January 13, 2007
H&I* Fires, 13 JAN 2007
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. [Admittedly, I'm fibbing. Trackbacks are still broken]
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
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There's some attempted reform of the UN going on. Japan wants to be a UNSC permanent member and Abe is 'pressing the flesh' to see that they get there. Right now he's talking to Chirac.
Something lots of people said was impossible has at least been agreed to (there are light years between agreeing and doing, mind you): Somalian warlords agree to disarm. Maybe the nightmare that Skippy-san and Eddie saw coming has been dodged? I sure as hell hope so, but I'm not holding my breath just yet.
Go Navy. Go TF-HOA.
I first saw this at Armchair Generalist's joint, but now NeIN (Northeast Intel Network---didn't they have a tussle with She-who-threatens-lawsuits?) is also reporting on a claimed chemical tipped rocket attack of an FOB in Iraq.
Two, one reallllllllllly long, pieces from Bruce Schneir, the computer security guru. One on airport security and the other, the long one, on computer password security. Not a bad idea for our more professional readership to think about.
Oh, and just 'cause: LA Kings (Damn, they still suck.) recall Japanese goalie.
ry
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The Academic Submariner is somewhat annoyed with students at the University of Pennsylvania.
Via Stop the ACLU, the 9th Circuit surprises us, and we discover there are Klingons in the White House. Kewl. Also at STACLU, there's an approving post about the ACLU defending a Medieval Re-enacting Dork. I added a slightly different defense in the comments. Bottom line, leave the duct tape at home. -the Armorer
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Lex catches the NYT in constitutional revisionism and succinctly states the conservative perspective on liberal views of taxation. It looks like a good discussion is developing in the comments, too. - FbL
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Jules Crittenden points out the most absurd thing about Barbara Boxer's ridiculous comment to Condoleeza Rice (it's not what everyone is talking about). He also has a nice roundup of responses to Boxer. On second thought, he has so much good stuff.... just start here and keep scrolling. - FbL
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Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows »
*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. It's also an open trackback, so if (Don Surber uses it this way a lot) 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".
(okay, apparently you still want me to clutter up your blog with the random trash I find. I can live with that.---ry)
« Secure this line!
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »
Soooo, chem-warheads rocketing into a FOB? This bears some snooping-into...
Naaah. Couldn't be chemical rounds, 'cuz there are no WMDs in Iraq. Nancy Pelosi says so, and that's good enough for me, by gosh and by gol -- *mmmmmfpff!* Sorry. I just couldn't keep a straight face any longer...
by
BillT on January 13, 2007 11:21 PM
« Dismissed, Soldier!
January 12, 2007
H&I* Fires, 12 JAN 2007
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. [Admittedly, I'm fibbing. Trackbacks are still broken]
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
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This is something John’s covered before. But it was prominently on The Keith Olberman Show last night and I found another report on it today: Reactive armor to beat RPG and ATGM, and more specifically the TROPHY system developed by Israel, that the Army refuses to buy and deploy in Iraq.
Yeah, throwing material in the way of oncoming missiles is a good idea. That's the idea behind the CIWS the Navy uses. In the right circumstances it’s a great idea. Is a Striker or Bradley MICV in a market full of people and with a bunch of dismounted infantry walking patrol such a circumstance? Doesn’t the utility of something like this in the current conflict have to be decided with that as a factor? Just blindly saying “We want the best for The Troops” is not actually doing what is best for the troops.
It also makes a lot of a very old problem. If it wasn’t designed and built by ‘Muricans we ain’t buying. Was ever thus. There’s some good reasons, and some terrible ones, for doing it this way. But that’s for another day.
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I think we have a new job for the old F-14s. Why ugly up an F-15 by putting a huge missile under her when the Tomcat was already designed to carry something monstrous and provide area defense?
Putting a PAC-3 (Patriot, advanced capability---meaning it has, among other refinements, an anti-ballistic missile capability) missile on a plane for CM and TBM defense? Brilliant. Putting it on an F-15? Not so sure it’s brilliance even if they were the vehicle of choice for the old ASAT system.
Now, would we really need such defense? That’s another post for another day, or at least to be argued in the comments.
______________________________
Something to think about from the boys (and at least one girl last time I checked) over at Crooked Timber. Again, I go so you don’t have to.
Don’t agree with it. The simple Prisoner’s Dilemma from game theory comes to mind---with a modification for small group benefit against large group benefit. Or, say, you know the other guy is limited to bargaining and are therefore being a royal pain getting more than you could otherwise? Wouldn’t it be nice for the other guy to have a trump card to make you play fair? Or how about simply not being able to compromise, which, while speculation only, may be the problem with ‘reconciliation’ in Iraq right now? Those situations DO come up in real life and in international relations.
But it never hurts to question yourself about biases you carry.
ry
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Klingenschmitt, the Navy Chaplain who insisted on pray 'In Jesus' Name', is out of the Navy.
ry
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Email today: starting tomorrow I shut up again. Hope your week wasn't that bad, Boss
My week was fine, thank you. And initiating H&I Fires is now your *job*, night owl. -the Armorer
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Ry,
I think the Patriot-on-a-Mudhen vs. a Tomcat has to do with the level of sophistication of the launch platform. The F-14 is (or was) years behind the A/C model Eagles, to say nothing of the E models. That's one of the reasons the 'Cat had two seats--it takes two to fly the jet and run the systems thanks to their design, not necessarily their sophistication (less user-friendly equals more hands/eyeballs required).
The Eagle started with the premise that a one-man jet needed a cosmic system to allow one guy to fly AND fight AND maximize the system's capabilities, which are formidable, and made even more so by the digital "backbone" in the jet that allows for rapid and frequent upgrades, software changes and capability expansion. The E-model went to two seats not due to design but due to capability--the radar/sensor/multi-weapon choice suite is beyond the ability of one guy to FULLY exploit.
Now, the F-14 may have been re-wired over the years to approach the F-15C/E's abilities, but I doubt it. That said, the F/A-18 is a design whose philosophy much more closely mimics that of the Eagle. However, the Mudhen, I think, has a greater payload capacity and is thus better for hauling a Patriot to the launch parameters the engineers are considering.
So, to cut to the chase, I think the Eagles offer both a more modern system that is easier to integrate with another system never originally considered for air launch and the aerodynamic capability (thrust-to-weight ratio, sufficiently structurally robust to carry large payloads, etc.) to get it to where the users need it to be effective. -Instapilot
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I got a job!!!!!!! - FbL
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Another "Macho Dem." (see here for context) - FbL
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Ry - on the issue of TROPHY, I've got some sources. IIRC, we are quietly buying Israeli kit (not just ammuntion, either) but we aren't buying Israeli kit that doesn't do what we need. We've got people who looked closely at TROPHY, and it didn't pass muster for a number of reasons, not least the unfortunate characteristic of collateral damage to exposed troops and nearby civilians, a subject already mentioned by MajMike, I believe. There is plenty to indicate now that the manufacturer is trying to win politically, via PR, what they were unable to accomplish on the merits. -the Armorer
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Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows »
*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. It's also an open trackback, so if (Don Surber uses it this way a lot) 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".
« Secure this line!
