H&I Fires 6 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).

Tuesday, I asked why Obama wasn't being hammered for his past, his connections, or his stupid trade policies. The media is starting to realize that, yeah, maybe, they have been somewhat biased in their reporting (shocka!). Some people tried to ask some hard questions. Obama slithered away in the middle of the questions to avoid some. Probably hoping that last nights primaries would overshadow the problems, give him breathing space and maybe let it disappear until such things as Rezko's trial getting further along or being delayed by motions that will keep the hard info out of the hands of people until the primaries are done. Then, he probably feels that, no matter what comes out, the Democrats will be left with supporting him whole heartedly or allowing McCain to be elected.

Early Tuesday, through no choice of my own at 1 AM in the morning, I was watching MSNBC. Olberman and Matthews were fawning all over Obama and dissing Hillary's "phone call at 3 AM" ad. No one mentions anything negative about Obama. Go figure.

Speaking of Obama, Does the Endorsement of a Retired Military Person Politicize the Military?

Teflon Don and Crazy Troop - Today's Insurgent, Tomorrow's Informant h/t Long War Journal Money Quote:

"He’s lost the war- why is he still fighting it?”

Also of interest to the gun bloggers, Nazi German Mauser found in Insurgent Cache. Now that's fighting "the last war".

Judge Denies (defense) Request for Murtha Haditha Interview

Who controls Afghanistan? 30% Afghan Government, 10% Taliban and 60% Free For All sounds about right.

Where's St. Patrick when you need him to drive the snakes out of Ireland? h/t Instapundit

Also via Instapundit, his lovely wife Dr. Helen on the Combat Mind Set My grandfather once told me if you think you might be in a fight, try to talk your way out. If you can't talk your way out, walk away. If you can't walk away, throw the first punch and keep swinging until the guy is on the ground and can't get up.

- Kat

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The Thunder Run asks: Has the Anti-War Crowd Gone Too Far?: This morning at about 3:40 am an explosion occurred outside a very successful recruiting station in Times Square NYC. While no report seems to link the current escalation of force by the anti-war / peace movement I will. First we saw Code-Pink in Berkeley, CA swarm around and set up a continual protest against the USMC. Then we have crowds invading a recruiting station in Washington DC. Now…a bombing of a recruiting station in NYC.
The left is already in a tizzy over the event worried that it's going to cause a backlash against them. In the words of Kos Diarist Cool Blue Reason:

"Inevitably, we're going to start hearing about "left-wing terrorism" from the usual suspects in the media. And I'm guessing the drumbeat is going to be especially loud in this political environment."

Further to yesterday's post, attached is a VIDEO of The Colombian Government's version of the Land Assault on Reyes' Camp in Ecuador. Better hurry before the web media provider takes it down for being "Inflamatory"

***WARNING*** Images and Language are crude as it captures the aftermath of what Armed Forces do best.

BOQ

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Update to David's bit about the Times Square bombing. Stylistically, it appears to be similar to the attacks on the Mexican and British consulates - in which surplus dummy training grenade bodies were filled with black-powder and lit off with fire-cracker fuze. If that holds up, it looks more like a loner with a grudge or agenda more than anything more sinister. Clearly, we need more dummy-grenade control! Serial numbers, registration - the lot! Sorry, just releasing my Inner Armorer for a moment. -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."