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Armor for Iraq
AFIS WASHINGTON, Oct. 29, 2004 ‘ The assembly lines are moving 24/7 to keep up with the demand for up-armored vehicles in Iraq and for conversion kits to add extra protection to vehicles already there. Gary Motsek, director of support operations for the U.S. Army Materiel Command, said the effort to provide increased vehicle protection against grenades, improvised explosive devices and small-arms fire is progressing fast and furiously as demand continues to increase. Nearly 5,100 up-armored Humvees have been delivered to Army and Marine Corps units in Iraq, with another 724 on ships bound for the theater, Motsek said. There, the up-armored Humvees are being issued to units based on their missions ‘ regardless whether they’re Army or Marine Corps, or active or reserve component, Motsek emphasized. “These factors have no bearing … Read entire article »
Filed under: Body Armor, Military, War on Terror
An Election in Time of War
A Presidential election is held during a war. The serving President is vilified, called all sorts of names. The Democratic party nominates a man who is a veteran, and runs primarily on that experience. The Party adopts a platform describing the conduct of the war to date as flawed, wrong, and calls for a negotiated end to the conflict. It argues that the President has changed the resons for the war, and that a war to free other human beings is wrong. It further charges that the President is violating the Constitutional rights of Americans. Look at the election of 1864. The Civil War was dragging on, casulties were mounting. There had been massive draft riots in Northern cities. The Union had lost at Chancellorsville and barely won at Gettysburg in … Read entire article »
Filed under: American Politics, Commentary, Original writing, Politics
Sgt. Tommy Rieman
U.S. Army FORT BRAGG, N.C. (Army News Service, Aug. 26, 2004) — In a fight, two against one is bad odds. Ten against one is a recipe for disaster. Yet those were the odds Sgt. Tommy Rieman and his squad faced and beat when they were ambushed by more than 50 anti-American insurgents near Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq last December. Rieman, 24, a team leader in Company B, 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, was awarded the Purple Heart and the Silver Star for his actions that day during a ceremony at Devil Brigade Field August 6. He was also awarded the Army Commendation Medal with a ‘V’ device for valor for a separate reconnaissance mission that took place in March 2003. On December 3 of last year, Rieman … Read entire article »
Filed under: Heroes, Iraq, Military, War on Terror, WOT Heroes
Just How Many Gallons
does it take? AFP A landmark bridge in Indonesia’s Sumatra island may collapse because too many people are fond of urinating on one of its steel pillars. Public works officials have found that the Ampera bridge, the landmark of Palembang city, the capital of South Sumatra province, has begun to lean on an angle and rocks slightly when traffic is heavy, the Jakarta Post said. An official at the public works department in Palembang, Azmi Lakoni, was quoted as saying the bridge had deteriorated because people often took a leak on one of its piers, corroding the structure. “We are concerned that one of its main support piers has been weakened by urine, as it is a popular spot for locals to relieve themselves,” Lakoni said. He added that the acidic fluid’s corrosive forces … Read entire article »
Filed under: Odd News
Estonia Mourns
The Estonian military has lost its second soldier in support of the coalition liberating Iraq. MNF Baghdad, Iraq — One Task Force Baghdad Soldier died and five others were wounded Oct. 25, when an improvised explosive device detonated at about 11:15 a.m. in western Baghdad. A two-and-a-half-ton truck was also damaged in the blast. The injured were evacuated to a nearby military medical facility. The incident is under investigation. These are the soldiers of the Stone Platoon, which I blogged about on October 22. Here is the letter that I faxed to the Embassy and to the NYC Consulate: To the Government and people of Estonia: I would like to extend my personal condolences and those of the American people to the nation and people of Estonia for the death of an Estonian soldier this week … Read entire article »
Filed under: Iraq, Military, Our Allies, War on Terror
China’s Third Quarter
BBC Third-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) was 9.1%, down from 9.6% in the second and 9.8% in the first.[snip] Analysts said that China will be heartened by Friday’s data, which showed urban fixed-asset investment, a key indicator, slowing. It rose by 28% in the third quarter, less than the 30% increase seen in the previous six months. Separate figures showed that consumer price growth slowed by more than expected in September. The annual rate of inflation was 5.2% last month, compared with a forecast of 5.3%. Frankly, this is like slowing your car from 150 mph to 120 mph. Nice, but hardly a slowdown. The inflation rate is pure bullshit. It’s a communist, centrally-driven economy. The government subsidizes food and energy prices. The term “inflation rate” is meaningless under the circumstances. The GDP figure is … Read entire article »
Filed under: Analysis, China, China's Economy, Original writing
Grandma…
“He said, ‘Grandma, if anything is going to happen to any of us, make sure they continue with the war until it’s finished,’ ” she said. a href=”http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&e=1&u=/ap/cheney_grandmother” target=”blank”>AP More than a thousand American soldiers have been killed in Iraq, but few families have been as deeply affected by it as the Hobbses. Hobbs’ son, her daughter-in-law and another grandson all have served in Iraq, and her son is headed back for another stint, probably around Thanksgiving. Her daughter-in-law just re-enlisted and would be heading back to Iraq too, but she’s pregnant, and will go next year instead. Hobbs’ other grandson, a Special Forces soldier, just returned and “I hope he’s home for good,” she said. Her grandson Steven D. Conover, 21, was among the U.S. soldiers killed last November when insurgents … Read entire article »
Filed under: Iraq, War on Terror
200K
According to Sitemeter, I’m going to crash through the 200,000 views barrier sometime today or early tomorrow. Yay, me! I hope it doesn’t hurt… … Read entire article »
Filed under: Blogging
Coming Soon: Future Posts
- Declaration of War 1812 (in 132 days)
- USS President vs HMS Belvidera (in 137 days)
- General Hull Invades Canada (in 156 days)
- First Battle of Sacketts Harbor (in 163 days)
On Y!CN
- Radioactive Gravel from Japanese Nuke Disaster Used in Buildings
- Fuel Supplies Reach Nome
- Fuel Convoy Reaches Nome
- Russians Sail to Rescue of Ice Bound Alaska Community
- Pope Embraces Anglicans in U.S. with New Ordinariate
- Nebraska Nuke Plant Placed on Special Inspection Status
- Radioactive Water Leaks at Japanese Nuke Site
- Japan Damaged Nuke Plants Still Not Under Control
Social Links
Delaying the Election
October 30th, 2004 | Comments Off
October 30, 2004. A 9.0 earthquake strikes the San Francisco Bay area. Over 10,000 people known dead, fires raging out of control in many places. Aftershocks as strong as 7.0 strike up and down the coast, causing more deaths and destruction from Los Angeles to Seattle. Can California hold an election on November 2? October 30, 2004. Hurricane Waldo, the first Category 5 hurricane of the new century to strike the United States mainland, comes ashore just south of Miami, Florida and moves slowly northward along the coast. Communications are lost with Dade County for a time, and hundreds of buildings are known to have collapsed. The hurricane will proceed north, finally moving inland near Myrtle Beach and is still a Category 4 as it hits the Raleigh / Durham area. Can Florida, … Read entire article »
Filed under: American Politics, Commentary, Disasters, Original writing, Politics