One Team One Fight Archives
Thanksgiving
By Bull Nav
Long about nine years ago, when peace ruled the earth, the Mighty USS SCRANTON (SSN756) pulled into Bahrain for Turkey Day. We were there with the JFK and the USS MONTEREY (CG61).
Peace.
But we were there, armed to the teeth. Ready to go.
Still a ways off from 9/11, a large number of Navy/Marine Corps personnel patrolled the front lines of freedom in the '90s.
Waiting...watching.
(Yeah, I know: a day late and a dollar short. In Clintonville, WV, (look it up; not a lot of links...but Greenbriar County might work) there won't no TV or any of that Internet bullshit. Only woods, whiskey, dogs and guns...)
Help from Abroad
By Lt Col P
"Iraqi Soldiers Send Aid to California Fire Victims."
American Forces Press Service
BESMAYA RANGE COMPLEX, Iraq, Nov. 20, 2008 – A group of Iraqi soldiers stepped up to help California residents victimized by recent wildfires raging throughout the state.Iraqi army Col. Abbas Fadhil, Besmaya Range Complex commander, and his team of “Abbas’ Eagles” raised $500 for wildfire relief.
“We want to send a message to the American president and the American people,” Abbas said. “We feel that we are a family — one body. When one part of the body suffers, the other parts suffer, too.”
This is the fourth donation the soldiers of Besmaya have sent to the American people recently. In September, they raised $1,500 for victims of hurricanes Gustav and Ike. The Eagles also donated $500 to the National Sept. 11 Memorial.
Five hundred bucks in Iraq is a lot of money. Folks, this money came from people who can ill afford it, yet they gave anyway.
Shukran, brothers.
Reserves Get Overdue Respect... Up North
By Lt Col P
A big tip of the toque to The Torch for pointing us to a great article on Canada's reserve forces, and the battles they've had to fight just in order to be able to fight a few battles.
Reservists and Guardsmen here in the States have some significant challenges, but at least we have laws and widespread company policies that look after us (for the most part) while we're gone.
And reservists pay a separate price that by definition cannot be asked of the career soldier: They routinely put either job, professional development or schooling on hold in order to take part in the lengthy "work-up" training which, when combined with the six-month tour, means a commitment of a year.Corporal Joaquim (Jake) David, for instance, is one of 11 members, part of the current rotation, from the 48th Highlanders in downtown Toronto.
The 29-year-old Filipino native, who considers his service a way of giving back to his adopted country, had to quit his well-paying job as a co-leader on the assembly line at car-part manufacturer Magna International; the company, like many, has no "military leave" policy.
He quit in May last year, so he could prepare for the extensive predeployment training.
Good on them, and good luck to them. Read the whole article.
The Cost Of War-- Literally
By Lt Col P
Damian at The Torch breaks down the numbers on Canada's stalwart contribution in Afghanistan. Hie thee hence and read it.
I'd have to agree. It's money well spent.
How is this being constructive?
By Bull Nav
Now, I will be the first one to admit, I don't always get art. I always thought that you were supposed to feel something when you experience art. Da Vinci's paintings or Michelangelo...that's what I thought art was supposed to be. Looking up at the Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was an experience.
A well-built car engine...that's art.
So...
Not quite 19 years ago, I swore for the first time (but not by far the last) an oath which said, in part, "…to uphold and defend the Constitution against all enemies…"
The Constitution of the United States of America.
You know: We the People…
The Bill of Rights with its First Amendment which gives us freedom of the press...and expression: art.
But did you had to go there. Why did you have to desecrate the flag? Did you think you were going to get a different reaction?
Or did you just want the attention you knew this would generate?
Could you think of nothing positive, nothing uplifting, nothing that would bring people together? Could you not have used your creative talent to create something that would make a statement, and at the same time help find common ground for all the divisiveness which seems to permeate the press?
Yeah, when I heard about this, it pissed me off. I mean, Goddamn...how the f*$k could someone even think of this shit. I would NEVER think of doing something like this to an object I have held is such high esteem for so long.
But that's the way it is. That's what we defend.
Just promise me this: try to raise your kids not to do stupid shit like this. It doesn't do a damn bit of good for anyone.
I Was Wondering When This Was Going To Happen
By Lt Col P
"Wedded Bliss": Army Allows Husband-and-Wife Soldiers To Live Together In Iraq.
I'm going to be an a--hole and come down on the not-only-no-but-HELL-NO side. Yes, I understand the reasons why, and the arguments for.
But, you go overseas to fight and to work your ass off for those doing the fighting. You are supposed to be living with your fellow soldiers (airmen, Marines, sailors) day in and day out, suffering and succeeding alike. Having your truly beloved back at the FOB changes things for that select few, and in my opinion not for the better.
I notice the article says "the Army." I haven't checked lately, but I don't think Our Beloved Corps allows extended conjugal visits in the AO. Perhaps CMC turns a Nelsonian eye to it all. I do remember at least one young WM at Camp Fallujah whose husband, also a Marine, was at Abu G, not far away. Might as well have been back in CONUS. I'm not sure which would be worse.
DC Air Guardsman Steps Up
By Lt Col P
Great story on the local NBC affilliate tonight: "2-Year-Old Found After Temple Hills Carjacking." Well, it's not great that a 2-year-old got carried away in a carjacking, but it is great that a) the boy is safe and sound, and b) that one of DC's finest played a big role in the successful conclusion.
The child went missing when his aunt's car was stolen at a gas station. Police said the woman was pumping gas at a station at St. Barnabas and Wheeler roads in Temple Hills when a group of men forced the woman away, jumped into the car and drove away. The boy was still inside the car.A D.C. Air National Guard sergeant noticed the carjacked vehicle driving with the gas pump still attached, called 911 and followed the vehicle, a green Pontiac Grand Prix, to the 1900 block of Colebrook Road in Hillcrest Heights, where the carjackers left the vehicle.
