Tuesday, May 27, 2008
US uses bullets ill-suited for new ways of war - NOT
The usual round is .223, a very high speed, high energy bullet. The M-14 bullet is a .308 a bit larger but also high speed, high energy. The .223 is good out to c. 400 yd while the .308 works to 1000yd. What this reporter ignores is neither is a close range weapon inside 40 yd. There are soldiers in some patrols who carry shotguns with short barrels and a convergent/divergent choke. (Yes, Geneva allows this.) A street sweeper from 3 yd. to 25 yd. Another thing the author ignores is that rifles are not the only weapon carried. Several kinds of grenades and even small rockets. And lotsa guys carry .45s as sidearms; very finely made personally owned .45s. $1500 pistols sold for $800 to soldiers. Much stouter than 9mm NATO standard. And Army approves and supplies ammo. But the .45 is a 1911 design!! Reason for personal owned pistols; simple, the individual can move much faster than any government entity. As always you don't get something for nothing. Most .45s hold 6 - 7 rounds vs. 9mm with 13 - 14 and the limit is balance. Get too much weight in the handle and the pistol is harder to aim. Bottom line: each soldier in a patrol is a specialist, carrying his own mix of weapons all contributing to the patrol's effectiveness. This is what the author ignores.
Sigh, the author is just another ill informed jerk who wants to make trouble then move on - hence "drive-by" media. Notice no numbers in his work. Betcha his only war is flower power. And his English or journalism major didn't equip him for ballistics.
WASHINGTON (AP) - As Sgt. Joe Higgins patrolled the streets of Saba al-Bor, a tough town north of Baghdad, he was armed with bullets that had a lot more firepower than those of his 4th Infantry Division buddies.
As an Army sniper, Higgins was one of the select few toting an M14. The long-barreled rifle, an imposing weapon built for wars long past, spits out bullets larger and more deadly than the rounds that fit into the M4 carbines and M16 rifles that most soldiers carry.
"Having a heavy cartridge in an urban environment like that was definitely a good choice," says Higgins, who did two tours in Iraq and left the service last year. "It just has more stopping power."
Strange as it sounds, nearly seven years into the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, bullets are a controversial subject for the U.S.
The smaller, steel-penetrating M855 rounds [only one version is steel penetrating; there are several other .223 rounds] continue to be a weak spot in the American arsenal. They are not lethal enough to bring down an enemy decisively, and that puts troops at risk, according to Associated Press interviews.
Designed decades ago to puncture a Soviet soldier's helmet hundreds of yards away, the M855 rounds are being used for very different targets in Iraq and Afghanistan. Much of today's fighting takes place in close quarters; narrow streets, stairways and rooftops are today's battlefield. Legions of armor-clad Russians marching through the Fulda Gap in Germany have given way to insurgents and terrorists who hit and run.
Fired at short range, the M855 round is prone to pass through a body like a needle through fabric. That does not mean being shot is a pain-free experience. But unless the bullet strikes a vital organ or the spine, the adrenaline-fueled enemy may have the strength to keep on fighting and even live to fight another day.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
HRHC on the Unelectible Messiah
Thanks American Thinker
It is all BS and wishful thinking. HRHC commented that her husband was not nominated until June and Bobbie K. was assassinated in June, too. But the drive-bys are trying to make the Kennedy comment as a mistake. And HRHC is helping! Because she knows better. Gives a free repeat. It was deliberate.
All in line with the rest of her campaign. If the Messiah is so much at risk, there must be lotsa people who hate him. She is getting the message past the drive-bys that the Messiah is unelectable. This is just too rich; the most hated woman in America saying how her opponent is most hated, too. Alinsky jumps are wonderful.
Too many people regard him not as Messiah, but as Antichrist. The ultimate fascist in sheep's clothing. Maybe Muslem in Christian clothing, too. An empty suit and an open mouth spouting cliche after cliche (my spell check says cloche; maybe it's right, too, but I digress) Contradicting himself endlessly then declaring the fact "off limits". And then his radical wife speaks her piece until he silences her. Truth is "bad." Fact is "inaccurate". "Newspeak" is here and being used.
But the Messiah is unelectable. Blacks support him by 90% but they are 12% of the population > 10% of vote. Liberal elite support him by 90% also and they are 30 % > 27% vote. This is in Democratic primaries. Nobody else does! 37% of vote is a landslide defeat for liberals! Even if one assumes that somehow another 10% of the electorate buys his BS, it is 47%; still a landslide by current standards. Even big state electorials can't save him. No cross needed, toast is toast.
