August 2006 Archives
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Picture of the Day: Extract
By John
Airmen from the 18th Wing are brought aboard a 33rd Rescue Squadron HH-60 Pave Hawk in an exercise held near Okinawa, Japan, Aug. 29. The 18th Wing and the 353rd Special Operations Group conducted a mass casualty exercise to test the rescue and emergency care capabilities of Kadena Air Base. The exercise partnered seven Air Force squadrons in a land, sea and air training operation involving search and rescue, mass casualty field triage, medical patient loading and transport
Photo Courtesy of the US Air Force
Notes from the Jordanian Border
By Maj P
I get emails from all quarters of the globe, from "every clime and place" as it were. Here is one from a Marine I know who is out on duty with a border training team. He gave me permission to post it, and added, "If we can’t make a legitimate contribution to the Long War, at least maybe our saga will amuse a few folks." He is an exceptional officer, and as you will be able to tell, a perceptive observer and chronicler...
Read More »
The Inability to Fight
By John
Sometimes it feels like the pro-victory camp is constantly on the defensive. That's why it was so nice to hear Secretary Rumsfeld call a spade a spade today in Reno, NV.
Rumsfeld: Bush Foes Lack Courage in War on Terror -
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Tuesday accused critics of the Bush administration's Iraq and counterterrorism policies of lacking the courage to fight terror.In unusually explicit terms, Rumsfeld portrayed the administration's critics as suffering from "moral and intellectual confusion" about what threatens the nation's security. Addressing several thousand veterans at the American Legion's national convention, Rumsfeld recited what he called the lessons of history, including the failed efforts to appease the Adolf Hitler regime in the 1930s."I recount this history because once again we face the same kind of challenges in efforts to confront the rising threat of a new type of fascism" he said.
And I don't believe in coincidences, Secretary Rumsfeld's speech writers obviously read Blackfive....or at least the Wall Street Journal. Take this CNN quote:
[Rumsfeld] said, for example, that more media attention was given to U.S. soldiers' abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib than to the fact that Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith received the Medal of Honor.
Versus Blackfive in a Wall Street Journal piece from earlier this month:
"Does Abu Ghraib need to be told 40 times above the fold in the New York Times when half your readers couldn't name the guy who won the Medal of Honor?"
Naturally, pro-defeat blogs like Think Progress are having a cow over Mr. Rumsfeld's comments:
Yesterday, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld gave a speech in Reno, Nevada to the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Rumsfeld could have taken the opportunity to address the critical challenges of the war in Iraq: the security situation in Baghdad, mounting U.S. military and Iraqi civilian casualties and out-of-control costs.Instead, he took the opportunity to repeatedly attack — implicitly and explicitly — anyone who dares to criticize the administration’s “stay the course” policy.
Yes, how dare the SECDEF defend the troops and their mission! You know, I understand that blogs which specialize in high brow whine fests will get their collective panties in a bunch when high level officials expose them as wusses, but do they honestly expect the military leadership to adopt defeatist talking points in front of the VFW?
Blogs like Think Progress have made a career out of trashing the SECDEF and the rest of the President's defense team, during a time of war no less. Forgive me if I find it satisfying when they are given a taste of their own medicine.
Israel Prepares for War, Again
By John
Israel has appointed a top general to oversee a war against Iran, prompting speculation that it is preparing for possible military action against Tehran's nuclear program. Maj. Gen. Elyezer Shkedy, Israel's air force chief, will be overall commander for the "Iran front," military sources told the London Sunday Telegraph.
Calling it the Iran "front" is accurate, as action against Iran would simply be a different battlefield in Israel's current war in southern Lebanon. Lebanon is to Normandy as Tehran is to Berlin, if you want the World War II/SAT comparison to engaging the same enemy on different fields of battle.
Such is the tragic reality of being a "one bomb state," where one nuclear bomb can negate your ability to continue as a functioning nation. Law of the jungle applies in the Middle East, kill or be killed.
The Israelis are being understandably tight lipped on their plans. But their appointment of an Air Force commander indicates that airpower will be a primary actor in any Iranian theater.
Expect 5-6 primary targets, with roughly 5 major aimpoints per targets. Iran has certain "must-hit facilities," which will be defended by Iran's newly acquired, state of the art Russian surface to air missiles and the Iranian Air Force.
One small comfort, however. Iran demonstrated during their war with Iraq that they lacked an understanding of their own technology. Their tactics, which are based on old Soviet doctrinal "mass of force" principles, are obsolete. And the one strategy that has paid off for the Iranians -asymmetric, low intensity conflict- is useless against an air assault.
Make no mistake, such a campaign will cost Israeli lives. But I have no doubt that if the IAF undertakes this dangerous mission, they will be successful.
Flags of Our Fathers
By John
I'm already calling it one of the greatest war movies ever made, and it hasn't even been released yet.
How else can you describe a Clint Eastwood/Steven Spielberg collaboration on the life stories of the six men who famously raised the flag over Iwo Jima?
After tragedies like Jarhead, Born on the Fourth of July, and Platoon, I savor every movie that pays the proper respects to those who have walked the warrior's path in defense of this great nation.
Clint Eastwood is a brilliant director, and Spielberg does his best work with the World War II narrative (Schindler's List, Band of Brothers, Saving Private Ryan).
Oh, and don't even bring up Munich, ok? I'm excited about this...
The Blackfive Interview Circuit
By John
Blackfive has a superb interview up with Marine Captain James Kimber up this evening, highly recommend you read the whole thing.
And, for reasons known only to Matt, he felt compelled to promote me to Colonel on Pundit Review Radio last night. Click here to listen to the segment.
Monday A.M. Prep Fires, 28 Aug 06
By Maj P
I've been quiet lately because Mrs Maj P has been out of town and so I''ve been playing full-time dad with Son & Heir, age 16 months. I have much sharper appreciation for what my wife does on a daily basis, and I wouldn't trade these four days for anything.
In the news...
A spasm of violence in Iraq; five American dead.
