December 1, 2007
Go 'way. I'm busy today. Today sucked.
Contents of this post deleted due to complete irrelevance.
Ya got to be able to beat Oklahoma, boys, if you want to be National Champions.
A prefect trifecta of losses, I didn't even have *one* number in the lottery drawing.
Ah well. I can go back to not giving a flying flip about sports until next year.
Meanwhile, in other under-reported news...
The Great Satan United States continues its Information Operations. The Imperial Myrmidons Sailors and Marines from the USS Kearsarge, along with State Department and USAID personnel are providing food, water, and health care to the Bangladeshi victims of Tropical Cyclone Sidr.
Description: Petty Officer 1st Class HM1 Trent W. Widener (right), a Seattle native and surgical technician aboard USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) works alongside Lt. Cmdr. Lou C. Cimorelli, of Doylestown, Penn., a family practice physician and ward officer aboard USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), to render medical aid to a victim of Tropical Cyclone Sidr, South Khali, Bangladesh, Nov. 28, 2007. Kearsarge and the embarked elements of the 22nd MEU (SOC) arrived off the coast of Bangladesh Nov. 23 to support ongoing relief efforts at the request of the Bangladesh Government. Photo by: Cpl. Peter R. Miller
BAMNA, Bangladesh (November 29, 2007) - The citizens of Bamna, Bangladesh wave good-bye to the crew of a CH-46E "Sea Knight" helicopter after they delivered over twenty bundles of clothes. The amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) and the embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) are conducting Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief efforts in response to the Government of Bangladesh's request for assistance after Tropical Cyclone Sidr struck their southern coast Nov. 15. The storm killed over 3,000 people and has left several hundred thousand homeless. The Department of Defense effort is part of a larger United States response coordinated by the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development.
November 30, 2007
H&I* Fires, 30 NOV 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.
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
Time to add a new caveat, because from email it's not clear to some folks (mind you, if you don't read this it won't matter...) Being an open post, people (collectively, the Denizens) other than I post in the H&I. They sign their work (most of the time) - keep that in mind when you want to flame someone in email please - if it doesn't say "The Armorer" or "John" then I didn't write it! And honestly - if you don't like something said or posted... leave a comment, and hash it out (within the context of The Rulez which are clearly posted on the comment form, I would add).
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We’ve been doing the ‘Buff Up Other Parts of National Power, Please’ the last couple of days and I’m continuing it here with Sen. Dick Lugar’s (from the great state of Indiana, what’s this Missouri place John keeps talking about?) take on the matter.
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While Sigger isn’t on the war path he’s definitely not happy with the answers he’s getting during the Bloggers Roundtable. And some of the questions have him torqued off too. (Someone remind me not to piss Sigger of at a dinner, okay? He might try and bounce a dinner roll of my noggin.)
_
We need a little Barnett in our diet. Don’t want to become deficient in vitamin B now would we?
Here he takes some umbrage to a Noah Schachtman article. Though you should read Noah's article first to understand what the tiff is about.
Then he turns to his economic front: Afghanistan needs businesses and not hoity toity ‘development’ like we’ve been trying in Africa for Lord knows how long; and a blurb about remittances---money sent home by foreign workers--- being more effective than governmental aide programs.
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Does anyone know what the web addy for On Point is? The one I had in my favorites (http://onpoint.leavenworth.army.mil/) seems dead. Or did it go behind a wall so that I can’t see it anymore?
--ry
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I wasn't getting to twisted about the CNN YouTube debacle. I was figuring it was going to be worse than the Democrat one, it would be bent to CNN's ideological view and would pretty much be a cartoonish representation of "ordinary people" asking debate questions, just to prove that everybody who isn't "in" with the MSM or selected by them aren't "normal". Or, at least, the rest of the electorate are all a bunch of idiots. It turned out worse than that. Somehow, out of hundreds of possible entrants, 1/3 of the 30 selected were members of Democrat campaigns or organizations. Ten out of thirty.
CNN: News You Can Trust to Be Biased
-Kat
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H-e-l-l Freezes Over
-Kat
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SWWBO sends: Bored...Tubby... Mild...!
Repeal Day! H/t, Jack H.
Some things are best left to the professionals... especially if you haven't had good storage and maintenance. And 6-8 ozs of powder will give you all the flash-bang you need. -the Armorer
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I've been steering mostly clear of the Political Silly Season - but I do have to say I don't think Rudy is dealing well with this one. And since we've now defined Presidential politics as "The Party Out Of Power Relentlessly Trying To Destroy The President" how a candidate handles this kind of stuff does start to become a discriminator.
Tending the Plants, continued. How many cereal boxtops did it take for CNNs producers to get their journalism degrees? Or do they have AgSchool diplomas? -the Armorer
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And this is why I still haven't bought a new laptop. Or a desktop. Sigh. -the Armorer
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Castle Metalsmith Murray - corrupting the yoots of New Zealand... -the Armorer
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O! Canada! You environment-trashing drunken hosers, you, eh! And then there's this horror-film masquerading as a PSA... -the Armorer
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The Taliban: Their Time has Come and Gone
Major Michael Tomberlin is not only a Soldier, he is also a journalist. Earlier this year he hung up his journalist hat and put on his Kevlar helmet for a tour of duty in Afghanistan as a part of Operation Enduring Freedom. He blogs at Yellowhammering Afghanistan and his posts provide great insight into the everyday occurrences of our troopers deployed in support of the GWOT.
Recently The Thunder Run was able to catch-up with Major Tomberlin to bring you this interview in the continuing series of Boots On The Ground Interviews. (READ MORE) -David M
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Gotta love squadron spirit, especially when the pranking squadron is from the same province as the winning team! The Rider Nation reaches all the way into CFB Moose Jaw. - Damian
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KINK-FM in Portland, Oregon recently called for the Oregon National Guard to refuse to deploy to Iraq. Patrick Lasswell; Independant journalist and busines partner of Michael Totten, couldn't help but respond to their infantile conclusions: "Everything in Iraq is complicated, so I find it disturbing that your comments regarding the war there is so incredibly simple. You may have heard the old saying that for every complex problem there is a simple solution, and that solution is invariably wrong. So it is with your tantrum regarding the Oregon National Guard's upcoming deployment to Iraq."
Read more...
David M.
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Several Someones You Should Know
This could go in H&I Fires above, but this is one you really don't want to miss. "Inspiring" doesn't even BEGIN to cover it...
The "Someones" are an entire family--two sons (one fallen), a 60-year-old father inspired by his son(s), and a mother-wife with devotion, perspective and courage that should be an example to us all. CDR Salamander writes:
How do you define sacrifice? How do you respond to loss? How do you focus pride, grief, love and honor? Do you try to take positive action in the face of a horror you never expected to face? Can you go beyond the emotional and tap into the intellectual? ...I ask you to step back , absorb, and most of all - be humble.
Be sure to see comments at Salamander's link for the story of the surviving brother.
We've had other stories of courageous response to loss similar to this one... but the response of this entire family is in a league of its own. You will not be sorry for clicking through.
Major Brent Clemmer.
Someone you should meet.
