Wings Over Iraq

Moving...

2011-03-02T14:57:00.000-05:00

Wings Over Iraq is closing up shop at Blogger. Continue the fun over at www.wingsoveriraq.com. Update your bookmarks and your RSS feeds.

Still hard at work...

2011-02-25T15:10:00.002-05:00

Should have the new site up and running by next week. Includes several years' worth of posts, for your viewing pleasure. (Which means I need to start sanitizing some old stuff)

Upcoming Changes

2011-02-22T03:31:00.000-05:00

In the next few days, I'll be making some big changes here at Wings Over Iraq,including a Tumblr account, migration to Wordpress, and my very own .com domain, http://www.wingsoveriraq.com/. Gotta keep with the times, baby!

Not to mention, there's talk of yet another issue of Future Foreign Policy, courtesy of the Great Satan's Girlfriend. I can hardly wait.

Meanwhile, at Fort Drum...in April.

2011-02-20T09:32:00.001-05:00

From PowerPoint Ranger:

Viva la Revolucion de Twitter!

2011-02-20T03:31:00.001-05:00

We need to give this guy a position.

My Twitter Revolution has succeeded! After tireless hours of tweeting--during which I was gravely wounded with Blackberry thumb--I have finally achieved a breakthrough with the government of Liechtenstein.

My friends, we can now rent the entire nation of Liechtenstein for a day (or more), should we desire. For a small fee, we can declare ourselves rulers, establish a dictatorship, and wear funny hats. Liechtenstein's "rent-a-nation" program is managed by Xnet AG, which has sponsored similar "rent-a-village" programs in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

But I don't think the program goes far enough. Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) organizations on local military bases throughout Germany are perennially short on money, and always seem to be taking part in some fund raiser or another. Thus, I propose a "rent-a-military-base" program throughout all of US Army Europe. Should I raise enough money to run a base for a day, I would ban reflective belts and institute autobahn speeds across the entire garrison. I would announce the change in policy through signs at the access gates, which would read, "All your base are belong to us".

For great justice.

Facepalm

2011-02-19T14:32:00.003-05:00

For those of you who don't feel like reading Ralph Peters' latest article in full, here's the summary: Liberals, "elitist" academics, atheists, and most of all, the bike helmet generation are behind America's current strategic stalemate in Afghanistan. Sadly, a Small Wars Council discussion thread from 2007 could just as easily apply to Peters' most recent missive.

Bonus: If you love Godwin's Law, you'll love this article; chock-full of more unnecessary allusions to the Third Reich than an episode of Glenn Beck!

Ex reports from Cairo

2011-02-19T10:38:00.000-05:00

Andrew Exum, better known as "Abu Muqawama", just posted a dispatch from Cairo. From what I gather, Cairo post-Mubarak must look something like this:

Send up the PowerPoint signal: PowerPoint Rangers, rally on me!

2011-02-18T15:29:00.001-05:00

From today's Doctrine Man:

Doctrine Man asks: "Do you blame the tool (PowerPoint) or the tool behind the tool"?

I decidedly blame the tool behind the tool. Those who blame PowerPoint for poor communication might as well blame Outlook for Nigerian e-mail spammers.

There is, of course, a better way to use PowerPoint. And Dave Karle of Microsoft is here to help.

Dave's been collecting feedback from the field for quite some time, documenting some of PowerPoint's most notorious transgressions. (Note the infamous "PowerPoint Karaoke", wonderfully parodied by the gang at On Violence)

The "Modern Presentation Method" is looking for PowerPoint Rangers far and wide to help stop the madness. Let Dave know about your worst PowerPoint transgressions; but don't forget to share some of your best PowerPoint "TTPs", as we call them in Pentagon-ese. (Personally, my favorite "best practice" is the late Captain Travis Patraquin's "How to Win in Anbar")

Did you ever know that you're my hero?

2011-02-17T23:44:00.001-05:00

I've made a new Twitter friend.

My new friend might actually be my soul mate, if said friend were a female. Sadly, my new friend is not a female. Nor is it really a male, either.

It's a drunken Predator drone. A bona-fide Unmanned Alcoholic Vehicle, baby.

My, what a large bottle of Jack Daniels you have there.

I can't tell if I've met the most awesome person in the entire universe (besides me), or if I got drunk one night and accidentally registered another Twitter account. Either way, this new account should make up for the recent lack of amusement on Twitter. Sadly, ever since the revolts in Egypt, Twitter's gone legit: more social unrest and fewer panda hats. Le sigh.

Didn't get your DOD FLIPs this month? There's an app for that.

2011-02-16T14:54:00.001-05:00

I've often complained about the Army's Electronic Data Manager (EDM), a digital "kneeboard" the size of a brick. Running on Windows XP and featuring a 133 mHz processor, the device is heavy, slow, counter-intuitive, and must stay tethered to the aircraft to receive GPS data.

I've often argued that an iPad could outperform the EDM, which is based on technology some ten years old. That's why I was pleased to learn that Jeppesen, the world's leading manufacturer of aeronautical charts, has created a flight information application which includes approach diagrams, maps, departure procedures, and airfield diagrams. And unlike those that rely on paper charts, there's no need to purchase new maps and approach diagrams every few weeks.

I'm going to give the free trial a test over the next week or so. More to follow.

Happy VD, Everyone!

2011-02-14T14:50:00.000-05:00

Public Relations Tip

2011-02-13T15:18:00.001-05:00

You shouldn't act surprised if a critical article seems "one-sided". Especially if you declined to answer questions to begin with.

A Captain Saying "I Have an Idea"...

2011-02-13T11:37:00.001-05:00

The Good Idea Fairy struck me with her wand today. I'm looking at doing a piece on micromanagement.

Question for the experts in Napoleonic warfare: Are there any good references regarding Napoleon's decentralized leadership style during his early years, versus his centralized control methods later in his career?

Lamebook: US Defense Policy Edition

2011-02-12T14:06:00.000-05:00

This would be a great entry on Lamebook. Alas, few people get defense policy humor.

Viva la COIN?

2011-02-12T12:24:00.000-05:00

Mark "Zenpundit" Safranski muses on the recent dearth of counterinsurgency writing in major journals, as well as General Petraeus' recent heavy-handed tactics in Afghanistan:

[Is COIN dead?] By that, I mean contemporary, mid-2000’s ”pop-centric” COIN theory as expressed in FM 3-24 - is it de facto dead as USG policy or is COIN theory formally evolved to officially embrace strong elements of CT, targeted assassinations, FID, “open-source counterinsurgency” and even bare-knuckled conventional warfare tactics?

Mind you, I have nothing against pragmatic flexibility and think that, for example, moves to arm more Afghan villagers for self-defense are realistic efforts to deal with the Taliban insurgency, and I prefer USG officials speaking frankly about military conditions as they actually exist. Doctrinal concepts should not be used to create a ”paint-by-numbers” military strategy - it is a starting point that should be expected to evolve to fit conditions.

But having evolved operations and policy as far as the USG military and USG national security agencies have, with the current draconian budgetary restraints looming - are we still “doing COIN”? Or is it dead?

It's a question asked by counterinsurgency experts such as Dr. David Ucko. Even Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and other DOD insiders seem hesitant to partake in future counterinsurgency endeavors. There's merit to their case. Simply having a counterinsurgency doctrine doesn't mean that we should be eager to rush off and implement it in the far-flung corners of the globe. As events in Iraq and Afghanistan have shown us, counterinsurgency is time-consuming, expensive, and subject to powers far beyond the counterinsurgent's control.

But while nations should attempt to avoid such conflicts when possible, even the greatest strategists stumble upon rebellions, insurrections, and insurgencies. In fact, the word guerrilla--of Spanish origin--reminds us that no less a genius than Napoleon Bonaparte inadvertently found himself embroiled in an insurgency during the Peninsular War.

Yet, the world of counterinsurgency has grown quiet as of late. What accounts for its seeming decline? I've come up with a few factors.

Time. Counterinsurgency is a long-term endeavor. According to a recent RAND study, successful campaigns in the post-Cold War era last around a decade. Unfortunately, time is running out in Afghanistan: despite years of neglect, the NATO-led coalition is expected to hand over responsibility to the Afghan government by July, with a full withdrawal by 2014. The compressed timeline doesn't allow for the "full-blown" counterinsurgency campaign many generals advocated in the summer of 2009.
The Karzai Government. Most COIN literature, such as the US military's Counterinsurgency Field Manual, stresses the importance of host-nation legitimacy. Yet, Hamid Karzai remains in power only after a massively fraudulent election, and runs a government sometimes referred to as a "kleptocracy". Tell me how this ends?
The Role of "Our Valuable Ally". Not even a fiction writer could have conceived of the ridiculous "Catch-22" surrounding Pakistan's role in the Afghanistan War. Our "valuable ally" permits the US to hunt Taliban and al-Qaeda figures with Predator drones, and controls many of the key logistical supply routes into Afghanistan. Yet, the role of Pakistan's ISI in supporting the Taliban insurgency is painfully evident time and time again. The US sends billions of dollars in humanitarian and military aid to the Pakistani government, only to see it used against itself. Okay, to be fair, a good chunk of that money doesn't get used against us. Rather, it's simply imbezzled by corrupt Pakistani officials.
The Taliban Insurgency vs. Al-Qaeda. You might remember that the War in Afghanistan was originally designed to root out elements of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, then harbored by the Taliban. However, after the Battle of Tora Bora, the core leadership of both al Qaeda and the Taliban escaped into Pakistan, where they are presumed to remain to this day. In the past decade, however, both groups have mutated. Many believe there is little to no correlation or collaboration between al-Qaeda, an international movement, primarily Arab; and the Taliban, a Pashtun movement with more localized goals. Moreover, al-Qaeda acts through "franchise" movements in Yemen, Africa, and Somalia, though these groups tend to have more localized ideologies as well. Counterinsurgency's inability to deal with the al-Qaeda problem blights its reputation.
Operational vs. Strategic. Counterinsurgency was a "bottom-up", tactical and operational innovation, designed to compensate for strategic ambivalence, particularly in Iraq. However, counterinsurgency is but a means to an end. Counterinsurgency is useless if it does not coincide with larger strategic objectives.
A Focus on Democracy. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were conceived within the rubric of neoconservative rhetoric, which placed a premium on democracy-building. Yet, democracy tends to take hold only after certain economic, social, and cultural benchmarks are met: benchmarks largely absent in Afghanistan. With massive ethnic strife, and little history of a strong, central government in Kabul, America's attempts at installing its own style of democracy are a Herculean task. Would counterinsurgency work better if a dictatorship enjoyed more legitimacy?
The Underdog Syndrome. Being a COINdinista was fun when it was a "fringe" activity. Now that it's "in" (and misapplied at that) it's lost a lot of its allure. Hey, it's not hip being a square.

Feature Film Friday

2011-02-11T01:59:00.001-05:00

First, check out the latest flick from Doctrine Man (who just now registered a Twitter account)

And don't miss my latest Xtranormal video.

Suffice to say, the US Army is filled with inspiring leadership. The fact that it usually just inspires me to make Xtranormal videos and drink to excess is completely irrelevant.

Critical Acclaim

2011-02-11T01:31:00.001-05:00

If I ever write a book, I'm putting this review on the back cover. From Ian Elliot of the Kingston Whig Standard (and Fark.com) on my latest piece for The Best Defense:

Your paper on integrrated retention of career soldiers was interesting, factual and suprisingly well done when looked at in the context of your educational continuum, but the conclusion fell flat and the romantic subplot felt tacked on, almost an afterthought, really. Characters as shallow as the donald duck paper you wrote this on.
C-

And, of course, I got plenty love from my fellow O/Cs:

>Should a commissioned officer be using the word 'crunk' in a professional paper? Or is professional a little bit over the top?

>Oh, Tom Ricks addded the word 'crunk'. It's a hallmark of the aforementioned 'Great Satan's Girlfriend'. Check out her website, just not from your US Army computer. Might cause trouble with DOIM.

Great Satan's Girlfriend is like the Matrix; you can't really explain it. You just have to let people experience it for themselves.

I got people skillz...

2011-02-09T15:11:00.001-05:00

Don't miss my latest at Tom Ricks' "The Best Defense".

I guess I'm officially part of The Best Defense's "Personnel Policy Bureau" now. Sounds like an OER bullet to me...

A Twitter Revolution: Who's in?

2011-02-08T15:23:00.001-05:00

If you haven't been inspired by the cry for equality, justice, and dignity coming from Egypt, you should be. Social networking has empowered common Egyptians--oppressed, frustrated, and disenchanted with the Mubarak regime--to rise up against their master and take charge of their own fate.

Indeed, social media appears to be doing the same throughout the Middle East. In nations like Jordan, Yemen, even Saudi Arabia, ordinary men and women are rising up against the ancien regime.

Who is to say that I can't do the same?

While the proletariat in Jordan and Saudia Arabia are rising up against their kings, I've committed myself to doing the same. With Twitter, I can lead a revolt against another so-called "benevolent" dictator in my own corner of the world.

That's right, I'm starting a Twitter Revolution in Liechtenstein.

It's time we settled this "Twitter Revolution" debate once and for all. And it looks as if Liechtenstein is ripe for revolution. Like Egypt and Tunisia, it has a high rate of Internet and cell phone penetration. It also has a population that's ready to be rallied around a grievance. After all, let's face it, Liechtenstein's soccer team does suck. And it's not like wars haven't been fought over soccer matches, right?

You see, the problem with Neocon doctrine--well, aside from it being strategically inept, morally dubious, and atrociously managed--is that it proposes spreading democracy by force through some of the world's worst regions. Why the hell can't we fight a war in a nation with one of the highest GDPs per capita? Ghost of Leo Strauss, I'm looking at you.

Thus, I propose Tweeting ourselves into power in Liechtenstein. We'll put Primoris Era on the throne, too. (Her ancestors were part of the Russian royal family, so it's a good way for us Yanks to get back at the Bolsheviks.)

Anyone wishing to join me can be a high-ranking official in my new government, all for the price of being my crony. Hey, we pay Hamid Karzai to do worse, right?

A Twitter Revolution? Not so fast...

2011-02-07T02:15:00.002-05:00

Twitter? We don't need no stinkin' Twitter!

In days of yore, dissidents organized the Tiannanmen Square protest through fax machines. And though much has been written about the Facebook-organized protests, some might even argue that by shutting off the Internet, Mubarak fueled the protests. Lacking up-to-date coverage of events, Egyptian activists had little choice but to leave their homes to join the turmoil on the streets.

(I was going to entitle this, "The Primary Networks are Social, not Electronic", but someone apparently beat me to it. Curse you, Danger Room!)

Warrior Transition Units don't do wounded vets justice? Who could have forseen this?

2011-02-07T01:01:00.010-05:00

(Photo courtesy US Army Public Affairs on Flickr)

Carl Prine has compiled extensive--and damning--research on the Army's Warrior Transition Units (WTUs). According to Prine, these organizations, instituted in the wake of the Walter Reed scandal, have merely given rise to over thirty mini-Walter Reeds, in which drug addicts, malingerers and "slicksleeves" outnumber Purple Heart recipients. In a related article, Prine explains that the Army's lax recruiting standards have only compounded the WTU's woes.

(But don't just take Carl's word for it. A certain someone's been saying this for a while.)

Shame on us. We can do better.

100 Years of the Gipper

2011-02-06T01:34:00.000-05:00

Busy writing a piece for Tom Ricks' The Best Defense, so posting will be light. I'd be remiss, however, if I didn't at least acknowledge Ronald Reagan's centennial.

And before I forget, Happy 70th Birthday to the USO

2011-02-05T00:55:00.000-05:00

First the Bloodninja, now this?

2011-02-03T14:50:00.004-05:00

Years ago, I was falsely--I dare say maliciously--accused of being the notorious "Bloodninja". Today, I was accused of something far worse.

You see, gentle reader, I like to post cartoons from the legendary "Doctrine Man" all over my meager cubicle. And when I say "all over", I really do mean just that:

Truly, this must look like a cry for help from the Army's mental health services.

Upon seeing the menagerie of warped humor adorning my work space, another soldier remarked, "That 'Doctrine Man' guy is hilarious. Did you ever see the video about the FRAGO?"

"What video about the FRAGO?"

"Check this out. You'd like this", he said, typing a few words into Google.

My stomach turned as the video loaded. Like Poe's veritable telltale heart, my Youtube username pulsed and blinked at the bottom left hand corner of the screen.

"Hey, uh, this guy has the same name as you. And he says 'FML', just like you."

My pallor intensified.

"Sir, are you the Doctrine Man?"

"I just make Doctrine Man fan films! I'm no more the Doctrine Man than the Star Wars Kid is Mark Hamill. Deal with it!"

