MORE than 5,000 British troops will be deployed in Afghanistan in a £1 billion mission the government says is vital to combat global terrorism. John Reid, the Defence Secretary, yesterday directly linked the deployment to Afghanistan - larger than many had expected - to the 11 September attacks on the US and the al-Qaeda terrorist network. But the mission to the unstable Helmand province in southern Afghanistan will leave the army overstretched even by the Ministry of Defence's own measures, Dr Reid admitted.
Under the so-called Harmony Guidelines, soldiers should be given 24 months between operational deployments. Questioned in the Commons, Dr Reid said the Afghan deployment would cut that average to 21 months "and that is not satisfactory".
Under a long-standing agreement with NATO partners, Britain will lead an expansion of the alliance's mission in Afghanistan, with the first additional troops arriving within months. Other countries, including Canada, will bring the NATO mission in Helmand to 9,000.
The 3,300 heavily armed troops Dr Reid announced yesterday will be preceded by 800 engineers. Along with British forces already in the country, the Afghan contingent will peak at 5,700 this summer. For most of the three-year mission, however, the British force in the country will number around 4,700, slightly more than half the size of the UK presence in southern Iraq.
MPs of all parties yesterday raised fears of confusion between the NATO "stability" mission and a separate US-led campaign to hunt down terrorists in Afghanistan. While Dr Reid insisted that the British troops' "primary mission" was not to hunt down al-Qaeda, he clearly linked the broader objectives of his deployment to defeating terrorism.
Reminding MPs that NATO troops first entered Afghanistan in 2001 to topple the Taleban regime that sheltered al-Qaeda, Dr Reid said the dangers of the deployment are justified.
"Whatever the difficulties and risks of this deployment - and I do not hide them - those risks are nothing compared to the dangers to our country and our people of allowing Afghanistan to fall back into the hands of the Taleban and the terrorists," he said.
Dr Reid's admission about the Harmony rules was not the only sign that the Afghan mission will put pressure on the armed forces. Up to 200 of the core deployment could be reservists, some of whom were also called up for service in Iraq. Senior army officers have admitted they are concerned that MoD planners are relying heavily on the Territorial Army for current operations, forcing some reservists to quit and harming recruitment of new part-time soldiers.
The second front will also put strain on the RAF. Air Force commanders have said that transporting troops to south Asia will be a struggle, and they could be forced to charter commercial planes to cope. Some soldiers in Iraq have effectively been stranded by a shortage of transport planes; others have been forced to travel on public transport back to their bases on return to Britain.
Angus Robertson, the SNP MP whose Moray constituency includes the Kinloss and Lossiemouth RAF bases, yesterday challenged Dr Reid about transporting the Afghan force. In reply, Dr Reid admitted that Air Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, the Chief of the Air Staff, is still "trying to make sure" that there are enough appropriate planes "that we can make sure our soldiers get home properly".
BRITAIN'S overstretched army could lose the equivalent of an infantry battalion because of a law about to be passed in South Africa. Following Sir Mark Thatcher's involvement in a failed African coup plotted in South Africa, the government there is introducing legislation planned to control its citizens' involvement in foreign military organisations.
Though aimed mainly at mercenary groups, the law will also cover South African nationals serving in the British military. The new rules are expected to take effect within weeks. There are 710 South African nationals serving in British forces, 650 of them in the army.
The Ministry of Defence has admitted that once South Africa's Prohibition of Mercenary Activity Act takes force, Britain will have to seek Pretoria's permission for South African nationals to enlist in the British services. Separate permission will have to be sought should Britain want to send South Africans to conflict zones such as Iraq. South Africa strongly opposed the invasion of Iraq. Adam Ingram, the armed forces minister, admitted in a written answer to parliament that the law "would require permission to be sought for South African personnel to serve in the UK armed forces".
Charles Nqakula, South Africa's safety and security minister, confirmed that it will become illegal for South African citizens to serve in the British Army at a time when the UK is at war. That last para from Comrade Nqakula is curious in light of recent visits by the Iranians. Comrade Nqakula received his military training in Angola, the FSU, and East Germany in the mid-80's I might add. Beseoker post.
#1
Any chance these guys are gettign ready to provide a blocking mission for the Americans as they go into Pakistan, and start chasing the non-infidels directley into the hands of the British?
#4
LOL, Nimble. That's an unfortunate moniker for the Air Marshal to be saddled with, for sure. Almost as bad as that General Chicken fella the Chinese are always on about.
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/27/2006 14:54 Comments ||
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#6
OK, I'm gonna piss in the punchbowl and say the Brits, NATO, and many of the American troops don't need to be there. The western troop commitment is as large as the 35,000 man Afghan army. The European forces don't need to patrol Kabul. The Afghans are perfectly capable of, and more effective at, doing that themselves. The Afghans should be the ones leading the fight against the Taliban and their Pakistani cohorts. We try to do too much for others, and in the process, weaken them. The Afghans have had four years for reorganization and rebuilding. Let them run with the ball.
In addition, I would like to see American forces concentrate on:
1. Training and equiping the Afghan military to full strength.
2. Hunting down Al Qaeda on both sides of the border.
3. Provide an overwatch force against any large scale action from Pakistan or Iran.
Posted by: ed ||
01/27/2006 15:05 Comments ||
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#7
The British Army is only about 100,000 and they have troops deployed in Bosnia/Kosovo(4,000), Iraq(8,000), Afghanistan, Northern Ireland(10,000), Middle East(4,000), Falklands, Sierra Leone, as well as non hazardous duty stations like Germany and Gibralter.
Posted by: ed ||
01/27/2006 15:16 Comments ||
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#8
Pull the troops out of Germany and South Korea.