Major Brent Clemmer, a former Stryker brigade company commander who we've featured in several stories (here and here, for instance), will receive the Silver Star for gallantry in combat in a ceremony Thursday at Fort Lewis, the post announced.Clemmer will get the nation's third-highest award for combat valor for his actions last Jan. 28 near Najaf. He was commander of C Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment at the time, serving as the 'just in case' force for U.S. commanders in Baghdad.
And, as is typical of most heroes I know...
Clemmer, 34, in an interview before the ceremony, said the medal award really belongs to the “168 guys who were to my front, left, right and rear who did the job and moved forward when the bullets started pinging around you. ... It’s their award. I’m just the face of it, to be honest.”
H/t, Heartless Lib.
Empiric Proof of the Answer to the Question.
And the Answer is "Yes."
Proof of the Answer is in the Flash Traffic/Extended Entry.
November 29, 2007
H&I Fires 29 NOV 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.
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
Time to add a new caveat, because from email it's not clear to some folks (mind you, if you don't read this it won't matter...) Being an open post, people (collectively, the Denizens) other than I post in the H&I. They sign their work (most of the time) - keep that in mind when you want to flame someone in email please - if it doesn't say "The Armorer" or "John" then I didn't write it! And honestly - if you don't like something said or posted... leave a comment, and hash it out (within the context of The Rulez which are clearly posted on the comment form, I would add).
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I'm sure the following link will make certain heads explode, but I can't find a better roundup anywhere else. When everyone whined about "plants" at the CNN Dem Debate, I was a bit disappointed in CNN, but it's not surprising to find Dem operatives at a Dem debate. So, not a huge deal. But CNN is looking more like a bunch of horticulturists, since Democratic supporters/operatives seem to show up at Republican debates, too.
Milblogs embed Michael Fumento follows up on CBS' military suicides story.
And since we're on the subject of possible media malfeasance/incompetence, Scott Thomas Beauchamps is back from Iraq. Let's see if TNR can finally reach the soldier the army has been "keeping away" from them... /sarcasm
The China games continue. - FbL
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Bummer. Sucks to be him.
By request from a different Jim B than we're used to: Go Army! Beat Navy!
Oh, since FBL brings up plants - here's a Hillary-plant at the Republican Debate. -the Armorer
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November numbers for U.S. KIA in Iraq... very good news. And remember that this is in the context of a higher number of "boots on the ground."
More media stupidity, this time on history/foreign affairs. - FbL
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Saudis arrest 208 in terror sweep. There's a long list of how many were arrested for what including planning an attack on the major oil refinery (again), smuggling in missiles for internal attacks, assassinating religious and government leaders, shilling for money for AQ and 112 suspected of organizing and transporting men into Iraq for war there. The Saudis have occasionally made spectacular arrests to show they are making efforts to fight terror, contrary to their critics.
However, I am always reminded to keep my expectations in check by the story of Dr. William Sampson. On the other hand, the propaganda value of having the major Muslim nation in the region and the designated "defenders of the faith" outwardly going after AQ is: priceless.
Speaking of GWOT: Three Arrested in Slovakia for trying to sell Radioactive Materials
And that should have us worried because the Islamist elements in the Caucuses (ie, the 'Stans) are declaring themselves an Islamic Emirate and calling for jihad. Separatist violence has been rising in the Dagestan and Ingushetia provinces. However, Russia is unlikely to give these areas up without a fight. .
In other GWOT news: 10 Year Prison sentence for Planning Columbus, OH Mall bombing with Brooklyn Bridge would be bomber Lyman Farris.
On the information war front, NATO has decided to combat AQ/Taliban propaganda on YouTube by starting their own YouTube channel and posting their own videos. Finally.
And US forces are aggressively going after AQ Media cells in Iraq.
The Allied Front: The Brit Generals went head to head with the Prime Minister, staging what some call an "ambush". Key issues from vehicles to personal protection and personnel are cited.
At the same time, NATO allies are being asked to provide one more training team per nation (26) to help bolster the Afghan National Army training in order to provide the additional indigenous troops to bolster forces against the Taliban and AQ.
Norway lodges complaint with Afghan government over release of Taliban convicted for killing Norwegian troops.
Australian soldier dies in Oruzgun province during "heavy, close quarter fighting".
Italian soldier and six civilians die from suicide bombing in Afghanistan
On the GI Front: Task Force Marne Soldier Receives Bronze Star
US Army Improving "Rip Prone" Uniforms
British General says that the "play station generation" is "more than a match" for combat in Afghanistan.
Supporting the Troops: Christmas Mail Deadline for Afghanistan and Iraq December 4
Some troops are already putting up their Christmas decorations
-Kat
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Tremble in fear: The Spice Girls Launch World Come Back Tour
The Culture Wars, with warriors in the middle.
Bill, Dusty, and I all have a long view on this, with me possibly the longest, having been using military facilities since 1957. I'd love to hear their take on this. This is mine, I'm not speaking in Castle Voice here.
Usetabe, we'd draft people, send 'em off to war, and at least we'd give them cigarettes with their rations. That is until 1975, when the health of the soldier became paramount and busy-body do-gooders got the cigarettes removed from the rations. Can't have the government endorsing unhealthy behaviors, donchaknow. Since the government was also going to do a generally bi-partisan crap job of funding post-service care for those veterans there is an element of smugly smarmy self-righteousness contained therein... but I could just be projecting. Mind you, I'm *not* a smoker, and never have been, and I buried my Mother this year, who died of lung cancer late last winter. And my father has a smoking-related cancer. It's not like I'm unaware of the costs... There's a cautionary tale here.
We still got c-rats with coffin nails in them as late as 1980 in my personal experience, as existing stocks were used up. And, of course, the PX still provided cigarettes at lower prices and sans the sales tax (all other taxes collected, I assure you). So, the net effect was for some do-gooding busybody to make it slightly harder and more expensive for the stunningly well paid junior soldier to get his nicotine fix. Not to mention the training opportunities inherent in the creative load planning, now that the troop had to figure out how to pack his own cigarettes vice relying on a resupply with the ration sundry pack.
The troops survived, rucked up and moved out.
Then came the 1980s... Reagan is in office, money is starting to flow again (admittedly started in the last year of Jimmy Carter) and things are looking up. Except we got hit with the generals who subscribed to the Cult of the Lean, Mean, Fighting Machine. That brought us tightened up PT standards (a good thing) a fixation on a whipcord-lean look (leave aside the utility of having some beefy men around to handle beefy tasks, and who could march the stringbeans into the dirt). Being fleet of foot around an oval track was more important than the ability to do combat rushes with gear, and able to knock heads together when you closed with the enemy after rushing to get there.. But we got so wrapped up in the fitness craze of the time that we separated "looking lean in uniform" from fitness.
No, it wasn't enough to be able to score 270-300 on your PT test, you also had to "look fit". Or, we'd toss your sorry butt out. We went from a height-weight schema that had five different body types to essentially mashing them together, taking a mean, putting a bound around it, and said - "one size generally fits all" giving us the ability to toss a guy out who could score 100 on push-ups, 100 on sit-ups, and lumber in with a 70-100 on the run because he was long-waisted, big framed, and muscular, while we'd promote the sunken-chested no-endurance geek who actually had more body fat on him but was such a feathermerchant he didn't tip the scales.
