Strange Dichotomy: Abu Graihb Was Good for US

[Kat]

...in the long run.

The short run, immediate propaganda and recruiting material for the jihadists along with the attendant deaths of Iraqis and American soldiers, was terrible and damaging.

On the other hand, ask yourself when people really started taking the idea of an "information war" seriously. What was the first major story that had milblogs, political blogs and personal blogs binding together to refute a terrible story? When did the US government actually start thinking about information warfare?

I can still remember the really horrendous Centcom website that was worse than a basic Blogger package and had all the user friendliness and packaging of an early 1994 geocities web page. It was rarely updated regularly and the videos were less than "B roll".

Rumsfield was still talking about dead enders as violence escalated. Zawahiri's letter had not yet been released (the one that talked about "half the battle field is in the media").

For others, Abu Graihb might have woke them up to the idea that the way they were fighting the war was counter-productive. Even if it took them a year or so more after the event to grasp the idea fully, it did begin a conversation, however one would wish it not to start that way. Maybe it was the only way it COULD start.

Somewhere in that calculation, it could be said that, in the long run, it may have saved American soldiers' lives by moving our discussion in the right direction and helping to change strategies and tactics.

Of course, I'm not proposing any medals for the perpetrators. A good cigar and a last meal would be more than they deserved for their part.

Discuss

.

Iraq Economy: Light At the End of the Tunnel Part III

[Kat]

...all that we need is the existence of companies with materials and expertise because we have the money and fuel." - Minister of Electricity Karim Waheed

Continued follow up on FbL's great Iraq Economy Series. This is a continuing look at Iraq's electricity situation.

In response to a request, Haditha Dam. Also, great pictures of what passes for electrical wiring in Iraq. Old video, but an excellent review of Haditha and its potential. It is right now providing nearly 24/7 electricity to Ramadi and surrounding Anbar.

The fact is that Iraq's economy is growing, and large projects are underway to continue to improve the flow of electricity. Second to the Hydro-Carbon Law (development of oil infrastructure and revenue sharing), electricity effects the overall political and economic development of Iraq. While oil may bring in the money, electricity may be the gauge by which the security and future economy can be measured.

Part I: Light At the End of the Tunnel - History of Abuse and Neglect

Part II: Light At the End of the Tunnel - The Electrical Surge

Part III: Powering Iraq's Future

H&I Fires 20 March 2008

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.

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).

*********************

Heh. At least it's a lot cheaper to feed...

A little more zen for the Gunner's soul...

PACIFIC OCEAN (March 18, 2008) The guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) fires her five-inch gun system during a live-fire exercise. McCain is one of seven Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers assigned to Destroyer Squadron 15. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Byron C. Linder

Okay, move along there! -the Armorer

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Real life, non-celluloid heroes. Specialist Monica Brown

Meet Specialist Brown. I'd say we need more like her - except in truth, we have them. They'll be there when the call comes. They almost always are.

Real-life hero: A Soldier’s Silver Star story

By Army Spc. Micah E. Clare
4th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Heroes are made, not born.
And a hero like Spc. Monica Brown, 19, a Lake Jackson, Texas, native is no different. She is the second female Soldier since World War II to be awarded a Silver Star for her gallant actions during combat in Afghanistan in 2007.

She was presented her Silver Star by Vice President Dick Cheney during a ceremony here March 20.
It was dusk April 25, 2007, when Brown, a medic from the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, was on a routine security patrol along the rolling, rocky plains of Paktika’s isolated Jani Khail District when her convoy was attacked by insurgents.

“We’d been out on the mission for a couple of days,” said Brown, who at the time was attached to the brigade’s 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment’s Troop C. “We had just turned into a wadi (empty river bed) when our gunner yelled at us that the vehicle behind us had hit an (improvised-explosive device).”

They all looked out of their windows in time to see one of the struck vehicle’s tires flying through the field next to them. Brown had just opened her door to see what was going on when the attack began.