The actual report on the news had some more detail, to wit, that when the thugs bailed out, the Guardsman ran up and got the boy, and removed him to safety.
Good on him, I say! Quick thinking and decisive action, not to mention a good measure of intestinal fortitude.
Riverine Patrol
By Slab
Hey folks, I know it's been a little while since my last update. In lieu of a long-winded post about nonsense, here are some photos from a recent operation with Riverine Squadron Two (RIVRON 2) on Lake Qadisiyah.
Update: You can't read it, but the Riverine Patrol Boat (RPB) in the second picture has the name "BM1 James E. Williams" stenciled on the side. I had no idea who that was, so I decided to look it up. And that is how I came to find out about the most decorated enlisted Sailor in the history of the United States Navy. One hell of a warrior.
More after the jump.
Read More »
Top Canadian General Speaks on Afghanistan
By Lt Col P
Our Canadian doppelganger blog, The Torch, is one of my daily reads. Today they have a good post on an interview with their top man in uniform, General R. J. Hillier.
From everything I've read about him, he sounds like a fighting man, and one with a realistic view on world events. This interview seems to bear it out.
"Some Canadians don't understand the fact you can't just go and talk to people in Southern Afghanistan and say 'OK, now put your guns down and let's all come to an agreement..."
And
"The peacekeeping concept works superbly in many cases -- not all. It worked when it was state-versus-state that had come to some politically-negotiated agreement. They now needed assistance in helping separate military forces to implement that agreement."The world has changed. Now we very seldom have that. What we have are stateless threats based on terrorist groups who can operate either across several countries, regions or worldwide."
Sounds like our kind of guy, the sort we'd want to have on our flanks, be they tactical or strategic. As the debate goes on in Canada about their role in Afghanistan, I wish there were a dozen more of him. And some down here, for that matter.
One team, one fight.
More Good Marine Recruiting Ads
By Lt Col P
A loyal reader sent a link to another Marine recruiting ad after he saw "America's Marines" below. Except this ad is for our brother Marines across the pond:
Per Mare Per Terram! One team, one fight. (Thanks, Stuart.)
French Warship Drops Books, Not Bombs
By John
I'm gently teasing in the title, of course we're grateful for this warm gesture courtesy of America's oldest ally.
French Warship to Deliver 10,000 Books to Disadvantaged U.S. Children
This Christmas, Santa Claus is leaving his reindeer behind and hitching a ride on… a French warship! The Jeanne d’Arc, a helicopter carrier which serves as a training ship for French navy midshipmen, will dock into New York Harbor on Friday December 28 carrying over 10,000 books destined for disadvantaged American students, giving new meaning to the expression “turning swords into ploughshares.” The French books, including dictionaries and textbooks, but also novels and comic books, will be offered to the children participating in New York’s newly launched French-English dual-language programs, as well as to New Orleans schools devastated by hurricane Katrina.A delegation of students from the Jordan L. Mott Middle School (CIS 22) in the Bronx, one of the three schools that have launched a French-English dual-language program this year (the other two are PS 125 in Harlem and PS 58 in Brooklyn), will be welcomed on-board the ship at 2pm on the 28 th. Following a performance by their school band and a tour of the two French ships (the Jeanne d’Arc will be accompanied by the antisubmarine warfare destroyer Georges Leygues), they will take delivery of the books on behalf of all the schools involved. Sixty of the eighty crates will remain in New York, while the rest will be shipped overland to New Orleans.
At 3pm, the ship’s commander, Captain Hervé Bléjean, will hold a press conference in the presence of Catherine Petillon, the French Embassy’s Attaché for Educational Affairs. To attend this conference, please RSVP to Amaury.laporte@diplomatie.gouv.fr.
This unusual delivery was initiated, coordinated and financed by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, but the books themselves have been donated by two French associations, Adiflor and Biblionef. Both specialize in providing French-language books, which are either new or in excellent condition, to needy children throughout the world. The French Embassy’s contribution comes in addition to the $100,000 the French government has recently earmarked to support dual-language programs in New York City public schools.
Hotel Tango: Farley. I had to be the asshole and say that I wish the Jeanne d’Arc was carrying her helicopters where they're needed most, Afghanistan, instead of New York City. Farley countered that the Charles de Gaulle's Rafales have been dropping more than their share of iron on Taliban positions for the past few years. So.... touche, I suppose.
Canadians Wield A "Sharp Sword"
By Lt Col P
This is the kind of article I love to read.
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Canadian forces killed or uprooted scores of insurgents in a Taliban stronghold this weekend, in a raid described by a commander as "successful for the time being."Working with Afghan army and police units, Canadian and Gurkha soldiers say they killed 41 insurgents and captured four in yesterday's daylong battle, rousting another 20 to 30 fighters from the baked-mud villages in Kandahar's Zari district.
No coalition soldiers were injured in the operation named "Sharp Sword," Maj. Rich Moffett, the deputy commanding officer of the Canadian battle group told reporters today.
It gets better:
The Afghan, Gurkha and Canadian troops surprised the fighters while they slept, said Maj. Moffett. Nonetheless, the battle appears to have been particularly fierce. Battle video shot by a freelance cameraman embedded with Canadian forces shows Afghan, Canadian and Gurkha soldiers firing at the Taliban from behind tall stone walls and embankments.
Good work to our great allies and cousins from the north, and the tough little hillmen who are no strangers to explosive raids on hostile Afghan villages. Surprised 'em while they slept, did you? Outstanding! Somewhere, McBride and Masters are both smiling.
99.99% Need Not Apply
By John
Been meaning to get this posted ever since W.Thomas Smith aired it out at The Tank last week.
Yeah, it's a bad cliche... but damn I'm glad these dudes are on our side.