Author's note: For the record, I am not the Doctrine Man. I...just have issues.

In defense of realpolitik...

2011-02-02T14:45:00.000-05:00

I had a number of issues with Dr. Robert J. Bunker's latest piece in Small Wars Journal, in which he proposes that the United States abandon its realpolitik policies, and unequivocally advocate democratic revolution. I won't recount all of my concerns--that's what the SWJ message board is for--but I was somewhat dismayed by Dr. Bunker's misuse of historical anecdote:

Support of the despotic status quo in the Islamic World is not only morally unacceptable but, more importantly for many of the Small Wars Journal readership, no longer rational from the perspective of realpolitik and purely selfish U.S. interests at home and abroad...

...If nascent and fledgling democracies attempt to arise and, rather than giving them our helping hand, we turn our back on them or worse crush their efforts by backing the corrupt despots they seek to replace, it would set a dangerous precedent for the future. Those democracies will owe us nothing, potentially harbor very strong feelings of animosity, and ultimately may turn their back upon us in our future times of need. Just deeds often reap future dividends—as an American Army officer serving in France during World War I imparted in his utterance, “La Fayette, we are here!”

An interesting story, but grossly misleading. France did not assist the fledgling colonies during the American Revolution out of shared democratic ideals--the French Revolution was still a few decades away. Rather, the French aided one of the greatest democratic revolutions in history as a result of precisely the very realpolitik Dr. Bunker decries. By fueling a large-scale guerrilla war far from the British mainland, as well as by judiciously allying herself with Britain's strategic rivals, France was able to tie up tens of thousands of troops in the American colonies for over a decade. Thus, a fortune was siphoned off from the British treasury, eventually resulting in the humiliating loss of the American colonies. One can hardly call Louis XVI a champion of democracy.

Post-Traumatic Stress, Then and Now

2011-02-02T14:13:00.001-05:00

One poster at Tom Ricks' Best Defense asks why it seems that the current generation of soldiers seems to experience Post-Traumatic Stress more than their predecessors. Might the current generation of soldiers come from a more sheltered lifestyle, he muses?

The responses are excellent. Suffice to say that few realize that PTSD has been observed as far back as Herodotus, and that a whopping 98% of World War Two veterans experienced some sign of psychological disturbance after thirty-five days of constant combat. Nor is PTSD a solely military phenomenon: rescue workers have been known to experience it, as well as victims of sexual trauma, and even railway accidents.

Without further ado, some great message board comments.

Gold Star Father:

[PTSD has always been] there and in numbers reflecting the volume of veterans from any war.

I have researched the deaths of veterans in my area from 1945 to 1950. The number of shattered lives and families, crimes committed, and deaths by alcohol and auto amazed me. I think we hear about it currently, beacause it is talked about so much. "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder", as an affliction with that title, has been 'in the system' but for less than 30 years.

Iron Captain:

PTSD has always existed. Vietnam Vets had it. WWII vets had it. Civil War vets had it. War sucks. It is traumatic. It effects the people involved. Some get better. Some do not.

PTSD was not well understood until behavioral health specialists started studying it after Vietnam. The creation (and politization) of the term came about in the early eighties and the creation of what became the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The "PTSD story" is often a hook in news stories, because it ties one person's problem with our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There might be slightly more PTSD today than in Vietnam because of the All Volunteer Force and a small slice of troops who have deployed too often without enough down time (or dwell time) but I doubt the rates are much different.

Vietnam, Korea, and WWII vets had problems when they returned. They drank. They got in fights. They beat their wives. We now understand that some of those behaviors might have been related to problems with PTSD. Or they might have just been people given to such behavior regardless. Some people get better. Some people do not.

The reason the military talks about such things and that it is discussed so often in the press and among ourselves is that we are trying to deal with this. We are understand PTSD much better now than we did in previous eras. The Marine Corps was teaching its Infantry Officers about PTSD in its "Killology" class years before September 11th. The other services are catching up and everyone understands it better now, but we are still learning. The system is getting better, with counseling and leadership that understands the problem more. But the system is imperfect.

I don't think that the guys who fought in Fallujah or the Korengal are any less tough than the guys who fought in the Argon or Chosin. I would not dare to make a comparisonout of respect for the vets of any era. We all did our bit and did the best we could to move on with our lives afterwards. Some of us had it rougher than others. Some of us adjusted better than others.

There is not more PTSD, just more PTSD coverage.

IRR Soldier:

You raise some interesting points. I don't have the answers per se, but let me contribute the limited reaserch I've done on this issue.

While your father-in-law (and my own great uncle) may have been in the ETO for nearly 4 years, they were not in sustained combat during all of that time. Right off the bat, that was one huge difference between then and today's 1:1 deployment cycle. The WWII Division with the most days of cumulative combat time was the 32nd ID - 654 days. It is worth noting that this time adds up to well less than 2, 1 year deployments to OIF/OEF. So, while the intensity of combat today may be less than WWII, initial first term soldiers are frequently seeing cumulative combat exposure that exceeds the time endured by the most exposed division in WWII. There is no rear area, there is no (legal) outlet for sexuality and there is no beer.

As early as 1943 we knew that prolonged tours had a devastating impact on the morale and neuropsychiatric health of infantrymen. Post war research showed that based on ETO casualty rates, 180 days of cumulative combat exposure represented the "burn out" point for front-line troops. In WWII, soldiers with >180 days of cumulative combat exposure had psychiatric casualty rates higher than new replacements.

The individual replacement system (seen in Korea and Vietnam) was designed in the wake of WWII as a means of decreasing psychiatric casulaties. Despite its mixed record in Vietnam, as late as 1988 articles in Army professional journals expressed doubt that we would ever return to a unit based rotation system.

Well, it's 2011 and we are stuck with a unit based rotation system. This system puts the well being of the unit over the individual soldier. The unit based system relies on things like stop-loss, the redeployment of soldiers with less than a year back stateside and the multiple deployment of first term soldiers and Marines.

In Vietnam, a first termer never had to go back unless they reupped or volunteered to. Not so today. Also, the transition to the AVF ushered in the era of the 4 year enlistment contract as the "norm" (up from a 2 year draftee contract and the 3 year RA volunteer). This ensures that first term soldiers and Marines can deploy multiple times before getting the chance to say "no more." This is important. A first term 11B in 1968 just had to survive 365 in Vietnam before getting a chance to exercise his informed decision to "stay" or "go." Today in the 101st or 10th Mountain, you survive your 365 days and all you have is another 365 days to look forward to before you can ETS. This really messes with the head. The light at the end of the tunnel is a looong way off.

Also worth noting is the change in 1984 that increased the total Military Service obligation (MSO) for all personnel from 6 to 8 years. This means that kids who did 2 combat tours in their initial 4 year hitch aare almost guaranteed to be recalled during their 4 year IRR time to go back again.

These are just a few, random data points that I wanted to share.

And, finally, from Hunter:

PTSD or shell shock or battle fatigue existed in much greater numbers than people realize in all those earlier wars you cited. But the guys who survived it and were functional didn't talk about it, and those who survived it but weren't functional probably aren't in the circles we all travel in. They're part of the dysfunctional populace in homeless shelters and VA hospitals.

Second easy one is that like politics all wars are local. In other words it doesn't matter how many guys died in WWII or Vietnam, the stressors that soldiers experience in combat are all local in nature and relevant. In Iraq and Afghanistan it doesn't matter that only (only?) 5000+ people have died...esp. if every day you or your buddy is getting blown up by IEDs. It's scary, it's day to day, and it doesn't go away. And then you go home, redeploy and do it all over again.

Things start to get dicey after that. Your father-in-law may have done 4 years in Europe but he didn't do 4 years straight in combat. They tended to rotate units off the line back then and they recognized that 90 days was about what they could do before they were psychological casualties. The warfighters today tend to have more stop and go than that but they also probably have more 'threat' time in total. (This is dicey because it gets really hard to draw comparisons).

As for the amenities our soldiers have (which I've advocated against here before), there is a cost benefit to that too. The first obvious, but somewhat incongruent, one is that instant communication back home isn't all good. Soldiers don't get to get away from their problems at home, they are waiting for them on the Skype when they get back from patrol. They get a whole set of different stressors - like the bills that can't be paid or the problems with Johnny Jr. As late as '96 in Bosnia it still took me 30 days to get mail and hear about my girlfriend's issues, now you get that immediately. They also tend to rely on going to the computer instead of talking to their mates about what happened that day - which may be one of the most important factors in preventing this problem. History (and Dave Grossman) tell us that campfire stories and the lack of night fighting in earlier wars were inherent to the idea that soldiers decompressed after each day's fight. They shared their concerns, and realized (most importantly) that they were ALL undergoing the SAME thing.

Because we are more insulated and isolated as a society, because our soldiers retreat to the phone banks or Skype, they may not be getting the decompression they need. It's great to talk to the wife, but the fact is you won't generally share what happened with them because a) they don't understand b) you don't want to scare/worry them. So Johnny is marching alone. Because you are alone there is stigma associated with asking for help too.

Another factor in this decompression was travel times. In WWII your FIL probably took a month on a boat to get back to the U.S. That's a long time to decompress and come to grips with your demons. And you did that trip in the company of your squad mates. Now it's 24 hrs to a warzone by plane and we don't do an adequate job of forcing decompression back stateside - the last place you want to be is on post, you want to be drinking and sexing (sorry it is what it is). Or you want to be with family, anywhere but with the guys you spent the last year with.

Finally I'll say that technology and medical science has done us some questionable favors along the way. Soldiers in body armor, or who receive rapid medical care are surviving wounds they probably shouldn't. That's obviously in God's hands but it's clear with more survivors of more grevious wounds that commensurate mental health problems will come along with it.

I could go on and on offering ideas on why PTSD seems more prevalent, but my summary is a) it probably is no more prevalent just more recognizable and diagnosed b) if it is more prevalent it is because a myriad of social factors, which I don't think include "toughness." These wars are different than those preceded. Not harder, not easier, just different.

In the end as I stated in a previous post, PTS is a normal thing, it is how we react individually and collectively that sets the conditions for PTSD. There's alot more attention to things now, and greater understanding but we don't have all the answers by any means.

Flip-out Flash-back: Su-47, Su-35

2011-02-01T16:44:00.001-05:00

China's new J-20 "Black Dragon" has kicked the fear-industrial complex into afterburner. Yet, the hype surrounding the PRC's new 5th Generation stealth fighter should give pause to aviation enthusiasts who have been paying attention to high-profile Russian prototype fighters of the last two decades.

We'll call these amazing prototypes "wunderwaffen", just as the Third Reich did during its final days. Although certainly impressive, wunderwaffen often fall short in the pragmatic conditions of modern conflict, and are often too expensive to produce in large numbers. Thus, the term is perfectly applicable to the latest batch of Russian jet fighter prototypes. Since the end of the Cold War, the same Russia which can barely keep its submarines afloat, fields a paltry five combat-ready battalions, and whose military has one-sixth the budget of the US Department of Defense, often touts the potential of such fantastic wunderwaffen, only to see them peter out in final production.

But that certainly doesn't stop the Internet fanboys for singing their praises. Come, let's take a look at the Rogue's Gallery:

The Su-47 "Berkut"

Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a...backwards plane.

The Su-47, first flown in 1997, incorporates a revolutionary forward-swept wing (FSW) design. Well, revolutionary for everyone except Nazi engineers from end of the War.

Junkers Ju-287

And, of course, for DARPA engineers about a decade and a half prior.

Grumman X-29

As it turns out, the United States experimented with forward-swept wing technology in the early 1980s with the Grumman X-29, having been inspired by Nazi Germany's Ju-287 plans. Though the X-29 proved to be a remarkable aircraft, capable of angles of attack measuring 67 degrees, the development of thrust-vectoring and reliable medium-range air-to-air missiles largely turned the fighter community away from FSW aircraft. (Though commercial gliders do, however, incorporate FSW designs)

But don't tell that to the Internet fanboys. While Sukhoi has only built one Su-47, Internet fandom would have one believe that the fighter is in full production, and, despite no stealthy features, a match for the F-22. Don't believe me? Let's take at that most reliable of sources, Youtube comments:

Even though Su-47 beats F-22. F-22 IS PIECE OF CRAP!!!

I noticed USA planes resemble the russian ones. And btw, what usa plane does this resemble? You americans are so egoistic and brainwashed that you cant admit someone has more or equaly advanced tech as you do.

There you have it. However, the internet jackassery pales in comparison to Russia's newest top-of-the-line fighter, the Su-35.

The Su-35 "Flanker-E"

The Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E, a heavily-upgraded Su-27, first entered service with the Russian Air Force within the past decade. The Su-35 is characterized as a 4.5-Generation stealth fighter, a half-generation behind the US Air Force's F-22. More importantly, despite being the best fighter jet Mother Russia has to offer, it only numbers about 15 strong, compared with over ten times as many F-22s in the US Air Force, with many more stealthy F-35s on the way.

It's worth noting that the cost and complexity of modern fighter aircraft might preclude China from fielding its new J-20 in large enough numbers to compete with the US Air Force. Of course, don't let such logic detract from the Internet fanboys:

Yeah.. but sukoi has another plane that owns the F-22 in thrust vectoring.. its called the SU-37.. also can track a stealth aircraft from 60 kilometers away and non stealthed aircraft from 4000KM away.

Yes, that's right, XTREME! over-the-horizon radar capabilities.

So let's keep the recent history of Russian wunderwaffen in mind when we discuss the J-20. Cause for alarm? Maybe. I know that won't satisfy those who earn their living in the fear-industrial complex, but it's the best advice for dealing with China's new 5th-Generation fighter.

Are Milblogs waning or just evolving?

2011-01-31T16:00:00.000-05:00

Contrary to what Tom Ricks laments (and Automatic Ballpoint echoes), I don't think that milblogs are waning, per se. Sure, total posts have slowed down, but many milbloggers are turning to Twitter for day-to-day interaction, link sharing, and up-to-date coverage of fast-moving events, such as last year's "Rolling Stan" incident, or the recent demonstrations throughout the Middle East.

And while Twitter seems to have supplaned the shorter posts, many milbloggers have turned to guest-posting in larger publications. Speaking of which, I did have that post I was going to compile for Tom Ricks.

(Oh, and spending over a week on one marathon session of Civilization V probably cuts into my milblogging significantly.)

European runners: Advice needed

2011-01-30T14:57:00.001-05:00

I'm looking at doing a marathon in May or June of 2011. Choices include Regensburg, Germany; Copenhagen, Demnark; Chamoix, France; Caen, France; Stockholm, Sweden; and Hamburg, Germany. Altitude does matter (e.g., Copenhagen is preferable to Chamoix). Thoughts? Copenhagen does seem to be the fan favorite.

A Twitter Revolution? Let's wait and see.

2011-01-30T07:45:00.002-05:00

Much has been written, said, and tweeted about the wave of demonstrations sweeping the Middle East. And while some may use the opportunity to advance partisan agendas (both Democrats and Republicans), many more have credited social networking sites for organizing January's revolts.

The community organizing features of Facebook and Twitter are well-known. In 2008, Colombians rallied over one million anti-FARC protesters in Bogotá alone via Facebook; and the phrase "Twitter Revolution" seems to have entered the popular lexicon during 2009's "Green Revolution" in Iran.

Certainly, social networking sites can better allow communities--linked through common ideals, rather than through geography--to organize and communicate more effectively than ever before. Nevertheless, communities have been organizing, demonstrating, and protesting for centuries. Neither the American nor French Revolutions needed Twitter or Facebook to succeed. Nor did the Civil Rights movement nor the Eastern Bloc in 1989; nor even the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Even Lawrence's Arab Revolt managed to spread across vast expanses of desert, among illiterate Bedouin tribesmen. And today, with general Internet access strangled by the Egyptian government, Egyptians are reportedly communicating through mediums such as HAM radio, IRC and dial-up 56k modems.

Despite the prominent role Twitter and Facebook played during the Green Revolution, more than one analyst astutely noted that "Twitter cannot stop a bullet". Indeed, the loyalty of the army, as evidenced in Iran, and ultimately, in Egypt, generally plays the decisive role in the success or failure of a revolt. It's also worth noting that the same technologies which allows dissatisfied youths to organize can also be used by governments to track down and eliminate opposition leaders.

And while many Neocons might equate the January Revolutions with the anti-Communist uprisings of 1989, there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical. After all, Lebanon's democratic 2005 "Cedar Revolution" has ultimately given rise to a Hezbollah-backed Prime Minister.

So let's be careful what we wish for; we just might get it.