#9
The EU has 400 hundred million peplez, give or take 100 mil, and they demand full status recognition in world affairs.
How can they be taken seriously when they haven't funded or commited more organic expeditionary brigades fully capable of sustaining combat, engineering, training or supply?
Colombia arrested 19 members of a passport-forging ring with links to Islamic militant groups Hamas and al-Qaeda that enabled foreign nationals to travel in the US and Europe under false documents, the attorney general's office said.
Couldn't send away to Pakistan for the best, could they?
"Some of the suspects are wanted for extradition by the United States for collaborating with terrorist groups Hamas and al Qaeda," Deputy Attorney General Alberto Otalora said. Three members of Colombia's Administrative Security Department, or DAS, the state intelligence agency, were arrested in the sweep.
"Awright youse dirtbags! Come out witcher paws where we c'n see 'em!"
"Sarge?"
"Jenkins? Gonzales? Abu al-Medellini? I thought youse was at Haj!"
"We caught an early flight back after that whole luggage trampling thing. Got right back to work here at the...publishing house. We've got a dreadful backlog."
An employee of Colombia's National Registry, which provides official identification documents, was also among those arrested.
Arrested just as he was about to retire on his generous Soddy pension, and leave for a little 'consulting work' in Caracas. Too bad, so sad.
"This network since 2002 has been dedicated to falsifying documents in order to permit foreign citizens to travel as Colombians through Europe and the United States," a statement issued by the Attorney General's Office said. Citizens of Pakistan, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt sent information to the ring in Colombia, which used that information to create false Colombian passports, the statement said. "The foreigners were turned into Colombian citizens without ever coming to Colombia," the statement said. The investigation started in 2002.
Yes, yes. The sons of Allan are returning to the cradle of al-Andalus.
"Spain has become the centre of a network of Al Qaeda terrorist cells, whose task is to recruit Jihad fighters prepared to die in Iraq." So said a senior police office last week, and the figures he produces would seem to support his statement. Last year alone, the police disbanded four groups dedicated to the recruitment of martyrs for the cause, which is to perpetrate suicide attacks against the occupation forces in Iraq.
More than 50 people have been arrested by the Spanish police since June 2005, accused of belonging to terrorist cells involved in recruitment. It was then that police operations against these terrorists began, with names like Operations Tigris, Sello, La Unión, Jackal, Chameleon and Genesis. The number of recruiters arrested in Spain is almost as large as the number arrested for the same reason in the rest of the entire European Union during the same period.
The police will not put a figure on the number of Muslim residents in this country who might have joined these terrorist organisations run by the United States public enemy number two, Abu Musab Al Zarqawi. But there is talk of dozens of them, at least. The National Police and the Guardia Civil have identified almost 50 young radicals living in the Cataluña, Madrid, Andalucía and the Alicante regions, all of whom have disappeared from their homes and are thought to have travelled to Iraq.
Continued on Page 49
#1
The first is the huge police pressure being applied following the train bombings in Madrid on 11 March, 2004. This pressure prevented the establishment of terrorist cells with members prepared to act in this country. Future terrorists prefer to carry out their Holy War in other places, where they have less chance of being captured before they go into action, says one of the police chiefs involved in the fight against terrorism.
They have less chance of being captured? Why? Do the police say, excuse me martyr, but do you plan on blowing yourself up here or somewhere else? They have less chance of being captured because the police don't bother to disrupt the cells headed for Iraq.
#2
"...thought to have travelled to Iraq."
So Spain did not really withdraw all their forces from Iraq after the Madrid bombings - they just switched sides?
A former Pakistan Army general told an American newspaper that in the tribal areas today the army has become more of a reactive force, mostly hitting when fired upon.
According to a report in the Christian Science Monitor, former Lt Gen Talat Masood said, The strategy is not working and you can see the results. The Taliban is (sic) more organised than they were. The army, however, has repeatedly denied such claims, insisting that 70,000 troops and paramilitary forces continue to strike at the heart of militant enclaves.
The Pakistan Army has never let off. We are still continuing with the same vigour and effort, Brigadier Shahjehan Ali Khan, acting spokesman of the Pakistan military, told the newspapers correspondent, David Montero, who filed his report with a Peshawar dateline.
While there is a growing perception, says the report, that the army, having seen its strategies fail, has largely retreated to its barracks, this is refuted by central media coordinator of the Pakistan Muslim League, Muazzam Butt who is quoted as saying, They are not confined to their barracks, they are actively patrolling the area. The report has local journalists describing army personnel as captives in their own barracks, unable to leave for fear of being shot at or kidnapped. It is an accusation that ruling party officials and the army strongly deny. Gen Talat Masood and other observers told the American newspaper that there is need for better intelligence gathering in the tribal zone, particularly since many of the troops deployed to fight are not familiar with the area. Their local contacts are weak, their knowledge of the terrain inadequate - precisely the opposite of the enemy they are fighting, many of whom are part of the society or deeply integrated into it. If their intelligence improves, then the best thing would be to do rapid deployments in specific areas, according to the retired general, now a security expert.
The report, quoting analysts of the war on terror here, says that Pakistans military strategy is in need of a paradigm shift. Intelligence remains too weak, and even pitched battles flexing the militarys muscle have shown little effect against an enemy that remains largely unknown.
The question of whether Islamabad is effectively eradicating Al Qaeda elements in the semi-autonomous border region has become a constant - and touchy - refrain in relations with the United States, the correspondent writes.
He quotes Afrasiab Khattak as stating, The American missile strikes show that they (the Americans) are not satisfied with what Pakistan is doing. The results (the army has) yielded in the last two years have been negligible.
