Florin.

This is coolbert:

 “There are two fundamental causes of madness amongst students: sexual frustration and the study of coinage.” - - an old Austrian proverb.

Consider the latter and not the former. Study of coinage.

As excerpted from the book: "The Thirty Years War" by Langer.

"It was subsequently estimated that the estates confiscated from the dead 'traitors' Wallenstein, Trčka, Kinsky and Illo were worth nearly 15 million florins."

THAT COMBINED VALUE OF ASSETS THOSE MOST SENIOR MILITARY COMMANDERS AS LOYAL TO AND IN THE SERVICE OF THE EMPEROR OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE DURING THE THIRTY YEARS WAR.

 Assets the value of which consisting primarily of landed estates and the yearly production as a result of peasant labor.

Fifteen million florin the value of which is how much today?

* Considering the debased value of a florin [analogous to the Dutch guilder of the same period] merely in gold content alone by current market price around $2 billion USD. A tidy sum.

"Guilder has often been interchangeable with florin (currency sign ƒ. or ƒl.)"

"By 1626, the alloy [of a florin] had been slightly reduced again (to 77% gold), while the weight was more substantially reduced (to 3.240 grams)."

* Additional calculations suggest the combined asset values of Wallenstein and compatriots to vary anywhere from $500 million USD to $1.5 billion USD! Again, a tidy sum no matter how the figures obtained!

Be assured in all cases Wallenstein [from a family of minor nobility but relatively poor] and his immediate subordinates did become very wealthy during the Thirty Year War, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire generous and rewarding those loyal military men for dutiful and successful  service to the crown!!

"Generous and rewarding" albeit Wallenstein and his immediate subordinates eventually meeting a bitter demise each and everyone a victim of assassination!
   
Devoted readers to the blog as usual feel free to comment on this topic. To be honest the subject matter of currency exchange and valuation fraught with great difficulty for any individual. Myself included.

coolbert.

Flame!

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"You gonna burn!!"

Flame weapon Russian Bot!

"bot - - n. A software program that imitates the behavior of a human"

Even more correctly, an unmanned military robot, combat capable, software-controlled and able to emulate a human operator.

Russian battle-bot now combat tested [?] to include a flame weapon.

"Syria-tested Russian battle robot buffed with 12 flamethrowers (PHOTOS)"

"Russia’s Uran-9 battle bot, which was successfully tested on the Syrian battlefield, has been considerably beefed up, new photos reveal. The formidable vehicle has now been fitted with 12 anti-personnel flamethrowers."

Those flame weapons the Shmel-M.

"The RPO-A Shmel . . . is a man-portable rocket launcher . . . classified as a flamethrower by its manufacturer KBP."

Shmel analogous to the now no-longer existing and gone for some time American M202 Flame Assault Shoulder Weapon.

See this You Tube video a rather ancient demonstration the capability of the M202. It gives you some idea [?] of what the Shmel can do.Shmel having thermobaric warheads can do the job better?

American infantry NO longer having a weapon properly classified as a flame weapon? M202 last of dying breed. Flame weapons thought to be a diabolical weapon of war. Cause too much unnecessary suffering.

M202 as related to me an ineffective weapon anyhow at best!

coolbert.

Kosmos.

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Satellite, Russian style!

And a cause for concern?

Thanks to the tip from Jeff and the article as seen at Zero Hedge.

"US Accused Russia Of Weaponizing Space Due To 'Abnormal Behavior' Of 'Mysterious' Satellite"

"Among the stranger stories from this week is this Fox Business report with the headline: Russian satellite showing ‘very abnormal behavior’ in space"

SATELLITES OF THE KOSMOS SERIES USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE SOVIET/RUSSIAN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE GRU [now called the RU?].SATELLITES THE MISSION OF WHICH IS INTELLIGENCE GATHERING.

More than anything else, refer to the N2YO amateur radio satellite tracking web site and look at that tracking image! Real time location of this "rogue" Russian satellite, pin-point to position above the earth and again "real time" tracking data. Outstanding.

The type of technology only once reserved to the highest echelons of the military command system now available to the general public and for FREE!

Devoted readers to the blog consider yourself fortunate to be living in the current era.

coolbert.

Defective.

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Came across this quite by accident. Also consider this yet more instance American military high-technology as defective.

SRAM! Short-Range-Attack-Missile. That replacement for the Hound Dog SEAD missile. SRAM a weapons system with nuclear warhead as carried by American  B-52 bombers.

American Short-Range-Attack-Missiles [SRAM].

"SRAM entered service in 1972 and was carried by a number of aircraft, including the B-52, FB-111A, and the B-1B. In September 1980 a ground fire raised concerns about the safety of the warhead, and in 1990 they were temporarily removed from service while safety checks were carried out. These revealed a number of the missile's rocket motors had developed cracks that could have resulted in them exploding when launched."

CONCERNS RAISED FIRST IN 1980 BUT NOT INVESTIGATED UNTIL 1990?? CONCERNS VALID BUT NOT AS ORIGINALLY PERCEIVED, EVEN MORE ACUTE IN RETROSPECT! WEAPONRY INDEED ARMED WITH ATOMIC WARHEADS!

Read further and as had been relied upon "American military high-technology" found to be defective, more or less useless if not downright dangerous to the user. Technology too having an atomic weapon application:

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2018/08/tubes.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W47#Reliability_controversy"

https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/rok/hyunmoo.htm 

coolbert.

Firestorm.

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As it was in California in 2017. And as it is in California in 2018. And also as it was in Hamburg, Dresden and Tokyo during the Second World War [WW2].

The FIRESTORM. Yet one more instance of how fighting a forest fire is the closest you can get to mortal military combat without having an enemy shooting at you.

"'A firestorm is a conflagration which attains such intensity that it creates and sustains its own wind system.'. 'Many fires which converge into a devastating conflagration.' AND 'CREATES AND SUSTAINS ITS OWN WIND SYSTEM'"!

Incendiary weapons as dropped by the allied air forces in profusion during WW2 on occasion setting fires of such number and magnitude the result was a firestorm. Results of biblical proportions, unprecedented damage, loss of life, limb and property immensely so!!

"biblical proportions - - This refers to something which happens on the grandest scale possible on earth. This includes apocalypse, major war etc."

THINK HAMBURG, DRESDEN, TOKYO!

