Pentagon tries to call off the fighting between Kurds and Iraqi Govt.

via Defense News.

 The U.S. may consider halting its massive train-and-equip program for Iraqi forces if the Iraqi military continues its offensive against Iraqi Kurds in northern Iraq, a defense official said Monday.

Over the weekend U.S.-equipped Iraqi forces entered Kirkuk, an oil-rich, Kurdish-controlled city, in response to the Kurdish region’s independence vote on Sept. 25. Several exchanges of gunfire were reported Monday as Iraqi forces took over Kurdish-controlled buildings and facilities in Kirkuk.

The U.S.-led task force in command of operations in Iraq and Syria issued a statement Monday that urged all sides to avoid escalations, but downplayed the movement of Iraqi military vehicles into Kirkuk as “coordinated movements, not attacks,” and called the predawn gunfire “a misunderstanding and not deliberate.”

Story here. 

Too little too late.

This thing is done and this fight isn't the real news.  The real news is that this is the first skirmish in the post ISIS fight.

Now things can get dicey.

What happens if the Turks annex Syrian territory?  Will Syria fight?  How will Turkey and MAYBE even Iraq deal with terror attacks by Kurds?  Will the Kurds go full throttle?  How do the Kurds view the US now?  They were our most reliable allies in the fight against ISIS and it seems (I'm not sure...this is the most murky fight I've seen ever!) we've thrown them under the bus.

What is Israel trying to do?  They supported Kurdish independence and I wouldn't be surprised to see Israeli Special Ops roaming the battlefield.  What's their desired end state in all this?

This whole game of throne things might make a great TV series but it sucks in real life. 

Politics Talk. Disgusting politicization of those who died in combat & calls to their families...

Small rant.

You guys can go at it after reading this but my mind is made up on this one.  Call me stubborn but I consider it personal conviction.

The news media and the President have engaged in a disgusting politicization of those who died in combat and calls to their families.

Background.

Four Special Forces soldiers died in Niger.  Why they were there in the first place isn't being debated.  The fact that an offshoot of ISIS successfully ambushed some of our best isn't being thought about.  The fact that we've been at war for almost 20 years is an afterthought.

The fact that the families are still in the middle of their grief isn't cared about.

Instead the news media is playing a game of gotcha with Trump because he said something stupid, and Trump is playing pass the buck because he was incapable of having a moment of clarity.

Let me unpackage that.  First about Trump.

There was no need to compare his response to those of other Presidents.  Only his actions matter.  What came before is irrelevant.  The fact that he hadn't called or written yet is understandable.  Like I said.  The families are in the middle of their grief.  Why he would bring General Kelley's personal heartbreak into the matter in an attempt to deflect is beyond me but particularly egregious.  The fact that he would compare his response to what Obama or Bush Jr did is almost childlike.  I'm not pissed at him but severely disappointed.  I hoped for better.  He seems to hold the military in high regard so I wanted and expected a more nuanced statement.

Now the media.

These people are actually interviewing the families of the fallen SF soldiers about whether or not the President has contacted them!  To me that is bordering on being vile, arrogant and uncaring.  Correction.  That IS vile, arrogant and uncaring.

How did we get this broken?

To many of you this is probably no big deal but it really rubs me the wrong way.  These people need to knock it off.

SB>1 DEFIANT

Open Comment Post. Oct 17, 2017

2 RAR (Amphib) CO's memo to the troops...

Thanks to the little birdy that dropped this in my inbox!

What caught my eyes?  A better description of the mission set.  Riverine, small boat, recon and limited scope raids?  Sounds a bit like an enhanced Boat Co. on float. I don't know what "battle shaping" is so I'll just set that aside for a minute.

This give much needed clarity to 2RAR (Amphib) mission.

Its also a bit curious.

I don't mean to be critical, just factual. 

Look around the Pacific.  Check out the other Marine Corps in the region.  S. Korea, Indonesia, China, the Philippines and even Japan are all going for heavier, mechanized Marine Corps. 

To state it plainly, it looks like the Aussies are building a force that looks more like the Royal Marines than it does the USMC.

Evolution will occur and watching the Aussie Army get its sea legs will be fascinating.  I wonder though.  If they're this constrained on men and material can they afford to try and split the difference?  The only force I'm aware of that has successfully fielded an Amphibious Army in the modern era is the Italians with the Lagunari.

If I was to make a bet on where the Aussie Army will go in the future it will be to somewhat mirror the Lagunari in a smaller package with the 2RAR (Amphib).  Oh and that includes eventually buying amphibious assault vehicles.  Land 900?

Does the US Army and Marine Corps need the Iron Dome for peer vs peer warfare?

Between periods of watching the Saints body slam the Lions I've been thinking about capability gaps that the US Army and Marine Corps face on the upcoming battlefield of peer vs peer combat.

I keep circling back to artillery and aviation threats.

Even now I think it will be a VERY bloody affair but on the ground as currently constituted I think we can more than hold our own.  Tanks, IFVs and Infantry I feel give us an adequate  if not overwhelming advantage.

Its the enemy artillery and our ability to withstand the barrage that concerns.

Having said that I wonder if it isn't time for the USMC to reinvigorate its Air Defense Artillery Battalions and attach them to every Regiment.  Of course the Army should do the same and as the lead agency I would hope that they would acquire systems that are modular enough to be used by the Corps.

In light of the cruise missile/ballistic missile threat maybe its time to bite the bullet and buy the Iron Dome.  It's ready now, and even has a naval variant that can cover our landing forces/sea base.  If we can decide on a proper high mobility platform then it can even cover gaps as we move toward the objective when we're out of range of naval coverage and haven't yet established ourselves on whatever target has been selected.

