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Common Sense Junction
Military Blog Headlines

  1. 'Astro-Squirrels' With Coconut Helmets

    → Winds of Change.NET | 9 Mar 2010 | 2:54 pm MST

    London's Daily Telegraph has the photo and short story: 'Astro-squirrels' use coconut shells as helmets. Really, anyone who has ever owned a bird feeder, and watched Gilligan's Island, has entertained serious suspicions of this sort...

  2. This Week in American Military History

    → BLACKFIVE | 9 Mar 2010 | 2:47 pm MST

    From W. Thomas Smith, Jr.'s series at Human Events: Mar. 8, 1965: The lead elements of 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines begin coming ashore at Da Nang, South Vietnam. Within hours, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines will arrive aboard transport aircraft at the nearby airbase. The Marines of 3/9 and 1/3 – both part of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade – are the first of America’s ground-combat forces destined for offensive operations against the enemy in Southeast Asia, once again putting teeth in the Marine Corps’ claim that it is “first to fight.” Mar. 9, 1847: Thousands of American soldiers and a company-sized force of Marines (though referred to as a battalion) under the overall command of U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott and “Home Squadron” Commodore David E. Conner begin landing at Collado Beach, Mexico, just south of Vera Cruz. In what will prove to be “a model” for future amphibious operations, the landings are unprecedented: The largest American amphibious operation to date, conducted in less than five hours without a single loss of life. A portion of Conner’s dispatch to the Secretary of the Navy reads: “Gen. Scott has now with him upwards of 11,000 men. At his request, I permitted the Marines of the squadron, under Capt. [Alvin] Edson, to join him, as a part of the 3rd Regiment of artillery. The general-in-chief landed this morning, and the army put itself in motion at an early hour, to form its lines around the city. There has been some distant firing of shot and shells from the town and castle upon the troops as they advanced, but without result.” Though the landings are bloodless, grim fighting will continue in the Mexican-American War. Mar. 9, 1862: In day-two of the now-famous Battle of Hampton Roads (Virginia), the Confederate Navy’s ironclad warship, CSS Virginia (built from the remains of the previously scuttled frigate USS Merrimack) and her Union rival, the also-ironclad USS Monitor, begin exchanging shots in one of history’s first clashes of ironclads. The battle ends in a draw with both vessels inflicting marginal damage on one another before breaking off the fight: Technically it is a tactical victory for Virginia because she has inflicted greater damage on the blockading ships than they on her (Virginia had attacked and destroyed the Union Navy’s wooden warships USS Congress and USS Cumberland the previous day before the arrival of the Monitor). But it may also be seen as a strategic victory for the Union because Virginia fails to break the blockade. The battle however will not be remembered for which side might have carried the day – though that is still being debated – but rather the lessons learned in this particular clash which greatly contributed to the ongoing revolution in Naval tactics and ship-design and construction. Mar. 10, 1783: The Duc De Lauzun, a Continental Navy transport-vessel (laden with Spanish silver currency), and her escort, the frigate Alliance (the first of two so-named American warships), are spotted by three Royal Navy ships – HMS Sybil, HMS Alarm, and HMS Tobago –off Cape Canaveral, Florida. Sybil pursues the two American vessels, fires on the slow-moving Duc De Lauzun, then is aggressively engaged by Alliance. In less than one hour, the badly damaged Sybil disengages and flees, ending the last Naval battle of the American Revolution. Alliance is commanded by Capt. (future commodore) John Barry, who – as we said Feb. 4 – is considered in some circles to be “the Father of the American Navy,” though some would argue that title belongs to Capt. John Paul Jones. Mar. 11, 1862: President Abraham Lincoln – frustrated over Union Army Gen. George B. McClellan’s unwillingness to attack the Confederate Army – relieves McClellan of his post as general-in-chief of the U.S. Army, but keeps him on as commanding general of the Army of the Potomac. McClellan – who will lose his command after failing to destroy Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s wounded army following the Battle of Antietam – becomes the second well-known casualty in Lincoln’s series of firing, hiring, and firing generals until the Union Army (like the already well-commanded Confederate Army) is led by some of the most able generals in American military history. Mar. 11, 1943: “The Flying Tigers” – the famous volunteer group of American fighter pilots contracted to the Chinese Air Force during World War II and ultimately brought under U.S. Army Air Forces command as the China Air Task Force – is absorbed into the 14th Air Force. Commanded by Gen. Claire L. Chennault, “the Flying Tigers” were so-named because of the tiger-shark faces painted on the noses of their P-40 fighters. Today, according to the U.S. Air Force, airmen of the 14th Air Force are “the day-to-day operators of Air Force Space Command's space forces.” And the centerpiece of the 14th Air Force emblem is a tiger with wings.

  3. Juicebox Mafia- Self-torture over non-torture in interrogations

    → BLACKFIVE | 9 Mar 2010 | 2:35 pm MST

    It's kind of amazing the myriad ways they can keep watering the same ground and watching nothing grow. Juicebox outrage over the security precautions we put in place during waterboarding.

