MiLinks

Conventional Trident Study Continues. In spite of Congress!

Israel to Sell Armored Vehicles to U.S. Troops in Iraq. Whatever works for the troops, I say.

U.S. Army To Buy Fire Scout UAVs. It's the new air warfare.

Strykers advanced new fighting gear. Including the Mobile Gun System.

The crying need for a bigger U.S. military. Now or never.

Where are the Strykers? Find out here!

F-15s stop sniper fire. Thats what I call close air support!

General Discusses Chlorine Bombs, Helicopter Shoot-downs. The scoop from the frontlines.

US Air Force chief foresees mixed tanker fleet.

Indian Navy's New Maritime Warfare Doctrine. A rising superpower.

CVN-77 to carry Independence anchor. Something old for something new!

Iranian Wave II "Destroyer". Really a Corvette.

USS Pearl Harbor Welcomes Japanese Troops. Ironic, ain't it?

Bio-enhanced sensors for subs. The whales aprove this message.

Warship Woes Part 2. Maybe an answer to the shrinking fleet?

Election 2008 Apology Watch # 2

This from John Edwards via NewsMax:

Democrat John Edwards said Tuesday that honesty and openness were
essential qualities for a president, and that he was proud to acknowledge his
2002 vote authorizing the invasion of Iraq was a mistake...
"If you asked me
what I think the most important personal characteristics of the next president
are, I would say honesty, openness and decency," he said. "There's not a single
voter in America who doesn't understand that their president is human, and their
president will sometimes makes mistakes."

He should've apologized for this.

Insurgency on its Own

Bill Roggio reveals Al Sadr has declared every man for himself:

It is no surprise that Sadr chose this time to flee to Iran and denounce the Baghdad Security Plan (although a Sadr aide is now backtracking on this statement.) The pressure has been stepped up on Sadr and his Mahdi Army. While Sadr is taking refuge in Iran, he is sending a message to his lieutenants they are on their own. Some will begin to act on their own, too.

Meanwhile, the US led Coalition is attempting to divide and conquer with the Surge. Read the rest.

The Party of Freedom

Looks like Rudy Giuliani has a new slogan, and its a good one. From National Review:

I believe that the Republican Party is "The Party of Freedom." At
our best, we believe in giving people more control over their own lives. This
principle runs through the policies that unite us as a party: keeping taxes low
and cutting the size of government, finding market solutions to generational
challenges such as entitlement reform, and increasing opportunity through
education reforms like school choice. ..

When I look to the future, I
see a country where citizens are confident that our nation is in control of its
destiny. I see a country where citizens feel they have a right to live in
freedom from fear. I see a country where citizens believe we will hand our
nation to the next generation better than it was handed to us. Because people
who live in freedom have much more strength than people who live in oppression.

These are Reaganesque ideas, which we so desperately need as totalitarianism and socialism seems to be making a comeback.

Children Find Practice Missile in N. Charleston

This is reported by ABCNews4:

Two young siblings playing in the woods near their North Charleston home found a small, inactive military practice bomb. W-C-S-C-TV reported that authorities identified the device found over the weekend as an inactive military round. The children's mother told the TV station the device looked like a missile but she didN'T immediately think it was something she should be concerned about.

The Charleston Air Force Base had no comment, apparently. Not long ago, my cousin's house in Bowman SC was hit by a piece of an F-15. Forget about bombing Iran, now I'm starting to worry!

Iranian leader's rhetoric criticized

And not just by the West, reports the Washington Times:

The domestic criticism of the hard-line Iranian president came amid signs that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is growing discontented with Mr. Ahmadinejad. Last week, the ayatollah voiced rare criticism of the domestic record of Mr. Ahmadinejad's government, and the president was notably absent when a group of Cabinet members and vice presidents met recently with the Shi'ite cleric, who has the final word in all political affairs in Iran, including the nuclear issue...
Those comments brought a hail of condemnations in Iran yesterday, not only from reformists who have long opposed Mr. Ahmadinejad, but also from conservatives who once backed him but now see his fiery rhetoric as needlessly provoking the West into confrontation.

It seems the radical dictator's base is starting to crumble. No time for America to weaken, or begin negotiations, as some are contending.

Update: Strategypage details how Iranian Hardliners Have a Little Civil War

One Day

Sam Ryskind has a theory:

One day the U.S. Congress may change allegiance and support al-Qaeda instead of the sons and daughters of their own constituents... .

They will denounce the terrorist leadership as incompetent. Condemn the insurgency for atrocities befitting Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot. Seek ways of cutting off funds for the failed jihad and prevent terrorist networks from eavesdropping on suspected American agents. And mock the rank and file as dupes who wasted their lives for a Paradise that doesn’t exist.

Not only would it undermine Islamic terrorists everywhere, it would free our troops from bearing the burden of such supporters.

Hmmm...think this might work better than Murtha's plan.

Al the Prophet

A new and dangerous religion is rising in the world, which may leave us pining for Radical Islam. From the Globe and Mail:

It wasn't any old-time religion that drew these believers to Convocation Hall at the University of Toronto, but a concept they feel is every bit as crucial to humanity -- global warming -- that made them want to get close to Al Gore, the impassioned former U.S. vice-president, as he delivered his now famous Inconvenient Truth about climate change.
Like many a bygone leader who happened along at a key moment in history, Mr. Gore -- who has been sounding the environmental warning bell for years -- has suddenly inspired the kind of faith and fervour in others that he insists will be needed to overcome such a monumental problem.
"From my perspective, it is a form of religion," said Bruce Crofts, 69, as he held a banner aloft for the East Toronto Climate Action Group amid a lively prelecture crowd outside the old hall.

I think of global warming as a new religion because its increasingly a "heresy" to speak against it. Here's my own take on the new religion, which seeks to bring down world capitalism in favor of the Dark Age-Superstition Rises.

Hat-tip tp Blogs for Bush-Heeding the Goracle.

