Not all war pron but footage taken by combat cameramen and women.
The Taliban using mortars, sniper, and it sounds like a AGS-17 30mm grenade launcher.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
2011 Domestic Terrorism
According to the National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC) and Duke University 2011 was a blissfully domestic attack free year here in the U.S. Duke Classified one Islamic terrorist attack in the U.S. in 2011. This was Yonathan Melaku who was arrested shooting at military recruitment centers in Northern Virginia. The NCTC does not classify any Islamic terrorism related attacks in 2011 however they list an attack by the ALF and the Arson Unit both animal rights groups.
In case no one has noticed that for the last several years the largest group of active terrorists in the U.S. are the "issue" or "cause groups". While the ELF was broken by the FBI the ALF and its offshoots continue to attack what they deem as targets of opportunity their favorite method of attack is arson.
In case no one has noticed that for the last several years the largest group of active terrorists in the U.S. are the "issue" or "cause groups". While the ELF was broken by the FBI the ALF and its offshoots continue to attack what they deem as targets of opportunity their favorite method of attack is arson.
Lt. Col Davis
This Lt. Col is hold true to his beliefs that the war is Afghanistan is not going as rosy as some leadership including former Gen. Petreaus would have us believe. The NY times actually has a decent article about what this Col is doing. Just so everyone knows I would not normally link to the times. Take the time to watch the video as well.
Commander killed in drone strike 'funneled Pakistani jihadists' to al Qaeda - The Long War Journal
Commander killed in drone strike 'funneled Pakistani jihadists' to al Qaeda - The Long War Journal
Very cool looks like the drones are being unleashed again. I will say this about the Obama administration they have not been afraid of using drones to hit targets in Yemen, Pakistan, and Somalia.
Very cool looks like the drones are being unleashed again. I will say this about the Obama administration they have not been afraid of using drones to hit targets in Yemen, Pakistan, and Somalia.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Good on Him
Prince Harry is going back to war this time as an AH64 Apache pilot. You have to give it to the Royal Family they do serve in their countries armed forces something most of our political class and their children have forgotten. Yes their are exceptions but...
Taking a Stand
Today Pakistan's High Commissioner to Britain made the statement that "Pakistan would have no choice but to stand with Iran if Israel attacked." He claims that Pakistan's Shia population would not stand for an attack on Iran. Really sir you can say this with a straight face as the Pakistan security services stand by and watch Shia get killed in their mosques, on the street, and wherever else terrorists can find them.
Mr. Hasan also went on to state that the U.S. drone attacks have to stop. What I find interesting is that the Pakistani military has fed the U.S. targets and have been very please at our killing off of the Meshud family. He also stated that Pakistan would have to take punitive action against US forces if the drone attacks did not stop. What Mr. Hasan should have said was that we do not like it when the U.S. kills off certain terrorists that we support. This would have been a much more accurate statement by him.
I think Pakistan already does enough by training, paying, and equipping the Taliban to kill US forces and by doing the same for groups like LeT to do the same to Indian targets and on occasion US targets in Afghanistan. There is so much evidence to prove this it is becoming nearly impossible for the Pakistani government to do anything but cross their arms and say "is not."
On a different note I guess they feel like they have punished us enough for the killing of their soldiers who were firing on US and Afghan forces and have decided to start talking to NATO and the ISAF again. Until the next time they get mad and close the borders again. I like that Gen. Mattis is going to be the first one to visit.
Mr. Hasan also went on to state that the U.S. drone attacks have to stop. What I find interesting is that the Pakistani military has fed the U.S. targets and have been very please at our killing off of the Meshud family. He also stated that Pakistan would have to take punitive action against US forces if the drone attacks did not stop. What Mr. Hasan should have said was that we do not like it when the U.S. kills off certain terrorists that we support. This would have been a much more accurate statement by him.
I think Pakistan already does enough by training, paying, and equipping the Taliban to kill US forces and by doing the same for groups like LeT to do the same to Indian targets and on occasion US targets in Afghanistan. There is so much evidence to prove this it is becoming nearly impossible for the Pakistani government to do anything but cross their arms and say "is not."
On a different note I guess they feel like they have punished us enough for the killing of their soldiers who were firing on US and Afghan forces and have decided to start talking to NATO and the ISAF again. Until the next time they get mad and close the borders again. I like that Gen. Mattis is going to be the first one to visit.
Thanks Black Five for the Motivation Picture
General Mattis Led the First Marine Division into Iraq and commanded it during operations in Fallujah. At one point during negotiations in Fallujah intelligence came out that the terrorist were going to kill him. He actually wanted this to happen knowing that if he was killed his troops would be unleashed to clean that town out. He is a guy I want as my commander putting him over Centcom was a great idea. Only if they would let him do what needs to be done which is the leave the Taliban and their allies sticky, broke, and confused.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Syrian Civil War
It is time to call this what it is a full on civil war. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) while small has been able to inflict significant casualties on Syrian Security forces. This last weekend the FSA was able to kill several dozen Syrian security forces troops however Syria has launched a full scale artillery assault on Homs much like Hafez Assads did to Hama 30 years ago. The world response has been to basically write a series of sternly written letters. The U.S. finally closed our embassy today, however lots of good things have to be said about the our Ambassador Mr. Ford Syria who has been assaulted and under threat for supporting the Syrian resistance.
Over the weekend the Russians (who are trying to sell the Syrians airplanes) and the Chinese who get their oil from Iran blocked a U.N. resolution on Syria. The Arab League's observation team also failed to accomplish anything but see hundreds of protesters killed. The world's reaction in Libya was a great deal different to what is happening in Syria this is probably happening for a couple of reasons. Syria is not low hanging fruit militarily like the Libyan armed forces were. Syria actually has a reasonably competent military. Secondly Syria has some pretty nasty allies, Iran and Hezbollah which both have said they would launch retaliatory attacks should Syria be attacked by anyone. Iran is already assisting the Syrians in a support role with intelligence gathering and possible Basji militiamen acting in a kinetic manner.
