Spot Report

HARLEY-DAVIDSON 2007 MOTORCYCLES HONOR MILITARY SERVICE

2006-08-16T20:30:00.000-07:00

Patriot Special Edition Models Available to U.S. Armed Forces Personnel

MILWAUKEE (August 11, 2006) - American military personnel and veterans know well the extraordinary sacrifice required to serve their country and protect freedom around the world. It is a level of dedication and commitment that cannot be taken for granted and is greatly respected by Harley-Davidson.

Harley-Davidson will provide those who have served their country the chance to customize their motorcycle with details honoring their military service with the 2007 Patriot Special Edition program. These specially-decorated models will be sold only to active U.S. military service men and women, veterans and immediate family members of both those categories.

"Harley-Davidson is proud of the unique bond and heritage we have with the military going as far back as 1916," said Jim McCaslin, President and Chief Operating Officer, Harley-Davidson Motor Company. "The Patriot Special Edition is simply a way to help honor those who have served. These are special motorcycles for very special members of the Harley-Davidson family."

The Patriot Special Edition program will be available on 12 different 2007 Harley-Davidson models (see list below) that can be customized to one of these participating military branches: U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy.

Patriot Special Edition Participating Motorcycles:
FLHTCU Ultra Classic Electra Glide
FLHRC Road King Classic
FLHX Street Glide
FXDC Dyna Super Glide Custom
FXDWG Dyna Wide Glide
FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic
FLSTF Fat Boy
FLSTC Softail Custom
XL1200C Sportster 1200 Custom
XL1200L Sportster 1200 Low
XL883C Sportster 883 Custom
VRSCAW V-Rod
Sidecar

These Vivid Black motorcycles will be accented with red and blue pin striping and the standard U.S. flag, consistent with all military uniform symbols, on the fender. The Patriot Special Edition motorcycles will feature a branch-specific fuel tank badge installed at the dealership. Customers will receive a personal letter of appreciation and special-edition Harley-Davidson Challenge Coin made by the Franklin Mint. Challenge Coins are a unique and time-honored tradition in the military.

Customers will need to provide proof of military service (Veterans[1] will need their DD Form 214, active military discharge document) to qualify for purchase. Eligible military service includes active duty personnel (including National Guard and Reserves), veterans and immediate family members of both of those categories.

Harley-Davidson Military Highlights include:

An estimated 20,000 motorcycles, most of them Harley-Davidsons, took part in World War I. Corporal Roy Holtz of Chippewa Falls, Wisc., was photographed as the first American riding into Germany after the signing of the Armistice in 1918.

During World War II, Harley-Davidson produced approximately 90,000 WL military models used on virtually every front, and the Company received the Army-Navy "E" Awards for excellence in wartime production.

Many Harley-Davidson customers and dealers are military veterans, and it is estimated that about 14 percent of Harley-Davidson U.S. employees are veterans. The Company has supported community events such as the Rolling Thunder Ride to the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial and World War II Memorial.

Check out harley-davidson.com's Patriot Special Edition page for additional imagery and details on this line-up of specially-decorated models.

[1] A veteran is a person who served in the active military, naval or air service and who was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

30-Year Anniversary - Baseball Player Saves American Flag

2006-05-09T14:28:00.000-07:00

It has been 30-years (April 25, 1976) since former United States Marine and then-Chicago Cubs outfielder Rick Monday saved the American flag from being burned by two protestors at Dodger Stadium... a moment that was named one of the top 100 classic moments in baseball history by the National Baseball Hall of Fame committee.

See the video:

http://mfile.akamai.com/10869/wmv/mlb.download.akamai.com/10869/library/open/features/monday_flag_350.wmv

Military - It's Your Turn To Share Your Thoughts

It need not matter if you were a baseball fan or not. For what transpired on the afternoon of April 25, 1976 at Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium was a moment that united Americans throughout the country.

At a time when the United States of America was celebrating its bicentennial, two protestors jumped onto the field and attempted to use the Dodger Stadium outfield as a political stage in which to burn the American flag.

With a lighter fluid and matches in hand, the protestors unfurled the flag and lit a match. The wind blew out the first match. As they tried to strike a second match, United States Marine veteran Rick Monday, then the centerfielder for the visiting Chicago Cubs (and current Dodger broadcaster), raced from his position, grabbed the flag and continued sprinting to the infield where he handed it over to Dodger pitcher Doug Rau.

This moment and the symbol it represented - freedom, history and those who have lost their lives in battle to save Old Glory - had countless Americans talking; from baseball fans to everyday American citizens.

It is ranked as one of the top 100 classic moments in baseball history by the National Baseball Hall of Fame committee and third on Sporting News' list as the most 'unusual' moment to occur on a major league baseball field.

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of this event, it's your turn to express what that moment meant to you.

Were you a baseball fan attending this game in Los Angeles? Or, were you, your children or friends in the military - or a veteran of the armed forces - when this occurred?

A special book is being written about this moment and the impact it had on American society in a more innocent time. What went through your mind when you heard or saw this flag-burning incident? Did it have a special effect, or trigger a special event, for someone you know? Regardless of the scenario, your comments are welcomed.

Feel free to share your thoughts in 500 words or less, and photos (if you were at the game or you are a veteran), and send them to mvpsportscorp@aol.com or MVPSPORTS, 505 Beachland Blvd., Ste. 1-220, Vero Beach, FL 32963. Please include your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address.

By sharing your thoughts and photos (sorry, items can not be returned), you give the writer permission to print your name and material. All entries are subject to edit.

Video of Iran's New High-Speed Torpedo

2006-04-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

See:
Missile a warning to the West

Guests of the Ayatollah

2006-02-09T18:41:00.000-08:00

Here's a heads up on a brilliant and riveting new book set for public release in April 2006:

Mark Bowden, the author of Black Hawk Down, has spent the last five years reconstructing the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979-80 for his new book Guests of the Ayatollah.

I have been fortunate enough to receive an uncorrected proof of the book, courtesy of the publisher.

I was in high school when the hostage crisis unfolded. Already, I was a staunch conservative, and listening to Jimmy Carter for more than a couple of minutes was unbearable. Underneath his words, and behind his smile, was a flawed world view based on misguided compassion, compromise and meekness/weakness. I wondered in disbelief why Carter didn't declare war on Iran. To his credit, or discredit, Carter did authorize a clandestine military operation to free the hostages, which is detailed in the book. Unfortunately, this situation called for overt American military might, not covert military finesse.

The crisis had a big impact on my life, as it did for many Americans. After high school I joined the Marine Corps Infantry hoping to find a fight in the Middle East.

The crisis touched many Americans, and for this reason, this book will touch many Americans. As the book jacket states: "The Iran hostage crisis was a watershed moment in American history. It was America's first showdown with Islamic fundamentalism, a confrontation at the forefront of American policy to this day. It was also a powerful dramatic story that captivated the American people, launched yellow-ribbon campaigns, made celebrities of the hostage's families, and crippled the reelection campaign of President Jimmy Carter."

Bowden's book is a definitive and exhaustive account of the hostage crisis. (The uncorrected proof is 642 pages.) Though remarkably detailed, the book is interesting and suspenseful throughout. You'll want to read the book, not only for gaining a greater understanding of what happened then, but to gain insight into what is happening now as the captors have come of age and are now threatening the world in terrifying new ways.

By the way, a movie based on the book is rumored to be in the works!

Cool Music Video - 'Fight for Freedom' by Chase

2006-02-04T16:46:00.000-08:00

Check out this cool music video featuring our troops and music by the band Chase (pictured above)!

See the video at:
http://www.chaserock.com/videos/fff.htm

Photos, Video of KC-130 Firing Flares

2006-02-04T16:26:00.000-08:00

Over Iraq: A KC-130 "Hercules" assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler-Transport Squadron Two Thirty Four (VMGR-234) fires flares used to counter attack surface to air missiles.

See photos:
http://chamorrobible.org/gpw/gpw-20051111-English.htm

See video:
http://www.archive.org/details/Herc_Salvo2

MilitarySpot.com Salutes Rakkasan's Red Knights

2006-02-01T15:24:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Captain AMY A. BISHOP (Captain, Team Bravo Leader, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Tikrit, Iraq "RAKKASANS") for the below information. Keep up the good work! - The MilitarySpot.com Team

Red Knights Assist Iraqi Forces to Reestablish Security and a Productive Government
By Spc Waine D. Haley, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

TIKRIT, Iraq (January 28, 2006) - People helping people is the way the Rakkasan's Red Knights are bringing the Tikrit region back to peace and stability.

The 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, the battalion known as the Red Knights, is working with the Iraqi people to build a government that will bring peace and safety to their area.

"We're tasked to partner with Iraqi security forces and to fight the counter insurgency," said Lt. Col. Richard D. Root, commander for the 3/320th Field Artillery Regiment, "We are here to reestablish the security and a productive government to the Salah Ad Din province and Tikrit."

