and some of their corrupt members, and they don't like it.
Good work, sir.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Another nasty thing in Gunwalker?
Zambada-Niebla claims that under a “divide and conquer” strategy, the U.S. helped finance and arm the Sinaloa Cartel through Operation Fast and Furious in exchange for information that allowed the DEA, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies to take down rival drug cartels. The Sinaloa Cartel was allegedly permitted to traffic massive amounts of drugs across the U.S. border from 2004 to 2009 — during both Fast and Furious and Bush-era gunrunning operations — as long as the intel kept coming.
Thursday, August 09, 2012
(fG)Britain is well and truly screwed
A children's play centre has barred fathers from attending with their children and is now facing an investigation by equality watchdogs.
Kids Go Wild is believed to be the first such play centre in the country to introduce a ‘women only’ policy – which also bans boys over the age of nine.
(stolen from here)
US construction jobs, given to PRC companies; isn't that just effing wonderful?
As Uncle put it, 'Not anti-crime, just anti-gun'.
Unpleasant but true: Thank God for the atomic bomb
As Tam commanded, another ride this evening on the(for lack of better term than 'bike') Street Pedal Vehicle. The handlebars make such a huge difference that I can concentrate on how my legs feel like they're about to stop functioning at the something-mile mark. I think it's about four miles total, with a stop at a park where I can further torture myself with some pushups and such, which pretty much wrings me out. And either my saddle isn't as good as I was remembering, or I don't have enough padding anymore, or it's degraded(the saddle, dammit); may have to check on a new one later on.
And, just to remind you that there are worse things than a clog in the toilet,
Kids Go Wild is believed to be the first such play centre in the country to introduce a ‘women only’ policy – which also bans boys over the age of nine.
(stolen from here)US construction jobs, given to PRC companies; isn't that just effing wonderful?
As Uncle put it, 'Not anti-crime, just anti-gun'.
Unpleasant but true: Thank God for the atomic bomb
As Tam commanded, another ride this evening on the(for lack of better term than 'bike') Street Pedal Vehicle. The handlebars make such a huge difference that I can concentrate on how my legs feel like they're about to stop functioning at the something-mile mark. I think it's about four miles total, with a stop at a park where I can further torture myself with some pushups and such, which pretty much wrings me out. And either my saddle isn't as good as I was remembering, or I don't have enough padding anymore, or it's degraded(the saddle, dammit); may have to check on a new one later on.
And, just to remind you that there are worse things than a clog in the toilet,
I'm pissed this morning,
having seen someone trumpeting a sign saying 'Romney can buy a sports car, so this kid is sick!' Apparently believing that Romney taking legitimate tax shelters means someone has to be sick or starve, and- SURPRISE!- the .gov must do something. Etc. In the meantime, the socialist in the Oval Office who keeps bitching about 'the rich not paying enough won't see that his own staff pays their taxes. And any doubts the bastard & wife are taking every shelter, etc., their accountants can find?
Another university with a "We believe in free speech, as long as it's approved speech" attitude; if they do this I hope FIRE sues their ass off.
Elizabeth Warren’s daughter Amelia Warren Tyagi is leaving nothing to chance in the 2012 election for her mother. Warren Tyagi, the chair of the George Soros funded Demos Foundation, has bankrolled, through Demos, former members of ACORN in their pursuit to have the Commonwealth’s welfare agency perform a voter registration drive. The Boston Herald has the story, although they missed the Warren familial connection….
That's 'missed' as in 'ignored completely'.
Hey, why should ATF obey laws or procedures? They've got a DoJ and politicians who'll protect them.
Additionally, the in-place rules being disregarded were implemented as a direct result of a scathing 2004 Office of Inspector General audit that found Bureau field offices recklessly out of control in establishing and conforming to standards, making the recent violations examples of negligent or deliberate indifference to mandated corrective actions.
The front of her shirt had the other name for the same group, “Queers for Palestine.”
Q.U.I.T./Queers for Palestine is an ultra-radical lesbian political group that protests against the only nation in the Middle East where gays live freely with full rights, and in favor of a culture that outlaws homosexuality and violently persecutes gays. Are they insane? Yes. Did I find it a bit unnerving that such a political stance is considered so “normal” in Berkeley that people just stroll around on an average day wearing “Queers for Palestine” shirts? Yep.
Which do you think will happen first: the complete financial implosion of the state, or the big quake?
The gun bigots have another plan to effectively ban semi-autos.
Yes, the Obamites are even more disgusting bastards than you may have thought.
Dammit. Things to do, more outrage to stew over. Back later.
Another university with a "We believe in free speech, as long as it's approved speech" attitude; if they do this I hope FIRE sues their ass off.
Elizabeth Warren’s daughter Amelia Warren Tyagi is leaving nothing to chance in the 2012 election for her mother. Warren Tyagi, the chair of the George Soros funded Demos Foundation, has bankrolled, through Demos, former members of ACORN in their pursuit to have the Commonwealth’s welfare agency perform a voter registration drive. The Boston Herald has the story, although they missed the Warren familial connection….
That's 'missed' as in 'ignored completely'.
Hey, why should ATF obey laws or procedures? They've got a DoJ and politicians who'll protect them.