Public Opinion re Afghanistan
By Lt Col P
Damian from The Torch put up a great piece concerning public opinion on Afghanistan-- sorry, make that public opinion in Afghanistan, and proceeds to compare and contrast it with the voice on the street in Canada.
Bottom line is that a large number of Afghans-- famously intolerant of foreigners in their midst-- appear to be happy with the way things are going, and are glad the Canadians and other forces are there.
Good reading, and the points made are valid south of the border too.
Who was it that said "Never take counsel of your fears"-- George Washington? He's right. And he might well have added, "And while you're at it, don't listen to the naysayers either."
Army Recruiting Soaring
By John
U.S. Army Meets Expanded Recruiting Goals....Again:
October 4, 2007: The U.S. Army again achieved its recruiting goal (80,000 new recruits) for fiscal 2007 (that ended on September 30). That will also be the goal for 2008 as well, unless the army is given permission, and several billion dollars, to speed up their expansion of 13.5 percent (from 482,000 to 547,000), by doing that in four years instead of five.
The army recruiting effort is unprecedented for wartime. Never in American history has a war this long, been sustained with only volunteers. Party politics and media concentration on that has prevented the story behind this from getting out much. There are several reasons for the army recruiting success.
Anti-war types, always the military experts, love to write these positive numbers off as the Army "lowering its standards." Nice, huh? Those dudes support us so much it hurts.
In reality, it's a mix of things. Enlistment bonuses, heightened sense of patriotism since 9/11, more effective recruiting campaigns, etc. One that's often overlooked is the fact that the Navy and Air Force are shrinking faster than the Army and Marines are expanding. That drives potential recruits over to the grunt services, while programs like Blue to Green allow Airman to trade their blue uniforms for green Army ones.
Strategy Page also cites an interesting argument for the favorable numbers, low casaulties:
Although the media gets obsessed with U.S. casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan, the reporting tends to ignore the fact that those casualties are the lowest in history, any army's history. Put simply, troops are half as likely to be killed or wounded in Iraq, as they would have been in Vietnam or World War II. A combination of better equipment, training and leadership made it happen. These are trends that have been going on for decades. The lower casualties make a big difference, especially for troops who have gone back to Iraq or Afghanistan several times. But the recruiters know that there's enough real danger there to attract young men looking for some adventure, but not so much that most potential recruits would be put off by it. "Extreme" (very dangerous) sports have become much more popular in the last few decades, and for many young men, modern combat is in that league, plus you get to kill people. Most reporters have forgotten how teenage males think. The recruiters haven't, and the U.S. Marine Corps consistently exceeds it recruiting goals by emphasizing the danger and challenges. The end result is that it's more difficult to recruit for support jobs, than for the combat ones.
Hotel Tango: Steve Green, who titles the story "Buried somewhere on page B14.."
Editing Out The Last Scene
By Lt Col P
Damian at The Torch sent me a great link to his post from a Canadian soldier serving in Kandahar. (I must apologize, as he sent it a couple days ago and I haven't been able to get to it til now.) It says so many of the things that our soldiers and Marines are saying from Iraq and Afghanistan, but I like the title-- "Will We Edit Out The Last Scene?"
Not long ago, the Mayor would have come to the KPRT and asked for help fixing everything. As the City will repair the road on its own, this is a good sign of progress. The Mayor and City engineers feel confident enough in their abilities and that of their staff and equipment to take on these significant road repairs by themselves.
That right there is one of the "Tenth Steps" that I have mentioned before. Iraq and Afghanistan are places where it's not two steps forward and one step back, but rather ten steps up and nine back. But that tenth step, while oft times quiet and unnoticed, is momentous. Good work, KPRT; we'll do our part to spread the word.
Updating the Academies
By John
Just got a column up at The Weekly Standard, topic is the service academies and how they may need to change their academic infastructure to better meet the needs of the Long War. Here's a sample:
West Point and all of the service academies promote math and engineering above all other disciplines. Thayer wanted math savvy artillery officers. The Navy sought officers with a firm grasp of engineering to keep their ships running and navigate the seas under the harshest of combat conditions. And the Air Force desired officers capable of operating the service's cutting-edge technology. It's the perfect academic infrastructure for a young cadet, if we expect him to fight the Cold War.Unfortunately, we are fighting a new war. Tomorrow's war. This is a war where we fight an enemy who understands that the battlefield lies in the human heart, not in the skies or on the seas. And while the liberal arts curriculum is precisely the school of thought needed to effectively prepare our cadets to fight in the 21st century, not one of the service academies offers a Bachelor of Arts degree.
An Army platoon leader would be better equipped to administer to tribes in Anbar province if he had a degree in International Affairs and a minor in Arabic. A Marine infantry Lieutenant might be more effective unifying warlords in Afghanistan if he spent his four years at Annapolis studying the history of central Asia. U.S. Special Forces have been deployed to over 180 different countries since 9/11, and, to be sure, the military offers them the education needed to meet that goal. But in all that training an academy cadet will only get as much foreign study as he can squeeze into his schedule between orbital mechanics and advanced calculus.
Read the whole thing here. Would love to hear some discussion on this, especially from any academy grads that might be out there.
And yes, of course VMI got an honorable mention.
Update: Robert Farley, an academic himself, writes:
FM 3-24 (the counter-insurgency manual) is a remarkably sophisticated social science document, and I think that John is quite right to suggest that, however well the science and engineering curriculum may have worked in the past, emphasizing the social science option now makes sense. Of course, the service academies do offer majors in the social sciences and even arts and letters, but the curricula still very heavily favor math and science. Given, however, that we can expect future wars to resemble tightly knotted social science problems more than engineering problems, however, it seems reasonable to review the balance.
Right. COIN is all hearts and minds, which was kind of my point. Also, to clarify, the Academies do let their cadets major in social sciences, but those majors are still part of a math and science intensive BS track.
