Sudan.

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"These black fellows know how to fight and die" - - an Englishman at Omdurman.

Regarding that recent purported Israeli air strike in the Sudan.

We should not find it surprising that the nation of Sudan is involved in terrorist or jihad activity. Sudanese Muslims have a long history and association with Islamic fanaticism and militancy.

From the nineteenth century [19th], here are the jihadists of the day.

Called, at the time, by the British, the "dervishes".

The Sudanese forces of the Mahdi, the ansar [helpers].

Black Africans, Muslims, following Arabic culture, rising in rebellion against their Anglo/Egyptian rulers and Ottoman [?] administrators.

[among themselves, these black Sudanese Africans refer to themselves as Arabs? Disdain other black African tribes, referring to them with the pejorative term of abd' [black house slave]!]

Followers [ansar] of the Mahdi, a self-proclaimed prophet, able to obliterate repeatedly various Anglo/Egyptian military forces sent to "quell" the rebellion, the disturbances. The destruction of Hick's Pasha and his entire unit as shown in the movie "Khartoum" just being one example.

The Mahdi and his followers had really big ideas. First the Sudan would be reclaimed for Islam. Then all of Africa, then the whole world. Did not transpire of course, but still, the desire and thought were there. Masses of lightly armed [spears, swords, and whatever firearms they could capture] of fanatical, religiously inspired tribesmen eventually swarming the defenses of Khartoum, defeating Chinese Gordon, lopping off the head of Gordon, against the wishes of the Mahdi.

And able to establish a stable Islamic regime that lasted until the Battle of Omdurman. Ansar, rushing forward to their death, heedless of the terrible consequences, men armed with spears against machine guns and rapid firing artillery pieces.

ANSAR LATER FOUND TO BE WEARING CHAIN MAIL AS TAKEN OFF THE BODIES OF VANQUISHED CRUSADERS, FROM SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS EARLIER OR SO!!!

The atrocity of the janjaweed, the twenty year war against the Christian/animist black Africans of southern Sudan, and the assistance [ansar = helper] rendered to the latter-day dervishes [Hamas] should not surprise anyone?

coolbert.

Rust.

This is coolbert:

This particular intruder aircraft incident, Adam [Yavus] the naturalized Canadian stealing and flying a small private plane over 600 miles into U.S. airspace reminds me of an earlier incident, over twenty years ago now.

The hijinks of Mathias Rust. [pronounced "Roost"]

"Mathias Rust (born 1968 in Wedel, West Germany) is a German man known for his illegal landing near Red Square in Moscow in 1987 . . . he flew from Finland to Moscow, being tracked several times by Soviet air defence and interceptors, which never received permission to shoot him down . . . he landed on Vasilevski Spusk next to Red Square near the Kremlin in the capital of the USSR."

"Rust's flight had a great impact on the Soviet military and his successful flight through a supposedly impregnable air defense system led to the firing of many senior officers."

"He was sentenced to four years . . . for hooliganism, disregard of aviation laws and breaching of the Soviet border. After serving 432 days . . . he was released on parole"

"William E. Odom, former director of the National Security Agency . . . says that Rust’s flight irreparably damaged the reputation of the Soviet military . . . The Soviet defense minister and the Soviet air defense chief were fired along with hundreds of other officers including war heroes. This was the biggest turnover in the Soviet military since Stalin’s purges fifty years earlier."

One man - - one small private plane - - one flight with no real apparent motivation other than "to do it"!!

Normally, during the period of the Cold War, any person attempting to breach the borders of the Soviet Union, going either way, would BE SHOT DEAD IN THE PROVERBIAL HEARTBEAT!! NO QUESTIONS ASKED!!

Nineteen year old kid, so angelic looking, lucky to have gotten off with his life! And for what? Perhaps, "just to do it"??

coolbert.

Suicide?

This is coolbert:

Has everyone been following this "story"?