On Promotions

2011-01-29T06:51:00.003-05:00

T.E. Lawrence, known to the world as "Lawrence of Arabia", entered the British Army in October 1914, and reached the rank of lieutenant colonel by the War's end. Similarly, Dwight D. Eisenhower, despite holding the rank of major for sixteen years, enjoyed a meteoric rise through the ranks, donning five stars by the end of 1944. Indeed, countless successful military officers have seen dramatic changes in fortune during times of war: witness John J. Pershing's move captain to brigadier general, or Napoleon Bonaparte, who quickly advanced from a mere artillery captain to the commander of the Grande Armee.

Yet today, many complain that the US military, after nearly a decade of war, has still maintained its hierarchical peacetime personnel policies. Unlike the private sector, or even the US State Department, which recently promoted 1998 Yale Alumnus Jake Sullivan the Director of Policy Planning, young outstanding performers cannot be promoted a la Lawrence or Napoleon. According to one source, the US military is the only institution--outside of the Catholic Church--which still insists on such a rigid, hierarchical rise through the ranks.

Why? Well, I'll try to examine it--at least in part--at The Best Defense next week. That's right, commenting on the exploits of Thomas E. Lawrence at Thomas E. Ricks' blog. I plan my puns well in advance, just so you know.

Awestruck

2011-01-28T14:59:00.000-05:00

After three days of compiling the daily Small Wars Journal link roundup, I'm beat. I have no idea how Dave Dilegge does this day in and day out. Perhaps Dave might actually be the oft-mentioned "super-empowered individual"?

If you view the daily roundup, and odds are that fans of this blog do, you should consider heading over to SWJ and throwing a few bucks towards the Small Wars Foundation. It helps Dave and Bill keep bringing you the very best in defense talk.

We cannot get out. The end comes...they are coming.

2011-01-27T01:27:00.000-05:00

This, too.

The end times must be near, heralded by the impending arrival of the "Children's Illustrated Clausewitz" project.

Understatement

2011-01-25T14:51:00.000-05:00

It seems the US Air Force made a slight overstatement regarding the "Gorgon Stare's" ability to "see everything". David Axe and Noah Shachtman investigate:

Privately, military officials believe that top Air Force generals may have oversold the program a bit. For instance, Air Force intelligence chief Maj. Gen. James Poss recently told The Washington Post that, with Gorgon Stare, “we can see everything” across a city. Not exactly. You can’t see everything at the same time — and certainly not with the same fidelity you might get with a more focused lens.

“He really stuck his foot in his foot in his mouth with that one,” one military official says of Poss’ claim.

Military officials "oversold the program a bit"? I find that hard to believe.

WOI Brief Hiatus

2011-01-25T11:24:00.003-05:00

Don't expect to see any activity here until the weekend, as I'll be filling in at Small Wars Journal for a few days. How Dave Dilegge manages to compile a massive news roundup each morning is beyond me. I'm guessing he has superhuman abilities.

At any rate, if anyone stumbles across a good news story, be sure to send it my way.

On Assumptions

2011-01-23T09:48:00.001-05:00

The latest Joint Forces Quarterly has an interesting article from retired Brigadier General Jeffery E. Marshall regarding "assumptions" in military planning models, always seemingly poised to thwart even the best-laid plans.

I've long argued that discussion of the Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP) ought to be balanced with a case study of the inner workings of the German and French general staffs in the run-up to the First World War. Fortunately, Brig. Gen. Marshall briefly touches upon the German Schlieffen Plan (though not covering its counterpart in the French Army, Plan XVII). According to Brig. Gen. Marshall:

History is replete with examples of assumptions that were neither tested and validated nor balanced with a branch plan to execute if the assumptions proved incorrect. For example, in World War I, the German Schlieffen Plan assumed that the British would not intervene and that the French could be defeated in 6 weeks. The Germans were wrong on both counts. The British intervened, the French held on, and a bloodbath ensued.

An interesting example, but certainly not the most foolhardy assumption on the part of Moltke and the German general staff. The entire Schlieffen plan hinged on the assumption that German troops could overrun France and force a surrender before the Russian Empire could mobilize and strike at Germany. Expecting a swift victory, as in the Franco-Prussian War of nearly forty years earlier, Schlieffen and his successor, Moltke the Younger, planned to first defeat France, and then swiftly divert their massive armies to the Eastern front to halt the Russian offensive.

Unfortunately, the Russians did mobilize more quickly than anticipated, forcing Moltke to divert two corps from the Belgium to Prussia. Though the move allowed the Germans to halt the Russian offensive at Tannenburg, in East Prussia, it was not without ultimate failure at the Marne (might the two corps have turned the tide?), and the expedient ruin of the Austrian-Hungarian army.

While properly examining this assumption might have averted failure on the part of the Germans during the First World War, the chaos brought about by the intricacies of international politics, especially during wartime, makes proper planning all but impossible at the strategic level. Neither side could have envisioned the turn of events which led to the Ottoman Empire's involvement on the side of the Axis Powers, made possible by the escape of two German capital ships into the Dardanelles during the first few days of the war.

Planning paradigms such as the Military Decision Making Process may work well when a desired end-state is certain, and within a relatively closed system (such as a large exercise at a combat training center, or for a movement of equipment from one point to the next), but it's hardly applicable at the strategic to grand strategic level. Learn from the master, General James Mattis:

Staffs have been seen to often apply these processes mechanistically; as if progressing through a sequence of planning steps would produce a solution. I would expect this habit to be common particularly in organizations reacts to these processes rather than leads them. "Over-proceduralization" inhibits the commander and staff's critical thinking and creativity, which are essential for finding a timely solution to complex problems...our current doctrinal approach to fostering clear, careful thinking and creativity, particularly early in design and planning, is insufficient and ineffective.

"And that's all I have to say about that..."

2011-01-23T08:17:00.000-05:00

After reading this thread at Blackfive, I merely pose the following question: If you were General McChrystal, would you rather have Michael Yon or Michael Hastings embedded with you?

(I know whom I'd pick. Too bad General McChrystal's staff didn't agree.)

The gauntlet has been thrown

2011-01-21T13:19:00.000-05:00

Floating Clausewitz head
will be drinking with me
in spirit tonight.

Tom Ricks and the gang at the Warlord Loop have challenged the blogosphere for a list of the best national security quotations. Unfortunately, it looks as if most are gleaning quotations from the usual sources: Mao Tse-Tung, Eisenhower, Sun-Tzu, Napoleon, and the like.

I think I can one-up the great captains of history and devise some national security quotations of my own making, which I will post to Twitter as I imbibe alcohol tonight.

Look for the #nsqs (national security quotations) hashtag on Twitter. I'll have the ghosts of Clausewitz and Moltke the Elder in stitches by the nights end. No small feat, too, as I bet those Prussians can really pound some fermented beverages. And even if I don't out-quote Bonaparte, at least you'll be amused, right?

Hybrid War: Teaming up with the GSGF

2011-01-21T05:09:00.000-05:00

Schwerpunkt!

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that I teamed up with the Great Satan's Girlfriend for a China-oriented guest-post at Thinking Strategically. Featuring my research, and Courtney's unmistakable writing style (plus some original research of her own).

Words ring true, fifty years later

2011-01-20T14:41:00.001-05:00

This week, we've witnessed the fifty-year anniversary of the most prescient farewell address and the most inspiring inaugural address in American history.

Note to all aspiring speechwriters: John F. Kennedy's inaugural address is fourth-shortest inaugural address in US history, clocking in at just under fourteen minutes. Yet it, like the two-minute Gettysburg Address, is one of our country's most memorable orations. Speechwriters, keep this in mind.

Army Aviation keeps getting better.

2011-01-18T13:27:00.000-05:00

Be sure to check out the Association of the US Army's report on the upcoming "Full Spectrum Operations" aviation brigades. Highlights include a few more medevac aircraft--good news for the infantry--and nearly a company and a half's worth of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), including the RQ-7 Shadow and the MQ-1C Grey Eagle. The latter of the two, a relative of the venerable Predator, can carry four Hellfire missiles, and stay aloft for 36 hours, thus exceeding an aviator's crew rest cycle threefold. Don't judge.

Economics, in perspective

2011-01-17T16:00:00.001-05:00

According to this map, New Jersey makes as much money from hair gel, orange tan, and Snooki as Switzerland does from Rolex watches and bank accounts. God help us all.

Why Social Media Matters

2011-01-17T08:31:00.001-05:00

This exchange between an Army spouse (Identified as "Q") and President George W. Bush during a town hall meeting in West Virginia in March of 2006 will always stick in my mind. Let's see if you can catch the one subtle sticking point.

Q This is my husband, who has returned from a 13-month tour in Tikrit.

THE PRESIDENT: Oh, yes. Thank you. Welcome back. (Applause.)

Q His job while serving was as a broadcast journalist. And he has brought back several DVDs full of wonderful footage of reconstruction, of medical things going on. And I ask you this from the bottom of my heart, for a solution to this, because it seems that our major media networks don't want to portray the good. They just want to focus -- (applause) --

THE PRESIDENT: Okay, hold on a second.

Q They just want to focus on another car bomb, or they just want to focus on some more bloodshed, or they just want to focus on how they don't agree with you and what you're doing, when they don't even probably know how you're doing what you're doing anyway. But what can we do to get that footage on CNN, on FOX, to get it on headline news, to get it on the local news? Because you can send it to the news people -- and I'm sorry, I'm rambling -- like I have --

THE PRESIDENT: So was I, though, for an hour. (Laughter.)

Q -- can you use this, and it will just end up in a drawer, because it's good, it portrays the good. And if people could see that, if the American people could see it, there would never be another negative word about this conflict.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, I appreciate that. (Applause.) No, it -- that's why I come out and speak. I spoke in Cleveland, gave a press conference yesterday -- spoke in Cleveland Monday, press conference, here today. I'm going to continue doing what I'm doing to try to make sure people can hear there's -- why I make decisions, and as best as I can, explain why I'm optimistic we can succeed.

One of the things that we've got to value is the fact that we do have a media, free media, that's able to do what they want to do. And I'm not going to -- you're asking me to say something in front of all the cameras here. (Laughter.) Help over there, will you? (Laughter.)

I just got to keep talking. And one of the -- there's word of mouth, there's blogs, there's Internet, there's all kinds of ways to communicate which is literally changing the way people are getting their information. And so if you're concerned, I would suggest that you reach out to some of the groups that are supporting the troops, that have got Internet sites, and just keep the word -- keep the word moving. And that's one way to deal with an issue without suppressing a free press.

Good words, for certain, but President Bush missed the mark on one subtle point. He was indeed correct to note that, while Iraq wracked by horrific violence in 2006, countless US troops were working to bring some decency to the people of Iraq, despite the abhorrent conditions. He was also correct in mentioning that a free press is a paramount value in our society. Moreover, the President should also be credited for mentioning the value of blogs.

Yet, it's in the mention of blogs and the Internet that Mr. Bush missed a beat. Undoubtedly, there were hundreds, if not thousands, of service members with such pictures and videos. Unfortunately, even a broadcast journalist, depicted in the town hall meeting above, was unable to disseminate videos of reconstruction efforts to an larger audience. Why? Because the DoD had essentially shot itself in the foot, as the DoD's draconian anti-blogging policies virtually ensured that these images would never see the light of day. Milbloggers such as Captain Matthew Gallagher, author of "Kaboom: A Soldier's War Journal", were ordered to shut down their blogs, resulting in twenty-five Congressional inquiries. (Shameless plug: buy Matt's book, based on his blog)

Lt. General William Caldwell, then one of the military's top spokesmen in Iraq, was introduced to social media sites, such as Facebook and Youtube, by his younger staffers. Circumventing the Defense Department's IT bureaucracy, Lt. Gen. Caldwell and his staff created one of the most popular Youtube channels in the world at the time, showcasing successful missions, and highlighting development and reconstruction projects.

It took bold, senior-level pioneers to make the medium work, helping to dispel the belief that "weak leaders" might use the DoD's anti-blogging policy to crush dissent. Admiral James Stavridis was one of the first senior military officers to provide periodic dispatches during his travels about South and Central America, while serving as the Commander of US Southern Command. General Martin Dempsey, tapped to be the next Army Chief of Staff, has also posted at Small Wars Journal extensively, soliciting ideas and advice from from SWJ's brilliant, albeit somewhat eclectic audience.

Today, the military relies heavily on social media to tell its story. Its pervasive presence on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Youtube conveys the candor, bravery, and dedication of the US military and its allies to audiences all over the world. And we owe it to the efforts of these senior-level officers, as well as the dozens of "boots-on-ground" milbloggers who defied the DoD's policies and turned this medium into a mainstream occurance. Sure, there's going to be some guffaws, and maybe some Gaga, but it's a small price to pay for ensuring that our side of the story makes it to the public domain.

Addendum: As one of the godfathers of military blogging, Greyhawk, is fond of saying, "When Milblogs are outlawed, only outlaws will have Milblogs". Thank God for outlaws.

For your viewing pleasure

2011-01-16T15:29:00.001-05:00

Lest anyone think I've been slacking, here's the latest fan tribute to Doctrine Man, entitled "Doctrine Man and the AKO Password", a satirical take on a very serious information security issue.

And in other news, the next Army Chief of Staff appears to have some impressive skills. As Dave Dilegge says, if you can make it at TRADOC, you can make it anywhere.

WaPo, J-20, and Snow

2011-01-12T08:25:00.001-05:00

Short of another international crisis or general internet hilarity, I'll be spending the next few days woking on a post for Aaron Ellis of Thinking Strategically regarding China's new military developments; namely, the new J-20 stealth fighter prototype, their upcoming aircraft carrier (or carriers), and the new DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile. In doing so, I've enlisted the help of a certain Great Satan's Girlfriend. Could the world get any more awesome?

In other news, I got a mention in the Washington Post this past weekend, though I was confused for the caped crusader, Doctrine Man. Believe it or not, I actually got an e-mail or two asking if I was, in fact, Doctrine Man's alter ego. Unfortunately, much like Star Wars geeks, I only make Doctrine Man fan films. I disappointed many inquiring minds by, sadly, admitting that I'm only one of Doctrine Man's helpers, not the real Doctrine Man.

Lastly, I'd like to afford all 10th Mountain Division veterans the opportunity to laugh at their counterparts in the 82nd Airborne Division:

Courtesy of PowerPoint Ranger

In which I accuse George Clooney of being a closet Network-Centric Warfare theorist

2011-01-11T07:55:00.002-05:00

Once again, Laurenist, one of the legendary Panda Hat Twins, has drawn the ire of a well-intentioned albeit somewhat misguided celebrity; this time, George Clooney, a long-time activist for the Save Darfur movement.

Recently, the former "ER" star has advocated an "anti-genocide paparazzi service", leasing satellite imagery services and enlisting the aid of an army of volunteers to monitor the border between northern and southern Sudan. In doing so, Clooney has joined the ranks of Network-Centric Warfare (NCW) fetishists, which have, mercifully, largely faded into obscurity following America's two wars in the Middle East, as well as the Israeli incursion into Lebanon.

Simply put, NCW advocates are characterized by a misplaced confidence in the abilities of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconaissance (ISR) assets to give commanders a better understanding of the situation on the ground. Such NCW champions include General Tommy Franks, who felt that satellite imagery, unmanned aerial vehicles, and networked computer systems would give commanders an "Olympian view of the battlefield". Yet, despite this vast network of sensors, General Franks and his staff failed to "detect" a growing Sunni insurgency, which arose a few short weeks after the fall of Baghdad. This hubris extends even into the present day, when proponents of the military's new "Gorgon Stare" claim that the system, which incorporates multiple cameras attached to UAVs, allows commanders to "see everything". Indeed, this sentiment also permeated the Israeli Defense Force in the years preceding the 2006 Lebanon War. Yet, Israeli paratroopers captured a video which depicted Hezbollah operatives slipping across the Israeli border, and casually pointing and mentioning an Israeli UAV orbiting nearby. Their speech implied that they had slipped across the border several times before, without being captured, despite extensive surveillance coverage. Even the US government, armed with the most sophisticated ISR sensors on the planet, has been hunting for a six-foot tall Arab and a one-eyed Pashtun in the FATA region of Pakistan for nearly ten years, with little to show for its efforts. Yet, George Clooney feels that he can do better with a group of volunteers, armed with low-resolution still-photo satellite imagery? Quite frankly, the idea is about as ill-conceived as, well, Bat-nipples.

You won't catch Doctrine Man wearing bat-nipples. Though, let's face it, you won't catch Doctrine Man wearing much of anything these days.

The problem with satellite imagery is, of course, that everyone believes they are an imagery analyst. After all, it's all there in the picture, right?