The goal is to have the local government provide their own security and infrastructure to their population. Coalition Forces are doing this in a number of different ways.

The security aspect is being accomplished with training and support for the Iraqi Army, Iraqi Police and the 9th Strategic Infrastructure Battalion.

"The Iraqi army is ready to assume a battle space." said Root, "We have taken them through the validation process. We have gone through all the critical gates we have to go through. They perform well; they get better each and every time."

This is a recommendation that the 3/320th commander is scheduled to make to his chain of command this week.

According to Root, this is the year of the Iraqi Police. There are 21 IP stations in Tikrit. The Red Knights will be working with them and building partnerships by providing assistance and training.

The 9th SIB performs a key roll in providing the area infrastructure security. They protect the electrical power lines and the oil pipe lines.

"The counter insurgency fight requires subtasks and partnerships." said Root, "Without their [IA, 9th SIB, IP] commitment to fight counter-insurgency, Coalition forces would not be successful. We provide a lot of enablers to those elements to help them accomplish that mission. They are in the lead almost 100 percent of the time."

While fighting Anti-Iraqi Forces is the first and foremost task for the 3/320th, the primary focus for Root is building working relationships with the government. He is working with the governor, city council, the mayor and all individual city municipalities.

Root has built upon relationships that the 445th Civil Affairs Battalion started in Operation Iraqi Freedom I.

"The Civil Affairs team has been here about six months so they have a relationship already established." said Root, "I'm focusing my energy as Battalion Commander to reaffirm those relationships to continue forward progress."

Key issues range from infrastructure problems, such as electricity and water, to making sure the government officials prioritize their budget dollars.

"We are trying to coach them and mentor them into taking ownership of areas, making it better for all of Tikrit." said Root, "Not to be tribally focused or focused on their constituents. They need to prioritize their limited budget. Their priority needs to be the projects that will make the greatest impact on the whole area."

The Coalition Forces are working with the Iraqis on a daily basis. They are giving the Iraqi leaders a hand up, not a hand out. With the decrease of casualties and damage of property, the area is showing a progressive move towards stability.

"We are doing a great work here, we are taking it to the enemy, we are fighting the counter insurgency fight and we are doing this with our Iraqi brothers." said Root, "We are working hand in hand with the key leaders of the community. They are making progress everyday and everyday they are taking charge. They are setting their future."

Terrorists Among Us?

2006-01-13T14:49:00.000-08:00

Image: See Improvised Explosive Cell Phone - Up Close

Back on December 26, 2005 there was a very interesting post in our Military Forums about individuals buying cell phones in bulk and shipping them to the Middle East. The person who posted the information goes by the screen name "The Bogert." Here's what he had to say:

"Howdy all, don't get to post all that often but I have recently had something come up in my life. To fill you in, I've worked for Best Buy 4 years now and will be leaving to boot camp in a just over a week. Lately there have been individuals attempting to buy bulk amounts of virgin mobile phones which are no contracts and shipping them over to the Middle East, the FBI is looking into this for it is against "title 50 of us code 2401" export of US goods to foreign soil. This individuals have tried to buy up to 2000 phones in deferent areas, so they come into my store to try and buy these phones two day's in a row. On the first day we limit how many they can buy and write down all there info on who they are, and fax it in just how we're supposed to do. The 2nd day we deny them the phones all together. Two coworkers of mine start calling me racist for not letting them buy the phones and think I shouldnt care if there sending them over seas or not, they just think I should stay out of it. I told him that there are troops getting killed because of phones used in IED's WILL BE my problem in a few month's and if I lose a leg or worse and find a piece of virgin mobile phone stuck in me I'll be alittle pissed off."

On January 13th, 2006, similar stories started hitting the media:

Newsmax: "On December 18, six individuals of Middle Eastern origin, including one from Iraq and another from Pakistan, attempted to buy approximately 60 disposable phones at a Wal-Mart in Midland, Texas."

ABC 13: "In one New Year's Eve transaction at a Target store in Hemet, Calif., 150 disposable tracfones were purchased. Suspicious store employees notified police, who called in the FBI, law enforcement sources said... Other reports have come in from other cities, including Dallas, and from authorities in other states. Authorities in Pennsylvania, New York and other parts of Texas confirmed that they were alerted to the cases, and sources say other jurisdictions were also notified."

These purchases may be happening all over the United States ("The Bogert" hails from a northern U.S. state not mentioned above).

Two other possibly related news items come to mind. First, the FBI is said to be quietly investigating reports that some of the automobiles used in car bombings in Iraq originated in the U.S. Second, there have been recent reports that criminals in the U.S. are converting drug money, etc. into prepaid cards that are shipped overseas to be sold for cash, thereby circumventing efforts by the U.S. to track suspicious financial transfers to overseas destinations.

If the people involved in some of these transactions are connected to terrorism, how long before Zarqawi gets his wish of striking Mainland America?

Marines Build Plastic Bottle Christmas Tree in Iraq

2005-12-23T14:48:00.000-08:00

Source: Marine Corps News

There was no "artificial or real Christmas tree" debate this year for the Marines of MTACS-28 currently stationed in Al Asad, Iraq - all they had were plastic bottles and a whole lot of Marine initiative and motivation!

Excerpt:

"The Christmas tree consists of 4,130 water bottles. It stands more than 15 feet high. The entire squadron (Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron 28) was involved in the collection of the water bottles. The Marines saved bottles and set up collection boxes throughout Al Asad.

"Marines were pulling 12-hour shifts, and then coming to help us," said Staff Sgt. William Lee, the utilities chief with MTACS-28 and a Dawson, Ill., native. "I even had the physical conditioning platoon go on a run and pick up water bottles. After we collected the bottles, we had to cut, clean and peal the labels off them. It may not seem like much, but imagine cutting 2,500 bottles in one day."

Read the entire article at:
http://www.marines.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/lookupstoryref/200512161643

Iraqi Snake Eaters?

2005-12-12T20:28:00.000-08:00

"Snake Eater" is a term used to describe the "badasses" in U.S. Military special forces and elite infantry units. These are the guys who "get down and dirty" to get the job done.

I get the impression that most of the Iraqi Snake Eaters are either in the insurgency or the militias. They don't seem to be in the Iraqi Army that the United States is training.

Actually, the Iraqis should be teaching the Americans a thing or two about fighting in the Middle East. After all, the Iraqi military, prior to the U.S. invasion, actually had a pretty good handle on a tough situation. They regularly conducted heavy-handed urban military operations around the country to keep the various groups in check. During the '80s, they fought a large-scale conventional war, complete with chemical weapons, against the Iranians.

Why then, are the Americans having such a hard time training the new Iraqi Army? One aspect, of course, is bringing Iraqi forces in general up to the standards of the professional American military. But another aspect is motivation. The insurgency is mainly carried out by the Snake Eaters from the old Sunni-dominated Iraq Army. The new Iraq Army is made up of some motivated Iraqis, but also of many non-Snake Eaters who are just looking for a paycheck.

Once the U.S. Military can find a few Snake Eaters for the new Iraq Army, then it can come home!

Book: Marine 'Indiana Jones' Tracks Looted Iraq Antiquities

2005-12-08T15:23:00.000-08:00

Some guys have all the luck! Some guys make their own luck!

Marine Reserve Colonel Matthew Bogdanos is one of those guys. Bogdanos is the Manhattan district attorney who handled the case against Sean "Puffy" Combs. Recalled to active duty after 9/11, he was involved in the search for terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq before investigating the looting of the Iraq National Museum. His team has recovered more than 5,000 of the missing artifacts.

Bogdanos's new book, Thieves of Baghdad, is the riveting true story of how he applied his skills as a Marine, an investigator, and a passionate student of classical history to rescue antiquities he studied as a youth. Far from being a police blotter of the thefts, Bogdanos's story is a combination of Indiana Jones, JAG and CSI. In the mix are military operations, international intrigue, investigative procedures, and harrowing raids in the backstreets of Iraq. The personal aspects of the story and the way the story immerses the reader into the culture of Iraq is reminiscent of the way James Clavell's book Whirlwind immerses readers into the Iranian Revolution. If you enjoy art, ancient history, law enforcement, the military, and/or current events, you will enjoy this Marine's account of his adventures in the world's most dangerous place tracking down ancient antiquities from the Cradle of Civilization!

Matthew Bogdanos's royalties for Thieves of Baghdad will be donated to the Iraq Museum.