Lieberman's Appeal

The maverick Democrat Senator pleads with his colleagues to stay the course in Iraq. From OpinionJournal:

What is remarkable about this state of affairs in Washington is just how removed it is from what is actually happening in Iraq. There, the battle of Baghdad is now under way. A new commander, Gen. David Petraeus, has taken command, having been confirmed by the Senate, 81-0, just a few weeks ago. And a new strategy is being put into action, with thousands of additional American soldiers streaming into the Iraqi capital...

I appeal to my colleagues in Congress to step back and think carefully about what to do next. Instead of undermining Gen. Petraeus before he has been in Iraq for even a month, let us give him and his troops the time and support they need to succeed.

Such as relief to have tenacious politicians like Joe still standing up for America in Congress. So many now are after what's best only for their own districts, plus getting reelected, rather than looking at the big picture.

Winning Covers a Multitude of Mistakes

My latest from OpinionEditorials.com:

For those who continue to support the President’s effort to bring democracy to the Middle East, we aren’t waiting for good news to come out of Iraq, but for the Media to begin reporting the good news. Ironically, our troops on the frontlines, faced daily with potential death or maiming, are more concerned if we on the homefront will lose heart before the mission in Iraq is completed.

We who still have hope receive consistent support from the new alternative media, including Fox News, talk radio, plus conservative websites such as Townhall, News Max, Pajamas Media, and Free Republic for accurate stories from the frontlines. I can’t leave out the millions of websites now run by the new phenomena called citizen journalists, also known as Milbloggers, some who report first-hand battle accounts from Iraq and Afghanistan. They have been a great source of encouragement to counter the extreme partisan-driven negativity emanating from the old Mainstream Media.

Read the rest.

Why Vote Rudy?

Maggie Gallagher, who James Taranto describes as "a Catholic who is very conservative on those social issues" sums up my own feelings in a nutshell:

When I ask myself, who of all the candidates in both parties do I
most trust to keep me and my children safe? The answer is instantaneous, deeper
than the level any particular policy debate can go: Rudy Giuliani. And when I
look ahead on social issues like gay marriage, the greatest threat I see is that
the Supreme Court with two or more appointments from Hillary Clinton, will
decide that our Founding Fathers, in their wisdom, created a national
constitutional right to whatever social liberals have decided is the latest
civil rights battle.

Maggie also adds National Security to the list, which echoes my principle cause for backing America's Mayor. To sum up: What part of 9/11 have you forgotten? It's all that matters.

A Real Quagmire!

">This is funny to watch, but what if they were getting shot at? I thought Navy SEALs or Seabees are supposed to go in first and check things out before we send in the Marines.

HMS Dreadnought launching

">Dreadnought

Served as flagship of the British Fleet from 1907-1912. Here's more with pictures.

America is not at War

Lieberman Might Switch Parties

This interesting development is reported by Politico:

Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut told the Politico on Thursday that he has no immediate plans to switch parties but suggested that Democratic opposition to funding the war in Iraq might change his mind..."I have no desire to change parties," Lieberman said in a telephone interview. "If that ever happens, it is because I feel the majority of Democrats have gone in a direction that I don't feel comfortable with."

Free Frank Warner declares "Lieberman has saved Iraq." Thank God!

Out of the Frying Pan...

Most of the Brit troops being withdrawn from Iraq are headed to another front. From The Guardian:

The defence secretary, Des Browne, is expected to announce on Monday a fresh deployment of more than 1,000 extra troops and equipment to Afghanistan to combat an expected spring offensive by the Taliban .
The increase in forces was reported to the cabinet yesterday amid what was described as a heavy discussion about the situation in the country and the efforts needed to shore up the government in Kabul...

Nato currently has 35,000 troops in Afghanistan of which 5,000 are British, stationed in Helmand province, a one-time Taliban stronghold still responsible for 60% of Afghan opium production.
The deeper British commitment comes only a day after Tony Blair told MPs of plans for a 1,600 cut in British forces in southern Iraq by the summer to roughly 7,100, with further planned reductions later in the year.

Looks like Al Qaeda can't catch a break.

Chavez buys weapons, venezuelans go hungry

This article is from Petroleum World:

1. Undernourishment has grown from 15% in 1997 to 18% in 2003.
2. In 1997 3.4 million Venezuelans were undernourished. In 2003 this figure had increased to 4.5 million.
3. Dietary consumption in kilocalories per person per day was 2380 in 1997, decreasing to 2350 in 2003.
4. Food exports in 1997 were 138 as compared to the base of 100 in 1990. In 2003 exports of food had fallen to 63 on the same basis, while imports had greatly increased.

In other words availability of food for the Venezuelan population has decreased significantly, in spite of a government program called Mercal, which provides subsidized or even free food to certain segments of the population...

This is the legacy of Socialism, something which the fall of the old Soviet Empire failed to teach many.

Honest News

The Thinking Behind Blair's Iraq Decision

Cheney: We want to complete the mission

Perseverance Key to Success in Iraq

Baghdad Security Operation Quells Violence

Soldier to receive Distinguished Service Cross

Troops capture 61 terror suspects

Survival course prepares airmen for ground assaults

Vietnam Vets Vs. Wall Desecraters

Here's more on the story I posted yesterday, this by reporter Scott Sexton:

About 30 members of the (American Legion Post 55) started organizing for the trip shortly after they got wind of a large anti-war demonstration planned for March 17. It wasn't the anti-war message that got their backs up so much as it was the location that activists picked to start a march to the Pentagon - the Vietnam Veterans Memorial - and what happened during an anti-war rally held Jan. 27. On that day, a small group of over-exuberant protesters spray-painted slogans on the Capitol steps..."We're going to protect our Wall," said Bob Penn, a Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War...

Penn and four other veterans gathered at Legion Post 55 one recent afternoon took "about 30 seconds" to decide they were going to Washington. To them, the Wall is a sacred place that symbolizes the sacrifices made by their friends in Southeast Asia..."All protests start with good intentions, but sometimes they end badly," he said. "Those are my brothers on that Wall, and I will protect it."

Here's wishing a well and prosperous journey. Never forget those who sacrificed!