Hey, I commanded during this time, and as one of those big-framed muscular guys who averaged 285 on a PT test, I kept up with this stuff. I never was fast in the long run, but I was a jack-rabbit on the combat rush part. That football stuff, donchaknow. And all through my career, I was subject to extra scrutiny. Heh. The best part is... the Army justified all this on the grounds of combat deployability... a standard almost instantly tossed over the fence when the Long War started, and we ceased tossing people for being chubby. Somehow, it didn't matter as much anymore as long as they could hang tough on the PT part.
Along with the adoption of the fitness craze of the culture-at-large, the Generals decided we couldn't hold our alcohol, either. Mind you - in some respects, they were correct. Back in the day, before I met SWWBO, I was pretty much a non-drinker. She turned me to the Dark Side. So I'd be the El-Tee who would drive the drunks back to the 'Q. And I freely admit, there were drinking problems all around. And we were losing soldiers to alcohol-related accidents.
So, of course, we reacted to it as we typically do. We banned alcohol in field (which caused our allies to laugh at us when we worked together and they were drinking the beer and wine that came with their rations), we banned alcohol promotions at the clubs. And we raised the drink prices at the clubs to be close to off-post.
I remember the Fort Sill O'Club when I went to OBC. It was a rockin' place with lots of college chicks looking for Lieutenants with more money than sense. Come back to Fort Sill in 1985 for the OAC... and the club is virtually dead.
Club membership declined precipitously. And the Leadership became concerned. And they leaned on us to all join the Club and USE THEM! Heh. We voted with our cars, and went off-post. So now our DUIs were off-post, we were driving more, and we found out that the world off-post had changed and didn't see any reason to go back.
Many many careers were ruined in this time. There's no arguing that all in all, especially with the greatly reduced isolation of military installations, the de-emphasis on alcohol was, in toto, a net good. But as ever, it was a hammer-like approach.
So, even though we still have a bi-partisan scattered approach to post-service health care (the real test is when the OPTEMP drops, and the troops drop off the news, will the meager gains we've made with the VA be sustained, much less will we be able to keep up the improvement of services) while we've got 'em, we're doing what we can to make smoking hard, keep alcohol consumption down, while still sending 'em off to stressful situations where they get to kill people, break things, get maimed, see friends die in their arms... and of course, should come back to the barracks for a nice glass of milk and a cookie.
Ah, but we're not done. There's still a whole level of busy-body do-gooding to go after!
Yes, they're after the troops porn again.
A couple of days ago, I came across a piece by Harold Hutchison, writing over at Strategy Page.
The Porn Wars by Harold C. Hutchison November 23, 2007As if fighting the Global War on Terror was not difficult enough, the troops are now facing a loss of freedom in their choice of reading material. This censorship effort is coming from a number of anti-pornography groups who are not happy with the results of a Pentagon policy banned hard core porn, but allowed magazines like Playboy and Penthouse to stay in military exchanges.
This is not the first time such a problem has arisen. In 2004, an effort by an Oregon porn shop to send porn to troops was shot down. The military does restrict porn in some areas, but often for cultural and political reasons. This is particularly true in the Middle East.
Iraq and other Moslem nations are much more socially conservative than the United States. In fact, Saudi Arabia's religious police make the Religious Right seem like social liberals. Over in Bahrain, the rules are looser – as long as what happens in Bahrain stays in Bahrain. Many Saudis head over there to indulge in vice. It keeps the clergy in Saudi Arabia happy, and it keeps the Saudis who can get to Bahrain happy. It also is a matter of order and discipline – vital things needed in a combat zone.
But for areas where such things are not a problem, the DOD has allowed Playboy to remain on the shelves. Part of this is because of the fact that some rules are harder to enforce. Some troops will attempt to sneak stuff in (at least one soldier quoted in Al Santoli's oral history "Leading the Way" brought a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue into Saudi Arabia and used it to calm down Iraqi prisoners). There is also the Internet – and Internet access for the troops means that they can surf the web and get porn (as many Americans do at home).
This of course, did not sit well with religious groups at home. They have launched an e-mail and letter-writing campaign to get Playboy tossed (as the State Department did in 2005). And so the troops find themselves fighting to protect the right of people to try to deny them the right to choose their own reading material. – (haroldc.hutchison@gmail.com) [©2007 Strategy Page, used with permission]
Just keep all this in mind, as the Dems fight over the right to make you bite their health-care bullet. Whether they do it via the less damaging mandatory insurance route or the horrors of gov't-run-and-provided health care ala the Brit and Canadian models... that elephant in the living room is going to just give the people who know how you should live your life more levers to legislate your behaviors.
It doesn't mean there isn't room for a whole lot of improvement in how we fund and manage health care... just remember who you put in charge matters in ways you can't imagine. But those of us who've been with DoD any length of time... we can imagine.
November 28, 2007
H&I* Fires, 28 NOV 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.
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
Time to add a new caveat, because from email it's not clear to some folks (mind you, if you don't read this it won't matter...) Being an open post, people (collectively, the Denizens) other than I post in the H&I. They sign their work (most of the time) - keep that in mind when you want to flame someone in email please - if it doesn't say "The Armorer" or "John" then I didn't write it! And honestly - if you don't like something said or posted... leave a comment, and hash it out (within the context of The Rulez which are clearly posted on the comment form, I would add).
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Continuing the SecDef Gates talk in Kansas theme here’s MountainRunner’s take on the issue. He doesn’t come at the question the same way we do here.
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To paraphrase a movie pirate, there’ll be no living with him after this. Hide your eyes Cassie for the busted clock appears to have been right for once. And have we mentioned that we’re annoyed that you closed up shop and moved on over to Milblogs recently? Well, we are and don’t plan on letting you forget it either.
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This has been handled in many places, I got the email from CNN about it Monday, but it is something lots of people should see (Mizz Thang was pissed when she came to gloat earlier today and I brought it up. *grin*)
Herr Flea would cite as evidence of the stupidity inherent to guilt of the affluent that seems to infect so many of our colleagues. There’s nothing romantic about the romantic socialist revolutionary. That’s just for bodice ripper novels and other boneheadery that refuses to accept the fact that such are typically truly cruel individuals(who shoots a hemophiliac 9 year old boy?).
--ry
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As JMH noted when he sent the note: Instapundit: Swinging the Cluebat. And you should click through to read Naomi Wolf, too. Really.
And now for something completely different: FuzzyBee's Great Adventure! -the Armorer
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Uh-oh. It was inevitable, but it's *huge* - a malware delivery system that uses Google as it's vehicle.
Continuing the theme - be safe out there kiddies. Always have your patches up to date, your anti-virus running, and a firewall. A good firewall. Though, sometimes, even that might not be enough. Wonder when we start treating the malware people like we useta treat horse thieves... -the Armorer
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Letting your allies know they can't be trusted with the same plane you fly isn't the best way to win either aircraft orders or pleased allies. - Damian
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Gimme summoradat! I useta do that kinda stuff, oncet upon a time. I misses it, I does!