You can order the book at Amazon.com by following the below link:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1582346453/wwwpostalworkers

Matthew Bogdanos DoD News Items:
http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/2003/tr20030910-0660.html
http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/2003/tr20030516-0202.html
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Sep2003/n09102003_200309108.html

Also see:

Regional Meeting to Fight the Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Property Stolen From Iraq
http://www.interpol.int/Public/WorkOfArt/Iraq/meetings/Minutes200406.asp

Interpol's Most Wanted Works of Art
http://www.interpol.com/Public/WorkOfArt/Poster/Poster33a.pdf

The British Museum information
http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/iraqcrisis/

Object ID
http://www.object-id.com/

Museum-Security.org
http://www.museum-security.org/iraq.html

Rocket Racing League

2005-12-03T15:33:00.000-08:00

Q: What do you get when you cross NASCAR with Tatooine Pod Racing?
A: Rocket Racing League

Soon, Top Gun pilots will have a career path after their military service that doesn't involve flying 727s back and forth across the country!

Here's more about the league from a RRL press release:

"Similar to auto racing organizations, the RRL will organize, host and run competitions across the United States, with the finals taking place each year at the X PRIZE Cup in New Mexico. The league also plans to produce nationwide tours of its rocket planes and pilots to answer the public's demand for high-excitement entertainment. A video game based on the RRL is slated to launch in late 2007.

Rocket races will operate much like auto races, with the exception that the "track" is up in the sky. Courses are expected to be approximately two miles long, one mile wide, and about 5,000 feet high, running perpendicularly to spectators. The rocket planes, called X-Racers, will take off from a runway both in a staggered fashion and side-by side and fly a course based on the design of a Grand Prix competition, with long straight-aways, vertical ascents, and deep banks. Each pilot will follow his or her own virtual "tunnel" or "track" of space through which to fly, safely separated from their competitors by a few hundred feet.

Highly skilled X-Racer pilots will employ state-of-the-art differential GPS technology to ensure minimal chances of physical contact between the racers.

Upon take-off, onlookers will easily follow the race as the rocket planes remain in view and sport 20-foot rocket plumes. Fans can also track their favorite pilots' progress via large screen televisions and hand-held GPS tracking devices using WiFi to stream video of the cockpit, live "on-track" shots, "side by side" views and wing angle views."

Learn more about the RRL at: http://www.rocketracingleague.com/

Nothing Short of a Coast-to-Coast Fence Will be Acceptable

2005-11-21T16:30:00.000-08:00

Image: Diagram of the Berlin Wall

The Soviets were able to build a wall/fence virtually across its entire western flank - to keep people in. Why can't the United States build a similar barrier across her southern border - to keep foreigners and terrorists out?

You've heard it here and elsewhere before - the U.S./Mexican border is out of control. (See AmericanBorderPatrol.com for photos and info.)

Word has it that President Bush "plans to announce a border security initiative in coming weeks as part of his effort to win back support for his presidency from doubting conservatives."

Too little, too late. The damage has already been done across the American Southwest and elsewhere.

I'll be very surprised if Bush calls for a border fence. He'll probably call for a few extra border agents that will never materialize, and more detention facilities to process more illegals. But it won't be enough for this conservative.

Despite Bush's recalcitrance* on the border situation, support is growing for a state-of-the-art border fence. Organizations such as Let Freedom Ring and their WeNeedAFence.com project are making a good case for a border fence. In fact, Colin Hanna, founder of We Need a Fence, will appear on Fox's Hannity and Colmes on Wednesday, November 23rd. Hopefully, this and other efforts will convince the stubborn Bush to finally take real action on this out-of-control situation.

re-cal-ci-trant: to be stubbornly disobedient; stubbornly resisting authority; resistance to handling or treatment

Where's Charles Martel When You Need Him?

2005-11-09T20:36:00.000-08:00

Photo: Youths face French riot police

You may have heard this joke:

"Hey, I got my cat neutered. Now he's French."

The French are getting a lot of bad press these days from Americans, some of it deserved, some of it not. The Arab riots aren't helping.

There was a time very long ago when the French stood up to Arab invaders. At the Battle of Tours in 732 AD, Charles Martel's Frankish army defeated a much larger Arab army and saved Western Europe and Christianity, according to many historians.

During the past several years the French have been concerned about the "Americanization" of France. They have rallied against McDonalds and other symbols of American capitalism. Too bad they weren't concerned about the "Arabization" of their land.

The French Leftists are stupid people. Perhaps out of colonial guilt, they have let large numbers of Arabs into their country. In America, immigrants assimilate over time, because people come to America to live the American dream. (If they don't assimilate, at least their kids do.) But people don't generally immigrate to France to become French. These Arabs, by and large, live sequestered in separate communities. Compounding this problem are French Leftists whose economic and social policies breed dependence, not responsibility.

Hopefully, the French and other European countries, and even the United States, realize - before it's too late - the errors of ethnic immigration of peoples without shared religions, cultures, or national interests. It's time for them (and us) to stop the immigration and start the deportation.

In the late 1980s I was privileged to read a report that detailed how the Soviets had developed an extensive network throughout Europe in the transportation sector. The Soviets, through the trucking industry and railroads, could clandestinely move people, goods and equipment easily throughout Europe. There were even reports that the Soviets had truck-sized microwave weapons that could be transported to areas throughout Europe, to be used against NATO facilities and personnel in the case of a Soviet invasion. Though Arab extremists don't have microwave weapons, they have a bunch of other stuff, and it's probable they have similar clandestine transportation/smuggling networks throughout Europe.

Sonic Device Helps Thwart Pirates

2005-11-09T15:05:00.000-08:00

Check out American Technology Corporation's Web site for a look at their acoustic force protection devices. Their Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) is credited with helping fend off pirates who attacked a cruise ship off the coast of Africa. In addition to producing a concerted ear-splitting sound, the LRAD can communicate in various languages via the built-in Phraselator. It can also be configured to provide live or continuously recorded audio.

Where's Osama?

2005-10-30T19:52:00.000-08:00

Click to enlarge

The recent devastating earthquake in Pakistan represents the best opportunity in some time for the United States to find bin Laden. It's not clear if bin Laden was even in the area of the 7.6 magnitude earthquake, but U.S. and coalition partners are likely leaving no stone unturned.

There's not much in the media about U.S. Military efforts to find Osama during earthquake relief efforts. There is this from the Daily Times, a site with news and information about Pakistan:

"PESHAWAR: An MI6/SAS team has joined US Special Forces in earthquake-devastated Balakot to search for Osama Bin Laden among thousands of victims still buried, British newspaper the Sunday Express reports. US President George W Bush approved a full-scale surveillance operation along the remote Afghan-Pakistan border where extremists have training camps. The team, flown in from a high-security base in Afghanistan, is equipped with imagery and eavesdropping technology, high-tech weapons systems and MI6 linguists to try to locate the most wanted "terrorist" in the world."

Whether the above is true information, or an assumptive fabrication, you can bet the U.S. is employing every available asset to locate Osama:

- Before the earthquake, Pakistan was publicly reluctanct to allow U.S. Military forces inside Pakistan to search for bin Laden. Now, during the chaos of the situation, the U.S. could be mounting clandestine operations inside Pakistan under the guise of earthquake relief efforts. These operations could target suspected areas that were off limits to the U.S. before the earthquake.
- Electronic eavesdropping: Most likely, the Department of Defense is working overtime to capture and translate electronic communications in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and perhaps elsewhere.
- Osama's kidney ailment could be his Achilles' Heel. Without electricity, his supposed dialysis machine won't operate.
- The earthquake devastation may force Osama to relocate. Likely, the U.S. has stepped up surveillance efforts along smugglers trails, etc.
- The CIA has likely stepped up efforts to track known associates of al Qaeda and bin Laden. One tantalizing tidbit: A doctor who treated bin Laden after 9/11 has resurfaced and has been helping with earthquake relief efforts in Pakistan.

But is bin Laden already dead? A Pakistani newspaper reports that bin Laden died four months ago:

"The Pakistani newspaper 'Ausaf' which is based in the city of Multan in the Punjab Province is reporting that Osama bin Laden died last June in a village near Kandahar in Afghanistan. According to the newspaper report, Bin Laden was campaigning at Bamiyan, fell very ill, returned to Kandahar where he died and was buried in the Shada graveyard in the shadow of a mountain."

Osama's last video message was over a year ago, right before the presidential elections. It will be interesting to see if there's another video!

What we have here is a failure to grasp the situation!

2005-10-22T18:45:00.000-07:00

Former FEMA director Michael Brown resigned from his post because he failed to grasp the enormity of the crisis in New Orleans as the situation unfolded. Brown said that he wasn't fully aware of the dire conditions until days after the storm hit. But FEMA official Marty Bahamonde, who was at the Superdome during the crisis, stated: "I couldn't have been any more clear to him (Brown) that food and water was a desperate situation at the Superdome."

Does this sound familiar to anyone? It does me!

For the past five years Mexicans have been pouring across the border and flooding our cities. I've said it before here, but I'll say it again: Entire areas of Dallas (where I live), for example, are now populated by peoples from ANOTHER country. These areas are hotbeds of crime and drugs. These areas are also IRS-free zones, as these illegals don't pay taxes in their underground economy.