The release of the Fox News crew is a welcome development, and their experience highlights the kind of enemy we are fighting.
Bombs in Turkey... who do you think is responsible? The IRA? The Basques? The Red Brigades? The KKK? THINK AGAIN!! It could very well be Kurdish extremists, but I bet not.
Finally, on a lighter note there is MarAdmin 403/06, which grants authority to promote one Maj P to LtCol P on 1 September.
MTF.
Standing on the Lebanon Border
By John
With all that is happening in southern Lebanon, it was silly of me to wait so long to post this story.
August 2003. I was in Israel, studying at the Jaffe Center for Strategic Studies, located on the University of Tel Aviv campus. After a few days of lecture, we hit the road, traveling to various IDF bases, the Gaza border, law enforcement units, and one very cool trip to shoot firearms with the Jerusalem undercover police.
Several days into the trip, we found ourselves at an IDF outpost on the Israel-Lebanon border. We mulled around the mountain base, chatting with the Israel soldiers, and snapping photographs.
I found myself in a conversation with an Israeli soldier, an American Jew who had grown up in Brooklyn, about the small Israeli unit's mission.
"We keep an eye on Hezbollah," he said. "Two eyes, actually. They're busy up here." I was curious, "what do you mean?"
"Here," the soldier handed me a pair of binoculars, "look on the crest of that hill, right next to that village."
I couldn't find what he was pointing at, "whatever you're trying to show me, I ain't seeing man."
He gave me one of those patient half-smiles and elaborated, "look for the yellow flag."
Sure enough, flying high next to a Lebanese village was the yellow flag of Hezbollah. "Now look below it," he commanded.
I focused the binoculars, only to watch as an artillery emplacement materialized. "Holy s*$#," you guys just let them point that thing at you? "Not at us," responded the soldier, "at Shlomi."
Shlomi was the Israeli town, nestled in the valley below us. The IDF outpost's responsibility was to protect the village and her inhabitants against Hezbollah, who had operated freely in southern Lebanon since the IDF's withdrawal in 2000. Hezbollah, the soldier explained to me, wasn't interested in the outpost, but rather the Israeli citizens below.
I left the outpost with a newfound appreciation for Israel's ability to flourish in the face of such blatant infringements on their national sovereignty.
I appreciated that success even more, when --not an hour after we left-- that Hezbollah gun emplacement opened up on Shlomi, killing an Israeli teenager.
It was an unprovoked attack on an innocent town, an absolutely unexcusable act specifically prohibited by any and all of the modern laws of armed conflict.
And that incident is, in short, why I have supported and will continue to support Israel in their fight against Hezbollah.
"There is no easy way to do this"
By Maj P
4th Civil Affairs Group, a Marine reserve unit from Washington DC, heads back to Iraq for the third tour. The Washington Post-- I'll hold back the usual remark-- has a very good article on them.
To borrow B5's phrase, these are people we should all know. "With each deployment of the 4th CAG, the dangers in Iraq have increased. Even as this unit and others are being asked to shoulder a mission that carries a soaring amount of risk, top U.S. military leaders are telling Congress that they fear Iraq is sliding into civil war. Even as many here at home are wondering if the sacrifice has been worthwhile, these Marines speak earnestly of their patriotism and duty as they prepare to say goodbye to everything they love."
Semper Fi, Marines! Go get 'em.
Picture of the Day: Buffs in Flight
By John
A B-52 Stratofortress takes off from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., Aug. 21. The bomber from the 5th Bomb Wing conducted a training mission in the skies over North Dakota.
Photo Courtesy of the US Air Force
Minot is an interesting base, in that it is the last true Strategic Air Command facility, a fully functioning relic of the Cold War. Minot is the only remaining base to house both a bomber wing and a strategic missile (ICBM) wing. I *believe* that Minot's B-52s are still tasked with the nuclear delivery mission, although much of the Stratofortress mission has shifted to conventional support of the Global War on Terror.
Two Items from Iraq
By Maj P
The first, "Sadr's Militia and Slaughter in the Streets" is sort of a dog-bites-man-and-urinates-on-hydrant story in the sense that it is merely confirmation of what we already knew. Yet the text is very revealing.
The second, "British Leave Iraqi Base; Militia Supporters Jubilant," is more interesting from a tactical point of view. The author makes it sound like they hauled ass out of the base. I think that is probably not the case. The real item here is what that battalion is going to do now: "Adopting tactics used by a British special forces unit in North Africa during World War II, 600 of the soldiers plan to slip soon into the marshlands and deserts of eastern Maysan in an attempt to secure the Iranian border... The repositioning is the first public acknowledgment that forces from the U.S.-led military coalition in Iraq have entered into guerrilla warfare to combat the insurgents and militias they have been fighting for more than three years." It's bold. I like it.
The name that crops up in both articles is Muqtada "Big Fatty" al-Sadr. He is the root cause of much of the misery in Iraq. What we do with-- or TO-- him is central to the effort there. (Should have killed him when we had the chance.)
UAV Op-Ed
By John
The Onion never fails to bring "teh funny," thanks to reader Brian L. for sending this gem along...
Sensors Indicate That You're Setting Up For a Kickass Party
by A MQ-1 Predator Drone
Well, now, would you take a gander at what a routine 10-by-50-klick sweep of the U.S.-Mexico border has turned up on both visible-spectrum and ultra-infra? Seems a group of 12 to 14 local males has assembled a promising array of edible/potable organics along with both a high-potential-energy controlled heat source and a large-capacity solid-water encapsulation right in this here topologically consistent area! By which I mean, of course, a meat-griller, a beer-chiller, and a natural dance floor. You know, if my predictive diagnostics didn't know any better, I'd say that there has the makings of one hell of a shindig.This is one scene that's definitely worth establishing a low-sonic-output, nap-of-the earth reconnaissance patrol around. I think I'll just set myself a few waypoints that let me sniff the smoke and take in the sights, such as… Yes! My onboard predictive-aquifer map was right; the arroyo's filled up with nice cool rainwater. Perfect for skinny-dipping—and who just happens to have the finest array of undetectable airborne video equipment money can buy? That's right. Can't wait till the girls get here!