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »
don't forget that reactive armor poses its own threat to of our own dismounts and/or civvies who happen to be in the vicinity...
by
MajMike on January 12, 2007 08:03 AM
You all have brought up 2 very interesting, and seemingly related, issues. However, as has been said before, besides the free speech/expression/religion issue, the Klingenschmitt case also involves long standing restrictions on how active duty personnel exercise their rights of speech, petition and assembly. As long as I can recall (back to 1975), active duty personnel have never been allowed to participate in any form of political assembly or public speaking while in uniform. Now, maybe the good chaplain’s superiors did have it in for him, but that is even more reason for him to protest within the rules. BTW, I agree with his basic point, but I also agree that the Navy has to not only maintain good order and discipline, but also avoid the appearance to the public of a politicized military service. Now, all that said, I think the Nave screwed up by charging him with failure to follow the order of his superior rather than relying on the fact that he appeared at a public protest in uniform. I predict that, at some point, it will be ruled that the order of his superior was not lawful and therefore he was under no compulsion to obey.
by
Oldloadr on January 12, 2007 08:16 AM
I just realized that I wasn't clear in saying I was comparing the Klingenschmitt issue to the Rumble in the Blogosphere here: http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/006960.html
by
Oldloadr on January 12, 2007 08:26 AM
The Rooskies started fielding anti-ATGM projectile-based reactive armor for the T-90 just before the Soviet economy imploded. It utilized a series of UV sensor (not IR; UV spoofers are few and far between) to detect launch plumes and triangulate the incomer -- if it wasn't closing with the tank, the system went back to passive search mode.
Sounds like the Israelis took the basic idea and carried it further. We had the same opportunity in the '90s, but didn't follow up because the world was now all lovey-dovey and Congress was too busy divvying up the imaginary Peace Dividend to countenance testing it, let alone fielding same...
by
BillT on January 12, 2007 08:32 AM
If it wasn’t designed and built by ‘Muricans we ain’t buying.
Well, to a point, yes. But ain't the M-240 and M-249 Belgie guns?
(Not to mention the occasional MP5, the Ranger/Seals with their M3 aka Carl Gustaf,
by
Sigivald on January 12, 2007 01:45 PM
Ry
When you read Professor Quiggen again, you might also check the relevant commentary at TimBlair.net. His pronouncements are quite often the source for unintended amusement.
Cheers
by
J.M. Heinrichs on January 12, 2007 01:46 PM
Re: Reactive armor...
As I sat in the gunner's position of my mount (Bradley MICV), I wondered the same thing regarding my protection against ATGMs and RPGs.
I will be keenly learning the counter-measures, and, no, I'm not going to share the "word"...
by
Sgt. B. on January 12, 2007 02:42 PM
JMH, dude, I thank you so much for providing high powered rebutle to Quiggin. I don't know how many hours I've lost wrestling with issues he and the others over there present. It never hurts to have someone nudge me along. Thankee sir.
"Well, to a point, yes. But ain't the M-240 and M-249 Belgie guns?"
And there was much handwringing over that wasn't there? Once in a while we seem to buy stuff, but mostly not. Why build Standard when the Brits already had a battle tested system? Why not use Cheiftan MBTs instead of following MBT80 to the Abrams? We wants our own stuff built here at home.
And yes, it was mostly an over generalization but not by much. Something like the Rhinemetal big bore guns and the JSF programme aren't the order of the day on this side of the Pond.
"I will be keenly learning the counter-measures, and, no, I'm not going to share the "word"..." Dang. Glad you aren't, but dang. I'd love to know. Take care of yourself Sgt. B. You're in our prayers, dude.
by
ry on January 13, 2007 01:09 AM
Oh, I even got slapped down by Dusty. I'm moving up in the world.;)
"So, to cut to the chase, I think the Eagles offer both a more modern system that is easier to integrate with another system never originally considered for air launch and the aerodynamic capability (thrust-to-weight ratio, sufficiently structurally robust to carry large payloads, etc.) to get it to where the users need it to be effective"
Probably. I was kinda thinking that you were pulling for the AF out of service rivalry until here. Still could be. :0). BUt this actually is a bit to chew on.
I was also thinking along the lines of do we have enough airframes to add one more mission to the Eagle? They can't be everywhere. Limited number of airframes and little money likely available to allow us to buy the numbers we really need to allow for this.
Area defense like this is what the F-14 was totally designed for. Flying some kind of anti-missile CAP could be a real low stress on airframe type mission so the age and stress showing on the 'Cats is less a factor. Plus it allows the 15's to go do their real job: air supremacy. It might cost a little more. Another engine upgrade and some electronics tinkering(the 14's a big girl and open to mods) and it might allow us to keep the 15 doing the job she was really intended for: kicking booty.
Note: I'm not a fan of jack-of-all trades swiss army knife-ing of platforms across the board. Some specialization is absolutely necessary in my opinion.
But thanks Dusty, that's definitely something to think about.
by
ry on January 13, 2007 01:24 AM
« Dismissed, Soldier!
January 11, 2007
H&I Fires*, 11 JAN 2007
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. [Admittedly, I'm fibbing. Trackbacks are still broken]
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
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I have it on good authority that Darryl Worley's new song, "I Just Came Back From War", tells it like it is. Go watch and listen to the video for yourself. Then go read the thoughts of America's Son.
-Barb / Proud blogmom
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Doing a little poking around to find reactions to the Pres last night/The Surge I found worth the look. So, I give to you:
a) TPM Barnett’s reaction (gollum’s take: I’ve always had dwell to deploy ratio and op-tempo issues with further plus ups. There’s good reasoning behind many of the arguments behind doing it, but in the back of my mind there’s always ‘what are we gonna’ do about tomorrow?’
I also think Tom’s gone a bit too far with his big list of nations to include in the discussion for regional security. Yeah, there’s good reason to bring in Russia and China---economics of the region--- but I think you have to worry about how the people in the region will react to you saying Russia and China’s interests matter as much as theirs. That might not play so well.
Basically, I hope The Surge works. It better work.)
b) Dan Froomkin of the WaPo. (gollum’s take: Found this to be the rather rational and representative of the ‘don’t do the surge’ from the anti-war side. Not so screechy.
A bit of wisdom Herr Low Intensity Conflict, him being an Intel Officer who saw trigger time, passed on to me once:, “Take what the opposition says seriously, believe that they believe what they say they do because if you act as if they don’t actually DO you’re bound for trouble in your created fantasy world. Now get me a gingerbrew before I kick your @55 all over the game board.”
Moving on.
Max Boot has something I love and hate going on with this piece. True, the MSM isn’t the enemy. They aren’t even purposeful enemy enablers (though I’m sure someone will tell me I’m on crack for saying that. The purposeful element should be taken note of, if you please.). They just make the enemy’s informational campaigned aimed at the most fruitful ground of all (that between your ears) job a whole lot easier by playing by the scripts they have been.
In the end, if Iraq is eventually and irredeemably lost, the MSM will have played a part in it, which they will deny forever (just as they do about the impact and role that reportage had on the ultimate loss of Vietnam. It wasn’t the sole cause, and maybe not a major element, since Johnson made a deal out of worries that China might get involved like they did in Korea that really had a serious effect on the conduct of te Vietnam War, but when the enemy’s most famous general, Giap, says it played a role and they build a shrine to the MSM’s influence in their War Memerial in Ho Chi Minh City you best believe it did.).
This from TNR shows how far Barnett’s idea of a ‘SysAdmin’ force idea has spread. Wild.
ry(scurries for hidey hole)
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Adding a c) to the round up from above: Mark, the ZenPundit, has a good roundup of his own and some pretty choice commentary about what the domestic political game is. Won't ruin this with my own take.
ry(rescurries for hidey hole)
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Interesting news from Iran - FbL
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OK, here are my two questions of the day:
First, what does this mean? What are we looking for? I heard this on the BBC World Service and have been thinking about it a lot.