"According to physicist David Hafemeister, firestorms occurred after about 5% of all fire-bombing raids during World War II . . . In 2005, the American National Fire Protection Association stated in a report that three major firestorms resulted from Allied conventional bombing campaigns during World War II: Hamburg, Dresden, and Tokyo."

Consider those aspects of fighting a forest fire analogous to military combat operations:

* Troops wear a standard uniform.
* Troops have a standard battle kit to carry into combat.
* Troops have a base minimum of training.
* Troops work as a team.
* Troops being able to work in all manner of terrain.
* Troops work according to a plan.
* Troops comport themselves according to quasi-military discipline.
* Troops are subjected to an element of danger.
* The commander has a battle staff.
* The battle staff formulates a plan for 24, 48,72, 96 hours in advance.
* The battle staff must respond to dynamics.
* The commander has civil affairs to consider.
* The commander has a weather officer.
* The commander has an extensive communications system.
* The commander if possible prepares the battlefield in advance.
* The commander uses psychological operations.
* The commander has combat engineers at his disposal.
* The commander must place his force into the field and sustain.
* The commander has his own air force.
* The commander fights an enemy under chaotic conditions.
* That enemy possessing some attributes of a living being.
* The commander must decide what can be saved and what cannot.
* The commander might have to call for reinforcements.
* Fires create refugees who need to be evacuated and cared for.

ADD TO THAT LIST A FIRE FIGHTING MANAGER AND HIS CREW CONFRONTING A FIRESTORM AND CONTINUING THE MISSION IN SPITE OF!

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S-144.

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Spies and subs!

More items of interest as extracted from the Independent Barents Observer Norwegian media outlet. Thanks in all cases to the Observer and again Thomas Nilsen in particular.

Miscellany with a military dimension.

1. "To the memory of the submarine commanders who fired nuclear torpedoes at Novaya Zemlya"

"It was early morning 10th October 1957 when Captain Georgy Lazarev slowly sailed his «S-144» submarine [Whiskey class] into the quiet waters of the Chernaya Guba to conduct the first ever launch of a nuclear torpedo. More than 60 years later, his devastating blast is honoured with a monument on site."

2. "From this secret base, Russian spy ships increase activity around global data cables"

"Olenya Bay on the coast of the Barents Sea is home to a fleet of nuclear powered spy submarines and surface vessels which NATO now says are dramatically stepping up activities around undersea data cables in the North Atlantic."

"SPY SHIPS" AS THEY ARE CALLED DEMONSTRATING THE POSSIBLE OF CYBER-WARFARE IN CASE OF FUTURE CONFLICT? PHYSICALLY DESTROY CABLES OR INTRUDE INTO COMPUTER NETWORKS AND DO SO ON A WORLD-WIDE BASIS.

coolbert.

GSV.

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To war with bicycle! Electrical bicycle! Norwegian style!

"With electric bikes, military border guards can patrol with silence"

"The Norwegian soldiers guarding the border to Russia is the world’s first military unit to use electric all terrain bikes."

Thanks again to the Barents Observer and the article by Thomas Nilsen.

THAT BORDER BETWEEN RUSSIA AND NORWAY PATROLLED TO PREVENT ILLEGAL ENTRY INTO THE EUROPEAN UNION! A BORDER OF RUGGED AND UNFORGIVING TERRAIN!

"Most part of the 196 kilometers [one-hundred twenty mile] long Norwegian-Russian border goes through rough terrain . . . and across remote mountains far away from normal roads."

"The Garrison of Sør-Varanger (GSV) has for since Norway became a Schengen member some 15 years ago patrolled the the border with Six-wheel terrain vehicles during summer period and snowmobiles in winter."

"Now, the green-uniformed soldiers are testing electric bikes, as the first military unit to do so anywhere. Not only because of the greenish eco-friendly . . . but [also] for checking out both possible practical and tactical benefits."

USEFUL FOR LONG-RANGE PATROLLING AND RECONNAISSANCE, COST-EFFECTIVE, NOT SO SUBJECT TO BREAKDOWN, REQUIRING LESS MAINTENANCE, CAN BE PEDALED BY HUMAN POWER IF NEEDED.

BATTERIES DURING THE COLD OF THE LONG ARCTIC WINTER WILL BE A CONCERN? ELECTRIC BICYCLE A DO-ABLE ONLY DURING SUMMER?

The Japanese in Malaya. The Viet Minh during the First Indo-China War. And now the Norwegian in the far north. Bicycle-a-war! Go for it!

coolbert.

Zagon-2.

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ASW = Anti-submarine Warfare.

From a Sharkhunters HOT MAIL courtesy Harry:

Thanks to WIZARD.

"BEAR’S NEW ASW SMART BOMB. The Zagon-2 anti-submarine guided bomb is designed to destroy submarines that are on surface, periscope and underwater (at a depth of up to 600 meters or almost 2,000 feet) positions, and submarines lying on the ground in shallow and deep-sea areas. Its target detection range is up to 450 meters [1,400 feet]."

YET ONE MORE RUSSIAN SUPER-WEAPON?

More bluster and boasting by the Russian?

Further as extracted from the wiki: "The S3V is an aerially deployed weapon, with a parachute system detached at the moment of splashdown. The sonar mounted in the nose is activated upon entering the water, searching for hostile submarines . . . The weapon is usually deployed by Tu-142, Il-38 and Ka-27 aircraft."

Seems the Zagon-2 is now and has been in the inventory [at least since 1992] for some time. An aerial-delivered ASW weapon, an air-dropped torpedo!

Not really new. And NOT really a super-weapon. OH I am glad of that!

coolbert.

Orel.

This is coolbert:

Courtesy the Barents Observer the Russian nuclear attack submarine active Norwegian waters. OREL Oscar-2 class!

AND ON THE SURFACE NOT HAVING [?] SUBMERGED?

"A nuclear-powered Oscar-II class submarine, similar in design to the «Kursk» is currently outside Norway."

"«Kursk» sank in the Barents Sea on August 12, 2000 after a torpedo exploded inside its tube, triggering a larger fire and explosion among the other torpedoes blowing up the entire front part of the submarine. All 118 on board were killed."

"«Orel» sails the Norwegian Sea north of Lofoten. «The submarine is approximately 70 nautical miles outside Lofoten,»"

NORWEGIAN AUTHORITIES ALERT AND ON THE BALL, OBSERVANT. FEAR OF AN INADVERTENT RADIOACTIVE RELEASE A REASONABLE AND VALID CONCERN.

