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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*Someone* is not keeping us informed!

The Iraqi air force's newest Cessna 208 Caravan lands for the first-time at the Iraqi Flying Training Wing March 29 at Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq. The Cessna 208 is the advanced fixed wing training aircraft for the Iraqi Flying Training Wing. Iraqi students spend approximately six months learning to fly the Cessna 208 and receive pilot wings upon completion of the training syllabus. The Iraqi Air Force Flying Training Wing inventory will have a total of five Cessna 208s by the end of 2008. (U.S. Air Force/Senior Master Sgt. Don Senger)

Just an observation... -the Armorer

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Ummmm -- silly me. That's the new *advanced* trainer -- I don't have anything to do with the High End of the flying program, although I'm *ahem* Emergency Essential to the Instrument Training Course for the beast. Which means I have to write a lot.

The *other* three 208s are Operational, not Training, so I figured I'd make Maggie happy and save 'em for a Whatziss.

By the way, just *who* among you has been spreading the word that I know my way around here in the dark? Last night, I rescued provided assistance to

1. an artilleryman looking for the J-TOC ("Down that road, hook a right at the barbed wire. When you see the tubes, follow the fence around to the gate"),

2. a pair of Force Protection-type Munchkins searching for the Cav FARP ("Go three klicks down past the skeleton hangar, turn left at the tower with the fifty-cal in it, go forty feet towards the runway and look for the big sign reading 'If you ain't Cav, you ain't -- ummmm -- Cav'.") and

3. a Navy signal-type (male -- Down, Maggie!) looking for the 208 hangar ("Turn around -- you're standing in front of it.").

Giveth. Unto. Me. A. Break... -Bill

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Heh. We just attract strays, Bill. That's all. There's some invisible mark on our foreheads. That and we don't look like we'll eat you alive for just looking at us. Don't make eye contact, that *sometimes* works. Owhell, it doesn't work, either. -the Amorer

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Got it. No more making eye contact in a sandstorm after dark.

In related news (related to kat's Basra Punditry Post, anyway), here are a couple more items to add to Sadr's list of Things Making Me Increasingly Irrelevant In Iraq But Not In The NYT:

1. The anti-AQI Sahwa militias -- Shi'a -- helped out in Basra *against* the Mahdis -- Shi'a -- at the behest of Iraq's central -- Sunni -- government.

2. The Kurds -- who have no particular fondness for Shi'a *or* Sunni Arabs -- offered to send *their* Army to assist the Iraqi Army in Basra. And we ain't talking Pesh Merga, here...

It's definitely getting interesting over here. Not any *quieter*, 'cuz the local cops keep finding and doing controlled-dets of IEDs as fast as the dirtbags can plant them. --Bill

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Sometimes too much of a good thing is just TOO MUCH. Love dat sparkle on dat Det Cord. - BOQ

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Snerk! Hillary on the NCAA Championship:

Ms. Clinton stated that Memphis, while losing the game, had actually shown more ability to act like a National Champion on Day One. She argued that Memphis had passed every test during the game, including scoring more points than Kansas for 38 minutes. For 38 minutes they had shown the experience necessary to be National Champion. "Just because some team comes along in the last minute and scores more points than the other guy doesn't mean they're necessarily able to be National Champion on Day One."

Read the rest here, at End Politics As Usual. Keyboard alert. H/t, Mike L. -the Armorer

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News of the seemingly invisible: The Flea on the subject of Thai Women Take Up Arms Against The Insurgency. -the Armorer

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This is for those of you who still nurse along the sting of the "Lost Cause." I have relatives who fought on that side in the war. I am named for one of them. For all that it cost - and still costs - I still think the correct side prevailed, however much we might not like how that came about and the unintended consequences thereunto appertaining. H/t, Kevin. -the Armorer