Additionally, the in-place rules being disregarded were implemented as a direct result of a scathing 2004 Office of Inspector General audit that found Bureau field offices recklessly out of control in establishing and conforming to standards, making the recent violations examples of negligent or deliberate indifference to mandated corrective actions.
The front of her shirt had the other name for the same group, “Queers for Palestine.”
Q.U.I.T./Queers for Palestine is an ultra-radical lesbian political group that protests against the only nation in the Middle East where gays live freely with full rights, and in favor of a culture that outlaws homosexuality and violently persecutes gays. Are they insane? Yes. Did I find it a bit unnerving that such a political stance is considered so “normal” in Berkeley that people just stroll around on an average day wearing “Queers for Palestine” shirts? Yep.
Which do you think will happen first: the complete financial implosion of the state, or the big quake?
The gun bigots have another plan to effectively ban semi-autos.
Yes, the Obamites are even more disgusting bastards than you may have thought.
Dammit. Things to do, more outrage to stew over. Back later.
Wednesday, August 08, 2012
Someone tell me again about the great morality of Obama on Guantanamo
And then the wheels came off the Moral Authority Express. It turned out instead of bringing enemy combatants to Guantanamo, where detainees are well-fed and have access to attorneys, Obama has been sending them to a disease-ridden hell-on-earth in Somalia. And the Obama administration began urging the Supreme Court to ignore the detainees’ appeals. And now it seems those periodic review boards were–what would the president call them? Just words:
And, just to add to the fun, more returns from Holder's genius work with ATF and FBI and DHS and every other alphabet agency stupid enough and politically greedy enough to get tied into Gunwalker:
Drug cartel operatives used weapons from Operation Fast and Furious in a failed attempt to assassinate a high-ranking Mexican law enforcement official, the El Paso Times reports in an article that follows up on an initial report from Breitbart News’ Mary Chastain.
The gun — which “was seized in Tijuana in connection with a drug cartel’s conspiracy to kill the police chief of Tijuana, Baja California, who later became the Juárez police chief” — is tied to Fast and Furious.
To AG Holder and all the other clowns: just how many bodies can be laid at your feet in this mess(so far)?
And do you give a damn?
The Obama administration has begun limiting the legal rights of terror suspects held at the Guantanamo Bay military prison in Cuba, telling a federal judge Tuesday the government alone should decide when the prisoners deserve regular access to their counsel.
And, just to add to the fun, more returns from Holder's genius work with ATF and FBI and DHS and every other alphabet agency stupid enough and politically greedy enough to get tied into Gunwalker:
Drug cartel operatives used weapons from Operation Fast and Furious in a failed attempt to assassinate a high-ranking Mexican law enforcement official, the El Paso Times reports in an article that follows up on an initial report from Breitbart News’ Mary Chastain.
The gun — which “was seized in Tijuana in connection with a drug cartel’s conspiracy to kill the police chief of Tijuana, Baja California, who later became the Juárez police chief” — is tied to Fast and Furious.
To AG Holder and all the other clowns: just how many bodies can be laid at your feet in this mess(so far)?
And do you give a damn?
Damn straight
I mention this because initial reports state that when Evil presented itself in his place of peace and began to slaughter those of his flock, 65-year-old Satwant Singh Kaleka did his level best to punch the ticket of the decades-younger murderer with what the Media has described as a "butter knife" -- a blunted blade, less than four inches in length.
Some Media reports indicate that there was a "trail of blood" from the spot where Satwant Singh Kaleka did his last duty as a Sikh and as a man; others do not mention it.
For myself, I choose to believe that Satwant Singh Kaleka went to his God with a smile on his lips and a bloody Kirpan in his hand.
Hoo-ah, sir.
Some Media reports indicate that there was a "trail of blood" from the spot where Satwant Singh Kaleka did his last duty as a Sikh and as a man; others do not mention it.
For myself, I choose to believe that Satwant Singh Kaleka went to his God with a smile on his lips and a bloody Kirpan in his hand.
Hoo-ah, sir.
Oh for bleep's SAKE... Updated
I forgot to put the original link from BRM; and I got this note from Tam:
Internet rumor.
The FBI is returning a couple lots of ammunition. This somehow got conflated with an older internet piece of internet BS and is now making the rounds of the cop forums again.
(Seriously, google "Q4355 recall". If it were a real thing, it would be on Winchester's page, which it is not. Also, pressers probably would have been sent out, which they weren't.)
Internet rumor.
The FBI is returning a couple lots of ammunition. This somehow got conflated with an older internet piece of internet BS and is now making the rounds of the cop forums again.
(Seriously, google "Q4355 recall". If it were a real thing, it would be on Winchester's page, which it is not. Also, pressers probably would have been sent out, which they weren't.)
The FBI is working with Winchester on a potentially serious condition affecting all recently produced .40 S&W, Winchester, Q4355, 180grain, Bonded SERVICE ammunition. Some of the cartridge casings were produced without a flash hole. This condition completely eliminates the ability of this Service cartridge to fire.
This is a silent killer in that no visual inspection by FBI personnel can detect this manufacturing defect and it would only be known at the time the Agent attempted to fire their handgun. A limited number of problems have been reported: however, this is such a dangerous condition [that] immediate action across the FBI is necessary.