“I only saw the smoke from the vehicle when suddenly we started taking small-arms fire from all around us,” she said. “Our gunner starting firing back and my platoon sergeant yelled, ‘Doc! Let’s go.’”

Brown and her platoon sergeant, Staff Sgt. Jose Santos, exited their vehicle, and while under fire, ran the few hundred meters to the site of the downed Humvee.

“Everyone was already out of the burning vehicle,” she said. “But even before I got there, I could tell that two of them were injured very seriously.”

In fact, all five of the passengers who had stumbled out were burned and cut.
Two Soldiers, Spc. Stanson Smith and Spc. Larry Spray, suffered life-threatening injuries.
With help from two less-injured vehicle crewmen, Army Sgt. Zachary Tellier and Spc. Jack Bodani, Brown moved the immobile Soldiers to a relatively safe distance from the burning Humvee.

“There was pretty heavy incoming fire at this point,” she said.
“Rounds were literally missing her by inches,” said Bodani, who provided suppressive fire as Brown aided the casualties while injured. “We needed to get away from there.”

Attempting to provide proper medical care under the heavy fire became impossible, especially when the attackers stepped up efforts to kill the Soldiers.

“Another vehicle had just maneuvered to our position to shield us from the rounds now exploding in the fire from the Humvee behind us,” Brown said. “Somewhere in the mix, we started taking mortar rounds. It became a huge commotion, but all I could let myself think about were my patients.”

With the other vehicles spread out in a crescent formation, Brown and her casualties were stuck with no-where to go.

Suddenly, Santos arrived with one of the unit’s vehicles backed it up to their position, and Brown began loading the wounded Soldiers inside.

“We took off to a more secure location several hundred meters away where we were able to call in the (medical evacuation mission),” Brown said.

She then directed other combat-life-saver-qualified Soldiers to help by holding intravenous bags and assisting her in prepping the casualties for evacuation.

After what seemed like an eternity, the attackers finally began retreating and Brown was able to perform more thorough aid procedures before the MEDVAC helicopter finally arrived to transport the casualties to safety, Brown said.

Two hours after the initial attack, everything was over.
In the darkness, Brown recalled standing in a field, knee-deep in grass, her only source of light coming from her red head-light, trying to piece together the events which had just taken place.

“Looking back, it was just a blur of noise and movement,” she said. “What just happened? Did I do everything right? It was a hard thing to think about.”

Before joining the Army at the age of 17, the bright-eyed young woman said she never pictured herself being in a situation like this.

Originally wanting to be an X-ray technician, she changed her mind when she realized that by becoming a medic, she’d be in the best place to help people.

“At first, I didn’t think I could do it,” she said. “I was actually afraid of blood. When I saw my first airway-opening operation, I threw up.”

She quickly adjusted to her job, and received additional training both before and during her deployment to Afghanistan.

“I realized that everything I had done during the attack was just rote memory,” she said. “Kudos to my chain of command for that. I know with training, like I was given, any medic would have done the same in my position.”

“To say she handled herself well would be an understatement,” said Bodani, who quickly recovered from his injuries and immediately returned to work. “It was amazing to see her keep completely calm and take care of our guys with all that going on around her. Of all the medics we’ve had with us throughout the year, she was the one I trusted the most.”

Earning trust with a combat unit is not something easily earned, said Army Capt. Todd Book, Troop C’s commander at the time of the attack, but it was something Brown had taken upon herself to prove long before the Jani Khail ambush.

“Our regular medic was on leave at the time,” Book said. “We had other medics to choose from, but Brown had shown us that she was more technically proficient than any of her peers.”

Having people call her “Doc” means a lot to her because of the trust it engenders.
“When people I’ve treated come back to me later and tell me the difference I was able to make in their life is the best part of this job,” Brown said.

During her rest and recuperation in May 2007, Brown visited Spray in the hospital and met his mother.
“I almost cried,” Brown said. “Spray’s mother was so thankful and she hugged me. That was the moment that made me feel the best about what I did.”

