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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A reminder about SWWBO and her pictures - she has several of her photographs entered into contests - so be a good, loyal reader of Argghhh! and go visit this site again - as in daily, for the rest of the month, from every computer you have (legal) access to - and rate SWWBO's pics! Well, rate them if you like them. If you don't like them, um, don't rate them, 'k? 8^ ) -the Armorer
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Pay attention to this, fellow-bloggers - or ignore it at your peril. You don't want to be the test case. -the Armorer
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Hmmmmmmmmmmm. -the Armorer
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Via Instapundit, a report from Major Tammes: After the Charge (of the Knights in Basra)
What makes Afghanistan Different?
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I decided to ask a simple question of someone I know involved with the F-35 project: what is one of the things going to cost? I couldn't get a simple answer, so I did some digging and wrote a post about it with charts, and discussions of methodology, and all sorts of geeky stuff like that. Here's the money quote:
When LockMart says the F-35 will cost "about the same as current generation multi-role fighters," does that mean its Unit Procurement Cost will be around $62M, like the Rafale's Unit Procurement Cost? Or does it mean $118M like the Eurofighter? Because that's a pretty significant difference.Or - and pardon my overt suspicion here - does it mean the F-35's Unit Procurement Cost (UPC) will be comparable to other fighters' Program Unit Cost (PUC)? That is to say, an apples-to-oranges sleight of hand that would hypothetically put a $115M (UPC) Lightning II up against a $95M (PUC) Super Hornet and call it a lot more plane for only a bit more money?
Did you get that? "Money quote?" I'm talking about costs, and ... oh, never mind. Funny's not my strong suit anyhow. - Damian
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And the Haditha incident goes out with a whimper, not a bang. Charges against LTC Chessani dropped (but refilable, true enough). Except for those lives and careers chewed up by it. Representative Murtha - you have much to answer for, sir. -the Armorer
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Happy Birthday, Harry!
Britain's last surviving Tommy from the First World War celebrates his 110th birthday today - with a belated gift from the red-faced British Legion.
Remarkable Harry Patch, born when Queen Victoria was on the throne outlived the horrors of the trenches where half a million of our soldiers died.
He was injured in Passchendaele in 1917 but also served with the Auxiliary Fire Service in the Second World War.
He has been decorated with five military medals, including the Legion d’honneur, France’s highest military award.
Catch the rest of that story here in The Sun. H/t, Jim C. -the Armorer
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So, hotair says the issue with Chessani was dropped due to "improper command influence" on the investigation. It seems that an investigator became Mattis' top legal advisor and sat in on the briefings. Although it is is claimed he made no comment and would not have influenced the decision to bring charges. Which, is a considerable amount of hooey since even his position as Mattis' JAG and certainly his presence at meetings on the subject, is enough to be considered improper influence on the decision to bring charges. This guy should have recused himself. Fortunate for Chessani that he did not. -Kat
*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 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 that particular topic. Another term of art that might be appropriate is "Free Fire Zone".