Second question.........I recently ordered the deployment of an additional carrier strike group to the region. We will expand intelligence-sharing and deploy Patriot air defense systems to reassure our friends and allies. Where are these Patriot missile batteries going?.......Maggie
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There's no denying that the success of much of what the President outlined last night is dependent upon the courage and activities of Iraq's Prime Minister. So, let's hope this report is true. - FbL
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Jim Baen, SciFi publisher, culture warrior, all 'round Good Guy. H/t, JTG. - the Armorer
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Oh-oh! Alan, what's your lot up to? Dang Maple-syrup-swilling swine! H/t, CAPT H. -the Armorer
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Polls as "manufactured" news... on a whole new level.
Wow. "Fourteen members of an advisory board to Jimmy Carter's human rights organization resigned on Thursday to protest his new book, which criticizes Israeli policy in the Palestinian territories." Is there any rationality to Carter on Israel, or has he really gone senile?
And one more thing: Isn't anybody else disturbed that the "loyal opposition" wants and gets official rebuttal time during war after the CINC announces a new military policy/strategy? And Dick Durbin is the one who gets to do it??!! The same guy who 18 months ago compared American soldiers to Nazis, the minions of Pol Pot, etc? - FbL
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Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows »
*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. It's also an open trackback, so if (Don Surber uses it this way a lot) 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".
« Secure this line!
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »
LMAO! Maggie, you wiped out my post with a post that addressed the same news (MNF storming the Iranian "liason" compound in Irbil).
I defer to the Princess... ;)
by
FbL on January 11, 2007 09:11 AM
what are we looking for?
fingerprints.
by
MajMike on January 11, 2007 10:52 AM
I completely agree about Durbin. I was so upset.
by
Maggie on January 11, 2007 05:20 PM
I read the followup on the polls and it really struck me that this is just business as usual for the MSM. What has to happen to get the White House to respond to this kind of made-up statistics and if they do decide to where are they going to respond.
by
dick on January 11, 2007 06:19 PM
thanks for the link.
Tom says what we needed first was a 50k each Russian, Chinese and Indian peacekeepers in Iraq, nonOccidental, so when insurgents looked across the line they saw three cultures with a demonstrated record of killing Muslims when the situation requires it.
by
Sean on January 11, 2007 08:30 PM
Um, Maggs, you're kidding right? MajMike is on the money. A smoking gun linking Iran to funding and fueling some of the insurgentcy in Iraq. The Patriot systems? Iran has a fair number of missiles they could fire off if they get a wild hair(the Shahab series for instance). My not be nuclear, chem and bio warheads have dispersal issues, but they are a problem. We're taking a stance that Iran is not going to like and were anticipating one of their major counters. Smart.
"Tom says what we needed first was a 50k each Russian, Chinese and Indian peacekeepers in Iraq" I may have missed that in the post Sean. Even so, I'm not sure it's such a smart move. If, and I'm only saying if, part of the problem is 'outsiders' bringing in other outsiders who have issues with Moslems and have histories of killing them(Russia obviously with Chechneya, China with the Ughir(I can't spell for crap), and India with the indigenous and Pakistani Moslems) I can't see that as not exacerbating the problem. The mass effect would be nice(150K more troops? Hell yeah), but not sure it solves other issues.
I also have trouble with the rather sticky details of how such a coalition would decide how to proceed. We've very different ideas of what's necessary. Tom didn't go into that, it being a blog post and not a dissertation, but I think it potentially an issue.
by
ry on January 11, 2007 08:51 PM
Ry- I thought they were interesting points to discuss. Aren't you interested in knowing what we were looking for or where those batteries will be placed?
by
Maggie on January 11, 2007 10:39 PM
Of course I'm interested in knowing what was found. But it's going to be released like the Zimmerman telegram(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimmermann_Telegram) and such, if at all. I'd give up my left arm to see what was actually found there. But I'm not going to see it. Not before it gets world wide release to show Iranian intransangience.
Placement of the Patriot(are they PAC-3?, I sure hope so) batteries is a tactical thing. They aren't going to Japan or Korea, if that's what you're thinking. we've sent some to those places or sold them some already(the ones with the anti-ballistic upgrades to software and such). These are obviously headed for Iraq and critical points in the ME to counter possible BM attack. Beyond that's purely on need to know in my opinion(and I, though I'd like to, don't need to). Don't want to make things easier for the enemy you know. Loose lips sinking ships and all.
John, you've ruined me. Now Maggs surrenders to curiousity like a 12 year old better than I do. Punk. Stop dragging me into adulthood.
by
ry on January 12, 2007 12:52 AM
sorry, Ry. i guess that was kind of a driveby comment ;-)
the 50ks are something Tom was has said in the brief as long ago as 2 years ago. he has not reiterated this recently.
if i had a point, it was along the lines of 'this whole thing would have gone down better with a little more coalition-building on the front end a la the 50ks.
nowadays i think Tom would say Russia and China still matter b/c what we should really be trying to do is transform the whole region, and they figure in that way, overall-security-wise. further, they are, at a minimum, important trade partners (China re: oil especially)
by
Sean on January 12, 2007 06:20 AM
No hassles, Sean. It's been a while since I saw the brief on C-SPAN(and the wife refuses to allow me to buy the DVD of it.). I must've totally forgotten he said that. It happens.
by
ry on January 13, 2007 01:34 AM
« Dismissed, Soldier!
January 10, 2007
H&I Fires*, 10 JAN 2007
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. [Admittedly, I'm fibbing. Trackbacks are still broken]
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
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Since John hates Argghhh! being an echo chamber I give you things that are likely to put you on heart medication:
1) Senator Kennedy: More troops is an escalation of the war, and he can't do that without our(Congressional) okay.
(gollum's take: the verbiage used (the repeated use of 'escalation'), much less Kennedy coming right out and calling it 'Bush's Vietnam', is very, very odd---like they're running off a script or something(and makes CDR Salamander's Kennedy link real timely in more than one way.). Maybe it's because escalation means something to me in reference to military affairs---going from MOOTW/Low Intensity to full blown armored battle at Kursk type of situation, which the troop plus up wouldn't be doing----that it doesn't to other commentators. Keep that in mind. Jargon is a real bastiche. As are semantics games.)
2) Center for American Progress(CAP) puts something out there that kinda-sorta sounds like Kennedy ain't utterly off his rocker(or in the bottom of a whiskey bottle).
(gollums's take: I'm not a Constitutional Scholar. I think there's some problems with what Kennedy and CAP are saying, but I'll have to look into that a bit more. Separation of powers might be an issue or I could be really wrong. I wouldn't mind hearing from ArmyLawyer or Eugene Volokh on this.)
3) Why are we bombing Somalia?! Apparently we really aren't hunting Al Queda according to the folks over at at-Large.
(gollums' take: Well, at least she didn't claim the US created al Queda. And the 'confirmation' of Atta getting money from ISI doesn't make me like Pakistan more than I did before. But that I have to take with a grain of salt. People claimed Atta was in Prague based on another nation's intelligence but we dismiss that in certain circles because it's inconvinient. I dunno. Mushariff and Pakistan are the bastards we decided to shake hands with ages ago, and in terms of Pakistan I mean that quite literally. Not everyone is Australia or Canada when it comes time that you need a regional ally.)
4) US court will not block the trial of several alleged terrorist financiers.