Well, not quite. To begin with, the satellites employed by Clooney and the "Enough Project" are of rather poor quality. Moreover, satellites only capture still photos, not video feeds, as one might see in a UAV or from other forms of aerial surveillance. Imagery also doesn't give the viewer a clear sense of what or whom they're really watching.

Although the conflict in Darfur is nominally being waged between ethnically Arab guerrillas and the Sudanese military, the latter of the which relies heavily on militia forces to do its work. Thus, the war is being fought between two largely irregular forces. Can you tell, from a satellite photo, the difference between a friendly militia and an enemy militia? Consider the case of the infamous "Collateral Murder" video from last April, in which an Apache helicopter mistakenly gunned down two Reuters journalists. Though the pilots had high-quality full-motion video--leaps and bounds above what Clooney and his crew will have access to--they still mistook cameras with telephoto lenses, slung across their shoulders much like weapons, for rocket-propelled grenades. And though the armed figures in the video turned out to be insurgents, militias fighting on the side of the US, clad in civilian clothes, were not uncommon in Baghdad at the time of the video.

David Kilcullen notes, in The Accidental Guerrilla, that despite nearly constant coverage from UAVs, surveillance blimps, and satellites, American planners could still not answer basic questions about the state of affairs in Iraq. The problem, of course, is that imagery is useless unless it's corroborated with substantial human intelligence. As Noah Shachtman of Wired Magazine astutely notes, when fighting insurgencies, the best networks are social, not electronic.

The hunt for high-value insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan certainly isn't accomplished with surveillance drones alone. After all, an insurgent's greatest strength is that he can blend in to the local population when needed. Yet, through a combination of, say, informants, captured documents, and surveillance, planners can gain a much clearer view into the true state of affairs in an insurgency. Using human intelligence to determine where to look and what to look for is far more effective than simply flying drones around in circles all day.

Which brings me to my point. I don't necessarily have an issue with a crowd-sourced satellite imagery campaign, per se. After all, Clooney and company are only spending their own money. However, we simply need to be realistic about its merits, and rightfully skeptical of any analysis which comes from grainy, still photos.

In case you missed it: Major Dick Winters, of legendary "Band of Brothers", dies at 92.

2011-01-10T06:31:00.002-05:00

Sadly, instead of uniting a nation in sorrow and compelling us to overlook our differences, Saturday's tragedy in Tucson served as little more than a springboard for the fringes of the political debate to hurl accusatory remarks at one another with renewed vigor. Few have taken the reasonable course of action and placed blame on the shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, save for Ross Douthat of the New York Times and Jamie McIntyre of the Line of Departure.

Though the suffering in Tucson is real, the veritable media frenzy created by this most despicable act has pushed another, sorrowful, story to the wayside. As of late last night, a few media outlets had reported that Major Dick Winters, the commander of the 101st Airborne Division's Easy Company, 1st Battalion-506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, passed away on January 2nd, just short of his 93rd birthday.

No words of mine can do justice to Major Winters. The Washington Post aired the obituary of the "biggest brother" in the legendary "Band of Brothers" late last night.

Dick Winters, a decorated Army officer whose World War II service was recounted in the best-selling book and HBO mini-series "Band of Brothers," died Jan. 2. News reports listed his age at 92.

Based on the 1992 book by historian Stephen E. Ambrose, the HBO mini-series came out in 2001 and was produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.

The story follows the tragedies and triumphs of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, E Company.

To Mr. Winters, these citizen-soldiers came to be known as the men of Easy Company -- paratroopers who jumped into combat on June 6, 1944 above Normandy, France.

According to Ambrose's account, Easy Company suffered 150 percent casualties throughout the war.

One of the soldiers who served in Easy Company, David Webster, once wrote that among his colleagues the Purple Heart "was not a decoration but a badge of office."

Mr. Winters, who separated from the Army at the rank of major, and his men fought together through D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge and later occupied Adolf Hitler's mountainside retreat, the Eagle's Nest, near Berchtesgaden.

A charismatic officer who led by example, Mr. Winters received the Distinguished Service Cross, the country's second highest decoration for valor, while conducting combat operations on D-Day.

Mr. Winters led a small group of men on a raid of German cannon emplacements near Utah beach on Normandy's coastline.

While taking out the heavily fortified bunker, Mr. Winters and his men killed 15 German soldiers and [captured twelve more], helping to save countless American lives from the withering cannon fire.

Later in the war, one of Mr. Winters's soldiers, Floyd Talbert, wrote a letter to the officer from a hospital in Indiana expressing gratitude for his loyalty and leadership.

"You are loved and will never be forgotten by any soldier that ever served under you," Talbert wrote to Mr. Winters in 1945. "I would follow you into hell."

For Mr. Winters, his soldiers were his Band of Brothers and their experiences together in the war "created a bond between the men of E company that will last forever."

Catching up

2011-01-09T11:54:00.002-05:00

I'm sitting in my hotel in Sierra Vista, Arizona, about to partake in a one-week UAV course. As such, I've spent over twenty-four hours in transit from Munich, and subsequently missed many of the details regarding yesterday's tragic shooting incident which killed six people and wounded an additional twelve in Tucson, Arizona. Among the dead are a Federal Judge, the Honorable John McCarthy Roll; and a nine-year old girl, Christina Taylor Green, who was recently elected to her student council at Mesa Verde Elementary School. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, the intended target, was shot through the head, and was recently listed in critical condition.

Thus, I've spent the morning catching up on the details. Strangely enough, I first heard about the incident last night in O'Hare airport from Jeff Schogol at Stars and Stripes, who did some excellent research (what else would you expect from the Rumor Doctor) and determined that the shooter had not been a veteran of Afghanistan, as had been initially reported. According to Army sources, Jared Lee Loughner had attempted to enlist, but his application was denied. In accordance with the Privacy Act, the Army was not able to disclose its reasons for rejecting Loughner's application.

Subsequent media coverage has begun to focus on the fear-mongering and vitriolic rhetoric which seems to have gripped America's political discourse as of late. If only there were someone who could rally Americans to bring sanity and reason back to the national debate...

Here's an even bigger problem...

2011-01-07T13:14:00.000-05:00

Recently, the blogosphere has been ablaze about the Army's "Soldier Fitness Tracker" (SFT), a computerized mental health assessment program. The SFT's questionnaire rates soldiers' mental "fitness" in four separate categories: emotional, social, family, and spiritual. According to bloggers, Atheists, who might answer "no" to questions such as "I attend regular religious services", or "In difficult times, I pray or meditate", are generally assessed as being mentally unhealthy in the "spiritual" category (see picture left).

While issues regarding the separation of Church and State are, of course, a very relevant issue, there's something even more scandalous afoot. Let's say a soldier did score in the "red" on a particular mental health category; would anyone care? While statistics may be tracked, with personally identifying data removed, at the Department of the Army, failing every single aspect of the SFT won't result in a soldier being taken away to the nearest counselor in a straightjacket. In fact, Atheists who "fail" the spiritual portion of the SFT might be less likely to see a mental health professional, as they might, understandably, scoff at the results.

Throwing money, endless surveys, and mandatory classes aren't curbing suicides. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that suicides will begin to subside in 2015, when the Army won't be feeling the stress of two large wars, and won't be struggling to bring in an additional 27,000 troops, regardless of qualifications.

Now get back to work!

2011-01-07T11:16:00.004-05:00

What happens when you mix the softer side of war with the softer sex? Hilarity. Apparently, all work in the defense community ceased around 9 AM Eastern Standard Time, due to a Twitter hashtag labeled "#CosmoCOIN". Witness some of the best entries:

Fantasy Defense League

2011-01-06T14:14:00.006-05:00

General Martin Dempsey

Secretary Robert Gates has just recommended General Martin Dempsey, the current commander of the US Army's Training and Doctrine Command, and occasional poster at Small Wars Journal, as the next Army Chief of Staff. (Though, despite my prescience in that post, I seem to have linked to a picture that's no longer valid. I do have my flaws) Of course, I called this one months ago. With Admiral Mullen's term as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff coming to an end, I'd put money on General Petraeus as his successor. After a pseudo-"demotion", he certainly deserves it.

And, in other news, Secretary Gates also announced that US forces in Europe would be cut, and that over one hundred general officers would be given their pink slips. AAFES Command, look out.

Miscellany on Miscellaneous Miscellany

2011-01-04T14:15:00.002-05:00

After a trans-Atlantic flight last weekend, it looks like I'll be doing the same this next weekend as well, flying from Munich to Arizona. Fortunately, the Munich airport serves beer pretty much all day long. Thus, I can dull the pain in the unfortunate event of a travel debacle.

What does this mean for my readers? Well, expect to see some guest posts in other blogs in the near future. I'll be taking on China's new "aircraft carrier" and 5th-generation "stealth fighter" at Aaron Ellis' Thinking Strategically. Not to mention, if everyone asks nicely, I might continue my series of epic Xtranormal videos.

In other news, I'm still switching to Gmail for all my work needs. But I'm glad to see that the Army's new "GTSY" network might be improving on AKO, an e-mail program about as effective as my Geocities account, circa 1997.

Finally, I'm glad that Admiral James Stavridis is being a good sport about being labeled as one of the "worst military tweeters" by Spencer Ackerman. Keep tweeting, Sir!

On Logistics

2011-01-04T14:06:00.001-05:00

Fort Drum, New York in May.

While the art of supplying, sustaining, raising, clothing, paying, and fielding an army has been underexplored in military history, I'm not certain if I want to continue reading Martin Van Creveld's "Supplying War: Logistics from Wallenstein to Patton".

True, Van Creveld takes considerable pleasure in breaking down popular historical myths. This is always welcome. Still, in dissecting Napoleon's disastrous incursion into Russia, Van Creveld makes the assertion that the Emperor's infamous logistical failures weren't as bad as most historians are apt to believe. After all, according to Van Creveld, Le Petit Corporal did plan his logistics in excruciating detail, as he did during most of his campaigns, most notably, during the War of the Third Coalition. I guess the reader is expected to overlook minor details, such as the fact that the Grande Armee's logistical plans--no matter how immaculate--still failed spectacularly during the War of 1812.

Janus

2011-01-01T20:06:00.002-05:00

Fitting for January--named for Janus, the two-faced Roman god who symbolized looking both forward and back--we have an excellent end-of-year wrap-up from Noah Shachtman at Wired.com and a preview of 2011 from the Great Satan's Girlfriend.

Strangely, GSGF's preview of 2011 is somewhat incomplete, as I do believe she'll be celebrating a very important birthday this year.

2010: Outtakes and Deleted Scenes

2010-12-30T17:21:00.003-05:00

Poor panda hat...

It seems that I left out a few great links in yesterday's 2010 end-of-year roundup.

In a stunning move, France signed defense cooperation agreements with with her former enemies Britain and Germany. Of course, that hasn't stopped Aaron Ellis and Xavier Rauscher from debating the merits of Emperor Napoleon and Lord Wellington. Meanwhile, the ladies of 6th Generation Warfare got sexified (uh, and Petulant Sage and Sean702 did a good job as well). We saw the Son of Neocles take on the Naval Academy's critics, met Greyhawk and Lt. Col. Bell at the Milblog Conference 2010, and witnessed the end of the Predator era, as well as the dawn of a new era: Chris Albon Day.

Not to mention, some sites are so good, I can't limit myself to just one link. So here's Adam Elkus' Rethinking Security, as well as Patrick Porter's Offshore Balancer, Mark Safranski's Zenpundit, Dr. Rex Brynen's Paxsims, the crew at FaST Surgeon, and the ever-wonderful Kings of War and Small Wars Journal.

2010: The Year We Make Contact With Some Pakistani Shopkeeper

2010-12-28T17:43:00.001-05:00

This perfectly sums up the year

2010's almost history. From Afghan adventures to Wikileaks' wackiness, it's been a heck of a ride. Full of heroism, brilliance, and facepalm aplenty, let's take a look at the last year in national insecurity.

PowerPoint Rangers Lead the Way! In April, we were treated to Elisabeth Bumiller's amazing op-Ed in the New York Times, showcasing the anti-PowerPoint rantings of several notable military officials, including Secretary Robert Gates, Generals Stanley McChrystal and David Petraeus, Colonel T.X. Hammes, and some other cool dude. Later, in August, US Army Colonel Lawrence Sellin railed against the rampant bureaucracy and PowerPoint culture of ISAF Joint Command (IJC) in Afghanistan. And though Col. Sellin was summarily chastised and dismissed from his post, he quickly became a folk hero in Army circles. In November, technology website TED.com finally deciphered the cryptic "Afghanistan Stability Chart", which revealed some not-so-startling truths about the war in Afghanistan. Take a look.

And the thing that'll getcha/Stan didn't even get his pictcha'/On the cover of the Rolling Stone. Poor Stan McChrystal. Earlier this year, the former commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan was already on thin ice after a much-hyped campaign in Marjah--with its dubious "government-in-a-box" strategy--fizzled in the sands of Afghanistan. McChrystal would remark that Marjah, the focus of what was to be a month-long operation, was a "bleeding ulcer" in Helmand Province. If that wasn't bad enough, Gen. McChrystal had the misfortune of being stuck in Paris after a conference, the result of the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland, which grounded nearly all air travel in Europe. Making the best of the situation, General McChrystal spent a night on the town with several members of his staff...and, of course, Rolling Stone reporter Michael Hastings. After a few ill-mannered remarks on the part of McChrystal and his staff (fueled by Bud Light Lime, no less), the General was recalled to the White House so quickly the blogosphere didn't even have time to decide upon an appropriate Twitter hashtag. (Though #RollingStan and #McClusterFuck were clearly the two favorites)

And if you thought the McChrystal Scandal was bad... For months, military journalist Michael Yon had not only called for the head of US General Stanley McChrystal, but also Canadian General Daniel Menard, the latter of whom was relieved of command for a negligent discharge of his C-8 carbine, as well as a negligent discharge of another sort with a female enlisted soldier. In a shocking move, both Generals David Petraeus and Jonathan Vance were temporarily "demoted" to replace the gaps in NATO's leadership in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, in another portion of Helmand Province, the commander of the 2-508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Lt. Col. Frank Jenio was relieved by Col. Brian Drinkwine, allegedly over "inappropriate PowerPoint slides". However, further investigation revealed a sordid story--Dr. Leslie Drinkwine, Col. Drinkwine's wife, was banned from brigade functions as a result of undue influence within the brigade, a point of contention Lt. Col. Jenio has recently challenged. Elsewhere, Col. Harry Tunnel, commander of the 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team--notorious for its infamous "kill team"--relieved a company commander in the Argandab Valley. Later examination, however, reveals that the young captain might have had a better handle on counterinsurgency tactics than the colonel, going so far as to hammer General Petraeus' counterinsurgency guidance on the door of his command post as an act of defiance.

2010: The Year We Make Contact With the Taliban. Sort Of. Ah, Pakistan, our "valuable ally", and perennial pranksters. In February, milbloggers rejoiced when Pakistani security services arrested nearly half of the top leadership of the Taliban's Quetta Shura, including Mullah Baradar, seen as the Taliban's number two. Others, however, were rightly skeptical. In August, Dexter Filkins reported that Pakistani officials gloated that Baradar's arrest was little more than an attempt by Pakistan's security service, the ISI, to derail peace talks between the Karzai government and the Taliban. Undeterred, ISAF forces went to great lengths to protect a suspected Taliban leader from ISI interference during a second round of peace talks with the Karzai government. After a few meetings, however, officials suspected a ruse. As it turns out, the "Taliban leader" in talks with the Karzai government was merely a shopkeeper in Quetta, Pakistan--allegedly an ISI plant. The joke was short-lived, though. Hours after the story hit the Washington Post, North Korean forces fired artillery upon the island of Yeonpeyong in South Korean waters, sparking a tense international crisis.

Wikileaks, Wookieeleaks, and, erm, Weenieleaks. In April, shocking gun-camera footage from an Apache helicopter hit the Internet, spurring intense debate regarding the conduct of land warfare, and raising questions as to its mysterious source. Within two months, US authorities apprehended their prime suspect: Private First Class Bradley Manning, an intelligence analyst from the 10th Mountain Division's Second Brigade, then assigned to Forward Operating Base Hammer in Iraq. Manning, known by the screen name "BradAss87", was reported to authorities by his confidant, hacker Adrain Lamo. In a series of chats published on Wired.com, Manning admitted to smuggling out the gun camera video, as well as hundreds of thousands of classified field reports from Iraq and Afghanistan, plus over a quarter of a million classified State Department cables. The US Government sprung into action, albeit too late. Wikileaks scored the largest intelligence coup in history, with government authorities scrambling to minimize the damage. Mercifully, the damage was light; the US government either aims to be the most transparent in the world, or maybe it just, in the words of Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, "leaks like a sieve" anyways. Nevertheless, in typical reactionary fashion, the US government established a number of knee-jerk, draconian measures, including banning all access to news sources which report on Wikileaks, and establishing a Wikileaks Task Force, with the appropriate acronym, "WTF". Defense Department officials even encouraged service members to turn in suspected leakers; unless, of course, said leakers are top-level generals releasing classified Afghanistan strategy reviews to box in the president. Meanwhile, disillusioned Twitterers lampooned Manning and his megalomaniacal partner, Wikileaks' founder Julian Assange, with "Wookieeleaks", a series of humorous "secrets" from the Star Wars universe. Add in the nocturnal escapades of Julian Assange, aptly named "weenieleaks", cyber-mischief between supporters and detractors of Wikileaks, and a super-secret virus known as "Stuxnet", and 2010 truly was an exceptional year.

