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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Something disturbs me today. There are two things that shouldn't be left unattended in a Babe's Romper Room.
Firstly, LOADED REVOLVERS. Because we all have great respect for firearms, and their power contained therein.
Secondly, FULLY HOODED - HISSING COBRAS. Call me culturally insensitive, but these just shouldn't mix.
BOQ
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After the brief on opium trade and food in Afghanistan yesterday, here's a little good news: Afghanistan's economy is growing by leaps and bounds.
And Kyrgyz select Afghanistan as a labor migration location.. A barber made $1000 as a contractor with the South Korean contingent. He socked away a lot of money by Kyrgyz standards. As an added benefit, imagine that all this association with free, democratic nation's people is an excellent way to transplant ideas.
US Navy to test fire electromagnetic rail gun today. A sci-fi weapon come to life.
Bill Roggio on the Mosul Offensive (that's Iraq for new visitors) With a report from the AP interviewing commanders: the long road in Mosul. Mosul was previously pacified, but remained a post along the AQI supply route. AQI kept their heads down there in order to keep the supply train going, but now its coming to a head. The Iraqi commanders are claiming it to be AQI's last stand in Iraq. US Commanders are more cautious. Whichever it is, it's going to be tough and its going to be rough on the AQIs.
The Real 1984: East German Stasi
The War Against Jihadism (H/T somebody)
On a similar vein, Belmont Club posts "Unspoken" (read the comments, too) and follow up commentary by a soldier in Iraq: Spoken
-Kat
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Report: Military Unready for Large Scale Attacks on Home Land. I think there is a lot to be said about this and, having reviewed some of the local programs and their very low key attempts to get citizens interested in becoming volunteers, I would say its not just the military that has a problem. More on that later. [-Kat?]
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Have any questions for the 3rd ID's senior enlisted man?
The trickle of reporting on good news from Iraq is developing into a steady stream. Today, it's Life in a Sunni-Shia neighborhood. However, there are still worrisome trends under the surface in Iraq.
There is also what may be encouraging news on Iraq veterans' health, though the media spin is confusing. The Associated Press reports that doctors are concluding that what has been diagnosed as (semi-)permanent psychiatric changes due to TBI may actually be manifestations of PTSD and depression, which are highly treatable. Reuters takes a different tack on the study, under the headline, "Stress syndrome seen adding risk after head injury." - FbL
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The Third Annual Milblogger Conference Rumor-Mongering... TINS! Here's the gouge: a nameless source who works for MIlitary.com informs me that the Milblogger Conference this year will indeed be held in September, and will *NOT* be held in DC. Rather, it will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, in conjunction with the Blogworld Expo. If so, thats probably a net good - Vegas is pretty cheap to get to from about anywhere in the country, you can stay there reasonably cheaply if you don't feel compelled to stay on the Strip, and you'll get to hit the Blogworld Expo, too - which was well worth it this year! No word yet on whether or not the Tailhook Hotel will be the venue for parties... -the Armorer
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Another one takes a dirt nap. One al-Qaida's top commanders in Afghanistan, Abu Laith al-Libi was killed in Afghanistan, a Web site used by militant groups said Thursday. Read more at Breitbart. -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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