Even though she felt proud when she was informed that she was going to receive a Silver Star, she considers her actions to be the result of effort put into her by everyone she’s worked for.

“While I’m not scared to get my hands dirty, I have to say that I never fully became a medic until I came over here and did it first-hand,” she said. “I just reacted when the time came.”

Due to her quick and selfless actions, both Smith and Spray survived their injuries.

080313-A-2013C-006 Army Spc. Monica Brown, a medic from the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, takes an Afghan boy's blood at the hospital in Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan. Brown is the second female since World War II to be awarded the Silver Star for her actions in Operation Enduring Freedom XIII. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Micah E. Clare)

Well done, Specialist Brown!

Annoyed black man rants...

This fella, I'm happy to say, is a friend of mine, as is his wife and their wonderfully diverse family. I swiped a huge bit of his latest rant, simply because in this America, he gets to say things I can't... He does use rougher language than I allow 'round here - so when you go read the whole thing (and you should) be prepared for that - you'll see what I mean from the edits I made.

While speaking to one of my student interns the other day he asked me what I looked for in a president. Basically I told him, nothing, not a damn thing. I don’t want my president to do a damn thing, I don’t want he or she to say anything, I want them to just occupy the space, don’t f*ck sh*t up, don’t push any red buttons or try to fix anything. I want them to vacation hard and long. Bottom line; just keep you f*cken mouth shut and try not to do anything too stupid. Is that asking too much?

For as long as I can remember I have regarded the presidency as a middle management position basically because the smarter the president tended to be the more likely they were to f*ck sh*t up. [emphasis mine!]

I don’t want my president to fix health care, I don’t want my president trying to “create” jobs. That is not what they do. I don’t want my president trying to fix race relations, or trying to cure world hunger, or spreading democracy or being the world’s f*cken police.

What about Iraq, Snoop? (sigh). Well being in Iraq and the Middle East was inevitable. Being in Iraq is a necessary evil and folks on both sides of the political divide are on the same page about how badly it got screwed up. However, to appease the monkeys on both sides of the political animal cages politicians throw out withdrawal timetables on one hand while the other growls about “finishing the job” and “keep America safe.” We are in Iraq because we needed a place to park troops – To keep a closer eye on the oil and the many nut jobs in the region.

That's not enough for you to click through on the link at the bottom? Okay - mebbe this will get you interested..

So, I’ll muddle through this as best I can, but it will no doubt seem disjointed to some. You can blame it on the lingering effects of my a$$ kicking flu or my increasing irritation with the news media and America’s new found racial enlightenment all because Barack Hussein Obama was feeling the pressure of anti-American backlash because he decided to attend a church to give him street credibility while at the same time embracing an over the top whitey-America hating Pastor. Folks maybe it is just me, being a black dude, conservative minded, independent thinking, beat of thy own drummer cranky ranting f*ck who just sees the mud and dirt all over every damn aspect of American politics.

Naw, Mr. L, you aren't alone. The rest of you? Go check out PoliticalPartyPoop for the rest of this rant!

Politics isn't always the answer. Sometimes, just let the ball roll and it'll take care of itself. But when your only tool is a hammer - all problems look like nails. That's why the Founders created the Three Branches, with the ex-officio 4th and 5th - to provide some competition. Only the 4th and 5th aren't always pulling their weight.

What do I mean? When the press let's themselves get captured by their biases (many voices! many voices! that's the impact of blogs and talk radio) and we the people (#5) won't periodically cull that herd of 535 people in DC. They've got no entitlement to the job, they've got a much-better-than-average retirement package without having to put in the years the rest of us do - send 'em home to get real jobs every now and then.

Heh. As if.

Thing, Thing a Thong

Thanks *loads* for that particular ear worm, Capt JMH.

Heh.