  4. LDI on a "Bright Leash"

    → BLACKFIVE | 9 Mar 2010 | 10:54 am MST

    The Guardian (UK) has noticed the Army's love of reflector belts. So clandestine are the units formed to protect villages in a critical valley in southern Afghanistan that US officials and special forces commanders in Kabul refuse to discuss them. But the Guardian has learned that in one important regard, the Local Defence Initiative forces are not so secretive after all. As they patrol villages close to the key southern city of Kandahar, the fighters are being forced to wear bright yellow reflector belts so that their special forces mentors do not mistake them for Taliban. The garish sashes were introduced to distinguish the non-uniformed militias from an enemy who favour the same get-up of traditional Afghan garb and AK-47 slung over the shoulder. The Geneva Conventions do require that a lawful militia have "a fixed distinctive sign recognizable at a distance," so why not yellow reflector belts? They worked for the Sons of Iraq (until they came up with their own preference, the bunny keychain). Think of it as an acid test for the reliability of your local allies. Nothing but ironclad loyalty will induce you to wear a reflective yellow sash in a combat zone filled with snipers and Taliban hoping for a good mark for their mortars. (One might argue, however, that you're wise to run the risks posed by Taliban mortars, if it offers solid protection against being mistaken for the enemy by US fires. Given the choice, which one would you prefer to dare?) Wings Over Iraq explores the issue much further in this photo essay.

  5. Greatest American Patriotic books

    → BLACKFIVE | 9 Mar 2010 | 9:27 am MST

    W. Thomas Smith, Jr. has compiled a list of the greatest American patriotic novels and works and non-fiction over at Human Events. Definitely worth checking out.

  6. From the Front: 03/09/2010

    → Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys.. | 9 Mar 2010 | 8:37 am MST

    News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.

  7. Stop the Goodwar , I wanna get off

    → Mudville Gazette | 9 Mar 2010 | 8:00 am MST

    House liberals force vote on pullout from Afghanistan. Almost forgot this was an election year.The resolution, which has 16 co-sponsors, calls for the United States to remove all of its troops from Afghanistan in 30 days -- or by the end of the year, if it is determined that trying to do so in a month would be too dangerous.There's no point discussing the resolution itself on serious terms. If there was, my first question would be 'don't they know...

  8. The whole of government approach

    → BLACKFIVE | 9 Mar 2010 | 7:44 am MST

    Warrior Legacy Institute Fellow Brad Patty has a piece up at the American Security Council Foundation's site about how we need to get all of our agencies on the same page to succeed at stability operations. The world is a dangerous place. Two things make it safer for freedom and families: strong leadership, and charitable efforts for those who need it. The United States military has provided strong leadership that is capable of creating a window of stability even in a failed state. Inside that window of stability, as in the eye of a hurricane, we can try to help the people of the region build strength to stand on their own. That requires charity. If the military is our strength, the civilian agencies are often better equipped to be the directors of humanitarian assiatance. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has reached out to the farthest corners of the world: I have seen docks and water pumping stations built in places like Tawi Tawi and Sanga Sanga in the Philippines. The State Department in Iraq has directed the formation of embedded Provincial Reconstruction Teams (ePRTs) that work alongside the military. I have attended meetings where a Brigade Commander sat alongside a Foreign Service Officer, negotiating with tribal sheikhs for the building of drip irrigation projects, support for the poultry industry, or sewing centers. This approach is going to be needed in many places around the world, whether an insurgency, or corruption or other factors are causing a government to fail it's people.

  9. DPRK has carried out nuclear missile attack on Japan

    → Mudville Gazette | 9 Mar 2010 | 7:39 am MST

    (U//FOUO) Today, March 06, 2010 at 9.46 AM local time (UTC/GMT -5 hours), US seismographic stations recorded seismic activity in the area of Okinawa Island (Japan). According to National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Democratic People's Republic of Korea has carried out an average range missile attack with use of nuclear warhead. The explosion caused severe destructions in the northern part of the Okinawa island. Casualties among the personnel of the US military base are being estimated at the moment....NOT. However, there is...

  10. Horse jumps...

    → Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys.. | 9 Mar 2010 | 6:17 am MST

    Yer doing it wrong....

  11. Time to refresh your memories...

    → Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys.. | 9 Mar 2010 | 5:25 am MST

    I first published this list of helpful websites back in December of '08.  It has a permanent link to it over in the right sidebar.  I see it's making the rounds again in email, and people didn't remember we had it, so it's clearly time to publish it again - with a small update, that of the Federal Government's stab at it, the National Resource Directory. Below are web-sites that provide information on Veterans benefits and how to file/ask for them. Accordingly, there are many sites that explain how to obtain books, military/medical records, information and how to appeal a denied claim with the VA. Please pass this information on to every Veteran you know. Nearly 100% of this information is free and available for all veterans, the only catch is: you have to ask for it, because they won’t tell you about a specific benefit unless you ask for it. It's just how the bureaucracy works. You need to know what questions to ask so the right doors open for you - and then be ready to have an advocate who is willing to work with and for you, stay in the process, and press for your rights and your best interests.   Those advocates are the VSOs. The websites are below the fold.