Jerusalem Post: Iran Planning Nuclear "Surprise"
By John
A senior official in Teheran said Wednesday that in the next few days, a "surprise" was expected regarding Iran's nuclear program, Al-Jazeera reported.
Yawn. The only thing that would be a "surprise" is if the UN managed to cease Iran's uranium enrichment program.
You guys can believe Al-Jazeera all you want, cooler heads are prevailing here at OPFOR.
Yellow Journalism Makes a Comeback
By John
In a time where recruiting goals are consistently being met and exceeded, the mainstream media is trying to convince you that we're on the doorstep -the back doorstep- of a Vietnam style draft.
For much of the conflict, the Army also has had to use "stop-loss orders" — which keep soldiers in their units even after their active-duty commitments are complete — as well as involuntary call-ups of its reservists. Both actions have been criticized as a "back-door draft" and are unpopular with service members, many of whom say they have already done their part.
I am dying to understand this "involuntary" call-up phrase reporters keep using. Is this their way of rephrasing the word "orders?" There is no such thing as an "involuntary" call up. Military members already volunteered at the onset of their 4 year active duty + 4 year inactive ready reserve committment. Calling up reserves is not even in the same ballpark as widespread conscription, but that's the spin papers like the Times is throwing at their readership.
An involuntary call up has existed in the past, it's called the draft. The draft where you conscript citizens into military service without them having volunteered, hence the term involuntary.
Nor is there such thing as a backdoor draft. Reservists are recalled during wartime, plain and simple. This has happened during every major war in American history, from the New England minutemen to the national guard of today. To spin that as a draft is inaccurate and wrong, end of story.
Backdoor draft talk is one of the clearest cut examples of dishonest, ideologically driven reporting that you can find in journalism today. It's sensationalist garbage, and belongs on the tabloid pages in the supermarket checkout, not on the front pages of major newspapers.
Picture of the Day: Herky Bird Soars
By John
Because it's not always about the fighters and bombers....
A C-130 Hercules from the Minnesota Air National Guard's 133rd Airlift Wing banks hard over the Mille Lacs Lake area in northern Minnesota during a training mission Aug. 20.
Photo Courtesy of the US Air Force
Time to Roll Up Our Sleeves
By John
Poll: Opposition to War at All-Time High
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Opposition among Americans to the war in Iraq has reached a new high, with only about a third of respondents saying they favor it, according to a poll released Monday. Just 35 percent of 1,033 adults polled say they favor the war in Iraq; 61 percent say they oppose it -- the highest opposition noted in any CNN poll since the conflict began more than three years ago.
We've got some work to do, if Americans are losing sight of what is at stake in Iraq to that overwhelming of a percentage. Anti-war blogs, who so desperately want Iraq to be a failure..ammo against the President, ya know... are eating this up. Of course anti-war blogs have been spitting out the same line for 3 years now, so I don't really see why this particular poll is filling them with such feelings of vindication.
I'm not one to attack the fairness of polls, but I will challenge the way CNN wrote this story. This interpetation of the data for example, is partisan discourse thinly disguised as honest reporting:
A bare majority (51 percent) say they see Bush as a strong leader, but on most other attributes he gets negative marks. (Interactive: Poll results) Most Americans (54 percent) don't consider him honest, most (54 percent) don't think he shares their values and most (58 percent) say he does not inspire confidence.
When Americans opine that the President is a strong leader, it is a "bare majority." Any other negative views of President Bush, however, are portrayed as overwhelming.
I suppose that hoping for CNN to clean up its act would be wishful thinking....
Dog Bites Man, Chases Mailman, Urinates on Hydrant
By Maj P
"Iran Rejects Offer for Nuclear Talks"
This is surely worthy of attention and comment, but is it "news"? I don't think so. Who thought that the Iranians would just roll over and play along? THAT would have been news.
This? This is just another turn down a very ugly road.
And what, pray tell, will be done about it?
This Is What Milblogging Is About
By Maj P
Matt at Blackfive interviews a Marine in Iraq.
This is what milblogging is all about. I enjoy pontificating and I think I provide some decent scratch analysis, but Matt just hit the proverbial nail right on its head.
Just a Reminder
By John
I'll be on the Lynn Woolley Show at 930pm CT, to discuss ROTC on campus. Listen Live.
Also, I had no idea that Vlogging was getting so big. Check out Real Verse to see a Vlog that's obviously going places.
Question of the Day
By John
Since we seem to be on the topic, our question of the day is:
Has Iraq degenerated into Civil War?
Picture of the Day: Slipping the Surly Bonds of Earth
By John
Artic Thunder!!
An F-22 Raptor hovers vertically above the Arctic Thunder air show and open house at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, on Aug. 13. The Raptor was flown by Maj. Michael Shower, who will become the first commander of the F-22 squadron at Elmendorf next summer.
Photo Courtesy of the US Air Force
I Don't Need Your Civil War
By John
Washington, DC's quaint and amusing local paper on the Iraqi ground sit:
The debate is over: By any definition, Iraq is in a state of civil war. Indeed, the only thing standing between Iraq and a descent into total Bosnia-like devastation is 135,000 U.S. troops -- and even they are merely slowing the fall. The internecine conflict could easily spiral into one that threatens not only Iraq but also its neighbors throughout the oil-rich Persian Gulf region with instability, turmoil and war.
Negative, Ghostrider. Dan Bryan and Kenneth Pollack need to check aim before they fire, because we've got a long way to go before anyone can wave the checkered flag on the "civil war" debate.
A civil war would constitute a major faction of the Iraqi demographic, represented in Parliament, withdrawing from the government, declaring independence, and defending that independence through the force of arms. That hasn't happened.
In-fighting does not equal civil war. If so, we would have called Shay's Rebellion the First American Civil War. Localized, secretarian violence isn't a civil war, it's a mob war. Civil Wars are fought at all three levels of warfare, strategic, operational, and tactical. Iraq is being fought almost exclusively at the tactical level.