Affected ammunition will have a four character 'day code', two letters, two numbers, i.e., FA 42. All Q4355 with day codes beginning with the letter F and any Q4355 with the two letter combination of EN are included in this recall. This ammunition must be removed from FBI service weapons and magazines IMMEDIATELY.
Again, boxed ammunition with the following codes must be removed from service IMMEDIATELY:
- Product Code: Q4355
- Day Code: Any code beginning with F or EN
In the 'Because all the REAL problems are solved' category
we have this idiocy:
In its mounting campaign against leakers, the U.S. government isn’t just going after officials who revealed weighty secrets like the White House’s drone strike “kill list” or its plan to sabotage Iran’s nuclear sites. Federal agents are also chasing a leaker who gave Danger Room a document asking for a futuristic laser weapon that could set insurgents’ clothes on fire from nine miles away.
It’s an odd investigation, because the energy weapon doesn’t exist; the unclassified document describing it reads almost like a spoof of the laser system out of Real Genius; and this is 2012 — nearly five years after the leak in question.
So the Democrats had an ad with a guy basically saying "Romney is why my wife died, he doesn't know or care about the damage he does." And even CNN is calling 'bullshit' on it.
Romney better be prepared to whack on these people hard.
Judicial Watch announced today that it has obtained records from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) indicating that the General Services Administration (GSA), with the blessing of the Obama White House, instructed law enforcement officers to “stand down” and not arrest “Occupy Portland” protestors who were in violation of the law.
The records, obtained pursuant to a November 11, 2011, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, include internal DHS correspondence. One November 6, 2011, e-mail exchange between DHS/National Protection and Programs Directorate Chief of Staff Caitlin Durkovich and GSA Public Buildings Service Commissioner Robert Peck (who has since been fired) specifically related to Occupy Portland protests taking place on federal property in Portland:
A Celebritute for Socialism has another episode; nobody surprised.
"What? I should speak directly to those peasants? No!"
In its mounting campaign against leakers, the U.S. government isn’t just going after officials who revealed weighty secrets like the White House’s drone strike “kill list” or its plan to sabotage Iran’s nuclear sites. Federal agents are also chasing a leaker who gave Danger Room a document asking for a futuristic laser weapon that could set insurgents’ clothes on fire from nine miles away.
It’s an odd investigation, because the energy weapon doesn’t exist; the unclassified document describing it reads almost like a spoof of the laser system out of Real Genius; and this is 2012 — nearly five years after the leak in question.
So the Democrats had an ad with a guy basically saying "Romney is why my wife died, he doesn't know or care about the damage he does." And even CNN is calling 'bullshit' on it.
Romney better be prepared to whack on these people hard.
Judicial Watch announced today that it has obtained records from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) indicating that the General Services Administration (GSA), with the blessing of the Obama White House, instructed law enforcement officers to “stand down” and not arrest “Occupy Portland” protestors who were in violation of the law.
The records, obtained pursuant to a November 11, 2011, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, include internal DHS correspondence. One November 6, 2011, e-mail exchange between DHS/National Protection and Programs Directorate Chief of Staff Caitlin Durkovich and GSA Public Buildings Service Commissioner Robert Peck (who has since been fired) specifically related to Occupy Portland protests taking place on federal property in Portland:
A Celebritute for Socialism has another episode; nobody surprised.
"What? I should speak directly to those peasants? No!"
Tuesday, August 07, 2012
A little over .10", but it was rain
accompanied by some damn strong winds. Hopefully some more will come overnight & tomorrow.
I also have to note that they officially consider a number of the fires the last few days 'suspicious'; considering this includes a guy who saw someone throw something out of a vehicle and fire immediately flare up, I'd tend to agree.
I'm also willing to start a petition to re-institute either a whipping post in the town square or a gallows for people who do shit like this
I also have to note that they officially consider a number of the fires the last few days 'suspicious'; considering this includes a guy who saw someone throw something out of a vehicle and fire immediately flare up, I'd tend to agree.
I'm also willing to start a petition to re-institute either a whipping post in the town square or a gallows for people who do shit like this
Appears the murderer in the Sikh attack was a national socialist;
wonder how many media weenies will actually use the term?
Dingy Harry Reid lies about Romney & taxes, and Pelosi lies about Republicans wanting people to get sick; these clowns are disgusting.
That's it for now; Stuff to do, and right now the inspiration fairy isn't exactly whacking me with her wand
Dingy Harry Reid lies about Romney & taxes, and Pelosi lies about Republicans wanting people to get sick; these clowns are disgusting.
That's it for now; Stuff to do, and right now the inspiration fairy isn't exactly whacking me with her wand
Monday, August 06, 2012
From 'roo land, Tim Blair brings the snark
But it’s unfair to criticise our Olympians in isolation. They are but a reflection of the nation as a whole – a nation that just dropped more than $300 million on an Olympic quest currently returning more sobbing fits than medals.
Which brings us back to whales. If whale-weeping were an Olympic event, the Australian team would be carrying more gold than a gangsta rapper’s gob. Show us a dead, dying or doomed whale and we start, well, blubbering at world-record speed.
Our Olympians are the product of a culture given to whale wussiness. We shouldn’t expect our swimmers, for example, to emerge from the pool stern of jaw and clear of eye when the rest of us can’t keep it together every time a stupid humpback rocks up on the beach minus a pulse.
