Devers.

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Thanks to a book review by David A. Powell as seen at Strategy Page and extracted from same!

"From Victory to Stalemate: The Western Front, Summer 1944, Decisive and Indecisive Military Operations, Volume 1", by Charles J. Dick.

"Why the War in the West Didn't End by Christmas"

"From Victory to Stalemate is an examination of American and British military operations in Northwest Europe over the late summer and early fall of 1944; with a specific focus on the Allied conduct of operations, and how Allied campaign decisions contributed to – or detracted from – final victory over the German army on the Western Front."

That question what has been asked ever since 1945 - - could Germany have been defeated far sooner and with less loss of life if Ike and his most senior commanders were agile, dynamic, aggressive?? ALLIED SENIOR COMMANDERS POOR PRACTITIONERS OF THE OPERATIONS ART??

"Operational art is the use of military forces [on a large scale] to achieve strategic goals through the design, organization, integration, and conduct of strategies, campaigns, major operations, and battles."

Two things from my perspective always are ignored when discussing the allied campaign in western Europe from the time of the Normandy landings forward. 1. Eisenhower having three army groups under his command [as of 15 September]. 2. The Devers Plan and the possibility for quick victory seems to be totally neglected by the historians and experts.

The Devers Plan. In the nutshell, that Third Army of Patton placed under operational control of Devers. Sixth Army Group would cross the Rhine, moving north on the east bank while Third Army also moving north, but on the west bank of the Rhine, objective Mannheim and Worms. German units much further north finding their rear in peril, compelled to retreat in a manner that might cause disintegration in the German ranks. NOT TO MENTION the Devers Plan occurring before the German Ardennes Offensive of 1944 and FORESTALLING SAME?

Eisenhower evidently having had the Devers Plan presented to him but Ike politely dismissing out-of-hand. Eisenhower cautious and for good reason!

coolbert.

Deception II.

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Conclusion!

"when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.”

As it is written so was it also done!! Kadesh 1283 B.C. From that account as attributed to the scribe Pentwere!

"So in ambush there they lay,
Northwest of Kadesh town;
And while these were in their lair,
Others went forth south of Kadesh,
on our midst, their charge was thrown
With such weight, our men went down,
For they took us unaware,
And the legion of Pra-Hormakhu gave way."

"They" = Hittites Also in all instances Khatti or Kheta = Hittite, Muwatalli = King of the Hittite.

The Hittite prior to Kadesh having dispatched spies [scouts] whose main purpose was to deceive the Egyptian. FALSE INFORMATION AND DECEPTION AS PRESENTED AND ACCEPTED BY EGYPTIAN AS TRUE!!

Once more from the Internet web site War On The Rocks and the article: "(W)ARCHIVES: BEATING THE SPIES"  by Mark Stout.

"As he [Ramesses] approached Kadesh two alleged defectors from the Hittite ranks came to him [Ramesses]  and offered their allegiance. They said that Muwatalli’s army was far away. What the Egyptians did not yet know was that these were agents of Muwatalli sent to convey disinformation and lull the Egyptians into complacency. Believing there were no threats nearby, Ramesses’ force continued to move northward without taking any particular security precautions."

"Then came two Shosu of the tribes of Shosu to say to his majesty: 'Our brothers who are chiefs of tribes with the Foe from Khatti [Hittite] have sent us to his majesty to say that we will be servants of Pharaoh and will abandon the Chief of Khatti.' His majesty said to them: 'Where are they, your brothers who sent you to tell this matter to his majesty?' They said to his majesty 'They are where the vile Chief of Khatti is; for the Foe from Khatti is in the land of Khaleb to the north of Tunip. He [Muwatalli] was too fearful of Pharaoh to come southward when he heard that Pharaoh had come northward.'"

"The two brothers [spies] beaten by Egyptian Officers" 

Spies a variation of the "doomed spy" as would recognized by Sun Tzu. The Egyptian acting on false information and not taking proper security measures walking into a Hittite ambush at Kadesh. Consequences for Ramesses II and his Egyptian army nearly totally 100 % disastrous.

coolbert.

Deception I.

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"All warfare is based on deception." "Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near." - - Sun Tzu.

DECEPTION as understood by Sun to include the concept of the DOOMED SPY.

"Having DOOMED SPIES, doing certain things openly for purposes of deception, and allowing our spies to know of them and report them to the enemy." - - Sun.

"We ostentatiously do thing calculated to deceive our own spies, who must be led to believe that they have been unwittingly disclosed. Then, when these spies are captured in the enemy's lines, they will make an entirely false report, and the enemy will take measures accordingly, only to find that we do something quite different." - - Tu Yu.

Deception as practiced by the Hittite against the Egyptian at Kadesh [1274 B. C.].

From the Internet web site "War On The Rocks" and the article by Mark Stout:  "(W)ARCHIVES: BEATING THE SPIES".

The Hittite employing and quite successfully so a VERSION of the "doomed spy" as would have been recognized by Sun.

More to follow!

coolbert.

29 Commando.

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Devoted readers to the blog please understand I am not even hardly conversant in the organization and structure of the British Army or Royal Marine Commando. If this post contains mistakes please forgive me!

As seen in 2014 from the English Daily Mail and as is germane to that previous blog entry:

"Five women to become first female Army Commandos"

Women within the ranks of the combat arms troops the English are already there?

"Five Army women are preparing to serve as Britain's first female Royal Marine commandos [RMC]."

"The 'GI Janes' have been offered provisional places in May to undergo one of the world's toughest military training courses."

"If they succeed, the women will win the coveted green beret. But before they can qualify, the women face ten weeks on a gruelling course which has led to the deaths of five male recruits in the past five years."

29 Commando British Army artillery and NOT Royal Marines. 29 Commando army artillery and on-call to provide fire support to the Royal Marines when RMC actually involved in combat operations.

WOMEN ALREADY AN INTEGRAL PART OF 29 COMMANDO. PASSING THE RMC QUALIFICATION COURSE A DIFFERENT MATTER?

The commando as organized during the Second World War branch of service immaterial. Personnel volunteers each and everyone from the ranks of army, navy, air force and marines. Commando strictly a war-time measure but units such as 29 Commando maintained and organized with the intention of supporting RMC in combat their personnel requirements [29 Commando] qualification and standards of training similar if not downright the same as RMC.

"The Commando Gunners are equipped with twelve 105mm Light Guns and Fire Support Teams (FSTs) trained to coordinate firepower for the combat arm.  The FST also coordinates other indirect fire support assets such as mortars, fast jets, attack helicopters and Naval Gunfire Support from Royal Naval ships"

Good luck ladies!!

coolbert.

RMC.

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Women to the front! British style.

Again from the British "Forces" TV channel:

"Female Commandos: Women In The Royal Marines"

"How To Become The First Female Royal Marines Commando"

"The Royal Marines Commandos [RMC] are one of the world's elite amphibious forces, and now women can rank amongst them."

