Open Comment Post. August 6, 2018

Run!

Run ❗ ❗ ❗ 👍😂😂😂🏃🏃 #wildlifeonearth

A post shared by WILDLIFE ANIMAL (@wildlifeonearth) on Aug 5, 2018 at 1:11pm PDT

S. Korean Military Intel Unit planned for martial law and the CO got sacked for it...

via LAHT.com

South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in replaced the commander of a military intelligence unit on Friday that had prepared a blueprint for the imposition of martial law in the country last year, and ordered a restructuring of the group.

Moon replaced Lieutenant General Lee Suk-koo with Lt. Gen. Nam Young-sin to head the Defense Security Command, and ordered the creation of a new command to “break with its past,” said presidential spokesperson Yoon Young-chan, according to local news agency Yonhap.

The defense ministry said in a statement that Nam, 55, is “reform-minded and equipped with a strong will and capabilities to push for the DSC reform.”

Lee and other high-ranking DSC officers allegedly involved in irregularities, will return to their original units (Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines) until the investigation concludes.

The order came a day after the defense ministry’s reform committee proposed measures to restructure the command including reducing the unit’s strength by 30 percent from the current 42,000 personnel.

The DSC has been in question since June when an official probe was launched into a contingency plan proposed by the command to quell protests against former president Park Geun-hye.
The document was prepared as a possible plan of action in case the Constitutional Court allowed Park to continue as president, an event which did not occur as the court approved her impeachment on March 10, 2017.

The proposal included first implementing a national emergency law if the protests continued despite a court decision in favor of Park, and imposition of martial law if they persisted.

The DSC had planned to mobilize 200 tanks, 550 armored vehicles, 4,800 armed personnel and 1,400 members of special forces in Seoul in order to enforce martial law.

The plan, which has led to outrage in sections of South Korean society due to its similarities to the procedures used by military juntas that ruled the country between 1961 and 1988, also included measures such as arrests of lawmakers and media censorship.

Weird.

If you don't think the US military has a similar plan and even more you're smoking crack.  I don't know but I'd guess that their is a plan to take over each and every state in the union...individually and collectively if need be.

I'd bet there are plans to deal with radical groups too powerful for law enforcement to handle and even contingencies for dealing with widespread lawlessness after major disasters (although our military is EXTREMELY slow to assist on home soil but quite rapid in other lands).

Why the S. Koreans would go high and to right over this is puzzling but probably has more to do with their history of military rule than with the practicality of having such plans in place.

Guess who I heard from? Mike Sparks!!!!

Guess what folks.

I heard from Mike Sparks.  Yeah that's right THAT MIKE SPARKS!  I won't share the e-mail but I'll brace you all for what I hope happens over the next week or two.

I'm catching up on e-mail in the blog folder and I'm gonna offer him a chance to re-introduce himself to the community here.

I can think of few people that need to have a soapbox to stand on to refute some of the jabs, barbs and idiocy throw his way.

If Mike agrees then one other thing will happen.  I hope to talk him into doing guest posts on the blog.  I'm gonna write the other guy that I think was also a great reformer, Mike over at New Wars and see if he would consider the occasional guest post since he isn't blogging anymore.

I don't know what they'll say but I'm thrilled at the possibilities.  Stay tuned!

Open Comment Post. August 5, 2018

Russia offers US cooperation in rebuilding Syria.

via Sputnik.

A Reuters report cites a US government memo saying Russia’s Valery Gerasimov contacted the US’ Joseph Dunford. The memo reportedly goes out of its way to underscore how skeptical US is about such a prospect.

The Russian military has reportedly offered the US Armed Forces its cooperation in rebuilding the ravaged nation of Syria, according to a report by Reuters citing a US government memo.

According to the report, Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russia's General Staff of the Armed Forces, contacted US Marine General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on July 19, offering Russia's cooperation in rebuilding Syria and repatriating refugees back to the country. This is the first time such a proposal has been reported, but the details have not yet been disclosed.

Story here. 

1.  Spare me your idiocy on using Sputnik as a source.  It's a news AGGREGATOR and its simply publishing details from a REUTERS news story.  This ain't propaganda.

2.  We're seeing an attempt by the Russian Army Chairman to reach out to his US counterpart offering Russia's cooperation in rebuilding Syria.  Awesome in my mind.  If you're skeptical cool, but it should be investigated and if true acted on.  Endless wars are wrecking us and this craziness in Syria without end NEEDS TO END!

3.  This is the mainstream media's biggest fear.  Probably the biggest fear of elements inside our govt too.  Russia actually being a force of good?  Achieving an end state in the quagmire that is Syria?