A World Without America

I'm gonna learn how to embed videos on Blogger. Until I do, go to the link for this 2 minute Flash ad:

At a time of rampant anti-Americanism this ad - produced with BritainAndAmerica.com - aims to remind the world of the great economic, technological and political benefits that the US has brought to the world.

Fighting Cancer and Fighting in Iraq

This soldier had to fight one battle before joining his comrades in Iraq. From Stryker Brigade News:

Following completion of his training,(Pfc. Matthew Moody) was assigned to his unit with a looming Iraqi deployment. As the rest of his new unit prepared for their deployment, Moody found out that he would not be going to Iraq, and that service to his country might come to an abrupt halt.
He had been diagnosed with cancer forcing him to remain behind as his new-found friends left for Iraq.
Moody said his only option was to fight his illness. Finally, he was declared fit to fight.
“I was happy because I really wanted to be with my buddies in Iraq,” he said.

This guy is truly a fearless warrior! God speed and thanks for your service to your country.

Soldier Refuses Purple Heart

Until his men get theirs. Great story from Stryker Brigade News:

(U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Chess) Johnson wants to go back to Iraq, where he served on an Army Interim Brigade Combat Team and worked on a Stryker, a versatile, wheeled armored vehicle that combines firepower with battlefield mobility.
“First, (I want to go back) because my men out there are family, not like family, but family I would do anything for, and second, because I want to end this war so no other men or women have to go back over there,” Johnson said.
Johnson refused to accept the Purple Heart, saying he would take it when the rest of his unit gets theirs, said his aunt, Katie Banks of Dove Creek.

A selfess hero which we all should take a lesson from. God bless the troops!

Vets to protect Vietnam Veterans Wall

Against antiwar protester defamation. From THE U.S. VETERAN DISPATCH:

Leftist activists who march to the Pentagon next month will discover that their path won't be as clear as it has been in the past.
The group, led by Cindy Sheehan, Jane Fonda, Ramsey Clark and their ilk, plan to gather March 17 at the Vietnam Memorial Wall to begin a march to protest America's involvement in the Iraq war. The date marks the fourth anniversary of the war's beginning.
This time, however, protestors will see objectors if they spit on Iraqi veterans again, or throw paint on a war memorial. This time, they will encounter a buzz saw of Vietnam veterans and supporters who will gather to protect the Wall, and show their support for U.S. troops. The counter-protestors are calling themselves the Gathering of Eagles.

A bunch of NRA supporting Vietnam Vets against Code Pink?! My money is on the Vets!

Yankees Go Home!

Its that time of year, folks. This is from Quando.net:

Anyone else tired of this?

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday that South Carolina should remove the Confederate flag from its Statehouse grounds, in part because the nation should unite under one banner while at war."I think about how many South Carolinians have served in our military and who are serving today under our flag and I believe that we should have one flag that we all pay honor to, as I know that most people in South Carolina do every single day," Clinton told The Associated Press in an interview.

Every 4 years this little goodie is trotted out during the primary and afterward forgotten for another 4 years. I understand that reporters inevitably ask the question. And I understand that candidates feel obligated to answer questions asked by reporters. But what would be wrong with saying "I'm a candidate for a national office and while I have a personal opinion about the issue, this is something for the people of this state to decide."

The last time we had this debate in SC, you could barely see the Flag on the State House Dome. Now its in clear site right in front of the Capitol. But wherever it stays, it should be up to us citizens and not these pandering Carpetbaggers!

History of Appeasement

Victor Davis Hanson reveals our politicians' checkered pass in this regard:

The most famous example was the 1974 Foreign Relations Act. Passed in the wake of Watergate scandal, the congressional resolution cut off all military assistance to the South Vietnamese government. But that public stand-down only encouraged the North Vietnamese communists to violate the Paris peace accords and renew the war—without any more worries of U.S arms shipments or air strikes.

The Neutrality Acts of the 1930s, passed by an isolationist Congress, forbade U.S. military assistance to, or trade in war material with, any belligerent, regardless of whether they were aggressors or victims. Such actions of “conscious” only emboldened Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan to attack democracies and other neutral states. Hitler, Mussolini and Tojo were convinced that whatever their provocations, the United States had no stomach to stand up to any of them, or even to join Britain and France in a united front of resistance. World War II with its 50 million dead followed...

In a routine policy address Cold War warrior and Secretary of States Dean Acheson once warned the communist bloc that the American defensive perimeter in the Pacific went from Aleutians to Japan to the Ryukyus and onto the Philippine Islands. But Acheson, perhaps inadvertently, left out the Korean Peninsula...

Jimmy Carter had a far worse habit of telegraphing his intention to enemies. In 1977 he declared that America had outgrown its “inordinate fear of communism”. But by that time, global communism from Stalin to Mao had killed nearly 100 million of its own and invaded dozens of natural countries. Nothing “inordinate” about that.

So next when Carter made it clear that he would not retaliate immediately against Iran for storming of the US embassy in November 1979, it was not much of a surprise that the Soviet Union quickly invaded Afghanistan—unafraid of an America that wouldn’t use force to free its own diplomats or punish those who took them.

And so on...

MiLinks

Enhanced Predator for the Army. Now called the Warrior!

Kinetic Energy Missile Test a Success. On an uparmored T-72!

Robotic Followers. Follow the leader!

Fighters, Strykers to be Cut From Budget. Democrats on a role!

F-22 Raptor Arrives in Japan. Better late than never!

Joint Franco/German Fighting Vehicle.

US to build Satellite Base in Australia.

British Mine Resistant Vehicles for US Marines. Whatever keeps them safe.

B-1 Bomber Seen Over Baghdad. Check the photo for proof.

Navy's New Land Forces. Chasing Al Qaeda into the littorals!

Navy Ship Plan Becomes Clear. Sneaking a few more ships into the budget. Good!

LCS Variant at Defense Expo.

New aircraft carriers face delays. Brits in budget quandry.