Pakistani TV journalist Shaukat Khattak says of the battles that have taken place between the army and the tribal militants, It was like a war between two countries, not a fight with militants. Some analysts marvel that with such a large force the results have been so paltry, says the report.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
01/27/2006 02:08 ||
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#1
He that would Fish, must venture his bait.
Posted by: Ben ||
01/27/2006 2:54 Comments ||
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#2
Pakistani TV journalist Shaukat Khattak says of the battles that have taken place between the army and the tribal militants, It was like a war between two countries, not a fight with militants. Some analysts marvel that with such a large force the results have been so paltry, says the report.
Maybe if both sides weren't shooting over each others heads trying to miss each other.
#3
I wonder whether the Pakistani military might find the going a little bit easier if they brought the equivalent of the Corps of Engineers along with them, fixed up roads and sewers, and electricity.
Pakistani security agencies have contacted the Interpol in Dubai to arrest two Afghan Taliban financers, one purportedly to be the trustworthy of Mullah Muhammad Omar, operating from Pakistani northwestern soil, said security sources on Thursday.
"And hurry up, man. We saw another drone this morning!"
The arrest of Afghan businessmen Abdul Warri, trustworthy of Mullah Omar, and his brother, Abdul Baqi, is likely to be made within next few days, said the sources, adding that after arrest they will be repatriated to Bagram AFB. Sources said that the two brothers are believed to be close relatives of Mullah Omar and have fled to Dubai after fears of being arrested in Peshawar.
Hopefully leaving a shiny glistening slime trail for us to follow...
The Federal Investigation Agencys Special Investigation Group (SIG) has frozen 15 bank accounts of Shirkat Special and Amria Food in Peshawar and Islamabad on the request of Interpol after thorough investigations revealed that Mullah Omar had a share in both companies. The documents recovered during raid on the offices of the companies indicated that the Afghan group had established offices in Afghanistan, Dubai, Malaysia and Indonesia with different names including Hayat Limited and Kandahar Limited and involvement in transferring money to the Taliban. The trading companies were apparently dealing in edible oil, sugar and other foodstuff and had a sizable amount in Pakistani bank accounts. According to Interpol, the companies were established during Taliban rule and they had reportedly done transactions of USD2.8 million, 1.7 million euros and 1.5 million German mark during that period as well as President Hamid Karzais government in Afghanistan, the sources maintained.
BAGHDAD - Iraqi special forces backed by US troops raided houses in Baghdad on Friday and detained at least 35 suspected insurgents, police said. The operation began at about 6 a.m. and was being conducted in several southwestern Baghdad neighborhoods, with security forces searching homes, stopping cars at checkpoints and frisking people, said Maj. Falah al-Mohammedawi. It was not immediately clear why the operation was launched, but there has been a large number ambushes and drive-by killings in this sector of Baghdad during the past week.
Posted by: Steve ||
01/27/2006 08:34 ||
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BASRA, Iraq - Basras governor threatened on Friday to stop dealing with British forces unless they release several Iraqis detained this week, including policemen, suspected of links to local killings and kidnappings. Gov. Mohammed al-Waeli also called for a mass demonstration on Sunday outside the British consulate in downtown Basra, Iraqs second-largest city 550 kilometers (340 miles) southeast of Baghdad, to demand the release of the men, who were detained Tuesday in a joint Iraqi-British operation. Tuesdays raids come amid an upsurge of roadside bombings and other violent acts targeting British troops, Iraqi security forces and local citizens in Basra, the main base for British forces in Iraq. Basras police force has long been believed to have been infiltrated by Shiite militiamen.
Basras provincial council and all government offices will suspend all kinds of dealings with the (British) forces at all levels if they dont release the detainees, al-Waeli told The Associated Press. He also called for security control in Basra to be handed over to the Iraqi forces and that the British forces should be stationed outside the city. The Basra provincial council demands the central government intervene to ensure the release of the detainees, he said, condemning what he described as the random arrests conducted by British forces.
Fourteen people were detained in the early morning raids, British officials said, who said nine were released but five others - all policemen - were jailed for alleged roles in murder and other crimes connected to rival tribal and militias. British military officials have said Iraqs Interior Ministry ordered the arrests and that local officials were forewarned about the operations.
Posted by: Steve ||
01/27/2006 08:21 ||
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#1
Unlike in the rest of the country, the British in Basra have let the locals maintain much of their repugnant traditions of the past. This is a guarantee of problems in the present and future; all due to the misguided respect the British have for the "Arab way".
More than 1,000 protesters hit the streets of Samara, some 125km north of the capital, Baghdad, this week to demonstrate against al-Qaida militants blamed for killing more than 100 local police recruits this month. The demonstration on 24 January, organised by the Iraqi Islamic Party and the Muslim Scholars' Association, is the first of its kind to specifically condemn the al-Qaida group for alleged terrorist attacks. "They have to stop killing innocent people like recruits, journalists and children," demanded protest organiser Kamal Ahmed. "If they don't stop, we'll fight them directly," Ahmed added angrily.
Even self-described insurgents, locked in bitter fighting with US and Iraqi military forces, joined in the condemnation. "We work against the US occupation without hurting innocents," said Abu Omar of the insurgent Islamic Army. "If al-Qaida is against the ideology behind the insurgency, it's time to force them out of our country." "We will kill the militants to show how far we will go to save the lives of innocent people," Abu Omar added.
"Everyone started to see that we have to work together to bring progress to Iraq," said Hussein Sardawi, a senior official in the Ministry of Interior. "Al-Qaida is the only group that wants to bring instability to our country. We're happy with the decision to work against al-Qaida," Sardawi said. "But we're also worried that this might result in the deaths of more innocent people."
Similar anti-al-Qaida demonstrations are planned in the cities of Ramadi and Baghdad in the coming days.