Thanks to the Australian:

"Canada plane theft was 'suicide by jet' plan"

"ST LOUIS: Suicide by fighter jet was the goal of a student pilot who flew a stolen plane from Canada into the US before landing on a country road in Missouri, federal authorities say."

"Adam Dylan Leon of Ontario . . . was tailed by US fighter jets on his erratic course across the Midwest."

"The six-hour flight prompted a brief evacuation of the Wisconsin Capitol and warnings to commercial aircraft over Chicago and other cities, but terrorism is not believed to be a motive."

"A background check showed no connection to terrorism, the FBI said. Mr Leon was born in Turkey as Yavuz Berke, moved to Canada and was naturalised last year."

Adam Dylan Leon. Born Yavuz Berke. A MUSLIM? Formerly a Turk, now a naturalized citizen of Canada who stole a private plane and led American F-16 fighter aircraft on a merry chase.

Adam [Yavuz] desired to kill himself, but did not have the courage to do so? Hoped that by intruding into American airspace, flying in an erratic and dangerous manner, he would be shot down and killed?

When not shot down, out of fuel, merely landed his aircraft on a dirt road in Missouri, arrested, but only after wandering around for a bit, casually, in an apparent nonchalant manner.

This guy intruded into U.S. airspace, flew about 600 miles on his odyssey, tracked by NORAD all the way, and escorted by F-16's, BUT WAS NOT SHOT DOWN.

Let me point out that Adam [Yavuz] was within range of a most critical American mid-western weapons facility: Newport Chemical Depot (NECD) Newport, Indiana. One false move of Adam [Yavuz] toward Newport and those F-16's would have fired?

NECD, a facility where VX nerve gas is still stored? [a program that began [?] in 2004 to destroy the chemical agent within 2 1/2 years has been completed?].

"Newport Chemical Depot (NECD or the Depot) is located in west central Indiana, approximately 2 miles south of Newport and 70 miles west of Indianapolis."

"The nerve agent VX stockpiled at Newport is stored in 1,690 steel ton containers inside a single warehouse constructed of corrugated steel sheet metal."

Crashing an aircraft into this "single warehouse" could release a plume of VX gas that might contaminate and kill everyone in an area of immense size. Prodigious casualties would be the result - - rural area or no rural area!!

Such an act of terror would surely terrorize, casualties or no casualties.

Those F-16's would have been given the order to shoot by that USAF general stationed in Florida? President Obama is out of the country? Delegation of the order to "shoot" would have been in the hands of a senior USAF officer.

MANPAD are also in place at NECD? Who knows! That would be classified. But, hell, see the aerial photos of the storage warehouse from the Global Security web site for yourself.



Consider this too from my paranoid mind. This was a drill? A rehearsal? A test? Reconnaissance carried out to see what sort of response occurs seven years after 9/11? How alert is NORAD and what action do they take, even for a small private plane, on an errant and potentially dangerous course! Anyone else see any of this?

coolbert.

Marksmanship.

This is coolbert:

"I am supposed to be an average reasonable and intelligent young man. However, lately (I cannot recall when it started) I have been a victim of many unusual and irrational thoughts." - - C. Whitman.

"This massive, muscular youth seemed to be oozing with hostility..." - - Dr. Heatley - University of Texas Psychiatrist.

The possibility of soldier, gone berserk, a psychotic, sociopathic individual using his skills as a highly trained killer to wreak terrible havoc upon society, almost at whim, is not totally without foundation?

See my previous blog entry about this very subject. From some time ago now.

I am talking here about the zombie/robotlike/deranged/drugged/murderous/wacko/wife beater/suicidal maniac GI legend!

"Such military training/preparation may also exacerbate otherwise latent mental illness in recruits-- perhaps rendering dangerous to society and themselves folks who might otherwise have led more normal, peaceful, and productive lives." - - J.R. Mooneyham.

The crazy GI is not just a legend? I had thought it was generally just that - - a legend!