Goodnight JFK

From Defense Industry Daily:

The USS John F. Kennedy [CV 67], which hasn't been deployed since 2004, is the last petroleum-powered aircraft carrier in the US fleet. Virginia legislators denied the Pentagon's FY 2006 request to retire the carrier, but as DID reported a year ago in "Is The End Near for the USS JFK?" attitudes changed once they were presented with the estimated $2+ billion cost of restoring her to fighting condition.

'THESE COLORS DON'T RUN.'"

Move America Forward is making a backlash against the backlash on the war:

Move America Forward invites you to join us as we launch a national caravan from California (leaving on Thursday, March 8, 2007) to Washington, D.C. where we will join "The Gathering of Eagles" for a giant pro-troop rally on Saturday March 17, 2007.

Join us for the entire caravan, or for just part of the route or attend one of our patriotic pro-troop rallies across the nation. At each stop we're asking participants to bring an American Flag (homemade or store-bought) and we'll pack it up with the caravan and bring it to Washington, D.C. There we will create a giant "Flag City" - a sea of red, white and blue patriotism to surround our war memorials and show we will not turn our backs on our troops as they serve bravely overseas. Have your children make a homemade flag. Knit a flag. Bring a flag that has special meaning or significance to you, because these flags are going to be given to the finest Americans: our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.After the D.C. rally we'll send each flag that was displayed to a unit serving in Iraq or Afghanistan with a placard explaining where the flag flew and why.

For more info check out the above link and also this great article from Judi McLeod of the Canada Free Press.

Iraq Civilian Casualties Plummet

Just came across this on the Yahoo frontpage:

The number of Iraqi civilians killed in Baghdad's sectarian violence fell drastically overnight, an Iraqi military official said Friday, crediting the joint U.S.-Iraqi security operation that began in force just days ago.
Iraqi army Brig. Gen. Qassim Moussawi, a spokesman for the Baghdad commander, said only 10 bodies had been reported by the morgue in the capital, compared to an average of 40 to 50 per day.

"This shows a big reduction in terror and killing operations in Baghdad," he said on Iraqi state television.
Maj. Gen. Joseph Fil, commander of U.S. forces in Baghdad, also reported a reduction in violence, attributing it to both the increased U.S. and Iraqi security presence and an apparent decision by the militias and insurgents to lay low.

Probably a smart move on the enemy's part. Hope our troops continue to hammer them without rest!

Criticism of our President(s)

Katelyn Sills at Victory Caucus says they defamed our nations best:

“Our President has lied to us.” “He has falsely led us into this war.” “He has abused our civil rights.” “He has exceeded his Presidential powers.” “Americans are dying because of this war that should have never been fought.”

You might have thought that I was talking about our current president, but actually, I was referring to criticism about the 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. Now considered one of our greatest presidents, Lincoln was bombarded with criticism from the press, from the Democrats, and even from within his own Republican party. Because the presidential criticism is very similar today, it is valuable to examine how the public opinion of President Lincoln has changed.

Read the rest.

Honest News

Good news from the War on Terror, oddly absent from today's headlines.

Al Sadr Flees to Iran

Army Engineers build girls school in Iraq

Coalition captures numerous terrorists

Iraq Army Deploying On Time

Europe's Muslims find ally in U.S.

Petraeus takes charge in Iraq

Soldier tells tales of service, pride

NATO chief sees Afghan insurgency smashed by 2009

Fallon to recruit Arab nations for help

The 1998 Iraq Resolution

Victor Davis Hanson recalls some pre-Bush views in Congress on Saddam Hussein:

I didn’t think it was such a good idea in 1998 to go to war to remove Saddam Hussein, as the Congress, on Bill Clinton’s prompt, sort of authorized. At least that was the force of the 1998 resolution that “urges the president to take all necessary and appropriate actions to respond to the threat posed by Iraq’s refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs..."

Do we remember the rhetoric in those unhappy Clinton years, when Democrats were outdoing each other to threaten war to remove Saddam? Sen. Tom Daschle bragged that his vote for the resolution would “send as clear a message as possible that we are going to force, one way or another, diplomatically or militarily, Iraq to comply with international law.”

If there were any doubt what he meant, he added, “‘Look, we have exhausted virtually our diplomatic effort to get the Iraqis to comply with their own agreements and with international law. Given that, what other option is there but to force them to do so?’ That’s what they’re saying. This is the key question. And the answer is we don’t have another option. We have got to force them to comply, and we are doing so militarily.”

How soon we forget. I think its called "selective amnesia".

MiLinks

Waking The Military Dinosaur. William Lind thinks the Army can't change.

Israeli Arrow Hits Missile At Night. Stttt-rrrrrrike!!!

New GPS System for Minuteman III ICBM. Do nukes have to be so accurate?

UAV Tested For US Border Security. Can't arrest a robot!

Boeing to Bid on Tanker Replacement. Sorry, Senator McCain!

Noisemakers Foil Chopper Killers. Here's more of the same.

Navy Tweaks Shipbuilding Plan. David Axe says "Build more Arleigh Burkes"!

Support the Troops, Not the War

If this philosophy was applied to everyday life:

1. Parent to Child-Grow up strong and prosperous, but I’ll do nothing to help.
2. Teacher to Student-Learn and be smart but I won’t teach you anything.
3. Policeman to Bank Robber- I’m against you robbing this bank but I’ll do nothing to interfere.
4. Doctor to Patient- I hope you get well, but I refuse to treat you.
5. Café Owner to Patron- Thanks for eating here but I can’t feed you.
6. Fireman to Person whose house is burning-I hate to see your house burn, but I won’t put out the fire.
7. Football player to Fan-Thanks for coming to the game, but I’m not going to play.
8. Airline Pilot to Passenger-I’ll get you in the air but you’re on your on from there.
9. Singer to Audience-Welcome to the show, just hum amongst yourselves if we want music.
10. Soldier to Congress-You and your families be safe, but don’t expect me to protect you.