That sure to hell doesn't put the fork in any argument, nor does it make Iraq one step up from Balkan-esque violence.
Of course, the day I take military advice from WaPo columnists is the day Hell hosts an ice cream social.
Willingness vs Readiness
By Maj P
My quaint and amusing local paper is a goldmine of interesting subjects today.
See this: "War Stirs Worry in Israel Over State of Military".
Now, I believe that when this dust-up started, I asked aloud if the famously fit IDF reserves were as fit as they could be. I was never in doubt about their courage and conviction. What I wanted to know is how well they were organized into cohesive units, how well they trained in those units, and what was the state of their equipment and material. Willingness is a state of mind; readiness is a statement of fact.
If there is a problem with reserve readiness, you can bet that it will come up in the Knesset and there will be changes made.
Five Questions on Lebanon
By Maj P
A former Assistant SecDef asks some questions about the LebaNon-Peacekeeping force in today's WaPo.
Those questions are:
1. What is the mission of the force?
2. What will be the relationship of the force to the Lebanese government, and particularly to the Lebanese military?
3. Will the mission go beyond the purely military?
4. What will be the composition of the force?
5. What resources will be provided beyond the peacekeeping force?
These are entirely sensible questions, but he fails to address the central issue. Will southern Lebanon be a terrorist stronghold and thus the main battlefield in a continuous war? If so, no ad-hoc force blue-helmeted do-gooders will have the slightest effect. If however, Hezbollah is purged from the ground and its influence beaten down or broken, the result will indeed "benefit the people of Lebanon, Israel, the greater Middle East and the world at large."
ps: Meanwhile, war continues on the tactical level. Tactical actions aimed, that is, at the operational level: "The Israeli military, confirming the raid, said its commandos carried out the operation as part of an effort to prevent resupply of Hezbollah with weapons and munitions from Iran and Syria."
Bloggy Maintainence
By John
Just a few Friday blog updates.
I've had multiple complaints that our trackback feature sucks. Working on a fix.
I'm also trying to get this damn Digg button up and working. Noticed I had some nice hits from Digg users these past few weeks. If you can't beat em.....
I'll be on the Lynn Woolley Show this Monday at 930pm Central. You can listen live here.
**Update** Digg and Del.icio.us links added at the bottom of each post. Easier than that damn button, methinks...
Picture of the Day: Swabbies Stealing Air Force Gas
By John
Just look at those Navy freeloaders!
A KC-135 Stratotanker stands by to refuel a pair of F/A-18 Hornets from the Navy's Blue Angels on their way from an air show at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, on Aug. 14. The KC-135 is with the 168th Air Refueling Wing at Eielson AFB, Alaska.
Photo Courtesy of the US Air Force
Lebanon and the Non-Decision
By Maj P
The nonsensical cease-fire in Lebanon is dragging on, prolonging the agony of all the peoples involved and forestalling a badly needed decision. For those of you out there who favor the paper exercise and its concomitant multi-national farce, I would say, stop being fooled, it has no substance. Where, then, do matters stand?
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Too Many Consuls, Too Few Captains
By Maj P
In line with John’s most recent question of the day and my own unaccustomed gloom, Op-For loyalists might be interested in a post I have on my other blog—what, you didn’t know I had another blog?? It’s titled, “Too Many Consuls, Too Few Captains,” drawing from the epic of Horatius at the bridge.
The story runs like this: Rome is threatened by omnipotent tyrant who resents the city-state asserting its independence by expelling its king. Tyrant gathers large army and one Roman traitor, sets out to conquer. Pillage and destruction ensue; Roman government knows what is happening but fails to take decisive action, citizens seem to prefer impending slavery to a fight for independence. At 11th hour, enemy is in sight; government is paralyzed, wrings hands. Guy in charge of the bridge guards figures out what needs to be done, gathers two volunteers and does it. City snaps out of daze and finally prepares a defense. Guy in charge of the bridge guards has to swim across river and is lauded as hero; city is saved. Whole thing is immortalized in Macaulay’s poem.
So if you have a few extra minutes, stop on by Rule 308; the door’s always open. Come early, stay late.
ps: Following the great advice of the evil Chinese general in The Manchurian Candidate, there is a humorous twist on the story here. Anyone in the military who has ever seen an award get downgraded to an ass-chewing will get a laugh out of it.
Question of the Day
By John
Reader Win W. sent me a piece on the warrior code that got me brain churning. Thus, our question of the day is this:
Has America lost its warrior spirit? If so, what outlook does that project onto the American horizon?
Saddam & Osama
By John
This TV Funhouse spoof of Jihadis had me in tears I was laughing so hard.
It's a little rough at parts, but generally work safe. Originally aired on Saturday Night Live in 2003.
Random Reagan
By John
Because if the Gipper can't lift your spirit, nothing can....
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States... where men were free."
Word From Iraq, Updated
By Maj P
Someone asked about my post on Word From Iraq. I needed to make an edit to it today, and for some reason it ended up not working and so I canned it. I had no time to mess with it and chose the rapid course of action. Also, the people over there experience severe IT issues, so I'll advise when it's fully up and running.
Here is the USMC link to "Old Corps" Alex Durr.
I remain a gloomy hawk. Here's why...
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If World War II Were Fought Today...
By John
-The New York Times would expose the Manhatten Project during initial uranium enrichment phases.
-International A.N.S.W.E.R. would respond to the attack on Pearl Harbor by organizing a rally to condemn US aggression in East Asia.
-Britain's counterstrikes against German V-2 rocket emplacements would be labeled a "disproportionate response."
-So would Operation Overlord.
-Michael Moore would tell us "there is no facist threat."
-Cindy Sheehan would be photographed hugging Benito Mussolini, praising his emphasis on affordable health care.
-The United Nations would demand they be allowed to inspect concentration camps before even considering passing a weak resolution in the Security Council.
-Academics around the country would go on TV questioning why we declared war on Germany when it was Japan who attacked us.
