WarHammer News. French Foreign Minister warns N. Korea could attack Europe with nuclear missiles?

Thanks to ASEAN Blog for the link!

via Manila Bulletin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Friday of a “major conflict” looming on the Korean Peninsula, calling for talks to alleviate the crisis after Pyongyang fired a missile over Japan this week.

“The problems in the region will only be solved via direct dialogue between all concerned parties, without preconditions,” Putin said.

“Threats, pressure and insulting and militant rhetoric are a dead end,” a statement from his office said, adding that heaping additional pressure on North Korea in a bid to curb its nuclear programme was “wrong and futile.”

Story here. 

Pretty darn interesting isn't it.  I thought that things had paused but it appears that the Russians still think things are boiling.  It gets better though. Check this out from Express.uk.

Earlier today France warned the situation was "extremely serious".

Foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warned a nuclear strike on Europe was possible and said a world war could erupt in months.

He said: "The situation is extremely serious... we see North Korea setting itself as an objective to have, tomorrow or the day after, missiles that can transport nuclear weapons.

"In a few months that will be a reality."

Really?

Fucking seriously?

France believes that N. Korea cares enough about Europe to launch a nuclear missile at them?  Or is there something else going on?

Could the French Foreign Minister be trying to lay the ground for European participation in a war on N. Korea?

Regardless things are still brewing on the Korean Peninsula.

Terminal Lance talks "Texas Marines"!

The comic is funny but the little article is better.  Read it here.

Open Comment Post. Sep 2, 2017

NorthCom Commander ignores 4th AABn and talks about the 26th MEU sailing in...if needed! Messaging FAIL!

The 4th Marines Amphibious Assault Battalion is in Houston and Galveston doing good work.

The people on the ground shout "That's the Marines" when they see those big green vehicles drive by.

We've seen pics of them transporting victims of the floods and I'm sure they're involved in the ongoing search and survey of the area.

So why did I just watch the NorthCom Commander at a press conference with the Governor of Texas rattle off everything every other service had and is contributing to the effort and when she got around to the Marines it was..."The Navy is sending the amphibious ship Kearsarge with the 26th Marines, if needed. IF needed"!

This is a total message fail.

Marines were on the ground and instead of beating our drum, we're gonna be an afterthought.

The world's greatest propaganda machine is failing.

The problem isn't just that we might be missing a chance to burn ourselves into the memory of the American people by word (having the NorthCom Commander speak the fuck up would help...as well as Marine Corps spokesmen) and the deeds of the 4th AABn, but institutionally too.

FEMA needs to have it burned into their thick skulls that when called the Marine Corps will respond.  Every state governor should have that same message inserted into their brain housing groups.

I hope I'm wrong but this focus on an aviation centric Marine Corps is wrecking us across the board...to include messaging to the public.

Hurricane Harvey News. Law Enforcement on the ground in Houston....a web log of a deployed police officer...

Note:  I have a number of law enforcement officers that partake in the discussions on this blog.  They come for the talk on military matters, fitness etc...and stay for the views on modern policing.  We don't always agree but when do brothers ever?  I want to make this clear.  Just like in the Marine Corps, when I see something I disagree with in law enforcement I will speak out about it.  It does not however mean that I'm anti-police.  I'm not.  I've never had a bad experience with law enforcement.  Having said that these are the words of a guy on the ground in Houston.  He is doing God's work and I thank him for it.  Hell I'm in awe of all the guys doing work down there. He asked me to clean this up, but I'm not gonna do it.  He's been up and moving for the past 5 days playing the old hurry up and wait game.  Meeting to discuss the movement, action once on location...the standard game plan everyone would recognize that spent 5 min in the military.

I won't clean it up because I want you to get the full drink here.  Drink this in. The Rambos in the audience won't understand but you get primed to move, primed to put your back into the work and you're like a race horse ready to blast down the track.  You're checking gear, rechecking, meeting, planning, going over scenarios...before you even deploy you're a caffeine junky operating on the ass end of too little sleep.  That's what he went thru before he touched down.  This is the third note I've gotten from him so we'll skip the preamble and jump right into his arrival in Houston.

via "T"

Update with better info.

Sol I've been in Houston a few days now and would like to give everyone an idea of what the Police Officers have gone through.

So from what I'm gathering they had an all hands on deck that started on Friday. All leave was suspended and everyone that was in town was brought in. They remained on that condition until Wednesday I believe, could be wrong both their and my days are running together. So on call forth them means they get sleep when they are worn out. At some point their headquarters became an island due to the flooding. Most officers slept either in buildings or in squad cars. We are talking an hour or two nap really every now and then. Some police ran out of food.  They are tired and need a break. In Houston the pd has rescue boats and there have been plenty state and local agency boats heading out to other areas of the hurricane as I was arriving.