In other news. Lauren Jenkins, one of the Panda Hat twins, took on Misha Collins; I took on Army Knowledge Online; Mother Jones took on banned books in the information age; and the gang at On Violence took on Clausewitz. Meanwhile, the crew at Ink Spots negotiated the epic Truce of Tom Ricks, while Mr. Ricks took on the Army's Warrior Transition Units, and Spencer Ackerman took on Blackwater. All the while, the Second Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne tackled open-source software, while the Fourth Brigade tackled Lady Gaga. Elsewhere, several fellow milbloggers and I were accused of advocating war crimes, Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta earned the Medal of Honor, and "Restrepo" was one of the best films of the Sundance Film Festival. And what end-of-year roundup would be complete without mentioning the Committee on Public Safety, Adam Elkus' super-empowerment, Adam Weinstein's excellent defense coverage, and Ink Spots' insights on the Afghanistan War?

So there you have it. A year of highs and lows. A year of success in Afghanistan. Or setback. Or more of the same. In short, just another year in the realm of national security. May 2011 be...interesting.

Who needs Wikileaks when you have the US Air Force?

2010-12-22T10:12:00.002-05:00

In the wake of Wikileaks' "Cablegate" scandal, US Secretary of Defense (and former CIA Director) Robert Gates downplayed Wikileaks' impact, quipping, "Every government in the world knows the US government leaks like a sieve".

Nevertheless, to its credit, the US military has undergone a Herculean--albeit heavy-handed and futile--effort to contain the damage from Wikileaks and prevent future leaks. Such steps include banning all URLs which contain "Wikileaks", blocking all access to the New York Times, and setting up a program to rat out "leakers". The CIA has even established an ill-conceived Wikileaks Task Force, with the appropriate acronym, "WTF". I really wish I were making that up.

Yet, human stupidity is one of those unstoppable forces of nature, always yearning to break free, despite humanity's best attempts to contain it. Fortunately, for stupidity's sake, there are US Air Force officers.

This week, news sources reported that Pentagon officials sent the wrong internal assessment reports to aerospace giants Boeing and EADS, rivals in the bid for the US Air Force's new tanker. Thus, Boeing wound up with detailed information on EADS' project, and vice versa. As if the KC-X needed any more embarassing scandals.

It's still not certain how Boeing and EADS wound up with each other's information. Perhaps the service in charge of cyber-security has trouble figuring out that newfangled e-mail contraption?

If there's a silver lining to all this, it's that the US Air Force won't be able to read about its ineptitude on the New York Times' website. That's a plus, right?

Doctrine Man goes through US Customs

2010-12-21T16:03:00.001-05:00

Admit it, we all get a little nervous when we go through Customs at the end of the deployment. Uh, not me, of course.

Lest you think I've been slacking...

2010-12-20T14:29:00.000-05:00

The third and final edition in my series on America's All-Volunteer Force is up at the Swiss blog, offiziere.ch. Be sure to check out the first two editions, if you haven't already.

There's smart security, and there's stupid security. This is stupid security.

2010-12-19T09:39:00.001-05:00

This week, the US Air Force tried to prevent unauthorized access to Wikileaks by block airmen from viewing the New York Times, Der Speigel, the Guardian, and other news sites known for hosting Wikileaks documents. According to Steven Aftergood of the Federation of American Scientists:

In the past, government agencies have selectively blocked access to private websites that post controversial, disputed or classified information. But a block on the New York Times web site is really unheard of. It represents an extreme misunderstanding of information security policy.

Yes, this is the same US Air Force that's been given control of US CYBERCOM. (*Facepalm*)

AAAA UAS Recap (We need a new acronym)

2010-12-16T10:21:00.003-05:00

Despite a touch of illness during the conference--my system apparently can't process American food any more--I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and learned quite a few interesting tidbits about the wild world of drones.

• Unmanned Aerial Systems represent the largest field of personnel growth within the US Army Aviation branch. Of nearly 4,000 new positions within Army Aviation units, nearly 2,400 will be UAV operators, maintainers, or coordinators. In fact, the field is expanding so rapidly that there's currently a 14-month waiting list for some UAV courses.

• The legendary fighter pilot and strategist John Boyd was known to say, in regards to force structure, "people, organizations and equipment..in that order". Nowhere is this more true than in, surprisingly, the "unmanned" community. During a conversation with an Australian colonel, I discovered that the Australian Army had, for years, been having a degree of difficulty task-organizing its fleet of small, tactical UAVs. Much like the British Army, many felt that UAVs were an asset designed for use by field artillerymen for spotting purposes (plus, artillerymen seem to be idle hands these days). However, such an arrangement often ran into difficulties in training, standardization, and airspace deconfliction--quite perilous on a modern battlefield, where airspace is congested enough as it is. Thus, the Australians took a cue from the US, and began to view their UAVs as aviation assets.

Nevertheless, the conference didn't really adequately address the proper proponent for UAV proliferation. Though the Army Aviation Association of America states, quite emphatically, that Army UAVs are tactical assets managed by aviation soldiers, the reality is more complex, and will continue to be so as these systems become even more ubiquitous. Certainly, the triumphant claim that UAVs are aviation assets is jingoistic at best, and conflicts with the fact that Army UAVs are typically pushed to the lowest level practicable. In many cases, that's the infantry platoon at the remote combat outpost on the Pakistani border.

• The beginning of the end of the Predator? As the Great Satan's Girlfriend would say, "Oh, it's true, bay bee".

• As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan wind down, the Army will look to the future, where massive Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) and luxurious facilities may not be available. As many UAVs currently need a runway for takeoff and/or landing, Army planners will eventually start looking at Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) UAVs for reconnaissance and even resupply missions. Currently, there are plans for an autonomous Bell 407 and a K-MAX helicopter, both capable of carrying sling-loaded equipment to remote outposts in Afghanistan.

• Only two things keep US Central Command's General James Mattis up at night; one of them is the thought of UAVs in the hands of our adversaries. It's not an ill-founded fear, either: Iran supplied Hezbollah with UAVs--some packed with explosives--which were used in the 2006 Lebanon War. Then, in early 2009, an Iranian UAV wandered across the Iraqi border near Balad Ruz, whereupon it was shot down by an American fighter jet. In fact, feedback from the Combat Training Centers indicates that OPFOR UAVs are a "game-changer"; so much so that observer/controllers actually limit their use during major exercises.

• The new "pink team" is a combination of an armed helicopter and a UAV. Get used to it, guys.

• Finally, though I certainly understand that unmanned aircraft represent an incredible new technology, I found that much of the rhetoric still bordered on the utopian. Though we sing the praises of unmanned systems, rarely do we stop and reflect on the occasional missteps. I think I might have been the only one who walked up to the Northrop-Grumman booth and said, "Fire Scout? Didn't that get lost and fly through Washington, DC?"

Stay tuned for more updates as I slowly try to make my way through the last few weeks' worth of Afghanistan analysis. I have to admit, I felt a bit ashamed to meet up with Exum last night without having read his latest Afghanistan piece. Time to log some time on the iPad.

Unmanned Aerial System Symposium 2010

2010-12-13T07:08:00.002-05:00

After 24 hours of traveling, I've finally arrived at the Mariott Crystal Gateway in Arlington, Virginia for the 2010 Unmanned Aerial Systems Symposium, hosted by the Army Aviation Association of America. Well, that, and for a handful of beers with the Panda Hat twins.

I'll be live-blogging the event with the #AAAAUAS tag on Twitter. Stay tuned, as it should be an interesting conference, especially since, according to the Great Satan's Girlfriend, I make good drones go bad. (That's actually not as sexy as it might initially sound.)

(Photo courtesy of US Army-Korea IMCOM on Flickr)

In the Army, we facepalm more by 9 AM than most people facepalm all day.

2010-12-12T18:02:00.001-05:00

Prussian military philosopher Karl von Clausewitz introduced us to the concept of "friction" in military operations. According to Clausewitz, friction includes small, unforecasted events which inevitably occur during every operation, such as miscommunication, poor navigation, or misrouted supplies. Over time, a series of such small mistakes might eventually slow down an offensive. For instance, Helmuth von Moltke encountered friction during the early days of the First World War, when fierce Belgian resistance and swift Russian mobilization stymied the well-laid Schlieffen Plan.

According to legend, Napoleon would reduce friction in the Grande Armee by writing orders as simply as possible. The Corsican would then give the orders to a French corporal, noted for being the most dim-witted soldier in the entire Grande Armee. Should the corporal misinterpret the orders, Napoleon would revise them, thus ensuring that his orders were clear and explicit.

But while Napoleon's corporal was the cause of friction, I have the Defense Travel Service. (And a lieutenant) Verily, if DTS were a private travel agency, like Priceline, it's safe to say the organization would be bankrupt by now. Not even having Captain Kirk in your commercials can save you from such ineptitude.

Though I encountered considerable friction on my way to the airport this morning, I was fortunate enough to encounter two locals who also happened to need a taxi from the parking lot to the terminal. We decided to pool our money and grab the first taxi. Fortunately, the two Bavarians spoke English, so I struck up a little conversation.

"So, uh, what time is your flight?"

"Oh, ve do not have a flight." said one.

"Oh really?"

The two Germans giggled, "Ja, ve are just going to airport to drink."

My watch showed 6:30 in the morning.

"You what?"

"Ve live around here in Munchen, and ve vere just here for a party. But ze party is over and now ze airport is the only place to get beer".

Declining their gracious invitation to join them for a beer (or five) at 6:30, I arrived at the ticket counter. Fully prepared to eliminate any friction, I had my confirmation numbers in hand. Nothing could thwart my plans now.

Well, except for the fact that there was no ticket in the system. Yeah, despite multiple e-mails with words such as "Your ticket is confirmed", I still had no ticket. Fuck you very much, Mr. Clausewitz.

I consulted the ticket counter, carefully pointing out confirmation numbers for each leg of my flight. Indeed, something seemed particularly odd about having confirmation numbers for each leg of the flight and no ticket.

I then called the travel agency, which uses an American phone number. In its defense, however, the agency does accept collect calls. (Remember those? Neither do I. Time to rack up a cell phone bill. I'm currently on hold for my third call today as I type this).

According to the travel agency, despite having a confirmation number, no ticket was ever issued. Relaying this information to the Lufthansa representative got me little more than quizzical look.

"How, exactly, is that possible. That doesn't make any sense."

"Remember, this is the US government. They're not exactly the most competent organization in the world."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Ever heard of Wikileaks?"

Hardly Heroic

2010-12-09T01:07:00.004-05:00

In the past few days, some media outlets have trumpeted Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, as an information-age hero. After all, his activities do play in to a convenient narrative for an anti-American, tin-foil hatted, and politically naive crowd.

Nevertheless, those who view Assange as a paragon of virtue might want to reconsider his altruism and loyalty to his compatriots. Though Wikileaks' Twitter page proudly displays a banner which reads "Free Bradley [Manning]", in reference to the Army intelligence analyst who provided Wikileaks with its biggest intelligence coup to date, representatives for Manning claim that Wikileaks has yet to provide a single dime for Manning's legal defense fund, despite promises to do so. Manning currently faces fifty two years in Federal prison, while Julian Assange has recently flaunted the documents stolen by Manning as some sort of insurance policy against arrest or murder.

A man of the people, indeed.

Julian Assange Facepalm

2010-12-08T13:22:00.004-05:00

Julian Assange, is, without a doubt, the most inept manager in history:

The arrest without bail of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Tuesday has left the organization in a state of uncertainty, despite transition plans laid out prior to his surrender to British police, according to one dispirited WikiLeaks activist who spoke to Threat Level on condition of anonymity.

Assange left Icelandic television journalist Kristinn Hrafnsson in charge of the group in his absence, the activist said. But now the embattled organization’s secrecy and compartmentalization are apparently hindering its operations.

Specifically, midlevel WikiLeaks staffers have been mostly cut off from communicating with hundreds of volunteers whose contact information was stored in Assange’s private online-messaging accounts, and never shared with others.

You people are familiar with the concept of transparency, right?

Update: Julian, let me help you out. Here's some advice on organizational communication, written in 2006:

Information ﬂows from conspirator to conspirator. Not every conspirator trusts or knows every other conspirator even though all are connected. Some are on the fringe of the conspiracy, others are central and communicate with many conspirators and others still may know only two conspirators but be a bridge between important sections or groupings of the conspiracy. If all conspirators are assassinated or all the links between them are destroyed, then a conspiracy no longer exists.

Sound familiar?

Thanks to XTranormal, I am super-empowered

2010-12-07T14:22:00.003-05:00

Are you upset with Army bureaucracy, but lack the skills to express yourself with your own original artwork? Fear not, for there is always XTranormal.

I think my next project will be to sum up the awesomely hilarious (and enlightening) debates between Xavier Rauscher and Aaron Ellis.

Believe it or not, I have been busy...

2010-12-07T13:43:00.001-05:00

Please check out my guest-post at offiziere.ch, the first of a three-part series regarding the All-Volunteer Force in America. Part one is worth it just for the statistics alone.

Part two will be released on Thursday. I might have to wait until next week for Part three, as I expect to fly from Munich to the US over the weekend. And I can't go to Munich without partaking in, well, public diplomacy, so to speak. And you all know what that means, right? (Plenty of ill-concieved Tweets, that's for sure!)

Best. Idea. Ever.

2010-12-07T01:18:00.002-05:00

If you're the type that likes to stick it to the man--and if you're reading this blog, you probably do--then let's raise $1.8 million and make this happen.

Help me buy an Army Base! (WWII Ft. Igloo--Black Hills Army Depot, South Dakota)

This will be a base that will require no post registration for your vehicle, no reflective belts, and you can walk on the CSM's grass until your heart's content. PT will be an option only for those who wish to do it. There will be no IG, no EO, no CQ, and no safety officers. You can walk outside without any headgear and every acre will be designated a no-salute zone.

This is the American Dream, my friends. Well, that and establishing your own micronation.

2010-12-07T01:03:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, December 7, 1941 -- a date which will live in infamy -- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that Nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State of form reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government had deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our Nation.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.

Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces -- with the unbounded determination of our people -- we will gain the inevitable triumph -- so help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December seventh, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.

I have the plot for the next James Bond movie

2010-12-06T10:15:00.003-05:00

Just picture him saying,
"If our demands are not met"

Julian Assange, who recently released a list of sites considered "vital" US interests, has claimed that his allies will release the entire collection of 250,000 State Department documents--a "thermonuclear device", as he called it--should anything happen to him. Not that he had any intention of keeping them secret, though.

Bradley Manning, I hope you sleep happy at night knowing that you face fifty-two years in prison for the sole purpose of providing Julian Assange with an insurance policy.

ATTN: Small Wars Journal

2010-12-05T13:48:00.001-05:00

To: Dave Dilegge, Bill Nagle
From: Starbuck (Identity pseudo-secret)

Greetings!

I've come up with the next step in the evolution of the Small Wars Empire. You know that debate between Col. Gian Gentile and John Nagl? We should best sum up the salient points in Xtranormal. Complete with vulgarities, of course. We can even get Doctrine Man in on the fun. What say you?

PS--I think that Xtranormal will quickly become just as verboten as Wikileaks for DoD personnel.

No, seriously, this really was the "Most Awesome Week Ever".

2010-12-04T03:34:00.001-05:00

I enlisted the help of the Great Satan's Girlfriend for this week's "Most Awesome Week Ever". Let's see the gang at Danger Room top that!

Without further ado, the one and only GSGF:

Wiki Liquer kicked off the week with hot deets - devouring shameless, sad incorrect memes. Few surprises - yet - aside from the delightful sensation (kinda tingly, actually) of being proven correct on nearly every matter of un and import.

Tons of quizes about Assange - One of the hottest -"Think creatively. The WikiLeaks document dump is sabotage, however quaint that term may seem. We are at war - a hot war in Afghanistan where six Americans were killed just this past Monday, and a shadowy world war where enemies from Yemen to Portland, Ore., are planning holy terror. Franklin Roosevelt had German saboteurs tried by military tribunal and executed. Assange has done more damage to the United States than all six of those Germans combined."