And on suggested training:
...As Michael Milton declared last week:
“Our athletes are too soft!”
Good call. Paralympian Milton went on to suggest that “we drop our potential gold medallists in the middle of the desert and let them find their way home”, which is the kind of hardcore training regimen you’d expect from someone who has survived a downhill ski run at 213kmh.
On one leg.
One of his commentaries on Globular Warmering*:
The planet does indeed have an enemy ... we need to view the fossil-fuel industry in a new light. It has become a rogue industry, reckless like no other force on Earth. …This industry, and this industry alone, holds the power to change the physics and chemistry of our planet, and they’re planning to use it.
Unknown is when the Vulcans or Klingons gifted this physics-changing power to the oil and coal companies.
*I used that term on facebook in an argument once, and was dismissed because "If you can't even spell it right, why should I listen to anything you say?" Having it pointed out that I was using it to laugh at him and the other True Believers didn't help matters at all.
Which brings us back to whales. If whale-weeping were an Olympic event, the Australian team would be carrying more gold than a gangsta rapper’s gob. Show us a dead, dying or doomed whale and we start, well, blubbering at world-record speed.
Our Olympians are the product of a culture given to whale wussiness. We shouldn’t expect our swimmers, for example, to emerge from the pool stern of jaw and clear of eye when the rest of us can’t keep it together every time a stupid humpback rocks up on the beach minus a pulse.
And on suggested training:
...As Michael Milton declared last week:
“Our athletes are too soft!”
Good call. Paralympian Milton went on to suggest that “we drop our potential gold medallists in the middle of the desert and let them find their way home”, which is the kind of hardcore training regimen you’d expect from someone who has survived a downhill ski run at 213kmh.
On one leg.
One of his commentaries on Globular Warmering*:
Manne defines “denialists” as “orthodox members of a tightly knit group whose natural disposition is not to think for themselves”.Yet somehow these drones are easily able to resist the powerful intellects of Manne and his global army of consensus bunnies. It’s a mystery. Maybe they’ll be convinced by the latest from wild-eyed enviropath Bill McKibben:
The planet does indeed have an enemy ... we need to view the fossil-fuel industry in a new light. It has become a rogue industry, reckless like no other force on Earth. …This industry, and this industry alone, holds the power to change the physics and chemistry of our planet, and they’re planning to use it.
Unknown is when the Vulcans or Klingons gifted this physics-changing power to the oil and coal companies.
*I used that term on facebook in an argument once, and was dismissed because "If you can't even spell it right, why should I listen to anything you say?" Having it pointed out that I was using it to laugh at him and the other True Believers didn't help matters at all.
When you go outside at 8pm and it's right at 100
but with the sun down it doesn't feel bad at all, it's been too hot for too long.
Couple of days ago Tam had a piece on using the BRSUV for more exercise, and some discussion in the comments caused me to get off my ass and try something. My bicycle is a trail-type, which means the bars are almost straight, and they were killing my hands after a while. Suggestion was made to try higher bars; honestly, the idea had occurred a while back, but it got pushed back into a corner and forgotten. After a little 'net browsing(do you have any idea what some bars go for? Geez!), I swung by the "That bike is HOW MUCH?" shop nearby and asked, and it turned out they had some bars for cheap. Picked out one and put it on this afternoon; also had to replace two cables due to the height change. Just finished trying them out; HUGE difference. It'll make it much easier to use it for library runs and such. Now I need a lock of some kind for the store.
Week ago I had to get a new TV*, and the day after set it up ran across this on making a antenna. I dug up some 16-gauge galvanized wire and some 1x3, and had to get some suitable screws. I used the 16-gauge for the connector wires between 'V's, with a bit of insulation between where they cross. For the line to the tv I had on the transformer that plugs to the antenna connector on the VCR, and found some speaker wire: connected the ends of the speaker wire to the connector wires at the center, then to the transformer and plugged it in. It's working great. I may find something to use for reflectors and see if they add anything other than complexity.
Couple of days ago Tam had a piece on using the BRSUV for more exercise, and some discussion in the comments caused me to get off my ass and try something. My bicycle is a trail-type, which means the bars are almost straight, and they were killing my hands after a while. Suggestion was made to try higher bars; honestly, the idea had occurred a while back, but it got pushed back into a corner and forgotten. After a little 'net browsing(do you have any idea what some bars go for? Geez!), I swung by the "That bike is HOW MUCH?" shop nearby and asked, and it turned out they had some bars for cheap. Picked out one and put it on this afternoon; also had to replace two cables due to the height change. Just finished trying them out; HUGE difference. It'll make it much easier to use it for library runs and such. Now I need a lock of some kind for the store.
Week ago I had to get a new TV*, and the day after set it up ran across this on making a antenna. I dug up some 16-gauge galvanized wire and some 1x3, and had to get some suitable screws. I used the 16-gauge for the connector wires between 'V's, with a bit of insulation between where they cross. For the line to the tv I had on the transformer that plugs to the antenna connector on the VCR, and found some speaker wire: connected the ends of the speaker wire to the connector wires at the center, then to the transformer and plugged it in. It's working great. I may find something to use for reflectors and see if they add anything other than complexity.