"Following the MoD's decision to allow women into combat roles, the Royal Marines have already set out what they expect from women considering taking on one of the most arduous military basic training regimes in the world."

Royal Marine Commando training as described "arduous". Very tough and hard to pass.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate an already established level of physical fitness before entry into the program.

"Combat roles" meaning combat arms as understood by the American military? Infantry, artillery, armor, air defense, combat aviation [rotary wing]. Women embedded with the RMC in a combat support or combat service support role I can understand. Combat arms harder to fathom.

Can it be done? The jury is out!


coolbert.

Comfort.

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Within the context of previous blog entries as seen here and here consider this "terrible mistake" also. And indeed it is a "terrible mistake".

HOW NOT TO MAKE FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE! ALSO HAVING THE POSSIBILITY OF UNFORESEEN GEO-POLITICAL RAMIFICATIONS? NOTHING GOOD CAN COME OF THIS REGARDLESS OF MOTIVATION!

Thanks to the tip from Colonel Craig and the image from Flickr/ YunHo LEE.

"Japan’s Terrible Mistake on 'Comfort Women'"

"Japan has overreacted to the latest 'comfort women' memorial statue in South Korea."

THE JAPANESE MAY HAVE OVERREACTED BUT THOSE KOREAN NATIONALISTS ALSO HAVE OFFENDED WHERE NO OFFENSE WAS WARRANTED!!

   "In late December, Korean activists stationed a bronze statue of a young woman across from the Japanese consulate in Busan. Seated upright in a chair with her hands clasped in her lap, she stares intently, solemnly toward the consulate."

THIS WAS A DELIBERATE PROVOCATION AND UNSEEMLY. THIS ISSUE FROM SEVENTY YEARS AGO HAS BEEN REMEDIED TO THE EXTENT IT CAN BE REMEDIED!

"The statue offended Japan’s government so much that last week Japan recalled the Japanese ambassador in Seoul and the consul general in Busan and put major economic cooperation discussions on hold."

"Emotion clouds reason" - - Michael Corleone. Surely that is the case and surely that is the case here. Everyone cease and desist as best can be done. Kim of Pyongyang presents a much more grave threat I think all would acknowledge.

coolbert.

HMS Jersey.

This is coolbert:

Herewith a new one on me. The devoted reader to the blog also. Thanks to Jungle Trader for the tip.

The HMS Jersey from the time of the American Revolutionary war. Prison ship and described hell-hole. A Hell Ship but from way back.

"Moored off the coast of Brooklyn, the derelict HMS Jersey was a living hell for thousands of Americans either captured by the British or accused of disloyalty. Crammed below deck without light or fresh air, the disease-ridden prisoners were scarcely given food and water. More Americans died in its ghastly hold than on all the war's battlefields. Throughout the colonies, the mere mention of the ship sparked a fear and loathing of British troops that, paradoxically, helped rally public support for the war."

Wars of INSURRECTION often caused by POOR GOVERNANCE. To include the mistreatment of persons deemed as REBELS!

Further from the wiki entry:

"When the American Revolution began, the British used her as a prison ship for captured Continental Army soldiers [I also might think too anyone accused of disloyalty to the crown], making her infamous due to the harsh conditions in which the prisoners were kept. Thousands of men were crammed below decks where there was no natural light or fresh air and few provisions for the sick and hungry . . . Political tensions only made the prisoners' days worse, with brutal mistreatment by the British guards becoming fairly common. As many as eight corpses a day were buried from the Jersey alone before the British surrendered at Yorktown on 19 October 1781"

A HELL SHIP!!

HISTORICALLY WATER AND FEET THE BIGGEST KILLERS. DURING A TIME OF WAR! NOT HAVING WATER TO DRINK OR DRINKING BAD WATER, POOR UNSANITARY LIVING CONDITIONS LEADING TO DISEASE AND DEATH OF COMBATANTS OR PRISONER-OF-WAR.

coolbert.

Abu Bakr.

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As seen originally in the Daily Mail and reported by Freeper:

"ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi 'critically injured in air strikes in northern Iraq'"

"ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been 'critically injured' in air strikes in northern Iraq, it has been claimed. The terror mastermind is said to have been wounded after a bombing raid in Al-Ba'aj, it has been reported locally."

HOW MANY TIMES HAS THIS BEEN REPORTED. al-Baghdadi is either killed, badly wounded, etc.

Injured, critically injured, near death, dead, etc. Over and over.

 “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” - - M. Twain.

Abu Bakr too? 

 coolbert.

Kilo.

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As reported from Sharkhunters. Thanks to Harry!

"From WIZARD. . . Vietnam is receiving her 6th and last submarine from Russia.This KILO Class boat was received in Cam Ranh 20 January; named BA RIA-VUNG TAO arrived as deck cargo aboard the Dutch ship ROLLDOCK STORM as the last of the six KILO's contracted for in  $2 Billion contract between Vietnam and Russia."

Kilo an advanced diesel/electric boat of sophisticated design and able to employ weapons of also the most sophisticated design.

In the case of Vietnam possessing an advanced and formidable submarine force think South China Sea and the Paracel Islands.

That area of the world [South China Sea] very target-rich from the perspective of the American military planner and EVEN MORE SO NOW!

coolbert.

Target Daesh.

This is coolbert:

Within the context of this previous blog entry consider:

Daesh = Islamic State [ISIL].

As originally seen at Sputnik and reported by Freeper:

"Russia Receives Daesh Coordinates in Al-Bab From US"

"On January 22, the Russian command center at the Hmeymim airbase has received coordinates of Daesh targets in Al-Bab, Aleppo province, via the 'direct line' from the US-led coalition headquarters. After further data verification with the assistance of unmanned aircraft and space reconnaissance, the Russian Aerospace Forces and two jets of the international coalition have conducted air strikes on the terrorists' targets,"

Forces as opposed to ISIL closing in from all side on al-Bab. The Turkish military for weeks now has been trying to capture the city without success? Targeting data from American assets now available to one and all but with rare exception [Assad]? As in most all cases click on image to see and expanded view.

coolbert.

Tetrapylon.

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As seen at Freeper:

"Islamic State destroys ancient amphitheater at Palmyra, Syria"

"The Islamic State destroyed parts of an ancient Roman amphitheater dating to the second century A.D. in the city of Palmyra, Syria, state-run media reported Friday. The facade of the Roman Theater and the Tetrapylon, a monument of pillars, were demolished with explosives, SANA news agency reported. Each is a famous and archaeologically significant part of the ancient city, designated a UNESCO Heritage Site."