(gollum's take: I couldn't leave you all with such a downer start to the midweek hump.)
Now to crawl back into my hidey-hole before Big Tribble is able to get his big mitts around my neck for sassing him.
ry
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Laurie at Soldier's Angels sends:
In lieu of trackback, thought some of your readers might be interested in seeing what else our wounded troops are in need of at combat support hospitals. Sheets, towels & other stuff
-the Armorer
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To supplement Ry's lighter fare at the end of his post, check out the cool activity over at Neptunus Lex. The comments alone are well worth the visit, but only after you carefully follow Lex's instructions. - FbL
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Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows »
*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. It's also an open trackback, so if (Don Surber uses it this way a lot) 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".
« Secure this line!
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »
Here’s the way American Politics are supposed to work (and the way it did work when Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neal were the two in the ring):
1. The president needs more money for troop increase
2. Nancy Pelosi does not have a veto-proof majority to enact her various social agendas
3. She has to compromise and give the pres what he wants (war funding) and he has to allow something he doesn’t like to become law (prescription drugs, minimum wage, you name it).
4. Kennedy is irrelevant since the Dems only have a 1-seat majority in the Senate and many Senate Dems from more conservative states are not going to make a big stink about funding an additional 20,000.
by
Oldloadr on January 10, 2007 10:06 AM
I wish Ted would die. Yes, I am that evil. Yes, I am sincere.
Ry - Regarding Larisa of At-Largely: How did you find this one? Don't smoke anything she offers you (unless you think such a warning is too *mom-ish*). I had to stop reading after this line "In fact, it was Pakistan who birthed out the Taliban." WTF is *birthed out*? People in the comments have to do her proofreading? The stuff in the Korea post (I don't know how thinly stretched we are, but this would appear to stretch us even thinner. Do we have enough fighter jets to defend the homeland, should we have to? What are we going to do when Kim launches? Is this really just a regular operational matter?) What? How about the Blogroll? Definitely not for the squemish. I don't imagine I'll be going back.
by
Maggie on January 10, 2007 10:07 AM
Maggie - I don't think Ted will ever die. I sometimes wonder if his existance is God's judgement on America for our Hedonistic and lascivious ways...
by
Oldloadr on January 10, 2007 10:14 AM
I sometimes wonder if his existance is God's judgement on America for our Hedonistic and lascivious ways...
The irony of this being a comment on a comment left by... Maggie.
So, according to Oldloadr, the fact that we have Ted... is because of... Maggie.
Heh. Get thee to a Nunnery!
by
John of Argghhh! on January 10, 2007 10:21 AM
John - I think my Freudian slip is showing...
by
Oldloadr on January 10, 2007 11:00 AM
Does Bush ever make a speech where the details haven't already been splashed on the front page?
I suspect the Dems have their cunning plans. I think Bush has a hard sell on this. I'm not convinced myself that 20,000 more is much of a plan but let's see what he says.
We are bombing Somilia because we want their oil. Wot no oil? Would you believe bananas? How about mangoes?
Ry throwing us crumbs, albeit big crumbs, at the end does not a positive post make. God that word almost looks like Albright. That's unforgivable.
by
Trias on January 10, 2007 11:51 AM
WTF!!!!!! I am to blame for Ted? And the only way for us to be saved is me in a nunnery? That is the cruelest thing I have ever heard. Armorer, you are diabolical. Do I have to go right now? The favorite Naval Consort is in Newport tonight I've already scheduled a body polish and pizza delivery to my favorite hotel........and I have General Petraeus' new Field Manual on CI......the CINC is going to speak to us at 2100.....I have a whole plan.....(breaks off, sobbing).....
by
Maggie on January 10, 2007 12:24 PM
But even if Teddy were to die (by natural causes of course), would we even know it?
All of his boozing has already left him pickled.
LOL
by
fdcol63 on January 10, 2007 12:25 PM
fdcol63 - It probably takes a lot of boozing to keep Mary Jo's ghost asleep... And yes, I am assuming that he has a conscience.
by
Oldloadr on January 10, 2007 01:53 PM
Talk to Oldloadr - he made the connection, I just made the suggestion!
by
John of Argghhh! on January 10, 2007 01:58 PM
In lieu of trackback, thought some of your readers might be interested in seeing what else our wounded troops are in need of at combat support hospitals. Sheets, towels & other stuff
by
Laurie on January 10, 2007 02:03 PM
Maggie, Ma'am--you know your GA's reports have to be classified because all the other GAs like to read them? For *cough* the stories. Just the stories. I notice your emulation of the Holy St. Thomas Aquinas, who caused great amus^H^H^H^Hconsternation among us by praying "Lord, make me virtuous! But not yet."
by
carborundum on January 10, 2007 02:19 PM
fdcol63 - It probably takes a lot of boozing to keep Mary Jo's ghost asleep... And yes, I am assuming that he has a conscience.
Oldldr, I'd almost believe it... except that for him having gone this long without acknowledging and making what restitution is possible argues heavily for any conscience having died long ago.
by
FbL on January 10, 2007 03:09 PM
FbL,
"... acknowledging and making what restitution is possible ..."
LOL - I know the Kennedys have scads of money, but the only way he could have met these conditions, IMHO, would have been for Teddy to:
1) Plead GUILTY to the charges: a) DUI; b) involuntary manslaughter; c) leaving the scene of an accident involving death or serious bodily harm; and d) obstruction of justice.
2) Serve the mininum required sentence for all charges above.
3) Pay all associated court costs.
4) Become ineligible, as a convicted felon, for election to national office, including the Senate.
We really didn't think all that was going to happen, though, did we? LOL
by
fdcol63 on January 10, 2007 03:23 PM
I wasn't thinking of money.
by
FbL on January 10, 2007 03:49 PM
Ted will never die
He's drank so much he's embalmed.
by
BloodSpite on January 10, 2007 10:29 PM
"Ry - Regarding Larisa of At-Largely: How did you find this one?"
I found that using the Memorandum aggregator(yet another tool I stole from John at some point.). John also made a good recommendation that I read as broadly as possible. As have others. You never know who has a nugget worth going after.
And if I didn't go out into the hinterlands I'd lose my ability to be random@55/crazy. I'd cease to be of use.
The Pakistan thing? She's right and utterly, utterly wrong. Pakistani fighters did get involved in Afghanistan, some paid and trained by us and some paid by OBL when he set up a parrallel group to go fight the Sovs, and they did become the nucleus for the Taliban(if memory serves. Been a while since I read up on that part of the world). The rest? Seems like a highly partisan look at history.
Mushariff is not a bossom buddy. Pakistan has always been an ally of necessity and not because of its sterling reputation and liberal mind set. I hate to be all real-politik here, but the real world sometimes requires people to partake of bastardly actions. Pakistan is not such a great friend. Nobody who has even done a terse amount of reading on the subject of Pak-US relations knows this. It's complicated and always has been.
by
ry on January 10, 2007 11:15 PM
wasn't that Saint Augustine?
by
MajMike on January 11, 2007 03:54 PM
MajMike - The real point is that there is no St. Maggie.
by
Maggie on January 11, 2007 05:49 PM
Organize the voters of the commonwealth to turn-out Kerry and Kennedy, Maggie - and all options are open...
by
John of Argghhh! on January 11, 2007 06:01 PM
Ahhh, Armorer - Would that I could! I am but one of repressed minority here in Massachusetts.