Posted by: Dan Darling ||
01/27/2006 02:18 ||
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#1
The Iraqi Islamic Party and the Muslim Scholars' Association in the First Puppet Triangulation March
.....
Kamal Ahmed
"They have to stop killing innocent people like recruits, journalists and children," demanded protest organiser Kamal Ahmed. "If they don't stop, we'll fight them directly," Ahmed added angrily.
BAGHDAD - Two US soldiers were killed and one wounded in separate rebel attacks in Iraq, the US military said on Thursday. The military said one soldier died of wounds suffered from a rocket attack on his vehicle during combat operations on Wednesday near the western flashpoint city of Ramadi.
Earlier the military announced that a soldier was killed and another wounded in a roadside bombing on Wednesday south of Baghdad.
Posted by: Steve White ||
01/27/2006 00:01 ||
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The media's breathless tabulation of casualties in Iraq--now, over 1,800 deaths--is generally devoid of context. Here's some context: between 1983 and 1996, 18,006 American military personnel died accidentally in the service of their country. That death rate of 1,286 per year exceeds the rate of combat deaths in Iraq by a ratio of nearly two to one.
That's right: all through the years when hardly anyone was paying attention, soldiers, sailors and Marines were dying in accidents, training and otherwise, at nearly twice the rate of combat deaths in Iraq from the start of the war in 2003 to the present. Somehow, though, when there was no political hay to be made, I don't recall any great outcry, or gleeful reporting, or erecting of crosses in the President's home town. In fact, I'll offer a free six-pack to the first person who can find evidence that any liberal expressed concern--any concern--about the 18,006 American service members who died accidentally in service of their country from 1983 to 1996.
The point? Being a soldier is not safe, and never will be. Driving in my car this afternoon, I heard a mainstream media reporter say that around 2,000 service men and women have died in Afghanistan and Iraq "on President Bush's watch." As though the job of the Commander in Chief were to make the jobs of our soldiers safe. They're not safe, and they never will be safe, in peacetime, let alone wartime.
http://powerlineblog.com/archives/011443.php
Thank you for your service and sacrifice. You will be remembered long after the "15 minutes" of fame crowd are long dust in history. They will be remembered, if at all, like the royalists and slavers of their centuries, while you will be among the honored.
#3
Adding to the comment about US military personnel being killed in accidents, training mishaps, and other such incidents: the number has actually gone DOWN from what it was in the 1950's through about 1978, when the last draftee left service. The numbers were in the 5000-8000 range for much of that time. The military was bigger, the equipment less safe to use, and the training involved a few people who really didn't want to be where they were. Having known at least a dozen military members who died in training accidents, and being a "walking wounded" myself, I know how hard it is to accept the death of those who die in training. Yet the small number of casualties suffered in wartime in both Afghanistan and Iraq is the direct result of realistic training - the kind that results occasionally in accidental deaths.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
01/27/2006 14:21 Comments ||
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#4
Damn. God bless them and console their families.
#5
Killed in combat, training accident, or killed in an accident, they died supporting our nation, God bless them each and every one. The walking wounded, like OP, are an all together different story. Our VA centers have taken huge budget hits and the young, and old OP, that are still paying the price deserve to be taken care of. I wish just one politician would take up their cause and one MSM would support it in the news.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
01/27/2006 18:25 Comments ||
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#6
"Killed in combat, training accident, or killed in an accident, they died supporting our nation, God bless them each and every one."
Amen
Even during "zero casualty Clinton" reign from 1993 throught 2000, over 7500 servicemen died (20% were suicides)
A roadside bomb hit an armed convoy carrying Iraqi Industry Minister Osama Al-Najafi yesterday, killing three bodyguards but leaving him unharmed, his ministry said. Ministry spokeswoman Dhuha Mohammed said the convoy was hit near the town of Balad, 90 kilometers north of Baghdad. The blast also wounded another of Najafis guards, she said. Mohammed said the minister had been traveling home to Mosul in northern Iraq for the weekend. Senior government officials often travel by air because of the threat of roadside bombs.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/27/2006 00:00 ||
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JPost - posted in full, reg usually req'd
More than 50 percent of the Palestinian Legislative Council is theirs, and they don't have a clue what to do next, but according to at least one Hamas leader, talking to Israel is in the cards. "We're examining our options," said Yasser Mansour, the No. 5 Hamas leader told The Jerusalem Post. "We are researching each and every issue." "We F*CKING WON???"
Indeed, a Hamas leader in Nablus, a professor at An-Najah University who did not run, told the Post that many of the leaders were disappointed with the results. "We didn't want this, we didn't hope for this. We wanted to be in the opposition," he said, speaking at a green-flagged, rabble-rousing victory rally in downtown Nablus. "Now all the responsibility is on us." LOL - be careful what you ask for....
What is certain is that although it holds a majority and it can form its own government, Hamas does not want to run the country alone. "We will speak to all the parties and make a coalition," Mansour told the Post.
Hamas, and everyone else, expected the party to be a strong opposition. It could probably have continued terror attacks on Israel. It could have kept an eye on Fatah ministers and made sure the funds went where they were meant to go. It could have voted down any bills proposed that compromised its ideals. Let Fatah deal with the aftermath.
Forget that scenario now. Hamas won 57.5% of the PLC seats. "Instead of being an opposition in the Palestinian Authority, we are the PA," Ahmed Doleh, a well-spoken school principal and No. 36 on the Hamas list told the Post at the victory rally. Doleh, wearing a suit and tie, shook hands with numerous men, young and old, who approached him after the rally and congratulated him.