HEY, I THOUGHT PALMYRA HAD BEEN LIBERATED! I ALSO HAVE THOUGHT AFTER THE MASSIVE AERIAL BOMBARDMENT AS BEEN THE CASE FOR ALMOST THREE FULL YEARS NOW THE COMBATANTS OF THE ISLAMIC STATE [ISIL] SURELY BY NOW WOULD BE ON THE ROPES, TAKING A BEATING AND NO LONGER CAPABLE OF EVEN HOLDING GROUND.

So what is this then?? Don and Vlad had better get going and fast!!

ISIL very resilient and determined, ruthless. In the extreme!! Never underestimate them.

coolbert.

Duc Thang.

This is coolbert:

"'These people won’t listen. They make the same…mistakes over and over again in the same way.'"

Image as attributed to Life magazine.

That instantaneous thought having occurred to me when reading of the anti-helicopter mine was Ap Bac from the era of the Vietnam War.

BEFORE large-scale involvement of American forces during the Second Indo-China War Ap Bac a less than glorious [disastrous] military operation, South Vietnamese combat units [ARVN] and their American advisers defeated and rather soundly by the communist [VC] enemy, almost in a leisurely fashion.

This was Ap Bac. Operation Duc Thang to the South Vietnamese [ARVN].

Everything that could possibly go wrong did go wrong and disastrously so.

Ap Bac a combination of heliborne assault, armor assault, parachute insertion and overland attack from several directions NONE of which succeeded!!

WELL, YOU HAVE TO READ THE WHOLE THING FOR YOURSELF.

AP Bac for the United States represents in a microcosm the entire American experience during the Vietnam War?

"microcosm - - noun 1.a miniature representation of something, esp a unit, group, or place regarded as a copy of a larger one"

Those words "these people won't listen" as spoken by the American aviator/adviser John Paul Vann flying over the battlefield in an observation aircraft the entire time, issuing command and orders to no avail. This was the Fire Fly concept as deemed by many counter-productive!

coolbert.

Dire!

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Yet once more from the DEBKAfile news letter that situation in the Syrian city of Deir Er-Zour described as desperate. The situation grave, any sort of amelioration difficult if not impossible.

Dien Bien Phu deja vu all over again!

"ISIS overruns Syrian army command posts in Deir Ez-Zour"

16 January.

"ISIS followed up on the offensive it launched Saturday in the eastern Syrian Deir Ez-Zour province and town and, by Monday, had overrun the Syrian military command center in the town and beaten the Syrian army back from two districts, Bagheliya and Tallat al-Broul. Both sides sustained heavy casualties in the battle. The ISIS advance was not slowed by heavy Syrian air strikes."

See my previous blog entry regarding that situation in and around Deir Er-Zour:

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2017/01/deir-ezzor.html

EVEN AFTER ALMOST THREE FULL YEARS OF AERIAL BOMBARDMENT THE COMBATANTS OF THE ISLAMIC STATE [ISIL] RETAIN A FORMIDABLE GROUND WARFARE CAPABILITY? HOW IS THIS SO?

coolbert.

Vlad & Don.

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From the latest edition of the DEBKAfile newsletter it is asserted that American and Russian military forces will begin to operate in harmony to defeat the combatants of the Islamic State [ISIL]. EVEN A COMBINED OPERATION?

"US and Russia to free Palmyra after Trump sworn in"

15 January.

"Some of the ambiguity and mystery surrounding the nature of President-elect Donald Trump's relations with Russia's Vladimir Putin may disperse after the new US president takes office Thursday, Jan. 20, because one of their first joint military actions is ready to go."

"a combined US, Russian, Syrian and Jordanian force is preparing for a major operation to liberate the Syrian heritage town of Palmyra from the Islamic State."

PREVIOUSLY I had thought Palmyra had been liberated. Portions of the city once again under ISIL control? JOINT operation in what manner not specified.

Coalition warfare rarely succeeds! We shall see!

See previous blog entry the topic of which was Palmyra:

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2016/12/palmyra-syria.html

coolbert.

AHM.

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Never heard of this before. The anti-helicopter mine [AHM].

"In every war they invent a new way of killing you." - - Will Rogers.

Anti-helicopter Mine AHM-200.

"The Anti-Helicopter Mine AHM-200 is designed to destroy low flying helicopters within 100 m[eter] range. The mine is provided with a built-in unified fuse, which is activated by a combined acoustic & Doppler SHF sensor identifying the helicopter by the noise and Doppler signal. The mine cannot be activated by occasional noises, moving people, animals, ground military machines, etc."

"The control system of the fuse processes and analysis the signals from the sensors and activates the mine in case a helicopter enters in its combat range, or deactivates it on expiration of the preset operation time."

"The mine is positioned on a stand, which allows to aim the combined sensor to a defined direction."

Thanks to the tip from the excellent Internet web site isegoria.net.

This is an adaptation of the American claymore mine! Designed with low-flying helicopters in mind and not ground personnel. A directional and aimed spew of pellets from the AHM enough to "bring down" a chopper.

POTENTIAL LANDING ZONES DETERMINED BY THE DEFENDER IN ADVANCE, AHM IN PLACE, SELF-ACTIVATED AND DEADLY.

coolbert.

NATO Poland.

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"We waited for decades, sometimes feeling we had been left alone, sometimes almost losing hope, sometimes feeling that were the only one who protection civilization from aggression that came from the east."

Also from the Chicago Tribune:

"As U.S. troops arrive, Poland says: 'We waited for decades'"

15 January.

"WARSAW, Poland - - Polish leaders welcomed U.S. troops [an armored brigade of  3,500 American troops from Fort Carson] to their country Saturday with the defense minster expressing gratitude for their arrival and calling it the fulfillment of a dream Poles have had for decades."

Polish soldiers displaying captured commie battle flags in the aftermath of the Battle of Warsaw, 1920.

Three times in history the Polish nation has defended Europe and Christianity from foreign invasion: 

* 1240. The invasion of the Mongols. * 1683. The invasion of the Turk. * 1920. The invasion of the Soviets.

Polska zawsze!! Poland now not alone! Decades!

coolbert.

Swarm!!

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Rise of the machines! The collective acts as one! Skynet science- fiction becomes reality!

"U.S. Department of Defense Successfully Tests Composite Drones" by Evan Milberg

"A recent episode of CBS News’ “60 Minutes” highlighted the U.S. Department of Defense’s successful test of one of the world’s largest micro-drone swarms at China Lake, Calif."

"DoD said that during the tests, the Perdix micro-drones demonstrated 'advanced swarm behaviors,' including collective decision-making, adaptive formation flying, and self-healing."

“'Due to the complex nature of combat, Perdix are not pre-programmed synchronized individuals, they are a collective organism, sharing one distributed brain for decision-making and adapting to each other like swarms in nature,' . . . 'Because every Perdix communicates and collaborates with every other Perdix, the swarm has no leader and can gracefully adapt to drones entering or exiting the team.'”

Micro-drones with embedded computer technology and able to communicate and act as a "collective" during an attack.