As I sit here waiting for it to cool down a bit
before I try out the modified bicycle, I'm been putting together thoughts on the 'dumbass on the wrong side of the highway' the other night. Among them, how easily I could have taken a short air trip with a bad landing(takeoff wouldn't have been much fun, either).
Full rundown: from southbound on the Lake Hefner Parkway, took the exit to I-44 eastbound; it's a nice right-hand curve of about 270 degrees, as you merge to 44 you have to curve left a bit, then right. And as you are in the right curve there's a rise in the road. I'd just passed a pickup doing about 55 and was in the inside lane as I came over the rise to see those headlights coming my way. I really don't remember thinking anything except "Crap, he's on the wrong side of the divider!" before curving right- fast- into the next lane; I knew I'd just passed that truck and there was nobody in front of or next to him, don't remember checking the mirrors before getting over. I do remember checking six before moved over to the outside lane(I wanted LOTS of space between us). I don't even remember any particular excitement during, just my OODA loop working very quickly; have to wonder if all those "What do you do if-?" thought problems/drills have some crossover effect?
Got an e-mail from a guy whose best friend was killed by a drunk in similar circumstances, and having heard a lot of bits & pieces over the years(Dad worked a LOT of accidents), when there's a wrong-side collision there's usually at least one fatality. Fortunately, here I had two full lanes and a shoulder to go to; had there been someone in the lane right beside me it'd have been a 'speed up and cut over or brake hard and cut' decision with damn little time.
Full rundown: from southbound on the Lake Hefner Parkway, took the exit to I-44 eastbound; it's a nice right-hand curve of about 270 degrees, as you merge to 44 you have to curve left a bit, then right. And as you are in the right curve there's a rise in the road. I'd just passed a pickup doing about 55 and was in the inside lane as I came over the rise to see those headlights coming my way. I really don't remember thinking anything except "Crap, he's on the wrong side of the divider!" before curving right- fast- into the next lane; I knew I'd just passed that truck and there was nobody in front of or next to him, don't remember checking the mirrors before getting over. I do remember checking six before moved over to the outside lane(I wanted LOTS of space between us). I don't even remember any particular excitement during, just my OODA loop working very quickly; have to wonder if all those "What do you do if-?" thought problems/drills have some crossover effect?
Got an e-mail from a guy whose best friend was killed by a drunk in similar circumstances, and having heard a lot of bits & pieces over the years(Dad worked a LOT of accidents), when there's a wrong-side collision there's usually at least one fatality. Fortunately, here I had two full lanes and a shoulder to go to; had there been someone in the lane right beside me it'd have been a 'speed up and cut over or brake hard and cut' decision with damn little time.
Abolish the TSA
Two more demonstrations of incompetence.
One of these days they're going to be complicit in a terrorist actually getting through, and they'll be able to add involuntary manslaughter to molestation, theft and oathbreaking
One of these days they're going to be complicit in a terrorist actually getting through, and they'll be able to add involuntary manslaughter to molestation, theft and oathbreaking
Animal-rights nuts;
they keep bringing the dumbass.
Well, apparently those Brady-approved gun laws aren't doing much good.
And remind me, what party has been running that state/city for, oh, the past few decades?
Just how much does Obama care about the troops? This much.
Isn't that just going to do wonders for morale?
About as much as this request from the Egyptian government; if Obama goes along with this...
My first thought on this is 'Gibson decided that, rather than be screwed around for years by the Dept. of 'Justice', they'll play this game. And it sucks.'
Well, apparently those Brady-approved gun laws aren't doing much good.
And remind me, what party has been running that state/city for, oh, the past few decades?
Just how much does Obama care about the troops? This much.
Isn't that just going to do wonders for morale?
About as much as this request from the Egyptian government; if Obama goes along with this...
My first thought on this is 'Gibson decided that, rather than be screwed around for years by the Dept. of 'Justice', they'll play this game. And it sucks.'
Sunday, August 05, 2012
Ok, this is gonna be a long one: Full Spectrum Operations in the Homeland: A “Vision” of the Future
is the article it's about. I'm going to borrow a lot from Sipsey as he covers it quite well; I'd say read the piece, and the comments as well; lots of people aren't happy with this.
Not to put too fine a point on such an article, Small Wars Journal helpfully included this at the end for a link: "Related Content: A Knife into the Heart of the Confederacy: How General Sherman’s Georgia and Carolinas Campaign Helped Empty Southern Hearts and Minds of the Will to Wage Insurrection."
At least some wag at SWJ understands the bloody road down which this article points.
The reactions of SWJ readers were not universal acclamations of approval. Here's one:
I'm leaving the comments out, they're all at the article link.
...Several readers(as in 'a shitload of people')objected to our using the Tea Party in our fictional scenario. We see your point. Understand, though, that you could insert any number of organizations into our scenario in lieu of the Tea Party. The scenario and the response thereto, rather than the specific actors, are the focus of our piece.
You could have used the OWS Black Block, the NBPP(both of which has actually called for violent revolution), others of that type: instead you specifically say tea party. And when called on it throw in this excuse(either for actually figuring the tea party types want this, or to cover your cowardice in not calling it some of these other groups). Yeah, a lot of people have a real problem with that, and if you don't understand why, they you shouldn't be sitting in the position you are.