"Nobody knows the trouble I've seen..........."
by
Maggie on January 11, 2007 10:47 PM
I think that was supposed to be a hint to create a bimbo erruption to get rid of both Kerry and Kennedy, Maggs. You're tough. you can take one for the team. Okay, two.
by
ry on January 12, 2007 12:56 AM
Ry - Bimbo eruptions don't damage Democrats. They've been given a Get Out Of Jail card by the feminists. Only right-wingers are damaged by bimbo eruptions.
Maggie - no one said sainthood would be easy. Get to work, girl. Or get to the Nunnery!
by
John of Argghhh! on January 12, 2007 07:58 AM
« Dismissed, Soldier!
January 09, 2007
H&I* Fires, 9 JAN 2007
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. [Admittedly, I'm fibbing. Trackbacks are still broken]
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
************************
Something has occurred to make me declare ry's rule #1 for having a happy husband.
Attempts to throw away my 15 year old, faded, falling apart, dingy, fugly hat will be met with divorce papers. Put The Hat down, step away, and nobody needs to get hurt, Jess.
Don't throw away truly cherished crap, ladies. Sure, make us decide which is truly cherished and which is merely stuff we simply don't want to part with (and will whine and try to come up with every excuse in the world to keep anyway, even conspire behind your back to sneak back in), but come near The Ugly Hat (chair, whatever) you best be prepared for Armageddon. It's taken us YEARS to get some of that stuff in the condition we like it to be and now you want to make us throw it away? Oh the humanity!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I still don't know if it's whipped or outgunned (oi, I'm going to regret that one, again), but I just know it makes SWWBO happy. Like the new locks work against ferrets. I think I'm going to regret that one too.
____________________________________________________
Serious now.
The Good 'Phibian comes with something good. Information warfare, narrative building for the masses, the impact of domestic issues on the decisions made in war and how they all come together in the Kennedy years. Some fairly mosaic type thinking there.
__________
There's a fairly serious discussion of Kilcullen going on around the 'net. JRobb's onto it, but you should troop on over to DNI and ZenPundit to see what they've got going on about it too.
----------------
Eddie over at Live From the FDNF has a use of the Syngman Rhee example I'm not entirely sure I like or entirely agree with. It might just be me, but if you're going to cozy up to a bastiche it's typically best to 'have something on him' so you can move him out of the way when the strongman's time has passed. Have a read. Eddie is typically worth the five minutes it'll take.
For more go visit..... Skippy-san (persona non gratis with the Denizens of the distaff persuasion, but not a bad bloke otherwise.)
______________
Now I gotta find a place to hide 'fore John comes down with the Big Boot.
ry
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
KtLW once made a similar tactical error. It was *not* a tranquil scene.
'Nuff of that. I expect the Squid Groupies 'mongst the Denizennes (and both of you know who you are) will be ecstatic over the news that every week in 2007 will be Navy Week. Well, *almost* every week, anyway. They left a couple for the Grunts, Zoomies, LGAMs and Coasties to coin-flip for... --Bill
*************************************
Can someone explain why *I* am the first one out here saying Bravo Zulu to the Zoomies in their AC-130s?
A U.S. airstrike hit targets in southern Somalia where Islamic militants were believed to be sheltering suspects in the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies, Somali officials and witnesses said Tuesday. - the rest of this story at CBSNews.
There are interesting writeups over at the CounterTerrorism blog with lots of links.
Oh, Chief? 42 weeks seems about right......Maggie
************************
Maggie - because I didn't have anything to say that wasn't being said elsewhere. You had something to say... that's why you have posting privileges... Dusty might have had something insightful or insidery to offer that wasn't an OPSEC violation. I had nothing new to offer. No insights. No analysis. So I kept my mouth shut. It's taken me 48 years to master that. Don't push me into recidivism. For the greater good of humanity. -the Armorer
***********************
Oh, and apparently, we aren't done. Good. Take advantage of those guys having to come into the open. -the Armorer
***********************
This is not an auspicious start for Navy Week in the Straits of Hormuz. --Bill
Bubblehead (a submariner) has more over on his blog. -the Armorer
************************
From the "Hmmmmm" File for WWII, comes the revelations of "Agent Zig-Zag. Meet Eddie Chapman, who anticipated the suicide bomber.
A British secret agent who offered to blow up Adolf Hitler at the height of the Second World War was dissuaded from carrying out the assassination by MI5, according to newly released wartime archives.
The offer to kill Hitler in a suicide mission was made by Eddie Chapman, a professional criminal and safe-breaker who was trained by the Nazis as a spy and went on to become one of Britain’s most successful double agents, codenamed Agent Zigzag.
H/t, Bob Tarantino, via Damian of The Torch. -the Armorer
***********************
Just another day in the life of trying to help people rise above old habits - the Afghan National Army and the culture of corruption that holds Afghanistan back - via Bouhammer. -the Armorer
**********************
Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows »
*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. It's also an open trackback, so if (Don Surber uses it this way a lot) 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".
{Anyone want to keep a book on how long it takes before Big Tribble, with Leggs, decides to play a little soccer with gollum's noggin'?---ry}
« Secure this line!
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »
Shesh Ry...try some Decaf bro :)
Good round up btw!
by
BloodSpite on January 9, 2007 07:27 AM
Take it from someone who has seen "The Hat".... and watched her 5 yr old son remove said hat from it's owner's head.... SAVE YOURSELF, JESS.... LEAVE THE HAT ALONE. It's the grungiest thing I've seen in a LONG time, but it's pretty much attached itself to Ry's head until it falls apart (which won't be long, Jess!)
by
AFSister on January 9, 2007 07:37 AM
The code word at Casa Way is "the Woobie". You don't mess with each other's Woobies, whatever they are ... mine was a sweatshirt, and when I finally agreed that it needed to be put down, we had a little ceremony. heh.
(Anyone who doesn't recognize "Woobie" should go watch Mr. Mom again.)
by
Barb on January 9, 2007 08:40 AM
Kennedy, Reuters and Vietnam: That squares with everything I have read and learned about Kennedy and the Vietnam war in the past few years, though I was not aware of the Lodge/reuters connection.
Kennedy may yet prove to be one of the worst presidents we've had since Wilson, but I don't think he'll ever come close to Carter (who also made decisions in a vacuum and told his advisors about it afterward-so did Johnson, now that I think about it). Kennedy was not inept, but you ought to read how he basically turned Ike's hyper-efficient, well organized white house operation into a two-person (him an' Bobby) cult of personality and family...
Feh on the lot of 'em. Now if Teddy would just go away, we'd all sleep a little happier.
by
SangerM on January 9, 2007 08:41 AM
Now if Teddy would just go away, we'd all sleep a little happier
Oh yeah!
by
Maggie on January 9, 2007 09:23 AM
I wasn't zinging you, I was aiming for the Zooomie fans. I am the Swabie Doxie, one of the two Navy girls according to the Chief. Doesn't the Air Force have any groupies out here?
by
Maggie on January 9, 2007 10:04 AM
AFSis, one would think. But we have a retired Hog-driver on staff. Ya'd think he'd a had something to type.
Probably using the "But I'm flying right now!" excuse.
by
John of Argghhh! on January 9, 2007 10:20 AM
Here we go: Standard media-manipulation tactics:
"My 4-year-old boy was killed in the strike," Mohamed Mahmud Burale told the AP by telephone. "We also heard 14 massive explosions."
Yeah, right. Who was holding the boy? Where were mom and dad? BS-call on this one (but don't ask for the body, they might make one)...
And who would be counting explosions when his child was in harm's way. He may have been counting explosions, but not doing that while his child was getting bombed.