-Germany, Italy, and Japan would propose a resolution for UN peacekeepers along the borders of their newly conquered territories.
-Newsweek would run the headline "What will it take to win?" with Allied forces bearing down on Berlin.
-International media outlets would demand access to Allied prisoner of war camps, and ignore concentration camps.
-Ward Churchill would call the dead sailors at Pearl Harbor "little Eichmanns," but neglect to think of a catch phrase for Adolph Eichmann and the rest of Hitler's cabinet.
-Kofi Annan would lead a delegation to Berlin, ceding France, the low countries, North Africa, the Balkans, Poland, and central Europe, while proclaiming "peace in our time."
-The war against Japan would be labeled "racist" by a prominent team of intellectuals.
-Somehow, some way, the whole mess would be blamed on the Jews.
Thanks to reader Bingo Charlie for the inspiration.
New Feature: Question of the Day
By John
During a chat with another milblogger, I realized how fortunate we at OPFOR are for the quality of our comments and commenters (sans a few trolls). Racked my brain for a way to get OPFORians more involved, and let their discussion improve the intellectual content of our blog.
So I came up with the "Question of the Day," where I'll pose a simple, debate worthy question for you guys to hash out. I'd like to get it to the point where the Q of the day is 100% reader submitted, thus making the whole endeavor a reader generated and maintained feature. Just don't make me look like a dummy and leave 2-3 meager comments.
All that said, here's our inaugural question:
Would we use the A-bomb if Japan had attacked us in 2001 instead of 1941?
Do me proud.
The Jet Nuke Threat
By John
Received a fair share of emails on my dismissal of the suitcase nuke threat as a non-sequiter. The general consensus seems to be that I'm not taking the threat seriously enough, and am indiscriminately lulling others into a false sense of security.
Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Nuclear terrorism is very real, and it's something that we should take very seriously. In fact, I would go so far as to say that nuclear-capable terrorists are the single greatest threat the United States has ever faced. It's also the primary reason that Iran cannot be allowed to develop a bomb.
There are two logical places that Islamists could shop for a nuclear weapon. The first is the former Soviet Union, as there are weapons missing from their stockpiles. The second is a sympathetic nation state like Iran or Syria. In both cases, the probability of a terrorist group -irrespective of how well funded they may be- securing a small, man portable warhead is low, leaving the traditional cone-shaped ICBM/SLBM reentry warhead as the weapon most likely to fall into the hands of extremists.
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Picture of the Day: Batplane Over the Gateway
By John
Yes, I know I just posted a B2 pic a few days ago. But I haven't had a complaint about excessive bat porn yet, and I don't expect to get any soon.
A B-2 Stealth bomber from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., flies over the St. Louis Arch on Aug. 10. The B-2 flyover was one of several events celebrating Air Force Week in St. Louis.
Photo Courtesy of the US Air Force
Tough Times
By John
Mike Yon is pessimisstic on Iraq and Afghanistan.
Doesn't mean you have to be pesimisstic too, but since Mike Yon is one of the few people out there who can offer a grim assessment on the Long War without getting red faced and huffy puffy, I think this segment is worth a listen.
Touching the Face of God....
By John
Coming off a weekend well spent, visiting fellow Zoomies who are active duty at the US Air Force Academy. Played 18 holes at the Eisenhower Golf Course, easily one of the most beautiful golf courses in the US.
Fun as that was, the highlight of the trip was our journey thousands of feet into the sky, to the summit of Pike's Peak.
As you can see, the view ain't half bad....
To give you an idea of how high up PP is, after nearly an hour of driving, we hit the treeline....where the altitude is such that trees can no longer grow. Then we drove another 4,000 feet up.
At 14,000 feet, it's hard to breath. Oxygen is incredibly thin, so you run out of breath rather easily.
And running out of breath is exactly what I did, when we had to evacuate the Summit.....
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Phew
By John
Steve Green, otherwise known as the indispensable Vodkapundit, is ending his months long blogging hiatus Monday.
Pay him a visit, and welcome him back to the blogosphere.
The Silent Sentinels
By John
Pilots, love em we do, get all the glory. So let's pay homage to a professional team of unsung American heroes, the Air Force Missileers.
Manning 50 Launch Control Centers throughout the Plains and American northwest, missileers maintain a watchful, 24 hour a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year vigil over the nation's 500 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.
They are a breed of warrior nearly unknown to the American people, a group almost completely removed from the public eye. Yet, despite the lack of recognition, the Missile Combat Crews have what is arguably the single most important job in the United States miilitary, silently manning the walls of the United States' nuclear aresenal.
And it's a tough job. FAS:
The duties of the missileers require a continuous, high level of mental alertness, combined with a schedule that provides very little off duty time. In their three-day rotation of alert/training/off, the day off may be only a half-day, creating stress within the missile officers' families; the stress is compounded by the feeling of isolation when missile bases are located in sparsely populated areas. Limited free time and the limited availability of social and recreational outlets can lead to chronic stress situations.
Here's to their sacrifice.
Someday, an ultimate class of warriors will evolve, too strong to be contested.
They will win their battles without having to fight, so at last the day may be won without having to shed a drop of blood.~Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Constant Vigilance, Constant Resolve
By Maj P
Details are still forthcoming—and some may never be made public—but there are some lessons I think we can confidently draw from the recent foiling of the UK airline plot. While we ought to breathe a sigh of relief and offer our thanks and congratulations to our police and intelligence services, we should also take stock of the situation and use it to our advantage. We dodged a big bullet. This will not be last attempt on us.
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Picture of the Day: Brits in B2s
By John
Royal Air Force Squadron Leader David Arthurton and Capt. Timothy Rezac fly a B-2 Spirit bomber as they receive fuel from a KC-10 Extender during a training mission near Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, on Aug. 2. Squadron Leader Arthurton is with the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force Personnel Exchange Program. He and Captain Rezac are with the 13th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron.
Photo Courtesy of the US Air Force
The Troll Plot Thickens....
By John
When trolling milblogs isn't enough, troll stories about milblogs.