-the Armorer
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Ahhhh. The state of governance in These United States. Snerk. Ya can't make this stuff up. -the Armorer
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Ya know, it's a shame when *I* have to be the first one on this blog to say this, but...
GO ARMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -That would be the INSTAPILOT
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Heh. I'm the guy who went to Mizzou, eh? *That's* the game I'm focused on. -the Armorer
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Sappers Up!
Soldiers from U.S. Army Europe's 502nd Engineer Company lock assault float bridge bay sections together to ferry vehicles and heavy equipment across the Euphrates River in support of Operation Marne Courageous Nov. 16. Photo by Staff Sergeant Tony Lindback
Following through.
You may remember that I got invited to the White House and, with my Band of Brothers, got to spend an hour with the President of the United States, forever being branded a sycophant in the process.
I asked a question.
"Mr. President, since you clearly see the war as necessary, and lasting beyond your administration, how do you set the conditions to ensure that the effort will continue beyond 2008, regardless of who wins the White House?"His answer was along the lines I expected, and neutrally stated. Mr. Bush responded, "The private rhetoric of the occupant of the Oval Office may be much different from their public rhetoric once they have access to the information the President has access to." He added that "Iraq has asked for a permanent political, economic and military relationship with the US" which I took to mean that Mr. Bush would be putting formal relationships into place that would make it more difficult for his successor to just repudiate things.
Well, some Dem candidate rhetoric has changed over time, and it was reported that President Bush had been talking to the candidates about that very issue - not painting themselves into corners - and, of course, now we have this... that formalization of relationships thing. Which, mind you, isn't a new idea, however, as Austin Bay notes: If you're a wire-service editor, eight months is an eon -- but if you're trying to politically reinvent Mesopotamia, it's a millisecond.
Heh. Follow-through. Here's the short version.
U.S.-Iraq Declaration Of Principles For Friendship And CooperationThe U.S. and Iraqi "Declaration of Principles" is a shared statement of intent that establishes common principles to frame our future relationship. This moves us closer to normalized, bilateral relations between our two countries. With this declaration, leaders of Iraq and the United States commit to begin negotiating the formal arrangements that will govern such a relationship.
Ø Iraq's leaders have asked for an enduring relationship with America, and we seek an enduring relationship with a democratic Iraq. We are ready to build that relationship in a sustainable way that protects our mutual interests, promotes regional stability, and requires fewer Coalition forces.
Ø In response, this Declaration is the first step in a three-step process that will normalize U.S.-Iraqi relations in a way which is consistent with Iraq's sovereignty and will help Iraq regain its rightful status in the international community – something both we and the Iraqis seek. The second step is the renewal of the Multinational Force-Iraq's Chapter VII United Nations mandate for a final year, followed by the third step, the negotiation of the detailed arrangements that will codify our bilateral relationship after the Chapter VII mandate expires.
The UN Chapter VII resolution that is binding under international law gives the MNFI legal authorization to “take all necessary measures to preserve peace and security”. Both the U.S. and Iraq are committed to Iraq moving beyond an international presence based on a UN Security Council Chapter VII mandate.
Iraqis have expressed a desire to move past a Chapter VII MNFI mandate and we are committed to helping them achieve this objective.
After the Chapter VII mandate is renewed for one year, we will begin negotiation of a framework that will govern the future of our bilateral relationship.
The Declaration Is A Continuation Of A Commitment That Began This AugustThe governments of Iraq and the United States are committed to developing a long-term relationship as two fully sovereign and independent states with common interests.
Ø The August 26 Communiqué signed by the five political leaders – Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki, the three members of the Presidency Council, and Kurdish leader Ma'sud Barzani – on August 26, 2007, and endorsed by President Bush states: "The leaders considered it important to link the renewal of UN Resolution 1723 for another year with a reference to the ending of Iraq's Chapter VII status under the UN Charter and the concomitant resumption of Iraq's normal status as a state with full sovereignty and authorities and the restoration of Iraq's legal international status, namely the status that it had before UN Resolution 661 of 1990. In this context, the leaders affirmed the necessity of reaching a long term relationship with the American side … that is built on common interests and covers the various areas between the Republic of Iraq and the United States of America. This goal should be realized in the near future."
Ø President Bush endorsed the August 26th communiqué:
· President Bush: "I welcome and accept the expressed desire of the Iraqi leadership to develop a long-term relationship with the United States based on common interests. The United States is committed to developing this relationship and to strengthening diplomatic, economic, and security ties with the Iraqi government and its people." (President George W. Bush, Remarks, Kirtland AFB, NM, 8/27/07)
· President Bush: Iraq's leaders "understand that their success will require U.S. political, economic, and security engagement that extends beyond my presidency. These Iraqi leaders have asked for an enduring relationship with America. And we are ready to begin building that relationship – in a way that protects our interests in the region and requires many fewer American troops." (President George W. Bush, Address to the Nation, The White House, 9/13/07)
The Declaration Sets The U.S. And Iraq On A Path Toward Negotiating Agreements That Are Common Throughout The World
The U.S. has security relationships with over 100 countries around the world, including recent agreements with nations such as Afghanistan and former Soviet bloc countries.
The relationship envisioned will include U.S.-Iraqi cooperation in the political, diplomatic, economic and security arenas. The United States and Iraq intend to negotiate arrangements based upon a range of principles:
Ø Political and Diplomatic: The U.S. and Iraq have committed to strengthening Iraq's democratic institutions, upholding the Iraqi Constitution, supporting Iraqi national reconciliation, and enhancing Iraq's position in regional and international organizations, so that it may play a constructive role in the region.
Ø Economic: Both countries have agreed to support the development of Iraqi economic institutions and further integration into international financial institutions, to encourage all parties to abide by their commitments made in the International Compact with Iraq, to assist Iraq in its efforts to recover illegally exported funds and properties and to secure debt relief, and to encourage the flow of foreign investments to Iraq.
Ø Security: To support the Iraqi government in training, equipping, and arming the Iraqi Security Forces so they can provide security and stability to all Iraqis; support the Iraqi government in contributing to the international fight against terrorism by confronting terrorists such as Al-Qaeda, its affiliates, other terrorist groups, as well as all other outlaw groups, such as criminal remnants of the former regime; and to provide security assurances to the Iraqi Government to deter any external aggression and to ensure the integrity of Iraq's territory.
The full text is in the Flash Traffic/Extended Entry.
Hey, they're just words. But, as the Left likes to remind us... words have meaning. Nothing will be easy. But if you don't start walking the walk, nothing gets done.
Follow through. The Iraqis have to, and we'll see if the next Administration has the stomach to follow through. The American people do - if they have strong leadership, and see distinct signs of progress that includes the continued shifting of the major burden for Iraq to Iraq.
It's Time to Jump the Gun...
...on Christmas jokes.