Looking somewhat dazed at the responsibility that had fallen into the laps of his fellow Hamas colleagues, Doleh said Hamas would deal with Israel, like it already was doing in the municipalities, on issues that concern day-to-day life.
"Hamas will deal with Israel on daily issues," he said, repeating Mansour's mantra that the party is researching how to fulfill "the interests of the Palestinian people." It is only after those talks that it will make decisions regarding the future of the PA government.
"One of the first things we will do is become part of the Palestinian Liberation Organization," he said, referring to the umbrella group that makes all the important decisions and includes Palestinians in the country and abroad. Hamas was not a member until now.
On election day, before it was known that Hamas would be the government and not the opposition, the soft-spoken Mansour, who has been in and out of Israeli jails since 1992, talked to the Post in a reporter's car outside a local mosque.
He explained that the only way Hamas would end its attacks was if the occupation ended. "Then Hamas can give peace," he said.
Mansour said Hamas will offer Israel a long-term hudna (cease-fire). "There is no time-limit to a hudna. It depends on the sides," he said.
At that point Mansour spoke of ideology. He said that ideally Hamas would want the world to be an Islamic state, but practically speaking it wants a Palestinian state in all of mandatory Palestine.
"We can accept that the Israelis who were born here will be citizens in our state," he said, adding that the Palestinian people will decide the nature of the state. "We cannot force people to be religious."
However, Fatah voters were fearful of war, not religion, when they woke up to discover that Hamas had a majority. "This means trouble," said an accountant and Fatah loyalist in a coffee shop downtown. "No one can predict what a future with Hamas will bring. Maybe there will be a fight or maybe Hamas will resign."
He worried about the future with other countries. "We were hoping that after the elections we could make a peace deal with the Israelis and finish this fighting," he said. "Do you think the EU, US and Israel will support the new Palestinian government with Hamas? If Israel does not agree to Hamas's demands, it will mean reverting to fighting. Since they will control the military, they will tell them to fight. The people are weak. They can't fight."
Indeed, the security forces guarding hotels where foreign election observers stayed had long faces. "This is terrible," said one named Majdi. "Maybe Hamas will tell us to go to war."
Looking over at his colleagues, he asked "You guys ready for jihad?"
The line of young men in camouflage uniforms carrying assault rifles looked up at him blankly. "No man," said one. "No way."
But hours after the results were announced, Hamas voters in Nablus said that Hamas's victory means that it will for certain lay down its arms and give up its ideology.
"If they were in the opposition, they would have been able to continue attacks," said a university student named Essam as he sat in a Nablus coffee shop with a friend, smoking a water pipe and discussing the new situation. "But now that they are the government, they can't attack Israel."
His friend Yazen, who also voted for Hamas, looked forward to the new situation. "Now they must talk to Israel. They have no choice. We need to stability and they have to bring it."
I'm convinced this is the best thing that could happen, barring an act of God wiping Islamists from the Earth
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/27/2006 21:24 ||
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#1
But the US MUST NOT FUND HAMAS. The State Dept directives say nay, but we must be vigilant. There needs to be actions--->consequences. If the Paleos want Hamas, they need to look to Hamas for funding, and Hamas should not ever ask the US.
And if the US funds Hamas, those making the decision to fund need to be thrown out of government. And I mean anyone. This is a fundamental issue. We made a big mistake funding the PA with Fatah. We literally threw $300+ million down a rathole last year.
Also, that pic in the article begged, Ah Mean, begged for a hellfire. This is insanity do deal with these terrorists, except to hunt them down.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
01/27/2006 22:11 Comments ||
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#2
Violating that no funds to terroists law should land you in prison.
GAZA (Reuters) - Hamas and Fatah gunmen exchanged fire on Friday in political turmoil as the long-dominant Fatah faction was threatened with a violent backlash from within after its crushing election defeat by the Islamic militant group.
Hamas, whose shock parliamentary election victory changed the face of Palestinian politics and plunged Middle East peacemaking deeper in limbo, said it would hold talks soon with President Mahmoud Abbas on a "political partnership." But Fatah leaders have rejected a coalition with Hamas.
The United States said it will review funding to the aid-dependent Palestinians if Hamas enters government and Israel suggested it could suspend customs revenue transfers, adding economic uncertainty to the political upheaval.
Posted by: Yosemite Sam ||
01/27/2006 17:25 ||
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#1
Is it going to esclate into a full blow paleo on paleo war? One can hope this is under way.
#6
off-topic: it's been a couple years since my last comment on Rantburg, and then I didn't comment much. But, this new development violently yanks me from lurkerdom: STOP WITH THE BLINKING TEXT!!!!
#10
Static with IE....report to Bug Bin? Must be the animated GIF
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/27/2006 21:52 Comments ||
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#11
I deleted the GIF with Adblock, reloaded, and the blinking continued. Fred has more than enough to do. Let's wait until it happens in at least two places.
#14
Well, it's blinking in the main page, on the stand-alone page, on this here comments page, and in the list of topics on the right. Also, "View Source" shows it with a blink tag. If you don't see it, it's because you have one o' these newfangled browsers that don't support torture blink tags.
I NEVER would have predicted THIS!
Hamas and Fatah gunmen exchanged fire in the Gaza Strip on Friday, the first of many such gun battles since the Islamic militant group crushed the long-dominant Palestinian faction in a parliamentary election, witnesses said. In an effort to prove to the world that they were capable of managing their own affairs through civil discourse, at least two people were wounded in the clash near the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, the witnesses said, describing the incident as a feud over the election results. calling it the beginnings of a "civil" war give's 'em too much credit. more of an "uncivil" war
After the results of Wednesday's vote were announced, Hamas called for immediate talks among factions to discuss formation of a new government. But leaders of Abbas's long-dominant Fatah party said they wanted no part in such a coalition. Hamas's triumph in winning 76 seats in the 132-member Palestinian parliament against 43 for Fatah was widely seen as a political earthquake in the Middle East, triggered in part by voter disenchantment with corruption. you get what you pay for
#7
Another story I saw about this incident sez the shooting began right after the standard Friday prayerscall to arms...The violence erupted, they said, after Hamas militants were angered by a sermon by a Fatah-appointed Muslim preacher during Friday prayers.
