28.2.10
Attrition: Marjah Mysteries Revealed
"The Taliban cause most of the civilian deaths in Afghanistan, but that is expected by Afghans. The Taliban have always been quick to kill civilians that opposed them. But getting killed by a foreign soldier is something that is particularly unpopular among Afghans. Especially Pushtun Afghans, and it’s the Pushtun tribes in the south, around Kandahar and in Helmand province (where Marjah is) that supply most of the Taliban leadership and gunmen. The Taliban haven't got much popular support in Afghanistan as a whole. The majority (60 percent) of the population are not Pushtun, and are very hostile to the Taliban. Most Pushtuns are also anti-Taliban, but the Pushtuns around Kandahar and Helmand are more hospitable. Some of these Pushtuns have tribal connections to the Taliban, and others are getting wealthy from the drug business, which is centered in Helmand."
Surface Forces : LCS In Action Against An Armed Enemy
"The USS Freedom completed its sea trials and acceptance inspections during August, 2008. The ship did very well, with far fewer (about 90 percent fewer) problems (or 'material deficiencies') than is usual with the first warship in a class.
Five years ago, when construction began on LCS 1, it was to displace 2,500 tons, with a full load draft of under ten feet (permitting access to very shallow 'green' and even 'brown' coastal and riverine waters, where most naval operations have taken place in the past generation. Top speed was expected was to be over 80 kilometers with a range of 2,700 kilometers. The 378 foot long ship still has the range and top speed it was designed for. Basic endurance is 21 days, but displacement is closer to 3,000 tons."
Five years ago, when construction began on LCS 1, it was to displace 2,500 tons, with a full load draft of under ten feet (permitting access to very shallow 'green' and even 'brown' coastal and riverine waters, where most naval operations have taken place in the past generation. Top speed was expected was to be over 80 kilometers with a range of 2,700 kilometers. The 378 foot long ship still has the range and top speed it was designed for. Basic endurance is 21 days, but displacement is closer to 3,000 tons."
27.2.10
Leadership: Admirals Lost At Sea
"After a decade of preparing for 'littoral warfare,' the navy finds itself largely winless in its first major littoral campaign. The piracy situation in Somalia is basically unwinnable as long as no nation wants to put troops ashore to shut down the coastal pirate bases (about eight of them). So risk (or bad PR) averse are the navies that even killing pirates is avoided (and rarely done). Pirates are not even prosecuted in most cases, just disarmed, fed, given medical treatment, and released."
26.2.10
Counter-Terrorism: The Suave Saudi Method
"...the Saudi royal family has been working to reform Islamic conservatives and radicals for over a century. They don't get much credit for that, but it explains the many Saudi initiatives to detect and rehabilitate Islamic radicals, and prevent Moslems from going that way in the first place. The Saudis are using media and the religious establishment (which is on the government payroll) to discredit Islamic radicals. There is also a rehabilitation program for convicted or suspected Islamic terrorists. While this gets criticized, because 10-20 percent of the graduates go back to terrorism, the majority leave Islamic radicalism behind. The reform effort has a big impact on discouraging young Arabs considering Islamic radicalism."
Infantry: Up Close And Personal
"The army has recently upgraded its Combatives Program to reflect the experience of nearly a thousand soldiers who have participated in hand-to-hand combat in Afghanistan or Iraq. A survey of these soldiers reinforced what the Combatives program already concentrates on (grappling and striking), but also pointed out that 30 percent of the hand-to-hand encounters studied ended with gunfire (as many of these fights are struggles for control of a firearm). The large number of hand-to-hand encounters over the past eight years results from the nature of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In both places, many of the missions are raids, with the objective of arresting suspects. Since you want to take them alive, and they often don’t want to be taken, a tussle frequently results."
Intelligence: The Winter Of Our Discontent
"Pakistani intelligence officials have good reason to be unhappy with this roundup. Even though Pakistan won't allow the Taliban leaders to be interrogated alone by the Americans, much less taken out of the country, U.S. officials have been able to sit in. That quickly revealed that the Taliban leadership had long been in touch with Pakistani intelligence, and some of the captives were quite indignant at how this long (nearly two decades) relationship had been so unceremoniously ended."
