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...
Of interest, the Democrats in congress are still trying to tell the President he has no authority to go to war with Iran without congressional support. Flying in the face of the War Powers Act and possibly hamstringing future Democrat presidents who, in the past, have not been exactly adverse to applying a little American Military force without declarations of war. The Dems are arguing among themselves about how to say the most while doing the least.
In general, some, like Hillary, want to write a letter. A letter with little legislative power that will make it a little more difficult for a future Democrat president to get support for "non-war" military actions, but not make it impossible. Obama, on the other hand, wants to propose legislation that would be "more effective" at closing the loop. Whether that is in reducing certain aspects of the War Powers Act or just on the Iranian situation, it is essentially also a "non-action" with little risk since it would be unlikely to pass. But, it would make Obama more popular with the "anti-war" folks.
Is anyone buying this obvious political maneuvering?
A little humor (or, just plain gross), Putin in his many guises as Russian President and all around stud.
A little old, but not really discussed here: Marine reservist "spies" on his anti-terrorism unit and passes it on to...LA Anti-terrorism unit. So, do we buy his argument that it was to by pass ugly bureaucracy and bad laws that prevent it? Give him a pass? Or, should we be concerned that he might have damaged the barrier between international intelligence operations and internal intelligence operations that puts our rights at risk? I'm torn about it since we're at war and there must be some way to balance out the internal and external needs of a global war.
War costs could reach 2.4 trillion according to some sort of calculations by somebody. Which is what the Democrats are claiming is the reason they are holding up signing off on next years budget.
Afghanistan as a tourist destination?
And, in Iraq, a true story of heroism that we don't hear much about: The Longest Morning
-Kat
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In light of this post on the politicization of the military and what happens when they don't get support form home that they should went sent out on national business to effect national policy, don't get the expected care, services or respect as veterans (like congress holding up the Iraq funding or VA bill and threatening to tie them to bills that are likely to be vetoed), I'd like to make an historical reference or two:
When Caesar crossed the Rubicon into Rome, he took his veteran legions with him. They went for a myriad of reasons, but one of them was because Caesar promised to provide for the veterans what the Roman Republic had not: services, land and pensions. The Republic fell.
Before that, the Athenians who had grown rather soft in their democratic resplendence, where, like the future Rome, their moneyed and pampered citizens had long since disconnected from the military. It was a professional military and Athens, with all its internal democratic angst over war with Sparta, counted them less than themselves. They were slow in sending money and resources. Fewer and fewer Athenians served. The once proud, undefeated Athenian army, served by free men from a democracy, was smashed by the autocratic Spartans (in the guise of "freedom") and Athens fell.
No, we're not Athens or Rome, but history is still a great instructor on many human proclivities.
-Kat
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Can I get some of that First Class Wine when I head to Kabul???
Suckas!
MTH
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The Nose On Your Face is a satire news site (ala The Onion but more obvious) and their brand of satire is often too brutal for my taste or the tenor of the Castle - but they have gems now and then like this one: Top 9 New York Times Headlines Regarding Declining Troop Deaths In Iraq
Oh, then there's this, the most bemusing email of the week:
I just got a note from the fish company - I pick up our fish tomorrow between 3 and 4 at Horse Country!Pretty durn convenient, eh?
Love,
SWWBO
Nigh unto 10 years ago, when I married her, getting a note like that from her.. well, let's just say I find it bemusing. -the Armorer
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*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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