Three men died on Christmas Eve and were met by Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates. "In honor of this holy season," Saint Peter said, "you must each possess something that symbolizes Christmas in order to get into heaven."The first man fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a lighter. He flicked it on. "It represents a candle," he said. "You may pass through the Pearly Gates," Saint Peter said.
The second man reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. He shook them and said, "They're bells." Saint Peter said, "You may pass through the Pearly Gates."
The third man started searching desperately through his pockets and finally pulled out a pair of women's panties.
St. Peter looked at the man with a raised eyebrow and asked, "And just *what* do those symbolize?"
The man replied, "They're Carol's!"
H/t to Mo.
Hey, at least I didn't post it right after Columbus Day...
IPB*, 28 NOV 2007
Blog buddy tdaxp asks a very thorny question. Which is better: to kill a culture or to commit democide as part of the Long War/GWOT/whatever we’re calling it these days?
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Two from abu muqawama.
The first is a somewhat novel (to me) method of officer and enlisted retention, letting them take a year off.
The second is a definitional question. You know, with all the generations of warfare and different classifications of what a violent event may fall under, it’s not a bad question to ask. Is the violence we’re seeing in France an insurgency or merely angry mobs?
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Mike over at Haft of the Spear has another good one. The importance of the virtual. Basically, know what a tool is good for and what it isn’t.
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A real down and geeky one from Opposed Systems Design on a predictive model. Nice.
--ry
November 27, 2007
H&I* Fires, 27 NOV 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.
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
Time to add a new caveat, because from email it's not clear to some folks (mind you, if you don't read this it won't matter...) Being an open post, people (collectively, the Denizens) other than I post in the H&I. They sign their work (most of the time) - keep that in mind when you want to flame someone in email please - if it doesn't say "The Armorer" or "John" then I didn't write it! And honestly - if you don't like something said or posted... leave a comment, and hash it out (within the context of The Rulez which are clearly posted on the comment form, I would add).
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The Rightosphere Temperature Check For November: Special GOP Primary Edition is now live at Right Wing News. See what the Right Side of the 'Sphere thinks.
“Don’t go outside the house,” the 911 operator pleaded. “You’re going to get yourself shot if you go outside that house with a gun. I don’t care what you think.” “You want to make a bet?” Horn answered. “I’m going to kill them.” He did.
Burgling is a dangerous business in Houston. I might not have been so quick to shoot as this guy... but I really dislike the flipside to the above, as aptly captured by Jules Crittenden in his piece that I lifted these quotes from:
This would not happen in my state, due to the well-established Massachusetts criminals’ rights movement that levies severe penalties on anyone with a lawful firearm attempting to interfere with a domestic felony in progress.
Indeed. Too many jurisdictions (the entire British Isles for example) levy severe penalties for interfering with a felony in progress. Feh. -the Armorer
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Heh. *Someone* has their undergarments all snarled up... -the Armorer
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Yeah, that's right I *am* smiling, dammit! -the Armorer
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A little gunner zen...
Private First Class Jerry Cleveland (left) and Specialist Brett Mitchell, with the International Security Assistance Force, fire a 120 mm mortar during a combat operation in the Da'udzay Valley in Zabol Province, Afghanistan. Photo by Sergeant 1st Class Jim Downen
Defense Secretary Gate's Landon Lecture at K-State.
Secretary Gates was in Kansas yesterday, giving the latest installment of the Landon Lectures at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas.
Kat, I see, stole my thunder in her post below, necessitating a bit of a rewrite. Sigh. I oughta lock the place until I'm open for business... I don't need to throw the props to Cannoneer #4 yet again, but I thought of him when the Secretary was going through that portion of his speech.
I find the Washington Post's headline interesting... Gates Urges Increased Funding for Diplomacy, with the tagline of Secretary Calls for Use of 'Soft Power'.
I watched the address live. My take, like my notes, are a little different.
This speech is potentially a historic address, if Secretary Gates can put in motion a plan that the next administration will be able to carry forward. He's couching it in terms that a Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton could take this concept and move with it, embrace it, and make it their own.
The SecDef is actually calling for a huge reorientation of the Federal Government to blend that Canadian concept of "soft power" with the "hard power" of military power. Not as two separate concepts, but as a unifying theme and construct.
He's calling to take the concept embodied in Provincial Reconstruction Teams and Human Terrain Teams and greatly expand their scope and ability - to include a deployability matching that of combat forces and essentially the institutionalization of the skill set in the US Gov, and not necessarily in the State Department, but perhaps in a different organization - making American foreign policy "joint" in the ways that the US military is becoming (cuz' it's an on-going process) Joint.
He used several historical examples, such as the move from the War Department and Navy Department to the Department of Defense in 1947 in response to the comment that "The war would have ended sooner if the Army and Navy had expended as much effort fighting the enemy as they did fighting each other." and all the tweaks (essentially all imposed legislatively, from without, he noted) through to Goldwater-Nichols which really started bashing Flag-rank heads together by making promotion to flag rank dependent on successful joint assignments of sufficient length to be more than mere block-checks.
He talked about the almost instantaneous dissolution of functional capabilities at the end of WWII, again after Vietnam, and the real destruction of intel (especially humint) and infowar assets (you can hear Cannoneer #4 whooping and hollering in the background) along with a surprisingly large reduction in State Department Foreign Service Officers after the Fall of the Wall.
He didn't call for a merging of State and Defense, nor a simple plus-up in their abilities. As I heard it - he called for a whole new organizational structures, that would institutionalize the skillset within the US government, across the structural/cultural pipes of the existing Cabinet structure.
That's what I heard, anyway. I heard a call for the true institutionalization of "Talk softly, but carry a big stick, and be able to do so proactively - especially the talking part, with the ability to *do* things.
I think he called for rather more than "Gates Urges Increased Funding for Diplomacy, with the tagline of Secretary Calls for Use of 'Soft Power'."
Hey, don't take my word for it - go watch Secretary Gate's Landon Lecture yourself, by clicking here.
And yes, Secretary Gates did basically put in a plug for bloggers - asking how come the US is the place in which Public Relations was invented, yet al Qaeda is better communicating it's message via the Internet. I'll save my slightly smug look for later.
I'm also guessing Ry will be darting out from a dark corner, orange rime of stale cheetos around his mouth yelling... "Barnett! SysAdmin Barnett! Leviathan! Barnett!" and then dart back into his corner... and the PG-17c (with housekeeping mod) will have to come out and clean up stale cheeto chaff from the floor. Okay, this last paragraph is going to scare the normals, isn't it?
Update: The transcript of Secretary Gate's speech is available here.
The transcript of the remarks of Secretary Gates' Landon Lecture at KState.
Landon Lecture Remarks as Delivered by Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, Manhattan, Kansas, Monday, November 26, 2007--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Acknowledgements]
It is both an honor and a pleasure to be part of the Landon Lecture series – a forum that has for more than four decades has hosted some of America’s leading intellectuals and statesmen. Considering that, I at first wondered if the invitation was in fact meant for Bill Gates.