25.2.10
Army Picks New Camo for Afghanistan Units
"Today the Army announced that this summer it will begin fielding uniforms with a new camouflage pattern to all its troops serving in Afghanistan.
According to a statement obtained by Military.com, Army Secretary John McHugh decided that the so-called 'MultiCam' pattern developed by New York-based Crye Precision is the most effective camouflage in the varied terrain of Afghanistan's forests, deserts, mountains and rural villages.
'This decision … reflects the Army's commitment to giving Soldiers in Afghanistan the most effective concealment possible,' the statement said. 'Camouflage alternatives represent one facet of the Army's ongoing efforts to improve the Army Combat Uniform.'"
According to a statement obtained by Military.com, Army Secretary John McHugh decided that the so-called 'MultiCam' pattern developed by New York-based Crye Precision is the most effective camouflage in the varied terrain of Afghanistan's forests, deserts, mountains and rural villages.
'This decision … reflects the Army's commitment to giving Soldiers in Afghanistan the most effective concealment possible,' the statement said. 'Camouflage alternatives represent one facet of the Army's ongoing efforts to improve the Army Combat Uniform.'"
24.2.10
Who are the Contenders for Captain America? - Superhero Hype!
"Heat Vision is reporting that John Krasinski, Michael Cassidy, Patrick Fluger, Scott Porter, Mike Vogel and Chace Crawford are contenders for Marvel Studios' The First Avenger: Captain America. Test screening is taking place this week for one of the actors to play Steve Rogers/Captain America in the comic book adaptation."
David Goyer to Write the New Superman Movie! - Superhero Hype!
"About the story, the scooper adds: 'I can tell you that Goyer's story involves Luthor and Brainiac. It is NOT an origin and assumes audiences already know about Lois, Clark, Jimmy and Perry. I know the Daily Planet is struggling due to the internet. And I know it sets up a huge Kryptonian mythology.'"
Dallas Morning News Gets it Wrong
"I wrote to Sen Deuell to state my disagreement with his vote to support accepting federal stimulus money in Texas.
I do not have an issue with the Senator if he simply disagrees with me, but his response betrays a lack of connection to his constitutents.
I received a letter from the Senator in reply that was polite and thoughtful. Thoughtful, that is, until, in support of his position, he referred to and enclosed a copy of an Austin American Statesman editorial that agreed with him.
Besides not being shocked in any way that the Statesman was in agreement with accepting the stimulus funds, it was infuriating that the Senator should behave as though there was anyone on the Stateman's editorial staff that he represents. It would have been no trouble, I'm certain to find a similiar editorial, if he wished to sustain the appeal to authority fallacy, that was at least from a newspaper in his district.
Bob Deuell is out of touch and has to go."
I do not have an issue with the Senator if he simply disagrees with me, but his response betrays a lack of connection to his constitutents.
I received a letter from the Senator in reply that was polite and thoughtful. Thoughtful, that is, until, in support of his position, he referred to and enclosed a copy of an Austin American Statesman editorial that agreed with him.
Besides not being shocked in any way that the Statesman was in agreement with accepting the stimulus funds, it was infuriating that the Senator should behave as though there was anyone on the Stateman's editorial staff that he represents. It would have been no trouble, I'm certain to find a similiar editorial, if he wished to sustain the appeal to authority fallacy, that was at least from a newspaper in his district.
Bob Deuell is out of touch and has to go."
23.2.10
Afghanistan: Taliban Defeat The Dutch
"The government again is making a big deal about reducing civilian casualties. But these casualties are already at a historic low, and trying to drive them any lower will mean less effective operations against the Taliban and more dead Afghan and foreign troops. The Taliban and drug gangs have mobilized (via bribes or threats) local media to protest the deaths (actual or otherwise, no rumor is wasted) of Afghan civilians at the hands of foreign troops. The enemy is encouraged by the recent Dutch decision to withdraw its 2,000 troops from Afghanistan. The Taliban deliberately targeted the Dutch because they knew that the leftist parties in Holland were eager to get out of Afghanistan."
21.2.10
Hot Air » Blog Archive » Oh my: Another top-ten most wanted Taliban leader captured in Pakistan
Allapundit asks: "One question I keep asking myself during these now-daily newsflashes about Taliban chieftains being pinched: How long has Pakistani intel known where these turds are, and how many American soldiers’ lives could have been saved if they had acted sooner?"
