I don't have any Lady Gaga songs on my iPod, but the visual image of Christopher Walken and Cartman singing with her is pretty damn funny. [...]
edited by: Vivian Paige,
Virginia Editor
I don't have any Lady Gaga songs on my iPod, but the visual image of Christopher Walken and Cartman singing with her is pretty damn funny. [...]
I sincerely wanted to resist any comment on Sarah Palin and her book tour (sponsored in part by Faux News), but I just have to say, now I recognize that her fan base really does like the fact that she is just like them - completely devoid of [...]
Spencer Ackerman has done a yeoman's job digging into the details as to whether the 40-44,000 troop estimate by Gen. McChrystal is even realistic to consider, when one counts the number of troops still in Iraq and Gen. Odierno's glacially slow deployment out of that country, the number of [...]
Rob Farley points to a Small Wars Journal article by COL Gian Gentile, where he proposes a "better understanding of the Vietnam War." Gentile is concerned that the COINdanistas are using the Vietnam conflict as an excuse to say "if they let us [...]
So let's talk about this great government in Kabul that we're trying to prop up with the billions of dollars from the US treasury. First we can talk about the mansions in Kabul, where simple government officials making a few hundred dollars [...]
Now I am probably not telling you anything new in this title, but when I saw this op-ed by William Kristol in his Weekly Standard magazine (hat tip to Matt Y), I just suddenly got this pounding headache and resulting furious reaction.
In areas [...]
Australian government officials announced the discovery of a World War 2-era cache of mustard-filled 105-mm artillery shells last week. It's causing a bit of a stir, but then again, it's just mustard agent and they're not leaking. Still, a bit of historical interest here as to where they came [...]
Story in the Washington Post yesterday talks about a new anthrax drug, intended for treatment after exposure to the disease. Only problem is that the FDA is taking its own sweet time in approving the drug. But that hasn't stopped the DHHS from [...]
Courtesy of Kings of War, I find the original source of the movie "Breaker Morant" is this book, Scapegoats of the Empire. The full text is available at the link. The movie is actually quite faithful to the screenplay, which surprises me for [...]
Paul McLeary points out a little problem with the Afghan army - they never developed logistics and combat service support units for their combat brigades.
Most troublesome for the ability of the ANA to operate independently of NATO forces is the issue of logistics. [...]
If you have an American flag flying in the background of your video, people will be entranced and ignore the blatant hypocrisy of your message. Really!
[...]Peter at The Strategist has voiced some frustration at the discussions over fourth generation warfare - he doesn't think that there is any "there" there. So he's going to talk about it at his blog, try to figure things out. I [...]
It's hard to figure out where David Kilcullen stands in reference to Afghanistan these days. This DoD Buzz post references a UK Guardian article where Kilcullen (quoted as a "key advisor to NATO forces") tries to tell the US government not to take [...]
Veteran actor Edward Woodward has died aged 79, his agent has confirmed.
The Croydon-born star had been suffering from various illnesses, including pneumonia, and died in hospital, said Janet Glass.
Woodward is most famous for his roles in the cult 1973 horror film The Wicker Man, alongside [...]
Things you will never see in a conference about chemical-biological warfare - a brief titled, "Geostrategic Illusions and Strategic Realities: the Question of Strategic Deterrence in a Pre-Strategic Multipolar World Order" at a recent Naval Postgraduate School conference.
I don't know why this is, [...]
What's the difference between liberal hawks and conservative hawks? No, I don't know either. Both of them love to fear the "WMD threat" - no matter how improbable the event, no matter how clearly the talk is just empty rhetoric without real action. President Obama has continued the "state [...]
Bruce Schneier has a great post on security theater. This article doesn't say anything new (from his voiced perspective), but if you're not familiar with the term and his argument, this is a good place to start.
A movie-plot threat is an overly specific attack [...]
Readers of this blog are familiar with my irritation with the EMP crazies out there. The conservatives in this movement are really something else. George Smith notes that they've gone to recruiting Iranian ex-pats now.
"Let us say [a] freighter ship launches [an Iranian] nuclear-armed Shahab-3 missile off the coast [...]
Ultra-Realistic Modern Warfare Game Features Awaiting Orders, Repairing Trucks
Ladies and Gentlemen, the amazing Onion News Network. I've not heard great things about Modern Warfare 2, and the price tag of $60 for four or five hours of single-player shooting just isn't worth it to me. Which is [...]
Defense News reveals talks ongoing between the South Korean government and the US military on the issue of cleaning up North Korea's nuclear weapons program when the regime collapses. It seems odd, in a way, that our new mission there isn't to defend the South [...]
Talking Points Memo says that there are rumors about former SecState Condi Rice and former NSA Stephen Hadley joining forces to create a" strategic consulting" firm. May I suggest that this is probably an even bigger farce than former FEMA Director Michael Brown's decision [...]
