-the-street neighbor Venomous Kate and her husband celebrate Kate's XX birthday (BTW, when you visit Kate's, check out the post below the linked one). We did so by going to The New Theatre (okay, it's 16 years old, what's your point?) which is a KC-region dinner theater in Overland Park. We had a great time with great company. The Venomous One and the Venomous Husband are a hoot. Jamie Farr was starring in "Busybody," a comedy whodunit. The play was fine - the food was simply superb. I was expecting "banquet food" - lemme tell ya, I couldn't have been more wrong. And the bar does a competent 'rita, too. I commend the place to you. SWWBO and I will be going again. -the Armorer

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Oh - and Jon the Mechanic sends us this, from the Charlotte Observer -

OMAHA, Neb. --A member of the Kansas group that has drawn criticism for protesting at soldiers' funerals has been arrested for letting her 10-year-old son stomp on a U.S. flag during a demonstration. She promised Wednesday to challenge the state's flag desecration law in court.

Shirley Phelps-Roper, 49, will be charged with flag mutilation, disturbing the peace and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov said Wednesday.

I'm sure that this Phelps Whelp will walk on this, or tie it all up in federal court on 1st Amendment grounds... but what the heck, (I'm not a fan of flag-desecration laws, full disclosure) if we're going to test one of these laws, doing it by inconveniencing one of the odious Phelps cultists is fine by me. -the Armorer

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This column should be read with fear by Republican strategists. If the Dems were to adopt this tone in their addressing of Iraq... I think it would put the Republicans in a pretty tight box. The fight here is for the swing votes in the middle, remember that. Whattaya think? -the Armorer

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If you haven't had enough Immigration Bill stuff, Bloodspite has a Two-Fer for you.

Here. And here. You may be tired of it - I know I am - but the fight isn't over yet. We need a change - but not this one, as written. -the Armorer

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Back in the day, when you could just kill people and break things without a note from a lawyer, they were pre-planned, but to the enemy, random, fires at known gathering points, road junctions, Main Supply Routes, assembly areas, etc - to keep the bad guy nervous that the world around him might start exploding at any minute.

*Not really relevant to today's operating environment, right? But, it *is*

The UAVs (oops, can't call 'em UAVs anymore - they're now Unmanned Aerial Systems... some Colonel got his Legion of Merit for that change...), er, um UAS's we fly over Afghanistan and Pakistan looking for targets of opportunity are a form of H&I fires, if you really want to parse it finely. We just have better sensors and fire control now.

I call the post that because it's random things posted by me and people I've given posting privileges to. It's also an open trackback, so if someone has a post they're proud of, but it really isn't either Castle kind of stuff, or topical to a particular post, I've basically given blanket permission to use that post for that purpose. Another term of art that might be appropriate is "Free Fire Zone".