Careful, now, AP. This is not a matter of neglegence. Neither is it due to any recent change in strategy or leadership.
It's acutally an application of the principles of Sun Tzu. In The Art of War, Sun Tzu said that a general should leave an escape route open for his enemies. The reason for that was that an enemy that has no hope of escape will fight all the harder. This isn't a pure interpretation of that principle, but it's near enough.
For years the Pakistani forces, who to outside observers have long appeared to be persuing their part of the War on Terror in fits and starts and in a haphazard and piecemeal fashion, have long left Baluchistan and the city of Quetta alone. The result is that Quetta has become the natural sanctuary of the bad guys.
And now the Army is closing in on Quetta too. And that has caused all the bad guys, who had thought they were safe, to jump up to run... somewhere else. Salam was caught in Peshwar, Baradar in Karachi, and now Kabir in Naw Shera province.
This isn't something that could have been undertaken at any time. The bad guys had to develop a sense of security, thus heightening their fear as that security collapsed so that they'd make rash decisions and mistakes and all of that takes time.
Careful, now, AP. This is not a matter of neglegence. Neither is it due to any recent change in strategy or leadership.
It's acutally an application of the principles of Sun Tzu. In The Art of War, Sun Tzu said that a general should leave an escape route open for his enemies. The reason for that was that an enemy that has no hope of escape will fight all the harder. This isn't a pure interpretation of that principle, but it's near enough.
For years the Pakistani forces, who to outside observers have long appeared to be persuing their part of the War on Terror in fits and starts and in a haphazard and piecemeal fashion, have long left Baluchistan and the city of Quetta alone. The result is that Quetta has become the natural sanctuary of the bad guys.
And now the Army is closing in on Quetta too. And that has caused all the bad guys, who had thought they were safe, to jump up to run... somewhere else. Salam was caught in Peshwar, Baradar in Karachi, and now Kabir in Naw Shera province.
This isn't something that could have been undertaken at any time. The bad guys had to develop a sense of security, thus heightening their fear as that security collapsed so that they'd make rash decisions and mistakes and all of that takes time.
George Will : Blinded by Science - Townhall.com
"Last week, Todd Stern, America's Special Envoy for Climate Change -- yes, there is one; and people wonder where to begin cutting government -- warned that those interested in 'undermining action on climate change' will seize on 'whatever tidbit they can find.' Tidbits like specious science, and the absence of warming?"
20.2.10
President Obama's Service Scam
This stinks.
I saw this commerical on TBS just moments ago:
While I'm no fan of our President, I am interested in service. I wanted to see what was being offered so I tried to visit http://www.usaservice.org/.
But you can't visit that site. At least at this time you cannot. That URL redirects to this one: http://www.inauguralstore.com/.
Both sites are owned by Blue State Digital, LLC. They have listed Obama for America as a client. That is the President's campaign organization.
So in reality, this call to service is a sham. It's, at best, a poor attemtp to raise political funds by selling inauguration souveniers. At worst, it's going to recruit people, in the name of service to the nation, to work for the President's campaign.
I saw this commerical on TBS just moments ago:
While I'm no fan of our President, I am interested in service. I wanted to see what was being offered so I tried to visit http://www.usaservice.org/.
But you can't visit that site. At least at this time you cannot. That URL redirects to this one: http://www.inauguralstore.com/.
Both sites are owned by Blue State Digital, LLC. They have listed Obama for America as a client. That is the President's campaign organization.
So in reality, this call to service is a sham. It's, at best, a poor attemtp to raise political funds by selling inauguration souveniers. At worst, it's going to recruit people, in the name of service to the nation, to work for the President's campaign.
Afghanistan: Fighting By Taliban Rules And Winning
"The fighting in Marjah would be going more quickly were it not for the more strict ROE (Rules Of Engagement), intended to minimize civilian casualties. The Taliban and drug gangs have invested a lot in the local media, to make each civilian death, at the hands of foreign troops, a major story. The majority of civilian combat deaths are at the hands of the Taliban or drug gangs, and the local media plays those down (or else). It's a sweet deal for the bad guys, and a powerful battlefield tool. The civilians appreciate the attention, but the ROE doesn't reduce overall civilian deaths, because the longer the Taliban have control of civilians in a combat situations, the more they kill. The Taliban often use civilians as human shields, and kill those who refuse, or are suspected of disloyalty."