For the past five years, President Bush has ignored this dire situation. He has "failed to grasp the enormity of the situation" despite the pleadings of many Americans. Let me say this as clearly as I can: The situation is turning desperate in many areas of the country because President Bush is not dealing with this unbelievable situation. What other country in the world allows 10,000 people a day to infiltrate its borders and take up residence, and then enjoy everything the country has to offer - schools, healthcare, and cash (tax free) jobs?

Assigning or hiring another one hundred or so border agents isn't going to cut it. What's another hundred going to do against 10,000 people a day? The United States needs to pursue other means, including military patrols or an adequate border fence/barrier, or both. Let's say the barrier cost $10 billion, or $20 billion. How many billions will we save when our schools and hospitals and other social services don't have to treat millions of people from another country?

Burn Baby Burn

2005-10-18T14:45:00.000-07:00

The United States has had more than its fair share of troubles in the Middle East, including the current Iraq situation, and it's all mainly due to one thing - oil. The Middle East has lots of oil, and the United States needs it!

But if the U.S. didn't need oil from the Middle East, we wouldn't have a strategic interest in the area, and we could let the various factions burn the entire region to the ground. Not another U.S. soldier would have to die for Mideast oil.

Now, I don't actually want to see the region burn to the ground. Hopefully, one day, the peoples of the Middle East can turn from their violent ways and end the bloodshed. But if it does burn, it burns - no skin off our back when we have our own oil secure in a highly-defensible area.

According to The Wall Street Journal (October 8-9, 2005 Issue), Alberta, Canada "theoretically could produce about 1.7 trillion to 2.5 trillion barrels of oil from its 54,000 square miles of oil-sands deposits - making it second to Saudi Arabia in oil reserves. If oil prices remain above $30 a barrel, oil-sands production would be profitable. There are also an estimated 800 billion barrels of oil contained in oil-shale deposits in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. That is more than triple the proven oil reserves of Saudi Arabia. Analysts say that crude-oil prices would have to rise to somewhere around $70 a barrel to make extraction financially viable."

What are we waiting for? In fact, we better hurry. Canada has warned the Bush administration that massive oil reserves in Alberta could be exported to China if the U.S. government refuses to climb down in a trade dispute over Canadian timber exports to the U.S.

There could be more, much more!? Eden Energy Corp. believes there could be Saudi Arabia-sized oil fields in Nevada and Utah.

Also see:
- What weighs 800 pounds and sits just north of Montana?

Ladies: Pee Like a Man!

2005-10-12T10:38:00.000-07:00

No, this is not a joke. The P-Mate is a disposable, cardboard device, that allows women to discreetly stand up and neatly pee like a man. Karen Diamond, of Go Your Way, believes the device could help women in the military:

"I truly believe that this product should be standard issue for women in the military who are deployed. In terms of the military, I believe that we are talking about a safety issue. Women, when working in areas without bathroom facilities, are faced with pulling their pants down and squatting, which leaves them very vulnerable to attack, not to mention the lack of dignity. Whether our troops are in a war zone on land, in a tank, a plane, or on a boat, you know the men are doing their business into a bottle or next to a tree. With their backs turned, they have privacy. Well now this can be true for women too!"

For more information go to: http://www.goyourway.net/

Immigrants Flood New Orleans in Search of Work

2005-10-10T20:29:00.002-07:00

From the LA Times:

"NEW ORLEANS -- Most of the signs are handwritten and simply worded, such as "Workers Wanted" or "Need 50 Laborers Now!" Word has gotten out and each morning day laborers -- who come from Central America and Mexico by way of California, Texas and Arizona -- gather on street corners in the Kenner and Metairie neighborhoods on the western edge of the city. Lured by jobs paying $15 to $17 an hour, the Spanish-speaking day laborers have flooded into New Orleans to haul out debris, clear downed trees, put in drywall and perform other tasks as rebuilding takes hold in the city. Specialized roofers can make $300 a day. "

Meanwhile, Jesse Jackson is accusing the Bush Administration of using Hurricane Katrina to reshape Louisiana politics.

Columnist Molly Ivins is calling New Orleans Baghdad on the Bayou. In a recent column Molly writes: "Already, Homeland Security is flooding what's left of New Orleans with mercenaries from the same private security contractors flourishing in Iraq. The Nation reports companies like DynCorp, Intercon Security, American Security Group, Blackwater, Wackenhut and an Israeli company called Instinctive Shooting International are all in New Orleans. "Some, like Blackwater, are under federal contract. Others have been hired by the wealthy elite, like F. Patrick Quinn III, who brought in private security to guard his $3 million private estate and his luxury hotels, which are under consideration for a lucrative federal contract to house FEMA workers."

Contrary to recent media recounts, there really WAS a sniper firing at helicopters, according to the Clarion-Ledger:

"A man who allegedly fired a weapon at a rescue helicopter the day after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans has been indicted by a federal grand jury. Wendell Bailey, 20, of New Orleans was charged with firearms possession by a felon and firing upon a military aircraft, prosecutors said.Authorities said they found two revolvers and a box of ammunition under a mattress in his apartment. The charges carry up to 30 years in prison and $500,000 in fines."

Boeing/Bell Osprey Ad Ruffles Muslim Feathers

2005-10-01T15:35:00.000-07:00

"Boeing and its joint-venture partner Bell Helicopter apologized yesterday for a magazine ad published a month ago - and again this week by mistake - depicting U.S. Special Forces troops rappelling from an Osprey aircraft onto the roof of a mosque. "It descends from the heavens. Ironically it unleashes hell," reads the ad, which ran this week in the National Journal and earlier in the Armed Forces Journal. The ad also stated: "Consider it a gift from above."

More at: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2002532657_boeingad1m.html

Click here to see full ad (PDF)

Hurricane Katrina Notes

2005-09-28T16:07:00.000-07:00

I talked with a couple New Orleans evacuees today. They couldn't say enough good things about the Coast Guard. The ones I talked with were at a Salvation Army shelter near the Superdome. From their five-story building, they witnessed countless Coast Guard helicopter rescue missions. After a couple of days they too were plucked from their building by a Coast Guard helo.

The evacuees moved in to an apartment complex in Dallas this weekend. About fifty families moved in. Before, the apartment complex was about half full, mostly of illegal aliens from Mexico. Now, according to a manager at the complex, the illegals are upset that the "Americans" are getting more handouts than they are. The illegals are grumbling about all of the donations (food, money, clothes, furniture, etc.) that the American evacuees are receiving.

I don't think it's too cold-blooded to suggest that we kick all of the illegals out of the complex and ship them back to Mexico to make more apartments available for American evacuees.

My son works at a leather jacket store. He said that three obnoxious evacuees visited the store with FEMA money at the ready. After much loud and abrasive behavior, they bought two expensive NASCAR leather jackets, but only after making abrasive demands for discounts and a waver of paying taxes on the sale. By the way, temps have been in the 90s and 100s for the past couple of weeks in Dallas.

On a related note, my son says that the illegals from Mexico love leather jackets, and they pay with cash from rolls of one hundred dollar bills. He says they never have change, just one hundred dollar bills. I explained to him that illegals don't have deductions on their wages, so all of their wages are free and clear. Their wages are "off the books" so they don't make, for example, $421.35, after deductions. They're paid with one hundred dollar bills. Must be nice. Maybe the illegals should think twice before getting upset about the Katrina evacuees' benefits.

Troops Traded Iraq Pics for Porn Access

2005-09-28T15:57:00.000-07:00

Photo: "Cooked Iraqi" - This photo, posted at nowthatsfuckedup.com, may be from the first Gulf War.

CNN doesn't name the Web site, but we are: http://www.nowthatsfuckedup.com. Warning: Graphic content

Covert Operations in New Orleans?

2005-09-14T15:40:00.000-07:00

(Image: Blackwater USA graphic)

The conspiracy theorists are having a field day with Hurricane Katrina. One of the more popular conspiracies is that the U.S. has hired mercenaries (Blackwater security personnel who are up to no good) to patrol New Orleans. This particular conspiracy feeds off the Bush/Cheney Big Oil links that portray Halliburton and related companies as out-of-control capitalists bent on subjugating the world. In New Orleans, the Blackwater personnel are being portrayed by some conspiracists as guardians of the wealthy sent to The Big Easy to put down the criminal poor and lead the way for the big corporations to take over. Here are a few excerpts from around the Internet that purport nefarious activities by Blackwater personnel:

OnlineJournal.com:
"According to Rahim, mercenaries from Blackwater USA are rumbling through the New Orleans streets, armed to the teeth and in full battle gear."

Online Journal Editor's Blog
"Blackwater mercenaries were seen looting bars in the French Quarter. Blackwater has also taken over another bar in the French Quarter as their de facto headquarters."

TowardFreedom.com
"Heavily armed paramilitary mercenaries from Blackwater, a private security firm that also works in Iraq, began patrolling the streets of New Orleans last week. Some of them said they have been "deputized" by the Louisiana governor, and have been given the authority to use lethal force by the Department of Homeland Security, according to a report by Jeremy Scahill and Daniela Crespo for Democracy Now!