From the responses in yesterday's comments block, I may have an untapped fiduciary resource I have not previously considered (although I *have* appeared in some -- thankfully -- short-lived ARNG recruiting commercials). BTW, Pat, if your offer still holds, I figure you owe somebody a scad of cash for all the be-thonged appearances I *haven't* made to date.

Call it an ounce of prevention. Or extortion.

Eh -- puh-tay-to, po-tah-to.

Meanwhile, back in WhatzissStan, here's another clue for you:

Oh, man, if that's not a dead giveaway...

Counterinsurgency: Forest and Trees

UPDATE: Audio, and transcript. Also, check out COL Roper's bio: three master's degrees, one in nuclear physics.

LT G recently wrote about Counterinsurgency doctrine (COIN) from the ground point of view. This morning, I got the chance to hear about it from the "big picture" perspective in a DoD Blogger's Roundtable. The guest was Colonel Daniel S. Roper, Director, U.S. Army and Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Center at Ft. Leavenworth, who recently spent time evaluating Counterinsurgency operations in Iraq. The center was set up by General Petraeus to be as COL Roper put it, "the focal point connecting all the different efforts developing and implementing COIN doctrine." The mission is to provide "oversight" for COIN integration, to improve the capability of the military to operate in a "full-spectrum COIN environment."

The Counterinsurgency Center has six objectives, or "lines of effort" in completing the mission: Integrating coin initiatives within and across government agencies and military branches, researching historical COIN efforts and practices, improving the COIN doctrine, educating the military about COIN concepts and techniques, advising leaders and organizations, and conducting outreach to military and civilian entities. The latter is considered "one of the extremely important areas." It is part of a broader--beyond military--effort. The Roundtable is included in this, part of the effort to communicate the methods and concepts of COIN to America and the wider world, such as academia, think tanks, and even international partners such as Canada, the UK, Germany, and France.

COL Roper spent a significant amount of time in Iraq last year from September to November, and his conclusions were the focus of his presentation before opening things up to bloggers' questions. He also provided a fascinating pdf for background, which shows how broad and integrated into military operations true COIN doctrine is conceived to be

In his second visit last fall (October and November), COL Roper reported that he saw a "noticeable increase" in momentum in COIN operations across Coalition forces, which he attributed only partially to the increase in force size due to the surge. He also reported a sense among personnel on the ground that al Qaeda was "off-balance," but headed for Mosul; they were gearing up for the expected operations in the Mosul area. He added that there was a great awareness that AQ has a history of "regeneration," and so this wasn't going to be easy.

Most importantly, COL Roper reported noticing a marked (but mixed) improvement in Iraqi army and military forces. Of particular interest to COL Roper was that Coalition forces--from the top-down--appeared to be focused on "success" rather than simple "win" or "lose." He said that win/lose is a politically-colored concept, but success is measurable and results-focused, so use of that term seemed to be an indicator to him that COIN concepts have infiltrated the perspectives of personnel at all operational levels.

One thing from his report that was encouraging is that the U.S. military in Iraq is finding that the insurgents and terrorists seem to be not so much ideologues as opportunists. The rank-and-file trigger-pullers are "not fully focused on re-establishing the Caliphate." Rather, they are more focused on protecting their families or making money. This jives with everything I heard in my interview with 3rd ID leadership--the turning away from AQ, the success of the CLCs on a local level, the detainee release program, and the military's focus on creating stability and building opportunity for average Iraqis.

The U.S. is relying heavily on the boots on the ground to accomplish COIN-based stability and rebuilding operations. As COL Roper puts it, "All politics are local... All politics and security are local... Guys on the ground are the ones we need to empower." He pointed out the areas of weakness or incomplete implementation of the COIN strategy, but overall seemed pleased with the ability of Coalition forces to implement COIN at the lowest levels of military activity. "Most impressive to me was that very junior leaders were true warrior-statesmen [who] spent more time passing out candy and playing with kids in the street than firing their weapons."