Now in the comments, MajMike correctly points out that the academies are only a small part of overall officer accessions. However, I'd point out that those graduates do represent a disproportionate percentage of the senior leadership. Promoting a certain agility of thought at the academies early on might yield a big pay off later on.
*Update 2* I'm starting to see the debate shift from whether or not the Academies should adjust slightly towards a more liberal arts heavy curriculum to whether or not they even offer liberal arts courses. This is on me for not articulating better. West Point in particular has an incredibly robust foreign languages department and their military history program is enviable. I'm merely suggesting toning done the intensive math/science/engineering core curriculum for liberal arts majors and allowing them a Bachelor of Arts instead of mandating a Bachelor of Science.
This is something that West Point certainly understands, just read the Dean's homepage:
Army leaders of the 21st Century must be cognizant of culture, history, and social organization. As officers, they will serve in an environment of joint and coalition operations, both domestically and abroad. They will lead people, organize resources, interact with foreign cultures, and maintain a high state of readiness. To succeed, they must understand the context of their social world, what motivates human behavior and how to influence such motivations. They must be creative in thought and decisive in action under conditions of uncertainty.
What I'm hearing is that "well the system in place is sufficient." But I've spoken with recent grads who felt that they would have better off studying foreign cultural and languages than calculus and physics. I think that West Point and other academies are focused on the total academic experience, which is noble. But what I'm suggesting is that perhaps they loosen up just enough to allow cadets to become less generalized and more specialized in their academics.
That's all.
*Update 3* Dr. James Joyner, a former West Pointer and one of my favorite bloggers, has this to say:
As a political science/international relations PhD whose tenure at West Point was short circuited after three semesters of the math and engineering heavy curriculum, I’m certainly sympathetic to Noonan’s point of view. It’s hardly clear that the ability to handle differential equations is an essential skill for a combat commander; indeed most ROTC grads come from other backgrounds. Then again, there’s little reason to think overly technocratic officers are the reason for our failures at counterinsurgency. After all, men like David Petraeus, H.R. McMaster, and John Nagl managed to become experts at COIN despite the handicap of being honor graduates of the Military Academy.Regardless, I would argue that the over-emphasis on advanced mathematics and engineering courses is outmoded. West Point, at least, has recognized this and been moving in the right direction for roughly a quarter century. They were offering social science concentrations as early as 1984 and began allowing cadets to declare majors, including in the social sciences, more than fifteen years ago. They also require courses in international relations and two years of a foreign language.
Superb points, particular on the success of Petraeus, McMasters, and Nagl.
Also, according to DaveB in the comments section, West Point has upped the language requirement to four full years. That's great news.
*Update 4* OPFOR buddy CDR. Salamander said the same thing back in February:
I have always thought, along with others, that the USNA and NROTC official bias towards technical degrees was wrong-footed, short sighted, and not creating the intellectual diversity we need. So does Andrew Exum."A former Army officer and Middle East analyst has called on the nation's service academies to trade in their focus on engineering for a more modern curriculum on international relations.
Andrew Exum, who led combat units in two tours in Afghanistan and one tour in Iraq, said the engineering coursework required at the U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., is a holdover from the 19th century, when that was the direction of future warfare. "
Exactly right. We need experts across the field of study. I don't know about you, but my Wardroom is adrift with engineers who have never used their education - but also have never read a great work, cannot find the Spratly Islands, don't understand that "Old Europe" nations like Belgium are younger than the U.S., and do not know the difference between Arab Saudi Arabia and Persian Iran.
When you read the article, one thing you notice is that the Cult of the Happy Talk has so thoroughly infected Annapolis that it can't even make sense - or tell a story that has any credibility with those who know what is going on.
"I think the author, Andrew Exum, has really shown light on exactly the right discussion," said William Miller, the Naval Academy's academic dean. "We all should be asking ourselves how we should be preparing the next generation of leaders in the Navy, Marine Corps, Army and Air Force for the 21st- century battlefield. We are always having that discussion."
What a complete non-answer. No straight talk about what we need to teach the future leaders of the fleet. Just political non-answers. We owe the taxpayer and the Fleet better than this.
"Miller said the difficulty with changing the curriculum at the Naval Academy is that many graduates need sufficient training to operate nuclear reactors in submarines or work with other cutting-edge technology in the surface fleet.
Only 12 percent to 13 percent of each graduating class enters the Marine Corps infantry field, officers who have been on the front lines in the war on terrorism. And among those, 50 percent are social science or humanities majors."
What a load of BS. Yes, engineering is important - but not for every Navy officer. As a matter of fact - the lack of a Liberal Arts or other non-engineering background is killing out Fleet. An engineer wants to load up a new class with all sorts of new, expensive, unproven equipment. Someone educated in logic and economics is more concerned with the possible and affordable.
Phew, harsh indictment of our engineers. Reminds of the BS vs. BA culture wars back at VMI.
Anyway, you can read the whole thing here.
Canadian Combat Art, Part 2
By Lt Col P
I got a note from Damian at The Torch. He tried to leave a comment on a previous post but for some reason it didn't go through. So, I asked him to send it again so I could put it up here.
I can't remember the exact comment, but it went something like this:You may want to be careful riffing on the Canadian tendency to punctuate our sentences with "eh" - we're raised on hockey fights up here. ;)
In case any of your readers are interested, Johnson also embedded with U.S. Marines in Iraq awhile back, and visited Walter Reed too - some of his work from those efforts can be found here.
Thanks!
No. Thanks to y'all. Keep 'em coming.
Canadian Combat Art
By Lt Col P
Most of you regulars will know that I'm a big fan of my fellow Marine, Mike Fay's, combat art.
By way of The Torch, I have found his Canadian doppelganger.
Would that make Mr Johnson...
Read More »
The 9/11 Generation
By John
Dean Barnett has phenomenal piece up in The Weekly Standard on the young men and women who answered the call after September 11th.