  12. Today's Medal of Honor Moment for 9 March

    → Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys.. | 9 Mar 2010 | 4:46 am MST

    There are four Medals awarded for actions on this day.  One each from the Civil War, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.  One Medal was posthumous.Civil War - the clash of ironclads... Monitor vs Merrimack. WILLIAMS, PETER Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1831, Norway, Accredited to: Pennsylvania. G.O. No.: 11, 3 April 1863. Citation: Serving on board the U.S.S. Ironclad Steamer Monitor, Hampton Roads, 9 March 1862. During the engagement between the U.S.S. Monitor and the C.S.S. Merrimack, Williams gallantly served throughout the engagement as quartermaster, piloting the Monitor throughout the battle in which the Merrimack, after being damaged,...

  13. Sniper rifle improvements to see testing this spring

    → Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys.. | 9 Mar 2010 | 4:26 am MST

    Sniper rifle improvements to see testing this springMar 4, 2010By C. Todd LopezWASHINGTON (Army News Service, March 3, 2010) -- Candidates for an improved version of the Army's sniper rifle -- the M-24 -- are expected to go into testing this spring after industry reveals their efforts this month.Industry was challenged to improve the M-24 sniper rifle, a weapon that has been in service since the 1980s, to make it more accurate and to make it more adjustable to the Soldier's needs, said Col. Douglas A. Tamilio, project manager, Soldier Weapons."So the Soldier, the sniper, can conform it to his...

  14. Today in Medal of Honor History: Jack H. Jacobs

    → BLACKFIVE | 8 Mar 2010 | 11:13 pm MST

    42 years ago, First Lieutenant Jack Jacobs was searching for Viet Cong soldiers when the South Vietnamese battalion that he was advising suddenly came under devastating fire from a large enemy force hidden in bunkers. Many of the soldiers were killed instantly, and Jacobs himself was severely wounded. Despite his wounds, Jacobs took command of the unit and ordered airstrikes against an enemy that was so strong that the incoming aircraft were driven off by the intense fire. Jacobs repeatedly braved incoming rifle, machine gun, and mortar fire and rescued 13 of his fallen comrades before collapsing from his wounds. "I come to the conclusion that I'm going to die." Jacobs said in an interview. "Because I am, I might as well just carry on." His Medal of Honor citation can be viewed here. Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

  15. Recent Stryker Articles on DVIDS

    → Stryker Brigade News | 8 Mar 2010 | 9:19 pm MST

    DVIDS has a number of recent article re: the Stryker Brigades. Signal Soldiers Provide a Different Type of Communication Small Gift Creates Hope for a Better Future Signal Soldiers Have Unique Opportunity Security paved way to successful Iraqi elections; leaders...

  16. Brothers in Arms always got your back

    → BLACKFIVE | 8 Mar 2010 | 8:42 pm MST

    Thanks to Otto for the tip on this story. Special Forces Army Chief Warrant Officer Romulio "Romy" Camargo's mission was assisting Afghanistan civilians in 2008 when the shot of a sniper rifle pierced his neck. The bullet hit a vertebra and left the 38-year-old Coral Springs man a quadriplegic. He's been rehabilitating at a Tampa VA hospital. Once an avid biker, Camargo thought he'd never again ride down Main Street during Bike Week, but his Army buddies had other ideas. Sgt. 1st Class Enrique Izquierdo and a few other Fort Bragg-based Special Forces soldiers built Camargo a customized chopper with ventilator-equipped sidecar, hydraulic shock absorbers and camouflage paint. The bike was presented to Camargo on Thursday at Daytona Harley-Davidson on Beach Street. "This was a labor of love," Izquierdo said. "Romy is my brother and hero."

  17. Twenty Years After the Fall of the Tyrant

    → Winds of Change.NET | 8 Mar 2010 | 5:07 pm MST

    Romania's tyrant Nicolae Ceausescu ran one of Europe's most ruthlessly repressive dictatorships until 1989 when he and his wife Elena were overthrown by their captive subjects and executed on television. The country had been...

  18. The Dysfortunes of Fame

    → Winds of Change.NET | 8 Mar 2010 | 5:04 pm MST

    Recorded recently by Pakistani Intelligence:You're not Adam GadahnYes I am. Of course I am.Well, how do we know that? Do you have any ID?No, I burned my American citizenship papers. I reject American Imperialism.Well, that's...