"Norwegian radiation watchdog says its round-the-clock alert-readiness is prepared to act in case of accident."

See my previous blog entry the unexplained "spike" in iodine-131 as was the case over a year ago now!

As to: "on the surface and not having submerged".

This is pure and simple intimidation directed by the Russian toward the Norwegian? Look at we have! What can you do about it!

coolbert.

Six!

This is coolbert:

SIX! Status-6 that is. Russian nuclear-powered cruise missile, Range unlimited and unstoppable!

If it works!

"deep six - - To hide or dispose of something in such a way that it will be extremely difficult or impossible to find or recover, even for the person doing the hiding"

FOUR tests and FOUR failures! Thanks to the article by Amanda Macias courtesy CNBC.

"Russia is preparing to search for a nuclear-powered missile that was lost at sea months ago after a failed test"

"A nuclear-powered Russian missile remains lost at sea after a failed test late last year, and Moscow is preparing to try to recover it, according to people with direct knowledge of a U.S. intelligence report."

"Crews will attempt to recover a missile that was test launched in November and landed in the Barents Sea, which is located north of Norway and Russia. The operation will include three vessels, one of which is equipped to handle radioactive material from the weapon's nuclear core. There is no timeline for the mission, according to the people with knowledge of the report."

Read also additionally of the Project Pluto American nuclear-powered cruise missile from the era of the Cold War. Technologically not feasible at the time.

Plus and as understood such a missile A DANGER TO THE USER EVEN WHEN NOT USED IN A COMBAT SITUATION.

DIFFICULTIES WITH SUCH A WEAPON SYSTEM THE MINUS FAR EXCEEDS THE PLUS? A SPEW OF RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION CREATES MORE PROBLEMS THAN GAIN?

P.S: A thousand apologies to all devoted readers of the blog. This missing nuclear cruise missile is not the Status-6. This missile is the Burevestnik. Status-6 is the nuclear-powered and nuclear armed autonomous torpedo.

coolbert.

ACH-47.

This is coolbert:

Here with a Vietnam War [Second Indo-China War] innovation I maybe was vaguely familiar with but only in the most superficial manner.

"Guns A Go-Go".

Attack [and armored] helicopter Chinook [ACH-47A].

 "Originally known as the Armed / Armored Chinook - A/ACH-47A, the designation was changed to the ACH-47A when the Army standardized its model designations, as per Army Regulation 70-50. The leading 'A' (special mission symbol) became Attack, the 'C' (mission symbol) stands for Cargo, the 'H-47' (Basic mission and type symbol) stands for Helicopter -47, the 'A' (series symbol) stands for the first model design. ACH-47A - Attack Cargo Helicopter -47 A model."

Click on image to see an enlarged view. Weaponry to include: * Forward firing automatic 40 mm grenade launcher. * Forward firing rocket pods or 7.62 mm mini-guns. * Forward firing 20 mm guns. * Side firing machine guns. * Rear firing machine gun. AWESOME AND FORMIDABLE!

Slow-mover combat aviation of the Huey Cobra helicopter gunship, the Chinook attack helicopter, the AC-47 gunship variety, all useful and effective within the dimension of counter-insurgency warfare. A lot of mobile firepower with a lot of applicability.

AS LONG AS THE ADVERSARY DOES NOT HAVE SURFACE TO AIR MISSILES OF THE GRAIL PEA-SHOOTER MANPAD VARIETY!

coolbert.

Starry Sky-2.

This is coolbert:

Manned or unmanned, that is the question?

1. "China claims to have successfully tested its first hypersonic aircraft"

Courtesy Freeper and the original story from CNN.

"The China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics (CAAA), based in Beijing and part of the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, conducted the first test of the 'Starry Sky-2' aircraft last Friday."

DESCRIBED AS A HYPERSONIC AIRCRAFT! NOT MERELY A ROCKET OR A MISSILE!

"According to a CAAA statement released Monday, the Starry Sky-2 reached a top speed of Mach 6 -- six times the speed of sound, or 4,563 miles (7,344 kilometers) per hour."

2. "China Just Tested a Hypersonic Weapon That Could Launch Nukes at 6 Times the Speed of Sound"

"China successfully tested a hypersonic aircraft on Friday (Aug. 3), one that could one day be capable of firing nuclear missiles around the planet at up to six times the speed of sound, according to China's state-run news site China Daily."

Starry Sky-2 is the Chinese analog to the Russian Avangard? NOT a manned vehicle but an unmanned hypersonic reentry vehicle able to deliver atomic weapons in a manner unstoppable and without resorting to decoys?

Hypersonic was for a long time pie-in-the-sky but now appears to be all the rage. I want one too!!

coolbert.

Far East.

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The East is Red?

Russia is not only an European power, Russia is a Pacific power!

Thanks to the Internet web site War is Boring item:

"The Russian Military Is Neglecting Its Eastern Flank"

 "Arms buildup in the west, 'museum of antiques' in the east"

 “'It will be extremely difficult to resist the [U.S.] Air Force and the U.S. Navy and Japan, but this is not the worst [part],' adds the VPK article’s author, Alexander Khramchikhin of the Moscow-based Institute of Political and Military Analysis. 'It is much harder for parts on the mainland (from Lake Baikal to Vladivostok) to fight against the PLA, which has been radically updated over the last two decades.'”

PLA = People's Liberation Army. China! War between Russia and China? Russia and China share a contiguous border and are partners in the informal BRICS association. Conflict low on the totem pole of Russian and Chinese concerns. Or is it?

Lieutenants think tactics. Generals think logistics. An eternal of warfare? You have to watch the entire Binkov You Tube video. And thank you Binkov. Outstanding!. 2017 has become 2018 and the situation is more or less unchanging?

Surprisingly [?] according to the defector Suvorov the Soviet Union maintained during the Cold War  Fortification Troops on the border between the old Soviet China and Red China. Fortifications primarily of turrets and engines from antiquated T-10 tanks placed in below-ground concrete structures. Sorta like a Tobruk fortification from the Second World War. Spaces between emplacements replete with chemical mines. Fortification troops during time of war with China their mission to stall a Chinese PLA cross-border offensive. Temporal maximum results for minimal resources.

 coolbert.