I've spent much of the past two weeks speaking with young people (and a few not-so-young) who have made the decision to serve their country by volunteering for the military. Some of these men have Ivy League degrees; all of them are talented and intelligent individuals who--contrary to John Kerry's infamous "botched joke" ("Education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. And if you don't, you get stuck in Iraq")--could have chosen to do anything with their lives. Having signed up, they have either gone to Iraq or
look forward to doing so. Not surprisingly, the mainstream media have underreported their stories.One of the excesses of the 1960s that present-day liberals have disowned and disavowed since 9/11 is the demonization of the American military. While every now and then an unrepentant liberal like Charlie Rangel will appear on cable news and casually accuse U.S. troops of engaging in baby-killing in Iraq, the liberal establishment generally knows better. They "support" the American military--at least in the abstract, until it does anything resembling fighting a war.
As a proud member of the 9/11 Generation, I can't thank Dean enough for writing this piece. Same goes for The Weekly Standard, who in the course of one week has risen to the front lines of this ideological battle and defended the US military politically as fiercely as the US military defends them physically.
Progressives destroyed the reputation of the legions of honorable Vietnam Veterans and are trying to repeat history with my generation. You need to look no further than TNR's fiasco this week for proof of those efforts.
Dean Barnett, by the way, hasn't let up an inch on TNR and their lackluster handling of this matter. Here's the latest from Townhall's blog:
I’m not going to take it personally that Frank Foer [TNR's editor] turns into a Chatty-Kathy when Howard Kurtz calls, but has his secretary give me the runaround when I’m on the line. Besides, why would I care when he so completely revealed his agenda to Kurtz?"A lot of the questions raised by the conservative blogosphere,” said Foer, “boil down to, would American soldiers be capable of doing things like the things described in the diarist. The practical jokes are exceptionally mild compared to things that have been documented by the U.S. military. Conservative bloggers make a bit of a living denying any bad news that emanates from Iraq."
See? This little quote shows just how much we differ. Foer apparently thinks the cruel mocking of an IED victim, the defiling of an Iraqi corpse, and the misuse of a Bradley fighting vehicle to run over dogs all qualify as “practical jokes.” I don’t.
But that’s not all Foer says. He even insists that the “practical jokes” are mild. Scratch that. He says they’re “exceptionally mild compared to things that have been documented.” This wonderful “defense” proves my point that the heart of Foer’s agenda has always been slandering the entire United States military and the 160,000 men and women who are serving in Iraq.
There you have it. Franklin Foer - supporting the troops as only he can.
Right. Foer takes off the editor's hat and dons his ideological fedora. And that's the only way that Scott Thomas' diary entries are believable.....you have to want to believe because it fits your narrative. Hook, line, sinker. Scott Thomas validated a narrative that TNR needed to be true, so they abandoned the very basics of journalistic integrity and ran an unchecked story by an anonymous source. Twin cardinal sins, even in the weird world of magazine journalism where the rules aren't as hard and fast as the newspaper realm.
By the way, credit to some progressives. They are absolutely creaming Foer in the comments section of his "we're investigating" post.The short skinny from their commentators? Hey, it ain't just conservative blogs who are concerned Scooter...
Good on em.
Kiwi receives the Victoria Cross
By Slab
This one's for my mate, Tony. As much shit as I give him about fornicating with sheep, you have to admit that those Kiwis are some pretty good dudes to have next to you, whether it's a gunfight or just having a couple of brews.
Cpl Willy Apiata of the New Zealand Special Air Service was awarded the Victoria Cross, the Commonwealth's highest award for gallantry, for his actions in Afghanistan in 2004. Cpl Apiata is only the 14th recipient since the end of World War II, and the first Commonwealth recipient since Australian Warrant Officer Keith Payne received the award in 1969. His award is also the first to a serving member of the SAS anywhere in the Commonwealth.
The citation is available here, and the New Zealand Herald has a good writeup as well.
From the citation:
As the enemy pressed its attack towards Lance Corporal Apiata’s position, and without thought of abandoning his colleague to save himself, he took a decision in the highest order of personal courage under fire. Knowing the risks involved in moving to open ground, Lance Corporal Apiata decided to carry Corporal D singlehandedly to the relative safety of the main Troop position, which afforded better cover and where medical treatment could be given.
Well done, Cpl Apiata. You've done your countrymen, and all of us, proud.
H/t to Defense Tech.
Time To Buy Some Labatt
By Lt Col P
The Torch has a great idea. Good cause, good beer. What's not to like?
(They also stick to their own substantial peacenik population, not once but twice. If the title of that second link has some un-Canadian language, well, this is wartime and war's an ugly business. I'm glad to see them pulling no punches.)
Man, I love that site.
Op-For North?
By Lt Col P
Great Canadian milblog-- The Torch. Some inside baseball (inside hockey?) but lots and lots of good stuff on "Afstan" and related matters.
Dare I say that we've found Op-For North?
SUNDAY UPDATE: The Torch's Mark from Ottawa wrote back to me to say that they've linked to us, and he has another good site for us-- MilNet.CA. Outstanding!
Happy Birthday Hoo-Ahs!
By Lt Col P
To the U.S. Army-- 232 years old today!
"Since its birth on 14 June 1775—over a year before the Declaration of Independence—the United States Army has played a vital role in the growth and development of our Nation. Soldiers have fought more than 10 wars, from the American Revolution through the Cold War, the Gulf War, to the current War on Terrorism. This 232nd Birthday is a recognition of The Army's history, traditions, and service to the Nation, a Call To Duty, 232 Years of Service to Our Nation."
All of that, yes, but much more. More than can be written here, certainly.
So, to our man Charlie, to B5, to Joel, and to all our brethren in the Army, we say Happy Birthday!