So now the all hands is done the city implemented a curfew to attempt to keep looting down now that can focus on enforcement. The officers are now working 12 on and 12 off for the next few days. Now that other officers are here the ones needing to fix their own homes can request days off to do so.

  The message now is to prevent looting and to protect the city from exploding. They have had one officer drown, have lost 200 patrol vehicles, and now having looters shoot at them

Passing out while typing so you can post this message. Please just make sure it's coherent. 5 days with 2hrs sleep a day has caught up to me.

Wow.

I never even considered the idea that they would have lost police cars. I wonder what else has been destroyed that the first responders need to safeguard the city?

This confirms one thing I did not believe.

Looters are shooting at officers?  Craziness!

This is gonna be a long term thing.  It hasn't gained national attention but their is a gas shortage in N. Texas.  The pipeline has been turned off to New York.

The whole nation is about to feel the pain as sure as the guys like "T" that are working on the recovery.

Her Majesty's Royal Air Force @ Exercise Mobility Guardian...pics by SAC Nicholas Egan RAF

Blast from the past. Beslan terror attack.

Note:  On this day in 2004 the terror attack on the Beslan school began.  Sympathy to the victims and the family.  I hope the attackers are rotting in hell.  This is instructive though.  The US and Russia need to work together to solve the terror issue.  Imagine if the US, Russia and I'd even put away my thinking on China if they wanted to climb aboard, all came out at the UN and stated that we would hunt and kill terrorist all around the world, wherever they raised their heads?  The terror threat would be over within a year.  

Hundreds of hostages packed into the school gym with wired explosives attached to the basketball hoop (a frame from the Aushev tape)

A special police soldier carries an injured colleague, as two soldiers and two women take

NAVAIR buys two CH-53K's for 304 million dollars.

USNI News.

Naval Air Systems Command awarded Sikorsky $304 million for the first two CK-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopters for the Marine Corps.

Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, will build these two Lot I aircraft in its Stratford, Conn., facility, and the work should be completed by December 2021.

The Pentagon formally approved the heavy-lift helo to enter low-rate initial production on April 4, after the Marines put the first four CH-53K engineering and development models through a rigorous test program that included lifting a required 27,000 pounds externally and flying 110 nautical miles, among other requirements.

Since that Milestone C decision was approved, Sikorsky has continued testing, conducting a first “cross country” flight from Sikorsky’s Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach in Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. The four EMD vehicles have totaled more than 450 hours of flight tests so far.

Story here. 

Wow.  150 million dollars plus for two helicopters?  No way in hell the Marine Corps can continue down this path.

The aviation centric Marine Corps will bust the hardwon meme of the Marine Corps being a bargain for the taxpayer.

No Chinese Soldier would have walked out alive from Doklam if China attacked?

via Defense News.IN

A day after China and India ended their worst military confrontation in decades, sources said the government negotiated the settlement from a position of strength because the army had enveloped the entire area and “had made enough provisions to neutralize the Chinese forces”.

The location of the hotspot was advantageous for India because it can move its soldiers faster to the border near Sikkim than China. Yesterday, China and India withdrew troops from the remote Doklam Plateau that is disputed territory for China and Bhutan. India backs Bhutan’s claim and in mid-June, its soldiers crossed the border at Sikkim to stop China from building a new road which India saw as a serious challenge to the security of its northeastern states.

Government sources who cannot be named on account of the sensitivity of the situation said that there is wide acknowledgement of “the sheer resilience of our armed forces who refused to give up and had strategically surrounded” the flashpoint, located at least 10,000 feet above sea level. They also said that Army Chief Bipin Rawat was “extremely confident of ensuring maximum damage” which helped in getting China to agree to a settlement reached through diplomatic talks.

Story here. 

Consider this post as being an example of the animosity that exists in the region.

The title they chose was click bait but the sentiment is real.  India just doesn't like China.

Open Comment Post. Sep 1, 2017

Blast from the past. WW2 kicked off in Europe...

1 September 1939, at 04:40, the Luftwaffe attacked the Polish town of Wieluń, destroying 75% of the city and killing 1,300 people to start the second World War.
The German air force attacked civilian targets and columns of refugees along the roads to terrorize the Polish people, disrupt communications, and target Polish morale.
The Luftwaffe killed 6,000–7,000 Polish civilians during the bombing of Warsaw alone. Altogether, the civilian losses of Polish population amounted to about 150,000–200,000.
Pictured // A Polish girl cries over the body of her 14-year-old sister who was strafed by the Luftwaffe.