I would encourage our Arab allies to support the FSA in a manner similar to what Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah do with terrorists in Iraq and Syria. Supporting an insurgent movement with arms, training, and intelligence is not out of our or the Arabs capability. An unstable Middle East while not great on gas prices is not a bad geopolitical proposition and here is why. If these countries who are our enemies or fast becoming them like Egypt, Syria, Libya, Pakistan are busy fighting amongst themselves it makes them less capable in spreading their message elsewhere. Yes this is a very Machiavellian thing to say but that is the way of the world. The FSA and Syrian resistance as a whole has a major Sunni influence. If the Sunnis were to kick the Alawites out of power chances are they would also divorce themselves from their relationship with Iran. They would be able to do this as the Sunni countries would be able to provide the support to Syria that Iran currently does. This would in turn remove Syria as a major backer of Hezbollah who rely on Syria to get Iranian weapons and training.
I feel for the people of Syria as it is again the civilians who get caught in the middle but sadly there is no easy way to handle the Assad government especially when now that they have the permission of the Russians and Chinese to act in anyway they like seem determined to destroy the rebellion.
Over the weekend the Russians (who are trying to sell the Syrians airplanes) and the Chinese who get their oil from Iran blocked a U.N. resolution on Syria. The Arab League's observation team also failed to accomplish anything but see hundreds of protesters killed. The world's reaction in Libya was a great deal different to what is happening in Syria this is probably happening for a couple of reasons. Syria is not low hanging fruit militarily like the Libyan armed forces were. Syria actually has a reasonably competent military. Secondly Syria has some pretty nasty allies, Iran and Hezbollah which both have said they would launch retaliatory attacks should Syria be attacked by anyone. Iran is already assisting the Syrians in a support role with intelligence gathering and possible Basji militiamen acting in a kinetic manner.
I would encourage our Arab allies to support the FSA in a manner similar to what Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah do with terrorists in Iraq and Syria. Supporting an insurgent movement with arms, training, and intelligence is not out of our or the Arabs capability. An unstable Middle East while not great on gas prices is not a bad geopolitical proposition and here is why. If these countries who are our enemies or fast becoming them like Egypt, Syria, Libya, Pakistan are busy fighting amongst themselves it makes them less capable in spreading their message elsewhere. Yes this is a very Machiavellian thing to say but that is the way of the world. The FSA and Syrian resistance as a whole has a major Sunni influence. If the Sunnis were to kick the Alawites out of power chances are they would also divorce themselves from their relationship with Iran. They would be able to do this as the Sunni countries would be able to provide the support to Syria that Iran currently does. This would in turn remove Syria as a major backer of Hezbollah who rely on Syria to get Iranian weapons and training.
I feel for the people of Syria as it is again the civilians who get caught in the middle but sadly there is no easy way to handle the Assad government especially when now that they have the permission of the Russians and Chinese to act in anyway they like seem determined to destroy the rebellion.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Pakistan
Pakistan in case no one has figured it out is no friend or ally of the United States. Not only are they state sponsors of terrorism they have also violated every piece of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty there is with their support of AQ Khan. Dr. Khan has assisted the N. Korean and more recently the Iranian nuclear programs.
The United States and it real allies at this time must work with the Pakistanis or our troops cannot be effectively supplied and admittedly the Pakistanis have attacked the Taliban groups that strike internal targets. In saying this though with the other hand they equip, train, and fund the original Taliban, Lashkar e Toiba (LeT) and other groups. The LeT under direct control of the former head of the ISI (Inter-Service-Intelligence) Ahmed Ghul carrid out the Mumbai attacks that killed 164 people and wounded a further 308.
Pakistan must be treated like the rouge nation its leadership has turned it into. This desent happened under General Zia and expanded following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The same set of sanctions that are imposed against Iran and N. Korea must also be implemented against Pakistan. In addition their nuclear weapons must be neutrilized and the U.S. ally themselves even closer to Indian. This will serve two purposes help stop the spread of jihadism in S. Asia and counter China who is as big a rival of India as the U.S.
While Saudi Arabia and the Gulf funds the Jihad it is the Pakistanis who train and set them on their deadly course. While al-Qaeda central has been reduced the tribal area of Pakistan still serves as a breeding ground for jihadists from across the world.
It is time the world treated Pakistan as it deserves to be treated.
The United States and it real allies at this time must work with the Pakistanis or our troops cannot be effectively supplied and admittedly the Pakistanis have attacked the Taliban groups that strike internal targets. In saying this though with the other hand they equip, train, and fund the original Taliban, Lashkar e Toiba (LeT) and other groups. The LeT under direct control of the former head of the ISI (Inter-Service-Intelligence) Ahmed Ghul carrid out the Mumbai attacks that killed 164 people and wounded a further 308.
Pakistan must be treated like the rouge nation its leadership has turned it into. This desent happened under General Zia and expanded following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The same set of sanctions that are imposed against Iran and N. Korea must also be implemented against Pakistan. In addition their nuclear weapons must be neutrilized and the U.S. ally themselves even closer to Indian. This will serve two purposes help stop the spread of jihadism in S. Asia and counter China who is as big a rival of India as the U.S.
While Saudi Arabia and the Gulf funds the Jihad it is the Pakistanis who train and set them on their deadly course. While al-Qaeda central has been reduced the tribal area of Pakistan still serves as a breeding ground for jihadists from across the world.
It is time the world treated Pakistan as it deserves to be treated.
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