posted by Chris @ 6/29/2005 07:41:00 PM  
Google Introduces New Video Service

Google has introduced a new video service that includes military-related videos. Currently, many videos in the Google collection are newscasts. You can search for specific subjects just like you would at Google.com. A search for "marine snipers" for example returns a number of related newscasts from C-SPAN, FOX News, and other outlets.

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posted by Chris @ 6/27/2005 07:11:00 PM  
Timetables

Yikes! Donald Rumsfeld says that defeating the Iraq insurgency could take up to twelve years. Well, it could take longer. Those people live there, or in neighboring countries. It's not like they're going to be moving anywhere else. Just look at the lingering Israeli/Palestinian conflict and you can get an idea of how tenacious native peoples can be.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is concerned that China could invade Taiwan within two years. Are you kidding?! First, China will host the Olympics in 2008, THEN they'll invade Taiwan.

If you thought China's acquisition of Hong Kong marked China as a superpower, what will they be when they acquire Taiwan? A super-superpower?

Let's hope the U.S. doesn't lose its shirt in the coming confrontation over Taiwan. Taiwan is a long way from home, and I don't think even a dozen or so carrier battle groups will be able to hold off a billion Chinese. We could lose all of our carriers, our prestige, plus all of our sensitive military equipment (surveillance/eavesdropping etc.) in Taiwan.

The United States needs to start shoring up its alliances, including one with India, a country that not only boasts a billion people of its own, but also has more English speakers than any other country, including the U.S. You can thank the Brits for that (the English speakers, not the billion people).

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posted by Chris @ 6/24/2005 07:56:00 PM  
Marines Use Hardened Vehicle in Iraq

OK, here's a real vehicle for the streets of Iraq. The design is refined from years of experience in South Africa and Rhodesia.

"These vehicles are designed from the ground up specifically built to survive IEDs and ambushes. The v-shaped hull assists deflection of a mine or IED blast away from the vehicle's capsule keeping the passengers safe and the vehicle intact. The vehicle is also built to rollover and is equipped with multi-point, racing style harnesses, so if the vehicle rolled 360 degrees the passengers inside would avoid injury."

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posted by Chris @ 6/24/2005 05:39:00 PM  
JL421 Badonkadonk Land Cruiser/Tank

We're not sure if you would want to take this into combat, but wouldn't it be great to drive this down Insurgent Street in Baghdad and see the reactions on the insurgents' faces! Actually, this contraption appears to be a high-end toy rather than a military vehicle. It's only $19,999.95 at Amazon.com plus it comes with a free t-shirt.

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posted by Chris @ 6/22/2005 02:09:00 PM  
Our Excellent Ideas

CIA Director Porter Goss recently said that he has an excellent idea where Osama Bin Laden is hiding, but that getting him involves the problem of "sanctuaries in sovereign states."

Many in the intelligence community seem to think Osama is in Pakistan, and that Pakistan is not doing enough to find Bin Laden. But if the CIA knows the general region where Bin Laden is hiding, one would think that Pak would be more than happy to help the US get Bin Laden and get the US out of Pak's back yard. Perhaps Goss was referring to another state?

But where? There aren't many nations where Bin Laden could hide, but here are a few candidates:

Iran: Sympathizers could be hiding Bin Laden in Iran, perhaps in a compound in a city or town, and not in a cave as many suspect. Zarqawi had a compound in Fallujah that even had a sign out front indicating who was in the compound. Prior to "liberating" Fallujah, the US apparently did not even know of this compound.
North Korea: It would be incredibly difficult to get Bin Laden in North Korea. A US attack to get Bin Laden in this state could start a war between both Koreas.

Related news? A U-2 Spy Plane has crashed in the UAE after conducting a mission over Afghanistan. But is a U-2 Spy Plane needed to hunt for small bands of Taliban rebels? Perhaps, but there are other aircraft possibly better suited for the job. Perhaps the U-2 was flying over Pakistan in search of Bin Laden?

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posted by Chris @ 6/20/2005 02:19:00 PM  
4,500 Shots - One Kill!