Update: I emailed appropriate greetings to my BR Paul in Baghdad (Army LTC) and he replied-- "Yeah buddy!! 232 years of ass kicking for the nation!! Many celebrations here on Camp Victory..."
And Semper Fi To You Too, Eh
By Lt Col P
If you read the comments on our posts, you'll know that we have some loyal readers north of the border. First among them, the prima inter pares, is Deborah Aylward, who always has a kind word and usually signs off with "Veritas et Fidelis Semper."
Now that made me think, because it's close to the Marine Corps' "Semper Fi." But where else have I seen "Semper Fidelis" as a military unit motto? Then I remembered it, from a plaque in Breckenridge Hall, Quantico.
Read More »
Because They Stand on a Wall....
By John
...and say "nothing's going to hurt you tonight. Not on my watch."
Yeah, that's pretty much what we're doing over there.
There's frustration and then there's hair-yanking frustation. The latter is what my mood ring flashes when I hear anti-war activists scream "Peace Now! US Out of Iraq!"
Peace for who? Not the Iraqi people, that's for sure. Peace activists don't really want peace. They want peace of mind. The US pulls out of Iraq and the whole thing becomes an Iraqi problem. C'mon, you don't really think MoveOn and International Answer would organize mass rallies against Al Qaeda and Iran if we pulled out, right?
Hotel Tango: Prosebeforehos via Uncle Jimbo
Two New Milblogs To Watch
By Lt Col P
I call to your attention two (2) new additions to the milblog world.
The first is Small Wars Journal, which has a blog but is much much more. The blog part attracts posts and comments from some real heavy hitters, like David Kilcullen and Bing West. Go sift through it all, bookmark it, make it a daily read. (Both editors are Marines; one, the unusually tall Bill Nagle, is a colleague (and then some) in my civilian job. I only found out the other day that he was doing this.)
The second is from the latest Marine Field Historian to go downrange, The Gunner's World, by CWO4 Mike Sears. Mike is the last of the Old Corps historians, and has been volunteering to somewheres East o' Suez for a long long time. He is en route even as we speak, so check him out in a few days. He has been doing great work in History Division, and I am eager to see what he finds out in Iraq.
The Navy Can Have Hickam AFB....
By John
When they pry it from our cold, dead hands!
Defense officials are refereeing a control-and-culture clash between the Air Force and its sister services over a requirement to create 12 "joint bases" out of 25.Lex on the ownership shift:The 25 bases, it seems, already are run by their favorite service.
The mandate for joint bases is part of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure plan, which became law in November 2005. The Air Force is to manage six joint base sites, the Navy four and the Army two.
But the Air Force, which for decades has spent more proportionally on quality-of-life programs and facilities, is wringing its hands and, critics contend, dragging its feet over the prospect of giving the Navy control of Hickam Air Force Base in Hawai'i, Bolling Air Force Base near Washington D.C., and Andersen Air Force Base on Guam. It also expected to give the Army control of McChord Air Force Base in Washington state.
Air Force officials argue that their bases alone are "fighting platforms" for their aircraft and thus must be maintained in top form as the Navy strives to maintain its ships and the Army and Marine Corps sustain deployed ground forces.
Every time I mentioned to an Air Force officer that it seemed just possible that they were being profligate with the national fisc, what with all the bells and whistles that were in it on base, he’d reply that is wasn’t his fault that the Navy had to buy ships. Ships were expensive.I can't tell you how much that last paragraph creeped me out.
Which, while that was undeniably true, didn’t quite seem to answer the objection: After all, it wasn’t like we got loaded on a three-day bender in Vegas and blew all of our money on a bunch of aircraft carriers before waking up sheepish with a CVN ring on our finger. We are the Navy, after all. Ships are what we do.
And airfields in Oahu, it soon seems.So: Welcome aboard, shipmates! Officer’s Call at 0700, quarters at 0715, breakfast at 0730 and don’t be late, because cleaning stations are at 0800 - mops and foxtails are in the ready service locker. GQ is at 1000 (don’t forget your MOPP gear), lunch at 1200, sweepers at 1400 and liberty call at 1630 for all personnel not actually on watch.
Like you’re going to be.
But let's examine, for a moment, how each force operates. The Navy, as discussed, runs wars from their ships. So that's where the money goes. The Army and Marines operate in the field, so their money goes into tanks, helicopters, artillery, and the infantry. The Air Force fights from their bases, so....where do you think we stick our cash?
Answer: the golf course. Eh, half kidding...I think. Anyone who has played Marshallia at Vandenberg or Eisenhower at the Air Force Academy probably thinks I'm serious. People like...say, Lex:
I’m guessing the base at Hickam - a “crown jewel of the Pacific”, and hard by the much dowdier Naval Base Pearl Harbor - is probably not one of their preferred first candidates for testing purposes. If only for the golf course alone.For our golf course Lex? Excuse me, I've played the Navy course right next door...
...and I can tell you, the Navy's cup has already runneth over.
New Destroyer Named
By Bull Nav
While I have a problem with some of the naming conventions we have chosen for our ships, submarines, and aircraft carriers, and with some of the individual names chosen of late, I have never had a problem with naming a combatant after MOH or Navy Cross winners. Which is why I was happy to see this yesterday:
You can read the whole article here.
One team--the Navy-Marine Corps team. ADM Arleigh Burke said upon the commissioning of the lead ship of the class bearing his name, "This ship was built to fight. You better know how." I think the crew will take it to heart. I would be honored to serve on it (even if I am a submariner).
A Step Backwards
By John
Bummer. The Aussie Army has banned milblogging.
Real Words of Wisdom from the Real Great Santini
By John
Words of warrior wisdom from Pat Conroy:
My father, 6’3, 230-pound Marine Corps fighter pilot, knuckles dragging along the ground when he walked. When he was dying, I interviewed Dad. I said, "Dad, tell me about what it was like in the war."He told me about coming off the aircraft carrier Sicily in Korea. His was the first squadron that got there, and they said, "Keep the Koreans north of the Naktong River." So he dove down—the first plane the North Koreans had seen—he dove down toward the enemy. I said, "How did you do, Dad?"