19.2.10
Logistics: The Missing Link In Arab Armies
"Military logistics has been deficient in Iraq, and the entire region, for some very practical reasons. First of all, it's expensive. Even with all that oil money, no one wants to spend a lot of cash on providing logistics capabilities needed for troops in combat that might never come. Historically, nations in the region saw their armed forces as more of an internal security force. If invaded, the army could just grab whatever they needed from the civilian economy. Another important angle was preventing the troops from joining a rebellion. Only a few units had access to lots of ammo and fuel, and these were the most loyal troops, who were thus in a better position to defend the government from rebellious soldiers."
9.2.10
I'm at Ft. Gordon, GA
Several years ago, I'd been posting heavily at the LandWarNet eUniversity forum. Still do, but at that point I'd attracted teh attention of the people who run the site. They invited me to drop by to meet them if I found my way to Ft. Gordon, so today, I stopped by.
Quite a reception. Kind of bowled me over. It's really great to be appreciated for doing nothing more than trying to help people. I got a new coin and a nifty Signal Regiment penlight (didn't even know that such things existed)!
Anyhow, I'm here for 5 weeks. I'll go back and get photos to post here. As much as they appreciate my participation, I'm grateful for the forum and it's opportunities and it wouldn't exist without them.
Quite a reception. Kind of bowled me over. It's really great to be appreciated for doing nothing more than trying to help people. I got a new coin and a nifty Signal Regiment penlight (didn't even know that such things existed)!
Anyhow, I'm here for 5 weeks. I'll go back and get photos to post here. As much as they appreciate my participation, I'm grateful for the forum and it's opportunities and it wouldn't exist without them.
8.2.10
3.2.10
Once Again, The Most Important Polls Are Ignored
"Here are some high (low) lights:
-- Only two percent got all twelve of the simple questions correct. Thirteen percent failed to get even two right answers (remember, if you simply guessed you should expect to get about three correct answers).
-- Given four multiple choice options, only 26% knew it takes 60 votes to break a filibuster in the Senate.
-- Just 48% of Republicans knew Harry Reid leads the Senate, while only 33% of Democrats did.
-- On no question did 60% of the respondents get the right answer.
-- Republicans got an average of 5.9 correct, while Democrats scored just 4.9. Even often maligned Independents did better than Democrats, averaging 5.6 correct answers.
-- On almost every question, men out did women, whites got more answers correct than blacks, the more educated did better than the less schooled, the richer did better than the poorer, the older outscored the younger, and Republicans did best while Democrats did worst.
-- Women did particularly poorly on the economic questions with a 21 point gender gap on an inquiry about the debt, 18 points on the Dow question, and 14 on the unemployment rate query."
-- Only two percent got all twelve of the simple questions correct. Thirteen percent failed to get even two right answers (remember, if you simply guessed you should expect to get about three correct answers).
-- Given four multiple choice options, only 26% knew it takes 60 votes to break a filibuster in the Senate.
-- Just 48% of Republicans knew Harry Reid leads the Senate, while only 33% of Democrats did.
-- On no question did 60% of the respondents get the right answer.
-- Republicans got an average of 5.9 correct, while Democrats scored just 4.9. Even often maligned Independents did better than Democrats, averaging 5.6 correct answers.
-- On almost every question, men out did women, whites got more answers correct than blacks, the more educated did better than the less schooled, the richer did better than the poorer, the older outscored the younger, and Republicans did best while Democrats did worst.
-- Women did particularly poorly on the economic questions with a 21 point gender gap on an inquiry about the debt, 18 points on the Dow question, and 14 on the unemployment rate query."
3 G.I.s Killed in Pakistan. Now Can We Start Treating This Like a Real War? (Updated) | Danger Room | Wired.com
"Last year, President Obama and his administration ruled out sending U.S. ground forces into Pakistan. Instead, the White House said, America’s clandestine operations there would be waged solely by remote-control — with Predator and Reaper drones. “There is a red line,” said special envoy Richard Holbrooke. “And the red line is unambiguous and stated publicly by the Pakistani government over and over again: No foreign troops on our soil.”
