Wednesday, November 08, 2017
Army Stryker vehicles with 30 mm cannon & Javelin upgrades
So now Javelin is vehicle mounted? Not sure about that. Seems rather short ranged for vehicle applications but who knows!
Warhammer News. Joint Chiefs say invasion 'only way' to totally disarm N Korea
Thanks to Jonathan for the link!
via BBC.com
Rear Admiral Michael Dumont expressed the opinion on behalf of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in a letter to Congressman Ted Lieu.Story here.
Mr Dumont said calculating "even the roughest" potential casualty figures would be extremely difficult.
He also gave some detail on what the first hours of a war would involve.
"The only way to 'locate and destroy - with complete certainty - all components of North Korea's nuclear weapons programs' is through a ground invasion," he wrote in response to Congressman Lieu's questions about a potential conflict.
The risks involved included a potential nuclear counter-attack by North Korea while US forces attempted to disable its "deeply buried, underground facilities", he said.
"A classified briefing is the best venue for a detailed discussion," he added.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff directly advise the president of the United States on military matters.
In a statement with more than a dozen other military veterans turned congressmen, Mr Lieu, a Democrat, said the assessment was "deeply disturbing" and warned that a conflict "could result in hundreds of thousands, or even millions of deaths in just the first few days of fighting."
"Their assessment underscores what we've known all along: there are no good military options for North Korea," the statement said.
The letter was published as Donald Trump begins his mammoth tour of Asia, during which the North Korean threat is expected to be a major topic of discussion.
The president has previously said that if forced to defend the US or its allies, he "will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea."
I've been following the president's trip to Asia and can confidently say this. We're seeing a replay of the events that led up to Gulf War 1. If you remember we saw last minute diplomacy and heard talk of "breakthroughs" that would prevent war.
In the end it didn't work and war were declared.
I see the same happening here. The weird thing? Early reports had the Pentagon pushing for limited strikes and no boots on the ground outside of a batshit crazy plan for a special ops decapitation raid, not a full scale invasion as this report is laying out.
So if I believe this news is credible (and I do) how does that jive with what we've already read?
Simple.
The Pentagon is simply justifying its rationale, and war planning. They're simply adding a caveat to say that with the plan as it is they can't guarantee that all nuclear weapons will be destroyed.
They're playing politician and telling policy makers that even after this military action, the North could still have nukes.
This news is being put out as a way to lower expectations once the balloon goes up. It's a way to chill out those people that watch military affairs and wonder aloud why we won't see more extensive strikes.
Taliban Special Forces Group?
via Long War Journal
The Afghan Taliban recently promoted its “Special Forces Unit” that purportedly is operating in the eastern Afghan province of Laghman. Since 2015, the Taliban has advertised its so-called “Special Forces Unit” which is known to have operated in southern Afghan provinces.Story here.
These six photos of the “Special Forces Unit” operating in Laghman province were released by the Taliban on its official Telegram account on Nov. 1. The Taliban special forces are seen wearing new uniforms and chest rigs, and are photographed with a captured Afghan Army HUMVEE. The images were captured during the daylight.
In 2015, Taliban supporters began circulating photographs online purporting to show a Taliban “Special Forces Unit” training camp somewhere in Afghanistan. The pictures showed dozens of Taliban recruits partaking in physical exercises and weapons training. The recruits were seen training with handguns, heavy machine guns, and what looks like an anti-aircraft gun. Other photos showed the recruits making use of technicals, or armed pickup trucks. The Taliban’s white flag can be seen flying in almost every picture.
Afghan military officials confirmed the existence of a Taliban “Special Forces Unit”, known as the Red Group or Danger Group, in the summer of 2016. An Afghan Army special forces commander said the group uses “advanced weaponry, including night vision scopes, 82mm rockets, heavy machine guns and US-made assault rifles.” According to The Associate Press, the Red Group has fought in Helmand and other provinces.
Tuesday, November 07, 2017
McCain on the F-35. A classic example of failure....
via Inside Defense.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) today urged the nominee tapped to serve as the Pentagon's next chief weapons tester to pay special attention to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.Story here.
"I've been screwing around with the F-35 for the last 12 years," McCain said during a hearing. "At some universities and colleges around the country they'll be teaching this as a classic example of failure."
McCain said it was a critical time for the Defense Department to have in place a "strong, capable" director of operational test and evaluation.
"Often, it seems as though the department is in a rush to push some platforms -- like the F-35 -- through testing and evaluation prematurely, while at the same time delaying the delivery of other capabilities required to help us maintain our warfighting advantages," he said.
Too little too late.
The Maverick was anything but on this subject. He knows it too. I consider this a "cleansing statement" so that he won't be remembered for the folly called the F-35.
Ok. Let's talk Bergdahl.
A reader made a comment that I hadn't talked about the Bowe Bergdahl case.
Quite honestly I didn't think I needed to.
Anyone that's been in the military could see where that case was going. The Army telegraphed it, the former President telegraphed it and the issue of him being a POW almost demanded it.
Let me explain.
First up you have that goofy ass press conference that the former President had with Bergdahl's hippie family. That whole thing was a travesty, a messaging failure and downright embarrassing, but it also laid the groundwork for what we would see later.
Second, there was a massive uproar from active, retired and veterans not to mention members of his old unit. The Army made the right noises but they also almost immediately put out information that mitigated his crimes in the eyes of the public....IF you were paying attention.
Third, there was the actual facts of the case as seen by a military lawyer/judge. Let's take what we know and put it on the table. Bergdahl was said to have left base and walked around the countryside, only to return later that night. Not the smartest thing in the world to do but it does NOT indicate that he wanted to desert. Dude's actions were weird as hell but because he left and came back that indicates that he could argue that his intention that night was to come back!
