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...
**********************************
Even though Bill is safely back from the region, and Joe will be back soon - we're going to continue our focus on this generation's "Forgotten War" - the war in Afghanistan.
BritishCanadian soldiers fire an M777 155mm Howitzer field artillery gun at identified Taliban fighting positions in near the Sangin District Center area from an undisclosed forward operating base in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan April 7, 2007. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Keith D. Henning) (Released) (Released to Public)
As long as my bandwidth holds up - there's a larger version here. (Email if you want the original)
Speaking of Afstan - this sounds like a good start. Note who did the brunt of the fighting.
Okay, I'm off to schlep a vault door and head for an aeroplane! -the Armorer
*********************************
Sen. Harry Reid crosses another line. - FbL
*********************************
Two of the seven NCOs who wrote that NYT editorial were among those who died in the vehicle accident Monday. Headline: "Deaths of Soldiers 'Brings It Home' For 'NYT' Editorial Page Editor". Reminds me of American journalists' sudden "identification" with the troops when high-profile journos were wounded or killed. Suddenly it was "real" to them. [rude comment pre-emptively deleted]
Doubts raised about the bin Laden video have solidified in some quarters. Question is, who created it and why? The answers are not obvious, and wading into the fevered swamps of conspiracy leads to some interesting theories. But ace has made his mind up: bin Laden's dead, dead, dead (read comments in both posts for the interesting theories).
And guess who is advising Hillary Clinton on national security... Come on, I know you can figure this out. Not surprising, but still appalling. UPDATE: Captain's Quarters reminds us that even Kerry wouldn't have him. - FbL
*********************************
One more post, and then I'll stop torturing you... This one is really a good read, though: a fascinating article outlining Iraqi reaction to Petraeus.
*********************************
The Vault Door of Argghhh!, with much effort from a great group of guys, has been delivered. The Arms Room of Argghhh! construction continues. I'm gonna finish this margarita and head for the gate.
Good Job on the linkage, Fuzzybee! And I see the Echo is bad today. At least for Marines... -the Armorer
[Thanks, Armorer. I've got time--after two days fighting through a headache and queasy stomach, I gave up and stayed home today. Can't say most of those links did much to help it, though... Ugh! - FbL]
**********************************
Speaking of upset tummies (see above), this is a must-see. Very Cute Kittens! And don't miss the comments, either... Funny stuff! - FbL
**********************************
*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"
12 Comments