A number of bloggers in this roundtable had a history of embedding with the troops and were extremely knowledgeable, bringing up a variety of interesting related topics. Of particular interest was the extent to which NATO and other allies are working with U.S. COIN leaders to both learn from the US developments and share their own experiences/ideas. COL Roper describe it as Lieutenant Colonels through Major Generals of the various countries "copying each others' homework."

COL Roper also spent time discussing identification of the "tipping point" wherein military efforts are no longer productive in a situation and political considerations must take the lead. As he put it, the implementation of COIN strategy has yielded benefits in the security area, which is a "downpayment for potential political reconciliation." However, the military is frustrated with the slow pace at which the political growth and reconciliation is occurring. He drew on a great football analogy: The Offensive Line has opened a hole in the defense, and now the quarterback and running back have to take advantage of it; the hole can be held open for only so long.

My question was about the capability and issues COL Roper observed in the Iraqi Security Forces (local and national police, and army). He reported that when he saw them last Fall, the Iraqi Army was more reliable and successful than the police, with the capability to conduct complete tactical-level operations. Their big challenge right now is logistics. Because Saddam supplied units according to his whim rather than actual need, the concept of a military logistics system is "atrophied beyond description," especially from the point of view of someone coming from a Western military perspective.

On the Iraqi police side of things, corruption has been more a problem, with there being a greater difficulty identifying hard-core insurgents or hardened criminal elements. However, COL Roper emphasized that this is not an across-the-board description, as it varies widely by location--from city to city and even within bigger cities such as Baghdad.

Another big point in the questioning was whether or not the military was getting the support it needs from civilian government agencies. The short answer is "No." COL Roper described the Provisional Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) as "absolutely tremendous." However, there are "not nearly enough of them in order to bring their great skills to bear." The bright spot is that the Department of Defense, State Department and USAID recently signed on to a manual that suggests desire to work as an inter-agency team, but resourcing is the real issue. As COl Roper said, it's "hard to find people of the right training, attitude and expertise to excel in an environment where "you have to make a lot of it up on your own," and called it a function of the problem that the military is at war while the nation as a whole isn't. Also of note on the subject was COL Roper's mention of efforts to create joint training for Iraq PRTs, similar to the way MITTs train Iraqi military units.

Other topics covered were the reception of COIN doctrine at the highest levels of the military, and concerns about a "window of opportunity" closing in Iraq. I'll add the audio and transcript links as soon as they're up.

FRAGO 01-0308

Reference: OPORD 13-69-08, Operation Holy Tuttle!!!

Task Organization: TF Carborundum, ANGCOM

Situation: Unchanged from original order.

Commanders Intent:1. Prevent any serious injury to all covered personnel. 2. Facilitate unit mission success to the extent that it doesn't interfere with 1.

Mission: TF Carborundum detaches Team LAR to overwatch approaches upcountry from Kuwait and to secure Routes Will and Carrie from any IED or ambush activity, and to take up station with specified elements of [redacted] LAR+ [redacted], [redacted] LAR and to provide ANGCOM Protective Services during their deployment.

Execution: Summary executions for failure to perform are authorized. Otherwise, mission execution is left to ANGCOM personnel.

Service Support: You're kidding, right? This is ANGCOM.

Command & Signal: Command and control rests with CP Tuttle. Current SOI is in effect.

Signed// Barbara, Saint, ANGCOM J3

Iraq Economy: Light At the End of the Tunnel Part II

[Kat]

Never before has so vast a reconstruction program been attempted in the face of enemy fire or managed in the shadow of geopolitics - Uknown

Continued follow up on FbL's great Iraq Economy Series. This is a continuing look at Iraq's electricity situation.

In response to a request, Haditha Dam. Also, great pictures of what passes for electrical wiring in Iraq. Old video, but an excellent review of Haditha and its potential. It is right now providing nearly 24/7 electricity to Ramadi and surrounding Anbar.

