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.

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.

Story here. 

2nd Tanks (M1A1) trains with French Foreign Legion (AMX-10RC) @ Camp Lejeune...vid by Cpl. Luke Hoogendam

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.

"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.

Story here. 

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.

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.

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. 

Story here. 

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

Replace the sheep with people, the sheep dog with authorities and the sheep herder with politicians and you're looking at the future of American politics.

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.

Open Comment Post. Nov 7, 2017

15th MEU Ooh Rah Vid via their Instagram page

For our friends and families. Thank you for supporting us, this is for you. #MEULife

A post shared by 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (@15thmeu) on Nov 7, 2017 at 6:35am PST

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.

Combat Assault Battalion & 1/3, conduct an amphibious landing during Blue Chromite 18....pic by Sgt. Aaron S. Patterson

Z-20 "Copyhawk" medium-lift utility helicopter via China Defense Blog

Yeah.  The Chinese are innovative.  The Chinese aren't stealing our intellectual property.  The Chinese are rising because they're smart and NOT because our leaders have given away the bank.

Are you smoking crack?

This is another example of how they've used American greed against us.  So anxious to break into the Chinese market that they've failed to realize that its a communist govt that will NOT play by the rules.

To be frank the Russians are much more open, cooperative and honest yet they're the target of our policy makers while everyone with even a single operating brain cell can see what's going on in the Pacific.

China is the threat, not Russia.

Story here and scroll down...there are several articles and pics of this new plane.  I missed it but it was just inducted into Chinese service not too long ago.

The right is worried about Antifa? That's mental masturbation...the real threat is attacks on political leaders...

via Reuters.

Rene Boucher, 59, of Bowling Green, Kentucky, was arrested and charged with one count of fourth-degree assault causing minor injury, the Kentucky State Police said in a statement on Saturday.

Paul and Boucher were acquaintances, said Jeremy Hodges, a state police spokesman, who declined to say what led to the incident.

Paul’s office said in a statement the former Republican presidential candidate “was blindsided and the victim of an assault. The assailant was arrested, and it is now a matter for the police. Senator Paul is fine.”

His office did not immediately respond to questions about the extent of any injuries the 54-year-old senator may have suffered or the circumstances of the incident.

via Reuters.

Did you hear about all the gun loonies (I'm a gun nut, not a loon) and alt right zealots gearing up because they thought that Antifa was coming?  I sat back and laughed my ass off.

Why?

Because what you saw was grown men engaged in mental masturbation over an idea that could NOT happen (at least as things currently stand).  I can't tell you how many Instagram posts I saw where they had guys posting pics of their gear all lined up with ammo being taken out of safes etc...(what continues to amaze is that so many have so much high priced gear that looks pristine, never used and showroom new!).

What should worry the REGULAR right is the recent attacks on conservative/right wing leadership (I could personally careless about the Alt Right....they get curb stomped and throat punched I wouldn't bat an eye...the only sympathy would be to the simpletons that got swept up in that movement).

We had a Republican Congressional baseball practice ambushed?  Now we have a sitting Senator attacked (don't be fooled by this initial report...dude has busted ribs...they're no joke and he'll be sitting in a chair to sleep cause you can't lay down with them!).

We're seeing something new...at least new to me...we're seeing members of a party being targeted and attacked.  What is especially worrying is that it appears that the left and possibly (have to get more info on Paul's attacker) alt right is teaming up to attack centrist Republicans.

The only saving grace to all this is that the Republicans are further down the road when it comes to the deconstruction/reconstruction of their party than the Democrats are.

I expect to see much the same on their side of the isle when they finally let the cork off (or if it simply explodes) and they realize how much they were messed with in the selection of Hillary as their nominee.

My prediction?

Both parties are headed toward bad times.  The old leadership wouldn't leave on their own so they'll be forced out by the new crowd.  Pelosi and her supporters?  Done.  Bill Kristol and his acolytes on the right?  Done.  Even Obama and Bush Jr won't escape this culling.

Forget fantasyland and mental masturbation techniques.  This is about to get real....and for both parties.

Power plays in the Middle East. Hezbollah says Saudi Arabia forced Lebanese PM to quit....

via Reuters.

Lebanon’s Shi‘ite Hezbollah group on Sunday accused Saudi Arabia of forcing Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri to quit, and called for calm in an effort to contain the political crisis unleashed by his resignation.

Story here. 

Wow.  This story is from this weekend and it got no air time.  Saudi Arabia is making power moves all over the place (or desperation moves) and no one is noticing.

You do get the force of connection here don't you?

The ground is being laid for the next war in Lebanon.  I can see it now, and of course it'll break down along religious/sectarian lines.

Israel will intercede to maintain a buffer zone, Lebanese Christians (what few are left) will align with Israel and the rest will all form a nice, tight furball fighting whoever runs in front of their sights.

Yep.  My hope for things to settle down now that ISIS is taking its death breath was so STUPID, I can't believe I actually thought it a possibility.  Once again the so called tin foil hat crowd got it right.  ISIS was obviously a pawn being used by the players in the region.  I don't know if the mass migration was part of the game plan (I hope not) but the chaos and death was certainly figured into the equation.  I've heard the theories and I believe one of them fiercely (dealing with pipelines) but can't understand how anyone in their right mind could unleash all this pain and suffering on a region and consider it just a part of doing business. 

The evil we saw in the Church shooting in Texas pales to those that are playing games with people's lives on the international level in places like Libya, North Africa, Central Africa and of course Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. I hope these real demons fry in hell.

2/8 conduct mechanized exercise@ Onslow Beach ... pics by Lance Cpl. Scarlet A. Sharp

Readers have talked about it for a couple of days but this confirms it. The House of Saud is on the brink!