Essential II.

This is coolbert:

Conclusion!

From the Professor Martin van Creveld Internet web site [blog]  continuing with discussion those essentials of warfare historical and present in total consonance with the prior blog entry. What is in the past as is now and always [?] will be?

"The Things That Have Not Changed"

"In the field of war studies today, nothing is more fashionable than pointing to the prevalence, inexorability and rapidity of change."

"In this post, I [Van Creveld] want to do the opposite: To wit, say a few words about the things that have not changed."

The ETERNALS COURTESY VAN CREVELD!

1."War as the continuation of politics by other means. War has never been, nor can be, an independent thing in itself.senseless thing without an object.”

2. "A fight between individuals is known as a duel. War, however, is not an individual activity but a collective one."

3. "War is a strategic activity. Meaning that it is waged by two or more belligerents, each of whom is free and able to pursue his own objectives while at the same time interfering with the other"

4. "As well as being a strategic activity, war is a violent one."

5. "Finally, violence in turn means that the possibility, even likelihood, of escalation is always there."

ESSENTIALS AS DISCERNIBLE OBVIOUS TO EVEN THE MOST CASUAL OF OBSERVERS?

And thank you Professor!

coolbert.

Essential I.

This is coolbert:

* "'The ordinary theme and argument of all history is war.'" - - Sir Walter Raleigh.

As excerpted key points in the nutshell stuff from an interview as seen in a recent edition of the BBC History magazine.

That topic war from the perspective of the historian.

An interview with: Margaret MacMillan  professor of history and the University of Toronto and the former warden of St,. Antony's College, Oxford:

1. "In your Reith Lectures, you will argue that war has been an essential part of human history. Why is that the case?"

A: "War has always been an important dimension of how societies have developed. If you want to understand the past, you have to understand the part that war had to play in the past."

2. "War has taken many forms through history, so how have you gone about defining it?"

A: "It's very tricky, but the closest [correct] definition I've come to is that war is an organized act of violence against another organization with the end goal of forcing the other side to do what you want."

3. "Why do you reject the assumptions that peace is the status quo and that war is simply a breakdown of that natural state?"

A: "In recent history, most of us living in the west have been extremely lucky - - we have not experienced war first hand, and we've lived through what some people call the 'long peace.'"

THE "LONG PEACE" COURTESY MILITARY USA AND ATOMIC WEAPONS!

4. "Have people's motivation for going to war changed over the centuries?"

A: "We need to understand the motivations on two levels. Firstly, there are the motivations prompting a large organization - - whether a feudal state, a kingdom or an empire - - to go to war."

"Then there are the motivations inspiring individuals to go to war, which could be even more complicated."

THE MACRO AND THE MICRO!

5. "Has war ever benefited societies?"

A: "One of war's many paradoxes is that it has often led to progress."

6. "Will war always be an inevitable part of change and development?"

A: "It's very difficult to tell."

THINK THE PRONOUNCEMENTS OF PROFESSOR MARGARET NOT YEA OR NAY REGARDING WAR, MERELY THAT IT [WAR] IS!

Listen to a sampling, the Reith Lectures, Margaret MacMillan, courtesy the BBC:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b9249f

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b88hl4

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3csxgs1

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3csxgrx

coolbert.

Demographics!

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Demographics = destiny?

Demographics Japan!

From WIZARD through Harry at Sharkhunters:

"Japan's military [JSDF] plans to raise the maximum age for new recruits in a bid to cope with a shrinking pool of potential soldiers due to the country's low birth rate and fast-aging population. The maximum age for enlisted personnel and non-commissioned officer applicants will be raised to 32 from 26 from Oct 1 to secure 'a stable supply of Self-Defense Forces personnel amid a declining pool of recruits due to the recently declining birth rate, the defense ministry said."

"The number of Japanese people aged between 18 and 26 years old - the current age band for recruits - is forecast to fall below eight million by 2046 from 11 million this year and a peak of 17 million in 1994."

Declining birth rate with aging population a world-wide phenomenon in what is normally referred to as the Western World or Industrialized societies.

Just from a practicality standpoint it would seem that a man at age thirty-two without any prior military experience IS JUST TOO OLD TO BEGIN WITH!

NOT ENOUGH YOUNG PERSONS AROUND TO FILL "SLOTS" WITHIN THE MILITARY. MAN-POWER CONSTRAINTS CAUSING A "SHORTAGE" OF PERSONNEL WORRISOME TO MILITARY PLANNERS!

Consider also not only enough persons merely bodies but enough CAPABLE persons. Consider additionally that under current guidelines about 3/4 of young American men of military age UNFIT for military service!! Lots of consider!

Japan also can be seen as an acute example of a problem again being a world-wide phenomenon!

coolbert.

SS-297.

This is coolbert:

"The tangled web we weave!" - - Sir Walter Scott.

From a most recent Hot Mail courtesy Sharkhunters an update on the USS Ling and the apparent vandalism as reported in a previous blog entry. Thanks to image from Pet Scribblers.

"USS LING was in the Hackensack River for decades, a tribute and a memorial to the 3,505 American submariners killed in action in World War Two. Over the years, the river has silted up and is now far to shallow for the submarine to float. Consequently, she is stuck fast in the mud. Some time ago, the property was sold by the Bergen Register newspaper to Macromedia Corp and they plan to demolish the old Register building and build a 600-unit luxury condo with shopping mall and river walk. So the group that operates USS LING was told to get the boat moved…..but there is not enough water in the Hackensack River to float her and worse yet – over the years, FIXED bridges have been built over the river and they do not have enough room for the boat to proceed beneath. USS LING is stuck there."

"vandals came aboard the boat at night, cutting locks and going below. According to the report, they were familiar with submarine operations as they opened the sea cocks to sink the boat. However, since the boat was sitting about four feet into the mud bottom of the river, she didn’t sink but the water filled the bilges and lower spaces of the boat. Then these vandals ripped four memorial plaques honoring the 3,505 who did not return and all those who rode the boats from their concrete bases. These four stolen plaques were valued at $10,000 in monetary value but they were priceless for their memories."

To reiterate, the key points:

1. Bronze plaques alone have a scrap value of $10,000.

2. Boat not sunk but flooded, interior damaged from water.

3. Surrounding property highly-valued for development. Ling an impediment?

Villains must be caught and severely punished! Look to who is to benefit the most! Follow the money trail if one can be found! Chastise in a harsh manner with real punishment those responsible!

coolbert.