The Marine Corps! 4th AABn are rockstars at the Hurricane Harvey rescue events.

A day or so ago I posted a vid of 4th AABn driving thru the streets of Houston doing God's work in helping to save lives in Houston.  I went a step further and stated that if you want to sell the Marine Corps then this is the pulse point to hit in future advertising.

It would go a bit like this.  Classic Marine Corps music comes online with the Eagle, Globe and Anchor appearing on screen and then you see intense footage of Marine involved in combat overseas.  After 20 seconds or so of that imagery it would switch to Marines driving AAVs in Houston or flying UH-1Ys doing hoist operations.

Over all of that the narrator would say.  From winning battles in far off lands...to saving lives here at home...Marines run to the sound of chaos.  Do you have what it takes to be one of us?  The few.  The proud.  The Marines!

Why am I so sold on this "ad campaign"?  Check out the vids below.  This is when you strike!  Not only for recruiting but for budget sake!

Russia might be about to invade Europe? Russia hysteria is at max level!

Note!  Read the entire article.  The buildup and rationale for the action below is "interesting".  I highlighted this portion to show how the hysteria is reaching max level.


via Washington Examiner.

Another complication is that NATO's force disposition against a Russian surprise attack remains weak. While NATO would intercept Russian communications in the immediate buildup to an attack, if those orders were sent from Moscow on short notice, there wouldn't be much NATO could do. In addition, as I've explained, NATO's rapid reaction forces in Europe are patently incapable of defeating a Russian invasion. This is a symptom of Europe's pathetic defense investment, and its consequences in rendering that continent one of largely impotent militaries. Putin also loves the fact that many EU populations oppose their government's support for NATO article 5 treaty obligations. Remember, where Germany leads, other NATO states like Italy and Spain might follow.

All of this demands decisive U.S. leadership.

First, the U.S. must lead reliable NATO allies into defensive action. Britain and France should deploy their respective rapid response forces, 16 Air Assault Brigade and 11th Parachute Brigade, into Poland. Simultaneously, Germany and the Netherlands should put their Airborne rapid forces division on short notice standby. The U.S. should deploy the Army's 75th Ranger Regiment's ready reaction battalion to join the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy. These units are orientated to disrupt enemy advances and defend critical targets. The 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), now at sea, should also be sent to the Mediterranean. Finally, each capable NATO state should send one fighter or bomber wing to the Baltics or Poland.

Alongside these deployments — which should be made public — Trump should again demand that NATO members speed up their plans to spend 2 percent of Gross Domestic Product on defense. He should state that if they do not, the U.S. will have to relocate major military formations in Europe out of states like Germany and Italy and into 2 percent states like Poland and Britain.

Story here. 

Just plain wow.

This is how wars start.  Question.  What if the Russians had responded in the way this author recommends during Sabre Strike 17, Sabre Guardian 17, Noble Partner 17 or BALTOPS 17?

Someone seriously needs to turn down the temperature on the madness.

Cop tells White Woman during DUI traffic stop "We only kill black people"...

via Heavy.com

Georgia police officer is under fire after dash-cam video surfaced where you can hear him tell a white woman that police officers “only kill black people.”

The Cobb County officer, Lt. Greg Abbott, was seen standing outside of the nervous woman’s vehicle after a DUI traffic stop from July 2016.

Abbott can be heard telling the woman “use your phone, it’s in your lap right there.” The woman replies “Ok, I just don’t want to put my hands down…I’m really sorry I just…I’ve just seen way too many videos of cops…”

“But you’re not black, remember we only shoot black people,” Abbott replied. “Yeah, we only kill black people, right? All the videos you’ve seen, have you seen black people
get killed? You have.”

Story here along with a video. 

The dept and the cops attorney is saying that this was only sarcasm and he was using it to de-escalate tensions.

I don't know.  It sounds light hearted, but evil intent can hide behind a smile and kind words.

I'll simply leave it for you to decide.

Was this an attempt on the President?

Thanks to Kinetics for the link!



Well that was weird.

A vehicle suddenly comes out the tree line?

Even better?  I see the Secret Service still guns up.  You could just make out the sweep and the grab for weapons much larger than just a pistol.  PDW's are still the rage for the USSS!

Note:  I don't know if this is real or not but I have heard that the President's convoy has several "decoys" attached.  What I mean is scuttlebutt says that they send an identical vehicle with similar LOOKING protection on different routes to confuse potential attackers.  Is that real?  Have no idea.  Scuttlebutt also says that to look for overhead air cover.  Guys in black to jump out of helicopters to spot the real convoy.  Just rumors from a lifetime ago.  Probably all full of shit.