"This is a totally new thing to have guys like us working CONUS (Continental United States)," a heavily armed Blackwater mercenary told the journalists. "We're much better equipped to deal with the situation in Iraq." Some Blackwater employees are among the most feared professional killers in the world, accustomed to operating without concern for legal consequences. Some of the men in New Orleans had returned from Iraq as recently as two weeks before."

Asia Times Online
"Washington Post reported that "Blackwater USA, known for its work supporting military operations in Iraq, said it would provide 164 armed guards to help provide security at FEMA sites in Louisiana." Today, New Orleans' streets are under military occupation; its property is guarded by hired guns; and the corporations of the whirlwind are pouring into town. All that's missing is the insurgency." [end of excerpts]

Well, like many conspiracy theories, there's a shred of truth to these reports. According to Blackwater USA, there ARE Blackwater personnel in the New Orleans area. This from the Blackwater Web site: "Blackwater USA continues to provide support to the hurricane devastated area through a variety of services including search and rescue, helicopter support, security services, and critical infrastructure protection." But there's only a shred...

If you listened to these conspiracists, and indeed the entire Left, you'd end up believing that Satan has taken over Halliburton, Blackwater, and other U.S. firms that have business in national and international hot spots.

With the demonization aside, however, what you really have are patriotic firms staffed full of patriotic Americans. Blackwater personnel for example are recruited mainly, or partly, from U.S. Military special forces. Blackwater, founded by a Navy SEAL, is reported to have a number of ex-SEALs in the ranks. These guys (SEALs, etc.) are the ultimate Americans, who have sacrificed their years and put their bodies through terrible ordeals in the service of the United States. Halliburton personnel? These guys work hard and pay their taxes. They are Americans like most of the rest of us. I find it a little annoying that "experts" on the Left would demonize fellow Americans to make a political point!

More links:
- Wealthy on guard against the poor
- Mercenaries fight alongside U.S. troops in Iraq

Who the hell is Michael D. Brown?

2005-09-07T16:34:00.000-07:00

Michael D. Brown has been called the accidental director of FEMA, according to the Washington Post. Before FEMA, Mr. Brown served for nine years as commissioner of the International Arabian Horse Association, according to the Post. On top of that, he was forced out after withstanding numerous lawsuits against his enforcement of rules for judges and awards, the Post adds.

Well, I don't know about you, but when I'm president of the United States I'm getting at least a former two-star U.S. Military general to head FEMA. I'm getting someone who knows something about running complex operations; someone who knows how to deploy troops and assets to accomplish the mission; someone who can cut through the bullshit and get things done.

A two-star general would be sufficient, but I'm pretty sure a U.S. Military company commander or even a platoon commander could get the job done too! Heck, even an enlisted squad leader could make some "command" decisions and be more effective than the accidental Mr. Brown.

The point is that FEMA needs a person with extensive military experience as its leader. I'm not sure how Mr. Brown was appointed, but the blame for the disaster-relief mess should start with whoever hired Mr. Brown to be director of FEMA.

Image: Disgraceful New Orleans police officers help loot a Wal-Mart! See the newscast at:
http://www.militaryloansnews.com/policelooters.wmv

New Orleans: American Baghdad

2005-09-02T16:41:00.000-07:00

Snipers shooting at aid convoys and military helicopters? Police stations taking gunfire? Policemen taking defensive positions inside their stations to repel expected assaults by armed agressors? Looters running rampant, stripping store shelves bare? Men roaming the streets sexually assaulting women? Scared citizens barricading themselves inside their houses and businesses ready to fend off intruders? Dead bodies, some with multiple gunshot wounds, littering the streets? Mobs of angry citizens protesting the government?

Baghdad, Iraq?

No: New Orleans, USA

Not enough troops to do the job?

Iraq?

No: Southern United States

Others are comparing the New Orleans situation to apocalyptic movies. Escape from New York comes to mind.

The anarchic scenes from the city are shocking and troubling.

The city needs the National Guard, but it also needs a couple of Marine Scout Sniper platoons, SWAT, the FBI, and Predators flying overhead to combat the cockroaches that emerged from the rubble.

Every video of the looting needs to be scrutinized, and every person identified as a looter needs to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

What is especially troubling about how the people of New Orleans so quickly descended into abandon is that now we (Americans) have an example of what will happen the next time America is struck locally, regionally, or nationally by a catastrophic event.

As I look around the Dallas area where I live I see a lot of potential trouble. New Orleans has shown us that things can go to hell in a handbasket overnight. Like many major U.S. cities, and like New Orleans, Dallas has a large underclass. It won't take but a night or two for the gang bangers, drug runners, and other assorted criminal elements from this underclass to come out and play in a catastrophic event.

New Orleans is a wake up call. Here's what we've learned:
1. Criminal elements, left unchecked, will emerge in areas of a catastrophic event.
2. There may not be ANY federal, state, local or any other kind of help for days or weeks after a catastrophic event.

Here's what I've learned:
It's time to buy a bigger gun. I'm leaning towards an M4!

Bush Dynasty

2005-08-31T11:32:00.000-07:00

For better or worse, by 2008 a Bush will have been either President or Vice President for 20 out of the last 28 years.

Pat Buchanan, however, is calling for the impeachment of the current President Bush due to his reluctance to effectively deal with the Mexican border/illegal immigration issue. Here at MilitarySpot.com, we believe that Pat Buchanan has a point. Our nation is being invaded by millions of people from another country, yet the president does little.

But there is another egregious issue where Bush is failing the American people as well. Americans are being looted at the gas pumps, yet Exxon for example reported a record $7.64 Billion profit for the THREE MONTH PERIOD between April and June 2005. Americans need a rebate from Exxon and other oil companies, or be assured that these profits will be going to build new refineries, for oil and gas exploration, and building related infrastructure, and not into the pockets of owners and shareholders. But Bush the former oilman does little.

2008 Presidential Election Results Announced!!!

2005-08-24T16:09:00.000-07:00

You read it here first:

2008 Presidential Election Results:

Hillary Clinton: 54 percent
John McCain: 46 percent

How do I know?

This race has already been run, or at least a race that looks very much like the race shaping up between Hillary and McCain.

In 1996 a Clinton ran against an old, decorated war hero. Sound familiar? (Bill Clinton received 49 percent of the vote, Bob Dole received 41 percent, H. Ross Perot received 8 percent and others received about 2 percent. For our projection we assume that Hillary will receive Bill's 49 percent and McCain will receive Dole's 41 percent. We split Perot's take and the other's take and give 5 percent each to Hillary and McCain.)

There are many apparent and a couple of odd similarities between Dole and McCain. To name a few: Both men are decorated war heroes with military records above reproach. If McCain runs, he too will be well advanced in age like Dole in '96. Both McCain and Dole are solid Republicans, but neither stir the passions of their party and both are/were viewed with some trepidation from the Far Right.

Both McCain and Dole have ventured out of their Republican shells and appeared in rather odd media situations, considering their political stature. Dole touted Viagra and appeared in a racy Britney Spears Pepsi TV ad. McCain makes an appearance in the raunchy Wedding Crashers movie.

There could be more!

What if McCain picks ELIZABETH Dole as his running mate to add some feminine heft against Hillary?

Note: Hillary might select as her running mate New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, next-door neighbor of Senator John McCain of Arizona. Such a matchup could propel the border problem to the forefront.

Who could habla the most Spanish? My guess - Bill Richardson, meaning that the Republicans will have even fewer Hispanic voters in 2008 (not that they ever had a lot anyway, despite what Bush appears to believe).

Bush Should Bike the Border!

2005-08-24T15:50:00.000-07:00

I have a suggestion on where President Bush should take his next bicycle ride - the Arizona/Mexico border. Such a ride might bring home the fact to the prez that our border is being overrun by illegal immigrants, drug trafickers, and possibly terrorists. I wonder if the Secret Service would tell Bush that such a ride would be too dangerous?

Photo: Bush received scrapes on his hand and chin after a fall on his bike.

The Great Wall of the United States

2005-08-15T14:32:00.000-07:00

Good fences make good neighbors, Robert Frost indicates in his poem "Mending Wall."

Mexico is being anything but a good neighbor. Daily, thousands of Mexicans enter the United States illegally, committing numerous crimes in their trek northward.

One U.S. governor has finally had enough. New Mexico governor Bill Richardson (Democrat) has declared a state of emergency in four counties that share the border with Mexico. The region "has been devastated by the ravages and terror of human smuggling, drug smuggling, kidnapping, murder, destruction of property, and the death of livestock", CNN quoted Richardson as saying. Richardson told CNN that the "situation is out of hand".