Your article on military blogs ("Other Sides of the Story," by Jesse Hyde, August 3) never mentioned a dirty little secret: Most of them routinely censor dissenters. If you don't believe me, then try consistently offering a contrary voice on, say, Blackfive, one of the blogs praised by your publication.....
The ostensible reason for bannings, regardless of a site's orientation, will be that you are a "troll," a catch-all term applied by all Internet ideologues to those who disagree with their slant or their specifics. A handful of the so-called "milblogs" don't censor dissent, but they are a tiny exception to the rule. The others act as a far-right-wing auxiliary to the Republican Party's version of events in Iraq and elsewhere.
Besides the hypocrisy involved in the breast-beating about "freedom" abroad while stifling debate on their sites, the so-called milbloggers--many of whom do not serve and never have served--give a false impression of sentiment within the military.
....
The media shouldn't be so quick to embrace "milblogs" as the voice of the boots on the ground. They are not. They are the voice of the Republican Party inside of the United States, relentlessly pushing propaganda and doing everything they can to enforce a hawkish orthodoxy.
William Wilson
Seattle
William WIlson?? Could this be beloved OPFOR troll "WW?" A quick locater search of WW's IP address, 71.197.131.56, gets us.... you guessed it! Seattle, Washington!
I'm almost proud of WW for taking his paranioa to the next level. Clearly our resident troll isn't going to let the "voices of the Republican party" trample on his first amendment right, or his determination to expose the puppet strings that trace directly from Karl Rove's evil dungeon office to the common milblogger.
I know, I'm feeding. But I digress.
I'll say it one last time, since Willy seems to think that the entire legitimacy of the Constitution rests precariously on his ability to insult OPFOR commenters. Moderating comments on a private website is NOT illegal, it is NOT a violation of freedom of speech, and is NOT some evil conspiracy to silence dissent, no matter what the voices in Willy's head tell him.
/end rant.
Hotel Tango Milblogging.com
Life in Iraq
By Maj P
For general interest, here's a good post from a Marine officer in Iraq, currently in the last couple months of his tour there. It describes no major actions, no significant events, and that's why it's a good read: it's a window on the day-in/day-out existence of one unit in Iraq.
I happen to know Major Chris very well; he and I were lieutenants (and captains) together in that same unit many years ago.
UK Airline Plot: No Shock and No Surprise
By Maj P
By now I assume all in our listening audience have seen the reports on the UK airline plot. Shocked and surprised, are you? You shouldn't be. This is all dog-bites-manstuff. The sole rational individual reaction should be anger first, then a brief sigh of relief, and then cold calculated rage. A similar electoral reaction ought to follow as well, but we'll see about that. This is a war, folks, and it is being fought on many fronts. Don't mistake it for anything else but WAR.
I'll add just one link, Michelle Malkin's coverage, because you will get most if not all of what you need to read from there.
The Suitcase Nuke Myth
By John
I had a spirited discussion with the Euphoric Reality girls on Wide Awakes Radio this evening, centered around why I think the suitcase nuke threat is a non-sequiter Such is the logical fallacy: if Al-Qaeda is pursuing suitcase nukes, and Russian officials claimed to have developed (and lost) suitcase nukes, then terrorist cells must be in the US with suitcase nukes.
Otherwise stated as :if 1 is true and 2 is true, then 3 must be true...
The allegations arguing that there were dozens of missing Russian suitcased-sized bombs have been busted as myths, and most of the testimony and claims to the contrary have been disproven, see this Wall Street Journal piece for details.
If Al-Qaeda does try to execute a nuclear attack on a US city or cities, I'm sticking by my contention that the delivery system will be a private jet large enough to carry a warhead sized weapon. Air bursts do far more damage than ground bursts, and flying the bomb in allows you to bypass borders and customs.
But that's another debate all together....
Fouad Siniora for UN Secretary General
By Maj P
The Lebanese PM delivered a seven-point plan for peace in his country, and has been printed in the op-ed pages of my quaint and amusing local paper. It is a remarkable document, remarkable that is for its failure to recognize the source of the problem. Rather than quote extensively, I'll leave it for you to go read and draw conclusions. (Hint: Hezbollah is mentioned once; and the first sentence contains this clause, "Israel's savage war on Lebanon and the Lebanese people.")
Once he's served out his term in Beirut, there's a job waiting for him in Manhattan. He fits it like a glove.
A Modest Proposal on Trolls
By John
Trolls. We've got em. Three, to be precise.
So I thought I'd take the opportunity to clarify our Official OPFOR Doctrine on Trolls and Trolling. To make this pseudo-official, here's the Wikipedia definition of an internet troll:
...the characterising feature of trolling is the perception of intent to disrupt a community in some way. Inflammatory, sarcastic, disruptive or humorous content is posted, meant to draw other users into engaging the troll in a fruitless confrontation. The greater the reaction from the community the more likely the user is to troll again, as the person develops beliefs that certain actions achieve his/her goal to cause chaos.
Now read the commentary of OPFOR troll "WW" or "Willy Snout" on the Syria Blusters post:
Oh yes, George W. Bush and his final act of desertion. What will the knee-jerk right-wing liar followers say? What will Faux News and Bill O'Leilly say? We know that none of you believe in accountability or personal responsibility, so who will you blame the defeat on? Cindy Sheehan? The New York Times? Death rays from outer space?
Fits the definition no? Old Willy is on strike number 2. Being the baseball fan that I am, I allow 3 strikes before sending the troll's IP address packing. When I clarified this perfectly reasonable policy in an email to OPFOR troll "Social Justice," he replied:
typical of right wingofascists to kill differing opinions. What? You don't like ovoices that don't fall into lock step with Booosh and his gang of criminals? Sheep.
Let me be perfectly clear here. This is me and Charlie's private blog, not a block on Pennslyvania Avenue. Keeping comments clean, clear, and insult-free for readers is NOT some sort of grand offense against the Constitution or the First Amendment. I'm not ashamed of taking action to ensure that OPFOR remains a forum that preserves and encourages a responsible and respectable discussion, and doesn't spiral downward into sophmoric name calling disguised as political discourse. If you're looking for that in a blog, go visit the Daily Kos.