Election 2008: Apology Watch #1

And so it begins with Barak Obama:

On Sunday Sen. Barack Obama, speaking at Iowa State University,
made this jaw-dropping statement:
We ended up launching a war that should
have never been authorized, and should have never been waged, and to which we
now have spent $400 billion, and have seen over 3,000 lives
of the bravest young Americans wasted.

Wasted! Hard to believe anyone would say such a thing, but there it is on video.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports Obama quickly fired up the
nuance machine:
Obama, in an interview with the Des Moines Register right
afterward, told the paper, ''I was actually upset with myself when I said that,
because I never use that term,'' he said. ''Their sacrifices are never wasted. .
. . What I meant to say was those sacrifices have not been honored by the same
attention to strategy, diplomacy and honesty on the part of civilian leadership
that would give them a clear mission."

Wished I started this with Joe Biden. Thanks to James Taranto.

Deal on North Korean Nukes Struck

Keep your fingers crossed! From the Washington Times:

A brief statement issued by China's official Xinhua news agency just before 3 a.m. Beijing time said: "The envoys of the six parties involved in the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue worked overnight in a bid to clinch a possible deal, but no agreements announced yet."

Mr. Hill said the United States was fully behind the Chinese text, but he did not rule out attempts by the North to extract more concessions or renegotiate the steps it has to take. He called the draft an implementation document of the September 2005 joint statement of principles, in which all parties committed to the denuclearization of the peninsula.

If this works out, it will be a another defeat for the Axis of Evil, and justification of Bush's support for multilateral talks versus unilateral blackmail.

The Victory Caucus

Got this email today:

Dear NRSC Pledge Signer:I am pleased to announce that we have now taken the next step in organizing those of us who feel that victory is the only option in our current global conflict. Today, we have launched a new web site: The Victory Caucus.

At the site, you will find news and information on the war, discussion forums to share your views, and concrete ways to help support our troops and communicate to our leaders that victory is what we demand.

Check out the site and show your support for the troops and freedom in the Middle East and here!

A California Secession?

I knew this was coming, from the NY Times:

If the scale of a country renders it unmanageable, there are two possible responses. One is a breakup of the nation; the other is a radical decentralization of power. More than half of the world’s 200 nations formed as breakaways after 1946. These days, many nations — including Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Italy and Spain, just to name a few — are devolving power to regions in various ways...

If such a state decided to get serious about determining its own fate, other states would have little choice but to act, too. One response might be for an area like New England, which already has many regional interstate arrangements, to follow California’s initiative — as it already has on some environmental measures. And if one or two large regions began to take action, other state groupings in the Northwest, Southwest and elsewhere would be likely to follow.

I can see it now: a gay, illegal, abortionist, atheist, and socialist paradise. Did I say paradise?

Update: And these are the same guys who want a UN run world government? Talk about centralizing power!

Howard Slams Obama

The Australian Prime Minister had some choice words for the new Democrat presidential aspirant:

Obama said Saturday at his campaign kickoff in Springfield, Ill., that one of the country's first priorities should be ending the war in Iraq...Australian Prime Minister John Howard, a staunch Bush ally who has sent troops to Iraq and faces his own re-election bid later this year, said Obama's proposals would spell disaster for the Middle East.

"I think that will just encourage those who want to completely destabilize and destroy Iraq, and create chaos and a victory for the terrorists to hang on and hope for an Obama victory," Howard said on Nine Network television.
"If I were running al-Qaida in Iraq, I would put a circle around March 2008 and be praying as many times as possible for a victory, not only for Obama but also for the Democrats."

Well said, but my favorite Howard quote is:

"You either rat on the ally or you stay with the ally."

Getting back to Barak Obama, its obvious that he and other Democrats on the campaign trail are using the anti-war method as an easy vote getter, which I think is a serious mistake showing such irresponsibility in this new Age of Terrorism. And what if we win in Iraq? They'll remind us they were for the war before they were against it.

Charleston Crews Under Fire

The Post & Courier reports on new threats facing our brave C-17 flyers:

...with a new push to reduce ground convoys in Iraq and move supplies to troops by air, more crews are flying back to Charleston and other U.S. bases with stories about their planes taking fire.
Perched in the cockpit of her C-17, Capt. Michele Lobianco spotted a missile heading toward her one night last September in Iraq.
She and her Charleston-based crew had just taken off after unloading supplies for a group of Marines. Looking left, she spotted the rocket's tail glowing green through her night-vision goggles...
"You get mad about it later," Lobianco said. "You think, 'Someone just tried to kill me.' "

In recent weeks, military officials have grown particularly concerned about flight operations after Iraqi insurgents shot down six helicopters and Sunni militants bragged that "God has granted new ways" to threaten U.S. aircraft.
The Air Force was unable to provide statistics for the last few months, but between Sept. 30, 2005, and Oct. 1, 2006, Air Force aircraft took fire 215 times.

Keep your heads down fellas, and God Bless!

Honest News

NATO Pledges More Support for Afghanistan

13 Terrorists killed in air strike

Al Qaeda in Iraq Crumbling

Muslim Denounces 'Culture of Death'

Crushing offensive to calm Baghdad

Iraq Forces Kill Gang Leader

Casey refutes Iraq pessimism

Force Protection on TV

The Charleston SC based armored vehicle maker will be on CNN this weekend:

Force Protection Industries, Inc. and its Buffalo armored vehicle will be featured in the Cutting Edge Designs segment of CNN's Headline News multiple times starting Friday, February 9th through Sunday, February 11th. Approximate air times are as follows:

Friday, between 7:00 AM EST and 7:30 AM EST.
Friday, between 12:30 PM EST and 1:00 PM EST.
Friday, between 5:00 PM EST and 5:30 PM EST.
Saturday, between 1:30 PM EST and 2:00 PM EST.
Sunday, between 9:30 AM EST and 10:00 AM EST.
Sunday, between 3:30 PM EST and 4:00 PM EST.

Force Protection and its life-saving armored vehicles have been featured by several major national outlets in recent weeks, including Bloomberg News and Dow Jones MarketWatch.