  19. Godspeed Specialist Josiah D. Crumpler

    → BLACKFIVE | 8 Mar 2010 | 2:10 pm MST

    One of our community, Tarheel Repub, sends along this sad news: SPC Josiah Crumpler, A Company, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division From the Fayetteville Observer: Two Fort Bragg paratroopers killed in an attack Monday in Afghanistan were remembered as dedicated, hard-working soldiers. Spc. Josiah Crumpler, 27, from Hillsborough, and Spc. Matthew Huston, 24, from Athens, Ga., were killed when their patrol came under attack from small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades. The announcement came late Tuesday from the Department of Defense. Both men were assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team. They are the sixth and seventh soldiers from the 4th Brigade Combat Team to die in Afghanistan since Feb. 1. In a news release Wednesday, a fellow paratrooper said Crumpler and Huston were dedicated soldiers. "Spc. Crumpler was constantly seeking to improve his knowledge as a soldier," said Staff Sgt. Ryan Mahoney, a squad leader in Company A. "His level of commitment was not something you see every day. "Spc. Huston was every bit as committed by going above and beyond to step up and take on the role of a team leader," Mahoney said. "They were both great soldiers and people, and our thoughts and prayers go out to their families."... Below are the arrangements for SPC Crumpler: Viewing - Tuesday, March 9, 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm Walker Funeral Home 204 North Churton Street, Hillsborough, NC‎ - (919) 732-2121‎ Funeral - Wednesday, March 10, 12 Noon Abundant Life Church 512 US Highway 70 East, Hillsborough, NC‎ - (919) 732-6460‎ People wishing to send cards to the Crumpler family can obtain the address from Linda Ferrell, 919-541-5651. You can publish online condolences here: Walkersfuneralservice.com Godspeed, SPC Josiah Crumpler and SPC Matthew Huston.

  20. Milblog Reader's Digest

    → Mudville Gazette | 8 Mar 2010 | 1:35 pm MST

    Jimbo: General, clarify your ROE! General McChrsytal: No. Longer version at the link, of course....

  21. From the Front: 03/08/2010

    → Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys.. | 8 Mar 2010 | 11:35 am MST

    News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.

  22. An open letter to Gen. McChrystal ref. ROE

    → BLACKFIVE | 8 Mar 2010 | 10:42 am MST

    UPDATE: You gotta give the guy credit, he is everywhere. Here is Gen. McChrystal's response: Jim, Thanks for your note and I take the importance of providing clear guidance to the force to be a responsibility that is critical. While I respect the concerns you outline, I believe the existing ROE and Tactical Directive provide clear intent to the force. We look into every instance where the issue arises where a misunderstanding or poor application of the intent could endanger our force - but detailed review has convinced me that most concerns don't prove accurate when all the facts are known - like the Gangigol valley fight. That said, I will continue to watch this closely. Balancing the need to conduct ourselves in a disciplined way that gives us a chance to win this (by gaining the support of the people) - with the need to protect our force is difficult - but something we must do. Vr Stan That seems fair to me and he seems to say that all the facts about Gangigol aren't public. I think it is safe to say that there were messages that have been passed on private channels (as is appropriate). We will have many similar situations facing our troops in the coming months and they need to know that their higher echelons have their backs. Thanks for the reply sir and as I said good luck and godspeed to all out forces. Previous: I just sent the following correspondence to Gen. McChrystal and his Public Affairs officer. I believe he should reaffirm to all members of his command that, consistent w/ the ROE, legitimate calls for fire support must be granted. Dear Gen. McChrystal, I was heartened when President Obama put you in command in Afghanistan as it showed a seriousness about our efforts there. You have taken a long hard look at the situation and made some hard decisions about how we should operate in order to achieve our goals.One of these was to focus on creating better relations with the civilian populace. As a former Special Forces Weapons Sergeant I understand completely that safeguarding them builds rapport and shows that we are focused on helping them build a better way of life. One of the major changes you made was to the rules of engagement as announced in your tactical directive last year. These limited strikes conducted against civilian dwellings and required all other methods of breaking contact to be used before a strike can be called. This is a good and necessary decision and I have supported it in many cases at BLACKFIVE. By announcing this publicly you made this known to the Afghan people and it became a way to show our concern for their lives. This was also obviously distributed down the chain of command along with other guidance about how to effectively interact and operate among the locals. This has helped our progress and operations like Moshtarak demonstrate that restraint does not stop us from effectively clearing areas of the enemy. But you have a problem sir. Some of your officers have taken an overly restrictive view of the ROE and consequently there have been instances where troops in contact were denied fire support. In some of these cases the ROE explicitly authorized such support, but these officers failed to provide it. The recent report on the incident in the Ganjgal Valley shows a clear example. A Marine ETT called for fire and the fire support NCO and the AF air controller were ready to provide it but were over-ruled by officers higher up the chain. This is not the only time something like this has happened. It is time sir to issue another tactical directive reaffirming your intent and ensuring that everyone in your command understands that they are required to provide fire support when it is proper. The restrictions calling for all other tactics for breaking contact to be used is the right answer, but all of your officers and NCOs need to know that once that is done and there is no alternative, or if civilians are not at risk, then they should pull the trigger. All those serving under your command deserve to hear this and given the amount of email I'm getting from family members, so do they. Thank you for your amazing service and good luck and godspeed for the difficult mission you and all our troops face there. -- Cordially, Jim

  23. Songs for unsung heroes

    → Mudville Gazette | 8 Mar 2010 | 9:00 am MST

    For some it's tough to set the record straight, especially if the story erroneously portrays you as a hero. For others, not so much.Because I was personally named in the MailOnline article (which was republished by Michael Yon at his site) as having done something I did not do, I would formally like to set the record straight...But I suppose it's easier when you're surrounded by real heroes who can't or won't accept credit for their very real heroism -...

