Hmmm, we're worried about WW3 in Asia when the real news is happening in Europe.

Sometime I wonder if we're not being caught up in a massive shell game.  While everyone is focusing on the crisis in Asia between the two Korea's, the really big news that could plunge the world into the 2nd great depression is occurring in Europe.  Specifically Ireland and how Germany's people react to another bailout.

Read more here...and here....and here....

I hope you've participated in the "new" fashion trend of being frugal.  But if you splurged then be careful.  Something appears to be brewing in Europe and few seem to be paying attention.

While America was shopping and eating turkey, her military was at war...

Lance Cpl. Zachary Allen, an infantryman with India Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, walks through a corn field during an operation, Nov. 23. Allen, a 21-year-old native of Fruita, Colo., and his fellow Marines stayed in the Southern Green Zone for more than a day to observe and hunt the Taliban.

Lance Cpl. Adam Zaugg, an assaultman with India Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, crosses a canal during a mission, Nov. 24. Zaugg, a 20-year-old native of Eagle Mountain, Utah, and fellow Marines often had to cross knee to waist-deep canals during multiple patrols while on a mission to hunt Taliban fighters.

Lance Cpl. Michael Brown, an infantryman with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, uses a metal detector to sweep for improvised explosive devices during an operation, Nov. 23, 2010. Brown, a 20-year-old native of Kansas City, Mo., and his fellow Marines maintain constant awareness for IEDs and sweep every area.

A Jamaican native, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. McCarthy Phillip (center), an infantry squad leader who resides in Decatur, Ga., assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, Task Force Bulldog, and other soldiers patrol in a small village in the Pech River Valley in eastern Afghanistan's Kunar province, Nov. 20.

The military is protesting in S. Korea? This might be more serious than the pundits think.

When the military starts protesting, you've got a serious shit sandwich on your hands.  Well that's whats happening in S. Korea.  This will MIGHT not end well.  I have to admit that I didn't think much of what was going on over there but now it seems that the possibility of some type of military action occurring might be up from 1% to about 25% now.  One miscalculation by the North and its stone age time for Seoul and refugee crisis for China (at least thats what the 'chattering' class believes...I would bet that the minefields on the border with S. Korea would get a heavy workout).  This is via CNN.

Members of the South Korean military protested on the streets of the nation's capital Saturday, stating they were angry that their country's government had not done enough to respond to recent shelling by North Korea.

Now these are the RoK Marines that I remember.

via Yahoo News.

"All Marines, including Marines on service and reserve Marines, will avenge the two at any cost, keeping today's anger and hostility in mind," said Lieutenant General Yoo Nak Joon, commander of the South Korean Marine Corps.
"We will put our feelings of rage and animosity in our bones and take our revenge on North Korea."

~Lieutenant General Yoo Nak Joon, commander of the South Korean Marine Corps.

Brazil's Marines bring AAV's to the fight.

via The Wall Street Journal.

I'll let you read the article for yourself, but what's interesting is that Brazil's Marines are using AAV's to give their police armored transport.  The Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais  are a para-military police organization thats well respected and quite capable in their own right.  As a matter of fact they have several armored vehicles that have stood the test in the slums of Rio.

Things are much worse than I even thought if they need BOPE, Special Military Police, Brazilian Marines and the Brazilian Army to fight in these areas.  Interesting.  All photos are from either the Wall Street Journal (AAV with police above) or Wikipedia (BOPE emblem to the right).

For sale to the highest bidder. How sad for a once mighty Navy.

Thanks Joe.  I wish they had sunk her instead.

Sale by Tender - HMS Invincible  HMS Invincible is for sale by tender. Laid down in 1973 at Vickers Shipbuilding, Barrow-in-Furness, she was completed in 1980. She is currently stable for tow, subject to buyer confirmation. Displacement - Current 17000 Tonnes Estimated metal weight - 10000 Tonnes Estimated metal % - 95% mild steel Length - OA 210m, W/L 193m Draught - Fwd 5.2m, Mid 5.8m, Aft 5.8m Beam - Extreme 35m, Ex-walkways 32m, W/L 27.53m Height - 46m (estimated at current draught Engines - Removed Generators and Pumps - Generally unserviceable or not working For fuller information, please see the General Particulars. Manufacturer: Vickers Shipbuilding

Yeah and I know they're selling her for scrap...still. Its just sad.

Brazillian Marines join the fighting in the city slums.

Amazing. Via Reuters.

"We have no deadline to stop operations. We're going to continue giving logistical support ... to transport police troops for as long as needed," said Colonel Carlos Chagas, commander of the Marine logistics battalion.

F-35C on the tanker

I never get tired of the F-35, and if you wonder why I post so much about it then check out all the anti- JSF sites out there.  All photos are from Lockheed Martin.