SMALL be better and SMART SMALL be even better!!

coolbert.

CG Militia.

 This is coolbert:

Move along folks! Nothing to see here!

Here with some clarification in regard to a previous blog entry:

"After Massive Outrage, Trump Team Reverses, Asks Head of DC National Guard to Not Resign at 12:01 Inauguration Day"

"Transition Team Requests Major General Stay Extra Three Days"

"The Trump transition team has reversed course and is now asking the head of the Washington, D.C. National Guard to not resign at 12:01 PM on Inauguration Day, after massive nationwide outrage including from at least one local city councilman. Maj. Gen. Errol R. Schwartz received a memo instructing him to tender his resignation effective 12:01 PM January 20, the moment Donald Trump is sworn in as president – which is a customary expectation of all presidential political appointees and cabinet members on every Inauguration Day, even when a president is re-elected."

That commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard is under direct authority of the President, the chain of command bypassing the Pentagon? An appointed official who as all others is customarily expected to resign his position at the pleasure of the President. President-Elect Trump in this case.

MUCH IS BEING MADE OF THIS WHEN REALLY NOTHING SHOULD BE MADE? APPEARS TO BE SO.

coolbert.

Leopard.

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The German Leopard 2 main-battle tank [MBT] in scome quarters and for a long time seen as SUPERIOR to the American counter-part. This is proving to be just not so?

As seen at Freeper:

"Germany’s Leopard tanks prove vulnerable in Islamic State fight"

"KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — The reputation of Germany’s vaunted Leopard 2 tank, which forms the mainstay of NATO’s armored forces, has taken a pounding in battles with Islamic State militants in Syria. At least 10 of the 60-ton main battle tanks have been destroyed during a Turkish attempt to recapture the strategically important northern town of al-Bab, located just 15 miles south of the Turkish border, media reports have said."

THAT TANK HAS NEVER BEEN [AND PROBABLY WILL NEVER] DESIGNED AND BUILT TO BE TOTALLY INVULNERABLE. ALL ARMOR IS A COMPROMISE OF MOBILITY, FIREPOWER AND PROTECTION. ENGINEERING COMPROMISES ABOUND AND INVARIABLY LEAVE WEAKNESS HOWEVER MINOR!!

See recent blog entries germane to the Turkish incursion into Syria and the fighting in and around al-Bab:

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2017/01/incirlik-afb.html

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2017/01/hand-glove.html

coolbert.

DDG LRLAP.

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DDG is a tiger without teeth? NOT totally so but partially so?

"Navy says it won't buy any more $800,000 shells for new destroyer"

 LRLAP refers to the Long Range Land-Attack Projectile.

"WASHINGTON — It may be time to consign the $800,000-per-shell cost of the new destroyer USS Zumwalt's [DDG] long-range ammunition [LRLAP] to that dubious list of Pentagon-procured $640 toilet seats, $37 screws and $436 hammers."

"The Navy has reportedly balked at the price and isn’t planning to buy more."

. . . .

"Defense News, quoting an unnamed Navy official, broke the story that the long-range shells [LRLAP] for the newest U.S. Navy destroyer . . . are too expensive at $800,000 each, and no more will be purchased."

Comments:

* DDG still retains an offensive capability. Organic anti-ship cruise missiles loaded prior to each mission and available as needed.

* My impression was that the DDG Advanced Gun System [AGS] could fire a variety of rounds to include the LRLAP. This is not so? LRLAP the only round as was designed for the AGS?

* Cost as estimated per LRLAP round predicated on the assumption that thirty-two DDG would be built. ONLY three will be finally constructed.

Dig this amazing stuff too. Modification of the AGS very costly and not accomplished but with difficulty:

"Other projectiles are being examined to replace the LRLAP, but since it is the only munition designed to be fired from the AGS, the barrel, software, cooling system, and automated magazines would have to be modified to accommodate a different round . . . It could cost up to $250 million in engineering costs to modify all six guns on the three ships to accept a new round"

NO ONE EVER SAID WAR WAS CHEAP, DID THEY?

coolbert.

Deir Ezzor!

 This is coolbert:

Dien Bien Phu deja vu all over again? This time in the desert?

NOT a done deal but close to it now?

From Freeper thanks to the Internet web site MoonofAlabama and RedWulf large portions of which copied in entirety..See too my previous blog entry [item # 3] regarding this matter.

"How The U.S. Enabled ISIS To Take Deir Ezzor"

"The city of Deir Ezzor (Deir ez-Zur) in east-Syria is on the verge of falling into the hands of the Takfiris of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). More than 100,000 civilian inhabitants of Deir Ezzor and thousands of soldiers defending them are in immediate danger of being murdered by the savage ISIS forces."

. . . .

"But the city was well defended by its garrison of Syrian Arab Army [SAA, those forces loyal to Assad] and all further attacks by ISIS were repelled. Supply to the city was hauled in by air through the Deir Ezzor airport and through air drops by the Syrian and Russian air forces."

Map by Peto Lucem. Good job Peto. Click on image to see an enlarged view. Black flags represent the combat units of ISIL now besieging [since September 2015.] the area.

"Relief by ground forces and ground supplies are not possible as Deir Ezzor is more than 100 km away from the nearest SAA positions west of Palmyra and as the desert in between is under the control of ISIS."

"Four days ago a new attack by ISIS on Deir Ezzor was launched and has since continued" . . .

"Yesterday [1/16/17?] ISIS managed to cut off the airport, where the local SAA [Syrian Arab Army] command and its main supplies are hosted, from the city proper . . . Bad weather makes air support from the outside sporadic and difficult."

NO air-dropped or air-landed supply possible and NO overland relief possible? The end is at hand?

I THOUGHT THE ISLAMIC STATE [ISIl] WAS ON THE ROPES OR AT LEAST TAKING HEAVY BODY BLOWS THAT MEANT ISIL WAS NO LONGER CAPABLE OF OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS.

coolbert.

Hand & Glove.

This is coolbert:

It begins! Intelligence [intel] as obtained by the American military will be provided to Turkish combat units currently involved in operations vicinity Al-Bab, Syria.

As reported in the latest edition of the DEBKAfile newsletter:

"US surveillance planes providing intel to Turkish forces in Syria"

12 January.

"American planes conducting intelligence-gathering missions over northern Syria started transferring real-time data on the movements of Islamic State fighters in the area of the city of Al-Bab to the Turkish military on Thursday. It followed weeks of diplomatic and military negotiations by the two sides in Ankara and Washington. Negotiators continue to discuss the possible provision of American weaponry and advisers. Turkey's forces have been fighting the terrorist organization's forces in the Al-Bab area for months."

THIS WAS NOT BEING DONE BEFORE? INTELLIGENCE SHARING REGARDING THE COMMON FOE! VITAL INFORMATION BEING DENIED A NATO PARTNER DURING A TIME OF ACTUAL HOSTILITIES!