USS Ling.

This is coolbert:

Invasion! Hackensack, New Jersey, USA under attack!

I fear this is not an isolated incident. At any rate, is not casual vandalism or theft. Is malicious and cruel and deliberate destruction of a war memorial with intent to hurt. How apropos within the context of a very recent blog entry.

"Hackensack submarine USS Ling apparently flooded intentionally, memorial plaques stolen"

"Armed with tools to cut through locks, they worked to open hatches on the 312-foot long, 2,500-ton behemoth, letting gallons of Hackensack River [New Jersey] water rush into the vessel. These vandals knew the inner workings of the historic ship, it seems, even opening hatches to the bilges, the lowest compartments of the submarine."

Again, I fear this is not going to be an isolated incident and we have not heard the final word with regard to this matter.

This was not about stealing the plaques for the scrap metal value or just mere childish vandalism. These perpetrators seemed to know quite well what they were doing and were able to maximize their damage, even irrevocably?

See that entire list of American submarines as museum/memorial exhibits.

Forewarned is forearmed! Curators and security enhance your safeguards appropriately and now!!

coolbert.

Bells.

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Bells of St. Mary's this is not!

From the New York Times and the article by Richard C. Paddock.

Trophies of war to be returned!

"U.S. Set to Return Philippine Bells That Once Tolled to Mark a Massacre"

"BANGKOK — The American soldiers were eating breakfast in Balangiga’s town square when Filipino villagers, including men disguised in dresses, attacked them with bolo knives. Forty-eight Americans died."

A monument [American soldiers as depicted in bronze], foreground, in Balangiga’s town plaza depicting the breakfast scene in 1901 when Filipino soldiers attacked American soldiers. Credit image: Jes Aznar for The New York Times

Unarmed American soldiers attacked without a whole lot of provocation. The mere presence of these American foreigners was enough to cause the Filipino to attack?

Troops unarmed at the behest of their commander. That officer-in-charge not wanting to create "an incident".

Those bells the significance of which not made totally clear. Ringing loud and clear and to the initiated [Filipino] signalling the attack to commence! Now you know the rest of the story.

coolbert.

Hyper USA.

This is coolbert:

Vlad has hypersonic weaponry and boasts of same. Don has them too!

U.S. Army! U.S. Air Force! U.S. Navy? They all got them? AHW. ARRW. HCSW.

From a variety of sources to include the Russia media outlet Russian Times [RT]:

1. "Advanced Hypersonic Weapon (AHW)"

"The Advanced Hypersonic Weapon (AHW) is a demonstrative long-range glide vehicle capable of flying within the planet’s atmosphere at hypersonic speed."

"The technology was developed through the cooperative effort of the US Department of Defence to evaluate a conventional prompt global strike (CPGS) capability for striking time-sensitive high-value targets."

Click on image to see an enlarged view. Ground/sea/air launch possible. That conventional bomb as described hardly conventional. Hundreds [?] or thousands [?] or tungsten rods descending almost vertically over target at extreme velocity each rod having twelve times [12x] the energy of a fifty caliber [.50] round. Everything within a square mile [two and one-half square kilometers] of ground zero obliterated that devastation more or less equal to the amount of damage from the detonation of a tactical nuclear munition.

2. "US orders $480mn-hypersonic missile prototype suitable for ‘great power competition’"

GREAT POWER COMPETITION! RUSSIA, UNITED STATES, CHINA!

"The US Air Force paid $480 million for a second top-spec hypersonic missile prototype to gain ground . . . following reports of Russia’s successes in developing unrivaled high-speed weapons."

"The Air Force awarded a $480-million contract to Lockheed Martin, tasking the company with designing a second hypersonic missile prototype, referred to as the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW)."

Global reach using these hypersonic delivery systems a warhead allowing American military planners a non-nuclear option during a time of crisis. Not a bad idea. Land, sea, air!

coolbert.

Disorder 2040.

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The Swedes are making ready! The Swiss are making ready! the Germans too are making ready?

A dissolution of the existing world order with chaos ensuing? Make ready and be ready?

Chaos with an international dimension, draconian methods only the last resort but to be implemented if need be.

Thanks to the English Telegraph from 2017 but just as relevant now as it was then!

"German army 'plans for break up of the European Union' in war game scenario"

"The German army has war-gamed the break up of the European Union in study of security crises that could face the country by 2040."

BREAK-UP OF THE EU ONLY ONE OF SIX SCENARIO AS WAR GAMED!

"Military planners in Berlin played out a scenario in which a growing number of countries follow Britain in leaving the EU, resulting in an 'increasingly disorderly' world, Der Spiegel reported."

A break-up of the European Union [EU] as may occur from a combination of reasons. Movements  of people from within the former union and beyond merely one terrifying consequence.on an apocalyptic and Biblical scale not seen since the Dark Ages, uncontrollable and far-reaching.

No amelioration possible without resorting to military force!

We prepare for the worst while hoping for the best. That German military as it exists now relatively unable to respond in an effective manner to crisis? Much needs to be done.

Think also much prior to the year 2040? 

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Romans.

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"Prepper - - Someone who focuses on preparedness, generally for various worst-case scenarios like [peak oil] or [Armageddon]. Sometimes used to avoid the more loaded term [survivalist]."

"SHTF - - When the Shit Hits The Fan. To survivalists and preparedness people, this is the big disaster. Normally connotes suggesting the total break down of civilization and social order."

As seen at a prepper Internet web site and as extracted from same some key points worth reading. Thanks also to Jeremiah Johnson.

"Lessons from the Roman Army for Post-SHTF Combat Operations"

"Friends, Romans, country men, lend me your ears."

"Let’s 'fix' ‘em: set the enemy up and zap ‘em!  Let’s do a few things that the Romans were famous for…using these techniques here and now."

1. "Choose the Ground: Yes, you choose the place you will engage them.  Along with this, you pick the time of day, the formation of the attack, the objective, and the criteria for withdrawal."

2. "Prep the Ground: The Roman Army were masters of this task".

3. "Always Fight with the Sun at your Back: The Romans positioned themselves and attacked to place the sun in the eyes of their enemies."