The United Nations was bombarded earlier this week with packets of "white powder." Of course, the NYPD quickly sprang into action. There is some indication that the exposed people had to be decontaminated from the flour "power."
The envelopes delivered on Tuesday were opened [...]
I have great respect for Tony Cordesman as a military analyst. His four-volume "Lessons of Modern War" series are solid, informative sources for anyone interested in a serious study of the Arab-Israeli conflicts, Iran-Iraq war, Falklands conflict, or the first Gulf War. Each one [...]
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Dogs miss their soldier-dads as well as the kids. Check out this web-site for other joyous reunions, if you can stand it. It's a heartwarming thing. [...]Remarks from today's dedication at Arlington Cemetery:
In this time of war, we gather here, mindful that the generations serving today already deserves a place alongside previous generations for the courage they have shown and the sacrifices that they have made.
In an era [...]
The Nukes & Spooks crowd got the wrong impressions when they questioned why SecDef Bob Gates was getting the H1N1 vaccine shot, supposedly when he wasn't a high priority on the list of personnel needing the shot.
On Wednesday, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said that [...]
Ralph Peters must have decided that too much time had passed since he last made an ass of himself, so he popped up on Faux News to talk about MAJ Hasan's attack on Fort Hood.
Peters was back, listing his allegations against Hasan. He claimed Hasan gave "a lecture [...]
In addition to Bob Kagan's ridiculous advice on China, we have to listen to his brother Fred and wife Kim.
SHORTER Fred Kagan: "I strongly endorse Teh Surge (TM) and don't understand why Obama is dragging his feet in respect to Afghanistan." Maybe it's because of the giant cluster-fuck in [...]
SHORTER Bob Kagan: "Obama's being a pussy about confronting China's massive military build-up."
China's defense budget in 2008 was $57 billion, or just under one-tenth of the US defense budget. In 2009, China will spend around $70 billion - or just over one-tenth of the US defense budget. [...]
It is with some relief that I read Der Spiegel's interview with Gen (ret) Jimmy Jones, the National Security Adviser, and find his words to be straightforward and logical. But ugh, he has to start off with the heavy rhetoric about "terrorists getting nuclear [...]
The US Army Chemical Materials Agency notes that an Oregon judge has ruled in favor of continuing incineration of its chemical munitions. Color me unsurprised.
Petitioners had challenged Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality on the approval of a Temporary Authorization Request for the trial [...]
Here it is, with Veterans Day coming up, and the Republican politicians are playing games with veteran's benefits.
Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) is blocking critical legislation that will provide health care, counseling, and a stipend for caregivers.
Former Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) tried to say that [...]
Twenty years after the Wall fell, the Germans let loose with some heavy partying. I thought I could summarize a few words that weren't cliche, but Matt Yeglasius does it so much better.
UPDATE: Fred Kaplan has a nice story on the Cold War [...]
One of the more frustrating things for me is how easily the Obama administration continues the Bush administration's homeland security paranoia in the execution of its programs. The proliferation of radiation detectors across the country, along our borders and in our seaports, [...]
About two weeks ago, the Department of Homeland Security released guidance on how first responders should act if (not when) a terrorist attacks a city with aerosolized anthrax.
The proposed guidance recommends protective measures such as personal protective equipment and decontamination and hygiene procedures for [...]
From the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America:
In the aftermath of Thursday's tragedy at Fort Hood, our community and our nation continue to mourn for those who lost their lives.
During this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, as well as with their friends and families.
If [...]
There's just not much to say about the tragic news yesterday - twelve 13 dead and 30 injured as a result of a "lone gunman," now identified as an Army major. MAJ Nidal Hasan was a psychiatrist who had graduated from Virginia Tech in 1997 [...]
Journalist Sean Smith of the UK Guardian offers fantastic video and commentary on the US Army's 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment as they conduct operations in Afghanistan. Ask the question, are these COIN tactics supporting the overall operations and national strategy? Hard to tell.
Make sure to watch the last two minutes for [...]
The NY Times has a series of short op-eds from various defense analysts on the current situation in Afghanistan, given the re-election of President Karzai and his brother's ties to the drug industry and the CIA. I think Andrew Bacevich's view is the [...]
Ah, shit. Congress decided to ignore Dr. Tara O'Toole's many, many challenges, as they have voted to approve the president's nomination to the DHS Science and Technology Director. From CQ (subscription required):
The Senate confirmed the nomination of Tara O'Toole by voice vote Wednesday [...]
David Hambling points to this report by Michael Crowley that discusses the challenges of addressing riot control agents (RCAs) and incapacitating chemical agents under the Chemical Weapons Convention. I think it's a load of crap - buncha lawyers arguing about what [...]
Rob Farley has an interesting observation about the alleged threat of a future Iranian nuclear weapon against Israel - that is, if Israel has such a kick-ass missile defense system, exactly what does Israel's government have to worry about a single Iranian nuke? [...]