But liberals are still vocal and potentially convincing. It ain't over 'til its over.
It is all BS and wishful thinking. HRHC commented that her husband was not nominated until June and Bobbie K. was assassinated in June, too. But the drive-bys are trying to make the Kennedy comment as a mistake. And HRHC is helping! Because she knows better. Gives a free repeat. It was deliberate.
All in line with the rest of her campaign. If the Messiah is so much at risk, there must be lotsa people who hate him. She is getting the message past the drive-bys that the Messiah is unelectable. This is just too rich; the most hated woman in America saying how her opponent is most hated, too. Alinsky jumps are wonderful.
Too many people regard him not as Messiah, but as Antichrist. The ultimate fascist in sheep's clothing. Maybe Muslem in Christian clothing, too. An empty suit and an open mouth spouting cliche after cliche (my spell check says cloche; maybe it's right, too, but I digress) Contradicting himself endlessly then declaring the fact "off limits". And then his radical wife speaks her piece until he silences her. Truth is "bad." Fact is "inaccurate". "Newspeak" is here and being used.
But the Messiah is unelectable. Blacks support him by 90% but they are 12% of the population > 10% of vote. Liberal elite support him by 90% also and they are 30 % > 27% vote. This is in Democratic primaries. Nobody else does! 37% of vote is a landslide defeat for liberals! Even if one assumes that somehow another 10% of the electorate buys his BS, it is 47%; still a landslide by current standards. Even big state electorials can't save him. No cross needed, toast is toast.
But liberals are still vocal and potentially convincing. It ain't over 'til its over.
Unelectable Messiah
Thanks American Thinker and LGF
Does not have even need Bosnian snipers; can do the job all by himself. But this is the Internet Age and lies are caught as spoken. Cannot be set "off limits." BTW see ACORN; his first office from college.
May 25, 2008
How are we supposed to take this man seriously for the position of commander in chief? Little Green Footballs snags Obama in a stunning error, and it is not just the name of the town he is in or the number of states.
Does not have even need Bosnian snipers; can do the job all by himself. But this is the Internet Age and lies are caught as spoken. Cannot be set "off limits." BTW see ACORN; his first office from college.
May 25, 2008
Obama's latest stunning gaffes
How are we supposed to take this man seriously for the position of commander in chief? Little Green Footballs snags Obama in a stunning error, and it is not just the name of the town he is in or the number of states.
On Friday Barack Obama spelled out his Latin America policy [snip]:Since the Bush Administration launched a misguided war in Iraq, its policy in the Americas has been negligent toward our friends, ineffective with our adversaries, disinterested in the challenges that matter in peoples' lives, and incapable of advancing our interests in the region.No wonder, then, that demagogues like Hugo Chavez have stepped into this vacuum.This is pathetic. Hugo Chavez came to power during the Clinton Administration, and was first elected President of Venezuela in 1998, two years before the Bush Administration took office.
But Jake Tapper notes this is small potatoes compared to his song and dance on FARC and Venezuela:
Meanwhile, in Chicago, the Resko trial goes on. "Bring the money ..." Drive-bys quiet therefore very damaging. google it. Q: Can B. Hussein outrun this trial? Now this is political drama. Hillary's trial in LA is on hold. Is this her strategy? "Never underestimate the Clintons."
Meanwhile, in Chicago, the Resko trial goes on. "Bring the money ..." Drive-bys quiet therefore very damaging. google it. Q: Can B. Hussein outrun this trial? Now this is political drama. Hillary's trial in LA is on hold. Is this her strategy? "Never underestimate the Clintons."
Congress Trims Back Mexico Anti-drug Plan
Actually they have, unintentionally, done everybody a favor. Mexico is a third world turd; any arms, money go the the oligarchs or the drug cartels; do not pass go, do not collect $200. Bad scene either way. Two things need to happen.
1) Isolate Mexico to foment a revolution.
B) Then legalize drugs to undercut the winners; encourage some sort of democracy. Could include Chavez for a twofer. He would jump at 1). An election cycle is plenty of time for both and would make a major economic jump for both US and Mexico. Oligarchs would have jumped for safety, in US mostly (nobody said they were smart) so our tax collections increase. (c.f. Cuban revolution). Even Chavez cannot support cartels w/o drugs and Russia/China are not players. [Thank you Monroe Doctrine] Problem is: needs a Nixon/Kissinger so the opportunity passes.
