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March 4, 2008

H&I Fires 4 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.

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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Marines: Combat Hunter

Tomahawks Over Somalia h/t Ace of Spades

Texas v. Ohio

Ohh-ohh, Mexico

Obama and his friends I seriously want to know why this isn't getting more play in the national media. According to Townhall, Rezko isn't just "some adviser" who sent money to Obama's campaign, forthwith sent back, whose wife bought property next to the Obamas (as if that isn't enough). And, Obama allegedly made a simple "mistake" as if he didn't know the character of this guy. Rezko has been a friend of Obama's for two decades. TWO DECADES!

This guy is reminding me of Jimmy Swaggert. Evangelical, too good to be true, preaching at the pulpit of the "Chrystal Cathedral", all the congregation shouting "Amen" and swooning left and right, right before the dirty laundry comes spewing out like a vomiting land fill. Except Jimmy never enjoyed the apparent press immunity Obama has received. With the exception of WSJ: Obama and Chicago Mores

The Messiah has sinned.

- Kat

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Alcohol makes you stupid? It might be all in your head.

Obama vs. the Press. This is worth reading almost more for the comments from Democrats than for just the news itself.

From the international wing of the NYT: Young Iraqis are Losing Their Faith. It's largely anecdotal, but an interesting idea... and certainly a fascinating counterpoint to "We're driving them into the arms of extremism!!"

This is an oldie, but goodie: Berkeley is learning there are consequences to electing stupid people. Businesses are not happy.

What mommies already knew: Babies cause Momnesia. - FbL

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If you've got the time - watch some Green Berets say goodbye to their iconographer. The funeral of Robin Moore.

-the Armorer

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An Iraq Sunshine List, from a lieutenant who has been peering into the darkness, lately. It's all good, but this part stood out. One of his items--"Making a difference in this counterinsurgency our way."

A week or so ago, the Gravediggers were invited to dinner with Sheik Stack-On-Me (the nickname derives from another story for another time, but it involves CPT Whiteback, two intel soldiers, and the Sheik forming a four-man stack to clear a house on their own), a local leader who has been slow to reconcile. While one section maintained security, the other section went in and chummed around with the Sheik in question and his posse. Beyond the multitude of Middle Eastern delicacies brought in for the feast, we simply chilled out with the Iraqis all night. No business was spoken – just general discussions about politics, history, and women, with a lot of joking and laughing intermixed. For one night at least, we were just men being men, bullshitting for the sake of bullshitting. A few days later, we got a call from Sheik Stack-On-Me. Some of our top targets, who we’ve been unable to capture due to their escapability and thorough back-alley knowledge of Anu al-Verona, were at his headquarters, looking for money. The Sheik had already called the Iraqi Army, who were in the process of detaining our targets, so he figured he’d give us a courtesy call, too. Who knows if our dinner had any effect on this sequence of events. I don’t know, and don’t believe there’s any way of ever finding out for certain. I do know, though, that a lot can happen when you recognize the humanity in others. When you’re involved in an ever-evolving guerrilla fight like we are, coincidences don’t really occur.
Textbook counter-insurgency, folks. Bravo to CPT Whiteback and the Gravediggers. - FbL

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And speaking of counter-insurgency... You like the Sons of Iraq? How about the Sisters of Fallujah?

Btw, what reminded me of that story was seeing it again on The Dawn Patrol. Yes, Mrs. G is back to the grindstone. Thank you, Mrs. Greyhawk!! - FbL

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Gentle Reminder:
The 4th Annual St Patricks Day Blog Party will be held on schedule this year.
All Denizens, Bloggers, and readers alike are invited!

Feel free to use the image at the link as well.

Maybe I'll actually blog something now!
-BloodSpite

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In the comments to Kat's Maggies post about "Who will pick up the phone" I talk about how some on the Right are suggesting that Senator Clinton is, in a sneaky way, trying to set the stage for a McCain victory this fall - because if Senator Obama wins, Clinton is going to have to wait until 2016 to get another shot - if Senator McCain wins, she gets to try again in 2012. As may be. So, today, in support of that theory, Kathryn Lopez posts this over at National Review's "The Corner" blog:

Further evidence for my 3 A.M. theory: Here's Hillary:

But before leaving, to insert herself into the day's news coverage, she held a quick media availability at the Hilton and provided this unusually concise capsule comment for reporters, including The Times' Louise Roug:

"I think that I have a lifetime of experience that I will bring to the White House. Sen. John McCain has a lifetime of experience that he'd bring to the White House. And Sen. Obama has a speech he gave in 2002."