I am hopeful that this true.

If it isn't then all we've done is waste a small amount of time but this should be checked out and an end to the war and the rebuilding of the nation planned for.

As far as the next steps in the Russia/US relationship?  How about we cooperate where we can, disagree where we must but simply try to act like adults instead of bickering children.  If we see bad action on their part then we should act.  If we are involved in bad acts towards them we should be prepared for retaliation.

That's how grown ups do business.  Let's be grown ups.

Open Comment Post. August 4, 2018

China might fight alongside Syria in the ongoing civil war...

via Yenisafak.com

Two Chinese diplomats have raised the possibility of Chinese military operations in Syria alongside the Assad regime.
Speaking to Syrian pro-government daily Al-Watan on Thursday, China’s Ambassador to Damascus, Qi Qianjin, said that the Chinese military is willing to participate “in some way” alongside the Syrian Army in Idlib as well as other parts of Syria.

Additionally, Chinese military attaché Wong Roy Chang, in a similar statement also delivered to Al-Watan, reportedly stated that there is “ongoing” military cooperation between the two countries.

“We, China, wish to develop our relations with the Syrian Army. As for participating in the Idlib operation, it requires a political decision,” Chang said.

Story here. 

My personal theory?

I think that China is looking to gain leverage over the US in an asymmetric fashion.

Why?

Because they need some bullets in their gun to get Trump to back off the tariffs which are currently WRECKING the Chinese economy and stand as our best chance to strangle the Chinese military in it's teenage years...especially since we missed the chance to do it in the crib because of the idiocy with regard to "opening a new market" that stretches back to the Nixon era.

So what will engaging in Syria bring them?

A bargaining chip.  For some parts of our govt the Syrian war seems beyond personal.  If I didn't know better I'd think the fortunes of their families rests on certain outcomes being achieved.  Militarily I still cannot understand the way the war is being fought and politically I can't understand the desire to fight the war till the very end.  Regardless this will give China an opening.

So what does this pronouncement from Diplomats mean?

A warning shot across the administration's bow.  This is a different way of saying back off the sanctions.

My hoped for outcome?

If we can stay the course with sanctions we can break China's economic back.  They built an entire economy based on exporting goods, taking advantage of a currency that they make artificially weak and have conspired with other govts to ship their good thru their nations to avoid illustrating the real trade deficit we have with them.

Syria isn't important.

Winning the trade war is. 

If China wants a piece of Syria then a piece they should have....

HMAS Adelaide has been busy...AND has a full deck of Aussie aircraft!

Thanks to Jamie for the pic!

Ok this is more like it!  I forget sometimes that Australia is a SMALL country...I'm not even sure if its bigger than Texas or California population wise so considering all that its a pretty impressive force they're assembling.

Still wish it was aimed more at amphibious ops but this pics proves they're working in that direction.

The only thing that could make this better?  If I saw a Tigre or two... but this is a busy flight deck and a busy flight deck is a good flight deck.

IAI did offer the IDF a converted tanker but the Air Force didn't evaluate it according to their CEO!

via Defense News.

It began in low voices behind closed doors but some days ago the battle for US military aid turned to open war.

The first skirmish is being fought over the Israeli Air Force’s (IAF) advanced aerial refueling aircraft meant to replace its aging converted Boeing 707s.

Until some months ago there were two options on the table: the Boeing KC-46A and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) converted Boeing 767s. IAI was confident that its offer would be evaluated seriously, especially in light of the delays to the KC-46. But this confidence was destroyed when IAI learned that the IAF is locked on buying the KC-46A.

IAI was shocked, but the they initially kept their reaction behind closed doors. This changed when I met with Joseph Weiss, president and CEO of IAI in his office. Weiss spelled out all his anger and frustration when i asked him if the company is in the competition for the new aerial refueling aircraft

“We are not. We have not been given a chance to compete in spite of the fact that we can supply the best cost-effective solution. It is very strange that the Israeli air force ignores our proposal. The Ministry of Defense has not even begun a dialogue with us on our proposal. That is wrong, very wrong. We only ask for a fair chance to compete”

Story here. 

OK, now I bang on some of you people.  In a blog post I expressed amazement that IAI didn't offer a converted tanker to the Israeli Air Force.  ALL I HEARD WERE ARMCHAIR GENERALS talking about how a converted tanker didn't meet redundancy standards, how it wasn't suitable for military service etc...

Now?

Now we hear that IAI did indeed offer a converted tanker and were only stopped by FMF sales rules or some such thing.

Can we say vindicated.