Turkish concerns have been assuaged? American warplanes can continue to use the airbase at Incirlik. This is no longer a worry! The situation is dynamic. Wait a while.

coolbert.

Miscellaneous.

This is coolbert:

One step forward, two backwards! Two steps forward, one backwards!

Items of interest from the Chicago Tribune:

1. "Iraqi forces making gains against militants in Mosul"

15 January.

"MOSUL, Iraq - - Iraqi forces have won a string of swift territorial gains in Mosul in the fight against the Islamic State group after months of slow progress, with a senior officer Saturday laying claim to a cluster of buildings inside Mosul University and another edge of a bridge."

"Iraqi forces now control the eastern side of three of the city's five bridges that span the Tigris River"

IRAQI FORCES ARE CONSTANTLY MAKING GAINS AGAINST THE COMBATANTS OF THE ISLAMIC STATE. CONSTANTLY! MISSION HOWEVER AS YET NOT ACCOMPLISHED! IS MY SKEPTICISM OF REPORTED PROGRESS AN INSTANCE OF THOSE WITH THE LOUDEST VOICES ARE OFTEN FOUND FURTHEST FROM THE SCENE OF THE ACTION?

2. "Iraqi forces in ISIS battle raise flag over Mosul University"

15 January.

"MOSUL, Iraq - - Iraqi special forces raised the Iraqi flag above buildings within the Mosul University complex Friday as they battled Islamic State militants for control of the city, according to senior Iraqi officers and the U.S.-led coalition."

3. "ISIS launches new assault on strategic eastern city in Syria."

15 January.

"BEIRUT - - Islamic State militants launched their biggest assault in a year on government -held areas of the contested city of Deir el-Zour on Saturday, attacking fro m several fronts and triggering intense fighting in the eastern region bordering Iraq"

. . . .

"Deir el-Zour carries strategic significance for ISIS as it links the group's Iraq territory to its de facto capital of Raqqa in Syria."

4. "Lockheed tells Trump F-35 cost will be lower"

15 January.

"Emerging from a meeting with President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower in New York on Friday, Lockheed Martin Chief Executive Marillyn Hewson told reporters the defense giant is close to a new contract deal that would cut the cost of  F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program and also create jobs."

AND BEFORE THE PRICE PER WARPLANE COULD NOT BE REDUCED? AND BEFORE JOBS COULD NOT BE CREATED? A FEW CHOICE WORDS FROM THE PRESIDENT-ELECT AND THE PRICE CAN BE BROUGHT DOWN AND JOBS CAN BE CREATED? THIS IS SO? JUST LIKE THAT?

coolbert.

Sikh.

This is coolbert:

I always wondered about this and now [?] I have the answer?

From "The Volokh Conspiracy" thanks to WaPo and the article by Eugene Volokh.

"Sikh soldiers now allowed to wear turbans, beards, unshorn hair"

"Sikh American soldiers have finally prevailed against a three-decade ban preventing observant Sikhs from serving in the United States Army. New regulations just issued by the Secretary of the Army provide that — except in rare circumstances — sincere followers of the Sikh faith may no longer be forced to abandon their religious turbans, unshorn hair, or beards to serve their country."

"the sole restriction that soldiers may be asked to shave in the case of active tactical situations involving specific and concrete threat of exposure to toxic agents"

THE HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT OF THE BATTLEFIELD TO INCLUDE AN ENEMY USING POISON GAS. BEARDS AS PRECLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF A SEAL BEING OBTAINED WHEN WEARING THE GAS MASK [called a protective mask in the U.S. military].

As for piloting a warplane [oxygen mask] or serving as a member of the crew on a submarine and having to instantly don a breathing apparatus during a fire, what then?

ASKED TO SHAVE? NO!! ORDERED TO SHAVE!!

I would think so!!

coolbert.

Doggone!

This is coolbert:

You know this particular article would instantly be of interest to me. Thanks to Freeper.

Russian dog o' war not so reliable after all.

We tend to think of the Russian and the Soviet before them as never making mistakes or having failure, always their military R and D projects succeeding. That is just not so!!

"Russia’s police dog cloning program has run into a few, er… snags"

"Russia has scrapped its cloned dogs of war program after the first batch of ‘superpups’ flunked basic tests because they could not handle the cold, it has emerged."

"The designer dogs were cloned in a laboratory to sniff out explosives and drugs and put through their paces by Vladimir Putin’s law enforcement agency in Yakutsk, capital of the Sakha Republic, Russia’s largest region."

. . . .

"The dogs, each valued over $100,000, have reportedly been complete and utter failures. According to the Siberian Times, the dogs are incapable of performing even the most basic police dog tasks . . . the dogs failed because they’re not used to the brutal Siberian climate"

That war dog of choice for the Russian I had read and thought to be the Russian Black Terrier. A cross between the Giant Schnauzer [smart] and the Rottweiler [rough and vicious]. Also the Black Terrier able to stand the extreme cold of Siberia and thrive?

To get a sense of scale this image shows a man tussling with a Russian Black Terrier. Look at the size of that dog! It appears to be a man in costume or something but NO, that is the real thing! War dogs of that size leave something to be desired? The handler according to modern concepts  is expected on occasion to pick the dog up and carry as is necessitated. Russian Black Terrier too has a thick coat of fur, not a short hair?

"One of them failed to perform any task. Immediately, it lay down because of the cold. The second dog was slightly better, but completed only 50% of tasks. They are not adapted to our harsh conditions, they are smooth coated, cannot withstand frost."

That word doggone [damn] having an undeniable negative connotation in this instance.

coolbert.

ISIL Sinai.

This is coolbert:

From the latest edition of the DEBKAfile newsletter a report very disturbing. NOT EVEN to my knowledge ever reported by the main-stream media. Sinai the situation goes from BAD to WORSE!

As copied and posted almost in entirety from DEBKAfile.

"With big gains in N. Sinai, ISIS drives south"

9 January.

"Egyptian control of the vast Sinai Peninsula is slipping fast. After gaining virtual sway over the north and its main roads, Islamic State Caliphate terrorists are moving ahead with an ambitious plan to devour a broad stretch of land on the eastern flank of central Sinai . . . Achieving this objective would bring the jihadists in position to directly threaten Egyptian beach resorts along the Gulf of Aqaba coast and its celebrated tourist resort of Sharm El-Sheikh. It would also bring them up to another section of the Egyptian-Israeli border . . .  ISIS manages to inflict terror on Egyptian security forces despite the close military and intelligence cooperation between Egypt, the US and Israel for securing the north and keeping it out of ISIS control . . .  With northern Sinai virtually under their jackboots, ISIS is engaged in hard bargaining with local Bedouin tribes, primarily the chiefs of the Tiyaha tribal federation, to advance its plans to seize another large chunk of the peninsula. On the table is a proposal for the Tiyaha to permit ISIS to using its territory for launching strikes against the Egyptian army in the south. Their target here, say our military sources, would be the Egyptian 3rd Army which is responsible for all of central Sinai from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Suez Canal. Unlike the 2nd Army in the north, the Third is thinly scattered in disorganized spots across a large area and would be easy prey for terrorist attacks. If the Bedouin chiefs agree to open up their lands to ISIS, the terrorists will be free to sabotage the Egyptian army's main highways links between Egypt proper to Sinai."