Next you have to look at his capture. Everyone wants to put that as part of his desertion. You can't. He walked off his FOB, and got captured by the enemy. In essence you can credibly charge him with one day of being AWOL or even desertion but the entire time of his imprisonment can't be counted against him.
HE HAD NO CHOICE IN RETURNING. THE ENEMY HAD TAKEN HIM!
So in essence you have a guy in a war zone that at worst deserted his post, was captured by the enemy and caused alot of pain and suffering because his unit tried to do the right thing and save his sorry ass.
The verdict sucks but anyone that's been in the military could see it coming a mile away so that's why you didn't see the internet erupt when the verdict came down.
Anyone and everyone that was halfway paying attention knew the results of this way back when.
So why didn't I comment on Bergdahl? Because in my mind it wasn't news.
Quite honestly I didn't think I needed to.
Anyone that's been in the military could see where that case was going. The Army telegraphed it, the former President telegraphed it and the issue of him being a POW almost demanded it.
Let me explain.
First up you have that goofy ass press conference that the former President had with Bergdahl's hippie family. That whole thing was a travesty, a messaging failure and downright embarrassing, but it also laid the groundwork for what we would see later.
Second, there was a massive uproar from active, retired and veterans not to mention members of his old unit. The Army made the right noises but they also almost immediately put out information that mitigated his crimes in the eyes of the public....IF you were paying attention.
Third, there was the actual facts of the case as seen by a military lawyer/judge. Let's take what we know and put it on the table. Bergdahl was said to have left base and walked around the countryside, only to return later that night. Not the smartest thing in the world to do but it does NOT indicate that he wanted to desert. Dude's actions were weird as hell but because he left and came back that indicates that he could argue that his intention that night was to come back!
Next you have to look at his capture. Everyone wants to put that as part of his desertion. You can't. He walked off his FOB, and got captured by the enemy. In essence you can credibly charge him with one day of being AWOL or even desertion but the entire time of his imprisonment can't be counted against him.
HE HAD NO CHOICE IN RETURNING. THE ENEMY HAD TAKEN HIM!
So in essence you have a guy in a war zone that at worst deserted his post, was captured by the enemy and caused alot of pain and suffering because his unit tried to do the right thing and save his sorry ass.
The verdict sucks but anyone that's been in the military could see it coming a mile away so that's why you didn't see the internet erupt when the verdict came down.
Anyone and everyone that was halfway paying attention knew the results of this way back when.
So why didn't I comment on Bergdahl? Because in my mind it wasn't news.
Damnit! The Israelis and Saudis ARE the problem in the Middle East?
Sorry to the reader that linked this...I can't find your comment to credit you!
via Zero Hedge.
Early this morning, Israeli Channel 10 news published a leaked diplomatic cable which had been sent to all Israeli ambassadors throughout the world concerning the chaotic events that unfolded over the weekend in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, which began with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri's unexpected resignation after he was summoned to Riyadh by his Saudi-backers, and led to the Saudis announcing that Lebanon had "declared war" against the kingdom.Story here.
The classified embassy cable, written in Hebrew, constitutes the first formal evidence proving that the Saudis and Israelis are deliberately coordinating to escalate the situation in the Middle East.
The explosive classified Israeli cable reveals the following:
On Sunday, just after Lebanese PM Hariri's shocking resignation, Israel sent a cable to all of its embassies with the request that its diplomats do everything possible to ramp up diplomatic pressure against Hezbollah and Iran.
The cable urged support for Saudi Arabia's war against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
The cable stressed that Iran was engaged in "regional subversion".
Israeli diplomats were urged to appeal to the "highest officials" within their host countries to attempt to expel Hezbollah from Lebanese government and politics.
This is stunning.
Do you get the implications of this?
This is pointing toward Saudi/Israeli coordination in everything from ISIS to Yemen and even possibly the mess that is North Africa!
It could also lead one to credibly lay the refugee crisis on their doorsteps too.
I am stunned and bewildered.
I've been a strong supporter of Israel but if this is true and if my conclusions/speculation is correct then they've been a party in the killing, wounding and massive wealth destruction (our freaking money) that we've seen in the Middle East.
In short if this stuff pans out an argument could be made that we should shift fire. I've always considered Saudi Arabia the true enemy of the United States but to think that Israel could be part of the real "satans" in the ME is causing me to spin more than I'm comfortable with.
Politics Talk/Tues Funny. This is the future of American politics...
 |
| When even the sheep have had enough of your crap lol |
Something is brewing in America and it won't be pretty. Warfare? Not hardly but a shedding of the current status quo? Most definitely. The sad thing? It's all boiling down to economics. Too many people have been hurt in the US by globalization. That fraudulent economic system is going to fall and when it does it will sweep up politicians in every Western nation.
Stop looking at HQMC and start watching the Fleet Marine Force! They're doing work! (photo by Sgt. Aaron S. Patterson)
I've been going over my blog roll this morning (well really my feed) and I've been drinking in all the images of Marines doing the "Marine Thing".
It's beyond awesome.
The complaint remains the same. Too many exercises. Did you know that we had Dawn Blitz, Bold Alligator and Blue Chromite going on almost simultaneously? That isn't counting what Marines are doing in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. You're looking at a force that is being worked hard. Real hard.
And that's the joy and the pain of it.
I've (we've) focused on all the concepts and programs coming out of HQMC (and other HQs) while not paying enough attention to the Fleet Marine Force.
Those boys are doing work! Good work!
We need to remember that and we need to make sure that they're on our minds, especially with wars and "rumors of wars" looming all around.
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)