The National Ledger wonders if Richardson is making his move for the White House in 2008. (Also see TIME) Well, if it is a move for the White House, this Democratic governor has earned some street cred with this traditional Republican voter! In fact, if Richardson stays on track with his initiative, I'm voting for him over any Republican who doesn't share the same concerns on this issue. Let me make this clear: "I AM A DIEHARD REPUBLICAN, BUT I WILL VOTE DEMOCRATIC IF THE DEMOCRATS TAKE THE LEAD ON SHUTTING DOWN OUR BORDERS." I've always voted with the interests of the Unites States above my own, and I'll be doing so in the next election also.

The silence from the Republicans on the issue of border control is deafening. One would think that this party with a tenet of strong national defense would have border control as a high priority. But they don't, and "methinks" it's a cheap Republican ploy to grow the economy through a combination of cheap labor and a housing boom across the Southwest.

But with Republicans silent and noncommittal on this issue, the Democrats have a great opportunity to drive a wedge between the Republican Party and their flag-waving supporters.

Here at MilitarySpot.com we are urging the United States Government to build an impenetrable barrier from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean. The Chinese were able to build such a wall in the times before Christ, so it would seem we could do the same today.

Currently, the U.S. Government is spending millions on border patrol personnel, vehicles, aircraft and other things and receiving little in return for the money spent. Some illegal immigrants are caught, but many thousands more make the crossing undetected. A wall would be costly, but in the long run it would save many millions of future dollars as it would be more efficient and require less personnel.

Do we want a few border patrol agents in SUVs chasing down illegal aliens in a vast region? Or do we want an impenetrable wall that stops everything - illegal aliens, drugs, contraband, weapons, and al Qaeda nukes?

Legend has it that Colonel Travis drew a line in the sand with his sword at the Alamo. It's time America drew another line in the sand!

The Russians Are Our Friends!

2005-08-07T16:04:00.000-07:00

The substantial assistance provided by the United States and Great Britain to their former nemesis Russia in the rescue efforts of a stranded Russian mini-sub is a testament to the developing friendships between these nations.

It seems a little odd that the U.S. is developing closer ties to Russia, considering the forty-year struggle between communism and democracy during the Cold War. But in hindsight, that period was brief, lasting a little more than forty years, and culminating with a flameout and a dissolution of the Soviet Empire in the late 1980s.

Before this period, if you'll remember, the Russians were our allies. Together, the United States and Russia (with great sacrifice) worked together to defeat Nazi Germany.

It's time to forget the idiocy of the Cold War and look ahead, for the United States and Russia have common goals and common enemies.

First, we shouldn't be too critical of Russian governance. Recently, Russia has been criticized by the Bush Administration for turning back some democratic initiatives. But we must remember that Russia is a new democracy in an old land, with a billion Chinese and hordes of Muslims on their old borders. Russia has a unique set of problems to contend with that are not comparable to the U.S. situation. Russia, for one, has Al Qaeda on their borders, and probably within. There are economic considerations as well. The introduction of capitalism has perhaps come too fast for Russia, as criminal organizations and criminal corporate monopolies have filled the void left by the demise of communism. But Russia is making headway with these problems.

But if and when the shit hits the fan, whether it be a 200 million man Chinese Army on the move, Al Qaeda with nukes, or another unforeseen nemesis, the United States and Russia, along with Western Europe, will be on the same side.

The world is dividing into many factions, but it's also dividing among two main fault lines - East versus West and Islam versus Christianity. The U.S. and Russia find themselves on the same side on both of these accounts. Though Christianity has been diluted in Western Europe and Russia, the Christian foundation remains, perpetuated by Caucasian majorities in these states. Against these Western/Christian/Caucasian nations stand two opposing Asian ideologies - Islam and Communist/Godless China.

Currently, China is consolidating its power in Oriental Asia, while hardline Islamics in Muslim Asia are fomenting terrorism against the Christian West. As these powers and movements grow, there will be increasing competition for goods, capital, and markets between Western and Eastern Powers.

As this showdown develops, there will be countless alliances and sub alliances made in many fields. Russia will hold wargames with China, and Russia will hold wargames with NATO. China will form trade pacts with Western-aligned Australia and New Zealand. The U.S. will supply both Pakistan and India (traditional enemies) with weapons of war. Socialists in Europe will be critical of the U.S. for Mideast military adventures. Ultimately though it will be East versus West and Islam versus Christianity, and hopefully we'll have Russia on our side, even if they aren't perfectly democratic.

Marines Spread Too Thin in Iraq

2005-08-04T09:12:00.000-07:00

The circumstances surrounding the killings of six Marine snipers near the town of Haditha in Iraq's Al Anbar province could be an indication that U.S. forces are spread too thin.

Marine Scout Snipers often work alone in small teams, but they are most always employed as part of a greater unit that provides mutual fire support and cover. Often, they are employed in overwatch positions to cover advancing infantry. Sometimes, they are used for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering.

Nevertheless, as part of a Marine Infantry Battalion, snipers are part of a larger, cohesive unit that includes infantrymen, mortars, TOW missiles, etc. with attached units that could include artillery, tanks and air support. These Marine battalions train together to mount coordinated attacks. These units, employed together, are a very potent force. Apart, they become targets to be picked off.

The Iraq insurgency presents difficult problems, and the irregularities of urban guerrilla warfare are difficult to combat. In war, of course, there will always be ambushes and such, and loss of life on both sides.

Nevertheless, the six murdered snipers were operating alone in an area not cleared of enemy insurgents. These snipers should have had some kind of affiliated support. But they didn't, and probably not because of their training, but because their battalion is being asked to do the near impossible.

Overall, about 10,000 U.S. troops are deployed in Al Anbar province, an area about the size of Texas. Probably less than half are combat troops, the others are support personnel. It doesn't take a military tactician to conclude there just aren't enough troops for the job.

Also see:
- Marine's Nightmare
- Ansar Al Sunnah Army Video of Attack (At Ogrish.com - Warning: Gruesome content)
Image (top): Marines patrol near the Haditha dam.

Al Qaeda Training Manual

2005-07-28T17:40:00.000-07:00

According to the U.S. Department of Justice the manual was located in Manchester (England) by Metropolitan Police during a search of an Al Qaeda member's home. The manual was found in a computer file described as "the military series" related to the "Declaration of Jihad."

- Part One (PDF)
- Part Two (PDF)
- Part Three (PDF)
- Part Four (PDF)

3rd World Bomb Squad

2005-07-27T17:30:00.000-07:00

Tragic video shows why it's best to let the experts handle suspicious items.

The video reminds me of a scene I witnessed at a post office in the weeks after the anthrax attacks of 2001. A postal worker finds a package with white dust on the outside. The worker takes the package to his supervisor's office, which is on the other side of the building. The supervisor and several managers look at the package closely. They take turns sniffing the package to see if they can identify the powder. "If this had been an actual emergency" the entire building would have been contaminated and the postal management team would have had to get along without a few of their brightest minds.

The Red Dragon Rises

2005-07-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

"Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads." - Revelations 12:3

Communist China is rearing its ugly head(s) in more ways than one. There have been a number of news reports in the last couple of weeks concerning China's growing military capabilities. See:

- Rumsfeld Argues for Keeping China Embargo
- China military build-up poses threat to India
- China plans leaner, meaner military

A Chinese general, speaking off the record, even went so far as to say China should use nuclear weapons against the United States if the American military intervenes in a China/Taiwan showdown.

The Pentagon is stoking these fires, but the Chinese are trying to allay them.

It seems the United States has a new military/economic enemy of Biblical proportions.

"The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million." - Revelations 9:16

China has a billion plus people. Conceivably and coincidentally, they could field a militia of two hundred million fighters. Currently, China is building or buying jets, missiles, submarines, amphibious ships, and more. The Chinese economy (a chief factor of military power) is growing at about NINE percent a year. It will be hard stopping the Chinese once they get rolling.

The United States needs to get on the ball. First, the United States needs to firm up some strategic alliances, including those with India (they have a billion also) and Japan (they have 130 mil plus the economy).

Second, we need to stoke our economy. I suggest something that sounds very communist - a five-year plan.

The U.S. economy is developing some glaring weaknesses. We are living off our largess, as our tech and industrial competencies are outsourced, leaving a service economy in the wake. But service economies don't win wars. Our tech is going to India, and our goods come from China (creating a trade deficit of Biblical proportions). And our cars come from Japan and Korea. We need to shore up our economic and industrial base, and we need a plan.

America needs a comprehensive plan from Washington. Leadership is such an important factor in moving a nation forward. If we can identify the problems then we can find the solutions, and work towards them. Such a plan, put forth every five years, would be comprehensive. It would be much like a corporation's plan that identifies threat and opportunities in the marketplace. The plan would consider everything from worker training to tariffs to the future availability of natural resources.

America needs such a plan! Why? Because our enemies are planning as you read this!

(Interestingly, the United States is profiting handsomely from the China/Taiwan standoff. Taiwan spends $20 billion a year on arms, and 95 percent of the weaponry is purchased from the United States.)