Yet today, three U.S. soldiers were killed and two more were wounded by an improvised bomb in Pakistan. The area was known “as a Taliban stronghold,” the New York Times notes. But the “Pakistani military had declared cleared of the militants.”"
Yet today, three U.S. soldiers were killed and two more were wounded by an improvised bomb in Pakistan. The area was known “as a Taliban stronghold,” the New York Times notes. But the “Pakistani military had declared cleared of the militants.”"
Intelligence: Probe Britannia
"The U.S. Department of Defense believes that China has the most powerful Cyber War capabilities on the planet. That means the Chinese can shut down just about any site they target, and penetrate most as well. The Department of Defense has come right out and said they believe a series of Internet based network attacks, on their computer networks in the last few years, came from China. These attacks were quite specific, often directed at named individuals in the Department of Defense, and succeeded in stealing large quantities of secret material. In 2007 there were 44,000 such attacks from China. This rose to 55,000 in 2008, and then to 90,000 last year."
2.2.10
Early draft of the Constitution found in Phila. | Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/02/2010
"As other researchers 'realized what was happening, there was a sort of hushed awe that settled over the reading room,' Toler said. 'One of them said the hair on her arms stood on end.'
Two drafts of the Constitution in Wilson's hand had been separated from his papers long ago. One of them included the beginning of still another draft and was apparently seen as part of a single working version, instead of a separate draft.
Toler said 'The Continuation of the Scheme,' including its provisions about the executive and judiciary branches, completes that draft, making it a third.
She 'found a document that was sort of buried in its right place, but not taken out by an archivist for special treatment,' said Kaminski, the constitutional scholar. 'This is a valuable document. It is in Wilson's hand, and it was in Wilson's papers, where it should have been.'"
Two drafts of the Constitution in Wilson's hand had been separated from his papers long ago. One of them included the beginning of still another draft and was apparently seen as part of a single working version, instead of a separate draft.
Toler said 'The Continuation of the Scheme,' including its provisions about the executive and judiciary branches, completes that draft, making it a third.
She 'found a document that was sort of buried in its right place, but not taken out by an archivist for special treatment,' said Kaminski, the constitutional scholar. 'This is a valuable document. It is in Wilson's hand, and it was in Wilson's papers, where it should have been.'"
Sgt. Rock Will be Fighting in the Future - Superhero Hype!
Sorry. If it's not WWII, then its NOT Sgt. Rock!
"Producer Joel Silver revealed to the Los Angeles Times that comic book adaptation Sgt. Rock has found new life at Warner Bros. Pictures, but that the film won't take place in WWII. Instead, the plan is for Sgt. Rock to serve his country in the not-too-distant future.
'It's a little bit in the future,' Silver said. 'As a war movie, it's not going to be 'where it's been,' it's going to be 'where it's going.' We didn't want to do Iraq, we didn't want to do a contemporary war. We wanted to do a sort of futuristic war. It's pretty strong. Chad St. John wrote the script and we've got Francis Lawrence involved in developing it with us. It's not a 'go' movie yet but I'm feeling good about it.'
As far as the status, Silver added that they just received a new draft of the script this week."
"Producer Joel Silver revealed to the Los Angeles Times that comic book adaptation Sgt. Rock has found new life at Warner Bros. Pictures, but that the film won't take place in WWII. Instead, the plan is for Sgt. Rock to serve his country in the not-too-distant future.
'It's a little bit in the future,' Silver said. 'As a war movie, it's not going to be 'where it's been,' it's going to be 'where it's going.' We didn't want to do Iraq, we didn't want to do a contemporary war. We wanted to do a sort of futuristic war. It's pretty strong. Chad St. John wrote the script and we've got Francis Lawrence involved in developing it with us. It's not a 'go' movie yet but I'm feeling good about it.'
As far as the status, Silver added that they just received a new draft of the script this week."
Information Warfare: Hackers Versus The 24th Air Force
"While the Air Force Cyber Command will not become reality, work continues on building a Cyber Control System. This is a hardware and software system that would enable the 24th Air Force to monitor, in real time, the security state of all air force networks. If any of these networks were attacked, the Cyber Control System software would immediately alert 24th Air Force controllers, and recommend a course of action. Think of this as a war room for Cyber War. Many people, deluged with TV and movie representations of high tech military command centers, believe such a Cyber War center already exists. It doesn't, and the air force is building it. If the Cyber Control System can prove itself, the air force hopes to use it run the show for all Department of Defense networks."