It is a pleasure to get out of Washington, D.C., for a little while. I left Washington in 1994, and I was certain, and very happy, that it was the last time I would ever live there. But history, and current events, have a way of exacting revenge on those who say “never.” I’ve now been back in the District of Columbia for close to a year, which reminds me of an old saying: For the first six months you’re in Washington, you wonder how the hell you ever got there. For the next six months, you wonder how the hell the rest of them ever got there.
As I look down at my remarks and the material to cover this afternoon, I am reminded of the time George Bernard Shaw told a speaker he had 15 minutes to speak. The speaker replied, “15 minutes? How can I tell them all I know in 15 minutes?” Shaw responded, “I advise you to speak very slowly.” I want to warn you in advance that my remarks are more than 15 minutes.
First, I need to establish my K-State bona fides – my brother, sister-in-law, and niece are all K-State graduates. They and my mother and other family members are here today.
It is good to be back in Kansas, where my family has lived for more than a century.
I believe Kansas imparts to its children three characteristics that have been a source of strength for me over the years: a rejection of cynicism and an enduring optimism and idealism.
Looking around the world today, optimism and idealism would not seem to have much of a place at the table. There is no shortage of anxiety about where our nation is headed and what its role will be in the 21st century.
I can remember clearly other times in my life when such dark sentiments were prevalent. In 1957, when I was at Wichita High School East, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, and Americans feared being left behind in the space race and, even more worrisome, the missile race.
In1968, the first full year I lived in Washington, was the same year as the Tet offensive in Vietnam, where American troop levels and casualties were at their height. Across the nation, protests and violence over Vietnam engulfed America’s cities and campuses. On my second day of work as a CIA analyst, the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia. And then came the 1970s – when it seemed that everything that could go wrong for America did.
Yet, through it all, there was another storyline, one not then apparent. During those same years, the elements were in place and forces were at work that would eventually lead to victory in the Cold War – a victory achieved not by any one party or any single president, but by a series of decisions, choices, and institutions that bridged decades, generations, and administrations. From:
· The first brave stand taken by Harry Truman with the doctrine of containment; to
· The Helsinki Accords under Gerald Ford; to
· The elevation of human rights under Jimmy Carter; to
· The muscular words and deeds of Ronald Reagan; and to
· The masterful endgame diplomacy of George H. W. Bush.
All contributed to bring an Evil Empire crashing down not with a bang but with a whimper. And virtually without a shot being fired.
In this great effort, institutions, as much as people and policies, played a key role. Many of those key organizations were created 60 years ago this year with the National Security Act of 1947 – a single act of legislation which established the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Council, the United States Air Force, and what is now known as the Department of Defense. I mention all this because that legislation and those instruments of national power were designed at the dawn of a new era in international relations for the United States – an era dominated by the Cold War.
The end of the Cold War, and the attacks of September 11, marked the dawn of another new era in international relations – an era whose challenges may be unprecedented in complexity and scope.
The rest of the address are in the Flash Traffic/Extended Entry. My post on the subject is here.
Fluffy Bunny and other Info Ops.
Once again, the Myrmidons of the Imperial Armed Forces conduct an information operation on a helpless Iraqi infant. members of the American Armed Forces do what they would rather do, given the chance. Oh, and make no mistake this post *is* an InfoOp, even if the motivations of the warriors are pure and taken without regard of that fact, make no mistake, *my* posting of them are fully intended as Information Operations. And no, I don't get any orders from anyone...
Specialist Stephanie Defreest holds a 22-day-old Iraqi child during a community medical outreach program in Yarmuk. Spc. Defreest is a medic assigned to Company C, 299th Forward Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Andrew M. Rodier)
Then there's this horror of mistreatment lifesaving care for the locals under the Imperial Boot near Coalition military facilities - this time from Afghanistan.
20071126-F-XXXXX-002: Air Force neurosurgeon Lt. Col. (Dr.) Randall McCafferty performs surgery on a young Afghan girl suffering from an arachnoid cyst or “water on the brain” at the Craig Joint Theater Hospital here. Without the help of McCafferty’s expertise the young girl, who is now in good condition, was not expected to survive.
Air Force neurosurgeon saves Afghan child’s lifeBAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – An Air Force neurosurgeon assigned to the Craig Joint Theater Hospital here recently saved the life of an 8-month-old Afghan girl.
The young child, from Parwan Province, was originally taken by her parents to El Salem Egyptian Field Hospital with symptoms including excessive head growth, eye abnormalities and irritability.
After Egyptian physicians referred her to CJTH, Air Force neurosurgeon Lt. Col. (Dr.) Randall McCafferty diagnosed a congenital brain abnormality, called an “arachnoid cyst” at the base of the young girl’s brain.
“The cyst had caused blockage of the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, thus causing hydrocephalus [commonly known as “water on the brain”,” said Dr. McCafferty. “Left untreated, the condition could have eventually been fatal.”
Thanks to the recent deployment of neurosurgical assets to Afghanistan, Dr. McCafferty was able to operate on the child Nov. 12 and again Nov. 20, removing the cyst and leaving the girl in good condition.
“I was happy that I could bring specialized training to this region that did not previously exist and that with those skills I was able to provide an opportunity at a future life for both the child and her family that likely would not otherwise exist. In addition, I was fortunate to have the support of command, my colleagues and the ICU staff at CJTH to be able to deliver this care,” McCafferty said.
Gimme summoradat! Or at least, some more water, this time in Bangladesh.
BAY OF BENGAL (Nov. 26, 2007) Sailors and Marines aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) help load crates of water onto a CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter for distribution in Bangladesh. Kearsarge and the embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit are conducting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts in response to the government of Bangladesh's request for assistance after Cyclone Sidr struck their southern coast Nov. 15. The Department of Defense effort is part of a larger United States response coordinated by the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Ash Severe
Pretty Joint InfoOp today, too. No, all news is not good news. But the Old Media make their living at giving you the bad news - so I'll take the opportunity to "tell the stories not told"...
Information War: The Best Defense is an Information Offense
[Denizen Commentary - Kat]
Cannoneer No 4 Issued a request for thoughts on reconstituting the USIA (United States Information Agency) and received several responses. My own response revolved around the major stumbling block to the establishment and effective use of this agency: the great divide over the position of terrorism and non-state actors (ie, terrorists) on the scale of national security imperatives. Until we can come to a consensus as to its status and degree of threat, reconstituting the USIA would be an act of futility.
Somebody high up must read the Cannoneer's site because Gates quotes the Cannoneer in the Landon Lecture yesterday at Kansas State University regarding beefing up spending on diplomatic efforts. He laments the demise of the USIA due to the "peace dividend" and suggests that it be reconstituted, obviously ignoring the problem of the great divide I outlined. However, he does address my pet peeve:
"We are miserable at communicating to the rest of the world what we are about as a society and culture," Gates said. "It is just plain embarrassing that al-Qaeda is better at communicating its message on the Internet than America."
And all that without even half the server space, computer power or fancy digital software of even one low rent television station in BFE, Idaho.
(continued in flash traffic)
November 26, 2007
H&I* Fires, 26 NOV 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.
