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Yes, thanks to my wife, who did a tremendous job on the home front during my years in the Navy. The result is seen in our three great children!
Commented May 6, 2011 on It’s military spouse appreciation day! at BLACKFIVE
It’s military spouse appreciation day!
I’m sure there are official proclamations out there that say very well why we should appreciate military spouses, but having grown up in the household of a career military man and having watched my mom do what she did for all those years, I have an appreciation that is hard to describe. My mom w...
LC,
If Islam wasn't the problem, there would be vastly more support from Muslims in the war on terror than there is.
Commented May 5, 2011 on Back to being a wuss - no OBL picture (update) at BLACKFIVE
Back to being a wuss - no OBL picture (update)
I honestly don't get this. Why in the world does Obama think that showing a photo of a dead OBL is akin to "spiking the football" and will only do harm, no good? The apparent thinking is that showing such a picture will inflame the jihadists and have them seeking revenge? Like flying into Pakis...
What is going to make or break our effort in Afghanistan is the support, or lack of support, of the people of Afghanistan. And we won't get that if we kill as many non-Taliban as Taliban.
Commented Jul 2, 2010 on ITC- Petraeus still countering insurgency at BLACKFIVE
ITC- Petraeus still countering insurgency
There will be some adjustments and some reinforcement of exactly how the Rules of Engagement should be employed, but there will be no major changes to our strategy in Afghanistan. Nor should there be if we want to actually win. I have only one question for everyone who thinks we should loosen th...
David,
You're missing the point - you have to loook at this from the viewpoint of the people in the villages.
If their children are killed by us while we are killing the Taliban, we get blamed. NOT the Taliban. They don't look at it from the "big picture" perspective. And the "central" government doesn't have the influence there to be able to force that viewpoint. If we don't understand that, and act accordingly, we lose.
Commented Jul 2, 2010 on ITC- Petraeus still countering insurgency at BLACKFIVE
ITC- Petraeus still countering insurgency
There will be some adjustments and some reinforcement of exactly how the Rules of Engagement should be employed, but there will be no major changes to our strategy in Afghanistan. Nor should there be if we want to actually win. I have only one question for everyone who thinks we should loosen th...
That was "elections"!!
Commented Jun 30, 2010 on Reminder - Military Motivator - Lust at BLACKFIVE
Reminder - Military Motivator - Lust
From the Iraq Surge testimony just a few years ago:
You have to look at this from the perspective of taking (or at a minimum risking) avoidable losses at one point to prevent greater losses at another point. The "points" can be geographic, or chronological.
This is extremely common in our military history. Think of the "point man" on a patrol, the picket destroyers in the Pacific in WWII, or the troops assigned to cover a retreat.
Commented Jun 30, 2010 on Emasculated ROE will likely continue under Petraeus at BLACKFIVE
Emasculated ROE will likely continue under Petraeus
While some here maintain that McChrystal's emasculated ROE are the "right rules," I would like to hear how the Karzai 12 have made any positive contribution to the war. If I was in command, and my subordinates translated my directives in such a way that promised artillery and air support was not...
If McChrystal ends up not leaving, this will likely strengthen him in the eyes of the Afghans.
Commented Jun 23, 2010 on If McChrystal goes, Eikenberry & Holbrooke must follow at BLACKFIVE
If McChrystal goes, Eikenberry & Holbrooke must follow
The two biggest obstacles to success in dealing w/ the Afghan govt, and consequently with our chances of success w/ the war there are Amb. Eikenberry and Special Envoy Holbrooke. When Obama took over the first thing he and his brain trust decided was that Karzai must go. Eikenberry and Holbrooke...
Storm,
We didn't have perspective in Korea. Some of the same issues as in Afghanistan.
Obama has handled Afghanistan and Iraq poorly. However, it is totally inappropriate for this criticism to be made publicly. If it comes from his staff, and not him, then McChrystal should have relieved them. If it came from him, he should resign.
If Obama is smart, he won't accept it but will (privately) request the resignations of at least Eikenberry and (preferably) Holbrooke as well.
Commented Jun 23, 2010 on If McChrystal goes, Eikenberry & Holbrooke must follow at BLACKFIVE
If McChrystal goes, Eikenberry & Holbrooke must follow
The two biggest obstacles to success in dealing w/ the Afghan govt, and consequently with our chances of success w/ the war there are Amb. Eikenberry and Special Envoy Holbrooke. When Obama took over the first thing he and his brain trust decided was that Karzai must go. Eikenberry and Holbrooke...
Happy Birthday, US Army, and Happy Flag Day, in memory of my US Army uncle, KIA in France, June 14, 1944.