Sailors know it as R2-D2, CIWS (pronounced SeaWiz - Close In Weapons System) and Phalanx. Perhaps the Army will come up with its own name for the Navy's badass gatling gun once it's deployed to Iraq to guard Army bases against enemy mortars and rockets.

But what goes up must come down. The wall of depleted uranium spit out by the Phalanx, if aimed upward, will come down somewhere, possibly injuring or killing Iraqi civilians and U.S. troops.

Here at MilitarySpot.com, we have a better idea. Aim the beast directly at the insurgents. Let a suicide bomber try to drive up to a base armed with a Phalanx! The vehicle would be shredded in seconds.

Better yet, put a few Phalanxes on guard duty like in the movie Aliens 2, where the Marines set up automated machine guns to combat the aliens. Or put one on a tracked vehicle and drive it down Main Street in Fallujah. Now that's what I'm talking about!

Ever been on a ship with a Phalanx firing? I have. It shoots out so much so fast that it sounds like it's burping, and it rattles the entire ship.

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posted by Chris @ 6/15/2005 03:18:00 PM  
Innovative Rifle Mount for Body Armor

Dark Horse Arming Constructs has developed an innovative ball-and-socket combat rifle mounting system that eliminates the need for a rifle sling. The socket is mounted to body armor near the shooting shoulder, and the ball is actually the end of the rifle stock. The ball on the stock fits into the mount on the shoulder, providing a stable base for improved marksmanship. More info at http://www.darkhorse-acre.com/

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posted by Chris @ 6/12/2005 02:27:00 PM  
Mobile Phone Security

Courtesy of Jim (http://jimspolicewebsite.com/)

"Here is something worth knowing if you have a mobile phone... Have you ever wondered why phone companies don't seem interested in trying to prevent the theft of mobile phones? If you have ever lost, or had one stolen, and if you are on a plan, you still have to pay the plan approximately up to 24 months, and you have to buy another handset and enter into another contract. This is more revenue for the phone company. There is a simple way of making lost or stolen mobiles useless to thieves and the phone companies know about it, but keep it quiet. To check your mobile phone's serial number, key in the following on your phone: star-hash-zero-six-hash ( * # 0 6 # ) and a fifteen digit code will appear on the screen. This is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it safe. Should your mobile phone get stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset, so even if the thief changes the sim card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use / sell it either. If everybody did this, there would be no point in stealing mobile phones."

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posted by Chris @ 6/11/2005 05:51:00 PM  
Most Effective Weapon in Iraq

What is the most effective weapon in Iraq?

It's not even American! The most effective weapon in Iraq is not an Abrams battle tank, an F/A-18 Hornet, or an Army howitzer, it's an insurgent car bomb.

The Iraqi insurgents, driven underground and unable to fight effectively in the open, have found the perfect weapon to wreak carnage on a daily basis. Car bombs are cheap, plentiful, inconspicuous, and mobile. Fitted with explosives, they can kill hundreds of Iraqis at a time and take out U.S. Military vehicles and troops.

For the U.S. to win in Iraq, it must put a stop to these bombs. Perhaps there are patterns waiting to be discovered on how these cars are acquired, fitted, and deployed. And perhaps there's a way to "tag" cars in Iraq to discern these patterns!

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posted by Chris @ 6/08/2005 03:05:00 PM  
LEGOLAND California Military Discounts

I grew up playing with LEGOs (and I often made military tanks, planes etc. with the LEGOS), so I was more than happy to list the LEGOLAND California Military Discount on our Discounts Page.