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
Time to add a new caveat, because from email it's not clear to some folks (mind you, if you don't read this it won't matter...) Being an open post, people (collectively, the Denizens) other than I post in the H&I. They sign their work (most of the time) - keep that in mind when you want to flame someone in email please - if it doesn't say "The Armorer" or "John" then I didn't write it! And honestly - if you don't like something said or posted... leave a comment, and hash it out (within the context of The Rulez which are clearly posted on the comment form, I would add).
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Well... on the plus side, it's at least a legitimate military target, and I've long wondered, given the noise about terrs coming in from Mexico, if Fort Huachuca wouldn't make a comparatively simple target... possibly, the terrs think so.
For those of you local to the KC Region, if you've been listening to the tiresomely portentous KCTV 5 promos for their Phill Kline hit piece (Kansas politics for the rest of you) which airs tonight, here's a little sneak peek at The Kansas Meadowlark regarding what it might be about... and how they went about it. H/t, Jim C. -the Armorer
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Oh - Kansas and Missouri had some of the most productive lead mines in the country, to the current locals regret, one of the reasons the region was of strategic importance in the Civil War. This weekend I did my bit to enhance the concentration of lead and copper in Leavenworth county by adding a combined 200 rounds worth of .303 Brit, 7.62x54 Russian, 7.62x51, and 30.06 to my local hillside. Just sayin'. At least this will be strippable, and not tunneled mining... -the Armorer
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LTG Caldwell's speech at the Dole Institute.
Since LTG Caldwell is in charge of how the Army develops doctrine and conducts collective training... we probably ought to have an interest in his thoughts on the subject. And rather than filter them for you, I'm providing the text of his remarks - this is the final draft version, there were some slight differences in delivery, none affecting the meaning, just reflecting LTG Caldwell's interaction with the audience.
Later this week, I'll have a post up of the Blogger's Roundtable interview with LTG Caldwell's Deputy Commander, Colonel Abrams - and we'll see how the General's vision is getting out to the people who will be implementing it.
Oh - and at the pre-event dinner, where LTG Caldwell said all the nice things a visitor should say to his hosts regarding the pending MU-KU game... I told the assembled Jayhawks they were going to go down in flames. Now to see if I ever get invited back...
On to LTG Caldwell's remarks - I did edit out the usual "Hail Fellow, Well Met!" stuff that always starts these kinds of speeches. It's important for the venue, but not for you guys. Unless you want to read about him talking up the Jayhawks in the light of subsequent events...
Address to the Dole Institute: The Changing Face of Warfare in the 21st Century Lawrence, KS 14 November 2007 LTG William B. Caldwell IV FINAL DRAFTThank you for that wonderful introduction. It is truly an honor and a pleasure to be speaking here tonight… in this magnificent building, named after such an influential member of our government and decorated war hero. This institution has played host to former Presidents, Senators and members of Congress so it is quite humbling to have the honor to follow in those footsteps.
[deleted paragraph]
In my capacity as Commander of the Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, I have the exciting opportunity to affect some important institutional changes in our Army. The Combined Arms Center consists of seventeen centers and schools that span the length and breadth of our great Nation and are responsible for everything from… collecting lessons learned and… generating new Army Doctrine… to training and educating our force. From Fort Benning, Georgia to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey California… From the Center for Army Lessons Learned to our Command and General Staff College which educates the future leaders of our Army… the Combined Arms Center is one of the greatest instruments of organizational change in our Army. My responsibility to you and the American public is to use that instrument to move the Army in the direction we need to go to be prepared for any challenges that lay in the future.
The Greek Philosopher, Heraclitus said over 2500 years ago “Nothing endures but change.” Sun Tzu said in The Art of War: “… as water has no constant form, there are in war no constant conditions.”
Throughout history the tactics, strategies and nature of warfare have changed and evolved. The challenge of successful, professional Armies has always been in adapting to changes more quickly than their adversary in order to be victorious… or better yet, though it is very, very difficult – predicting changes and changing to address them before a conflict arises.
An old axiom says that Generals always fight the “last war.” It is probably more accurate to say; generals and political leaders have trouble rapidly changing the tactics and strategies that were successful in the last war to meet the realities of the next war.Through much of our own Civil War, we find the use of Napoleonic tactics… ranks of men in linear formations marching forward on the battlefield sending vollies of fire at their adversaries. Between the time of Napoleon and the American Civil war the Minié Ball was invented, in concert with rifled barrels, the Minié Ball made the weapons of the Civil War much more accurate…. accurate, in fact, out to 200 yards as opposed to the 40 yards of Napoleonic era muskets. This extended distance accounted for 3 to 4 additional volleys of accurate fire before two armies converged and the fighting became hand to hand and bayonet. Thoughtful military leaders on both sides struggled to adapt their tactics to this new reality without success - a contributing factor to the extreme bloodiness of that war. Additionally, if we examine later battles of the Civil War, like Petersburg, we start to see the tactics shifting and the use of trenches and fortified defenses…. a battlefield that eerily resembles France in 1917.
When we finally get to France in 1917 we find those same tactics in use… trenches, fortifications and obstacles, but now we find the widespread use of another new weapon… the Machine Gun. Until the tank and the airplane provided the means to cross the so-called no-man’s land years after the war ended, many brave men lost their lives in seemingly senseless attacks.
So, you can see from these few examples that Armies, and especially leaders tend to rely on the successes of past battles when preparing for the future. The real challenge is trying to equip and train our Armies for an unknown invention, tactic, technology or strategy. Sometimes we get it right… sometimes we get it a little right… and sometimes we get it dead wrong. In fact the great British historian Sir Michael Howard famously wrote some years ago that it doesn’t matter that armies may have their doctrines wrong prior to the outbreak of a war. What matters is who can most quickly adapt to get it right.
Warfare in the 21st Century is no different… The only constant is change. The question is how will warfare continue to evolve in the future? What kinds of things do we need to be doing to properly train and equip our Army to fight this war, while simultaneously preparing and equipping them for the next war?
Today I would like to talk about some of the ways that we see warfare changing in the 21st Century and what we are doing in the Army and more specifically at the Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth to address those changes.
The rest is in the Flash Traffic/Extended Entry
Schizophrenic War Take 2
In Schizophrenic War on Sunday, I talked about reading two books on the war in Iraq and the different views of the war each presented. "Waging Peace" was about civil affairs in a war zone and Buzzel's "My War" is basically an infantryman's shooting war. The apparent inability to reconcile these two seemingly opposite views of "war" during an insurgency (global and localized) apparently paralyzed (and still does) our political, philosophical and strategic thinking.
Case in point. Sanchez's speech on the Democrat weekly address stirred up a conversation at Small Wars. Most commentors thought that Sanchez was basically trying to shun responsibility for the failure to identify and properly fight the insurgency. Two defended him. One basically stating that Sanchez was simply following orders of the infamous Rumsfeld and would have been fired if he tried to do counter-insurgency which he would have implemented "if only". Another claiming that the discontent with his statements was politically motivated.
(continued in flash traffic)
This will make Dusty's HOTAS fingers twitch...
