Reckoning

There comes a time when a country has to defend itself sadly our current administration does not see it.  I for one hate war as odd as that sounds I know the costs and stand to lose a great deal if a large conflict breaks out but here is what the US and its allies are facing from the mullahs in Iran.
1. Iran's threat to the Straights of Hormuz threaten to drive US gas prices to $5 a gallon which will end the economic recovery and cripple most Americans.
2. Nuclear program is proceeding apace this program needs to be knocked back several years.
3. Continued support of Assad in Syria as he slaughters the resistance to him
4. The continued arming and training of Hezbollah (who by the way are also helping Assad).
5. Rumors of MS 13 being trained by Hezbollah or IRGC
6. It is now a fact that Hezbollah is operating and cooperating with drug cartels in Mexico (read these papers on Hezbollah it will open your eyes).
7. This weekend Iran has sent two more warships through the Suez canal they did this earlier this year and docked a cargo ship and destroyer in Syria.  The ship of course could not be inspected or intercepted by the Israelis and probably contained more weapons for Hezbollah.  Which will use these weapons against Israeli at some point in the future.  They do not just stockpile for the fun of it.
8. Iran is shadowing our warships in the Persian Gulf.  Yes these ships are a threat and can put big holes in our ships with little warning.  Yes they will be sunk but compare an aircraft carrier verses a gunboat see how that weighs on the scales. 
9. Iranian support for al-Qaeda and other jihadist networks.

Here are my humble thoughts on the matter we must do several things in a hurry.
1. The Iranian nuclear program must be stopped and stopped now they are not building these things as deterrence.  Unlike Pakistan that uses theirs as a shield against India (much the same way that the USSR and the US did) the mullahs have already said they will use them.  Imagine if you will an Iranian cargo vessel docking in Saudi Arabia and it detonates a nuclear device there goes your oil and the Middle East will explode with a Shia on Sunni war.  Imagine at the same time Iran hits Israel with a missile.  The scenarios get worse and worse.
2. Iran's threat to navigate in the Persian Gulf and the Straights must be ended once an for all.  Back during the Iran - Iraq war the US Navy did a good job of rolling back the gun boats that were putting holes in tankers this needs to be done again.
3. Actively support the Iranian people that want to get out from underneath the robes of the mullahs.  There is a thriving movement that our current administration will not support that wants a non-theocratic rule.  If people in this country worry about the Christians taking over go live in a Muslim theocracy and see how much they care for that. 
4. Assad in Syria has to go without Syria Iranian support for Hezbollah will be diminished if not cut off entirely.  I am not saying that Syria will live in peace with its neighbors (there are reports of Free Syrian Army (FSA) members already saying that once they overthrow Assad Israel is next.  What I am saying is damage the near enemy first then deal with that later. 

Instead the US is disarming at a rapid rate.  Yes we must cut some of the bloat but we must maintain our ground forces and have the naval and air power to support them.  Instead we are doing our defense reductions in the wrong direction.  The US and its allies must move soon as it faces an immediate threat not only to the world's economy but world peace such as it is as well.   Remember Iran has been killing US citizens since the 1980s and hell they took over one of our embassies something I think our current diplomats either do not know or have forgotten.  It is time for the mullahs to go.

Typical Behavior

Evidence has come to light the Iranian bombers who attempted to attack the Israeli diplomats in Bangkok where having a rocking good time beforehand.  This is not uncommon behavior for so called martyrs before they carry out their attacks.  The 911 bombers where know to hang out at strip clubs, drink, and carry on before dying for their so called prophet.  They also do this for operational cover to fit in with the locals.

They can get away with behavior they could not normally because their act will according to Mo send them straight to the arms of Allah.  However these guys got a huge fail as their explosives went off before they could use them.  You would have thought the Iranian Revolutionary Guard would send some more competent guys but whenever you have to deal with homemade explosives you have this issue.  Keeping the Iranian embassy out of the loop was also decent op sec to give plausible deny ability after the attack.  Instead now the Iranians have live bombers that I am sure the Thais who have their own Muslim problem will not be real kind to.

Two generations of Marines

Lieutenant Colonel Stanley J. Wawrzyniak, USMC name has been submitted to have the Navy name a ship after it. According to the good guys over at Black Five Lt Col Ski is only the second Marine to be named to the Ranger hall of fame.

Next week have Sgt Phillip McCulloch who received the Silver Star while aboard MCRD San Diego where I did my boot camp about a zillion years ago it seems like.  He was in 3/5 when they were taking and also dishing out the highest number of casualites in Afghanistan 25 KIA 200 WIA in seven months.  After this particular battle the area was littered with abandonded Taliban motorcycles and their riders. 
Sgt McCulloch is now a Jr Drill instructor at MCRDSD I hope those recruits know how good of a teacher he is and that he is not bending them out of anger but because he knows what it takes to stay alive and succeed on the battlefield.

Ooorah Marines.

Sadly we are being proven right

Anyone who was paying attention during the Arab spring knew exactly what was going to happen when the secularist/dictators fell. Whole segments of the population are now in danger. Coptic Christians, women, and any liberals are being persecuted and killed. Bassar Assad who maybe the worst of the lot and who really has to go has some unlikely semi-allies...Christians because they fear massacre and persecution like they see happening to the Copts in Egypt. The same situation is happening in Iraq however since it does not fit the mantra of Western press it is not being reported. Also the liberal media groups like Kos and Huf-po do not report on it because they are blind to facts on the ground. Now the Egyptian government has arrested 19 US citizens including the son of an US diplomat for charges of incitement. These people are a democracy advocate group. Every country that has gone through the Arab spring revolts has brought in governments that are Pro-Sharia law and that have started rolling back freedoms for women and , Christians, Jews, the press, and democracy. We maybe looking at Saudi and Iranian style governments from the borders of Europe to India in just a few short years.