THOSE TOURIST RESORTS OF SHARM EL-SHEIKH POPULAR WITH EUROPEANS AND A MAJOR SOURCE OF OUTSIDE INCOME FOR THE EGYPTIAN ECONOMY. EVEN A PERCEIVED THREAT A MAJOR PROBLEM.

coolbert.

DC NG.

This is coolbert:

"It doesn't make sense"!

NOT EVEN was I aware of a District of Columbia National Guard as existing.


Security for the national capital I had always thought a federal manner only. That garrison at Ft. Myer having the responsibility for guarding DC from external threat as perceived!! Strictly within the purview of regular active-duty army troops!! DC guard does play a role during the swearing-in ceremony of the President-Elect that is rather significant?

"D.C. National Guard Chief Fired Days Before Trump Inauguration: 'The Timing Is Extremely Unusual'"

"'It doesn’t make sense to can the general in the middle of an active deployment,' rages D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) after Maj. Gen. Errol R. Schwartz, who heads the D.C. National Guard and is an integral part of overseeing the inauguration, has been ordered removed from command effective Jan. 20, 12:01 p.m., just as Donald Trump is sworn in as president."

For a Major-General to command 2,700 troops of itself is of itself unusual. Not sure what that means. Also, normally when a general officer is forced or removed from command under such circumstances it means something wrong has occurred.

So what is this and will we ever know the full and complete facts and the behind-the-scenes story?

coolbert.

Blacksharks!

This is coolbert:

Consider within context of some recent blog entries here and here.

From WIZARD through Harry at Sharkhunters:

"India is launching her next SCORPENE submarine. In what appears to . . . be a rather unpleasant lack of planning, WIZARD informs us that they cannot outfit this boat with torpedoes because of the $200 million price tag. Wouldnt' this be something the Indian Navy should have considered before building a submarine with no sting?"

NOT EXACTLY clear what the $200 million price tag is for? The submarine itself or the torpedoes to arm the boat? If I was a betting man I would prefer the latter over the former.

From the wiki we have some detail of cost for boat and torpedoes both:

ONE SCORPENE the cost is - - US$450 million.

Per Black Shark torpedo - - "a unit cost of €2.3m (FY12)". 2012 in Euros.

NOBODY ever said war was cheap, did they?

coolbert.

Gris-Gris.

This is coolbert:

It never ceases to amaze me the various sources as to provide material for interesting blog entries. Here with one more example. And thanks to Robert.

"Cameroon using witchcraft to fight jihad terrorists of Boko Haram"

"After Biya’s call to employ witchcraft against Boko Haram in January 2016, hundreds of militia fighters rushed to sorcerers, commonly called 'marabouts,' to obtain lucky charms and talismans to protect them in battle."

“'Since I have this gris-gris, I have no problem,' said Mohamad Ahmed, a gym teacher and member of a local militia in Mora, referring to a small cloth bag typically worn around the neck or wrist. Filled with supposedly magic objects and paper inscribed with verses from the Koran, Bible or other holy scriptures, gris-gris originated in Africa but are common among voodoo practitioners in the Caribbean as well. Women often don them for contraception.

 “'It is so powerful,' said Ahmed. 'I put it on at the moment I go into the field of fighting. The fetish protects its wearer. If someone shoots at you, the bullets have no effect. They fall on the ground like small pebbles.'”

 Ahmed noted that he has not been shot to test the charm, however.

Decades ago during the Simba rebellion in the Congo they called it mai mai.

For it to work you must believe it works? Is that how it is?

coolbert.

Enticing.

This is coolbert:

From the article by Ruthie Blum and thanks to the Sheldon Adelson Internet web site Israel Hayom we have the perspective of the Israel female on the latest Hamas caper as was reported in a previous post.

"The cyber bikini intifada"

"Along with bloodlust and brawn, Hamas proved this week that it also has brains, at least where its enemies' weaknesses are concerned. But even though the terrorist organization that controls the Gaza Strip has grown quite proficient at using the Internet to incite violence against Jews, it clearly is still no match for Israel in the realm of cyberspace."

"Unbeknownst to the Israeli public until Tuesday . . . the Islamist goons had been engaged in a clever sting operation to obtain classified information from the Israeli military."

"Posing as beautiful girls on social media, with enticing photos and hip Hebrew lingo, Hamas cyber operatives succeeded in seducing boys in uniform."

Read it all!! And thank you Ruthie.

coolbert.

SSN Pakistan.

This is coolbert:

Thanks to Freeper and the original article by Vishnu Som.

Further on the Chinese nuclear submarine as spotted at Karachi harbor. String of Pearls but much more than that!

"Pakistan Likely To Acquire Chinese Nuclear Attack Submarines: NDTV Exclusive"

"NEW DELHI: A Chinese Navy nuclear-powered attack submarine which docked at the Karachi harbour in May took aboard Pakistani naval officers and sailors to give them a first-hand glimpse of how the submarine works. This was not a simple case of access being given to a close military ally. The Indian Navy is convinced that it is a matter of time before Islamabad leases a Chinese nuclear submarine. The Pakistan Navy personnel who were on the submarine may be part of their first team to train on Chinese nuclear submarines, it is believed."

NOW we know the rest of the story? Time will tell!

coolbert.

ASW USN.

This is coolbert:

From cdr salamander and thanks to Nicholas some info regarding the topic of anti-submarine-warfare [ASW]. VERY QUIET RUNNING DIESEL/ELECTRIC BOATS OF THE MOST MODERN DESIGN A PROBLEM FOR WHICH A QUICK AND EASY SOLUTION NOT AT HAND!

And yes it is all lower case for cdr salamander. Large portions of the original article by cdr salamander copied in entirety.

"Modern Submarines Too Quiet? Don't Try to Listen Then"

ASW as traditionally fought no longer as effective. If not effective then try something else!! A multi-faceted approach is best, with new technology often providing a necessary solution.

"The Economist in the last six months published a series of interesting articles on the challenges of anti-submarine warfare."

. . . .

"the more tools the better - and operational experience tells us that you need lots of different tools in order to successfully prosecute enemy submarines through search, localization, track, and attack."

"Not everything works everywhere against all targets - so bring a big tool bag....modern submarines are very quiet, and neither side has gained a definitive upper hand."