"Daqane said two newlyweds were among the dead Tuesday."
Of course. There's newlyweds everywhere that Americans shoot, dontcha know. Must be we're trying to prevent new little baby radicals since everyone knows they don't have sex until after they're married.
BS-call on this one too. Of course, the AP had to report that stuff, didn't it.
by
SangerM on January 9, 2007 10:40 AM
Yep!
I'm a zoomie fan! I was going to blog about the attacks in Somolia, but life has been interrupting my blogging. (namely, my home pc is shot; I'm busy as heck at work, and I've been preoccupied with a lot of life incidents)
GO ZOOMIES!
by
AFSister on January 9, 2007 11:09 AM
Well, that's one sub commander who's losing his boat.... damn. I hate it when screwups like that happen.
by
AFSister on January 9, 2007 11:13 AM
You know, an AC-130 doesn't shoot anything that doesn't explode. So... how could anybody count 14 explosions. I know the 105mm is louder than the 40mm which is louder than the 20mm or 25mm (depending on model), but I just don't see counting to 14 when all of that is raining down.
by
Oldloadr on January 9, 2007 12:14 PM
They don't call it "Steel Rain" and "Puff the Magic Dragon" for nothing.
I agree with Oldloadr & SangerM. Don't make no sense.
by
BloodSpite on January 9, 2007 07:07 PM
YOu know, I have a friend who teaches journalism and runs a HS newspaper. She doesn't believe me when I say that journalists need to accept that they are part of the battle. By 'going for balance' they are often times aiding people's information campaigns and helping them build narratives that become the accepted knowledge(like bombing in Cambodia was an 'escalation of the war'). Idjits.
We don't want 'balanced'. We want fair and honest, but would prefer the straight truth or naked facts even more. Balance for the sake of balance blows.
While I give the current Admin hell for not being able to build a narrative or wage anything remotely close to a coherent information campaign I often wonder if it's even possible for them to do so. Given what sanger uncovered and the leak of the meat of the Pres' speech a full day before.
by
ry on January 9, 2007 09:51 PM
« Dismissed, Soldier!
January 08, 2007
H&I* Fires, 8 JAN 2007
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. [Admittedly, I'm fibbing. Trackbacks are still broken]
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
************************
Jules Crittenden, bragging about family - Canadian family - and them talking about the GWOT. Going to be a busy day. In fact, it will probably be a busy week. -the Armorer
************************
Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows »
*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. It's also an open trackback, so if (Don Surber uses it this way a lot) 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".
« Secure this line!
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »
January 07, 2007
H&I* Fires, 7 JAN 2007
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. [Admittedly, I'm fibbing. Trackbacks are still broken]
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
************************
Today is SWWBO and the Armorer's 9th anniversary. I've been married three times, and never had one of those. Whee! Speaks to the quality of my decision-making. It improved over time. Hers... -the Armorer
***********************
And on the subject of men and women... the revealing phenomenon of "Macho Dems." - FbL
***********************
Courtesy of Capt H, an alternative to Macho Dems," if it suits ya. - FbL
***********************
Over 5 years into a serious casualty-producing era of combat, and two things about the Institutional Army (vice the Operational Army) still stand out, painfully.
1. The pay system for reserve component soldiers is *still* broken.
2. The personnel system has serious issues. From the Washington Post:
Army Mistakenly Sent Letters To Dead or Wounded Officers
The Army said it will apologize to the families of about 275 officers killed or wounded in action who were mistakenly sent letters urging them to return to active duty.
The letters were sent a few days after Christmas to more than 5,100 Army officers who had recently left the service. Included were letters to about 75 officers killed and about 200 wounded.
The latest available Pentagon statistics report that, as of Dec. 2, 217 Army officers have died in Iraq and 894 have been wounded since the war
One can only hope the apologies are delivered in person by the people who screwed up, who will leave copies of their Permanent File Letters of Reprimand behind.
Sadly, I expect excuses will be offered. Oh, and no doubt the apologies will be in letter form, too. Feh. The people who screwed it up should fund their own TDY to put it right.
When I was a battalion adjutant, my battalion commander made it clear to me that if my Personnel Administration Center screwed a soldier, I would read about it in my OER. If it was bad enough, I would read about it in my Relief For Cause OER. I had no reason to doubt him on the issue. I won't lie and tell you the fact that my battalion had *no* late OERs, *no* late NCOERs, *no* late pay changes due to PAC personnel errors was wholly due to my sterling capabilities. It was due to my PAC Supervisor, SFC Sisson, and myself, making sure that everything happened on time and to standard. Period. But the fact that the battalion commander made it clear that I had nothing more important to do, period, than take care of the troops and their commanders, was also a factor. It was a lesson I carried forward the rest of my career.
Inexcusable. -the Armorer
************************
Oh, after that, I owe you this - Stop The ACLU's Sunday Funnies. -the Armorer
************************
Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows »
*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. It's also an open trackback, so if (Don Surber uses it this way a lot) 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".
« Secure this line!
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »
Congratulations to both of you! :)
by
FbL on January 7, 2007 09:50 AM
Congratulations!
by
seawitch on January 7, 2007 10:14 AM
Congratulations!
by
Cassandra on January 7, 2007 10:19 AM
Happy Anniversary! Congratulations, hope you two have a wonderful day :-)
by
Barb on January 7, 2007 10:35 AM
Hey thats awesome!
Congratz!
by
BloodSpite on January 7, 2007 11:06 AM
Felicidades Boss & S4UBO.
Time is fun when you're having flies.
by
Boquisucio on January 7, 2007 01:09 PM
Happy Anniversary to both of you and I wish you many, many more...:)
by
Carrie on January 7, 2007 01:09 PM
Happy Anniversary!
by
Maggie on January 7, 2007 03:26 PM
Congratulations and Happy Anniversary, John & Beth!
Oh ... and thanks, John! I never had a pay problem while you were S-1 .... er, except for the amount, due to my very "junior enlisted" pay grade. LOL
by
fdcol63 on January 7, 2007 07:23 PM
Happy Anniversary!
by
Trias on January 7, 2007 08:19 PM
Congatulations!
by
UtahMan on January 7, 2007 08:36 PM
Many happy returns.
You and Beth rock.
by
Cricket on January 7, 2007 09:29 PM
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!! And proof-positive that Beth is a candidate for beatification.
Heh. I haven't had an OER since the Walks-On-Water, Promote-Immediately-to-CW5 one I got in Boz.
by
BillT on January 8, 2007 12:33 AM
Sugarbuttons has his Bosnian name: He Who Walks On Water. Or 'dips the skids with Hubert.'
by
Cricket on January 8, 2007 07:30 AM
The BBC picked up the letter story and ran it under the following headline: US Army urges dead to re-enlist...
Here's the link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6237607.stm
by
Oldloadr on January 8, 2007 12:45 PM
I wish y'all many happy returns of the day!
by
Justthisguy on January 8, 2007 10:56 PM
Oh, FbL, there doesn't seem to be any way I can put a comment on yer blog, so I'll just say, here, that there is a difference between Monkey Machismo and Kewl Rational Manliness. The better class of wimmin can tell the difference, and the same with the men. I do hope the more discerning judges of character prevail.
I believe that the Marines rate their officers very seriously on "presence of mind", i.e. keeping a clear head and thinking rationally in crazy violent situations.
by
Justthisguy on January 8, 2007 11:14 PM
« Dismissed, Soldier!