In a somewhat-connected matter, the Fed and Treasury are 'auditing' some of the gold they hold:
"The calls for audits are saying, 'We don't trust the government for the last 200 years,'" said Ted Truman, a former assistant Treasury secretary and Fed official. He called perennial questions about the country's reserves "the gold bug equivalent of the birther movement."
No, asshole, it's the people saying "We want an audit of our gold that you have in your hands." Which is a perfectly reasonable thing, I'd say. The fact that you clowns have fought it tooth and nail for- years now?- is part of why so many are suspicious.
The final results still might not satisfy some. Paul, the Texas Republican and presidential contender, wants an independent audit of all U.S. gold.
And just why that upsets the Fed and Treasury so damn much, that is a good question.
On an office door at the United States army's Command and General Staff College someone has scrawled: "You can't see the forest if you burn down all the trees."
Alongside is another titbit of advice to the hundreds of officers studying how to wage a counter-insurgency: "It should be obvious that there is a gigantic difference between defeating an army and running a country."
Fort Leavenworth, a sprawling base on the Missouri River, is in ferment as the army frantically tries to learn the harsh lessons from Iraq. This is the cauldron of a revolution in the US army's psyche. . .
In the words of a colonel at the staff college, officers during the Cold War era were taught what to think. Now they must be taught "how to think".
Critical to the army's hopes is Col Kevin Benson, the head of the School of Advanced Military Studies, also at Fort Leavenworth, which each year picks the army's top 78 majors to train as war-planners. -- US army officers learn harsh lesson in history, London Telegraph, 3 June 2006....
Before we plunge into this column, a little background is in order. The first thing for the reader to understand is where this ill-thought, offensive and dangerous article appeared:
The Small Wars Journal (SWJ) is an electronic journal and website focusing on counter-insurgency. Aside from its online journal, SWJ hosts an accompanying blog and the Small Wars Council discussion board. Other site features include an online reference library, recommended reading and event listings.Contributing authors to SWJ include Gary Anderson, Matt Armstrong, Robert Bunker, Lieutenant General William B. Caldwell, General Martin Dempsey, Thomas Hammes, Jim Gant, Gian Gentile, Robert Haddick, Frank Hoffman, David Kilcullen, Robert Killebrew, Peter Mansoor, William "Mac" McCallister, John Nagl, Malcolm Nance, John Sullivan, Bing West, Paul Yingling and Michael Yon among others.The title Small Wars Journal is a reference to the 1940 Marine Corps Small Wars Manual, which used "small wars" as a catch-all term for unconventional and guerrilla warfare, also encompassing foreign internal defense (FID), military operations other than war (MOOTW) and military operations in urban terrain (MOUT). -- Wikipedia.
To say that the Small Wars Journal is influential in current military thinking circles is an understatement. SWJ has this caveat lector up front:
Small Wars Journal publishes contributed work from across the spectrum of stakeholders in small wars. We look for articles from serious, authentic voices that add richness, breadth and depth to the dialog that too often occurs in cloistered venues. We do not screen articles for conformance with a house view; our only position is that small wars are wicked problems warranting consideration of myriad views before action, to inform what will no doubt be imperfect decisions with significant unintended consequences. On the continuum from paralysis by analysis, to informed action with recognition & maybe mitigation of cascading effects, to bold & ignorant decisiveness, we strive to help our readers find the middle ground.
Next, you need to know who the authors are. First, from the SWJ thumbnail:
Kevin Benson, Ph.D., Colonel, U.S. Army, Retired, is currently a seminar leader at the University of Foreign Military and Cultural Studies at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He holds a B.S. from the United States Military Academy, an M.S. from The Catholic University of America, an MMAS from the School of Advanced Military Studies and a Ph.D. from the University of Kansas. During his career, COL Benson served with the 5th Infantry Division, the 1st Armored Division, the 1st Cavalry Division, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, XVIII Airborne Corps and Third U.S. Army. He also served as the Director, School of Advanced Military Studies. He works for AECOM.
AECOM is no fly-by night military consultant company:
AECOM Technology Corporation is a professional technical and management support services conglomerate. Ranked in terms of revenue from design projects, the company was the number one design firm for 2010 and 2011 by Engineering News-Record and ranked number one by Architectural Record for 2008. It provides services in the areas of transportation, planning, environmental, energy, water and government. With approximately 45,000 employees in 2012, AECOM is listed at #353 on the Fortune 500 list. The name AECOM is an acronym for Architecture, Engineering, Consulting, Operations and Maintenance. -- Wikipedia.
Retired Colonel Kevin C. M. Benson (USMA, 1977), is currently employed as Senior Analyst for defense policy and business development as AECOM's Seminar leader at the University of Foreign Military & Cultural Studies at Fort Leavenworth.
The School of Advanced Military Studies, of which Benson was Director for 3 years and 10 months from August 2003 to May 2007, educates commanders and general staff officers for US Army divisions and corps as well as officers from other US services and international armies ranging from Great Britain to Egypt.
Benson's last operational job in the U.S. Army was as Director of Plans (J5) for Third US Army/CFLCC (June 2002 to July 2003) where he was, according to his LinkedIn biography, "Director of plans for the initial invasion and occupation of Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom."