He said, "I did pretty good, son." He said, "I had a good sign—they were running. It’s good when you see the enemy running. There was another good sign, son."
"What’s that, Dad?"
"They were on fire."
Will We Fight This War?
By John
Looking back, I think the only thing that kept me from a bad case of the post-election bummers was Democratic assurances that they we not going to pop smoke and evac from the Iraqi theater. In fact, I was damn near encouraged. What better chance for the Dems to prove that they are strong on defense than for them to bolster defense spending, the size of our services, and the number of troops in Iraq?
Of course that was before folks started floating Rep. John Murtha's name for House Majority Leader. It's not that Mr. Murtha's personal politics bother me, they don't, it's just that his ideas for Iraq sound like they were dreamed up over a game of Candyland with my 6 year old cousin. John "Okinowa" Murtha anyone? Hell even the WaPo thinks Murtha's leadership would be one step short of the Democrat's pulling out a .45 and shooting themselves in the big toe.
Mr. Murtha's candidacy is troubling for several reasons, beginning with his position on the war in Iraq. A former Marine, Mr. Murtha deserves credit for sounding an alarm about the deteriorating situation a year ago. But his descriptions of the stakes there have been consistently unrealistic, and his solutions irresponsible. Just last week he denied that the United States was fighting terrorism in Iraq, though al-Qaeda is known to play a major part in the insurgency. He said the United States should abandon even the effort to train the Iraqi army and should "redeploy as soon as practicable," an extreme step that most congressional Democrats oppose. He claimed that "stability in the Middle East, stability in Iraq," would come from such an abrupt withdrawal; in fact, virtually all Iraqi and Middle Eastern leaders have said that it would lead to a greatly escalated conflict that could spread through the region.Mr. Murtha would also be the wrong choice as majority leader after an election in which a large number of voters expressed unhappiness with Washington business as usual. Mr. Murtha has been a force against stronger ethics and lobbying rules. He was one of just four Democrats whose votes helped kill a strong Democratic package of lobbying reforms this spring.
As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, he has been an avid participant in the orgy of earmarking, including numerous projects sought by a lobbying firm that employed his brother. During the Abscam congressional bribery investigation in 1980, Mr. Murtha was videotaped discussing a bribe with an undercover FBI agent. ("You know, we do business for a while, maybe I'll be interested, maybe I won't, you know," Mr. Murtha said.) He wasn't indicted, but it's fair to say the episode raised questions about his integrity.
If Democrats prove that they can jump-start Iraq, then you can consider me a Democratic voter in '08. My vote goes to whoever can prosecute this war effectively. So far, my votes have gone to Republicans. If the Dems crown Murtha, it'll be going to Republicans for a long, long time.
Hotel Tango: Michelle
Poles Get F-16s
By John
Polish air force officials welcome the first of 48 F-16 Fighting Falcons Nov. 9 during an arrival ceremony at the 31st Air Base at Poznan, Poland. Gen. Tom Hobbins, representing the U.S. Air Force chief of staff, attended the ceremony that marked Poland's transformation from Soviet-style equipment to some of the most modern systems in Europe and NATO.
11/14/2006 - POZNAN, Poland (AFPN) -- The first F-16 Fighting Falcons acquired by the Polish air force arrived at the 31st Air Base here Nov. 9 and were featured at a special roll-out ceremony.
Gen. Tom Hobbins, Allied Air Component commander and U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander, represented the Air Force chief of staff at the event which included speeches by the Polish president, as well as a blessing of the aircraft and consecration ceremony."Poland's acquisition of the F-16 cements the relationship between the U.S. Air Force and the Polish air force for several decades to come," said General Hobbins. "This ceremony demonstrates that Poland has become a very powerful and more vital member of NATO than ever before."
The aircraft arrival marked a great leap forward for Poland as they transform from aging Soviet-style equipment to some of the most advanced systems in Europe and NATO, the general said. "
Okay, no "Polish Submarine" jokes as a follow on please.
Milbloggers in the News
By John
Standby for link-fest.
Milblogging has been all over the mainstream media these last few days. Partly due to The Blog of War release, partly due to news that the Pentagon has dedicated a National Guard unit towards monitoring miblogs for OPSEC violations.
Noah Shachtman, Blackfive, and I did an interview with Wired magazine, already up on their main site. You can also hear the three of us on National Public Radio's Day to Day segment on Monday (not sure when exactly, but I've been promised the mp3 version when it airs).
Additionally, the AP ran a story earlier today on the new Pentagon milblog monitoring team. As did the Stars & Stripes. Both have the usual suspects, JP from Milblogging.com and Matt from Blackfive.
And yes, there's more. USA Today blogged the Pentagon story on Wednesday, with a completely inaccurate "Pentagon Moves Against Milbloggers" title, I might add. That's not what's happening.
Marc Danziger's Examiner piece, focused exclusively on The Blog of War, was somewhat less contentious. Not to mention one of the better BOW reviews that I've read.
And finally, The Salt Lake Tribune wrote a nice Sunday piece on the excellent miblog Wordsmith at War.
There seems to be a perfect storm forming around the milblogging movement, with the bloggers, the media, and the Pentagon merging to affect some sort of major change on the community. The exact change is -as they say- in the tea leaves. Let's hope it is a positive one.
Happy Birthday, Navy!
By Lt Col P
(One day late.)