As for differing opinions, I welcome them. Clarification below the fold.
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Picture of the Day: Strikes on Patrol
By John
Three F-15E Strike Eagles from the 492nd Fighter Squadron at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, cruise at 300 mph along the cliffs of the southwestern English coast. The aircrews were on the way to an area off the coast where they could practice basic surface attack techniques.
Photo Courtesy of the US Air Force
The Social Scientist's War
By John
Major General Robert H. Scales:
World War IV will cause a shift in classical centers of gravity from the will of governments and armies to the perceptions of populations. Victory will be defined more in terms of capturing the psycho-cultural rather than the geographical high ground. Understanding and empathy will be important weapons of war. Soldier conduct will be as important as skill at arms. Culture awareness and the ability to build ties of trust will offer protection to our troops more effectively than body armor. Leaders will seek wisdom and quick but reflective thought rather than operational and planning skills as essential intellectual tools for guaranteeing future victories.
If the poet-soldier has fallen, is the diplomat-soldier rising? Scales calls this new conflict the "Social Scientist's War," a strategic paradigmn that hyperempowers leadership at the platoon and company level, and shifts the primary battlesplace away from nodes and directly into the hearts and minds of the enemy populace.
Technology is no longer the end all, be all in warfare. Psychology is just as important, if not more important, if winning enemy populations is the path to winning wars. And the technology that we do develop should center on amplifying tactical power, not strategic power.
Scales' piece is indispensable, highly recommend you read the whole thing.
Hotel Tango to Eddie @ Milblogs.
Monday a.m. Prep Fires 7 Aug
By Maj P
Right. Let's see what we can see...
Israel and Lebanon: standard coverage here and here. This war-- sorry, this CAMPAIGN-- will be done when it's done and not one minute before. It's lamentable that widespread destruction must ensue, but those who are really interested in peace need to let the fighting culminate in a decision. The lingering question remains, What next? Who in southern Lebanon is willing simply to live next to the state of Israel without actively seeking conflict with it? After the dust settles, we'll see.
A couple interesting items on information warfare at Counterterrorism Blog.
On the humorous side, I saw this headline, Military Blimps Report for Duty, and was pleased to read that it did not cover overweight reservists being called up.
Also in the ha-ha vein, today's Day by Day cartoon scores a direct hit.
Aerial Lifeline
By John
All this talk of America sending PGMs to Israel reminds me of Operation Nickel Grass, the emergency resupply of Israel via airlift during the October War.
Known as the "Airlift that saved Israel," Nickel Grass employed American C-5 Galaxies and C-141 Starlifters to deliver critically needed weapons, spare parts, and munitions to the embattled Israeli Defense Force. With the Soviets already aggressively resupplying their Arab allies, President Nixon ordered a duplicate effort in support of Israel. Unfortunately for the Israelis, the Europeans refused to play ball, denying American transport aircraft the use of their airspace. After seemingly endless negotiations, Portugal agreed to allow the US to use Lajes Field in the Azores. With a route "green," Nixon gave the order to "send everything that can fly."
Thus, under fighter escort from bases in Italy and US carriers, a massive fleet of American transport aircraft flew a precise line down the center of the Med to Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel. The war supplies enabled Israel to push back against the devasting Arab assault, penetrating to the outskirits of Damascus and across the Sinai Canal in Egypt.
An American C-5 Galaxy unloads an M-60 tank at Ben Gurion International Airport during the October War.
If you ever forget what Nickel Grass accomplished, use our handy air force phrase "Nickel Grass saved Israel's ass." heh.
Syria Blusters
By John
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem crossed into Lebanon Sunday for the first visit by a top Syrian official in more than a year, Lebanon's state news agency said. Speaking to reporters after the meeting with his Lebanese counterpart, Fawzi Salloukh, Moallem said "Syria is ready for the possibility of a regional war if the Israeli aggression continues."
Because Syria has been so successful in other regional wars.
BTW, the Syria order of battle doesn't exactly make me nervous. A couple of aging Soviet fighters for an air force, plus poorly maintained tanks arranged in a static border defense. Somewhere out there in the great unknown, Moshe Dayan is drumming his fingers together, whispering "excellent."
Things to Gnaw on this Weekend
By Maj P
Light blogging this weekend from me. Here are a few things for your consideration.
1. A good friend of mine-- and a figure known to John and Charlie-- is back from Iraq. He penned a good account of one convoy, and it's especially interesting for VMI alumni.
2. I am an avid reader of John Farnam's Quips. (You shoud be too.) Here's one (in which the villain is a Marine and the protagonist is a sailor) with a much larger lesson on how to handle Hezbollah.
3. The nation's capital continues its decline. Three cheers for gun control! What a success!
4. My recent post on peacekeeping reminded me of a subject I'd been meaning to address, that is, the use of private military corporations in smaller-scale "peace operations." I'd say Darfur is one place that PMCs could be deftly used to protect NGO relief operations and rid the land of pesky militias. If anyone has read An Unorthodox Soldier you'll get my point. I don't think every hot spot in the world can or should be addressed this way, but there are some. (BTW, if anyone has read Jim Hooper's Bloodsong about Executive Outcomes in Angola, please post a mini-review. I've read Spicer's book but not Hooper's, although I read Hooper's book on Koevoet and loved it.)
Enjoy your weekend.
"This is the IDF’s Plan Unfolding"
By Maj P
Here's an article sent to me earlier today from The American Thinker, which I couldn't post because I was having IT issues. It's called "Hezbollah's Iwo Jima Delusion."
The gist is that although Hezbollah is proving a tough nut to crack after having prepped its ground for six years or more, that the IDF is smarter than its being given credit for. They have a plan, and they are executing that plan.