Save for, say, a blood promise that the first SCOTUS seat in an Obama administration is hers, Hillary Clinton's second choice is McCain.

To see for yourself and to see what K-Lo's linking to - click here.

Update: Ouch! Maggie can give a pretty painful purple nurple via email.... -the Armorer

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Watch out for the Lurker Above, Gary! Crap. The Dungeon Master failed his saving throw.

Gary Gygax, a curmudgeon's curmudgeon and co-inventor of Dungeons and Dragons has thrown his last 12-sided die. My world is a tiny bit diminished. Oh, shut up, Kevin. It's not my fault Bruce teleported into the stone column in the Cave of the Frost Giant Jarl with his Golf-Bag of Holding full of wands and staves over his shoulder and the resulting explosion trashed your ninja-thief, while his deity intervened to save his sorry behind. Get over it! I mean, really! -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."

Denizens | Permalink | Comments (18) | General Commentary
Comments on H&I Fires 4 March, 2008
AFSister briefed on March 4, 2008 12:32 PM

Lots of chewy stuff here today... and little time to ponder it all.
But I have to agree- Momnesia is completely real. I usually call it Mommy Brain, but Momnesia sounds much more 'formal'. Every mom I know has experienced it.

btw... being an Ohioan is kinda fun today. Lots of attention around here! And yes, I already voted- and took the boys with me for their first view of the democratic process. They were not impressed, haha

kat-missouri briefed on March 4, 2008 1:57 PM

On lost faith in Iraq, I keep thinking about the Catholic Church during the French revolution and the Russian Orthodox church during the Russian revolution.

Both of these religious houses took the wrong side in the "war", supporting existing ruling structures in order to retain their power and money. They totally misunderstood that the power they held was not only at the leisure of the wealthy rulers, but only so long as the "masses" felt that the church served them. When the masses realized they had power, the church did not respond and it died.

As opposed to the Catholic Church in Poland and various south American countries that took the side of "the people" and survived or even thrived again after years of repression.

In Iraq, the fact that religion and Mosques (church) were used as centerpieces for terrorism and subjugation of the people while many clerics either joined or supported due to belief or out of fear, with very few Clerics standing up and saying that it was wrong or attempting to organize their people in such a way as to actually protect themselves, has possibly made Islam the Catholic church of Iraq (so to speak).

Not that Islam will disappear, any more than catholicism disappeared from France, but its power may be deeply diminished.

Kevin briefed on March 4, 2008 2:59 PM

"Oh, shut up, Kevin."

Seems as if somebody has some long repressed and hidden guilt issues to deal with.... my, so defensive in launching a pre-emptive strike.

Was your GM shield threatened? Was there a clear and present danger? Don't think so....

Now about that arena execution you staged....

So play nice or I'll send some bugbears over to video a durkadurka party at your place.

Saving throws be damned!

RIP Gary.

John of Argghhh! briefed on March 4, 2008 3:17 PM

Seems as if somebody has some long repressed and hidden guilt issues to deal with.... my, so defensive in launching a pre-emptive strike.

No, no. *Offensive* Because I knew you'd whine like a turbine with a bad bearing - as you have for nigh on to 30 years...!

8^D

Boquisucio briefed on March 4, 2008 3:29 PM

As a pimple-faced 15-year old, I spent many a weekends from sun up to sun down throwing Dodecadrons on my friends' tabletops. The imagination required to play D&D, in my opinion far surpases today's computer animations. It required a level of intellectual engagement not found in today's shootem graphic rich platforms.

We well also Wargaming freaks, being avid followers of Avalon-Hill Tabletop games. Panzerleader, Squadleader, Jutland, Waterloo and 1942 to name a few. No computers just hexagonal squares on a cardboard top.

The memories....

John of Argghhh! briefed on March 4, 2008 3:39 PM

Me, too. Kevin introduced me to the White Box with Three Books.

My first Avalon Hill game was Afrika Korps.

It's *still* a great game.

And I know (and email back and forth with) Jim Dunnigan and other lights of the hobby. Side benny of being an Army wargame developer.

Boquisucio briefed on March 4, 2008 3:52 PM

With me here in Eastern Penna, I only saved Squad Leader, which is held in a trunk up in the attic. As far as 1942 and Jutland, however, me be afraid that they were tossed-out by my folks looooong time ago.