Yeah its Israeli but we can rename it to Iron Hammer, Deflector Shield or whatever will make the critics stop bleating like a bunch of frightened sheep.

Iraq is the pus filled tumor that won't heal...Reliable Kurds battling Waffling Iraq Govt.

via France 24

The presidents of Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan held talks Sunday to defuse an escalating crisis, after a deadline for Kurdish forces to withdraw from disputed positions was extended by 24 hours.

Thousands of Iraqi troops are locked in an armed standoff with Kurdish peshmerga fighters in the oil-rich province of Kirkuk, amid spiralling tensions following last month's vote by the Iraqi Kurds for independence.

The crisis is raising fears of fresh chaos in Iraq just as the country's forces are on the verge of routing the Islamic State group from the last territory it controls in the country.

Kurdish forces, who were key allies in the US-backed offensive against IS, are refusing to surrender positions they took during the fightback against the jihadists over the past three years.

Iraq's central authorities had demanded the Kurds withdraw from disputed areas overnight but the deadline was extended by a day following talks.

“It is basically a political standoff and a military standoff. Both sides… cannot afford to back down, 

Story here. 

So what do we have here?  The Kurds and Iraqi Govt forces are fighting?  Yeah. Just fucking perfect.

If you want to know why I so despise the Neo-Cons and globalists in the govt then point to this as just one small example.

Everyone and their mother has been filling my in box with news of this fight but to be honest I've been waiting to see what CentCom would come out with. I even held out hope that Tillerson would engage.

To show you how desperate I was for some type of action I was on this issue then check this out...I was waiting for Ivanka's husband to even step up to the plate.

It's quiet as a grave at midnight.

Not one fucking word.

US troops are on the ground and in the air and our policy makers and even combatant commanders are dazed and confused.

This.

This fucking region of the earth is like a pus filled tumor that won't heal. 

We solve one fight (ISIS) by mistake (thank you Russia and Assad) and what happens next?  One reliable ally (the Kurds) are taking up arms against a wavering, idiotic, and down right stupid ally (Iraqi Govt).

I've personally had enough.

Will someone tell me again why this region is so important to the safety and security of the United States?  Will someone please tell me why it's worth one more drop of American blood or one more cent of our money?

If you can't do it without heading off into fairy land with talk of democracy and self determination and other nonsense then you can't convince me of a thing.

These people and this region just ain't worth it.

Bold Alligator 17 scaled back? No big deal...real world always comes first!

via Press Release.

Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces (USFF) Command and Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command (MARFORCOM) will commence Bold Alligator 2017 (BA17) in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and at-sea Atlantic ranges Oct. 18 through Oct. 30.

Bold Alligator 17 will be a live, events-driven exercise featuring U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and partner nation forces. The exercises will provide the Navy and Marine Corps team tactical level training for amphibious operations which are core requirement to maritime power projection.

While the scope of the exercise has been modified because of U.S. and partner nation efforts in the wake of hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, BA17 will incorporate amphibious, carrier strike group, air wing, and expeditionary mine countermeasures operations to provide a rigorous training environment for the combined forces. "The Bold Alligator exercise series advances how integrated naval forces operate with our allies and partners," said Adm. Phil Davidson, commander, USFF. "Improving Navy-Marine Corps amphibious core competencies with coalition, allied and partner nations is a necessary investment in the current and future readiness of our forces." 

I've heard wailing and gnashing of teeth over this exercise being scaled back because of a real world situation involving the aid of fellow citizens both on the continental United States and Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands.

Why?

The US Navy and Marine Corps have conducted numerous exercises this year. To say that this is the one indispensable exercise is I think taking it much too far.

Real world always comes first!  Whether its combat or HA/DR on our own shores we always prioritize.  

Supporting Marines/Sailors in the field always comes before exercises depicting fictional scenarios.

US Army's Mobile Protected Firepower Program...what do we need it to do?

A reader made a comment on my blog post showing the ST Kinetics candidate for the MPF.

"So we're paying 100x the cost for the same capability as a T-55".

That's not exact but close enough and it made me pause in my tracks.  What are we looking for in our new quasi light tank?  Obviously we're looking for a vehicle that can bust bunkers.  Being able to effectively take out  the heavier APC/IFVs that are coming online is desirable too.

But do we need it to be able to engage enemy MBTs?

I think not.

And that is the rub.  Many are looking for this vehicle to mount 120mm cannon so that it can fight above its weight.  In my estimation that is a fools errand. We don't want these crews to hook and jab with heavy armor.  If there is no choice and the battle dictates it that's different but out the box we want our anti-tank missile men to engage those MBTs while the MPF vehicle keeps them clean of enemy infantry.

Additionally load outs for these vehicles should be biased toward infantry support.  Copious amounts of high explosive and beehive rounds with maybe only a couple anti-tank shells should be the norm.

In essence we're carrying on that proud tradition of British Infantry Tanks, most notably the Matilda II.

I understand the concept or at least I think I do, but what has me puzzled are the solutions.

Why are they basing it on an APC hull?  Of the three contenders only one (BAE) is actually presenting a "tank" like vehicle.  The other two are going with an APC type solution.

Is it a negative?

No not really.  Not for the roles that I believe its expected to fulfill.

But its not really an elegant solution.  I keep looking at the Chinese Light Tank and I wonder why a "baby Abrams" hasn't been put forward.  A 40 ton solution that mirrors the M1 Abrams layout would seem to be a no brainer.  Go for a lighter armor, diesel engine and perhaps even keep the 120mm gun for commonality and you have what I would consider a winner.

Regardless I keep circling back to that statement.  100x the cost to get the capabilities of a T-55 MBT.  I think that will  haunt this program and the US Army for as long as this program exists.

Open Comment Post. Oct 14, 2017