At least Great Satan's Cyber Command seems to be on the case - the Wiki Leaks site has been chased around the world - last word being hosted in the minaret free zone of Swizzylanders.

Outrageous actually - to imagine in the attorney heavy Age of Stuxnet, Wiki Leaks is alive and well, while over 3 score illicit musical downloader sites (that never betrayed or killed anyone) are shut down.

Teufel Hunden Verboten! Leatherneckers banned from scoping out Assange's audacious gossip airing fest

Censorship? "Fact is, if you want to read the leaked stuff, you can- for the rest of your damn life. But no one is obliged to make it any easier."

Sazeman-e Hefazate Ettela'at! Iran's internal security cats -a Revo Guard org natch - has been worried too much about soft targets like Barbie and Road Runner (meep meep!) to actually do their real gig - protecting high ranking members of the Regime's nuclear chicanery drive.

Oh Snap! Fergie Ferg gets felt up at LA X - maybe professional laffy taffy is a security threat?

Little and Great Satan share quite a bit in common in city fighting (a new improved bloody Aachen style) with the same MO and results - yet totally diff response in the internat'l community:

New York Times reported that in Afghanistan’s Kandahar region, “American forces are encountering empty homes and farm buildings left so heavily booby-trapped by Taliban insurgents that the Americans have been systematically destroying hundreds of them” in order “to reduce civilian and military casualties.” They even destroyed houses that weren’t booby-trapped because “searching empty houses was often too dangerous.” And as an Afghan official correctly noted, “It’s the insurgents and the enemy of the country that are to blame for this destruction, because they have planted mines in civilian houses and main roads everywhere.”

This is precisely what Little Satan did in Cast Lead, for the same reason: Finding tons of booby-trapped houses, schools, even a zoo. Goldstone, totally dissed that idea, accusing Little Satan of gleefully wrecking the innocent civilian rich joint, in a deliberate effort to target innocent civilians. Far from blaming Hamas for booby-trapping houses, they blamed Little Satan for destroying the traps. No word yet if Goldstone plans to indict Great Satan.

Those cats in the Strip and the Stan were lucky! Coulda gone "Grozny" on 'em!

Dr Col Nagl put steel on target about Iraq. In it to win it - is still powerful meds - regardless of where the action is in CENTCOM's gap. Isolationists - rejoice! World Politics Review broke out predictions and ideas for the free world to down size their militaries, ease tensions (not!) at the same incredible instant they cut and run on security commitments

DPRK continued to hang on in the news this week - in spite of Wiki Leaks - and thanks to China totally queering the mix. "It is unacceptable to 'condemn' or even 'express concern' over North Korea. Security Council talks have come to a standstill."

Ex CIA spy guy and academe au courant Dr Priller indulges in some exceptionally inappropriate hand wringing and Great Satan hating. Embarrassing really - warning about the dangers - not of NoKo, Iran or genocidal Sudan - but of American Exceptionalism.

Persian and Arabs don't get along much but Shibley Telhami explains Arab street loves a new clear Persia!

No surprise - poor Arab League has been led by the nose for eons by peripheral powers - like Great Britain, the Ottomans, Persia, Little and Great Satan

Don't blame Wiki Leaks - it's the Foreign Policy! Scary stuff that will require heavy petting ala hyper puissance to repair.

DADTDC - Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Care

And the President/CiC visits troops in Afghanistan.

I hate to rain on the XM-25's parade, but...

2010-12-03T16:46:00.002-05:00

While I'm certain the Army's new XM-25 grenade launcher is excellent, I disagree with the enthusiastic claims of its developer, Colonel Doug Tamilio. Let's see if you catch it:

"This significantly changes the art of warfare for a soldier. He no longer has to worry about maneuvering on an enemy position..."

Sir, I beg to differ.

Maneuvering on the battlefield has been central to land warfare from ancient times to the "Thunder Run" of 2003. Since then, we've seen the implementation of chariots, arrows, crossbows, gunpowder, cannons, muskets, breech-loading rifles, artillery, machine guns, tanks, air power, nuclear weapons, and network-centric warfare. And yet, we are to believe that a "smart" grenade launcher will completely eliminate the need to maneuver on the battlefield?

I hate to sound like a broken record, but I'm going to invoke the quintessential Elkus-Burke argument, as best summed up by Joseph Fouche:

Here is a major theme of the Elkus-Burke ouvre that I sum up as “Hey numbnut, have you ever considered the possibility that your ~~big rock~~ ~~pointy stick~~ ~~armed mob~~ ~~chariot~~ ~~calvary~~ ~~phalanx~~ ~~legion~~ ~~cannon~~ ~~musket~~ ~~rifle~~ ~~needle gun~~ ~~machine gun~~ ~~artillery~~ ~~trenches~~ ~~bomber~~ ~~tank~~ ~~indirect approach~~ ~~special ops~~ ~~nuclear weapon~~ ~~network~~ ~~global guerrilla~~ ~~Twitter~~ ~~decline of the nation-state~~ ~~operational design~~ ~~giant anime robots~~ ~~super-empowered individual~~ does not represent a complete sea change in the historic course of war, strategy, politics, culture, or apple pie?” While this appeal to a moderation contrary to the whirlygig obsessed mindset of most Americans is not as strong as Oliver Cromwell’s “I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible you may be mistaken?”, it certainly rubs all those who come a peddling their one magic bullet to resolve all political or strategic or military questions the wrong way...

...[Adam Elkus and Crispin Burke embark upon their usual] routine of destroying the dreams of cranks, sci-fi enthusiasts, and procurement officers everywhere. Can the romance of technological miracles survive such a cold shower?

Seriously, the claim that maneuver on the battlefield is obsolete is as facepalmingly full of hubris as the belief that air to air missiles would make dogfighting obsolete.

Nevertheless, I eagerly await feedback from the field. Anyone in Afghanistan care to weigh in? Does this weapon live up to the hype?

Next in the reading queue...

2010-12-02T14:59:00.001-05:00

At the recommendation of the other half of Elkus-Burke, I've acquired a copy of Martin van Creveld's "Supplying War: Logistics from Wallenstein to Patton".

Tom Ricks often says that amateurs study tactics, professionals study logistics, and people who "know what they are talking about" study personnel. And while the title of the book suggests that van Creveld is concerned with merely the realm of supplies, the realm of logistics also involves the funding and raising of armies.

Personnel policies are irrelevant if soldiers aren't paid or fed. Today, we take these issues for granted; but that certainly wasn't the case for the bulk of human history. Just ask Napoleon about his vacation in Russia.

It's been quite an interesting read thus far. I might actually go so far to say that some of the greatest inventions in warfare have been canned foods and preservatives, the internal combustion engine, cold-weather clothing and heaters, and night-vision equipment. These allow armies to campaign anywhere they choose, for as long as they desire. They also permit armies to operate day and night, and all year long--a relatively recent development in warfare.

It's in this light that Washington's achievements at the Battle of Trenton and at Valley Forge are all the more impressive. It's also in this light that the difficulties of the British Army during the Revolutionary War--completely reliant upon supplies from Britain--are that much more understandable.

My exclusive interview with Julian Assange

2010-12-02T08:10:00.001-05:00

Update: the video is up at Youtube.

Gates, Mullen: Survey supports DADT repeal

2010-12-01T02:07:00.000-05:00

The report is out, and suffice to say that the results aren't surprising. Months ago, a thread on the 10th Mountain Division's "Sound Off" blog revealed many of the same issues and attitudes towards DADT repeal.

I really don't have much to add, having not read the entire survey, so I'll just refer you to Spencer Ackerman and Adam Weinstein's recent coverage.

Wikileaks: Shock and Yawn

2010-11-29T13:42:00.003-05:00

Constantly on the run, Wikileaks’ founder Julian Assange rarely sleeps in the same bed twice, accusing foreign intelligence services of unwarranted surveillance, as well as attempts to frame him for rape. Assange’s accomplice in the latest string of intelligence coups, Army intelligence analyst Bradley Manning, faces up to fifty-two years in Federal prison for allegedly facilitating the largest leak in history.

Yet, neither Assange nor Manning have much to show for their troubles. Despite Assange’s belief that his Wikileaks organization can unravel corruption and conspiracies, and Manning’s belief that classified US government documents contained “horrible things” that “belonged in the public domain”, these leaks have certainly fallen far short. If anything, the series of Wikileaks releases over the past few months have done little more than to prove that America’s wars have been fought with incredible transparency, and that the US has exercised remarkable restraint, particularly with regards to Iran. Indeed, Wikileaks’ latest release, for the most part, is little more than salacious political gossip. What Assange and Manning have done is akin to a schoolyard tattle-tale publishing the diary of a bitchy teenage girl.

Is this the work of a super-empowered individual, or Lindsay Lohan in Mean Girls?

The Iraq and Afghan War Logs

In May of 2010, Manning made contact with Adrian Lamo, a computer hacker notorious for gaining access to the New York Times, Yahoo, and Microsoft. Sensing some sort of kindred spirit, Manning confided in Lamo, confessing to stealing a plethora of secret government files. Manning told Lamo that the documents contained “awful things that belonged in the public domain”.

Yet, while the field reports from Iraq and Afghanistan often contain raw accounts of brutal battles, there’s been scant talk of actual war crimes revealed in such documents. Even Wikileaks’ “Collatteral Murder” video, surreptitiously edited to portray US forces in the most damning light, resulted in no adverse action against the United States, nor did it open up serious allegations of war crimes. While brutal and tragic, the gun camera video shows the confusion and chaos of modern conflict, especially when enemies dress like civilians and mingle among the population. Moreover, despite the Wikileaks’ cries of “Collateral Murder”, the video shows American forces rendering aid to children caught in the crossfire, evacuating them to a nearby hospital.

Access to nearly half a million field reports from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan revealed little wrongdoing on the part of the United States, either. The lack of new information on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan demonstrate the amazing transparency with which the wars have been prosecuted. If anything, the largest shocks to come out of the Iraq and Afghan War Logs involve the participation of Pakistan in Afghanistan and Iran in Iraq. The only “bastards” Mr. Assange may “crush” with these revelations are the scores of Iraqi and Afghan informants who sided with the US and its allies against groups such as the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Diplomatic Drama

Wikileaks’ largest coup thus far are nearly 250,000 diplomatic “cables” transmitted through US State Department channels. During online conversations with hacker Adrian Lamo, Manning supposedly felt a sense of disillusionment with the state of diplomatic affairs in the world as a result of these cables. According to chat logs provided by Wired.com:

Manning: i dont believe in good guys versus bad guys anymore… i only a plethora of states acting in self interest… with varying ethics and moral standards of course, but self-interest nonetheless. i mean, we’re better in some respects… we’re much more subtle… use a lot more words and legal techniques to legitimize everything.

Oh, please. This is old news to anyone who’s so much as read the Cliff Notes to Machiavelli’s seminal (perhaps satirical?) work, The Prince.

Nevertheless, despite Manning’s claims of wrongdoing, there have been few shocking revelations in the documents. Sure, they contain candid—almost embarrassing—observations on world leaders, but let us be realistic. The phrase “being diplomatic” itself has become synonymous with uttering niceties in the face of unsavory characters; and “using words and legal techniques to legitimize everything” is far better than relying on the principle of “might makes right”.

So what have we learned thus far? Little of substance. One source claimed that, for the British and the Americans, moaning about the French was “practically a national sport”. Shocking. Another cable, one which, according to my web counter, seems to be generating the most traffic, provided details on Qadaffi’s “voluptuous blonde” nurse. Well, you know what they say about the Internet, right?

The most shocking element thus far involves the…diplomatic…method with which the US has handled Iran. In fact, America’s concern over Iran pales in comparison with that of most Arab nations. Kuwaiti officials expressed concern over suspicions of Iran’s involvement in Yemen, and King Abdullah urged US officials to attack Iran. Jordanian officials even used the metaphor of an octopus with tentacles to describe Iran’s insidious reach. An American diplomat summed up Jordan’s attitudes towards American engagement with Iran as “talk if you must, but don’t sell us out”. Some cables even accuse North Korea of supplying Iran with ballistic missiles capable of striking Europe.

Maybe there actually was something behind that whole “Axis of Evil” speech.

Yet, this release will still play into the fantasies and confirmation biases of those who believe that the US is preparing a vast, global conspiracy. But, of course, they’ll be overlooking the vast majority of documents in which the United States isn’t out to harm the rest of the world.

And, oh, by the way: those who believe in a massive, diabolically brilliant US government will need to reconcile their belief with the fact that the largest intelligence coup in history was perpetrated by a 22-year old private, using the screen name “BradAss87”, and lip-synched to Lady Gaga while downloading scores of classified documents.

As it stands, Wikileaks is in trouble. Manning was right about one thing: Governments do tend to do what’s in their own interest. Chris Albon, the administrator of Conflict Health, remarked grimly that the only secrets states care about are their own. As such, Manning and Assange have exposed damning secrets in Iran, North Korea, Russia, and China.

Mr. Assange might soon find out which nations really are as unscrupulous as he likes to claim the US is.

If it's not one pet peeve, it's another...

2010-11-29T09:59:00.002-05:00

It's only Monday afternoon, but I've already been irked by both Wikileaks and the creators of the Army's information management system, Army Knowledge Online. A recent article in the Army Times quotes Gary Winkler, the Army's top AKO official:

AKO’s program office, which polls 20,000 users each week, reported 78 percent of users said they couldn’t live without AKO e-mail. Winkler did not know the ratio of positive to negative responses from recent polls, but said “a lot of it is positive, with suggestions for improvement.”

I'd wager this is because the poll only collects data from those who log in to AKO in the first place. The more tech-savvy of us are so frustrated that we avoid AKO like the plague, relying on Gmail for all of our work needs. Gmail is fast, it works with nearly every electronic device, we can check it without a chip-enabled military ID card, and most importantly, it's not limited to a paltry 100 megabytes of data, as AKO is.

Not to mention, the myriad of defense computer systems--AKO, the Defense Travel System, the Defense Finance Service's "MyPay", and others--all require separate passwords, each with over a dozen characters. The Army's system is so atrocious that I gave up on checking my officer's record brief prior to my upcoming promotion board. I figured since the promotion rate is close to 98%, it wasn't worth the hassle anyway.

Previous AKO tirades:

AKO Rehab
The Only IT System That Makes AKO Look Good
Now if Only There Were an Application to Replace AKO
AKO Links of the Morning
Bring Your Cloud to Work in Iraq (1 Raindrop)
Rational Rejection of Security Advice (Good scholarly work)

Wikileaks hardly undermines US policy

2010-11-28T15:02:00.022-05:00

Let's look at the latest revelations, for which Bradley Manning faces 52 years in federal prison. (This post will likely be updated several times)

Despite incessant pressure even from Arab nations such as Saudi Arabia, the US has exercised a surprising amount of restraint against Iran. Especially considering the border incidents between Iran and US forces in Iraq. The rest of the world seems just as concerned about Iran's nuclear ambitions as the US is.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's "frequent late nights and penchant for partying hard mean he does not get sufficient rest". Say it isn't so.
The New York Times alludes to links between the Russian government and organized crime. (Or maybe this is just the plot of most 1990s-era action movies...)
There are also allegations of inappropriate behavior within the British royal family. (Has Wikileaks become The Sun?)
Iran is described by US sources as a "complete dictatorship". Who would have thought?
Kim Jong-Il, the Dear Leader of North Korea, is believed to have experienced physical and psychological trauma as a result of his stroke. (Awww, he's just ronery...)
Libyan leader Moammar Qadaffi is "just strange", according to one source. Shocking.
Jackpot! Here's a State Department cable on Qadaffi's eccentricities. According to the cable, Qadaffi likes Flamenco dancing. (Bad mental image) Not to mention, according to my web hits, Qadaffi's female Ukrainian nurse, Alyna Kolotnytska, is clearly the most popular item in all of Wikileaks' latest releases. Julian Assange, I can't hate you now. You've truly done the world a service, though not quite the service you had in mind.
The US State Dept. believes that the 2009 coup against Honduran President Zalaya was illegal, yet still somewhat understandable.
The US is concerned about Africa? What the fuck?!
Russian President Medvedev plays "Robin" to Russian Prime Minister Putin's "Batman". You know what this calls for?
On a serious note, North Korea supplied Iran with long-range missiles. Spencer Ackerman speculates that this might be the impetus behind Europe's recent defense shield.
A 1966 cable indicates that the Argentine Navy's recent claims of "preferential jurisdiction" out to "200 meter isobar" does not include the Falkland Islands. Whew, glad to know they won't be trying to invade and annex the Falklands or anything...
OMFG--US sold F-4E Phantoms to the Shah Iran in 1972. Color me shocked.

