Comments for H&I Fires* 25 July 2008

H&I Fires* 25 July 2008

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 23:52:48 -0600

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.********************************Interesting times at Castle Argghhh!. SWWBO has invented some new fruit. Not sure if they're cucaloupes, or cantamelons. I'm guessing cucumber-cantaloupe. Edible, look like ball-shaped cucumbers with a cantaloupe surface texture. Seeds inside look like cucumber seeds in arrangement. Kinda bland tasting, though a touch of salt helps - tastes like what you'd get when you dilute cantaloupe with cucumber. Gonna hafta watch that cross-pollination in the garden next year...Meet Matt Gallagher, better known around here as LT CPT G of Kaboomwar Journal. -the Armorer*********************************Those of us of an age will remember the fielding of the M16 rifle, and the accompanying comments on it's plastic furniture... "If it's Mattel, it's swell!" From the truth is stranger than fiction file... Wired's Danger Room reports the Army is asking a toy company to develop a rifle. -the Armorer**********************************And then there is *this* totally unneccessary self-inflicted wound by the Army: 2LT Campbell will now serve two years before being eligible to play ball. Mind you, I thought it was dumb to let him go in the first place, but to do that and now reverse itself... dumb dumb dumb.The only dumber thing was the coverage of the bit by Fox News last night - talking about soldiers, and then cutting away to file footage of... Marines. And then in the lame after-the-segment "Gee, now for some expert analysis from the reporter" phase, all we got was the reporter opining "It's all about the bodies. The need the warm bodies."Feh. As-if. What, 2LT Campbell is the first guy since, Ensign Napleon McCallum (I think, I don't keep track, I admit) to have a shot at pro sports? Yeah, changing this policy is a real manpower-saver. No, you dolt. It's about having a coherent policy on the issue and maybe a little safeguarding the public's investment in cadet and midshipman education. Lord, fella, if that's the best you can come up with when you're put on the spot, keep your mouth shut. And fellas, learn the difference between Marine uniforms and gear and Army uniforms and gear. Feh. I actually shouted at the television last night. I hate broadcast news. -the Armorer************************************* This will probably frizz Kat's hair. -the Armorer*************************************In keeping with our mission PTSD mission, I wanted to point out what Deebow posted over at Blackfive--the story of a courageous warrior who has fought two wars, one external and one internal. - FbL*************************************AFSis sends: Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon University computer scientist whose "last lecture" about facing terminal cancer became an Internet sensation and a best-selling book, died Friday. He was 47. Pausch died at his home in Virginia, university spokeswoman Anne Watzman said. Pausch and his family moved there last fall to be closer to his wife's relatives. Pausch was diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer in September 2006. His popular last lecture at Carnegie Mellon in September 2007 garnered international attention and was viewed by millions on the Internet. In it, Pausch celebrated living the life he had always dreamed of instead of concentrating on impending death. "The lecture was for my kids, but if others are finding value in it, that is wonderful," Pausch wrote on his Web site. "But rest assured; I'm hardly unique." I was going to post it in H&I, but I don't have access from here. What a great lesson to pass on... and what a loss. I remember seeing that video. It was heart-wrenching, and incredibly courageous. *sigh* -the Armorer, for AFSis.********************************** A snorter from Gerard Baker, in The Times: And it came to pass, in the eighth year of the reign of the evil Bush the Younger (The Ignorant), when the whole land from the Arabian desert to the shores of the Great Lakes had been laid barren, that a Child appeared in the wilderness... ... He travelled fleet of foot and light of camel, with a small retinue that consisted only of his loyal disciples from the tribe of the Media. He ventured first to the land of the Hindu Kush, where the Taleban had harboured the viper of al-Qaeda in their bosom, raining terror on all the world. And the Child spake and the tribes of Nato immediately loosed the Caveats that had previously bound them. And in the great battle that ensued the forces of the light were triumphant. For as long as the Child stood with his arms raised aloft, the enemy suffered great blows and the threat of terror was no more. From there he went forth to Mesopotamia where he was received by the great ruler al-Maliki, and al-Maliki spake unto him and blessed his Sixteen Month Troop Withdrawal Plan even as the imperial warrior Petraeus tried to destroy it. -the Amorer **********************************

Comment from BillT on 2008-07-26

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:05:42 -0600

I always love the 'suitcase nuc' thing.

And 30' U-Haul trucks move both ways.

There have been lots of things going *boom* in Iran over the past few months...

Comment from Charlie Browns Teacher on 2008-07-25

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:49:27 -0600

There are a lot of factors. But I don't see a marginal buy in cost increase being one of them. In a game of stakes including real national survival I doubt that an increase of AD like this makes much difference. Not enough to affect go/no go.