1.2.10
Clyburn: 'We've got to spend our way out of this recession' - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room
"'We're not going to save our way out of this recession,' the majority whip added. 'We've got to spend our way out of this recession, and I think most economists know that.'"
The rest of us know that you're certainly going to try. You'll fail, and unfortunately we have to come along for the ride, if you get your way.
The rest of us know that you're certainly going to try. You'll fail, and unfortunately we have to come along for the ride, if you get your way.
Obama seeks money for nuclear weapons work - Yahoo! News
"The administration on Monday asked Congress for more than $7 billion for activities related to nuclear weapons in the budget of the National Nuclear Security Administration, an increase of $624 million from the 2010 fiscal year."
Axelrod: "We Have Not Lost Anything" by Giving Abdulmutallab Miranda Rights | The Weekly Standard
"'We have not lost anything as a result of how this case has been handled,' Axelrod said. It was an updated version of the claim that Robert Gibbs made last week, when he said that FBI interrogators had gotten 'all they could get' from Abdulmutallab in their brief session."
Riiiiight.
Can't blame the FBI guys though. If I were the one on the spot, I'd mirandize him too. Doing so servers to important purposes--it keeps my butt out of a very dangerous crack, and it stirs up the issue in a big way when these stories come out. Anytime you get to help idiots (Gibbs and Axelrod) show their true colors and all you have to do is follow the rules--Score!
Riiiiight.
Can't blame the FBI guys though. If I were the one on the spot, I'd mirandize him too. Doing so servers to important purposes--it keeps my butt out of a very dangerous crack, and it stirs up the issue in a big way when these stories come out. Anytime you get to help idiots (Gibbs and Axelrod) show their true colors and all you have to do is follow the rules--Score!
Bob McDonnell: Virginia Won't Host KSM Trial | The Weekly Standard
"It increasingly looks like the best idea is to try KSM et al. in a military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay."
Sigh. For those who think that the Geneva Conventions apply to these guys, military tribunals are the only option legally open.
Sigh. For those who think that the Geneva Conventions apply to these guys, military tribunals are the only option legally open.
China, Iran Prompt U.S. Air-Sea Battle Plan in Strategy Review - Bloomberg.com
Let's call this what it is. The Navy and Air Force are concerend that the fight over the last 10 years hasn't been an Air Force or navy fight with the Army and Marines bearing the brunt. To be sure, The Land forces would be hard put to do their jobs with out the Air and Sea forces, and furture conflcits could arise that would lip the currnet formula. China has long been the easily cited potential threat, but the reality is that that threat just isn't all that great. What this really is, is protecting budget share.
"The Air Force and Navy are seeking more effective ways of ensuring continued access to the western Pacific and countering potential threats to American bases and personnel, according to the Quadrennial Defense Review to be released later today.
The joint Air Force-Navy plan would combine the strengths of each service to conduct long-range strikes that could utilize a new generation of bombers, a new cruise missile and drones launched from aircraft carriers. The Navy also is increasing funding to develop an unmanned underwater vehicle, according to the report."
"The Air Force and Navy are seeking more effective ways of ensuring continued access to the western Pacific and countering potential threats to American bases and personnel, according to the Quadrennial Defense Review to be released later today.
The joint Air Force-Navy plan would combine the strengths of each service to conduct long-range strikes that could utilize a new generation of bombers, a new cruise missile and drones launched from aircraft carriers. The Navy also is increasing funding to develop an unmanned underwater vehicle, according to the report."
U.S. expanding missile defenses in Gulf | Reuters
Sy Hersh has been strangely silent:
"General David Petraeus, who as head of U.S. Central Command is responsible for military operations across the Middle East, said this month that the United States has stationed eight Patriot missile batteries in four Gulf countries, which he did not identify.
The buildup began under the Bush administration, but has expanded under President Barack Obama, who is pushing for a new round of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.
Officials said the expansion was meant to increase protection for U.S. forces and key allies in the Gulf.
The chairman of the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, said last month the Pentagon must have military options ready to counter Iran should Obama call for them."