Commented Jun 15, 2010 on Happy Birthday to the US Army at BLACKFIVE
Happy Birthday to the US Army
235 years young and hardly looks a day over two centuries. I have said before that our military is one of the great forces for good ever on this planet and the Army has a huge role in that. A big Hooah to all those wearing the uniform now and to those, including several of our authors here, who ...
Are you serious? You want to give BP a pass because the Feds have poor oversight? That's like blaming the police for a traffic accident because they didn't have enough red light cameras up.
Commented Jun 12, 2010 on Discussion: How much longer will the British stay in Afghanistan while Obama continues demonizing one of their signature companies? at BLACKFIVE
Discussion: How much longer will the British stay in Afghanistan while Obama continues demonizing one of their signature companies?
My grandfather was an Englishman. He fought against the Italians in Abyssinia as a Leftenant in the Royal South African Army Corps of Engineers, and died in 1945. My grandmother, an Australian, kept a shrine to him until she passed just a few years ago. Because of my Grandmother, and my Mothe...
The "bashing" of BP is completely appropriate - the oil spill is completely their fault.
That should be viewed as a separate issue from the way that the allied governments have treated, which has been very poor.
Commented Jun 11, 2010 on Discussion: How much longer will the British stay in Afghanistan while Obama continues demonizing one of their signature companies? at BLACKFIVE
Discussion: How much longer will the British stay in Afghanistan while Obama continues demonizing one of their signature companies?
My grandfather was an Englishman. He fought against the Italians in Abyssinia as a Leftenant in the Royal South African Army Corps of Engineers, and died in 1945. My grandmother, an Australian, kept a shrine to him until she passed just a few years ago. Because of my Grandmother, and my Mothe...
They're both Army, what did you expect? Nothing like this would ever happen with people who are retired/former Navy!!
Commented May 29, 2010 on Yawn at BLACKFIVE
Yawn
Yes I am aware Mr. Yon is still flinging poo, no need to send me more links. I have better things to do than indulge his paranoia. It is sad when he links to the tinfoil hat crowd to try and discredit me and the other folks here. Hopefully he will move on to more productive activities. I'm bored...
"An SF medic I know said "I'd rather see 1,000 goats die than one of our troops",that is a harsh idea to get your mind around but I agree with him."
How is that a harsh idea to get your mind around? Would anyone have second thoughts about trading 3,000,000 goats for 9/11?
Commented May 26, 2010 on Saving our troops or saving animals at BLACKFIVE
Saving our troops or saving animals
I know this is not going to sit well with some of you and I understand. I think it is important enough that I will ask you tolerance and if not your support, at least your acquiescence. We use animals to train Special Forces medics and many of our line combat medics and corpsmen. Let me say firs...
I had that same thought when reading this story. TOo bad we don't do more of that ourselves.
Commented May 12, 2010 on The Russians Executed the Pirates at BLACKFIVE
The Russians Executed the Pirates
Anyone from the Cold War era and anyone who knows Russians knows that the Ruskies (topped, whacked, shot, ganked, ghosted, iced, smoked, wasted) killed those Somali pirates...Ten pirates captured by the Russian navy last week near Somalia were put in an inflatable boat without navigational equip...
Patton absolutely was a showman. He was loud and extravagant, he loved the limelight. He was also a great general.
Commented Apr 29, 2010 on Why COIN won't work in Afghanistan at BLACKFIVE
Why COIN won't work in Afghanistan
Why do I not believe that our current strategy in Afghanistan is going to work? Check out this extraordinarily complex slide showing the military's strategy for Afghanistan: According to one of his advisers, General Stanley McChrystal said "When we understand that slide, we’ll have won the w...
He has done some great work, but there has always tended to be more "him" in it than perhaps is best.
Commented Apr 20, 2010 on An Open Letter To Michael Yon at BLACKFIVE
An Open Letter To Michael Yon
Sent to him via e-mail and cross-posted at Laughingwolf.net Michael, A lot of good people are sending you messages today, and so I thought I would send you this short note. No one is denying that you've done some good work in Iraq or Afghanistan. In point of fact, most have said all along yo...
How much do you want to degrade the mission capability for increased security?
It's like armoring helicopters. Safer for the people inside the more they are armored, but they can't fly for as long, or as high, or carry as many troops.
There are always tradeoffs.
Commented Dec 18, 2009 on Hackers grab drone footage at BLACKFIVE
Hackers grab drone footage
The Wall Street Journal reports that hackers in the combat zones are downloading video feeds of our drone surveillance and attack aircraft. In a smart-alec response, I put up on my Twitter page: Blackfive RE: WSJ on Drone Hackers :Get back at hackers by putting loop of unencrypted vid feed of...