Congress trims Bush anti-drug plan for Mexico
By David Morgan Thu May 15, 7:08 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives on Thursday voted to scale back President George W. Bush's plan to aid Mexico in its increasingly deadly war on illegal drug cartels.
The so-called Merida initiative -- which Bush proposed last October as a three-year $1.4 billion package providing aircraft, equipment and training -- initially was to offer Mexico $500 million in this fiscal year that ends September 30.
But lawmakers reduced this year's segment to $400 million in a 256-166 vote on legislation that also expanded benefits for U.S. veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and lengthened unemployment benefits for U.S. workers.
The Democratic-controlled chamber sought to restrict support for the Mexican military, while increasing resources for social institutions including the country's judiciary.
1) Isolate Mexico to foment a revolution.
B) Then legalize drugs to undercut the winners; encourage some sort of democracy. Could include Chavez for a twofer. He would jump at 1). An election cycle is plenty of time for both and would make a major economic jump for both US and Mexico. Oligarchs would have jumped for safety, in US mostly (nobody said they were smart) so our tax collections increase. (c.f. Cuban revolution). Even Chavez cannot support cartels w/o drugs and Russia/China are not players. [Thank you Monroe Doctrine] Problem is: needs a Nixon/Kissinger so the opportunity passes.
Congress trims Bush anti-drug plan for Mexico
By David Morgan Thu May 15, 7:08 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives on Thursday voted to scale back President George W. Bush's plan to aid Mexico in its increasingly deadly war on illegal drug cartels.
The so-called Merida initiative -- which Bush proposed last October as a three-year $1.4 billion package providing aircraft, equipment and training -- initially was to offer Mexico $500 million in this fiscal year that ends September 30.
But lawmakers reduced this year's segment to $400 million in a 256-166 vote on legislation that also expanded benefits for U.S. veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and lengthened unemployment benefits for U.S. workers.
The Democratic-controlled chamber sought to restrict support for the Mexican military, while increasing resources for social institutions including the country's judiciary.
G**'l - Freedom is a fraud
Looks like censorship has come to the web. An earlier version of this blog had three photos of "The American Flag Defends Itself" Originally from Preshawar 2001 Attribution AP
The first showed an American flag and a group of Pakistanis in the background. Foreground a man is lighting a fuel soaked flag with a cigarette lighter. Sure are a lotta flames; likely a poof.
The second; OOPS! the turd must have spilled some of that fuel (likely gasoline) on himself. His arm and shoulder are on fire and he is trying to get away. The crowd is watching, even some smiling. Burn dingy, burn.
The third is only slightly later but the fire is starting on his hair. More smiles. Nobody helps. Burn dingy, burn. By now he has likely inhaled at least once. Poor dingy, one mistake after the other. Must be ... well, kin to our liberals. Bye dingy, bye.
The post had little verbiage; mostly the pix. But it has all disappeared; site and all. But it didn't. Nothing disappears from the web, ever. See American flag burning, a site showing some of shameless ways we, America, the USA have allowed our national symbol to be desecrated. The first (only) pix is about group 17.
On second thought, we must be doing something right or the turds wouldn't be burning our flag. Go Bush, go!!
So there censors. It's Baaaccckkk. And so am I
The first showed an American flag and a group of Pakistanis in the background. Foreground a man is lighting a fuel soaked flag with a cigarette lighter. Sure are a lotta flames; likely a poof.
The second; OOPS! the turd must have spilled some of that fuel (likely gasoline) on himself. His arm and shoulder are on fire and he is trying to get away. The crowd is watching, even some smiling. Burn dingy, burn.
The third is only slightly later but the fire is starting on his hair. More smiles. Nobody helps. Burn dingy, burn. By now he has likely inhaled at least once. Poor dingy, one mistake after the other. Must be ... well, kin to our liberals. Bye dingy, bye.
The post had little verbiage; mostly the pix. But it has all disappeared; site and all. But it didn't. Nothing disappears from the web, ever. See American flag burning, a site showing some of shameless ways we, America, the USA have allowed our national symbol to be desecrated. The first (only) pix is about group 17.
On second thought, we must be doing something right or the turds wouldn't be burning our flag. Go Bush, go!!