January 06, 2007
H&I* Fires, 6 JAN 2007
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. [Admittedly, I'm fibbing. Trackbacks are still broken]
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
************************
CAPT H sends this interesting discussion of Discretion in Reporting from the War Zone.
He also provides this bit of naughty yet mild humo(u)r.
Miss Beatrice, the church organist, was in her eighties and had never been married. She was admired for her sweetness and kindness to all. One afternoon the pastor came to call on her and she showed him into her quaint sitting room. She invited him to have a seat while she prepared tea.
As he sat facing her old Hammond organ, the young minister noticed a cut-glass bowl sitting on top of it. The bowl was filled with water, and in the water floated, of all things, a condom! When she returned with tea and scones, they began to chat.
The pastor tried to stifle his curiosity about the bowl of water and its strange floater, but soon it got the best of him and he could no longer resist.. "Miss Beatrice", he said, "I wonder if you would tell me about this?" pointing to the bowl.
"Oh, yes," she replied, "Isn't it wonderful? I was walking through the Park a few months ago and I found this little package on the ground. The directions said to place it on the organ, keep it wet and that it would prevent the spread of disease. Do you know I haven't had the flu all winter."
Jay, over at Stop The ACLU has Pig Races. Yes, you *do* want to click that link.
And, just in case you missed it - there is this offering for Charity - Pinups For Vets (though I can't imagine too many of you haven't seen this one already, but they asked me to post it...)
There is a Honeydew List today... and things may get weird periodically - we're back to tinkering in the guts of the software. -the Armorer
************************
The following is posted as a public service to our Canadian readers. From CAPT H:
Wajid Kahn Must Resign!
Good to see their moonbats don't spell any better than our moonbats, and that the cross-floor snark is alive and well in the Land of Maple-Syrup Swilling. -the Armorer
***********************
Golly, Milblogs is simply chock full of toothsome goodness today. Just read it all... -the Armorer
**********************
Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows »
*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. It's also an open trackback, so if (Don Surber uses it this way a lot) 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".
Nope, he ain't dropped an Acme anvil on me head yet. But I know it'll happen. That's why we sleep with one eye open 'round here.--ry
[THWOCK! -the Armorer]
« Secure this line!
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »
I'm in disagreement with Worthington on this one. His central argument seems to be that the incident in question wasn't newsworthy since it happens in every war. Well, battles happen in every war too, and we still expect reporting on those. Soldiers are killed, and that's still reported. Today there's an article by Bill Graveland of the Canadian Press about the intelligence of the average Canadian soldier - not news to me, certainly, but probably to many Canadians who have no familiarity with our military.
Blatchford is one of the best media friends the CF has - witness her Ross Monroe award this year - and doesn't deserve Worthington's criticism on this. I appreciate his perspective most of the time, but he's being petty on this one.
by
Damian on January 7, 2007 01:46 PM
Just as a point of useless trivia, Wajid Khan is ex-military, but not ex-Canadian-military. He was a fighter pilot in Pakistan before emigrating to Canada decades ago and starting up a successful car dealership in Toronto.
So John, you're tying in mil-bloggy stuff even when you don't know it!
by
Damian on January 8, 2007 04:52 PM
« Dismissed, Soldier!
January 05, 2007
H&I* Fires, 5 JAN 2007
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. [Admittedly, I'm fibbing. Trackbacks are still broken]
You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...
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Zenpundit is someone I always wish I read more often. He's always a portal to lots of good stuff, as well as his own commentary and observations. This post is just one of those portals to good chit for us wannabe (and you actual) theorists.
ry
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One of the fun things about what I do is that I get to hang around and look at all the "good ideas" coming down the pike. Because I work on it, I don't talk about it too much - but this one is safe, it being something I have nothing to do with, but still can keep an eye on via my network. Behold - Heinlein's Mobile Infantry is closer than you think. -the Armorer
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Interesting poll from Gallup: Majority of Americans View Media Coverage of Iraq as Inaccurate. The really interesting part is which "side" of inaccurate they think it falls on.
The Jamil Hussein story moves sideways. More from Michelle Malkin, who is in Iraq. In a related matter, Flopping Aces has some thoughts about Reuters stringers. UPDATE: Cassandra has a great post on the AP Hussein issue.
Mogadishu is celebrating its newfound freedom. - FbL
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Most times, a typo is a typo. Sometimes, it just may be our subconscious tossing something into the light. Like this bit from Brit Hume and Fox News...
It turns out that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's vow not to seek a second term wasn't the half of it. Maliki tells The Wall Street Journal that he regrets accepting the job in the first place — and wishes he could get out of it early. Maliki was sworn in for a four-year term last spring. He says he only agreed to the job to serve the national interest. His goal was to reign in secular violence, but the fighting has increased and Bush administration officials have questioned his ability to govern.
Emphasis added. -the Armorer
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Meanwhile, across the pond... Tom Newton-Dunn, writing in The Sun:
THE Army is facing a massive crisis as troops in frontline fighting battalions quit in droves over poor pay and slum homes.
All but one of 39 bayonet battalions are undermanned — and overall they have only three-quarters of the men they need.
Yet some of the worst-hit units are STILL being sent on dangerous operations to do the job expected of a full-strength battalion.
A whopping 14,560 troops left the Army last year, with the infantry suffering by far the greatest losses.
Recruiting is also falling short of targets after years of Government underfunding and “overstretch”.
Many battalions have done three six-month tours in Iraq or Afghanistan in as many years.
The shocking state of the Army is revealed in a classified document leaked to The Sun.
Read the rest, here. Come along, Mr. Blair. Lead. Or get out of the way. -the Armorer
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Fresh off the presses The Moat Monster Rules. - BOQ
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Dangit! We've got Microsofters amongst our readership! Where's yer loyalty! How come we Denizens didn't get in on this? I want my Vista Laptop! Yeah, we aren't tech-bloggers... so what? 8^D Waidaminnit! The Bassids! They're Indian-Givers! (oops, was that offensively non-PC?) Some people were not amused. Ah, the heck with it - I'll still take a free laptop. -the Armorer
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More from across the pond - this time the Royal Navy.
Royal Navy commanders were in uproar yesterday after it was revealed that almost half of the Fleet's 44 warships are to be mothballed as part of a Ministry of Defence cost-cutting measure. Senior officers have said the plans will turn Britain's once-proud Navy into nothing more than a coastal defence force. The Government has admitted that 13 unnamed warships are in a state of reduced readiness, putting them around 18 months away from active service. Today The Daily Telegraph can name a further six destroyers and frigates that are being proposed for cuts. A need to cut the defence budget by £250 million this year to meet spending requirements has forced ministers to look at drastic measures. MoD sources have admitted it is possible that the Royal Navy will discontinue one of its major commitments around the world at a time when Sir Jonathon Band, the First Sea Lord, has said more ships are needed to protect the high seas against terrorism and piracy. News of further cuts to what was once the world's most formidable fleet comes as critics say failings across the Services are becoming increasingly apparent. More details are emerging of the near-squalor that soldiers are forced to tolerate in barracks when they return from six months of dangerous overseas operations. Questions have also been raised about the poor pay for troops and equipment failures which continue to dog operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
From one angle, the Decline of the West continues. Viewed from the other side, "About time we made it impossible for these people to go adventuring."
Read the rest here, in The Telegraph. -the Armorer
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Meanwhile, enjoy your tax filing for this year. The Dems are clearing the decks for next year. Larry Kudlow notes in The Corner:
John Fund reports today in Opinion Journal's Political Diary that the new Pelosi House has opened the door to tax hikes. Yesterday's package of new rules to govern the lower chamber erases the three-fifths majority that was required to raise taxes under the old Republican House rules. The new rules allow tax hikes through a simple majority vote.