#10
So, the bigger question needs to be asked here. The festivities are amusing and all that, but.......
Israel made an agreement at Oslo, which involved a bunch of things with the Paleos. Being a water and sewer guy, I always go back to infrastructure: electricity, water, sewer. Israel agreed to sell power and water to Gaza and the PA as required. However, who becomes the PA after Fatah gives up? Would it be Hamas? Now if Hamas becomes the authority (PA), and they do not formally renounce their aims of destroying Israel, why should Israel help them in any way, giving them resources that will work toward the destruction of Israel? If Israel does this, then it is suicide by the installment plan.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
01/27/2006 15:36 Comments ||
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#11
excellent point AP, excellent.
They (the Israelis) want to put pressure on Hamas, but they dont want to be responsible before the world for a health crisis, cholera epidemic, etc. Besides a cholera epidemic could lead to serious consequences in Israel unless they completely seal off the territories, which is not easy wrt Gaza, and close to impossible for the West Bank, at least at this point.
I think they will try to work multilaterally for now, getting the US and the EU to join them in cutting off most funds to the PA, and confining diplo contact to direct talks with Abbas only. Meanwhile the water and power will flow, and funds that the PA has a stronger claim to - the tariff revenues Israel collects for them. Then they'll get out the popcorn and watch and wait. See how far the Euros and US will go. See what Hamas does about the security forces, which are staffed by Fatahniks, who are scared for their jobs (and their lives?) They can then ratchet up the pressure (how would you like some blackouts) or ratchet down the pressure (oh, we just found some money to release).
January 27, 2006: After two decades of use, the U.S. Department of Defense is getting rid of its Beretta M9 9mm pistol, and going back to the 11.4mm (.45 caliber) weapon. There have been constant complaints about the lesser (compared to the .45) hitting power of the 9mm. And in the last few years, SOCOM (Special Operations Command) and the marines have officially adopted .45 caliber pistols as official alternatives to the M9 Beretta. But now SOCOM has been given the task of finding a design that will be suitable as the JCP (Joint Combat Pistol). Various designs are being evaluated, but all must be .45 caliber and have a eight round magazine (at least), and high capacity mags holding up to 15. The new .45 will also have a rail up top for attachments, and be able to take a silencer. Length must be no more than 9.65 inches, and width no more than 1.53 inches.
The M1911 .45 caliber pistol that the 9mm Beretta replaced in 1985, was, as its nomenclature implied, an old design. There are several modern designs out there for .45 caliber pistols that are lighter, carry more ammo and are easier to maintain than the pre-World War I M1911 (which is actually about a century old, as a design). The Department of Defense plans to buy 645,000 JCPs. SOCOM will, with input from other branches, handle the evaluation and final selection. This will take place this year, and if the military moves with unaccustomed alacrity, troops could start getting their JCPs next year. But dont hold your breath.
Posted by: Steve ||
01/27/2006 08:35 ||
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#1
"Official Alternatives"...un-****ing believable. I thought I would never see this day.
Posted by: Billy Dee Williams ||
01/27/2006 9:06 Comments ||
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#3
DOD made a good call on this. I would expect it to move faster than it is eluded to here. The trend is troops, on the Army side, want what the SF guys are carrying and the SF guys want what the classified guy wear. You see this in discussions on body armor, long guns, aircraft, etc... If I were to bet I would bet on a clear winner by this summer.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
01/27/2006 9:25 Comments ||
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#4
The M1911 .45 caliber pistol that the 9mm Beretta replaced in 1985, was, as its nomenclature implied, an old design. There are several modern designs out there for .45 caliber pistols that are lighter, carry more ammo and are easier to maintain than the pre-World War I M1911 (which is actually about a century old, as a design).
Well most of the 45s were M1911A1s, mod occurring in 1921. Though in our arms room in 1975 still had some straight M1911s mixed in with the A1s. Too many smoothbores cause of maintenance and repair parts budget cuts back in those post-Vietnam years. Personally, I procured a Colt Combat Commander, lighter, balanced in the hand better, shorter barrel. Nothing necessarily wrong with an old design. Browning's M2 50 cal is still a workhorse.
#5
HooRay! Among all the old farts salts there was much rejoicing. I can think of at least 9 senior NCOs and Officers in my guard unit alone who will be delighted at the news.
Serously, all they need now is to get rid of the 5.56 mouse gun.
I wonder if they are going to manufacture new M-14s, or come up with a new 7.62 design.
Posted by: N guard ||
01/27/2006 10:03 Comments ||
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#6
Long live John Browning's masterpiece, "Old Ugly!"
Posted by: Mike ||
01/27/2006 10:10 Comments ||
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#7
That's kinda odd.
Will we be totally abandoning the 9mm NATO round and usage?
I hope the M11 winner is the Sig model.
*heart* P220.
#8
I carried the sig for three years, loved that weapon!
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
01/27/2006 11:10 Comments ||
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#9
US State Dept. lads used to carry Sigs in 9mm. Not sure wat they have now. I've been lusting after a P-229 for several years now. A man can never have too many knives or guns.