Chris Albon sums up the ambivalence towards Wikileaks thusly: "Want to turn the public against Wikileaks? Leak them Gmail's database. The only secrets people care about are their own."

He also produced a diplomatic cable, dated this morning:

Wikileaks: Qadaffi is balling out of control

2010-11-28T13:23:00.001-05:00

Update: Great, all the perverts are coming to this post looking for scandalous pictures.

I could have told you this. According to the New York Times' latest article on Wikileaks:

Likewise, press reports detailed the unhappiness of the Libyan leader, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, when he was not permitted to set up his tent in Manhattan or to visit ground zero during a United Nations session last year.

But the cables add to the tale a touch of scandal and alarm. They describe the volatile Libyan leader as rarely without the companionship of “his senior Ukrainian nurse,” described as “a voluptuous blonde.” They reveal that Colonel Qaddafi was so upset by his reception in New York that he balked at carrying out a promise to return dangerous enriched uranium to Russia. The American ambassador to Libya told Colonel Qaddafi’s son “that the Libyan government had chosen a very dangerous venue to express its pique,” a cable reported to Washington.

Ahem, remember the Balling Out Of Control Center of Excellence, anyone?

This is going to revolutionize the world?

2010-11-28T10:25:00.003-05:00

It looks as if readers in Basel, Switzerland, already have access to the latest Wikileaks coup, courtesy of Der Spiegel. Some of the highlights (prepare to be shocked).

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is likened to "Hitler" in US State Department correspondence. Come on, it's not like Ahmadinejad is an anti-Semitic holocaust denier, right?
Afghan President Hamid Karzai is allegedly driven by "paranoia" (Note: "Karzai paranoia" comes up with about 86,000 results in Google)
For the British and Americans, "moaning about the French is practically a sport". (You don't say...)

This isn't so much a revolution in world affairs so much as it is the basic plot of the Lindsay Lohan movie "Mean Girls". Let's just grow the fuck up. We all--individuals and governments alike--need a few secrets here and there.

Tanks in Helmand: Good idea, though with caveats

2010-11-28T09:27:00.001-05:00

The gang at Small Wars Journal has been weighing in on the recent decision to deploy 14 M-1A1 Abrams tanks to Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan. The clash of Titans in the comments section involves such minds as Major Neil "Cavguy" Smith, Major Mike Few, Dave Dilegge, and Frank Hoffman.

Needless to say, the US Army can be somewhat passionate when it comes to tanks, and the armor corps in particular. Thus, emotions ran high among the ex-tankers at Ink Spots, in an article entitled "Tanks in Helmand: Great Idea or Greatest Idea?".

Some, such as Foreign Policy's Michael Waltz, have decried the use of tanks in counter-insurgency campaigns, while others sing their praises. After all, no matter how skilled one is at negotiations and tribal shurgas, counterinsurgency will inevitably resemble the mailed fist more than it does the velvet glove at times. In those instances, it never hurts to have an M-1 Abrams on your side.

I suspect the truth is somewhere in between. Waltz does bring up a very salient criticism of tanks, and of the US military's new line of armored vehicles in general. Counterinsurgency efforts generally thrive on dismounted troops interacting with the population. In fact, David Kilcullen has frequently noted that the "commute to war" approach provides counterinsurgents with little situational awareness.

These difficulties are compounded in Afghanistan, as armored vehicles such as the MRAP and M-1 Abrams are unable to traverse much of the rugged terrain. Waltz' coverage of Afghanistan took him to a mountaintop village governed by the Mangal Tribe. The Mangal's territory occupies a strategic blocking point which separates Pakistan from Khost Procince. With US forces unable to reach the village by MRAP, the region has fallen victim to Taliban intimidation, control, and indoctrination. For the past year and a half, the Taliban have used the area as a training camp, and manufacture scores of improvised explosive devices.

Thus, as the counterinsurgency manual points out, paradoxically, "the more you protect your forces, the less secure they may be".

Nevertheless, in an overall supporting role, tanks still pack quite a wallop, and might make insurgents think twice before attacking. Their role in offensive operations is also unparalleled as well. The Canadians and Danes have figured this out already, using their Leopards to great effect--the Canadians most notably so in Panjwali, Kandahar in 2006.

And while, ultimately, the best defense against roadside bombs involves attacking and disrupting those that plant the devices, these efforts are hardly foolproof. Let's not give up the armor just yet.

Thus, it's not the size of one's schwartz that counts in counterinsurgency. It's how well one handles it. Infantry-centric, yes. But don't forget the tanks.

Addendum: Rex Brynen did identify a puzzling statement in the original Washington Post article, though.

Although military officials are apologetic [from tanks] in public, they maintain privately that the tactic has a benefit beyond the elimination of insurgent bombs. By making people travel to the district governor's office to submit a claim for damaged property, "in effect, you're connecting the government to the people," the senior officer said.

Oh, they'll make contact with some government, all right. But my guess is that grievances won't be filed through the local Afghan government, but rather, the Taliban.

(I'm surprised the Great Satan's Girlfriend hasn't pontificated on the recent "Panzerfaust" in Helmand. Courtney, I expect better out of you...)

State Department leaks might not just harm the US

2010-11-27T16:48:00.006-05:00

Update: Small Wars Journal has the roundup, and Kings of War has the best analysis thus far.

Julian Assange and his ever-dwindling crew at Wikileaks are at it again. Shortly after the arrest of Army intelligence analyst Pfc. Bradley Manning, Wired Magazine, largely responsible for breaking the Manning story, reported that the 22-year old currently in government custody had stolen some 260,000 "diplomatic cables".

What might such documents contain? The chat logs between Bradley Manning and ex-hacker Adrian Lamo, who first reported Manning's activities to government officials, might reveal some clues. In fact, judging by the logs, the State Department files might be the mother lode. And it might not just be the US that gets its dirty laundry aired, either. From the Lamo-Manning chat logs, dated 22 May 2010:

(1:45:00 PM) Lamo: what kind of scandal?

(1:45:16 PM) Manning: hundreds of them

(1:45:40 PM) Lamo: like what? I’m genuinely curious about details.

(1:46:01 PM) Manning: i dont know… theres so many… i dont have the original material anymore

(1:46:18 PM) Manning: uhmm… the Holy See and its position on the Vatican sex scandals

(1:46:26 PM) Lamo: play it by ear

(1:46:29 PM) Manning: the broiling one in Germany

(1:47:36 PM) Manning: im sorry, there’s so many… its impossible for any one human to read all quarter-million… and not feel overwhelmed… and possibly desensitized

(1:48:20 PM) Manning: the scope is so broad… and yet the depth so rich

(1:48:50 PM) Lamo: give me some bona fides … yanno? any specifics.

(1:49:40 PM) Manning: this one was a test: Classified cable from US Embassy Reykjavik on Icesave dated 13 Jan 2010

(1:50:30 PM) Manning: the result of that one was that the icelandic ambassador to the US was recalled, and fired

(1:51:02 PM) Manning: thats just one cable…

(1:51:14 PM) Lamo: Anything unreleased?

(1:51:25 PM) Manning: i’d have to ask assange

(1:51:53 PM) Manning: i zerofilled the original

(1:51:54 PM) Lamo: why do you answer to him?

(1:52:29 PM) Manning: i dont… i just want the material out there… i dont want to be a part of it

...

(2:12:45 PM) Manning: I gathered more info when i questioned him whenever he was being tailed in Sweden by State Department officials… i was trying to figure out who was following him… and why… and he was telling me stories of other times he’s been followed… and they matched up with the ones he’s said publicly

(2:14:28 PM) Lamo: did that bear out? the surveillance?

(2:14:46 PM) Manning: based on the description he gave me, I assessed it was the Northern Europe Diplomatic Security Team… trying to figure out how he got the Reykjavik cable…

Manning's motivation? Well, shattered naivety, for one. Check out his chat logs from 25 May:

(02:26:01 PM) Manning: i dont believe in good guys versus bad guys anymore… i only a plethora of states acting in self interest… with varying ethics and moral standards of course, but self-interest nonetheless

(02:26:18 PM) Manning: s/only/only see/

(02:26:47 PM) Lamo: the tm meant i was being facetious

(02:26:59 PM) Manning: gotchya

(02:27:47 PM) Manning: i mean, we’re better in some respects… we’re much more subtle… use a lot more words and legal techniques to legitimize everything

(02:28:00 PM) Manning: its better than disappearing in the middle of the night

(02:28:19 PM) Manning: but just because something is more subtle, doesn’t make it right

(02:29:04 PM) Manning: i guess im too idealistic

(02:31:02 PM) Manning: i think the thing that got me the most… that made me rethink the world more than anything

(02:35:46 PM) Manning: was watching 15 detainees taken by the Iraqi Federal Police… for printing “anti-Iraqi literature”… the iraqi federal police wouldn’t cooperate with US forces, so i was instructed to investigate the matter, find out who the “bad guys” were, and how significant this was for the FPs… it turned out, they had printed a scholarly critique against PM Maliki… i had an interpreter read it for me… and when i found out that it was a benign political critique titled “Where did the money go?” and following the corruption trail within the PM’s cabinet… i immediately took that information and *ran* to the officer to explain what was going on… he didn’t want to hear any of it… he told me to shut up and explain how we could assist the FPs in finding *MORE* detainees…

(02:35:46 PM) Lamo : I’m not here right now

(02:36:27 PM) Manning: everything started slipping after that… i saw things differently

(02:37:37 PM) Manning: i had always questioned the things worked, and investigated to find the truth… but that was a point where i was a *part* of something… i was actively involved in something that i was completely against…

(02:38:12 PM) Lamo: That could happen in Colombia.

(02:38:21 PM) Lamo: Different cultures, dude.

(02:38:28 PM) Lamo: Life is cheaper.

(02:38:34 PM) Manning: oh im quite aware

So far we have alleged scandals in Germany, the Vatican, Iceland, and apparently, surveillance of Julian Assange in Sweden (though not necessarily a "honey trap" as some claim)--all of it "secret", not "top secret".

I wonder what the ultimate impact of such revelations might be. The shocking insight that the Vatican's official stance towards sex scandals might be to downplay them? Deny them? Silence them? Please, that's hardly newsworthy. South Park has been lampooning this for years. Alleged leaks regarding American concern over Guantanamo Bay inmate Omar Khadr are also old news.

What's next, is Wikileaks going to produce a document claiming that Pope Benedict XVI was in the Hitler Youth? I mean, talk about ridiculous...

(Wait, he actually was in the Hitler Youth?)

Nevertheless, Wikileaks is never short of salacious, albeit frivolous, surprises. I wonder what this next release might bring.

Addendum: I've been reliably informed that you might want to start looking in to the Seychelles Islands, Mali, Ukraine, the Office of Military Cooperation-Yemen, Jundallah, Dagestan, and Balochistan, as well as the State Department's Intelligence Arm and Counter-Terrorism Office.

Decision Points (A Totally Original Title)

2010-11-24T17:53:00.003-05:00

After two weeks in Texas, my next order of business was deciding where to go over the Thanksgiving break. I made decision the way I make all of my important decisions in life--by asking everyone on the Internet to decide for me. (Apparently, I am not The Decider)

I got a wide range of responses. Xavier Rauscher, my French ami, suggested Strasbourg, in Alsace-Lorraine Province in France. Alsace-Lorraine, and particularly Verdun, has the scene of many battles between the French and the Germans, and, according to Barbara Tuchman, it was a land so beautiful it was worth fighting for.

Others, such as Xavier's British friend Aaron Ellis, suggested a trip to the east, through Athens. The British always like to go through Europe through Greece for some reason. One of the Panda Hat twins suggested I go to Krakow in Poland, while others suggested I go to Prague, others suggested Budapest, while the northern option--through Denmark and the Netherlands--remained a distinct option.

Thus, I was faced with quite a dilemma. From Germany, do I go East or West. Or even North. (Your typical German dilemma, it seems) Of course, one of my Twitter followers came up with the astute observation:

"If you really wanted to act like the Germans, you'd go both East and West"

True, true, but my BMW can only go so fast, and I already got "blitzed" by a hidden camera, so I might want to watch my speed in the near future. Thus, it's off to Alsace-Lorraine in France, to the battlefields near Verdun.

Any suggestions?

Boundless Cruelty

2010-11-24T13:20:00.003-05:00

Photo from "Canadian Forces" on Facebook

It seems that a malicious practical joke--and I use the term "joke" very loosely--has made its way from the US into Canada. The Montreal Gazette reports that families in Quebec are receiving phone calls from a sadistic caller informing them that their loved ones were killed in Afghanistan.

This isn't just a prank, either; it's often the prelude to a scam. In 2008, a newspaper in Clarksville, TN, reported that two men in Army dress uniforms knocked on doors of spouses at Fort Campbell, home of the US Army's 101st Airborne Division.

Scammers, convincingly-dressed in military uniforms, can cause enough distress that victims might might divulge personal information, such as Social Security Numbers, frequently written on military paperwork. Such information can be used for identity fraud.

The best way to stop this scam in its tracks is to educate family members. A US Army news release from Fort Knox, not far from Fort Campbell, describes family members receiving training on the casualty notification process.

Service members might easily spot a fraud in a dress uniform. After all, a trained soldier can usually spot a uniform infraction a mile away. Spouses, however, often have a harder time doing so, as many only see their loved ones in utility uniforms.

Phony Casualty Notification Officers (CNOs) also steal cues from Hollywood movies; expressing condolences on behalf of the President of the United States, not the Secretary of the Army. Other subtle clues might also give away a fraud; real CNOs always refer to the deceased service member by name, never using phrases such as "his remains will be transferred to Dover". According to Army officials, such terminology dehumanizes the deceased service member.

Most importantly, notifications are never made over the phone, neither in the US, nor in Canada. (Though advances in information technology makes the military's job far more difficult)

Both Canadian and US forces are working to educate families on the casualty notification process.

North Korea fires rocket artillery at South Korean island

2010-11-23T01:48:00.001-05:00

Reports are coming in that North Korea has allegedly fired rocket artillery--some ~~fifty~~ two hundred rounds--at Yeonpyeong Island in the Yellow Sea. Rounds have apparently hit buildings on the South Korean island, and were met with a barrage from South Korea.

Steve Herman, of the Voice of America in Seoul, Korea, has said "this is getting quite serious".

Addendum: The picture to the right is being touted as the aftermath of the North Korean attack.

More as this chaotic situation unfolds.

Update: I have one report that the US has deployed a sub-launched Scan Eagle UAV to survey the damage.

Update: VOA reports that South Korea is mulling taking the incident straight to the UN.

Update: Report that PACOM has established two Combined Joint Task Forces, CJTF 71-1 and CJTF 72-1.

Update: I just got a message that says, "Things you should be Googling: USS JIMMY CARTER, Diego Garcia, Scan Eagle UAVs, SSGNs".

Dear Friends: I Quit

2010-11-23T01:18:00.001-05:00

According to the Washington Post, around 40% of Taliban "defectors" are imposters.

KABUL - A man purporting to be one of the Taliban's most senior commanders convinced both Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the NATO officials who flew him to Afghanistan's capital for meetings, but two senior Afghan officials now believe the man was a lowly shopkeeper from the Pakistani city of Quetta...

...The Afghans said they have not concluded what motivations the man was pursuing in taking the risk to claim he was a member of the Taliban's leadership council, the Quetta Shura, and in allowing himself to be escorted to Kabul to meet Karzai.

Some speculate that Pakistan's intelligence service might have sent the man to test the waters, to see what the Afghan government was offering. They also suggested this might have been a business opportunity, as senior insurgents potentially stand to make large sums of money if they defect.

"He could have been sent by the ISI," said one of the Afghan officials, referring to the Inter-Services Intelligence directorate, Pakistan's spy agency.

Mansour was said to have taken over as the No. 2 Taliban commander after Abdul Ghani Baradar was arrested early this year by Pakistani officials. Afghan officials are convinced that the Pakistanis arrested Baradar because he had begun talking with the Afghan government about possible negotiations without their consent. Pakistan is widely suspected by U.S. and Afghan officials of harboring some insurgent leaders, including members of the Quetta Shura.

American officials pursuing lower-level Taliban defections have also struggled with identifying who they are dealing with. The senior NATO official said that about 40 percent of the time the men turning themselves over to the government may not be the Taliban fighters they claim to be, but rather are looking for money or protection or something else...

..."One would suspect that in our multibillion-dollar intel community there would be the means to differentiate between an authentic Quetta Shura emissary and a shopkeeper," ssaid a U.S. official in Kabul who did not know about the particulars of the Mullah Mansour case. "On the other hand, it doesn't surprise me in the slightest. It may have been Mullah Omar posing as a shopkeeper; I'm sure that our intel whizzes wouldn't have known."