"There are other options. Submarine-spotting aircraft carry “magnetic anomaly detectors” (MAD) which pick up disturbances in the Earth’s magnetic field caused by a submarine’s metal hull. Those disturbances are tiny, which means MAD is only useful at ranges of a few hundred meters."

"There may, though, be a better way. Thanks to something called the Debye effect, it might be possible to hunt submarines using the magnetic signatures of their wakes. Seawater is salty, full of ions of sodium and chlorine. Because those ions have different masses, any nudge—such as a passing submarine—moves some farther than others. Each ion carries an electric charge, and the movement of those charges produces a magnetic field."

"The Debye effect has been known since 1933, but its effects were thought to be tiny. The American navy set out to explore it nonetheless in 2009, giving research grants to three firms to check whether it could be used for submarine detection."

* Kelvin Waves.
* Vortex Wake.
* Potential Flow.
* Internal Waves.
* Wake Turbulence.
* Pancake Eddies.
* Center line.

". . . Submarines produce many different types of wake. As well as the familiar V-shaped wake they leave underwater disturbances known as 'internal waves', flat swirls called 'pancake eddies' and miniature vortices which spin off from fins and control surfaces. These all depend not only on speed and depth but also on the submarine’s hydrodynamics (the underwater version of aerodynamics)."

And with regard to those submarine-spotting aircraft the S-3 Viking will go a long way to solving the ASW problem as it currently exists!!

Thank you cdr salamande!!

coolbert.

Protocol.

This is coolbert:

As seen at that previous blog entry and as germane to the topic the movement of a Chinese nuclear submarine through the Strait of Malacca:

"The submarine [Chinese] was later seen crossing the Malacca Straits in June 2016 [moving from west to east?].. Submarines have to surface while crossing straits as per protocol."

That protocol having a basis in law and regulation to include the movements of submarines!

"Chapter IV International Straits by Lewis M. Alexander The Law of Naval Operations"

1. The Transit Passage Regime

"There are a few carefully-phrased exceptions in the Convention to the transit passage provision, as noted below. Passage of ships and aircraft is to take plane in the 'normal modes' of transit, a term which the United States interprets as meaning that submarines may transit submerged, providing that depths in the strait are sufficient to permit such operations."

NO WHERE in the Safe Passage rule book for mariners making passage through the Strait of Malacca can I find any reference to military vessels. Warships must pass through the strait on the service and this well understood, the area constricted, shallow and having heavy surface traffic.

Further:

"The maximum size of a vessel that can pass through the Strait is referred to as Malaccamax. For some of the world's largest ships (mostly oil tankers), the Strait's minimum depth (25 metres or 82 feet) isn't deep enough. In addition, the next closest passageway (the Sunda Strait between Sumatra and Java) is even more shallow and narrow than Malacca. Therefore, these large ships must detour several thousand miles/kilometers and use the Lombok Strait, Makassar Strait, Sibutu Passage, or Mindoro Strait instead."

* Sunda Strait . . . "the strait between the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. It connects the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean."

* Lombok Strait . . . "a strait connecting the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean, and is located between the islands of Bali and Lombok in Indonesia,"

* Makassar Strait . . . "a strait between the islands of Borneo and Sulawesi in Indonesia."

* Sibutu Passage . . . "a deep channel some 18 miles (29 km) wide that separates Borneo from the Sulu Archipelago"

* Mindoro Strait . . . "one of the straits connecting the South China Sea with the Sulu Sea"

South China Sea naval choke points and more.Choke points for egress to the Pacific Ocean also shown.

Correct! A Chinese submarine making passage from a home port through the South China Sea into the Indian Ocean via the Strait of Malacca [and return] NOT having an alternative but to use other oceanic choke points that require a voyage of "several thousand of miles/kilometers" ADDITIONALLY!

Stealthiness of the submarine negated by the constricted and shallow waters of each choke point.

This is a problem for the Chinese submariner operating in the Indian Ocean there apparently being no amelioration?

coolbert.

LLLU.

This is coolbert:

Lovely Ladies Love U!!

And they love your mobile phone also!! Beware too that lovely lady might not very well be a lady!!

"Israeli soldiers 'caught in Hamas online honey trap'"

"Israel's military says it has uncovered a scam by Hamas militants to spy on its soldiers by hacking their mobile phones after posing as women on social media."

"Members of the Palestinian group found the soldiers online, then tried to strike up a friendship using the fake identities, an officer told reporters."

"Dozens of soldiers were persuaded to install an application that controlled their phone cameras and microphones."

Unauthorized persons able to access and CONTROL you mobile phone and can do so WITHOUT YOU EVEN KNOWING IT.

Persuaded to install the application without a whole of persuasion I might assume too. Men by and large have a desire to impress women. Soldiers also!

coolbert.

Washington G.W.

This is coolbert:

Lieutenants think tactics, generals think logistics!

"Washington apparently never read for pleasure or for the sake of learning, but rather he structured his reading to his needs, and aptly characterizes this approach using the apt phrase 'pursuing useful knowledge'."

"As a regimental commander in the Virginia militia during the Seven Years’ War, he read widely in drill manuals and military handbooks, as appropriate to his rank . . . Upon being named commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, Washington procured a number of important works on army organization and military history, to acquire an understanding of strategy and, apparently, logistics."

Thanks to the Strategy Page CIC article # 220 by Professor Al Nofi and additionally his book review.

"The Commander-in-Chief's Reading List"

In order, the books Washington recommended were:

• "Humphrey Bland, Treatise of Military Discipline: In Which Is Laid Down the Duties of the Officer and the Soldier"

• "Turpin de Crisse, An Essay on the Art of War"

• "Roger Stevenson, Military Instructions for Officers Detached in the Field"

• "Louis de Jeney, The Partisan: or, The Art of Making War in Detachment"

• "William Young, Essays on the Command of Small Detachments"

NOT merely books that deal with FIGHTING A WAR [tactics] BUT those measures as to be taken by officers to constitute, maintain and sustain a combat force during a time of war, EVEN when not in actual contact with an enemy!!

coolbert.

Beard & Axe.

This is coolbert:

Beard man, axe man!

First from the Forces [British] TV channel this interesting item:

1. "The Only Army Rank Allowed To Have A Beard On Parade"

The ancient and venerable tradition continues unabated!!

"Meet the Pioneer Sergeant, the holder of the only position within the British Army allowed to have a beard when on parade."

Pioneer Sergeant John-Paul Tooth.

"Pioneer Sergeants have existed since the 1700s. The tradition began when every British infantry company had one 'pioneer' who would march in front of the regiment."

"He would wear a 'stout' apron, which protected his uniform whilst he was performing his duties, and carry an axe to clear the path for anyone following behind."

"It was also the Pioneer Sergeant's duty to kill horses that had been wounded in battle."

"He would often have to cut off one of the stricken horse's legs so that its rider could receive a new animal - each had a number branded onto its hoof to prevent false claims, such as if a cavalryman had sold his mount."