  24. An election in Iraq? Who knew?

    → BLACKFIVE | 8 Mar 2010 | 7:46 am MST

    So I have to say that the simple fact that the Iraqis held an election and it got as little publicity as it did is a good thing. Sure the reports that did come out focused on the bombings, but if it had gone poorly they all would have piled on. Creaky and messy and still fragile, but it's a bouncing baby democracy. Congratulations to all who had a hand in making that so. Here is a boots on the ground and celebratory bullets raining down report from Bill over at The Donovan's. Right at sunset, after the polls closed over here, the mezzuins started in. They were chanting the same prayers, but the rhythm was subtly different -- they were almost *singing* the prayers, and there were half-heard, half-imagined undertones of music in the background. They were *happy*. I never heard happy calls to prayer before, even in Bosnia during Bajram, which is the Bosnian four-day equivalent of Christmas. Since it's way too early for the election results to be known, there could only have been one thing for them to be happy about -- the fact that there *was* an election, and they voted for whomever they chose, without a diktat from the central government, and without fear that someone would inform on the neighborhood enforcers that they hadn't voted the Party line. They voted for the candidate of *their* choosing.

  25. Local earthquake damage

    → Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys.. | 8 Mar 2010 | 6:22 am MST

    The good folks at the Leavenworth VA cemetery are probably out on the grounds right now wondering just what caused a grave to explode.It was the spinning of the occupant.Said occupant being the Auld Soldier.No, really.  Why would the Auld Soldier be spinning in his too-recently occupied grave?Simple.Click.here.and.read.this."On any other Thursday, freshman Army ROTC member Ryan Drago would be wearing his uniform in class, but not this Thursday, two days after two members of the Navy ROTC were arrested on suspicion of hate crimes and tampering for allegedly dropping cotton balls Feb. 26 outside the Black Culture Center."Two Navy middies...

  26. Today's Medal of Honor Moment for 8 March

    → Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys.. | 8 Mar 2010 | 5:55 am MST

    There are two Medals awarded for actions on this day, one posthumous.Philippine InsurrectionFITZ, JOSEPHRank and organization: Ordinary Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 24 May 1886, Austria. Accredited to: Iowa. G.O. No.: 19, 1 May 1906. Citation: On board the U.S.S. Pampanga, Mount Dajo Jolo, Philippine Islands, 8 March 1906. Serving in the presence of the enemy on this date, Fitz displayed bravery and extraordinary heroism.World War II.  Sometimes, there is no justice in the cosmos.*WATSON, GEORGE Citation: For extraordinary heroism in action on 8 March 1943. Private Watson was on board a ship which was attacked and hit by enemy bombers....

  27. For Best Picture...

    → Mudville Gazette | 7 Mar 2010 | 6:23 pm MST

    Greyhawk is rooting for The Hurt Locker. But if you want to see a great war movie that won Best Picture, watch The Best Years of Our Lives. (Pricey for DVD now - but you can download it.) Never heard of it? Read this....

  28. Gadahn me, Gadahn me, take me to a rope and hang me...

    → Mudville Gazette | 7 Mar 2010 | 2:51 pm MST

    American al Qaeda spokesmodel Adam Gadahn captured "during a raid by Pakistani special forces." I wonder what Pakistan will do with him? He's not the first American jihaddi arrested in Pakistan. In fact, five were nabbed there late last year. Now it seems likely they'll be tried there, too:A senior police officer said soon after the men's arrest that authorities were likely to deport them, but it now looks increasingly like they will face trial in Pakistan on charges that...

  29. A Dissertation On Making a Joyful Noise

    → Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys.. | 7 Mar 2010 | 1:51 pm MST

    I really hate to admit it, but I gotta disagree with Teh President's assertion that the Muslim call to prayer "is the most beautiful sound on Earth." I've heard it a lot over the past few years, and, maybe it's just my Westernized "weaned on Mozart, raised on Rock 'n' Roll" ears, but to me, it sounds over-stylized and -- considering its purpose -- rather monotonously dirgeful. Except for tonight.Right at sunset, after the polls closed over here, the mezzuins started in. They were chanting the same prayers, but the rhythm was subtly different -- they were almost *singing* the...

  30. Revealed!

    → Mudville Gazette | 7 Mar 2010 | 10:24 am MST

    What an incredible story. "For months, details of the massive operation to save one man's life have been shrouded in secrecy." Imagine that.He needed a portable, low-pressure artificial lung and the Americans offered to help. But the bureaucracy of moving from the British to the American military system meant that valuable time was being lost. More... * Major accuses Brown of using troops as a 'party political prop' as PM announces £100m of new equipment on surprise Afghan visit Contacted...

  31. Things That Make Ya Go, "Hmmmmmmm..."

    → Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys.. | 7 Mar 2010 | 9:19 am MST

    So, the weekend project here at the Castle is moving the Castle Technical from it's temporary parking spot in the Big Dusty Barn o' Argghhh!, where the big-assed (literally) Pea Fowl poop in/on it (the Technical is under a tarp, but they still sneak under it) from the rafters above to its new home in the garage.This entails moving some of the items looted from the Auld Soldier's Homestead to their new locations, relocating the kiln, shifting some tables (now you know one of the many reasons why there's a New Building coming - though that is a post for a different...