I always love the 'suitcase nuc' thing. They're going to hand a several hundred kilo device, which requires at least something the size of a 30' U-Hual to move, off to Hamas or Hezbo. As if nuclear forensics, by which people can figure out who it came from, wouldn't lead it back to Iran, thus placing Iran in the retributive strike gun sight recticle. Even Obama at that point would feel compelled to mate warheads to foreheads once an Iranian bomb was used, even by terrs they try to claim stole it.

Maybe a better way to help defend Israel from this scenario would be to help Jordan and Lebannon and Egypt instead of looking to blow stuff up? That way the ability to have a terr cell move and detonate a device on Israeli soil is lessened. Fewer dead bodies all the way around, less blow back. Sure, you'll have some Ivory Tower yammerhead go off on how we helped some thug, but then they're never responsible for the costs of anything anyways so, beyond what affect he has on public opinion, who cares what the yammerhead says.

Comment from fdcol63 on 2008-07-25

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:20:16 -0600

I never said the Russian AD was a "deal breaker" or impregnable.

My argument was that its delivery, along with other factors (namely, the victor of the American presidential election), could help determine when Israel does whatever it may do. Which, in my opinion, will be to take whatever action they believe is necessary to safeguard their own national security against the existential threat (to Israel) of Iran's possession of nukes.

Personally, I don't think ABMD is gonna help Israel if Iran decides to pass off one of their nukes to Hezbollah. And while Israeli counter-measures may be superior to whatever Iran gets from Russia, I think the extra capabilities of the new Russian system will increase Israel's opportunity cost enough that it will factor into their decision.

Comment from BillT on 2008-07-25

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:06:08 -0600

...no one should be surprised, except possibly the CIA, if Iran goes nuclear during the next Presidency.

The CIA hasn't had much of a track record in detecting Third World nuke weapons programs before the first atmospheric test.

As in, they're still suiting up in the locker room...

Comment from Charlie Browns Teacher on 2008-07-25

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:37:31 -0600

Actually, I think the Russian AD is rather irrelevant to the go/no go decision. Why would it be a deal breaker? Does the S-300 system make attack impossible? Is it the impregnable air defense system? No, it just means a greater emphasis on SEAD. If the question is whether to hit or not to hit over Iranian nucs it means the cost of hitting is a little higher than before.

It is highly likely we'll all have to get used to a nuclear armed Iran, and that means working more diligently on ABMD systems.

Comment from RetRsvMike on 2008-07-25

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:07:45 -0600

..that article about the toy manufacturer..

somewhat reminds me of a certain project i had some parallel interest in exploring whilst black-birding at Knox between the Advanced Course and M1Transition Course. which also would have had great application in John's particular former area of ballistics.
there is actually great potential in that line of thought.

Comment from Galrahn on 2008-07-25

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:01:13 -0600

That Capt. G article is a hell of a read. Good for him, and good for the WaPo.

Comment from AFSister on 2008-07-25

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:19:33 -0600

You have to admire 2LT Campbell's statement at the end of the article, where he says that he thought he was going to have the best of two worlds, but now he'll have the best of one world. Publicly, he is not bitter, and stands behind his military committment. Says a lot about his character to me. I hope he gets the change to play pro ball after his 2 years- the NFL (and all pro sports for that matter) can use more role models like him, instead of idiots like Michael Vick and showboats like Chad Johnson.

Comment from fdcol63 on 2008-07-25

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:48:13 -0600

Reference Iran:

I think this Reuters article regarding the promised delivery of a new Russian air defense system to Iran will help to set the time table for Israel's attack on Iran.

Iran to get new Russian air defences by '09 -Israel
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L21512727.htm

" ... TEL AVIV, July 23 (Reuters) - Iran is set to receive an advanced Russian-made anti-aircraft system by year-end that could help fend off any preemptive strikes against its nuclear facilities, senior Israeli defence sources said on Wednesday.

First delivery of the S-300 missile batteries was expected as soon as early September, one source said, though it could take six to 12 months for them to be deployed and operable -- a possible reprieve for Israeli and American military planners. ..."

If Obama gets elected, I think we'll see "sooner" rather than "later". Israel will strike before their intelligence shows these new batteries are on line, and before Bush leaves office if Obama wins.

I thought the recent Bush decision to engage in talks with Iran was foolish, and wondered WTF? But now that they did it, and Iran STILL refuses to offer any concessions on their nuke programs, I think the Bush attempt to engage in direct talks with Iran will go down as one of the, if not THE, final straws before military action is taken.

Doing nothing ensures Iran's possession of nukes.