When Preemptive War Works

It can be a decisive weapon, according to J. Peter Pham & Michael I. Krauss, with examples from the recent Ethiopian invasion of Somalia:

1. decisive unilateral pre-emption works
2. there is no substitute for "boots on the ground
3. when you fight, don't tie one hand behind your back
4. an enemy cannot be destroyed unless its avenues of escape are sealed
5. strike while the iron is hot

For details of each, go to the link. I love this quote: "Perhaps this time, Solomon might learn a thing or two from Sheba."

The Surge Underway

As reported by Bill Roggio:

News that an Iraqi Army brigade and 2,000 American troops have begun an operation in the Sunni dominated neighborhood of Azamiyah has kicked off speculation the Baghdad Security Operation is now underway in full force. Expect the forces to establish one or more Combat Outposts (or COPs) in Azamiyah. But the fact is the operation to stabilize the capital and the surrounding provinces is only in its infancy. Today's positioning of forces Azamiyah is but one more opening move on the chessboard.

And good news:

The mere announcement of the security plan has already and an affect on the security situation. On a positive note, the death squad activity has dramatically decreased in Baghdad. The near daily reports of bodies being found bound, mutilated and murdered have significantly decreased. A major reason for this is Muqtada al-Sadr has ordered his fighters to go to ground and not confront U.S. and Iraqi forces. His senior militia leaders are thought to have fled Baghdad.

Fleeing is good, but a general destruction of Al Qaeda in Iraq will be better.
Also read Deploying the The Snake Eater in Khalidaya.

Orangeburg Guard troops bound for Afghanistan

I was one of those in the crowd waving my flag and shouting "good Luck!" Story from the T & D:


Orangeburg businesses and schools are expected to answer the call to show support for the historic deployment of soldiers from the Orangeburg 218th Brigade Company B/163rd Battalion today.Company B will be deployed to Afghanistan as part of Task Force Phoenix. The entire tour of duty is expected to be 18 months, which includes preliminary training before arrival in Afghanistan and debriefing.Soldiers will depart for two months of training to Camp Shelby, Miss. before heading to Afghanistan in April for a yearlong deployment to a base outside of Kabul.The 90-troop deployment is the Orangeburg unit’s largest since World War II.

Really inspiring to see all the folks, some of which I knew from my parents home in Branchville. Thought they were carrying their vehicles with them (perhaps they went on ahead) but these troops headed out in vans and buses. One fellow gave me the "V" for Victory sign. Good job Orangeburg. Way to support the troops!

Arkin's Credentials, or lack thereof

Washington Post blogger William Arkin is hardly a military "expert", according to Bill O'Reilly and NewsMax:

Among his leftist affiliations:

• The Institute for Policy Studies where he was director of the national security program and the Arms Race and Nuclear Weapons Research Project, 1981-1989. The IPS is known as a far-left Washington, DC-based think tank that describes itself as having "transformed ideas into action for peace, justice, and the environment for more than four decades.”
• Greenpeace USA where he was political director from 1989-90; director of the nuclear information unit, and director of military research 1989-94)
• National Resources Defense Council consultant to the nuclear program (1980)
• Human Rights Watch, former military consultant (1994)

All very liberal institutions which the Washington Post failed to tell us. Sounds like Arkin is a military critic, rather than an analyst.

Helicopter Losses are Down

Despite what you hear in the MSM. This is from Former Spook:

While Reuters notes that "dozens" of U.S. helicopters have been downed by insurgents, they fail to mention that such losses represent only a total fraction of the hundreds of helicopter sorties flown daily in Iraq [emphasis mine]. In fact, cumulative loss rates (per 100,000 hours of flying time) have decreased since the invasion of Iraq in 2003. An occasional spike in chopper losses--tragic though it might be--does little to change those statistics.

Its also a far cry from the 5086 chopper losses during the entire Vietnam War. Another reason that losses are being reported ( aside from the Media's intent to hurt the war effort), is tha combat operations on the American side has dramatically increased.

Outrage over Arkin

Bill O'Reilly is listing contact information for GE, if you want to express your opinion on Washington Post (owned by GE, along with NBC) military critic William Arkin dubbing our brave and brilliant soldiers a "mercenary force", among other outrages. Here it the info:

Jeffrey Immelt, Chairman & CEO
mailto:CEOjeff.immelt@corporate.ge.com
General Electric Company
3135 Easton Turnpike
Fairfield, CT 06828-0001

Plus, here is the original comment:

Through every Abu Ghraib and Haditha, through every rape and murder, the American public has indulged those in uniform, accepting that the incidents were the product of bad apples or even of some administration or command order. So we pay the soldiers a decent wage, take care of their families, provide them with housing and medical care and vast social support systems and ship obscene amenities into the war zone for them.and their attitude is that we should in addition roll over and play dead, defer to the military and the generals and let them fight their war. [This] NBC report is just an ugly reminder of the price we pay for mercenary — oops, sorry, — volunteer force."

Combat photographer's heroics earn Bronze Star

Here is more on a story we mentioned last week. This from the Montgomery Advertiser:

Air Force Staff Sgt. Richard Rose shoots primarily with a camera. But while deployed in Iraq, the Prattville native briefly traded his lens for a rifle -- an action that led to saving several lives, including his own.
The combat cameraman was on a mission with an Army unit last summer when insurgents began firing at an explosive ordnance disposal team working nearby.
"The team was doing their thing, clearing roadside bombs," Rose said. "Four insurgents basically started opening fire on their position. I ran up and as soon as we got within eye distance of the insurgents, they turned their fire onto us."
The Prattville High School graduate laid his camera aside and returned fire with his M4 rifle, allowing the EOD team to move to safety. His bravery earned him a Bronze Star.

And well deserved! Thanks Sarge, for your service and sacrifice!

MiLinks

Bulldog Vehicles Prove Their Worth. Brits version of the Stryker.

US Military Changing Helicopter Tactics in Iraq. Another reported lost today.

Hi-Tech Gets Major Funding. In the Pentagon's new budget.

Army Budget Trims Fat. Too bad the Navy and Air Force won't follow suit.