A May 2011 graduate of the University of Kansas with a PhD in American history, later that year Benson was named the Summer 2011 Fellow at the Dole Institute where he developed and presented a series of five study seminars on warfare in the 21st century.
And what is the University of Foreign Military and Cultural Studies where Benson currently works as a seminar leader?
The University of Foreign Military and Cultural Studies (UFMCS) at Fort Leavenworth is an Army-directed education, research, and training initiative for Army organizations, joint organizations, and other government agencies.Red Teaming is a structured, iterative process, executed by highly trained, educated, and practiced team members that provides commanders an independent capability to fully explore alternatives to plans, operations, concepts, organizations, and capabilities in the context of the operational environment and from our partners’ and adversaries’ perspectives.UFMCS educates Red Team Leaders, Members, and Practitioners; researches best practices for Red Teaming tactics, techniques, and procedures; and develops a reach-back capability to provide commanders and staffs alternative perspectives. Graduates of Leader and Member courses receive an additional skill identifier (ASI).UFMCS offers four courses of instruction: An 18-week Leaders Course, a 9-week Stop-Gap Leaders Course, a 6-week Members Course, and a 2-week Practitioners Course (no ASI).
"Red Teaming" requires further explanation for the uninitiated:
A red team is a independent group that seeks to challenge an organization in order to improve effectiveness. The general idea of Red Teaming can be described as a bright light we shine on ourselves to expose areas where we can improve effectiveness. This light starts out white for everyone, under the banner of Red Teaming, but it goes through the prism of the particular organization and takes many different forms in its application. Some of these forms are as different as black and white. Sandia National Labs uses teams that attempt malicious entry in both the physical and cyber world, while the intelligence community has teams that speculate about alternative futures and write articles as if they were despotic world leaders. . .The idea of using Red Teams has been around for a long time. Private business such as IBM, and other government agencies like the CIA and Sandia National Labs have long used them to help improve their organization. Red Teams in the military got a boost after a 2003 Defense Science Review Board recommend increasing the use of Red Teams to help guard against the shortcomings that led up to 9-11. Largely in response to 2003 report, the Army stood up its service-level Red Team, the Army Directed Studies Office, in 2004. This was the first service level Red Team and until this year was the largest Red Team in the DoD.One type of Red Teaming can take the form of penetration testers that assess the security of an organization, which is often unaware of the existence of the team or the exact assignment. This type of Red Team provides a more realistic picture of the security readiness than exercises, role playing, or announced assessments. Red team may trigger active controls and countermeasures in effect within a given operational environment.In wargaming, the opposing force (or OPFOR) in a simulated military conflict may be referred to as a red cell (this is a very narrow form of Red Teaming) and may also engage in red team activity, which is used to reveal weaknesses in military readiness. The key theme is that the aggressor is composed of various threat actors, equipment, and techniques that are at least partially unknown by the defenders. The red cell challenges the operations planning by playing the role of a thinking enemy. -- Wikipedia.
A UFMCS-trained Red Team is educated to look at problems from the perspectives of the adversary and our multinational partners, with the goal of identifying alternative strategies. The Red Team provides commanders with critical decision-making expertise during planning and operations. The team’s responsibilities are broad—from challenging planning assumptions to conducting independent analysis to examining courses of action to identifying vulnerabilities.Red Team Leaders are expert in:1. Analyzing complex systems and problems from different perspectives to aid in decision making using models of theory.2. An analysis of the concepts, theories, insights, tools and methodologies of cultural and military anthropology to predict other’s perceptions of our strengths and vulnerabilities.3. Applying critical and creative thinking in the context of the operational environment to fully explore alternatives to plans, operations, concepts, organizations, and capabilities.4. Applying advanced analytical skills and techniques at tactical level through strategic level and develop products supporting command decision making and operational execution. -- Wikipedia.
The UFMCS Red Teaming handbook is found here.
Benson, in short, is no lightweight in his circles, although the same cannot be said about his thinking, but more of that in a moment. First, a bit about his co-author:
(I'm leaving the picture out)Jennifer Weber is an Associate Professor of History (Ph.D. Princeton, 2003) at the University of Kansas. Jennifer Weber specializes in the Civil War, especially the seams where political, social, and military history meet. She has active interests as well in Abraham Lincoln, the 19th century U.S., war and society, and the American presidency. Her first book, Copperheads (Oxford University Press, 2006), about the antiwar movement in the Civil War North, was widely reviewed and has become a highly regarded study of Civil War politics and society. Professor Weber is committed to reaching out to the general public and to young people in her work. Summer's Bloodiest Days (National Geographic), is a children's book about the Battle of Gettysburg and its aftermath. The National Council for Social Studies in 2011 named Bloodiest Days a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People. Dr. Weber is very active in the field of Lincoln studies. She has spoken extensively around the country on Lincoln, politics, and other aspects of the Civil War. -- SWJ thumbnail bio.That's it for the background, here's what these two big brains wrought -- Full Spectrum Operations in the Homeland: A “Vision” of the Future.
Not to put too fine a point on such an article, Small Wars Journal helpfully included this at the end for a link: "Related Content: A Knife into the Heart of the Confederacy: How General Sherman’s Georgia and Carolinas Campaign Helped Empty Southern Hearts and Minds of the Will to Wage Insurrection."