Here is the information about the discount:
Please purchase your discount tickets through your local Military MWR Ticket office OR Buy your LEGOLAND Discount Military Tickets online: $33.95 Adult/Child Up To $11 SAVINGS PER TICKET! Simply logon to: www.legoland.com/buytickets and enter Military promo code: 295-USMIL

After listing the discount, I decided to search "military lego" at Google. Officially, the LEGO company, headquartered in Denmark, has a policy against producing military-related LEGO sets. We understand that policy, since very young children play with LEGOs. However, the lack of LEGO military sets hasn't stopped a number of LEGO enthusiasts from making military-related models, as I soon found out with the Google search. As it turns out, the recent Star Wars sets have a number of pieces (including gray pieces) that can be adapted for military models. There's now even a track tread LEGO piece that can be used to make military tank models. Here are a few military-related LEGO Web sites I found with the search:

http://www.mechanizedbrick.com/mb.html
http://www.brickmania.com/Gallery2/war/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/legomilitary/

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posted by Chris @ 6/05/2005 05:00:00 PM  
Soldier Rap, The Pulse of War

Excerpt: "It took only a few ambushes, roadside bombs and corpses for Neal Saunders to know what he had to do: turn the streets of Baghdad into rap music. So the First Cavalry sergeant, then newly arrived for a year of duty in Sadr City, began hoarding his monthly paychecks and seeking out a U.S. supplier willing to ship a keyboard, digital mixer, cable, microphones and headphones to an overseas military address. He hammered together a plywood shack, tacked up some cheap mattress pads for soundproofing and invited other Task Force 112 members to join him in his jerry-built studio. They call themselves "4th25" - pronounced fourth quarter, like the final do-or-die minutes of a game - and their album is "Live From Iraq." The sound may be raw, even by rap standards, but it expresses things that soldiers usually keep bottled up. "

Comment: I don't usually like "rap me, zap me, crap me" music (as my 1st Sergeant used to call it), unless it's Kid Rock, but this music/video is pretty cool. Plus, the video contains scenes from a number of Iraq War videos circulating on the Net. More at 4th25.com!

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posted by Chris @ 6/04/2005 01:59:00 PM  
Pantano Gives Resignation, Speech and Sword

At a gathering in Wilmingon, Pantano expressed thanks to Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., for his backing. Pantano said:

"Congressman Jones, you once shared a verse with me: "Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his friends."

That spirit of sacrifice defines the soldier and Marine. And it defines you sir. You know in your heart and your soul what is right and you are willing to fight for it. Even if it is at great risk to you and your career.

As my family and I faced our darkest hours you fought for us, and in doing so you fought for every man and woman in the uniform, past present and future – not because of the opportunity to challenge the military, but for the opportunity to protect it from itself.

Day and night you appealed to any that would listen. You were tireless in your defense of me, and for that I will be eternally grateful.

My family and I want to thank you for your courage and your leadership.

First, I present to you my innocence, known to you and many many others from the outset, but proven finally by our justice system after a yearlong investigation and prosecution.
Congressman Jones, You weren't just brave to defend me. You were right.

And finally, from one warrior to another, I present to you my most cherished possession: my sword. My love of corps and country will never be broken or diminished, but now it is my love of family that I must honor most with my decision to resign.

I have taken up arms for my country and my corps in two wars and it has been my privilege to serve beside real heroes – some of whom are here today.

Even as I step aside it is my greatest hope that young men and women continue to follow in the footsteps of those who have gone before, to push themselves, to rise to the challenge of becoming Marines. Our country needs you and we will always be grateful to you.
The Marine officer's sword represents the highest ideals of military excellence and professionally, one of my greatest achievements.

Honor, courage and commitment are principles by which we Marines live and die.
You, Congressman Jones, through your actions, have demonstrated that you live by those principles as well.

And I, for one am grateful that you do.
Thank you sir, may God bless you and your family and may God bless America."

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posted by Chris @ 6/01/2005 07:15:00 PM  
Did Deep Throat Deep-Six Vietnam War?

The collapse of South Vietnam may have been inevitable, however, it may have been hastened by "Deep Throat" W. Mark Felt. Both the Vietnam War and Nixon's presidency fell apart at about the same time, and there may be a connection. Nixon's ability to lead the nation diminished with each new revelation from "Dubya" Mark Felt. At least that's what some people are saying today!

"Dubya" Mark Felt is an author! He wrote a 351 page book titled The FBI Pyramid From the Inside that dealt with his time in the FBI.

It's interesting to note that Bernstein's son spilled the beans many years ago at summer camp about the identity of Deep Throat.

I've heard that you should never trust a man with an initial for a first name. What do you think?

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