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.
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
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From MNF-I:
U.S ambassador reports on Iraq, Iran talks
Baghdad revives as surge, economic programs take effect
Iraqi doctor jump starts immunization program
Stallion Engineers lend hand to Iraqi Army counterparts in Al Awad
Soldiers, NAC work together to refurbish School in Saliyih
Treating Tebarek: Combat Medic cares for Iraqi Child
Note to terrs: If you buddies are dropping all around you, and you can't see where the fire is coming from - no point in running, just stand up and surrender... you're on candid camera and running means you just die tired. Like this guy.
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Chuck Simmins: This is why I continue to count the enemy dead.
Jules Crittenden: Get nekkid for 'Murica!
John Hawkins has the Rightosphere Temperature Check. I was *much* more in line this time.
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Bourne vs. Bond - what do you think? - Damian
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A scalp! An honest-to-goodness General Officer scalp. Retired LTG Kensinger faces demotion (that's a significant lifetime loss of income to go with the humiliation) for his role in the Pat Tillman fiasco. Good. -the Armorer
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In light of the Thomas Affair, a couple notes on information warfare and counterinsurgency:
From Tiger Hawk: Coercion and Cooperation
Not long ago, the Armorer posted a piece about using the appropriate terminology to describe Al Qaeda and similar terrorists. Instead of using "Jihadi" or "Mujihadeen" we should use "takfiri" or "Mufsidoon". Both terms means someone who has either gone outside of Islam or is a sabatouer. This was to take away the legitimacy of these fighters in the eyes of common Muslim on the street. Walid Phares argued that this change in language was not designed to align us with the appropriate language, but a "bait and switch" to turn experts away from investigating "jihad" and the religious activities that create those willing to martyr themselves in a decidedly unholy manner. Is he right? On Language in Information War
The Counter Terrorism Blog also notes another important issue: Propaganda in the US Media and they aren't talking about ours. They note the latest editorials in several large papers from individuals who are designated terrorists or associated with designated terrorist organizations like Hizbullah and Hamas. Imagine that it is 1943 and Goebbels is allowed to write an editorial about the aggression of European Nations, the American Imperialism and their alleged dark overlord, the Jews against the peace loving, self defending Nazis who feel they were economically and physically oppressed after their defeat in World War I. They had every right to take back their land and defend themselves against the aggressor didn't they?
-Kat
One more: A short video and commentary on internet Jihad.
Okay...what the heck: I want to be Scott Thomas or Me, the Squirrels and My Kill Book
*A term of art from the artillery. Harassment and Interdiction Fires.
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"
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