Though as a consolation, I have Close Combat II in my hard drive which I fire-up from time to time.

Kevin briefed on March 4, 2008 4:40 PM

Always loved Jutland, even if the Germans did seem to blow the crap outa the British fleet 99% of the time. British Battle cruisers anyone? Besides, how many of us had the floor space to actually play that game?

As for Avalon Hill or any table top game for that matter, John absolutely refuses to play me in any game that requires dice. Aside from D&D in which he can manipulate the results to suit his own evil designs that is...

I think he still has nightmares from his Panzerleader debacles... heh, heh, heh... Yes, table and board flips were a common occurrence...

Ah memories....

John of Argghhh! briefed on March 4, 2008 4:49 PM

Kevin and I have slightly different memories... but, it's true - don't play a game involving dice with Kevin.

Even if they're *your* dice.

I just don't understand why he's still a struggling tobacconist/wine merchant after all the trips he's made to Vegas...

Boquisucio briefed on March 4, 2008 8:37 PM

How to overcome the issue of tactical surprise and impartiality, in a pre-computer world? Well, took a page out of D&D's, and had a "Dungeon Master" to referee the game. We would take turns and for one match, one of us would impartially determine when units in a board would come in contact with each other. That would inject a great dimension to our epic Jutland and 1942 matches.

Oh and on our floor space, that wasn't an issue for us. I used to have an expansive covered porch on to which we could spread our fleets. Our only hazards were our wandering dogs moziing about

Kevin briefed on March 4, 2008 9:16 PM

"I just don't understand why he's still a struggling tobacconist/wine merchant after all the trips he's made to Vegas..."

That's because I don't gamble. Oh, don't get me wrong, Vegas is probably my favorite city to visit, but, I don't gamble.

I set myself a $100.00 limit per day and if I lose that, it's done and I walk away. I consider it entertainment. That being said, I'm up about $900 on the Vegas establishments by playing the penny slots. Go figger?

The reason I do travel to Vegas is the trade shows for my industry. Not for me to gamble. But, being the people person that I am, I find Vegas fascinating for the sport of people watching.

If you can't experience it in Vegas, then you need to go to Bangkok or the PI.... ahem...

Back to the point. Such a sore loser. I mean, I never flipped the DM screen at the ref when I got hosed vs. certain a short tempered Irishman who had a hissy when his Panzers were obliterated by indirect fire... again and again and again...

C'mon boxcars! Score! Boom!

Welp, there went the gaming board!

Heheheheheheh!

Maggie briefed on March 4, 2008 10:19 PM

I am going to Vegas next week, any tips?

SangerM briefed on March 5, 2008 2:01 AM

I still work on D&D stuff and I have run dungeons for my family... I guess everyone has a time, but AD&D is almost as important a part of my past as was the Cat in the Hat. And yes, I still have all my custom painted 25mm lead figures *very* nicely painted too, with lots more in the garage waiting for me to get old enough to want to do that stuff again.

BloodSpite briefed on March 5, 2008 7:06 AM

I don't paint figures (hands aren;t steady enough anymore) so I just buy the premade ones.

That being said I still use my original signed copies of D&D 1st Edition :)

SangerM briefed on March 5, 2008 12:10 PM

> That being said I still use my original signed copies of D&D 1st Edition :)

Cool... I'm envious. I never had the orginals, I didn't get into it until around 1984;

> I don't paint figures (hands aren;t steady enough anymore) so I just buy the premade ones.

My hands are steady, my eyes have turned bad... I used to have 20/15 and could hold the figs about 4 inches from my face and paint with one bristle to put on eyebrows, etc... Now I need a magnifier AND wal-mart glasses. And arm extenders.

Flea briefed on March 5, 2008 5:27 PM

I used to play Afrika Korps with my Mom. I could never knock out the British quickly enough to prevent her from piling up stacks of little blue reinforcements.

Cricket briefed on March 5, 2008 10:22 PM

Fuzzy,
I don't call it 'momnesia.' I call it Teflon Brain Syndrome. Nothing sticks.

Cricket briefed on March 5, 2008 10:50 PM


D&D was our oldest son's favorite thing to do.
He was the DM for the neighborhood gamers. Lots of fun.

SangerM,
I had this pic of you with a restoration kit like the little old guy in Toy Story 2.

*running really really fast*