Here are three salient paragraphs:
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Peacemaking & Peacekeeping
By Maj P
I will admit up front that I am no fan of peacekeeping efforts, especially when they are run by the UN. Having deployed twice to Somalia, I witnessed how well the UN plays its role as a King Midas in reverse: it touches something and turns it to feces. Also, I believe that peacekeeping missions contain inherent contradictions and are thus doomed to failure from inception. If you need a force to keep the peace between two (or more) warring sides, there isn’t really a peace to keep, now is there? And if the peacekeeping force doesn’t have the teeth or the will to actually keep the peace, then the whole exercise becomes a farce.
Nothing I have seen or heard since causes me to doubt my assessments. UN peacekeeping efforts constitute a sad tale of woe, of mismanagement, of ineffectiveness and sometimes outright collusion with evildoers.
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Hollywood and Patriotism
By John
Cal Thomas on Oliver Stone's World Trade Center:
I have a long list of favorite patriotic movies, including "Victory at Sea," "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "Sands of Iwo Jima," but Oliver Stone's "World Trade Center" is right up there with the best of them. It is one of the greatest pro-American, pro-family, pro-faith, pro-male, flag-waving, God Bless America films you will ever see.
A pleasant surprise from Stone, who is a notorious conspiracy theorist. And a pleasant surprise from Hollywood. which begs the question, can the four "F's" --family, faith, flag, and freedom-- still triumph on the silver screen?
A Hollywood screenwriter who I was recently chatting with says, "no." He's frustrated:
Hollywood doesn't get it. They will make money with patriotism, but they just don't wanna. But films like Jarhead which are anti patriotic just die.So they run from war movies.
As I said. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.
The problem, as I see it, is that Hollywood has difficulty separating the glorification of war from film that appeals to the Joe American's pride in his nation. That's why we have to look to established, proven bearers of the blockbuster like Michael Bay or Jerry Bruckheimer to satisfy our need for pride and patriotism. And those guys tend to overdo it.
Red State America loves their faith, their families, their freedom and their flag. They also love movies. We may not be able to get Hollywood to embrace those ideals, but we do know that Hollywood will embrace a profit. Passion of the Christ was a start, World Trade Center is another positive step. Here's to bringing Silvertown around.
Aim High!
By John
Even though I love the Raptor, this is pretty funny....
Picture of the Day: Angel Thunder
By John
Pararescuemen and simulated mass casualty survivors take cover as a HH-60 Pavehawk lands July 27 as part of exercise Angel Thunder. The survivors were flown to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to a simulated level 2/3 medical facility.
Photo Courtesy of the US Air Force
Pundit Review Spot
By John
Kevin and Greg have posted our Pundit Review Radio chat from Sunday evening, click here to listen.
The Lebanese Front, As I See It
By Maj P
Being home from work today, I’ve been able to do some more reading and thinking on Israel and Lebanon. This is how I see the situation, and how I read Israel’s tasks.
First, I read Bill Roggio’s post that I found by way of Michelle Malkin’s blog, A Change in Strategy: IDF to Expand Ground Campaign in Lebanon. He makes very sound observations, although I’d say that it’s not a change in strategy, since strategy does not change week to week. Rather, I’d say it’s the continuation of Israel’s strategy as the campaign unfolds. However, the substance of his article is entirely correct. “Hezbollah must be dealt a military and political defeat to prevent Hezbollah from dominating the Lebanese political and military realms. This will have to happen on the ground,” he writes. True.
Strategically, Israel cannot coexist with a Lebanon in which Hezbollah lives and breathes. With Hezbollah an active entity, it will continue in a state of war with Israel which it will carry on by various means. Israel will suffer, and Lebanon will suffer. Israel’s strategic effort ought to involve diplomacy as well as naked force. It has to show Lebanon that a Hezbollah-free Lebanon is a happy Lebanon, and one that has no essential quarrel with Israel. That is the ultimate carrot. I am willing to bet that Israel’s very active secret services are courting certain Lebanese factions to pass that message. The key is helping the Lebanese government throw off the parasites and stand up to Syria, without seeming to be doing so overtly.
Operationally, the IDF has to break Hezbollah’s ability to shell and rocket northern Israel. To do that it needs to interdict the group’s supply lines, engage and defeat its indirect fire assets to the greatest extent possible, and destroy its bases. This will, unfortunately, involve destruction to Lebanese towns, roads and other facilities, which exacerbates but also highlights the strategic issues.
Tactically, the IDF has to meet Hezbollah units on the ground, root them out and destroy them. The air campaign is simply a shaping and supporting effort. The victory on the ground will come when IDF small units have put Hezbollah units in the classic combined arms dilemma: they can’t move or they will be spotted and fired on, and they can’t stay put because they will be encircled and defeated. This is, historically, the IDF’s greatest strength—small unit action, at night, in close quarters.
Once the tactical victory is won, though, something or someone has to fill the void in south Lebanon. Who will do it? The Israelis cannot occupy the territory again. Are there persons in Lebanon or Israel who were displaced from there when Hezbollah took control in 2000? Or are there sufficient numbers of residents of south Lebanon who are sick of Hezbollah to provide a stable population under the right circumstances? This is where the legitimate government of Lebanon can begin to assert its sovereignty and provide a lasting solution to an ugly problem.
People We Should Know via Blackfive
By Maj P
Frequent readers of Blackfive's "Someone You Should Know" series need no invite to check that blog for amazing stories of courage and steadfastness. In case, however, new readers of Op-For aren't familiar with it, I suggest you go start with this. Amazing.
BTW, B5 also has a good post on Canadians in Afghanistan.
IDF Moves Into Lebanon
By Maj P
According to this morning's WaPo, the IDF is moving into Lebanon in force. One passage from the article describes the force as six brigades strong and numbering as many as 10,000 or more.
Not only is the fighting going on in the south of Lebanon, but reports also say that there have been heliborne raids into the valleys eastern Lebanon.
The commander of the IDF northern command is quoted as saying that his orders from his superiors were, "Don't look at your watch, do your mission, go further."
Also, more links and superb commentary via Michelle Malkin: "Forward to Bekaa Valley..."
I expect they will go until they've gotten it done.