Thanks to AO for the link!

via Gulf Business.

Saudi authorities detained a billionaire global investor and the head of the National Guard as part of an anti-corruption purge that consolidates Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s hold on power.

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who owns investment firm Kingdom Holding, was among 11 princes, four ministers and tens of former ministers detained, two senior Saudi officials told Reuters on Sunday.

A top security official, Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, was detained and replaced as minister of the powerful National Guard by Prince Khaled bin Ayyaf. This consolidates Prince Mohammed’s bin Salman’s control of security institutions which had previously been headed by separate branches of the ruling family.

Story here. 

Why am I saying my readers were right and I'm becoming alarmed?  Because this guy was in charge of the Saudi National Guard.  Unlike the US and other Western nations, the National Guard in Saudi Arabia is home to the most advanced and well equipped troops in that nation.

If you want to point to an "elite" or a "Praetorian Guard" then you point to the Saudi National Guard.

For this guy to put their commander under arrest means that their is a serious power play going on.  Additionally you have to think that this guy has his own resources and own group of loyalist that are still in the Guard.

That means trouble.

Between the pressures of Yemen, Iran, the huge loss in Syria, Turkey coming to the aid of a GCC country they were trying to bully and an unpredictable US president/ineffectual SecState you have the Saudis in a pressure cooker of their own making.

This might not happen fast but it will happen.  I'm calling it.  The House of Saud falls in less than 5 years.  Turmoil in the Middle East will probably continue long after I'm dead and buried.

Hillbilly mods...Captured M-ATV sporting a BTR-80 turret!

Thanks to Delta Sierra for the pic!

You can call them all the derogatory names in the book...camel jockey, goat fucker, sand nigger (I need to do a serious self check on that one...I've been around guys that I THINK would never call me that but referred to them in that way and I never checked them....have to reflect on that...probably had a bit to do with personal hatred aimed at a group instead of the individuals that committed the acts...self check definitely in order) but you have to give them credit.

They have modified vehicles in such a way that the US Army, Marine Corps and allied forces have begun to pay attention and are putting more polished examples into service (or plan to).

You do realize that this is simply the "technical" concept taken to its logical extreme don't you?

Where this ends up I don't know, but I can imagine a future battlefield where meeting engagements between light infantry riding these steeds is unusually
bloody.  Heavy guns (for the size of the vehicle) and light armor has got to result in terrible casualties.

For better or worse we've come full circle and we're reinventing the 9th Motorized Infantry Division (on a small scale).

China to launch their space plane by 2020..

via Futurism.com

Officials from the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASTC) released a statement on Tuesday saying they’ll be ready to launch the next-generation spaceplane by 2020, according to a report by state news service Xinhua. If the statement is any indication, China seems to be have made significant headway on the development of a highly-secretive advance spacecraft.

At first glance, it may not seem to be a remarkable feat: reusable space rockets have been making headlines consistently since SpaceX successfully launched a used Falcon 9 earlier this year. The company has been flying missions aboard reusable Falcon 9 rockets to the International Space Station, as well as to ferry satellites from private corporations and even several nations.

China’s new space plane — note, not space rocket — is expected to be different. CASTC researcher Chen Hongbo said that unlike traditional spacecrafts, this new spacecraft “will fly into the sky like an aircraft,” Xinhua reports. This would, then, differentiate it from rockets, hence the name spaceplane. Supposedly, the spaceplane will take off from a runway, then fire its ramjet propulsion once high in the atmosphere. At that point, the plane will shift to rocket motors in order to reach orbital space, according to reports noted by Ars Technica.

Story here. 

The Chinese have no shame and we have no cyber security.  They constantly make these splashy announcements and then we see them  building a clone of a western vehicle.

I expect the same here (hence the picture above of the Chinese copy of our X-37).

They're a threat because they can match us militarily, but when it comes to influence they will fall flat.  Their culture is unique and in many ways admirable but few will want to duplicate it.  That and their lack of innovation/vision/creativity will doom them in the end.  They'll be tough, they'll be competitive but they'll always be beatable...if we harden the fuck up!

HOT! Defense Intelligence Agency Russia/Chinese (Threat) Military Power Report

Thanks to Joe for the linK!

Reports can be found here!  Must read!  Must see!  Grab it while you can I don't expect it to stay up for long!

New Kaplan Medium Tank (FNSS & PT Pindad) Video!

Thanks to Dwi for the link!



It looks good!  But!  I have to wonder about slapping a tank turret on a tracked vehicle IFV/APC hull.  I know it cuts down on development time but I still wonder why not simply take components and build a fresh, purpose built light/medium tank hull?  Because we're talking about a light/medium tank does it negate the rationale or does it still count?

One other thing has me curious.  If you have APC/IFVs that are tagging in at 30 tons, can you really say a light tank can be any less than 40? Weight is going up and the old classification system that we've used for decades doesn't seem to apply.  We call Heavy Tanks, Main Battle Tanks these days and they range anywhere from 50 tons all the way up to almost 80.  If that's the continued benchmark then our IFVs could all be labeled as being medium weight vehicles.

New Thai Marine Infantry Fighting Vehicle Prototype...in other words the Terrex 2!

Thanks to Ogden for the linK!



Just plain wow.  The Thai military is buying a hodge podge of vehicles!  That ride you see in the background is quite simply the Terrex 2.  What has me spinning (just a little) is his description of it being ship to shore capable.  The same vehicle was offered for the Marine Corps ACV program but was redesigned to enable better swim capability.  Unless they've incorporated improvements into the orginal design then I just don't see it happening...at least not to a "Marine" standard.  Regardless this is gonna be fun to watch. How many vehicles can a relatively small force acquire anyway?