Chevrolet Reaper. Ass ugly Raptor wannabe!

I'm a Ford guy but I can still appreciate well done Chevy's.  The K-5 series was a masterpiece of a truck and the 1998 Silverado's were solid too.  But this new Chevy Reaper is just an ass ugly wannabe.  Rumor is they want about 70K for this pile of dung!  Read about it being spotted here.

RAF Chinooks Arrive in Cyprus to Help With Iraq Aid

Gotta love the Brits.  They're always available to provide an international cover for whatever action we decide to take (sarcasm).  Seriously though, I wonder how this is going over in the UK.  

Mission Accomplished...congrats President Obama!

We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.President Barack Obama

WW2: Invasion in the making - Training new Amphibious troops

24th MEU offload ops. Photos by Cpl Mary Carmona

Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway Ship offload pics.

MCPP-N Modernization in Norway

Vehicles and equipment are staged at the designated offload pier during a pre-planned Single Ship Movement and offload of military equipment from a Maritime Prepositioning Force ship in the Trøndelag region of Norway. U.S. Marines from 2nd Marine Logistics Group out of Camp Lejeune, NC, in coordination with their Norwegian counterparts, are modernizing some of the equipment currently stored within six caves as a part of the Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway by placing approximately 350 containers of gear and nearly 400 pieces of heavy rolling stock into the storage caves. 

Specific equipment which will greatly increase the program’s readiness includes M1A1 Main Battle Tanks, Tank Retrievers, Armored Breeching Vehicles, Amphibious Assault Vehicles, Expanded Capacity Vehicle (ECV) Gun Trucks and several variants of the MTVR 7 ½ ton trucks. Planning for this equipment refresh began in the spring of 2010. Marines and contractors from Blount Island Command in Jacksonville, Fla. and Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa are also in Norway to ensure the operation is conducted in a safe and timely manner.

I feel a demonstration of a MEB & a couple SPMAGTF-CR coming....

via War is Boring.

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel says 130 more U.S. troops are now in northern Iraq, where Kurdish forces are battling Islamic State Sunni extremists.
These new advisers include Marines and some members of the other military branches. The Pentagon already has 40 people at a Joint Operations Center in Irbil, the Kurdish regional capital.
This shared headquarters likely has been working to figure out what Kurdish forces can and can’t do—and what they might be need in their fight against Islamic State. On Monday, Pres. Barack Obama announced a plan to step up military aid to Iraqi forces, including the Kurds.
But Hagel described the new contingent as an “assessment team.” The contingent will only be working to figure out “the scope of the humanitarian crisis” in the region, a DoD News report explained.

A little explanation.

The 1st MEB has been doing a large scale exercise at 29 Palms.  They've suddenly gone quiet.

Additionally the SPMAGTF-CR for Africa is back at its base (at last check) and one was being assembled for the Middle East.

While two SPMAGTF-CR's are still smaller than one MEU, you can bet that the HQMC is aching for them to participate in a HA/DR of those people trapped on the mountain.  Additionally because you have two SPMAGTF-CR's coming together with what I can guess will be US Army, USAF, USN and allied forces that makes it a joint command .... the very scenario that makes the MEB viable.

I don't know the behind the scenes politics but I would bet that we're going to see MV-22's, CH-47's (US Army, British and Canadian) and several French aircraft evacuating people.

Additionally you can bet that you're going to see a massive airpower display with everyone working out their latest toys.

Get ready for the rally round the flag moment...and more than a little chest thumping from Amos (on his way out the door) and his sycophants....if it works out well that is.