Lieutenant Colonel Sam Milam taxies an A-10C Thunderbolt II to its new home Aug. 7 at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. This aircraft is the first of approximately 50 upgraded A-10Cs moving to Moody AFB as a part of a base realignment. The move is expected to be complete in early spring 2008 as aircraft are converted from A-10A to A-10C models. Colonel Milam is the 75th Fighter Squadron commander. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres)
Say hello to the latest edition of the A-10, the A-10C. They've been deployed in Iraq for two months and thus far have been getting good reviews. The various upgrades give the A-10 the same ground capabilities that most other fighters (in terms of ability to use the newer stand-off weapons) in addition to the close-in hellfire and damnation for which they were always the most capable delivery platform and made it the favorite of people like me.
They can now drop JDAMs, plus a new targeting pod, improved cockpit displays and digital comms, bringing them up to current standards. This allows the A10s to take full advantage of all the advances in airspace control and situation awareness of the air picture. The targeting pod pod gives them a better picture (literally) of what's going on down on the deck, day or night. The thermal camera gives them the ability to detect recently emplaced roadside bombs, and according to AF and Army sources, the A-10C pilots have been honing that skill as a priority.
Basically, the Air Force has dragged that ugly airframe into the early 21st Century, even as they'd like to ditch it... except it's still the only aircraft built to come in low and fight hard, and survive and is still cheaper to operate than the other aircraft the AF uses in the ground support role.
November 25, 2007
Afghan commandos in action.
071113-A-XXXXX-002 - Commandos from the 3rd Company, 1st Commando Kandak stormed the compound of a well-know Taliban leader in the Tag Ab Valley, Nov. 14. (U.S. Army photo by CJSOTF-A Combat Camera)
Elite Afghan force continues to neutralize Taliban insurgents
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – The Afghan 3rd Company, 1st Commando Kandak, conducted an air-assault raid at dawn on the compound of a high-level Taliban facilitator, kicking off a four-day offensive operation named Commando Fury in the Tag Ab Valley, Kapisa Province, Nov. 10-14.
Upon receiving credible intelligence, the Commandos quickly mobilized and launched on a flight of five Coalition helicopters. As the sun broke over the Sur Ghar Mountains, the Taliban knew the unit was upon them. Within moments, dust swirled as the helicopters set down within feet of their target building. Taliban fled in every direction as the Commandos leapt from the aircraft. Through the tumult, emerged 30 plus Commandos. Seconds later, the assaulters breached the entrance and cleared the first of many enemy compounds.
“The valley has long been plagued with insurgent activity, people living in fear of violence at the hands of Taliban extremists,” said Army Maj. Chris Belcher, Combined Joint Task Forces-82 spokesman. “The Afghan Commandos sent a message that there will be no refuge for extremists in Kapisa.”
The Taliban scurried to escape the pursuit, but a convoy of more than 30 Afghan Commando vehicles sped toward the objective to block the enemy retreat. A joint effort by the Afghan National Police and Afghan National Army assisted the Commando battalion in disrupting the Taliban hold on the Tag Ab Valley as Commandos hit target after target. Taliban were met at every turn by the combined Afghan force.
“The 3rd Company reinforced the sterling reputation of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’s most elite fighting force. The fact is there will be no safe haven for Taliban or place where these elite warriors will not pursue the enemies of freedom and stability,” Belcher said. “The company took no time for celebration. They refitted and rearmed. They are always vigilant, always ready to respond, at a moments notice, to the call of freedom.”
071113-A-XXXXX-003 - Commandos from the 3rd Company, 1st Commando Battalion, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’s elite fighting force, dismount a Coalition forces aircraft, as the sun broke over the Sur Ghar mountains, during the operation Commando Fury in Tag Ab Valley, Nov. 13. (U.S. Army photo by CJSOTF-A Combat Camera)
In other under-covered news...
Those Myrmidons of the US Military Conduct an Information Operation to distract attention away from their Imperialist Warmongering in SW Asia. Oops. Sorry. Channeling my inner Kossack. Rather...
PARISOL, Bangladesh -- U.S. Marine helicopter crews from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, embarked with the USS Kearsarge, deliver bottled water to Parisol, Bangladesh, Nov. 23, 2007. The shipment marked the beginning of U.S. military humanitarian aid to the cyclone-striken country. (Photo by Corporal Peter R. Miller, U.S. Marine Corps)
Commander. Peter Pagano, Executive Officer, USS Kearsarge, gives Bangladeshi government and military officials a tour during a humanitarian assistance capabilities brief aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3). The amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) and the embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) are conducting Humanitarian Assistance/ Disaster Relief efforts in response to the Government of Bangladesh"s request for assistance after Tropical Cyclone Sidr struck their southern coast Nov. 15. The storm killed over 3,000 people and has left several hundred thousand homeless. The Department of Defense effort is part of a larger United States response coordinated by the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development. U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Robert Keilman. (RELEASED)
Border War
Yesterday: Kansas Jayhawks...#2, 11-0
Missouri Tigers, #3, 10-1
They met in Arrowhead Stadium last night.
Today: Missouri Tigers 11-1 And prolly #1, since LSU lost, too.
Kansas Jayhawks Chickenhawks 11-1
MU-WHA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!
I've taken a lot of guff this week, being a Tiger-in-Kansas.
Right now, life is pretty good. And since I completely ignore basketball and other sports, my armor is impervious.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Now to see if Coach Pinkel and his streak of Tigers can break the Oklahoma Curse in San Antonio next week.
HIT IT!
HOORAY, HURRAH, MIZZOU, MIZZOU!
HOORAY, HURRAH, MIZZOU, MIZZOU!
HOORAY, HURRAH, AND A BULLY FOR OLD MIZZOU,
RAH! RAH! RAH! RAH!
MIZZOU-RAH! MIZZOU-RAH! MIZZOU-RAH, TIGERS!
Okay. Enough of that stuff.
Schizophrenic War
[Denizen Commentary - Kat]
I've read two books over the four day holiday and am on my third. V.D. Hansen's "A War Like No Other", "Waging Peace" and "My War" by Colby Buzzel. I know many have probably already read these books. My local library has been very good about getting books in or finding them, but these were hard to come by at first because, believe it or not, they are very popular. In between, I've raided the library on everything from Saudi history, Islam, Jihad, terrorism and many books on the Gulf War. It's a small branch library in an upscale suburb. I suppose that is why I find it so surprising the number of books they have on this subject and how popular they are.
If you haven't read it yet, I really recommend "Waging Peace" by Rob Schultheis. It was written in 2004 and published in 2005. It tells the story of Civil Affairs Team 13 (CAT 13) in Al Khadamiya in Iraq with a side trip through his brief stay with a CA team in Afghanistan. It gives the first view of "COIN" as we now think of it, practiced by a small CA team who were once noted by their Battalion Commander as not being "Battalion Team Players". Which turns out to be, in the words of Schultheis, "the right people in the wrong place at the wrong time doing the right thing."
(continued in flash traffic)
.
Mebbe it's just Clobbering Time.
.
Just sayin'
.
"The Iraqis don't want Saddam back - they want the stability. But they want the stability without being fed into industrial chippers."
. -The Armorer, on Hugh Hewitt, 27 December 2006.
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