Unfortunately, I think this was a political CYA decision - he is trying to optimize his chances in 2012. If Afghanistan was really a high priority to him, this would have been done (sans deadline) 6 months ago.
Commented Dec 2, 2009 on Contra myself on Obama Afghan Strategy at BLACKFIVE
Contra myself on Obama Afghan Strategy
UPDATE: TSO sends that Obama can deploy the forces without Congressional approval and they would have to then not fund the troops already in theater next Fall during appropriations negotiations. That changes things a little. OK so I have been mulling this over and have some more thoughts. My ini...
What is the best web site(s) for information on the Rangers in Afghanistan/Iraq?
FOr a friend whose son is a combat medic with them.
Commented Nov 22, 2009 on A Soldier's Home in Afghanistan at BLACKFIVE
A Soldier's Home in Afghanistan
I thought this would give you a good idea of the conditions our men are living and fighting in... U.S. Army Pfc. Stephen Martin cleans his weapon inside a small shelter at an observation post near Combat Outpost Munoz in Paktika province, Afghanistan, Nov. 15, 2009. Martin is assigned to Comp...
"is Afghanistan important enough to risk US lives for? If yes, then you give McChrystal what he needs to succeed, if not then you pack up and leave."
That is what the decision needs to be based on, not the desired deployment schedules of the military.
Commented Nov 16, 2009 on Overthinking Afghanistan at BLACKFIVE
Overthinking Afghanistan
(h/t Greyhawk) Bob Woodward was doing his Washington insider thing on ABC this weekend and dropped a very telling piece of info that could explain President Obama's grotesque inability to make a decision about Afghanistan. This morning on the Roundtable, legendary investigative journalist Bob Wo...
Drewzer,
Please give us your recommended strategy for Afghanistan-Pakistan, along with what you think the long-term outcome would be.
Commented Nov 12, 2009 on Smartest guy in the room on Afghanistan at BLACKFIVE
Smartest guy in the room on Afghanistan
If this is true then just about all the worst fears we had about Obama as Commander in Chief are coming true. WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama does not plan to accept any of the Afghanistan war options presented by his national security team, pushing instead for revisions to clarify how and w...
Drewzer,
Please give us your recommended strategy for Afghanistan-Pakistan, along with what you think the long-term outcome would be.
Commented Nov 12, 2009 on Smartest guy in the room on Afghanistan at BLACKFIVE
Smartest guy in the room on Afghanistan
If this is true then just about all the worst fears we had about Obama as Commander in Chief are coming true. WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama does not plan to accept any of the Afghanistan war options presented by his national security team, pushing instead for revisions to clarify how and w...
Pretty clearly, there is significant danger that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Put this in the context about threats to try the military who killed the freed Italian hostage with friendly fire, and the statements by high-level U.N. staff about drone attacks being illegal, and the unwillingness of many nations to take armed action against pirates. There is a distinct pattern taking shape.
Commented Nov 4, 2009 on Italians convict 23 Americans in rendition case at BLACKFIVE
Italians convict 23 Americans in rendition case
This looks like it could get ugly for a number of reasons. MILAN -- An Italian court on Wednesday convicted 22 CIA operatives and a U.S. Air Force colonel of orchestrating the kidnapping of a Muslim cleric in Milan in 2003 and flying him to Egypt, where he said he was later tortured. The judg...
UJ,
Stronger action in response to Iranian support of terrorists in Lebanon, Gaza, Afghanistan, and Iraq are additional steps that should be taken. Could be covert (at least initially) to "send a message". Would likely be effective, at least to some degree, particularly in conjunction with support of the anti-government movement and official protests over the election results.
Commented Nov 4, 2009 on An unhappy anniversary at BLACKFIVE
An unhappy anniversary
Today marks the 30th anniversary of the Iranian invasion of the United States and the true beginning of our now decades long war with the Islamic regime. This humiliating incident where they seized our embassy and held hostage our citizens for 444 days was part of the downfall of the feckless Ji...
And these guys will be "arrestable" in any country that has extradition treaties with Italy.
Commented Nov 4, 2009 on Italians convict 23 Americans in rendition case at BLACKFIVE
Italians convict 23 Americans in rendition case
This looks like it could get ugly for a number of reasons. MILAN -- An Italian court on Wednesday convicted 22 CIA operatives and a U.S. Air Force colonel of orchestrating the kidnapping of a Muslim cleric in Milan in 2003 and flying him to Egypt, where he said he was later tortured. The judg...
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