Michelle Malkin reminded us all of the US Navy's 231st birthday yesterday. I'd like to add my good wishes as well, to all the docs, dentists, chaplains, corpsmen, EOD techs, naval gunfire officers, SEALs, pilots, coxswains, gunner's mates and the thousand other rates and ranks who serve with us in the Marine Corps and support us on the sea and in the air. The Navy is the service we love to hate, and sometimes I think the feeling is mutual. But when it's all said and done no one can keep the seas-- and sweep the seas-- like the good old US Navy.
Canada to NATO: Get with the Program
By Lt Col P
In line with John's post below, I found a great source of news on Canadians in Afghanistan on the Toronto Globe & Mail's site.
Here's one story from 10 Oct that struck me: "Canada slams NATO's Afghan role:"
OTTAWA — Canada's Defence Minister is confronting those NATO countries with troops deployed in relatively stable parts of Afghanistan — including Germany, France, Spain and Italy — saying they must lift the restrictions that prevent their soldiers from taking on the more dangerous tasks being shouldered by Canadians.
It's a problem that one former Canadian military leader says threatens the future of the 57-year-old North Atlantic Treaty Organization — an alliance founded on the principle that an attack against one of its members is an attack against all.
Point well made, Mr O'Connor.
Like I've said before and John said below, they may be small in numbers but they're professional, skilled, dedicated and willing. Damn glad to have them out there, only wish there were more.
Thru-Hiking PJs now deep inside Virginia
By Lt Col P
Got a nice email from Craig and David, the two USAF Pararescuemen who are hiking the length of the Appalachian Trail They wrote to say thanks for the link, and to report that they're at Route 60.
If they're at Route 60, they're very close to VMI. I sent a note to a good friend there suggesting that the AF ROTC department have a couple of motivated cadets make contact with them. I hope the word made its way to the right ears. If not, maybe someone will hear it now because they'll still be in reasonable driving distance of Lexington for a while yet.
If you haven't visited their site, Trail to Recovery, go there now. Drop 'em a line too. Anyone who's done any hiking on the AT will know that a couple days' hike is one thing, but to go from shelter to shelter every day for months on end takes exceptional dedication.
Air Force PJs Hike the A.T.
By Lt Col P
By way of WTOP in Washington DC, a great story about two USAF Pararescuemen hiking the length of the Appalachian Trail.
Be sure to look at the updates page.
You can donate to the cause, too. And be sure to drop them an email. These guys are studs.
Rangel Punk-Slaps Chavez
By Lt Col P
Go to Drudge and read what U.S. Representative Charles Rangel said to hideous Hugo.
Read and be proud: "AN ATTACK ON BUSH IS AN ATTACK ON ALL AMERICANS... 'You do not come into my country, my congressional district, and you do not condemn my president."
That's what I've been waiting for-- any member of Congress or any prominent American to stand up and say to Chavez, "Look, f*ckface, shut your trap and hit the road. Americans can criticize other Americans, you don't rate an opinion."
And I finally heard one.
NATO Punk-Slaps Taliban
By Lt Col P
Looks like some positive developments coming out of the 'Stan.
WashTimes reports that Op Medusa has killed a large number of the Taliban's hard-core fighters. The Globe & Mail reports that Canadians were on the tip of the spear.
If Gen Jones' assessment is correct, then a couple of things are also true. First, NATO stood firm and did the deed, despite casualties and squawking in their home countries. Second, the Taliban miscalculated and paid the price for engaging in essentially conventional combat. Third, with the onset of the Afghan winter not too far off, the failure of the Taliban to gain control of the populace gives us the chance to exploit the victory with reconstruction and stabilization ops.
The Taliban will be back, later this year perhaps and certainly next year, but it is with these incremental operations that the war will be won.
The RCR and the Princess Pats
By Lt Col P
As we have noted here before, Afghanistan is heating up again. One analysis I heard was that the Taliban was seeking to gain ground before the winter sets in. NATO forces have dealt them some pretty heavy casualties, but hard fighting continues. An article in the Toronto Star today says that since 1 May, 21 Canadians soldiers have been killed.
I don’t know who is bearing what portion of the fighting there, but I do know that the Canadian soldiers deserve our thanks and praise for wading into the fight and taking on a tenacious and vicious foe.
The Star article mentions that one of the recent casualties was from Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Four more casualties, earlier this month, came from the Royal Canadian Regiment, the senior infantry regiment in their army. The names of these famous units remind us of the British traditions that dominate the Canadian forces, where the regiment is not a tactical formation as it is, for example, in the Marine Corps, but rather a home, a family, a patria.
Go read about those units, and take a good look at their lineage and honors. If today they are small in numbers they strong in heart and arms. I’m glad they’re with us.
(Also, if you want a good account of just how tough were the Canadian divisions that went to France in 1914, read McBride's incomparable book, A Rifleman Went To War.)
Spouse Buzz Launches
By John
I'm proud to say that the First Lady of the Milblogosphere, in conjunction with our Viceroys at Military.com, have launched a new blog dedicated to hardest working folks in the military: the spouses.
Over the past year, I’ve received a lot of email from frustrated spouses, especially reserve and National Guard spouses who find themselves with a deployed spouse but without the local military infrastructure or support system available to active-duty spouses. We’re attempting to fill that void, and bring milspouses together with SpouseBUZZ, a great new blog devoted exclusively to life from the perspective of a milspouse. It’s not a Milblog per se, no politics, no military strategy, etc., this blog will focus solely on milspouse issues. The authors are incredible, and I’m sure they will provide a lot of support for their fellow military spouses.
If you're in the service, pass the word to your spouse. Then have him/her pass it on to the base spouse's club. Think pyramid scheme, only useful.
Spouse Buzz is going to help, big time. The folks at Military.com know benefits better than Congress, the Joint Chiefs, and most veteran associations out there....this will make your life as a member of the military family easier, guaranteed.
And it's free. Get to it!
NATO Takes the Fight to the Taliban
By Lt Col P
NATO and Afghan forces engage the Taliban in southern Afghanistan. Unfortunately, four Canadian soldiers