  32. SPC Anthony A. Paci

    → Stryker Brigade News | 7 Mar 2010 | 6:06 am MST

    The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Spc. Anthony A. Paci, 30, of Rockville, Md., died Mar. 4 at Gereshk, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered during a vehicle rollover. He was...

  33. Election day in Iraq

    → Mudville Gazette | 7 Mar 2010 | 5:42 am MST

    The Wall Street Journal on elections in Iraq:As polls opened at 7 a.m. on Sunday, the contest was too close to call, riveting much of the region with its uncertain outcome--a rarity amid the mostly authoritarian regimes across much of the rest of the Mideast.Initial reports were grim:Across Baghdad, mortar attacks, bombings and the collapse of two buildings due to explosions marred the early hours of voting in the capital. But by late morning, the burst of violence appeared to...

  34. Res Ipsa And All That...

    → Winds of Change.NET | 6 Mar 2010 | 9:07 pm MST



  35. News from Emerald City

    → Mudville Gazette | 6 Mar 2010 | 3:36 pm MST

    Q: Hi, I'm new around here. What time do they release the reports that conclude "we're going to lose the war in Afghanistan"? A: Fridays at 4 PM.The so-called "civilian surge" in Afghanistan is mired in bureaucracy and may not succeed in time to help the war effort, a State Department report found. The report released Friday said U.S. diplomats spend too much time giving war zone tours to visiting officials . They have struggled to house, feed and transport...

  36. Painful Probe Proves Proper Planning Probably Prevents Painful Probes (plus piss poor performance)

    → Mudville Gazette | 6 Mar 2010 | 11:21 am MST

    There's been much commentary (among those inclined to comment) on the Ganjgal report (more accurately, the executive summary of the Ganjgal report) since its release late last month. The exsum is (obviously) a distillation to quick-look format of a more in-depth (and unreleased) report, but for a further step in the distillation process check the NATO/ISAF press release accompanying its release:The investigation concluded that appropriate personnel were not involved with the critical pre-mission planning of fire and air support. This,...

  37. Army Set to Redesign Stryker

    → Stryker Brigade News | 5 Mar 2010 | 9:15 pm MST

    FOB Tacoma - V-shaped hull for Strykers A change to the design of the Army's Stryker vehicle to make it more likely to withstand a blast from a roadside bomb should be coming soon, the service窶冱 chief of staff told...

  38. Embedded Reporter Reflects on Time With Strykers

    → Stryker Brigade News | 5 Mar 2010 | 9:11 pm MST

    The Associated Press: Analysis: Hard part in Marjah has only just begun KABUL (AP) — The hardest fighting is over, but the battle for Marjah is just beginning. The outcome of last month's military campaign was never in doubt. With...

  39. Avengers, ANA Take Historic Trip

    → Stryker Brigade News | 5 Mar 2010 | 9:05 pm MST

    Story by Sgt. Chris Florence KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- Just a few short weeks ago a historic convoy traveled along two of arguably the most dangerous highways in southern Afghanistan and through several provinces to deliver a new fighting force to...

  40. Iraq Elects, Again

    → IRAQ THE MODEL | 5 Mar 2010 | 6:27 pm MST

    Here we go again, for the third time since 2003, Iraqis are heading to the ballots to choose their representatives. It’s a little different this time. In some aspects it's a little less "interesting"... In December 2005 we walked from home to the voting center (which also used to be where I went to school as a kid) to a soundtrack of mortars and gunfire. Indeed, that ten minute walk was wrapped

  41. Liberty Mutual's "Responsibility Project"

    → Winds of Change.NET | 5 Mar 2010 | 12:20 pm MST

    Liberty Mutual (yes, the insurance company) says: "In 2006, Liberty Mutual created a TV commercial about people doing things for strangers. The response was overwhelming. We received thousands of positive emails and letters from people...

  42. Startup Helps MSM Sites Become Search Engine Spammers

    → Winds of Change.NET | 4 Mar 2010 | 9:21 pm MST

    How often do you find a cross-over story about three notable Left Coast industries: venture capital, media, and -- err -- sex?

  43. Home Is Where the Music Is

    → Stryker Brigade News | 4 Mar 2010 | 9:03 pm MST

    Story by Sgt. Chris Florence AFGHANISTAN -- Stryker Soldiers escape through their native tunes. For many people in many cultures, music is an important part of their way of life and music has been a way for some Stryker Soldiers...

  44. Photos: 2nd Battalion, 12 Field Artillery Regiment 'Vikings' Change Command

    → Stryker Brigade News | 4 Mar 2010 | 8:58 pm MST

    View all at dvidshub.net Lt. Col. Terrence Braley, right, incoming commander, 2nd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment, and other 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, commanders and command sergeants major, salute the American flag during a change...