We've seen tons of BlackHawks but where are the UH-72 Lakota

Remember when the Army National Guard out of the blue made a demand that they needed a lightweight helicopter to handle missions inside the continental United States?

Well I've been watching all kinds of helicopters making rescues today but no Lakotas?

Why?

This should be the time that they shine and prove their worth.

So I ask again.

Where are the UH-72's?

26th MEU stands by to support hurricane relief efforts (with a small rant from SNAFU!)

via Press Release.

 Approximately 690 Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force, embarked aboard USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) as part of prudent preparatory measures in anticipation of future tasking to support relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Aug. 30, 2017.

If requested, the MEU’s aviation and lift capabilities will include (8) MV-22B Ospreys, (3) CH- 53E Super Stallions and (3) UH-1Y Hueys. Additional capabilities include water purification and storage, engineering, aerial reconnaissance and aid distribution.

In anticipation of future tasking, II MEF also alerted the Camp Allen Logistics Command team, which bolsters the II MEF logistics capability, and deployed a liaison/ planning team to Expeditionary Strike Group-2.

The Marine Corps can rapidly respond with air, ground and logistics assets when requested for Defense Support of Civil Authorities. The 26th MEU stands ready and capable to provide assistance, in support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Northern Command, and state and local response efforts. If tasked with DSCA, the MEU’s efforts will be in support of the lead federal agency and coordinated closely with state and local officials.

OK.  First the good.

Glad to see that they're up and moving.

Now the bad.

The Marine Corps has become so aviation centric that they can't see the forest for the trees!  More aircraft is gonna be welcomed.  Is this the right mix of aircraft has to be called into question.  The rotor wash from the MV-22 is gonna be tough on civilians not experienced with rotor winged aviation much less the blast from the MV-22.

Next you have to question what these people are thinking.  Many of the people affected are in rural areas (at least those in Galveston).  Batteries will be running low and cellphone service spotty.  They're gonna need vehicles that can swim to houses in the boonies to check on people and deliver supplies.

Before they've even hit ground this "new" Marine Corps is less effective than the old.

This is good but disappointing.  I expected better.  Instead they're still pushing the aviation centric Marine Corps while people are in need.  This is not the time to try and prove the hot new thing.

Pic of the day. 173rd Airborne Brigade Elevator Ride.

Paranoia expands with regard to Zapad 17...via Reuters.

via Reuters.

A total of around 12,700 servicemen will take part in the war games, code named Zapad 2017, which will be held on Sept. 14-20 in western Russia, Belarus and Russia’s exclave of Kaliningrad. These will include around 5,500 Russian troops.

Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, the U.S. Army’s top general in Europe, told Reuters last month that U.S. allies in eastern Europe and Ukraine were worried the exercises could be a “Trojan horse” aimed at leaving behind military equipment brought into Belarus.

This week Russia’s Defence Ministry rejected what it said were false allegations it might use the drills as a springboard to launch invasions of Poland, Lithuania or Ukraine.

Story here. 

I really and truly don't understand the stance being taken with regard to these exercises.  This is milk toast at best and HARDLY represents any kind of threat.

If you want to understand the silliness of the stance being taken by General Hodges then check out the pic below (taken from the SHAPE website).  That's the number of exercises LEFT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR!  It doesn't show the exercises that have ALREADY OCCURRED!

These complaints are bullshit on a stick.  Click on pic to enlarge.

Now do you get the force of connection.  We're wearing out the force because a Combatant Commander wants to be seen as doing something and MAYBE big Army has found a theater where it can claim it's viability even though no one is questioning it.

"God save us from stupid politicians and glory seeking generals!"

Houston flooding. Addicks reservoir release to continue till the middle of Sept.

Wow.

The hits just keep coming for Houston.  Watching the morning news and they're saying that the Addicks reservoir will continue to release water till the middle of Sept.

Can you say downtown Houston flooded?  Can you say Buffalo bayou trashed beyond recognition?

I said that this could be a hit to the economy and I had some fruit loop call me crazy.

Well heads up sport fans.

How do you deal with serious incidents?

You start with worse case scenario planning and work backwards.  If you plan for the worst, or at least expect the worse then you won't be caught off guard.

THAT'S WHAT I DO ON THIS BLOG!

Whether its military concepts, actual warfare, economic circumstances, crime, and even natural disasters, I start at the worst possibility and work backwards.  Worst case scenario planning folks!  No normalcy bias here.

Bad shit happens everyday and you better get your mind ready to meet that challenge.

Public service rant over.