Note to Bush

2005-07-13T20:08:00.000-07:00

Note to Bush: You know that visionary thing you have about being kind to the Mexican people and letting them come across the border in droves so that one day they'll thank the Republican Party at the polls?

Well, it's not working too well for the GOP, but it's working out very well for the Democrats.

A Hispanic/Democratic mayor in LA!

A Female/Hispanic/Democratic/Lesbian elected Sheriff of Dallas?! Yes, it's true.

Did you look at the county-by-county map of the 2004 election results? Hispanics, by and large, voted Democratic.

You better seal the borders before the entire Southwest tips to the Democrats in a decade or two.

The Bionic Green Beret

2005-07-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

This story is both inspirational and interesting. A Green Beret, who lost his hand and lower arm in Afghanistan in 2003, has fashioned a bionic hand/arm that he hopes will enable him to return to combat. Here's an excerpt:

"While training at Fort Bragg, he regularly smashed his prosthetic hands. So on his return to the hospital, he huddled with the staff to build a sturdier model he could take to war. The prosthetists at Walter Reed encased fingers of a fake hand in carbon fiber. To protect the hand's small electric motor, they fashioned small steel plates that clamped on to the palm. Finally, they filled the pinky with an extra hard polymer.

In April 2004, Sgt. McCaffrey spent a month at Fort Bragg training with newly minted Green Berets. His new hand held up. "The environmental conditions were rain and temperatures near 100 degrees. At no time did SSG McCaffrey's (arm) malfunction. Nor did it hamper the detachment's operational mission," the instructor wrote in an evaluation. A few weeks later, Sgt. McCaffrey took his annual fitness test -- a combination of push-ups, sit-ups and two-mile run. He scored higher than he did before his injury."

I'm not making light of the situation in any way with the following: Wouldn't it be neat if you could mount extra things in a bionic hand, such as a flashlight, radio, watch and more. Or perhaps even a cutting tool or one-shot gun!?

Video: Illegals Get Taken For A Ride

2005-07-08T18:19:00.000-07:00

Depending where you sit on the moral spectrum this video will either be one of the funniest videos you've ever seen, or one of the worst.

In the video, an American white male in a pickup truck drives to a place where Mexicans hang out waiting for work. The man tells about six Mexicans that he has work for them at his house to build a deck. They are all too eager. They get in the back of his truck, and off they go, but not to the man's house. After several speed bumps at high speed, and some swerving back and forth, the man pulls up to the L.A. County Immigration Office! He gets out and starts blowing a whistle and yelling "La Migra - Immigration." The Mexicans furiously scatter in all directions. The man falls down laughing and later says he does this about every three weeks for population control, etc.

But what can the Mexicans do? Call the police? No, which illustrates a point about immigration. Many Americans on the Left believe that the compassionate thing to do is let Mexicans illegally come to America so that the Mexicans can find a better life. Unfortunately for the Mexicans, their illegal status often puts them in compromising situations. Some are forced to crime, and some fall victim to crime. (So in actuality, immigration control done in a legal way could actually help the plights of Mexicans overall. For more information on this subject see: http://www.militaryspot.com/illegal-immigration.htm)

On a related subject, did you see the report on the birth rate for immigrant mothers - 23 percent?! That means that nearly one out of every four births is by an immigrant mother. This trend has huge implications for both the immigrants and and the nation as a whole. See this Seattle Times story for more on the subject.

On a side note, I'm getting sick and tired of immigration advocates saying that Americans are hypocrites to call for immigration control, when this nation was built by immigrants. There is a big difference today. Back in the early 1900s during the last time immigration peaked, the immigration was legal. Immigrants came to this country legally in most cases, and were processed through formal channels such as existed at Ellis Island. Today's illegal immigration is just that - illegal. America doesn't have a sign out that says help wanted. Today, we have signs and laws that say stay out. That is the law. That is the crux of the laws of this land.

Here at MilitarySpot.com, we are for a measured, practical and legal approach to immigration and foreign workers. America does need some of these workers, but a process needs to be put in place that allows this to happen in a way that protects both the workers and the nation. We don't need a "run for the border" mentality that has hundreds of thousands of Mexicans sneaking across our borders.

But there's another angle that will make illegal immigration control legislation hard to come by. Simply put, this mass illegal immigration is fueling economic growth, and the current administration know this and relies on this for economic statistics. To give you an example of how this works, I will use the example of my suburb near Dallas.

Dallas is being inundated by illegals. They are turning entire sections of Dallas into barrios. There are so many Mexicans in Dallas that they are spilling over into the suburbs - Irving, Garland, and Mesquite (my suburb) to name a few. As these Mexicans (many illegal) move into the suburbs, many Americans move out. In Mesquite, entire sections of the suburb are becoming barrios. Many Mesquite Americans are moving to the next town down the highway - Forney, Texas. Forney is the new Mesquite, and is experiencing a huge home-building boom, and the related development that goes with it. The same thing is happening across the Southwest, unfortunately.

Cool Videos

2005-07-04T16:20:00.000-07:00

Jim at JimsPoliceWebsite.com sends us links to these cool videos:

"A soldier stands a little to close to an artillery cannon. When it kicks back after shooting it sends him over 10 feet in the air. Thats gonna leave a mark."
http://www.big-boys.com/articles/kickback1.html

"This is a very well done tribute to not only a great football player but also an American Hero - Pat Tillman."
http://www.big-boys.com/articles/pattillman.html

Is Bin Laden Nearby?

2005-07-03T12:12:00.000-07:00

It seems the U.S. Military in Afghanistan has stirred up a hornet's nest in Afghanistan. Recent fighting has left scores dead on both sides. The U.S. has committed a number of special ops troops to this recent fighting in the rugged mountains of Afghanistan. These troops include a four-man reconnaissance team that has been missing for a week. CNN reports that one member of this team has been rescued! Could these news items (special ops troops fighting militants in rugged terrain) indicate that the U.S. is on to something about the location of Bin Laden? Hopefully the U.S. is closing in on Bin Laden. But getting close and actually finding him are two different things. We barely found Hussein, who was in a hole. And we had complete operational control over that area.

Google Introduces New Video Service

2005-06-29T19:41:00.000-07:00

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.

Timetables

2005-06-27T19:11:00.000-07:00

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).

Marines Use Hardened Vehicle in Iraq

2005-06-24T19:56:00.000-07:00

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."

JL421 Badonkadonk Land Cruiser/Tank

2005-06-24T17:39:00.000-07:00

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.

Our Excellent Ideas

2005-06-22T14:09:00.000-07:00

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?

4,500 Shots - One Kill!

2005-06-20T14:19:00.000-07:00

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.

Innovative Rifle Mount for Body Armor

2005-06-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

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/

Mobile Phone Security

2005-06-12T14:27:00.000-07:00

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."

Most Effective Weapon in Iraq

2005-06-11T17:51:00.000-07:00

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!

LEGOLAND California Military Discounts

2005-06-08T15:05:00.000-07:00

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/

Soldier Rap, The Pulse of War

2005-06-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

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!

Pantano Gives Resignation, Speech and Sword

2005-06-04T13:59:00.000-07:00

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."

Did Deep Throat Deep-Six Vietnam War?

2005-06-01T19:15:00.000-07:00

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?

American Airlines Military Discounts Extended

2005-05-31T18:32:00.000-07:00

Received at MilitarySpot.com today:

"Traveling just got easier for America's military heroes to make it home to their loved ones. American Airlines is extending special travel offers available for active-duty military members. Now, members of the U.S. military and their families can take advantage of reduced fares until Jan. 31, 2006 to domestic and various international destinations.

American has eliminated Saturday night stay requirement. The airline is also inviting uniformed military personnel to pre-board with first-class passengers as a way to say "thank you." In addition, uniformed members who are participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom are welcome to be guests at American's Admirals Club facilities worldwide."

Complete information at: http://www.militaryspot.com/military-discounts.htm

WW II Japanese Soldiers Found in Southern Philippines?

2005-05-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

If true, it would be a sensational story - two Imperial Japanese soldiers found on a remote Philippine Island after 60 years. (There have been other Japanese 'holdouts' discovered in the years after WW II, but none in the last several years.) But doubts are being cast on the current story, as the Japanese businessman who reported the find is dodging the media and Japanese government officials. Adding to the intrigue are reports that Philippine rebels are demanding $300,000 ransom for the return of the soldiers, but the Philippine Star reports that a Japanese embassy official has denied there is a ransom demand.

Three U.S. Military Members Innocent of Iraq Abuses

2005-05-27T16:23:00.000-07:00

It's been a bad week for military prosecutors:
USMC Lt. Pantano will not be charged in the deaths of two Iraqis, a Marine general has decided. An Army Sergeant has been cleared in the shooting death of an Iraqi. Also, a U.S. military jury found a Navy commando innoccent on Thursday of charges stemming from a 2003 incident in which members of his SEAL platoon beat a suspected Iraqi insurgent (photo above) before handing the prisoner over to the CIA where he died in custody.