  45. U.S., Iraq Leaders Join Together to Provide Fresh Water to Aqur Quf

    → Stryker Brigade News | 4 Mar 2010 | 8:51 pm MST

    Story by Spc. Daniel Schneider CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION NASIR WA SALAM, Iraq – Civil affairs Soldiers and leaders from 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, joined with the Iraqi Ministry of Water, Feb. 28, to celebrate the opening...

  46. 4-9 'Manchus' Check Polling Sites in Election Preparation

    → Stryker Brigade News | 4 Mar 2010 | 8:42 pm MST

    Story by Spc. Daniel Schneider CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION NASIR WA SALAM, Iraq – A week before Iraqi elections, March 7, Soldiers from 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, conducted a presence patrol along the Kandahri marketplace near Abu...

  47. AP Report from Afghanistan

    → Stryker Brigade News | 4 Mar 2010 | 2:27 pm MST

    Afghanistan battle shows war rarely fought to plan | ajc.com Over the past week, men belonging to the 5th Stryker Brigade and Afghan forces have swept through villages and compounds once held by Taliban fighters, advancing with painstaking caution to...

  48. Clay Shirky Video: Is There Really Information Overload?

    → Winds of Change.NET | 3 Mar 2010 | 2:28 pm MST

    Via Blip.TV:...

  49. You've Gotta Read This

    → Winds of Change.NET | 3 Mar 2010 | 8:16 am MST

    Great speech by Chris Christie...

  50. Amnesty International Endorses Taliban, Fires Gender Equality Staffer

    → Winds of Change.NET | 2 Mar 2010 | 5:50 pm MST

    More "Led by the Stupid and Loathsome," I'm afraid. Seems that Gita Sahgal led Amnesty International's gender-affairs unit until very recently. When she was recruited, she was up front about needing to fix a very...

  51. He's Baaaack!!

    → Winds of Change.NET | 2 Mar 2010 | 12:59 pm MST

    Jerry Brown announces.

  52. A BigTest for 'Justice and Accountability'

    → IRAQ THE MODEL | 16 Feb 2010 | 7:27 pm MST

    Earlier today, there were reports that thousands of protesters took to the streets in Diyala and Fallujah demanding that MP and senior member of Sadr movement Bahaa Al-Aaraji be prosecuted under the Justice and Accountability Law.Al-Aaraji infuriated the Sunni community when had made what many Iraqis considered inflammatory statements in a recent appearance on a TV show: "Shiites, who make up the

  53. Who is the Ban Targeting?

    → IRAQ THE MODEL | 19 Jan 2010 | 7:27 pm MST

    Feeling the need to provide an explanation, Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki asserted that the decision to ban 500 candidates from general elections is not targeting Sunni Arabs. He said that Sunni Arabs are more than necessary as partners in the political process and that their participation in the March elections is even more important than it was in 2005.Maliki told al-Iraqia TV on Tuesday night

  54. Justice?

    → IRAQ THE MODEL | 18 Jan 2010 | 6:26 pm MST

    Several hundred candidates from about a dozen political blocs will reportedly be banned from Iraq's upcoming general elections in March.The problem with this decision is that it seriously threatens to pull Iraq back to the political and security instability of several years ago, when boycotts and political sidelining put the country on the road to civil war. The selective enforcement of law is

  55. Maliki's State of Law bloc to pay for campaign with member donations

    → IRAQ THE MODEL | 12 Oct 2009 | 12:11 pm MDT

    The State of Law coalition, which is led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his Da'awa Party is soliciting donations from members to finance the bloc's electoral campaign, Aswat al-Iraq reports. An official with the State of Law coalition said donation would be collected at a designated account with the Iraqi Rafidain Bank.This is the first time a major political bloc solicits donations from

  56. If your house is made of trash, don't kill the pigs.

    → IRAQ THE MODEL | 20 Sep 2009 | 6:15 pm MDT

    Egyptians learned this, the hard way, heh!

  57. Thirty Mahdi Army commanders assasinated in Damascus

    → IRAQ THE MODEL | 20 Sep 2009 | 12:15 pm MDT

    Unknown gunmen assassinated 30 Mahdi Army commanders in the Syrian capital Damascus. The killings, made in the past few weeks, were all made "quietly, inside the victims apartments", said an unnamed source in the Sadr movement. The source added that among those assassinated was Laith al-Ka'bi, who commanded the Mahdi Army in the Palestine Street neighborhood in eastern Baghdad. The report adds

  58. One-time enemies become ‘brothers’

    → IRAQ THE MODEL | 19 Sep 2009 | 7:16 pm MDT

    An amazing story of two men, two wars and four jammed missiles: The moon was full the night of Jan. 17, 1991, and Air Force Capt. Bill Iuliano, an F-111 bomber weapon systems officer, was in the air. It was the second night of Operation Desert Storm, a U.S.-led combat operation in opposition to Saddam Hussein's forces."We were flying from Incirlik Air Force Base in Turkey that night to take out

  59. Iraq Needs a Real Air Force

    → IRAQ THE MODEL | 11 Sep 2009 | 5:19 am MDT

    Austin Bay and I have a piece today in the Wall Street Journal on Iraq's air force and air defense needs. You can read it here.