Perhaps I am wrong about this? There are instances of this occurring? Any of us at any given moment run the possibility of coming under sudden and unexpected attack from a crazed, very aggressive soldier or ex-soldier, trained to kill in a heartbeat and do so without any warning?

A soldier, or ex-soldier for that matter, suffering from mental instability or illness, OR AS DID CAPTAIN RAINER OF THE USS DOLPHIN, FROM A BRAIN TUMOR, UNDIAGNOSED!!

I specifically have the case of Charles Whitman in mind.

The Texas Tower Massacre killer.

From way back when now, the early 1960’s. An incident to never be forgotten. A horror that at the time was unique and chilling.

"killed 14 people and wounded 32 others during a shooting rampage"

Whitman, a student at the University of Texas, an ex-Marine, after killing his mother and wife, climbed to the top of the what was at the time the tallest building [The Texas Tower, 300’ high [100 meters]] in Austin, TX., armed with an assortment of rifles, pistols, shotgun [?], and a foot locker full of ammunition. Proceeded to “plink” at anyone and everyone within range. Whitman, using his Marine Corps marksmanship training, was able to kill and wound an extraordinary number of people within a few hours. Persons shot sometimes at very long range, a half-mile [800 meters] or more!!

"plink –verb (used without object) 1. to shoot, as with a rifle, at targets selected at whim:"

[Those of you that have seen the Stanley Kubrick movie, “Full Metal Jacket” will remember the scene where the U.S. Marine drill instructor [DI] boasts to his charges the degree to which the Corps trains a superior rifleman. A shootist who can hit targets and do so with ease and skill. Proficient marksman, envied by other military services!! This DI actually mentions the name of Whitman as an example of superior Corps marksmanship training!!]

This “exhibition” of superior shooting skills on the part of Whitman only ended when two police officers charged to the top of the Tower and killed Whitman in a close-quarters exchange of gunfire.

WHITMAN, AFTER AN AUTOPSY WAS PERFORMED, WAS FOUND TO BE SUFFERING FROM AN UNDIAGNOSED BRAIN TUMOR!!!

I don’t think that anyone would deny that Charles Whitman WAS A CRAZY MAN? But still lucid enough and thoughtful to the extent of choosing his weaponry, targets, firing position all to his advantage.

AND UTILIZING HIS MILITARY-GAINED SKILLS WITH DEADLY ABANDON!!

[Homeland Security has screened and sealed off such “observation platforms” all over America that would make similar suitable firing positions for potential lone-wolf jihadis, hoping to emulate Charles Whitman? A repeat of the Texas Tower Massacre NOT possible. Some thought has been given to this matter? I surely hope so! One man, wielding say a Dragunov sniper rifle, could DO A LOT OF DAMAGE, THAT IS OBVIOUSLY APPARENT!!]

Comments:

* While on active duty, over forty years ago now, actually ran into a man who was at the scene of the Tower massacre, lying behind a two-foot high concrete wall for two hours, pinned down, not daring to move. Such was the marksmanship of Whitman; movement from behind that wall to safety was impossible.

* Whether consciously or not, Whitman had chosen a more or less impregnable position for his shooting “spree”! Even if suffering from a brain tumor, mentally deranged, Whitman still possessed a degree of malevolent thoughtfulness that only enhanced and enabled his rampage even more so!!

coolbert.

Dolphin.

This is coolbert:

“No person can command a nuclear equipped unit if there is an accusation or appearance of wrongdoing, even if totally unfounded!” - - U.S. military regulation.

A master of a ship at sea, whether it be a warship or a civilian vessel, a captain no less, mentally “bent”, obsessive, or even deranged, is a popular genre’ of fiction and the cinema?

I have in mind a Captain Queeg [Bogart],“Caine Mutiny”, Captain Ahab [Peck] “Moby Dick”, Captain Finlander [Widmark] “Bedford Incident”, or Captain Ramsey [Gene Hackman] “Crimson Tide”.