Soldiers Give FCS Technology Thumbs Up. "The future is now"!

Boeing and Canada Sign Deal for Four C-17s. Following after the Aussies and the Brits.

Iraqi Security Forces Order of Battle. "As they step up, we will stand down."

Rail Gun Reaches Another Milestone. With ranges up to 267 nautical miles!

British Form New Rifle Regiment. Out with the old...

India, Russia Mull Hypersonic Cruise Missiles. A new threat at sea.

India plans anti-ballistic missile test. In the tradition of the US Patriot missile.

New Harrier Arrives In Afghanistan. Should be called the Super-Harrier!

Stennis Carrier Group Enters Guam Area. The buildup continues.

Navy Tests Unmanned Undersea Vehicle. The future of the submarine?

British Carriers May Be Canceled. Lose the carriers and save the fleet.

US Navy Chief Sets Goals. For a smaller, more lethal fleet

Rising costs sock shipbuilding. With chart.

Royal Navy Responds to Critics. About their own sinking fleet.

Run Rudy Run!!!!

Rudy Giuliani, America's Mayor, is getting closer to making it official:

Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor whose popularity
soared after his response to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, moved closer
to a full-fledged campaign for the Republican presidential nomination on Monday.
In a sign that he's serious about running for the White House, the two-term
mayor was filing a so-called "statement of candidacy" with the Federal Election
Commission.

You may have noticed on your right we have put up a photo and link to Rudy's pre-election site. I love Rudy, who's sort of a cool Dick Cheney.

Pajamas Media has more info plus links.

No Confidence in No Confidence Vote

The GOP comes through for the troops, says the Washington Times:

Senate Republicans yesterday blocked a resolution that would have condemned President Bush's plan to send an additional 21,500 troops to Iraq. On a 49-47 vote that largely followed partisan lines, Democrats fell 11 "ayes" short of the 60 needed to bring about a vote on the resolution, which is nonbinding but is widely viewed as a declaration of no confidence in the continued mission of the Iraq war and Mr. Bush's handling of it. Among those who voted against last night's motion was Sen. John W. Warner of Virginia, who wrote the resolution but joined other Republicans in opposition to holding a vote because the new Democratic majority is not allowing votes on other war resolutions.

Hope wins out, though I'm sure this fight is far from over. Al Qaeda got no reprieve yesterday from America's vengence. Nothing can change your perspective like major combat.

Useless Weapons get Major Funding

Useless, at least against the non-existent Navy and Air Forces of Al Qaeda. From Defense Tech:

That'll include "the first significant funding" -- $3 billion -- in the next generation of aircraft carrier," the CVN-21. The Joint Strike Fighter fleet will grow from two in FY07, to twelve the following year -- including the first short take-off version. It'll take $6 billion in 2008, the Pentagon projects. Despite major cost inflation, the Defense Department budget request "funds three littoral combat ships and will continue funding for two DDG-1000-class destroyers and another amphibious assault ship," according to a American Forces Press Service article. "The Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter is budgeted at $3.8 billion for 20 aircraft."

But the F-22 Raptor can be used against terrosists in places like Iraq, right?

The F-22, it should be noted, was recently deemed "too sensitive... to be useful" in places like Iraq.

Only our ground forces are gearing themselves for post Cold War conflict. Perhaps the USAF and the Navy needs a major war fought on their own terms, in the air and on the sea. Only then will we see major changes in hi-tech weapons procurement.

CSM op-ed delegitimizes Israel

When you thought the MSM couldn't get any lower. Story from HonestReporting:

Writing in the Christian Science Monitor, John Whitbeck, an international lawyer based in Saudi Arabia and a former advisor to Palestinian negotiators, advocates just that.
Twisting the terminology behind "recognizing Israel", Whitbeck employs the peverse equation of the Holocaust with Palestinian suffering:

There is an enormous difference between "recognizing Israel's existence" and "recognizing Israel's right to exist." From a Palestinian perspective, the difference is in the same league as the difference between asking a Jew to acknowledge that the Holocaust happened and asking him to concede that the Holocaust was morally justified. For Palestinians to acknowledge the occurrence of the Nakba - the expulsion of the great majority of Palestinians from their homeland between 1947 and 1949 - is one thing. For them to publicly concede that it was "right" for the Nakba to have happened would be something else entirely.

Sadly, there's more.

Best of Charleston

Here's a new Charleston blog which says what it means. I enjoyed the posting on the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum.

Petraeus Guys headed to Iraq

I've waded through the expected negativity in this Washington Post article for this:

Gen. David H. Petraeus, the new U.S. commander in Iraq, is assembling a small band of warrior-intellectuals -- including a quirky Australian anthropologist, a Princeton economist who is the son of a former U.S. attorney general and a military expert on the Vietnam War sharply critical of its top commanders -- in an eleventh-hour effort to reverse the downward trend in the Iraq war.
Army officers tend to refer to the group as "Petraeus guys." They are smart colonels who have been noticed by Petraeus, and who make up one of the most selective clubs in the world: military officers with doctorates from top-flight universities and combat experience in Iraq...

I cannot think of another case of so many highly educated officers advising a general," said Carter Malkasian, who has advised Marine Corps commanders in Iraq on counterinsurgency and himself holds an Oxford doctorate in the history of war.

One who's with the team is no stranger here: H R McMaster, the Tamer of Tal-Afar:

McMaster's command of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment in northwestern Iraq in 2005-06 provided one of the few bright spots for the U.S. military in Iraq over that year. In a patiently executed campaign, he took back the city of Tall Afar from a terrorist group, and he was so successful that Bush dedicated much of a speech to the operation.

This is very encouraging. Thought that McMaster has retired and was now apart of some think-tank.