4. “'SPECVLATORES'- the Speculatores…the deep-cover operatives…the Special Forces and Reconnaissance warriors of the Roman Empire." Intelligence gathering with eyes on the ground!

5. "Alliances – 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.' Not always so, but you can use such rifts to your advantage…with other groups who your enemy is at odds with."

6. "Feed Them Disinformation: Yes, the Romans were very adept at sending messages or planting information that was false. This regarded their strengths, their movements, supplies, and reinforcements."

7. "Lure Them and 'Stake' ‘Em – the Roman Army would plant different things out in front of an approaching enemy force in order to delay and distract them…making them ripe for an attack or ambush."

8. "The Violence of Action in a Controlled Manner – the Romans did not win their mastery over all of Europe and most of the Middle East by conducting drill and ceremony."

9. "A Perfect Chain of Command – Modern militaries all have a chain of command and an order of succession for someone to fill the 'vacancy' at all levels."

10. "Discipline: this encompasses all areas . . . Physical toughness, adherence to standard operating procedures (SOP’s), a cool head and iron nerves, and endurance…the ability to keep this up for years…to go the distance"

The Ten Commandments so to speak? Applicable not only to preppers but any military under any scenario or circumstance? I guess so.

Preppers perceiving danger and preparing for conflict of the low-intensity, war-of-the-flea asymmetric nature. Tips and hints as derived from the Romans as valid now as was the case two-thousand years ago? You the devoted reader to the blog decide for yourselves.

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Desecration.

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Here without a whole lot of comment a series of images monuments of various nations to include war memorials desecrated by graffiti and downright vandalism. This is not hardly just an American phenomenon and the world is a worse off place for it!!

Click on all images to see an enlarged view:

"Place de la République, Paris. The Place de la République: . . . contains a monument which includes a statue of the personification of France, Marianne . . .  Marianne is surrounded with three statues personifying liberty, equality, and fraternity, the values of the French Republic. These statues also evoke the three medieval theological virtues. Also at the base is a lion guarding a depiction of a ballot box."

Place de la République, Paris. Place a memorial dedicated to the French Revolution and not to war dead, but nonetheless of great significance to the French nation that undeniable.

English war memorial, Kensington.

Etaples, near Boulogne on the Channel coast  British war memorial. Thanks to the Guardian.

Vietnam War memorial in the Venice area of Los Angeles

Evil! Evil! Stop!

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Six.

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Cap the Knife!!

As extracted from "The Reader's Companion to Military History" and the article by Michael L. Handal:

The Weinberger Doctrine. Casper Weinberger. Secretary of Defense during the administration of President Reagan.

"The Weinberger Doctrine was a list of points governing when the United States could commit troops in military engagements. ... The Weinberger doctrine: The United States should not commit forces to combat unless the vital national interests of the United States or its allies are involved."

The Six Criteria of the Weinberger Doctrine From Vietnam to Bosnia.

1. "Vital U.S. interests involved."
2. "Commitment to victory."
3. "Clearly defined political and military objectives."
4. "Continual reassessment of troop/objective ratio and of costs."
5. "U.S. government mobilized people opinion before action."
6. "Intervention/war was last resort."

As to American wars [or interventions] from Vietnam onward to include: *Vietnam * Grenada * Lebanon * Central America * Panama * Gulf War I * Somalia *Bosnia.

Vietnam NO to all six criteria military invention nonetheless occurring. The outcome a loss.

Gulf War I a YES to all but criteria # 6, troop intervention still a YES the outcome a win.

As for Afghanistan and Gulf War II, the Iraqi counter-insurgency and the intervention against the Islamic State the devoted reader to the blog can draw his own conclusions.

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Suvorov.

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Conclusion Military Olympics Russian style!

 Tank driving! Armor off-road driving skills + gunnery.

Links of interest event past and present:

1. "Suvorov Onslaught | Tank Nut Stan"

"The People's Liberation Army of China brought four Type-96 tanks for the Tank Biathlon, four infantry combat vehicles for the Suvorov Onslaught competition, 120mm self-propelled mortar-howitzer PLL-05 systems to participate in the Masters of Artillery fire contest and Russian-made Su-30MKK ..."

2. "Suvorov onslaught - Ministry of Defence"

"'Suvorov onslaught' — motorized rifle units will show off-road driving skills and overcoming obstacles on their vehicles, firing accuracy on different type targets and teamwork."

3. "Russia: Drone captures armour pushed to its limits at ..."

"Drone footage captured the challenges faced by the crews participating in the 'Suvorov Onslaught 2015' competition during the International Army Games-2015, ..."

Suvorov that great Russian general officer from the time of Napoleon and the black-powder era of warfare. Alexander would not have understood the Suvorov Onslaught?

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Elbruz.

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Military Olympics Russian style continued!

Skyrunning. Mt. Elbruz!

TROOPS LADEN WITH GEAR AS A UNIT AND IN COMPETITION WITH OTHER TEAMS MAKE AN ASCENT OF MT. ELBRUZ. HIGHEST POINT IN ALL OF EUROPE!

Links of interest past and present:

1. "Power, precision and persistence: Stunning images from ..."

"As well as established favorites, such as Aviadarts - in which hypersonic planes compete to hit ground targets - and Ring of Elbrus, which forces teams of soldiers in full uniforms to ascend to the 5,642-meter summit of Russia's tallest mountain, for the first time ever there has been a drone piloting competition."

Skyrunning World War Two combat style. German mountain troops make an ascent of Mt. Elbruz. Hoist the Nazi flag. Actual [?] wartime footage courtesy of You Tube. Considered a stunt by A. Hitler not worthy of respect.

2. "Elbrus Race - Wikipedia"

"The Elbrus Race (or RedFox Elbrus Race), is an international skyrunning competition held for the first time in 2008. It runs every year in Mount Elbrus, ..."

3. "Climb Mount Elbrus with Alpenglow Expeditions - Alpenglow"

"Climb mount Elbrus with Alpenglow Expeditions, led by our most experienced western guides. One of the 7 summits, Elbrus is perfect for beginners. Join us!"

YOU TOO CAN CLIMB OR RUN MT. ELBRUZ! PERFECT FOR BEGINNERS? GOOD LUCK AND COUNT ME OUT!

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Aviadarts.

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Military Olympics. Russian style, past and present.

Aviadarts that military combat aviation portion of the competition.