The fact is that it is growing, and large projects are underway to continue to improve the flow of electricity. Second to the Hydro-Carbon Law (development of oil infrastructure and revenue sharing), electricity effects the overall political and economic development of Iraq. While oil may bring in the money, electricity may be the gauge by which the security and future economy can be measured.

Part I: Light At the End of the Tunnel - History of Abuse and Neglect

Part II: The Electrical Surge

Chuh-chuh-chuh-Changes

Pakistan was the dry run for my current Extended Practical Exercise. I remembered what I figured I'd need but didn't and *did* need but forgot, so I packed the big-item gotta-haves and figured I'd visit the local BX/PX to pick up anything I'd overlooked. Or which happened to break in transit.

My soap dish was a casualty. No problem, I thought -- what's easier to find in a PX/BX than that quintessential item of military hygienic equipment, the plastic soap dish? Soooo, one month ago, armed with ID and a copy of my LOI declaring me Mission Essential *and* Emergency Essential to the Coalition Effort in Iraq, I proceeded to the FOB PX.

I hadn't considered the changes in military composition over the past five years. In my somewhat bemused wandering 'midst the aisles, I found I could purchase seven different types of hair conditioner, sugarless Power Drinks, five different flavors of beef jerky, Spandex™ running shorts in colors ranging from midnight blue to deep-infrared, caffeine-laced jelly beans, muscle mags, every X-box and Playstation game ever invented, every Danielle Steele bodice-ripper ever published, ankle holsters for protein bars, scalp razors, pregnancy test kits and -- ummmmm -- pregnancy avoidance kits.

But nary a soap dish in sight.

Lots of different soaps, though. All either liquid or gel. *And* in designer scents.

The nice lady who ran the place told me they got shipments of whatever made it up the road whenever it made it up.

I walked back to our office on the Iraqi side of the runway, dropped in on my entrepreneurial bud Sam. I gave him a pack of Big Red gum, we chatted a bit, drank a cup of tea, ate some cookies, watched a ChiCom copy of an Indian opera shot in Pakistan dubbed in Hindi with Arabic subtitles and, after accomplishing the mandatory pleasantries-before-business, I asked him if he could bring me a soap dish from his warehouse (which I suspect is the size of my toolshed, but extends into several additional dimensions).

Next morning, I had my soap dish.

The PX/BX got eight soap dishes in yesterday. Along with two boxes of designer thongs in designer colors [Cassie -- your e-mail about thongs had *nothing* to do with it].

*sigh*

Okay, R. Jewell and Ledger pretty much hit what I hinted at in the Huey II pic, so I might as well show it to everybody. The doorgun is decidedly *not* an M-60D. It's a PKM with the buttstock modified for an aerial gunner. Normally, we saw these things pointed *up* at us, which meant a Bad Day at the Office was just about to begin.

Oh, yeah -- there's one on each side. And, naturally, I got a good shot of the fiddly bits (the feed tray cover was a cinch to open), however, due to some photo-posting changes that took place while I was incommunicado, you guys will have to wait until Der Adjutant waves her magic wand over the Hi-Rez. Which won't happen until she wakes up. Which means you'll have to come *back* (I recommend doing that several times) to check.

[fixit-fixit-fixit -- Bill] Okay, Hi-Rez is here. Go back to work, Brab.

And, since the Huey II Hi-Rez was prolly bollixed, too -- here ya go, R.Jewell. And Ledger can prolly see the gun, now.

And, as for the Whatziss?

Heh. Keep guessing...

H&I* Fires, 18 MAR 2008

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.

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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Sgt. B checks in...