[the legend and opera “The Flying Dutchman” is also based upon the crazed and obsessed sea captain genre’!]

Men whose derangement or obsession places the vessel, crew, and MISSION or TASK in great danger.

The belief that a military commander may go - - for what ever reason - - go “nuts”, “wacko”, “bonkers”, become deranged or mentally incapacitated to such a degree that aberrant behavior may transpire is NOT WITHOUT FOUNDATION!!??

Order by such a commander maybe issued that are so contrary to common sense that they defy description and imperil everyone, friendlies included??!!

Such a danger is especially acute in the case of a submarine commander? A man, "lord of all he surveys, a despot" almost, possessing almost plenipotentiary powers to make extraordinary decisions on his own - - quite often not only being out of contact with higher command authority, but also having no means of establishing contact with those superiors in the command structure.

AND, SUCH A DANGER IS EVEN THAT MUCH MORE ACUTE IN THE NUCLEAR AGE!! THIS HAS TO BE JUST INTUITIVE!!

Again - - the fear that a submarine commander in particular may go, for what ever reason, “berserk” and do something untoward, is NOT WITHOUT FOUNDATION!!??

Consider for instance this instance from World War Two:

Thanks here to Harry and KTB: http://www.sharkhunters.com

[please note that the wiki entry makes absolutely no mention of this incident!!]

"At 8pm Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve) [USS] Dolphin started on here first war patrol . . . the Captain, Gordon B. Rainer was mentally sick with a brain tumor . . . Going out the channel At Pearl Harbor he (Rainer) was seen to thumb his nose at Pearl Harbor. During the patrol they came upon the LEXINGTON Battle Group at night. Not knowing it was American they made an approach on the LEXINGTON and were set up to fire torpedoes when the XO . . . said that the paint markings showed it to be the LEXINGTON. Captain Rainer said he didn't care, he was going to sink it anyway. The officers took Rainer off the 'scope and took him to his cabin . . . The captain's mental condition was confirmed and [he] died from a brain tumor . . . a year later"



Captain Rainer was obviously a man with a big time problem, suffering from an undiagnosed brain tumor, and at the time of the sailing from Pearl Harbor, a man not fit to command - - through no fault of his own.

Overpowered [?], tied [?], confined [?], sedated [?], all was done in a correct manner by those officers immediately subordinate to Rainer! When the potentiality of mutiny is normally considered, IT IS THE ENLISTED MEN USUALLY FELT TO BE THE DANGER, AND NOT THE OFFICERS.

In this specific case, Rainer was obviously a man “bent”, “over the edge”, and unfit to command. A danger to himself, the ship he commanded, and everyone in existence period!

Within a year, Rainer succumbed to his illness, untreatable as it was. [techniques and devices for diagnosis, much less treatment, were not available as they are now!]

The Dolphin, post-Rainier, had a MUCH DISTINGUISHED WAR RECORD!! Suitably commanded, the Dolphin acquitted and crew performed admirably for the duration of WW2, REMARKABLE CONSIDERING THAT THE DOLPHIN AT THE TIME WAS AN ANTIQUATED BOAT, OF INFERIOR CAPACITY!!

coolbert.

Lothar.

This is coolbert:

Here is the most successdful submarine captain of all-time.

Successful in terms of ships and tonnage sunk. A record unsurpassed, a record that will never be equaled or exceeded!

Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière .

"a German U-boat commander during World War I. With 194 ships and 453,716 gross register tons (GRT) sunk, he is the most successful submarine ace ever. Нis victories came in the Mediterranean, almost always using his 8.8-cm deck gun. He fired only four torpedoes, missing once."

A man of aristocratic mien, who, by his own account, comported himself in battle in an almost chivalrous manner, as civilized and humane as the situation allowed.