"Pioneers in those times [1700's] would also carry a sawback sword, pickaxe, billhooks, shovels, and axes. They were traditionally the largest, strongest and most imposing members of the company."

"The pioneer sergeant also acted as the blacksmith for the unit. As a result, he was allowed a beard to protect his face from the heat of the forge."

"Nowadays the Pioneer Sergeant is usually responsible for carpentry, joinery and similar types of work."

Also this!


2. "12 bizarre military parade uniforms: All bearded with aprons, French Foreign Legion at Bastille Day"

The beard, the axe, the apron!!

French Foreign Legion [FFL] pioneers on parade during Bastille Day celebration. The axe, the beard, the apron. I had thought these were retired FFL personnel with the beards but I am wrong. Even Bert can be wrong and is quite willing to admit when so!

Kepi blanc! And don't get those FFL men on the wrong side of you.

 coolbert.

Royal Johnson.

This is coolbert:

Never heard of this man before!

A SERVING CONGRESSMAN VOTING AGAINST AMERICAN PARTICIPATION IN THE GREAT WAR BUT THEN  ENLISTING WITH THE RANK OF PRIVATE AND PARTICIPATING IN COMBAT ACTION!!

Thanks to Jungle Trader for the tip!

"Royal Cleaves Johnson . . . was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from South Dakota and a highly decorated veteran of World War I."

. . . .

"In 1918, even though he [Johnson] had on April 5, 1917, voted against declaring war on Germany, he absented himself from the Congress and enlisted in the United States Army to fight in World War I. He served in the 313th Infantry Regiment as a private, sergeant, second lieutenant, and first lieutenant. In Montfaucon, France, on the 26th and 27 September 1918, he was involved in a combat situation wherein he repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire and was wounded by an exploding shell."

CONGRESSMEN AND SENATORS WOULD BE LOATHE TO DO THE SAME TODAY?

The first name that comes to mind when reading of Congressman Johnson is Paul Douglas of Illinois. At age fifty enlisting in the Marine Corps and serving in combat during World War Two. Douglas prior to enlisting as a private [again, at age fifty] at that exact moment a member of the Chicago City Council and subsequent to the end of the war a United States Senator.

Persons such as Johnson and Douglas we can greatly admire, setting aside all political considerations as to party affiliation.

Read prior blog entries regarding Paul Douglas:

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2011/04/paul-douglas-usmc.html

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2011/04/douglas.html

coolbert.

Montenegro.

This is coolbert:

NEVER seen any of this in the main-stream-media. Any other devoted readers to the blog aware of this/

Thanks to Uexpress and the article by Georgie Anne Geyer.

"Let's Call a Thug a Thug"  

MONTENEGRO OF CRUCIAL GEO-POLITICAL IMPORTANCE! HOW IS THIS SO! READ IT ALL.

"why should mountainous Montenegro, with a mere 630,000 people and lying on the Adriatic coast like a sentinel of the East suspiciously observing the omnipresent West, be of any importance to us?"

. . . .

"While the Trump administration-in-the-making has gotten itself all tied up in knots over an attraction to the thuggish Russian President Vladimir Putin and his hammer-and-hammer methodology, little Montenegro has become a harbinger of the dangers Putin poses. Moscow has not hidden its totalitarian ways in Montenegro, but has, according to all indicators, actually tried to overthrow the Montenegrin government and install its own quisling!"

"quisling - - noun 1.  a person who betrays his or her own country by aiding an invading enemy, often serving later in a puppet government; fifth columnist."

CONTROL OF THE EASTERN COAST OF ADRIATIC SEA  IS THE KEY TO THIS ALL? SO SUGGESTS GEORGIE! COUNT ON GEORGIE FOR A CORRECT ANALYSIS!

"Some damn fool thing in the Balkans!!" - - O. Bismarck. 

coolbert.

F-35B USMC.

This is coolbert:

At least with regard to the F-35B warplane we can find some solace in the decades-long project to develop an air superiority multi-role combat-aircraft [MRCA]?

Once more from that isegoria.net Internet web site article and a comment to same:

"USMC F-35B pilots speak about their aircraft"

That comment by Bob Sykes says:

"Because of its small internal stores volume, on many (possibly all) missions the F35B will carry weapons and fuel tanks on pylons under its wings. This will severely degrade its stealthiness. Think F16 on the inbound, attack route and stealthy on the outbound, return route. Configured for aerial combat, it will be stealthy."

"On the other hand, its capabilities far exceed those the the Harriers it is replacing. The Marine amphibious carriers will now have an air wing similar in capabilities to those on the big deck attack carriers. We have nine Marine carriers. The F35B will essentially double the number of attack carriers in service."

That F-35B as used by the United States Marines having plus and minus! NOT so stealthy as desired on the approach to the target. But that STOVL [short take-off vertical landing] capability of the F-35B meaning during a time of war meaning: "The Marine amphibious carriers will now have an air wing similar in capabilities to those on the big deck attack carriers". A PLUS in that regard. How BIG of a plus remains to be seen?

"7 Things The Marines Have To Do To Make The F-35B Worth The Huge Cost"

"With the fielding of the F-35B, the Navy almost doubles its theoretical 'first day of war,' fixed wing capable, carrier force. This means that more ships capable of operating high-performance, low-observable, multi-role fighters, can be in more places at a single time."

DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF ATTACK CARRIERS BUT ALSO KEEPING IN MIND THAT AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER DOES NOT EXIST IN A VACUUM AT SEA SOLO BUT IS PART OF A NAVAL AVIATION AND SURFACE BATTLE GROUP WITH ATTENDANT SHIPS TO INCLUDE A SUBMARINE UNDER THE WATER AT ALL TIMES!!

RESOURCES ARE LACKING IN THIS REGARD?

coolbert.

Franz.

This is coolbert:

Within context of a most recent blog entry consider this item from the Alexander Boot blog:

"Two words on the murder in Ankara: Franz Ferdinand"

"A Russian commentator has posted this laconic comment on the murder of Ambassador Karlov by yet another exponent of the religion of peace."

"That was the briefest but far from only parallel drawn by various observers between the assassination of Ambassador Karlov and that of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in 1914. Since the earlier event set off the First World War, the implication is sinister: there may be war."

TENSIONS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND TURKEY ALREADY STRAINED. THE ASSASSINATION ONLY EXACERBATES A TENSE SITUATION!

One event sets off a chain-reaction the consequences of which can be catastrophic.

The assassin identified as a Uighur [Wee-ghar]? The Russians claim the deed was accomplished by a foreign secret service. As it was for the Archduke so is it too for Ambassador Karlov?

Think also Gladio and specifically so those Turkish elements of Gladio? Could it be that?

Hope and pray this does not escalate. Cooler heads need to prevail.

coolbert.