So there censors. It's Baaaccckkk. And so am I
On Oil Hearings - To a friend
Yeah, Congressional hearings have long been a stage for the legislators to do their grandstanding thing. Trouble is, this time they happened against folks who were smarter/ didn't care/ better prepped and able to get their own licks in. Unlike the first two dozen times. Also showed whatta floater M. Waters D-CA is.
As for the real issue, it's money movement. The stock & bond markets are relatively stable, saving accounts, etc.are way too low and the housing bubble went poof (REIT and other bundling schemes) so the investors, pension funds, insurance, unions, went to commodities. Metals, meat (remember pork bellies for bacon?) and oil all have active commodities markets. (Also see commodities market index.) The trading is in futures; that is goods to be delivered at some future date. The investors trade paper contracts while others handle the actual goods. Besides crude oil, there are markets in gasoline, diesel, av gas and the other refined products, too. All made to fleece the naive but do provide stability for the knowlegible. (e.g. Jet Blue has its fuel on contracts at $2.60 bought back when. American and United are paying current spot c. $10. They didn't have the reserve bucks back then so are hurting still.) Worldwide trading is done in reserve currencies. There's only one left; US$. Reason: volatility; the country no longer has control over its currency.
Then comes another complication: currency traders (!). These guys move megahowsomevers back and forth to gain small fractions. Make enough small fractions and it becomes real money. Again, no actual money changes hands only contracts. They do the actual reduction of dollar vs. Euro, Yen or whatever.
The real problem is that the run up on oil futures this time is looking like a bubble. Bubbles always go poof as demand falls below what was anticipated; that seems to be happening. Spot gold took a jump last week from c. $860 to c. $940. (google spot gold and look at the Kitco graphs.) Is on its way down a bit. Gold is the commodity for the nervous; first to rise but also first to fall as its appreciation (kinda like interest) is low. On the other hand, a crash in any of several US areas will crash the rest of the world, too.
The above makes it seem that I understand these markets. My knowledge is about the level of a high school freshman about science; they exist. Besides, my purse is way too small.
Hope this helps but suspect it is just more mud. Looks we are living in "interesting times". BTW gas in Europe also jumped c. 50%.
Spending more tax dollars than are taken in is a mixed blessing. Useful in very poor economic times but wayyy too tempting to politicians all the time. Like most medicines, the wrong prescription can kill the patient. Ray
As for the real issue, it's money movement. The stock & bond markets are relatively stable, saving accounts, etc.are way too low and the housing bubble went poof (REIT and other bundling schemes) so the investors, pension funds, insurance, unions, went to commodities. Metals, meat (remember pork bellies for bacon?) and oil all have active commodities markets. (Also see commodities market index.) The trading is in futures; that is goods to be delivered at some future date. The investors trade paper contracts while others handle the actual goods. Besides crude oil, there are markets in gasoline, diesel, av gas and the other refined products, too. All made to fleece the naive but do provide stability for the knowlegible. (e.g. Jet Blue has its fuel on contracts at $2.60 bought back when. American and United are paying current spot c. $10. They didn't have the reserve bucks back then so are hurting still.) Worldwide trading is done in reserve currencies. There's only one left; US$. Reason: volatility; the country no longer has control over its currency.
Then comes another complication: currency traders (!). These guys move megahowsomevers back and forth to gain small fractions. Make enough small fractions and it becomes real money. Again, no actual money changes hands only contracts. They do the actual reduction of dollar vs. Euro, Yen or whatever.
The real problem is that the run up on oil futures this time is looking like a bubble. Bubbles always go poof as demand falls below what was anticipated; that seems to be happening. Spot gold took a jump last week from c. $860 to c. $940. (google spot gold and look at the Kitco graphs.) Is on its way down a bit. Gold is the commodity for the nervous; first to rise but also first to fall as its appreciation (kinda like interest) is low. On the other hand, a crash in any of several US areas will crash the rest of the world, too.
The above makes it seem that I understand these markets. My knowledge is about the level of a high school freshman about science; they exist. Besides, my purse is way too small.
Hope this helps but suspect it is just more mud. Looks we are living in "interesting times". BTW gas in Europe also jumped c. 50%.
Spending more tax dollars than are taken in is a mixed blessing. Useful in very poor economic times but wayyy too tempting to politicians all the time. Like most medicines, the wrong prescription can kill the patient. Ray
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