We finally found out why our shouts out of the Firebase Comm shack weren't going anywhere - seems the microphone wasn't plugged in... Any way, we're up and running, and I offer a continuing series of posts related to one National Guardsman's experiences as his unit ramps up in preparation for deployment in support of OIF. I also have a header contest, in which I hope you will honor me by participating... - Sgt. B

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CJ, who was one of the bloggers invited to the White House last September, has some observations for this, the 5th anniversary (CJ went across the border at 23:59 19 March 2003) - especially observations of the intent of some of the anti-war protestors in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

At the Pittsburg recruiting station the Pittsburg Organizing Group (POG) (more like Pogues) will be holding a torch-lit march “to a modern day castle of abominations,” the local military recruiting station. The group intends to “…evict it and everything inside of it, occupy the location, and transform it into something useful for the community. We’ll also be bringing a movable cage in which to confine military recruiters until they no longer pose a danger to our friends and neighbors.” Essentially, the group is planning to kidnap Americans and coerce them with blackmail in order to be released. I hope they’ve been to SERE. If you’re in the Pittsburg area, please show up to provide support. Bring whatever items you feel necessary to protect yourself.

Looks like a conspiracy to commit kidnapping to me. And in such a way as you might even be able to sweep it up under RICO. Good luck with that folks. Though I'm not sure the Federal Government would have the stomach to prosecute it to the hilt. CJ has some other advice for the soldiery this week, hopefully overwrought. Check it out here, Protesters’ Day of Joy - Iraqi Freedom Anniversary -the Armorer

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I think what I like best about this NPR piece is the implicit acceptance of the assumptions of global warming that permeate the article. The Mystery of Global Warming's Missing Heat. It's all about we just aren't finding the data we're looking for... -the Armorer

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Lex writes about what he was doing five years ago today. - FbL

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Entropy.

"overhead, without any fuss, the stars were going out."

Arthur C. Clarke's star has gone out.

Farewell, old friend.

My absolute favorite Clarke story - The 9 Billion Names of God.

Therefore, now is the time at Castle Argghhh! when we dance: In Memoriam of Sir Arthur C. Clarke, futurist, most excellent SciFi author, and Flight Lieutenant, Royal Air Force.

"‘It’s nothing as trivial as that’."

Tossing Javelins

Many of you have probably seen this video of a Javelin missile being fired at a fully combat-loaded T-72 tank.

One of the things to notice is the little object that flies into the air above the smoke cloud. That would be the turret - the part normally containing guys like MajMike (Sorry, dude, hadta say that).

Continuing that theme - at 28 seconds into it, you see the tank get hit from a rear angle... at 37 seconds, you see a small eruption of dirt on the right side of the frame. That would be the turret landing...

All in all, the thing looks like this when the smoke clears.

The rest of it is somewhat scattered about.

*Tap-tap-tap* Is this thing on?

19 Feb: Departed Philly for Atlanta, hooked up at ATL with the newbies I was to Father Goose into Iraq. Amused myself with fruitless attempts to access the "free" wireless net service.

20 Feb: Arrived Amsterdam, had a boring layover (terminal renovation in progress). Eight hours and four Time Zones later, arrived in Kuwait, got 90-day visa and hooked up with the LSA reps at 1830. Sent us to the USAF side to sit on concrete T-barriers for four hours, then got the bus for Ali al-Salem, which we could have caught from the terminal on the civilian side after spending four hours sitting in padded armchairs. Turned in 90-day visa and passport for outprocessing at Ali and got a tent for the next two days. Dust storm all night and most of the next day, tent canvas thumped like a clipper ship's sails in a gale – lucky me drew a corner cot so I received the full benefit of thwup-thoomp from two sides *and* the rogue fuh-WHAP charging through the storm flap without slowing one iota.

And that was the last entry in my ‘lectronic diary. The battery in this particular HP laptop is only good for about an hour – which I didn’t find out until *after* I brought it to Pakistan last year, but KtLW insisted it was a good deal (hey, it was on sale, and the Luddite Wife would buy Ebola-laced mouthwash if it was marked down 50%) – and I’d already shipped my transformer and adapter collection via DHL.

Meantime, aside from the week-late editions of Stars ‘n’ Stripes we get up here (mebbe a tad more than a week late – the Sunday edition features Calvin and Hobbes), I’ve been keeping up with the civil side of progress over here via a PAO-type at DA, of all places. I don't normally shill for the HeadShed, but these are some Big Picture Things you won’t get from the MSM:

-- The U.S. Army has rehabilitated and constructed nearly 1,100 schools, providing classrooms for more than 324,000 students.