  60. Presidency council criticizes Maliki over standoff with Syria

    → IRAQ THE MODEL | 7 Sep 2009 | 5:07 pm MDT

    Iraq's leaders seem very uncomfortable with what they consider a monopoly of decision-making by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.The Iraqi presidency council called for "containing the situation with neighboring Syria and for cooperation between the two countries to resolve disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels".A statement released after the council's meeting in Sulaymaniyah stressed

  61. Blog World Convention Panel

    → Austin Bay Blog | 19 Sep 2008 | 7:52 am MDT

    I will be moderating a panel at the Blog World Expo in Las Vegas at 12:15 pm Saturday, September 20th. (Las Vegas Convention Center. Go here for the conference schedule.) The panel is titled “The Blogosphere in Transition.” Panelists include Pam Spaulding (pamspaulding.com), Bridget Magnus (BridgetMangnus.com), Roger L. Simon (Pajamasmedia.com and rogerlsimon.com) and Rob Neppell (NZ Bear [...]

  62. Up the Ante Diplomacy: US and Poland go for Euro-Anti-Missile

    → Austin Bay Blog | 14 Aug 2008 | 3:35 pm MDT

    This via AP: Poland and the United States reached an agreement Thursday to base American missile interceptors in Poland, the prime minister said, going ahead with a plan that has angered Russia and threatened to escalate tensions with the region’s communist-era master. Speaking in an interview televised on news channel TVN24, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the [...]

  63. UPDATED: Texas Hold’em versus Russian Roulette = The New Eastern Front? Let’s explore an alternative military option

    → Austin Bay Blog | 13 Aug 2008 | 4:59 pm MDT

    Follow my blog posts and this week’s newspaper column and it’s clear that I’m looking at the diplomatic mid-term and long-term for resolution of the Russo-Georgia War. However, this morning I had “one of those conversations” about US and Western European military options—in the gym. Hey, these chats are occurring in defense ministries, in State Departments, [...]

  64. UPDATED: More on the Russo-Georgia Aftermath

    → Austin Bay Blog | 13 Aug 2008 | 7:36 am MDT

    Via StrategyPage. This week’s column. Also see this StrategyPage update on the GSSOP (Georgia Sustainment and Stability Operations Program). UPDATE: Hat tip Instapundit. A comprehensive post from CharlesCrawford.biz which concludes with this thought: Does the objective correlation of forces favour those leaders who in a pre-modern way have a clear sense of what they want - and are [...]

  65. More on the dire diplomatic aftermath of Russo-Georgia War

    → Austin Bay Blog | 12 Aug 2008 | 3:54 pm MDT

    As I write this post news reports claim Russian troops have halted their main attack just short of Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital. Perhaps Russian memories of the battle for the city of Grozny, Chechnya, play a role. In late 1994 the Russians attempted to drive Chechen rebels from Grozny, and failed miserably. The city fight became [...]

  66. And a nice review from Michael Barone

    → Austin Bay Blog | 12 Aug 2008 | 3:25 pm MDT

    The inimitable Michael Barone reviews the “convergence media” presentation of my interview with General David Petraeus. I appreciate the generous words.

  67. Two Short Book Reviews: Winkler’s “Nexus”, Nichols “Eve of Destruction”

    → Austin Bay Blog | 10 Aug 2008 | 3:29 pm MDT

    NOTE: I will eventually turn this post into a column. I have been intending to review Nichols’ book since March. I got to read Winkler’s book in galley and got a copy in the mail ten days ago. Two books published this year admirably reflect history renewed and history pending, Jonathan Reed Winkler’s Nexus: Strategic Communications [...]

  68. UPDATED: Russia’s Invasion of South Ossetia: The Kosovo Precedent In Play?

    → Austin Bay Blog | 9 Aug 2008 | 7:51 pm MDT

    Consider the looming diplomatic argument. If protecting Kosovar Albanians elicits a NATO invasion, as it did in 1999, and in the case of South Ossetia Russian peacekeepers operating under international aegis were already on the ground and involved in the Georgia-South Ossetia conflict (which they were), what is the gripe? After Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of [...]

  69. Terror Connects to Crime In Iraq: Analysis by General David Petraeus

    → Austin Bay Blog | 6 Aug 2008 | 9:27 pm MDT

    Quick note: TheArenaUSA’s convergence media program featuring the entire interview with GEN Petraeus went on-line a short time ago. The response to the various Arena “beta” programs has been gratifying and thank you– the Korea backgrounder and the Over The Horizon: The Evolving Food Crisis seem to have been particularly well received. Thank you. [...]

  70. Turkey’s Constitutional Court Fines AKP

    → Austin Bay Blog | 6 Aug 2008 | 9:09 pm MDT

    I know this post comes a bit late. It’s old news by now: Turkey’s Constitutional Court did not ban the Justice and Development Party (AKP), it fined the AKP. The “judicial coup” did not occur. The AKP was accused of undermining Turkey’s secularist institutions. While working on an update for StrategyPage I read through a [...]



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