#12
TA, lucky to say nope, it is not even in the running.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
01/27/2006 11:37 Comments ||
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#13
Personally, I like my Colt 1917 45cal officers revolver..the one with the lanyard loop on the butt. More accurate than the 1911 automatic, unless it was fitted with the competition barrel.
However, if you want some combat fighting firepower, here's something coming down the pike... Click here: Auto Assault 12 Combat Shotgun
The length, width, rail and silencer are pulled straight off the USP SOCOM spec page. I would think that would be rejected out of hand as they say "not to exceed". However, if I see the artic expedition glove requirement.....
The issue seems to be that SOCOM built that tank and the boys will not carry it, too large, heavy,slow to draw, etc... It was to be used for a one size fits all requirements, a failed idea. I would expect to see a standard sized .45 version that with minor modifications fit the CQB and other tactical requirements.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
01/27/2006 12:58 Comments ||
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#18
The sooner the US military gets rid of that 5.56mm M-16 popgun, the better. I've got a .22 single-shot rifle that has more stopping power. Combat shotguns are good for close-in work, but to reach out and touch someone, you need at LEAST 7.62. The Ma-deuce will still be around for another hundred years, simply because it's a classic design that's easy to maintain and can take a beating and still work. Of course, I think the ultimate military weapon would be a pair of the gattling guns from an A-10 mounted on an M-1 chassis.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
01/27/2006 14:34 Comments ||
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#19
49 Pan,
H&K does have a standard size .45 and a compact .45. I'm pretty sure the H&K SOCOM (or Mrk 23) was built to SOCOM specs and not intended for general issue.
If you'll indulge me...I think the H&K SOCOM specs read like this: Must be .45. Must have positive manual safety. Must be able to chop down trees, split trees into planks, nails planks together to make bridge, kill 12 bad guys silently without reloading and then use butt of gun to destory the aforementioned bridge. Must have a service life or 60,000 rounds.
The USP is it's country boy-strong cousin minus the steroids. It comes in standard double-stack and compact double-stack size. You could probably nail the planks together, but chopping down the trees with it voids the warranty. The bad guy stopping would be noisy as there is no silencer. Service life is approx 20,000 rounds before you have to replace the recoil spring so buy a couple of spare springs.
The USP Tactical comes in standard and compact size as well (don't know if the compact is commercially available). It's difference from the USP is a threaded barrel with O-ring for a silencer, match trigger and adjustable sights. So, no nailing or chopping if you don't want to be zeroing the sights constantly.
Problem with the USP? No standard rail. H&K has developed a new sidearm blending the USP and P2000 lines to create the H&K .45 w/ standard rails (so I've heard and seen one picture).
Yes, I am a H&K bigot and a H&Kaholic. Why do you ask?
#20
"Will we be totally abandoning the 9mm NATO round and usage?"
Dear God I hope so. As a lower recoil Law Enforcement round, a hollow point 9mm is useful. But as a NATO (FMJ) round it's only good for making small clean (accurate) holes in paper. This make you look good on the firing range, but dead in a combat situation when your target fails to stop even after having been hit many times.
#21
Old Patriot ultimate military weapon would be a pair of the gattling guns from an A-10 mounted on an M-1 chassis.
All I can say imagining that is DAYYYUM!!!
Posted by: Yosemite Sam ||
01/27/2006 15:35 Comments ||
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#22
Food for thought: Better to have gone with the M9 than to have kept reusing the in-stock M1911s, but the move to make a NEW .45 is best. As the original post (OP) specifically states, there are better .45-caliber pistols than the M1911. My reason for that "blasphemous" sentence is physics -- at least the M9s were new, unlike old-ass M1911 frames, such as the originals mixed with A1's. The design may work, but the old frames themselves... at least we're both getting new frames/guns in 'fo-faive'.
**Let the Gun Bigot Wars Begin!**
Yep, that's what I think of some of you. :P The 7.62 fetishism... bleh. N guard and Old Patriot, I'd take the 5.56mm -- yes, in the M16 platform -- over any of the above.
Posted by: Edward Yee ||
01/27/2006 15:55 Comments ||
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#23
.com--I have that shirt. My only complaint is there's no .357 on it!
OP--I like that! Kind of a new fangled M-16 AA/AP platform, although I think they should use a Bradley or Stryker chassis.
Posted by: Dar ||
01/27/2006 15:57 Comments ||
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#24
I am wondering if S&W will have a 45ACP design in this fight? In any case I want the gun built here even if by license. I don't think we should support the welfare states of people to timid to fight this war and who are anti-US.
I am not biased heheheh. I have a reloading bench set up just for the 45ACP andf a Corbin swedge for squirting out my own soft lead.
#25
This is good news! The "smack" of the .45 c is impressive.
Long overdue, much welcomed.
Posted by: Captain America ||
01/27/2006 16:47 Comments ||
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#26
Look. As long as you use that white phosphorous depleted uranium hollow point high explosive armor piercing napalm cluster bomb ammunition, you can use any gun you want.
If your a hillbilly from KY I've got a deck that needs building and some trees to facilitate it! H&K makes great weapons and I'm glad we have FINALLY gotten back to a .45 and your two sizes fits the mark. I certainly hope they enter and I could care less where it is built, we will stand up a facility to manage it just like we do for every other foreign gun we buy and out troops won't go without repair parts.
Last thought- I heard that when they go to field testing they will bring in operators, not engineers to do the testing. This will be interesting as the best engineered weapon is not always the best one for combat.
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
01/27/2006 17:59 Comments ||
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#31
49 Pan,
I live in TN, so sorry about helping you with the deck. It would have been a glorious deck...not a square angle to be found on it, mind you, but glorious all the same. :)
As I understand it, H&K actually broke ground on a new manufacturing plant some where in GA, but halted building when the XM-8 deal starting falling apart. They are also making a limited number of receivers for the M4 series. No civie sales of that though.