-- By early 2009, Army projects will have completed 137 new primary healthcare centers that will serve a population of 5 to 6.5 million Iraqis.

-- An estimated 4.1 million more Iraqis now have access to clean, drinkable water that they didn't have before. [Two of my stoon'ts said they were surprised to find out that water was *supposed* to be clear]

-- Cities like Fallujah have their first sewage treatment plant. Before 2003, raw sewage in most of Iraq was discharged into rivers and waterways. [I can vouch that the one up here is operational]

Got a neat vid, too.

Aaaaand, to bring everybody up to date on the mil side, go see John’s post from yesterday.

Go ahead – I’ll wait.

All done? Okay, to continue: first, the Good News.

We got a new blast wall for our bunker!

Now, it may not seem like much to you, but it’s the simple, quotidian things that make a hootch a home.

Now, the Bad News.

We needed it.

Heh. No, I didn’t just give the dirtbags a free BDA, it’s been a while since I took the pic. I mean, you wouldn’t expect me to stay someplace that’s actually *dangerous*, would you? Besides, my Iraqi neighbors are a nice, quiet bunch who don’t throw loud parties after dark – I wouldn’t want them all upset by an increase in the local noise factor.

ANYway, you guys don’t come visiting just to see if I’ve developed a sudden case of common sense, so I’d better get down to something serious or John will dock my pay.

Again.

Sooooo -- Whatziss?

That oughta keep John off my case for a couple of hours. In the meantime, while he’s burning up bandwidth googling "thingies that have threaded receptacles,” meet Hubert, 21st Century version. The Huey II.

Despite the cosmetics, such as the radar altimeter, ECCM suite, wirecutters (sorry – I meant to say Wire Strike Protective System, which are those, uh, wirecutters top and bottom of the cockpit), GPS, upgraded nav-comm avionics package, Cobra engine, drive train and tranny, exhaust diverter, additional cooler intakes in the tailboom and IqAF desert cammy paint job, it’s the same plain-vanilla UH-1H that served as the foundation for most of my TINS.

BTW, if anybody (or anybody’s – * sigh * – dad) flew 68-16473 in the Land of the Two-Way Gunnery Range, that’s what the ol’ girl looks like today. Hi-rez here, for us fling-wing grognards.

Ooooops – short-term memory lapse alibi. There’s something * else * different (ever so slightly) from the RVN config. I’ll wait while you try to figure it out.

Come to think of it, I’ll wait until tomorrow.

If our sat-link doesn’t crap out.

Heh – it’ll give John *another* reason to hope the bottle rocketeers take the night off…

Dear Soldier: I Am the One

[Kat - this is a personal letter to our soldiers, veterans and, to some extent, their families on the anniversary of the beginning of the Battle for Iraq and nearly seven years after the invasion of Afghanistan]

Dear Soldier and Veteran,

Before I begin, I wanted to take this moment to thank you for your service on my behalf. I realize that these brief words cannot do justice to, nor express my feelings about, that service, your time a way from your family, the risks that you have taken, the exhaustion you experienced, the wounds you have suffered, the friends that you have lost or the conditions that you live in while you are fulfilling your oath to defend our nation. Yet, I wanted to say it anyway because I don't believe that you hear it as often as you should from your fellow citizens. So, thank you.

This letter, though, is more in the way of an introduction and an explanation. We have been at war now for almost seven years. It is one of the longest wars our nation has ever fought. The fact that we can still voluntarily muster so many fine men and women to take the oath, put on a uniform and take up the fight is a testament to the spirit of service that our nation has nurtured since the moment the first shot was fired in our Revolutionary War. The many long deployments in tough conditions is a also testament to the resilience and fortitude of people like you.

I am the one.