Some links of interest:

1. "Aviadarts - Главная"

"'Aviadarts' — pilots, best from RF Air Force units and formations, as well as pilots of foreign armies will show mastership in low altitude piloting and using their aircraft combat capabilities.

2. "Russia Brings Together Some of the World's Best Fighter Pilots"

"Chinese and Russian fighter pilots have been testing their skills in an unprecedented series of maneuvers in southeast Russia. Some observers have billed the Aviadarts exercise as a Russian Top Gun—a…"

3. "#aviadarts hashtag on Twitter"

"On 9 Aug 2017 @CGTNOfficial tweeted: '3rd-round #Aviadarts competition of 2017..' - read what others are saying and join the conversation."

4. "It's a Knockout: Russia hosts Aviadarts competition for ..."

"The international military aviation competition Aviadarts-2015 has opened in Russia as part of the Army Games, dubbed the 'world's first military Olympics.'"

5. "Su-57s destroy mock targets at Aviadarts army contest (VIDEO ..."

"A pair of cutting-edge Russian Su-57 fighter jets have taken part in the Aviadarts-2018 army competition, launching a mock attack on ground targets and destroying them.The modern jets are currently undergoing extensive testing."

Close-air-support? Hit the target? Who is best. Precision-guided weaponry of the Paveway version are allowed?

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Olympiad.

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As if this was not to be expected.

Here begins a series of blog entries the topic of which is the international military games as hosted by the Russians and recently concluded . An Olympics of sorts.

Russians # 1.

Thanks to the Russian media outlet Russian Times [RT].

"‘Best not mess with these guys’: Russia wins international army games, challenges NATO (VIDEOS)"

"Russia beat China and 30 other states in the biggest International Army Games yet, which wrapped up after 28 different disciplines were contested across seven countries."

International military sport those various competitors however from among those nations as had been nominally or otherwise part of the Soviet bloc.

More to follow.

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Hoax.

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A cruel hoax? Nothing to the story at all? Gold worth BILLIONS of dollars [$USD] as reported found to be nothing more than an elaborate scheme?

From Freeper:

"The Russian 'Treasure Ship' Was Likely a Fraud Meant to Boost a Cryptocurrency Scam"

"A South Korean company’s claimed to find $100 billion in treasure or more. A South Korean company that announced it had found more than a hundred billion dollars in gold treasure in a Russian warship is under investigation for possible fraud. The gold apparently does not exist and the company allegedly planned to use news of the treasure to boost a new cryptocurrency"

See previous blog entry, hoax as now exposed! Embedded You Tube video also as noted no longer available.

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Tubes.

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As goes America so goes England?

At least with regard to missile firing submarines?

THE KEEL FOR THE FIRST OF THE COLUMBIA CLASS MISSILE FIRING SUBMARINES HAVING NOT EVEN BEEN LAID AND YET THE PROGRAM ENCOUNTERS A PROBLEM?

Also this not boding well for the English Royal Navy [RN]?

Thanks to WIZARD  through Harry at Sharkhunters:

"MORE ROYAL NAVY SUBMARINE PROBLEMS"

"Britain's new nuclear submarines [Dreadnought class] face glitches as the US boats fitted with same missile tubes have been found to have cracks. Faulty welding found in the missile tubes of the new US Columbia Class nuclear-armed submarines could delay the future delivery of British Dreadnought boats. Seven of 12 tubes on the $122.3 billion programme were found to be in need of repair when delivered to General Dynamics Electric Boat."

"The Columbia-class submarine . . . is a future United States Navy nuclear submarine class designed to replace the Trident missile-armed Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines."

THOSE DREADNOUGHT CLASS MISSILE FIRING SUBMARINES OF THE BRITISH ALREADY IN THE WORKS HAVING THE SAME FOUND-TO-BE-DEFECTIVE MISSILE TUBES? THIS IS THE QUESTION? HOLD THE HORSES? STOP! FULL STOP!

"The Dreadnought class [successor to the Vanguard class missile firing submarines] is the future replacement for the Vanguard class of ballistic missile submarines. Like their predecessors they will carry Trident II D-5 missiles."

The Columbia and Dreadnought share only missiles and nothing more? British designed and built sub with British designed atomic warhead as distinct from the American brand, Trident D-5 alone a commonality?

Better to find defects now and not later. Someone at least is on-the-ball with regard to quality control and assurance very vital!

coolbert.

Yperite.

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Cl-CH2-CH2-S-CH2-CH2-Cl.

Yperite = Mustard agent.

"First World War battlefield in Verdun still a danger"

Thanks to Freeper:

"First World War battlefield in Verdun still a danger with thousands of exploded shells 100 years on. Nearly 100 years since the end of the First World War and there are still areas of France unsafe to be visited because of unexploded shells. Some 300,000 soldiers were killed in the Battle of Verdun between France and Germany from February to December 1916. During the onslaught, around six million shells - including many containing mustard gas - were fired by the opposing sides. One million of those failed to explode. Dozens of unexploded shells are unearthed every day"

One-sixth of artillery rounds as fired at Verdun did not detonate! Correct to the extent that you want an artillery round to explode only when you want it to explode. Just as you only want a bomb to explode when you want it to explode. Quality control as understood at that point in time either not a concern or as well implemented as is now? I am not sure.

See previous blog entry the topic of which was unexploded ordnance from both World Wars.


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F-117 LV.

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Plane spotting! See us if you can!

Much to the surprise of all, the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter-bomber even when removed from service and the inventory still active, up in the air and flying..

Thanks to David Cenciotti of the Aviationist Internet web site and Sputnik.

1. "Let’s Talk About The Sightings Of F-117 Stealth Jets Flying Over Nevada Few Days Ago"

"10 years after their official retirement the 'Black Jet' continues to fly. And no one seems to know what’s the purpose of their secretive missions. Here’s everything we know about their flights."

"In the last few years we [Aviationist] have documented the flights of some F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Jets over Nevada, missions that have continued to be carried out well after the aircraft was officially retired from active service in 2008."

2. "Retired’ US Nighthawks Conduct Mystery Mission Near Area 51 (VIDEO)"

"Two retired F-117 Nighthawk aircraft have been spotted flying over Nevada airspace, and the lack of a clear explanation for their flights has sparked curiosity among US aircraft observers."

With instantaneous and intuitive 100 % metaphysical certitude [courtesy the late John McLaughlin] I can reasonably surmise these surviving and operational F-117 being used to test the various sensors of the F-35 Lightning.