#32
Howdy, psyco, how you doin'? Edward Yee, I have used both the M-14 and M-16. I prefer the M-14. The M-16 is a good weapon but when I hit someone with an M-14 he goes down. First hit. with the M-16 it might take more than one round, also, in heavy undervrush a small twig can deflect an M-16 round but not an M-14. If you have an Army of draftees where marksmanship is not a priority for the draftee then the light weight and rapid fire of the M-16 is preferable. In a volunteer Army where you have dedicated people the 7.62 round is preferable. Note this is only my opinion.
#33
The previous comment was me. and, by the way, I carry a .45 Springfield for concealed carry.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
01/27/2006 18:35 Comments ||
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#34
Doing great, Deacon. Thanks for asking. I would ask you how things are up there in God's Country, but we all know it's never a bad day in East TN. Had an opportunity to shoot a Spingfield .45 last week. Not bad. Quite accurate, in fact.
#35
For the new battle rifle, I hope that we go with the SOCOM-developed 6.8 SPC. It has the major advantages of the 5.56 -- more ammo per grunt than 7.62 NATO, lower recoil, fully auto if needed; and the range and knockdown improvements.
#37
The 9mm only succeeds in making who ever you shoot very angry.
The .45 will send even a large person to the ground even with a flesh wound and it will kick the snot out of someone in body armor and put them down.
I shot two guys with a .45 in a saper raid in I-Corps and one of them went about 5 feet through the air.
I think the 30/06 is a fine round and now that we are through with our fixation over jungle warfare and have to reach out to 200 and 300 meters to engage the bad guys, it warrants a large caliber weapon.
I liked the .45 because it made a lot of noise in a closed space and it was really a neat weapon with lots of stopping power.
#38
SOG475, I have never had to shoot a person with my .45 but I did shoot a groundhog at about 20 feet. I hit him between the shoulders in the back and there was nothing left from the shoulders foreward. I would not like to be hit by a .45.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
01/27/2006 20:18 Comments ||
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UN Security Council members have agreed that UN peacekeepers should keep monitoring the Israeli-Lebanese border for another six months, a key diplomat said on Wednesday. Lebanon had asked for the UN mission's mandate in the border area to be renewed for an additional year, until 31 January, 2007. But the 15 council members instead reached consensus on an extension until 31 July, 2006, said Augustine Mahiga, Tanzanias UN ambassador and also the council president for January. The mandate of the 2000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, will expire on 31 January unless renewed by the council. A vote on a resolution prolonging the mission is expected on Monday or Tuesday, council diplomats said. While the mission has been in place since March 1978 a draft resolution circulated by France on Wednesday would emphasize "the interim nature" of the mission and stress that the council was "looking forward to the early fulfilment of its mandate."
Only in the UN is something that's lasted just under 30 years and produced no discernable results considered "interim."
The draft would also urge Israel and Lebanon to put an end to violations of their shared border and renew appeals to Lebanon's government to extend its authority across the south, to prevent attacks on Israel from its side of the border.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/27/2006 00:00 ||
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#1
Nice beaches and cheap whores in Lebanon from what I hear...
I've got most of the big 'uns under control, I think, but I know there are more out there. So please let me know about bugs here...
Posted by: Fred ||
01/27/2006 10:00 ||
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#1
I already let Fred know that some folks' cookies are getting mangled when they post articles to the holding tank. (Besoeker, you're not the only one!) Fred will take a look at that this weekend.
#4
For some reason I got stuck with a generated name on one of my machines and couldn't get my real name to stick until I dumped cookies. Luckily it was a dev machine, but you might give it a try as a desperation measure.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/27/2006 11:01 Comments ||
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#5
Archives is fixed.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/27/2006 11:04 Comments ||
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#6
Fred - will be in and out all day. If you want traces from myside of anything... just ask and I will fire up a sniffer and try the test.
I found these wedged in 'tween the site meter and one of the Blogads. Looks like Aris's slippers eh. He must have kicked the port door on the way out when he huffed off last week.
Do we have a lost 'n found here at the 'burg?
#14
Dunno if it's the program or my computer (or Comcast, or Explorer, or the moon is in the 7th house.... Oh, wait..) - BUT after I enter a comment, when I hit the "back" button to return to the list it won't go back. After about 3 tries, I get this popping up at the top of the screen about the Rantburg logo:
"Warning: pg_query(): Query failed: ERROR: duplicate key violates unique constraint "userspk" in /home/www/www.rantburg.com/htdocs/poparticle.php on line 17"
(the "line 17" part may vary; not sure)
It's not a big deal - just thought you might want to know in case it's something to do with the program, server, whatever on your end.
No matter how many times we say it, Fred, we can never thank you enough for all that you do for us. (The other eds help, too, but you're the main MAN!)
This world would be a much lonelier place without Rantburg. :-(
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
01/27/2006 19:24 Comments ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Colombia arrested 19 members of a passport-forging ring with links to Islamic militant groups Hamas and al-Qaeda that enabled foreign nationals to travel in the US and Europe under false documents, the attorney general's office said.
Pakistani security agencies have contacted the Interpol in Dubai to arrest two Afghan Taliban financers, one purportedly to be the trustworthy of Mullah Muhammad Omar, operating from Pakistani northwestern soil, said security sources on Thursday.
BAGHDAD - Two US soldiers were killed and one wounded in separate rebel attacks in Iraq, the US military said on Thursday. The military said one soldier died of wounds suffered from a rocket attack on his vehicle during combat operations on Wednesday near the western flashpoint city of Ramadi.
A roadside bomb hit an armed convoy carrying Iraqi Industry Minister 