At least some wag at SWJ understands the bloody road down which this article points.
The reactions of SWJ readers were not universal acclamations of approval. Here's one:
I'm leaving the comments out, they're all at the article link.
As one retired military guy I talked to said, "This is the ultimate mission creep. The Pentagon bright boys understand that we're not going to have the money anymore to project force overseas so they're planning to fight in the one place that doesn't require it: 'the Homeland', which is a damned socialist term anyway."
What strikes me is that this retired big-brain colonel has so little grasp of reality that he should choose the Tea Parties and "extremist militias" for his offensive action scenario. I guess it must be true what folks have been saying for some time -- that white Christian "bitter clingers" are the only politically correct evil enemy anymore.
Benson touches only tangentially on the National Command Authority's principal problem in his scenario:
Once the Fifth Army commander determines he has a complete picture of activity within the town and especially of the insurrectionists’ patterns of behavior, deployment of combat, combat support and combat service support forces will begin from Forts Bragg and Stewart, and Camp Lejuene. Commanders will need to consider how the insurrectionists will respond. Soldiers and Marines involved in this operation, and especially their families will be subject to electronic mail, Facebook messages, Twitters, and all manner of information and source of pressure. Given that Soldiers and Marines stationed at Forts Bragg and Stewart as well as Camp Lejuene live relatively nearby and that many come from this region, chances are they will know someone who lives in or near Darlington. Countering Al Qaeda web-based propaganda is one thing, countering domestic information bombardments is another effort entirely.
Yet Benson seems to think that individual troop morale is his only problem. He ought to be wondering whether his orders will be obeyed at all, or, more to the point, which way the military's weapons will be aimed.
As ridiculous and faulty-premised as Benson's article is, we must take it seriously. At least some Pentagon planners are considering how to wage "anti-insurrectionary" operations against that class of folks that Obama sneeringly referred to as "the bitter clingers." That such military tyranny would be both a violation of their Constitutional oaths and treason seems not bother Benson and his ilk a whit. Thus, if the Pentagon is going to consider us potential enemies, we must give some thought to the application of Fourth Generation Warfare techniques in righteous self-defense against tyranny.
Now there's a nugget around which Benson can build his next article.Down in the comments section there's a piece by Benson basically saying "Hey, take it easy, we don't mean you."
...Several readers(as in 'a shitload of people')objected to our using the Tea Party in our fictional scenario. We see your point. Understand, though, that you could insert any number of organizations into our scenario in lieu of the Tea Party. The scenario and the response thereto, rather than the specific actors, are the focus of our piece.
You could have used the OWS Black Block, the NBPP(both of which has actually called for violent revolution), others of that type: instead you specifically say tea party. And when called on it throw in this excuse(either for actually figuring the tea party types want this, or to cover your cowardice in not calling it some of these other groups). Yeah, a lot of people have a real problem with that, and if you don't understand why, they you shouldn't be sitting in the position you are.
In a somewhat-connected matter, the Fed and Treasury are 'auditing' some of the gold they hold:
"The calls for audits are saying, 'We don't trust the government for the last 200 years,'" said Ted Truman, a former assistant Treasury secretary and Fed official. He called perennial questions about the country's reserves "the gold bug equivalent of the birther movement."
No, asshole, it's the people saying "We want an audit of our gold that you have in your hands." Which is a perfectly reasonable thing, I'd say. The fact that you clowns have fought it tooth and nail for- years now?- is part of why so many are suspicious.
The final results still might not satisfy some. Paul, the Texas Republican and presidential contender, wants an independent audit of all U.S. gold.
And just why that upsets the Fed and Treasury so damn much, that is a good question.
So Acting BATFEIEIO head B. Todd Jones (something added)
doesn't want to hear from people who know things about what's been going on. At least people he doesn't control who have information it seems he really doesn't want coming out.
Added:
In a non-connected matter, Brinks wants to depose a ATF official:
Brink's says that after the BATF inspected its facility in Coppell, Texas in December 2010, it received a notice of revocation from Bennett.
It claims the revocation is illegal and against the BATF's own policies.
...
"Brink's has never received an ATF Warning Letter, nor been asked to attend an ATF Warning Conference, at any time in the past," the complaint states.
Added:
In a non-connected matter, Brinks wants to depose a ATF official:
Brink's says that after the BATF inspected its facility in Coppell, Texas in December 2010, it received a notice of revocation from Bennett.
It claims the revocation is illegal and against the BATF's own policies.
...
"Brink's has never received an ATF Warning Letter, nor been asked to attend an ATF Warning Conference, at any time in the past," the complaint states.
Weer'd calls it A Field of Strawmen,
and that about covers it.
Most of the “Facts” presented are just dumb, like saying you’re a bad hunter if you use a semi-auto. Hmmm How come every duck-hunting fanatic I know owns a Browning auto-5? Or the guy saying we should ban dangerous weapons so he won’t kill people when they make him upset. (classy!)
Etc.
Most of the “Facts” presented are just dumb, like saying you’re a bad hunter if you use a semi-auto. Hmmm How come every duck-hunting fanatic I know owns a Browning auto-5? Or the guy saying we should ban dangerous weapons so he won’t kill people when they make him upset. (classy!)
Etc.
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