"General David Petraeus, who as head of U.S. Central Command is responsible for military operations across the Middle East, said this month that the United States has stationed eight Patriot missile batteries in four Gulf countries, which he did not identify.
The buildup began under the Bush administration, but has expanded under President Barack Obama, who is pushing for a new round of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.
Officials said the expansion was meant to increase protection for U.S. forces and key allies in the Gulf.
The chairman of the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, said last month the Pentagon must have military options ready to counter Iran should Obama call for them."
Leadership: Such Good Frenemies
"In Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia, Congo and many other places, peacekeepers, and soldiers in general, are increasingly at odds with the NGO (non-governmental organization) aid community. The NGOs demand that the troops protect NGO activities. Some of those activities include providing food, fuel and medical care for the rebels or bandits the troops are trying to get rid of. The NGOs sometimes accuse the troops of war crimes, or of deliberately interfering with NGO activities, largely because the NGO personnel are ignorant of how military operations play out in a combat zone, and are anti-military to begin with.
All this is a smoke screen, to help protect the NGOs from charges that they aid the bad guys and help prolong the violence the troops are there to deal with. This is becoming a growing problem, as the NGO workers seek to make their own lives easier by getting cozy with whatever warlord is in control where the NGOs are employed."
All this is a smoke screen, to help protect the NGOs from charges that they aid the bad guys and help prolong the violence the troops are there to deal with. This is becoming a growing problem, as the NGO workers seek to make their own lives easier by getting cozy with whatever warlord is in control where the NGOs are employed."
Morale: Video Games Make You Smarter And Faster
"But now a study (by the Office of Naval Research) has found that such experience also enables troops to solve problems faster, and act more quickly with those solutions. In technical terms, the computer game experience increases perceptual and cognitive ability 10-20 percent, over those with no computer game experience. The navy was interested in this because most sailors have technical jobs, and many of them involve operating electronic equipment. Officers and chiefs (NCOs) have noted that, over the years, the new recruits appear to be more skilled when they first show up. It didn't have anything to do with new training methods, so many supervisors suspected video games. That proved to be the case, but the increased problem solving ability and responsiveness was a generally unrecognized bonus.
The army noted the same thing, especially under combat conditions. For example, because so many troops had years of experience with video games, they took to CROWS (the remotely controlled machine-gun turret on many vehicles) quickly, and very effectively. The guys operating these systems grew up playing video games. They developed skills in operating systems (video games) very similar to the CROWS controls. This was important, because viewing the world around the vehicle via a vidcam is not as enlightening (although a lot safer) than having your head and chest exposed to the elements, and any firepower the enemy sends your way."
The army noted the same thing, especially under combat conditions. For example, because so many troops had years of experience with video games, they took to CROWS (the remotely controlled machine-gun turret on many vehicles) quickly, and very effectively. The guys operating these systems grew up playing video games. They developed skills in operating systems (video games) very similar to the CROWS controls. This was important, because viewing the world around the vehicle via a vidcam is not as enlightening (although a lot safer) than having your head and chest exposed to the elements, and any firepower the enemy sends your way."
Submarines: The Greatest Generation
"The U.S. Navy has retired the USS Los Angeles (SSN 688). This was the lead ship of the Los Angeles class nuclear attack submarine (SSN). The Los Angeles entered service in 1976. It is one of three classes of SSNs in American service, and was the backbone of the American SSN force during the last years of the Cold War. The mainstay of the American submarine force is still the Los Angeles class. Sixty-two of these submarines were built, 44 of which remain in front-line service, making it probably the largest class of nuclear submarines that will ever be built."
Iraq: Auctioning Off The Secret Police
"The government agreed to investigate the purchase of $85 million worth of ADE 651 explosives detectors. Iraqi officials bought thousands of these hand held devices last year, for up to $60,000 each. But the British manufacturer is being prosecuted in Britain for fraud, when it was discovered there that the ADE 651 is a scam. The device contains useless components, and repeated tests showed that it could not detect anything. Apparently a large chunk of the money Iraq paid for the ADE 651 was kicked back to the Iraqi officials who approved the sale. The ADE 651 is very cheap to make, and the manufacturer made a huge profit even after paying the bribes. No one in Iraq tested the ADE 651, they just took the governments word that the device worked, and it is still being used."
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