This is a bad sign.
I wonder if today's stock market decline isn't picking up this high tax threat.
And... the New Kids On The Block are firing another one over the President's bow? Off of Drudge right now: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have sent a letter to President Bush saying 'surging forces' in Iraq is a failed strategy and calling for phased redeployment instead... DEVELOPING... -the Armorer
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The Letter:
January 5, 2007
President George W. Bush
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
The start of the new Congress brings us opportunities to work together on the critical issues confronting our country. No issue is more important than finding an end to the war in Iraq. December was the deadliest month of the war in over two years, pushing U.S. fatality figures over the 3,000 mark.
The American people demonstrated in the November elections that they do not believe your current Iraq policy will lead to success and that we need a change in direction for the sake of our troops and the Iraqi people. We understand that you are completing your post-election consultations on Iraq and are preparing to make a major address on your Iraq strategy to the American people next week.
Clearly this address presents you with another opportunity to make a long overdue course correction. Despite the fact that our troops have been pushed to the breaking point and, in many cases, have already served multiple tours in Iraq, news reports suggest that you believe the solution to the civil war in Iraq is to require additional sacrifices from our troops and are therefore prepared to proceed with a substantial U.S. troop increase.
Surging forces is a strategy that you have already tried and that has already failed. Like many current and former military leaders, we believe that trying again would be a serious mistake. They, like us, believe there is no purely military solution in Iraq. There is only a political solution.
Adding more combat troops will only endanger more Americans and stretch our military to the breaking point for no strategic gain. And it would undermine our efforts to get the Iraqis to take responsibility for their own future. We are well past the point of more troops for Iraq.
In a recent appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee, General John Abizaid, our top commander for Iraq and the region, said the following when asked about whether he thought more troops would contribute to our chances for success in Iraq:
“I met with every divisional commander, General Casey, the Corps commander, General Dempsey. We all talked together. And I said, in your professional opinion, if we were to bring in more American troops now, does it add considerably to our ability to achieve success in Iraq? And they all said no. And the reason is, because we want the Iraqis to do more. It's easy for the Iraqis to rely upon to us do this work. I believe that more American forces prevent the Iraqis from doing more, from taking more responsibility for their own future.”
Rather than deploy additional forces to Iraq, we believe the way forward is to begin the phased redeployment of our forces in the next four to six months, while shifting the principal mission of our forces there from combat to training, logistics, force protection and counter-terror. A renewed diplomatic strategy, both within the region and beyond, is also required to help the Iraqis agree to a sustainable political settlement. In short, it is time to begin to move our forces out of Iraq and make the Iraqi political leadership aware that our commitment is not open ended, that we cannot resolve their sectarian problems, and that only they can find the political resolution required to stabilize Iraq.
Our troops and the American people have already sacrificed a great deal for the future of Iraq. After nearly four years of combat, tens of thousands of U.S. casualties, and over $300 billion dollars, it is time to bring the war to a close. We, therefore, strongly encourage you to reject any plans that call for our getting our troops any deeper into Iraq. We want to do everything we can to help Iraq succeed in the future but, like many of our senior military leaders, we do not believe that adding more U.S. combat troops contributes to success.
We appreciate you taking these views into consideration.
Sincerely, Harry Reid
Majority Leader
Nancy Pelosi
Speaker
-the Armorer
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The letter above just set me off. For what it's worth (and not much, at that), I had to rant about it. So, my own "translation" of the Pelosi-Reid letter. - FbL
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Flash Traffic (extended entry) Follows »
*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. It's also an open trackback, so if (Don Surber uses it this way a lot) 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".
Nope, he ain't dropped an Acme anvil on me head yet. But I know it'll happen. That's why we sleep with one eye open 'round here.--ry
[THWOCK! -the Armorer]
« Secure this line!
Reporting As Ordered, Sir! »
Typo, or double entendre?
by
Laurie on January 5, 2007 10:58 AM
Well, in a sense, yes. But I rather suspect typo with subconscious component than deliberate.
by
John of Argghhh! on January 5, 2007 11:00 AM
I suspect Spell-Check dependancy...
by
Oldloadr on January 5, 2007 12:08 PM
Well, certainly, for it slipping through.
I'm trying for Deep Meaning for it showing up at all!
by
John of Argghhh! on January 5, 2007 12:11 PM
to get the full effect of that Future Force Warrior briefing, you really need to have seen it done in an auditorium with Prince John Abrams doing the talking and then showing the film clips....
completely blew me away.
was just waiting for someone to call "Johnny Rico" in the middle of it.
by
MajMike on January 5, 2007 12:26 PM
John, please stop updating this post. The ones about the British military are enough to make me want to... well, it's not something good. :(
*going off to mourn the decline of Britain as a world power of any significance*
What a bunch of fools must be in charge over there...
by
FbL on January 5, 2007 12:50 PM
Natick Labs has been touting the Super Soldier (formerly "Robosoldier," "Soldier 21," and a couple of other codenames) ensemble for almost twenty years -- only difference is that a lot of the gear's finally been *invented*.
I figure by the time they finally get it ruggedized sufficiently, it'll weigh 75 pounds and cost $1.8 billion for each set -- which will then have to be individually fitted to the wearer immediately after the six-week block of instruction on where to find the batteries and how to change them.
And, with the Dems in charge of the budget, we may be able to field two full squads (one Army, one Marine), but we won't have the cash to buy any ammo.
"The side with the simplest uniform wins..."
by
BillT on January 5, 2007 01:07 PM
Re: "The Letter"
*barf*
John, I warned you to stop posting on this! ;)
by
FbL on January 5, 2007 02:47 PM
I thought someone reported that LandWarrior was axed(wasn't it DefenseTech?)?
by
ry on January 5, 2007 03:00 PM
Re: The Letter
Can I suggest that "W" take a page from MacAuliffe's book?
by
Maggie on January 5, 2007 03:28 PM
Hey - 100% of the Microsofties in the Denizen crew would have loved a laptop, too! We're not the 'right kind' of bloggers, John.
Then again, I've been running Vista on my own hardware at home since RC1, as have thousands of other people who downloaded it from the web.
by
Barb on January 5, 2007 03:55 PM
I object to:
"Adding more combat troops will only endanger more Americans and stretch our military to the breaking point for no strategic gain."
No Strategic Gain? Are they speaking about Iraq internally or our position in the region?
I also object to the generic:
"A renewed diplomatic strategy, both within the region and beyond, is also required to help the Iraqis agree to a sustainable political settlement."
Within the region is clearly in regards to their continued push to "talk" with Syria and Iran.
Bull Frogs!
Some aspects I don't totally disagree with such as phased redeployment and focus on training. However, I disagree on the time frame and I am sure I would disagree on the number of troops to be "redeployed" in that time frame. The training is already being done, but would like to see an even larger effort. However, being more realistic than the Dems, I know there is a limit to the number of trainees and the amount of training they could sustain in a given time period. This would take a great deal more time and troops than the Dems are expecting. We would also require the focus of our forces being trained and deployed to be greatly reduced to "how to train foreign forces", which is already a problem for us.
Further, the Dem theory leads us directly to Vietnam type withdrawal that would lead to leaving the Iranians with virtual control of Iraq.
Not something I am willing to contemplate.
I don't think the Dem strategy has