Airpower in the Battle of An Najaf

USAF planes helped turned the tide. From DefenceTalk:

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq: More than 200 enemy insurgents were killed and 100 gunmen captured near An Najaf Jan. 28 with 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing providing close-air support in the joint, combined effort to route the enemy in battle.
After insurgents attacked ground forces with small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades, 332nd F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt IIs answered the call for support dropping more than 3.5 tons of precision munitions and expending 2,300 rounds of 20mm and 30mm cannon fire in an area of about five square miles.
F-16 from the 510th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 14th EFS and 332nd EFS, based here, as well as A-10 from the geographically separated 74th EFS at Al Asad Air Base, all participated.
The 36-hour action was the first time all the wing's fighter aircraft have simultaneously employed ordnance in a single operation. Two of the squadrons, the 14th and 74th, joined the wing's ranks just last month.

Victory through airpower! Despite spending billions of dollars a year to develop high-tech aircraft like the F-22 Raptor, the Reagan era F-16s and A-10s have held the line throughout the War on Terror, and will continue to do so for some time.

Navy Analysts Fret Over Shrinking Fleet

Now numbering 276 warships, down from 530 in 1991. Story from Signon SanDiego:

Navy leaders and military analysts have warned that if Congress doesn't boost the Pentagon's shipbuilding budget – $11.6 billion this fiscal year – the Navy won't be able to meet its growing list of commitments in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Latin America and the western Pacific.
They raised some of those concerns at West 2007, a large military conference that began yesterday at the San Diego Convention Center...

Meanwhile, the nation's six shipyards – including General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego – fear they'll have to lay off more workers if the Navy's pace of new projects doesn't speed up. The lack of steady work also prompts highly trained employees who design and construct warships to find other careers.

I have a feeling that lawmakers and industry officials often are more concerned about jobs and votes rather than our security. Two recent articles from David Axe and one of my own give a realistic view of the fighting prowess of our much smaller , but vastly more capable new Navy in the Cruise Missile Age:

• Size Doesn't Matter, Part One
• Size Doesn't Matter, Part Two
• A Navy Second to None

7 Charleston Airmen receive Bronze Stars

Click the link for more on each recipient:

CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (AFNEWS) -- Seven Charleston AFB Airmen were presented Bronze Stars Jan. 29 here by the Air Mobility Command commander in front of their families, friends and several hundred military members. Gen. Duncan J. McNabb said these individuals embody the heart of the nation. Awarded the Bronze Stars were:

• Capt. John Clagnaz
• Senior Master Sgt. Lex Gibson
• Master Sgt. Christopher Nolan
• Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Lock
• Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Wagner
• Staff Sgt. James Harper
• Staff Sgt. Richard Rose

Congragulations to each one, and thanks so much for being there when your country called!

Honest News

Good News from the War on Terror:

NATO doubts Taliban can mount a major offensive

Osama bin Laden's brother-in-law killed in Madagascar

The Battle of Najaf, 2007

Bush Lauds Iraqi Performance in Najaf Fight

National Leaders Thank Wounded Warriors

Blessed to be alive

Strykers Sweep Neighborhood of Insurgency

Strykers Support Iraq Forces

Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader captured

Iraqis Celebrate School Reopening

Transition Team Braves Attacks to Train Iraqi Police

Operation Tomahawk Strike 11 Nets Terrorists

Petraeus Supports Troop Increase

Al-Maliki promises a safe Iraq

Man in Wheelchair Helps Avert "Disaster"

Bobby Burleson of Branchville, SC called attention to a major blockage in the local sewer system that, according to town officials, could have become a “natural disaster”.

The week before the Martin Luther King Holiday, Burleson, an employee with Branchville Wood Products for 9 years, noticed a persistent problem with stopped toilets. The custodian constantly badgered his supervisors until a plumber was called on Friday from nearby Orangeburg to investigate the problem. When the stoppage failed to turn up in the factory’s sewer lines, town officials were notified.

Branchville sewer and water workers were off for the Martin Luther King weekend into Monday. On Tuesday, town officials including Mayor Tim Cooner discovered the blockage, described as a “giant blob of grease” at the Branchville Public School on HWY 78. The grease likely came from the school cafeteria.

According to Amy Easterling, secretary at Branchville Wood Products, whose father is also Water Commissioner Tom Jennings, “Had the students been in school on Monday (with the kitchens running) the grease would have expanded into the main sewer lines causing a natural disaster” for the eastern side of Branchville.

Easterling also credited Burleson for his constant urging of their employers to find the source of the stoppage. A double amputee, he has been in a wheelchair since 1987. The retired dairy farmer began working for Branchville Wood Products, owned by Cox Industries of Orangeburg, in 1998.

Polls are opinion, not fact.

So says Jules Crittenden who offers some interesting poll numbers himself:

For example, the polls … and more importantly the headlines about polls … tell us that as many as 60 percent of Americans oppose sending more troops to Iraq. Only 35 percent support it. Those polls mirror the dissatisfaction with Bush himself.

Buried are poll results such as the one Fox News turned up last week. Toward the bottom of even Fox’s own report:“63 percent of Americans say they want the plan to succeed, including 79 percent of Republicans, 63 percent of independents and 51 percent of Democrats.” The percentage of people who think it might succeed, 49. The percent who think it probably won’t, 52.

C'mon Media, start giving us both sides of the story instead of your own overly-negative opinions. Find your long-lost patriotism and lets see this tough job through to the end. Then it will be an American victory and not "Bush's War".

Sanctions rattle Iran

From the Washington Times:

The unanimous passage of U.N. Security Council sanctions against Iran in December has shaken the nation's public and ruling elite, prompting talk of a shake-up of top officials and fears of a U.S. attack. Even before the sanctions were approved, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had been weakened by his inability to fulfill campaign promises to stem rising inflation and by doubts over the wisdom of his statements questioning the Holocaust and threatening Israel...

"There is a deep concern and uncertainty on behalf of the Iranian leaders about the consequences of the nuclear program of Ahmadinejad's administration," said Hossein Bastani, the former general secretary of the Association of Iranian Journalists. "In short ... the passage of such a resolution against the Islamic republic caught them by surprise."

I personally don't believe the president is planning attacks, other than on Iranians who are interfering in Iraq. Yet, all the hysteria coming from the MSM and the blogosphere appears to be enough to make the mullahs in Tehran nervous.