Seriously? The hell with this Army stuff, I could turn this into a serious career! I mean, I could get either paid thousands of dollars to play make-believe with ISAF officials for a few hours, or, well, this:

I think I know which one I prefer...

Epic Facepalm

2010-11-22T23:07:00.003-05:00

General James Mattis once advised his Marines in Anbar Province that an America that worked with Stalin to defeat Hitler could certainly work with former insurgents to defeat al-Qaeda in Iraq. Similarly, the US has attempted the same approach in Afghanistan, choosing to work with more moderate elements of the Taliban instead of the hard-core extremists, in an attempt to further Afghanistan's the peace process.

Only, instead of working with Stalin to defeat Hitler, we've just been dealing with Crazy Ivan from down the street. Reports the New York Times:

Taliban Leader in Secret Talks Was an Impostor

KABUL, Afghanistan — For months, the secret talks unfolding between Taliban and Afghan leaders to end the war appeared to be showing promise, if only because of the repeated appearance of a certain insurgent leader at one end of the table: Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, one of the most senior commanders in the Taliban movement.

But now, it turns out, Mr. Mansour was apparently not Mr. Mansour at all. In an episode that could have been lifted from a spy novel, United States and Afghan officials now say the Afghan man was an impostor, and high-level discussions conducted with the assistance of NATO appear to have achieved little.

“It’s not him,” said a Western diplomat in Kabul intimately involved in the discussions. “And we gave him a lot of money.”

American officials confirmed Monday that they had given up hope that the Afghan was Mr. Mansour, or even a member of the Taliban leadership.

NATO and Afghan officials said they held three meetings with the man, who traveled from across the border in Pakistan, where Taliban leaders have taken refuge.

The fake Taliban leader even met with President Hamid Karzai, having been flown to Kabul on a NATO aircraft and ushered into the presidential palace, officials said.

The episode underscores the uncertain and even bizarre nature of the atmosphere in which Afghan and American leaders search for ways to bring the nine-year-old American-led war to an end. The leaders of the Taliban are believed to be hiding in Pakistan, possibly with the assistance of the Pakistani government, which receives billions of dollars in American aid.

Is this week over yet?

Update: Lauren Jenkins tweets thusly, "At least we weren't negotiating with terrorists"!

I facepalm more by 9 AM than most people facepalm all day...

2010-11-22T08:24:00.000-05:00

Photo from Camilla Fuhr's "In the Sandbox"

By the time I had my second cup of coffee, I'd had enough facepalm for the week.

According to multiple sources (New York Times, Al-Jazeera, BBC, CNN) Mark Sedwill, the former British Ambassador to Afghanistan and the NATO's ranking civilian advisor to Afghanistan has reported that children in Kabul are safer than in London, Glasgow, or New York.

I first received the link from exasperated Afghanitan experts somewhere around 8:30 this morning. Camilla Fuhr, a freelance journalist who has traveled extensively with NATO troops in Afghanistan, summed it up best with three characters in her Twitter feed, "WTF". Camilla's response beat out Kabul-based blogger Una Moore's "Um, no" and Michael Yon's "Things that make you go 'hmmmm'".

Children may be safer growing up in Kabul than they are in London, Glasgow or New York, a Nato official has said. Mark Sedwill said the Afghan capital, as a "city of villages", was better for youngsters than many Western cities, despite dangers posed by the conflict. The senior civilian representative told CBBC's Newsround: "Most children can go about their lives in safety."

Don't believe the press? Listen for yourself. (Thanks, Ian)

Sedwill's comments are even more bizarre when comparing them to statements later in his speech, such as:

In Kabul and the other big cities actually there are very few of these bombs. The children are probably safer here than they would be in London, New York or Glasgow or many other cities.

So, aside from the trivial matter of bombs, then, Kabul is completely safe. Thanks for clearing that up. We should also exclude other trivial matters as high child mortality rates (largely due to preventable diseases), gun battles, and the occasional Taliban who decides to throw sulfuric acid in the faces of girls attending school. That's just in Kabul alone, mind you. This is what happens when we surround ourselves with concrete walls and build a Baghdad-style Green Zone in Kabul. Public diplomacy FAIL.

(By the way, some cool dude said this was a bad idea about two years ago)

Wikileaks counteracts coffee

2010-11-22T02:04:00.002-05:00

I'm going to need more coffee after viewing this one.

Thanks to RogueAdventurer, I happened upon Wikileaks' latest series of Tweets.

"Redefine the world"? Sorry, but nearly unfettered access to the inner workings of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have hardly swayed public opinion. The Afghan War Diary and the Iraq War logs have done little more than play into the public's pre-existing confirmation biases.

This may very well be the most ridiculous hype since the infamous "What is IT" campaign which preceded the Segway. Though it does raise the question as to what might be contained in the upcoming leak; my guess is that it might be over 260,000 US State Department diplomatic cables thought stolen by Bradley Manning.

I'm glad this is a short week for us Yanks, because I don't think I could handle this much facepalm. I might be better off spending my time helping Doctrine Man find a new sidekick. I think journalist Carl Prine might have the best idea for both a sidekick and a nemesis ever.

And in other news, Britain's Prince William might be having the best week ever. Not only did he recently announce his engagement to Kate Middleton, but just hours after his announcement, he piloted his Sea King helicopter in a daring mountainside rescue of a stricken hiker.

Most Awesome Week Ever

2010-11-19T12:41:00.001-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, my goal in life is to beat Spencer Ackerman and Adam Weinstein to the weekly roundup punch. Modest goals, but goals nonetheless.

In this week's realm of awesomeness, I passed my check ride for the LUH-72A Lakota, thanks to the excellent instruction from the gang at American Eurocopter in Grand Prairie, Texas. Great pilots, and great instructors all.

However, Aitor from Ireland did raise an eyebrow at the US Army's habit of naming helicopters after Native American tribes. It's a curious tradition, dating back to the Korean War-era H-13 Sioux, featured in the television show M*A*S*H. The inspiration stems from Army Aviation's previous home in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where many Native American tribes eventually settled. The Army's custom became formalized in Army Regulation 70-28, published in 1969.

Though, it should be said, the Lakota are, quite possibly, one of the most notorious Native American tribes, infamous for defeating George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn. Even more surprising is that the Lakota helicopter, now manufactured by Eurocopter, previously known as the BK-117C2, was originally manufactured by Messerschmitt, which created some of the Luftwaffe's most fearsome fighter planes.

As Aitor astutely notes, not only will America defeat you in battle, but we will also market your name. Yay capitalism!

The biggest news this week was the awarding of the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta, who is the first living person to receive the medal since the Vietnam War. President Obama presented the medal to Staff Sgt. Giunta in a ceremony at the White house this week, calling Giunta "as humble as he is heroic". Yet, that didn't stop some from offering ill-conceived critiques; fortunately, Adam Weinstein, the Ink Spots crew and the Panda Hat Twins promptly shot such criticism down.

In other news, the US is deploying M-1 Abrams tanks to Afghanistan for the first time. (Just don't tell anyone we stole this idea from the Canadians and the Danes) Col. Gian Gentile and Mark Twain weighed in on counterinsurgency, Ackerman explored a super-secret insurgent hunting jet (with a built-in bar), and Caped Crusader Doctrine Man made the New York Times.

Yet, all was not entirely awesome. An F-22 Raptor, the most advanced fighter in the world, recently crashed in Alaska, with the pilot, Captain Jeffrey Haney, still reported missing. Ian Elliot also reports on one solider's sacrifice which has helped save dozens of lives. Plus, if this story doesn't make you tear up, you're simply not human.

And if this week in awesomeness seems somewhat sparse, consider I'm typing this up on an iPad. Yes, the iPad does have some limitations, especially if you're the sort of blogger that posts dozens of links within one blog post. Anyone know a good blogging app?

F-22 Raptor crashes south of Denali National Park, Alaska. Search continues for pilot.

2010-11-18T13:54:00.000-05:00

(Author's note: This should have posted last night, but the iPad's blogging software ia a little buggy)

Earlier today, reports indicated that an F-22 Raptor, the most advanced fighter jet in the world, crashed on a routine training flight. The wreckage of the stealth fighter plane, based in Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Alaska, were discovered around 10:15 local time (roughly 19:15 Greenwich Mean Time). Helicopters arriving on scene were unable to land or determine whether the pilot was near the crash site.

Fresh helicopter crews are resuming the search for the pilot, who would almost certainly be battling for his life against the elements. The region just south of the Denali National Park is ringed with mountain peaks, and is home to sub-zero temperatures.

More to follow as the search continues.

President: Medal of Honor recipient as "humble as he is heroic".

2010-11-16T18:51:00.003-05:00

President Barack Obama awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor in the US military, to Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta in a ceremony at the White House today. Staff Sgt. Giunta is the first living American to receive the award since the Vietnam War.

No words of mine are adequate for the occasion. I'll defer to Leo Shane of Stars and Stripes:

[Giunta] was honored for his bravery during his second deployment to Afghanistan, while serving as a rifle team leader with a company from the Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in the Korengal Valley.

On Oct. 25, 2007, then-Spc. Giunta’s squad was ambushed by insurgents and two soldiers were cut off from the rest. In the initial moments of the firefight, Giunta ventured out into enemy fire to pull a comrade back to cover. Minutes later, he sprinted through enemy fire to stop a pair of insurgents from abducting another wounded soldier.

Obama called Giunta “a soldier as humble as he is heroic” and drew laughs from the crowd when he broke from his prepared speech and remarked that “I really like this guy.”

The upbeat mood of the ceremony was a sharp contrast to the seven others held for heroes of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, all awarded their Medals of Honor posthumously.

Instead of presenting the medal in a wooden box to a set of mourning parents, Obama had to straighten the ribbon around Giunta’s neck after presenting it to him. Instead of polite applause, teammates of Giunta shouted “Hoo-ah” at every opportunity.

In Vicenza, Italy, where Giunta is stationed, about 100 soldiers and spouses gathered at the base entertainment complex to watch the live broadcast of the ceremony.

Sgt. Major Ruben Diaz, the battalion operations noncommissioned officer, said all of those gathered were excited to see one of their own honored with the country’s highest award for heroism.

“A lot of pride,” he said. “You could see it in this room.

“At any one time, you could be the leader. You have to be ready. Be prepared. It’s a lesson every senior NCO tries to get across. … Sal’s a good example.”

After the event Guinta took a more somber tone with his remarks, taking time to honor his two teammates killed that day: Spc. Hugo Mendoza and Sgt. Joshua Brennan, the man he saved from abduction.

“This is an incredible time, but it’s also kind of a bittersweet time. Because of this day, I lost two dear friends of mine,” he said. “I would give this back in a second to have those friends here with me now.

“There are so many others that are the unsung heroes of this war who will never come back to a handshake, or a hug from their families. We have to take the time to remember them.”

Obama also recognized the parents of Mendoza and Brennan, thanking them first during his speech and then privately after the ceremony.

In the weeks leading up to the White House event, Giunta frequently noted that he felt his actions were nothing extraordinary, but instead something any soldier would do. Obama challenged that idea in his praise.

“Your actions disrupted a devastating ambush before it could claim more lives,” Obama said, turning to his right to face Giunta. “Your courage prevented the capture of an American soldier and brought that soldier back to his family. You may believe that you don’t deserve this honor, but it was your fellow soldiers who recommended you for it.

“We’re all in your debt. And I’m proud to be your commander-in-chief.”

Two things marred the day, though. The first was that, instead of airing the awards ceremony, American television networks continued to air soap operas and "Real Housewives of Atlanta". Sorry, but Staff Sergeant Giunta's actions are reality television; and reality television worth watching.

But what really got on my nerves was a recent op-ed decrying the "feminization" of the Medal of Honor for actions such as (gasp) saving the lives of one's comrades, instead of killing the enemy. Fortunately, Adam Weinstein took the liberty of tearing that op-ed to shreds so I don't have to. Suffice to say that there are probably dozens of combat medics rolling in their graves over that op-ed.

Eurocopter: The little things

2010-11-14T16:01:00.001-05:00

The US Army's gotten a good deal out of the Eurocopter 145, redesignated as the LUH-72A Lakota. Nevertheless, my transition from the UH-60 Black Hawk to the Lakota has had a few bumps.

Of course, there are the obvious differences between the UH-60 and the LUH-72; the Lakota features a glass cockpit and skids, while the L-model Black Hawk still has old-fashioned "steam" gauges and wheeled landing gear.

But there are a few minor differences that take some getting used to. Fitting for a helicopter company that builds most of its products with a clockwise-rotating rotor system, the pilot's door handle rotates in the opposite direction as that of the Black Hawk, which is cause for some facepamingly-bad embarrassment.

(Mercifully, the LUH's main rotor system rotates in the "right" direction, so I don't have to bungle through putting in right pedal and right cyclic on takeoff)

There's also the curious design quirk of an engine throttle which works in the opposite direction as that of the Bell 206 JetRanger, the US Army's training aircraft during the initial stages of flight school. What has two thumbs and nearly shut down an engine instead of starting it? Oh yeah, this guy.

Full-Spectrum Operations = Facepalm?

2010-11-14T11:09:00.001-05:00

According to Doctrine Man, this was inspired by someone who argued that Haiti, Somalia, and the Balkans were "counter-insurgency" operations.

Yet another moment of Facepalm.

Grand Prairie, Texas

2010-11-13T19:46:00.001-05:00

My time in Grand Prairie, Texas thus far reminds me of a quote--unsourced--generally attributed to General Philip Sheridan.

"If I owned both Hell and Texas, I'd live in Hell and rent out Texas"

If this is a quote behaving badly, please let me know.

One final poem

2010-11-11T20:50:00.001-05:00

Andrew Exum has a great collection of Veterans Day poems up at CNAS. However, there's one very important poem, from none other than legendary author Rudyard Kipling, which sums up the day:

"Tommy"

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o'beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:

O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's ``Thank you, Mister Atkins,'' when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's ``Thank you, Mr. Atkins,'' when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.

Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy how's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints:
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;

While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind,"
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country," when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
But Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!

There is some humor in Veteran's Day, though...

2010-11-11T08:15:00.002-05:00

From Task Force Panda Hat co-commander Lauren Jenkins:

Too soon?

In Non-Missile-Over-LA-News...

2010-11-11T06:47:00.004-05:00

Note: This blog will dedicate precisely zero text to the ~~missile~~ jet contrail found over LA the other day.

The big news, of course, is that a recent deficit reduction commission recommendeda slew of cuts to the Defense Department that is sure to have the American public up in arms.

Make no mistake, an ever-increasing deficit is surely as great a threat to American power as a non-existent Chinese aircraft carrier or non-existent Russian Pak-FA fighters. But where to cut, and how much? That's going to be the painful question we'll be asking of ourselves over the next few years. Suffice to say, Americans, as a rule prefer cutting spending for someone else's pet project, and, of course, don't want to pay any additional taxes to curb the deficit either.

We truly live in interesting times.

The Pentagon has been in the midst of its own "guns-vs-butter" debate, weighing major weapons system procurement against spending on the health and well-being of the all-volunteer force. It's a precarious debate. While cost overruns are frequently lampooned in the media--the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter being one of the most notable as of late--few mention the cost overruns in the "butter" portion of the budget. The military's health care costs have doubled in the last ten years, and now take up roughly ten percent of the US military's budget, despite no increase in insurance premiums. With a fleet of ships and airplanes which are increasingly aging and shrinking, new weapons procurement, in some cases, will have to take precedence over "butter" issues.

But where? According to the study, F-35 production, like that of the F-22, will be capped, with F-16s and F/A-18s filling the gap. I can agree with this one--the aging fighter fleet needs replacement machines, though I suspect this might be filled with a combination of 5th Generation fighters, 4.5 Generation fighters, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Similarly, the Marine Corps' V-22 Ospreys, only now beginning to come into their own, will also be halted, with the venerable UH-60 Black Hawk filling the gap. There are also proposals to reduce the number of troops in Europe and Asia by 50,000; nearly one-third. With the end of the Cold War, the remaining garrisons in Europe are largely a relic of the past, though they do offer strategic movement, and offer a good opportunity to partner and train with fellow NATO nations. (Your existential question of the day: what is NATO, really?)

But perhaps one of the most shocking suggestions is freezing service member pay at its 2011 level for the next three years.

Okay, maybe I only oppose that one because it affects my personal pocketbook. Perhaps my commitment to deficit reduction only goes so far...

Armistice Day

2010-11-11T06:26:00.002-05:00

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

"In Flanders Fields"
Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army