IF THE LIGHTNING CAN DETECT A NIGHTHAWK IT CAN DETECT ANY OTHER WARPLANE, STEALTH OR OTHERWISE!

We can see you!

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Welcome.

This is coolbert:

ברוך הבא

From a variety of media sources to include Russian and American. Thanks to all.

1. "Middle East Intelligence Official: Mossad Behind Syrian Rocket Chief Car Bomb"

"It's been reported a senior Middle East intelligence agency official has blamed Israel's controversial intelligence agency Mossad for the assassination of a top Syrian rocket scientist."

2. "Israel ‘welcomes’ murder of Syrian scientist – but denies any involvement in assassination"

"Israel’s minister of intelligence says he 'welcomes' news that a Syrian scientist was killed by a car bomb, even as Tel Aviv denies any part in the murder. The New York Times reported that Israel’s Mossad was behind the attack."

3. "REPORT: Israeli Intelligence Assassinates Syrian Rocket Scientist"

"The Israeli intelligence service, Mossad, assassinated a top Syrian rocket scientist on Saturday using a car bomb, the New York Times first reported Tuesday. The scientist, Aziz Asbar, led a confidential unit known as 'Sector 4”'at the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center developing cutting edge missile technology designed to further Syria’s efforts to initiate the long range bombing of Israeli cities."

THINK THE CANADIAN DOCTOR [PhD] GERALD BULL. HIS BABYLON LONG-RANGE ARTILLERY GUN BEING BUILT UNDER THE AUSPICES OF SADDAM HUSSEIN DESIGNED TO FIRE A CONTINUOUS BARRAGE OF NERVE AGENT SHELLS AT THE ISRAELI. THE ISRAELI NOT WANTING TO WAIT FOR A CATASTROPHIC SITUATION TO TRANSPIRE, DOCTOR BULL AS ALLEGED THE VICTIM OF A MOSSAD OPERATION!

הֱיה שלום

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QC USAF.

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Confidence is high! I repeat, confidence is high!

As is apropos to a previous blog entry. Nutshell type stuff the testing on a periodic basis of Minuteman III missiles AND launch crew. Soup to nuts the process explained. Thanks to the article by Jared Keller.

"Here’s How The Air Force Tests A 40-Year-Old Nuclear Minuteman ICBM"

1." Five years 'before the missile is ever launched,' the Air Force pulls a random Minuteman ICBM for a 'test launch' at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California."

2. "Before the ICBM leaves its home base, Air Force personnel conduct an inspection of the transporter erector launcher (TEL) truck that’s used to actually transport the missile:"

3. "Upon arrival at Vandenberg, the TEL is actually erected…"

4. "the Minuteman is hoisted down into a test silo, where other Air Force personnel will fully assemble the ICBM:"

5. "A month later, the ICBM is test-fired at the Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific, some 4,000 miles away while Air Force personnel gather data [telemetry] on the process, from the initial key-turning to impact"

Confidence is high and MUST be high!

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Uighur Syria.

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Terrorists as defined by the Chinese in this instance the Uighur people.[WEE-ghurs]

"Chinese Ambassador To Syria: We Are Willing To Participate 'In Some Way' In The Battle For Idlib Alongside The Assad Army"

"As the Syrian regime army prepares to launch a campaign for the recapture of Idlib in northern Syria, the Chinese Ambassador to Damascus, Qi Qianjin, told the pro-regime daily Al-Watan on August 1, 2018 that the Chinese military would be willing to participate 'in some way' in the campaign in Idlib or in other parts of the country. The ambassador expressed his support for what he called Syria's war against the terrorists, and noted that there is cooperation between the Syrian and Chinese armies. The report also quoted the Chinese military attaché in Syria as saying that the Chinese military wishes to enhance its relations with the Syrian military, and as expressing regret that Chinese Uyghurs are taking part in the fighting against the Assad regime."

Entire villages of northern Syria as abandoned by the locals and now occupied by Uighur? So it has been noted! Uighur in exile fleeing persecution in China finding refuge and succor under the patronage of the Turk!

OCCUPATION OF SYRIAN VILLAGES BY ETHNIC UIGHURS ABOUT TO END COURTESY OF THE CHINESE? AND THE TURK WILL SAY WHAT?

See previous blog entry the subject of which was the Uighur TIP and the connection to the Syrian Civil War.

coolbert.

Pigeon.

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"Light Risk, Low Stakes, Little Return"

To war with pigeon! Columba. Resistance WW2 style!

Details of this successful British intelligence operation from the era of the Second World War not released to the general public UNTIL 2007!!

Courtesy the BBC History Magazine and the article by Gordon Corera:

"The pigeons' war on Hitler"

"describes and ingenious British operation to subvert Nazi rule in Europe - - using carrier birds [homing pigeons]"

Columba a World War Two intelligence mission, crates of homing pigeons as dropped on occupied Europe.

"birds . . . donated were placed in containers which then floated to the ground . . . beneath a parachute. On the outside of the container was an envelope with an questionnaire - - a plea for help from Britain . . . The aim was to gather intelligence from ordinary people living under Nazi occupation."

RESIST! Send us a message via carrier pigeon.

Examples of actual messages as sent from Nazi occupied Europe to England as from the BBC article:

"German troop movements are always at night . . . there is a large munitions dump at Herzelee 200 metres from the railway station. Yesterday a convoy of Horse Artillery passed towards Dunkirk via Bambecque and another to Hazebrouck. The Bosches [Germans] do not mention an invasion of England . . . the RAF have never bombed those parts they should come to bomb the brick works as the proprietor is a [traitor] . . . I await your return, I am and remain a Frenchman." - - ABCD34. April 1941.

"I would ask you my friends . . . to warn the population a few minutes before bombing because you kill many civilians who are your friends. Very few Germans get killed it is nearly always the civilians who suffer from your aircraft. If you circle before dropping your bombs, the population would have time to withdraw from the town, thus avoiding many French victims. you must spare your friends and kill the Germans. Please send us arms, rifles, revolvers and ammunition by parachute." - -  a French farmer.

The CIA document regarding Columba asserts the project producing scant results probably not even worth the effort.

As to: "light Risk, low Stakes, little Return" in lieu of anything better you go with what you got at that exact moment. Columba!

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