"describing one of these patrols stated: 'My record cruise was quite tame and dull. We stopped the vessels, the crews boarded the lifeboats. We inspected the ship's documents, told the crew how they could reach the next port and then sank the stopped prize.'"

USING, ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY, NAVAL GUNFIRE FROM THE SOLE DECK GUN [an 88 mm gun] OF THE SUBMARINE TO DO SO! DID NOT EMPLOY TORPEDOES BUT ON THE MOST RAREST OF OCCASIONS.

The process by which de la Perière employed his submarine in battle is difficult for moderns to appreciate?

1. Stop the enemy merchantman.
2. Allow the crew of the enemy merchantman to disembark.
3. SEND YOUR OWN BOARDING PARTY TO INSPECT THE CARGO, INTERROGATE THE MASTER OF THE ENEMY VESSEL.
4. Sink the enemy merchantman with repeated fire from your deck gun [88 mm].

Very civilized, almost a genteel form of warfare, atrocity and viciousness lacking.

Arnauld was able to operate out of naval bases belonging to the Austro-Hunagrian navy? Kotor was his home port when on operational missions? Those itty-bitty submarines of the period [as compared to a modern submarine] could carry only a limited number of torpedoes and had a very limited range as well.



Read further about Arnauld and another German U-Boat commander of WW1:

"Two successful U-Boat Commanders of WW1, Kapittanleutnants Otto Hersing and Lothar von Arnauld de la Periera"

Cocky looking German. Of aristocratic mien?

coolbert.

Missile.

This is coolbert:

Well, the expected launch of the North Korean missile has occurred. And the results are reported as conflicting. The U.S. says that the launch did occur, but was a failure! The satellite did not orbit, the third stage of the missile and payload falling into the Pacific, all under the careful watch of Japanese and U.S. naval war craft.

The North Koreans, on the other hand, boast of a successful orbiting of the satellite, which, right now, AS WE SPEAK, IS BROADCASTING REVOLUTIONARY SONGS!!

[these broadcasts, if actually occurring, can be picked up on the high-frequency band? How do you know they are emanating from the satellite? Perhaps they are on the very high or ultra high frequency band?]

1. "Failed launch could boost weapons capability"

"The US was quick to pour cold water on North Korea’s claim on Sunday that it had fired a rocket carrying a communications satellite into space."

"North Korea claimed the rocket had successfully sent a satellite into space. The North Korean state-run news agency said the satellite was playing revolutionary songs."

"The Pentagon soon rejected the claim that North Korea has succeeded in putting its first satellite in space, saying the final stages of the multi-stage rocket – including the payload – had fallen into the Pacific Ocean."

"The first stage of the rocket fell into the Sea of Japan, which North Korea had flagged would happen. North Korea had notified international organisations that the second stage would fall into the Pacific, and the third stage – carrying the payload – would have travelled into space if successful. But the Pentagon said the final stages of the rocket and its payload also fell into the Pacific."

However, even more North Korea missile launches are to be expected. An unanticipated capacity and ability for repeated missile launches is at hand?

2. "North Korea 'preparing second missile launch' "

"North Korea is expected to fire a second missile - and possibly more - if the United Nations condemns the planned launch of what Pyongyang claims is a communications satellite into orbit later this week."

"Media reports in Japan suggest that an additional medium-range missile is being prepared at a launch site near the east-coast city of Wonsan"

"It is very possible that North Korea will not just limit itself to launching even two missiles," said Hiroyasu Akutsu, an analyst with the National Institute of Defence Studies, affiliated with Japan's Defence Ministry.

Even a nation as isolated as North Korea, a black-hole of misery and poverty and oppression, when it harnesses the full potentiality of its scientists, engineers, technicians, and having the political wherewithal and ambition to do so, can accomplish "feats" more advanced nations cannot even contemplate! The firing off of mulitiple ballistic missiles in short-order being such a "feat"!

We have not heard the final word on this matter?

coolbert.