Terrorists tie bomb belt to dog in Iraq

2005-05-27T16:19:00.000-07:00

Somebody call PETA!
According to various news reports, Insurgents in Iraq attached explosives to a dog and tried to blow up a military convoy near the northern oil centre of Kirkuk. The only casualty was the dog.

Zarqawi and Bin Laden: World's Most Wanted

2005-05-24T15:47:00.000-07:00

They are the world's most wanted men, but one (Zarqawi) is running a ruthless insurgency in Iraq while the other (bin Laden) is just plain running. Hopefully, their times are short. Zarqawi is said to be recently wounded, and bin Laden is reportedly on the run with a small band of fighters. Additionally, some foreign news outlets are reporting that a close aide to Osama Bin Laden and former Afghan Taliban leader Mulla Omar barely escaped before police raided his house in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province. Several weeks ago, al Qaeda's alleged number three man was arrested in Pakistan. But the latest Newsweek edition has raised the possibility that bin Laden may never be captured, according to unnamed sources (just kidding).

Our take: Bin Laden may never be found alive or dead and buried. After his natural death, bin Laden's most trusted advisors will bury bin Laden in a remote, unmarked location. These advisors will then be put to death by other al Qaeda members so that there will be no evidence or recollection of where bin Laden is buried. This scenario would frustrate intelligence agencies for years to come, as they would be left wondering if bin Laden is dead or alive.

Satellite image gives terrorists birds-eye view of Bush ranch

2005-05-22T13:46:00.000-07:00

There's a reason why governments spend so much money on spy satellites. The images they provide can give users valuable information and insights not available elsewhere. Such is the case with the satellite images available at Google.com of President George Bush's Crawford, Texas ranch.

The images give detailed topographical information that could be used by terrorists to assault the ranch. Terrorists could use this information to determine types of assaults (air, ground), determine methods of assault (mechanized, vehicle borne, airborne, small unit infiltration, etc.), calculate distances and directions, and plan entry and egress routes. Let's hope the Secret Service is prepared for all possible threats against the ranch, including those derived from "outside the box" terrorist planners.

More interesting Google satellite images can be found at:
http://www.militaryspot.com/satellite-photos.htm

Million Veteran March on Washington D.C.

2005-05-20T18:19:00.000-07:00

Check this out:
Million Veteran March - June 8th, 2005
According to the Web site, the purpose of the march is to "demonstrate anger at the lack of adequate VA funding, VA performance and Veteran benefits in general."

Iraqi Insurgent Sniper Training

2005-05-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

ABC News reports: "Web sites maintained by Iraqi insurgents and their supporters contain chilling instructions that tell recruits how to become snipers and how to inflict the maximum damage, ABC News has learned. The document contains information from pro-insurgency Web sites, translated by Pentagon analysts, that instructs would-be snipers to target U.S. and coalition military commanders, officers and pilots because replacing them "may take two to four years and cost more than $500,000 to put someone through the famous West Point."

A PowerPoint version of the document in English has been posted at http://www.d-n-i.net. The document is also available below.
(Requires the PowerPoint Viewer: Free download at Microsoft.com)

Iraqi Insurgent Sniper Training Manual:
http://www.militaryspot.com/iraqi_insurgent_sniper_training.ppt

Brit Video, Military Discounts, Podcasts

2005-05-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

Soldiers have always had a sense of humor. Here's a video from the Brits that proves it.
Go to: http://www.putfile.com/top10.php and see "Way to Armadillo"
(Direct link: http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=way_to_armadillo)

NEW LISTINGS on our Military Discounts page ( http://www.militaryspot.com/military-discounts.htm)

Gemologica.com: Military members and their families receive free shipping. Use coupon code MS2005.
http://www.gemologica.com/

Carnival Cruise Lines: Active, retired, reserve, honorably discharged (min. 2 years) military personnel receive a 10-50% discount on select 2-12 day cruises through 2006. Contact Oscar Vergara at 1-800-819-3902 ext. 82614 or e-mail at overgara2@carnival.com.

MilitarySpot.com has a new Military Podcast page at:
http://www.militaryspot.com/military-podcast.htm
If you know of a military/war-related podcast please let us know so that we can include it on this page.

Thanks, The MilitarySpot.com Team

German Engineering: Arab Technology

2005-05-18T16:40:00.000-07:00

This video is a killer! (Thanks to Jim for the video)

Star Wars III Opens!

2005-05-18T16:20:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not this very funny cartoon by Mike Luckovich of the Atlanta Journal Constitution has upset a few military folks. Elsewhere, one of today's top stories is an article about how the U.S. Air Force is seeking aproval for a space weapon's program. Hmmm. I remember when the original Star Wars opened and the U.S. Military gained press coverage by commenting on how it was considering using ideas from the movie for developing new military technologies, including the X-Wing configuration.

Army Offers 15-Month Enlistment*

2005-05-17T19:38:00.000-07:00

* Check fine print about Stop-Loss. Terms of service may be extended at discretion of U.S. Army.

Godfather Movie Provided Inspiration for Hussein's Protection Strategy

2005-05-16T14:14:00.000-07:00

According to The Military Channel's Ace in the Hole cable TV program that aired May 12th, Saddam Hussein employed tactics from his favorite movie "The Godfather" for his three-tiered protection strategy. The top tier included many names on the 55 Most Wanted list. The middle tier consisted of 25 bodyguards and 40 personal employees. "Route clearers" composed the bottom tier. Saddam was caught after Army intelligence started to identify and round up key players in the "families." More information about upcoming Military Channel programs can be found at:
http://www.militaryspot.com/military-channel.htm.

Operation Red Dawn:
http://www.centcom.mil/operations/iraqi_Freedom/reddawn/OperationRedDawn_files/frame.htm

Newsweek Backs off Quran Desecration Story

2005-05-15T16:58:00.000-07:00

On the highways in Dallas I often see "Bush lied, people died" and "No one died when Clinton lied" bumper stickers. Today, I saw several "Newsweek lied, people died" blog headlines.

There will be those who will crucify Newsweek because the story contained unsubstantiated accusations. But the greater error is that Newsweek decided to publish the story in the first place, even if the claims were substantiated. Freedom of Speech is one thing, but being responsible with information is another. I doubt such a story would have seen the light of day in American newspapers in World War II!

Drop murder charges, Pantano prober urges

2005-05-15T09:11:00.000-07:00

"An investigating officer has recommended that the Marine Corps drop murder charges against 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano, who shot to death two Iraqi insurgents a year ago during a raid on an insurgent hideout in the "Triangle of Death. Col. Winn recommended that Lt. Pantano face administration punishment for firing too many rounds at the two men."

What!? Too many rounds at the enemy!? This is the Marine Corps! This is war!

"Airwinger," in a post at http://www.military-forums.net/eve couldn't have said it better:

"So the old adage from so many T-shirts, "When in doubt, empty the magazine" rang true... when it's your Six on the line and you're not 100% sure, don't just empty the magazine, empty two of them. That way they can't pull a grenade pin with their dieing breath."

You can show your support for Lt. Pantano at: http://www.defendthedefenders.org/

The Mystery of the Insurgency

2005-05-14T13:42:00.000-07:00

This New York Times article tries to make sense of the Iraqi insurgents' new tactics of attacking their own people. But there is a simple explanation for their motives - any bad news from Iraq is bad news for the United States. Though the insurgents are killing their own people in droves, the insurgents know that many in Iraq and around the world will hold the U.S. personally responsible for these killings, either because of America's failure to provide adequate security or just because of America's very presence in Iraq. The insurgents don't have to adopt the same tactics as those of the North Vietnamese, they just have to make Iraq look like Vietnam any way they can! Photo: Black Hawks over Baghdad after a suicide bombing.

Filipino Gunsmiths Are Making a Killing

2005-05-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

"Self-taught gunsmiths in the Philippines are churning out faithful working replicas of combat arms, from Israeli UZIs to 45-caliber handguns and KG-9 assault rifles used by Navy SEALs."

I visited the PI (as the Philippine Islands are known to the U.S. Navy and Marines) more than a few times during WestPacs with MEUSOCs in the late 1980s. Each time we went to the field to train, a variety of vendors would set up camp nearby to sell "bush bunnies," lumpia and rice, and knives!

This story about the gunsmiths reminded me of the resourcefulness of the Filipino people and their struggles to earn a meager existence. The locals had a variety of knives available to barter for food (MREs) and other items. These knives were made from scratch. Filipinos would scavenge old auto coil springs for the steel blades. The handles were made from water buffalo horns or brass from empty shell casings. The knife (photo above) has a handle made from the plastics of an automobile interior.

My friend traded his Burger King digital watch for a machete and a couple of knives. I think I traded a can of tuna and a pair of cammie bottoms for the couple of knives I have.

Another friend traded a pair of cammies for a bush bunny, but that's another story.