The real reason why Amos was never respected...

Much has already been written about why General Amos failed in his mission to lead the Marine Corps.

Some say that the turning point was the issue with the Sniper Platoon urinating on the bodies of Taliban scum.  Many couldn't wrap their heads around the fact that its alright to kill these bastards but urinating on their corpses...after knowing that they too have beheaded and hung the bodies of US servicemen from bridge overpasses was allowed.  The Marine Corps community wanted punishment....a slap on the wrist and a don't do it again.  Them "crushed"?  No.

I disagree.

I think its something more primal.

General Amos at the behest of the President did something even more fundamentally evil.

He fucked with the very fabric of the Marine Corps.

For better or worse facts must be faced.  The military in general and the Marine Corps in particular is a conservative organization.  Perhaps in "spirit" only but conservative none-the-less.  Amos attempted (again at the behest of the President) to cause wholesale culture change in the Marine Corps.  No pause was allowed to let each initiative sink in.  Just whirlwind change that threw the Marine Corps off its stride and caused confusion in the ranks.

First up was the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell".  I can tell you for a fact that gay Marines have served in the Marine Corps without problem.  I can tell you for a fact that no "persecution" of them EVER occured.  They were punished at a far lower rate for their "sexual" practices than straight Marines.  But that wasn't good enough.  They threw it front and center in Marine faces.

That was a massive culture change that struck many as wrong.  Pictures of Marines jumping up into the arms of their gay lovers was a step too far.  Marines were told by the SgtMajor of the Marine Corps to shut up and deal with it.  They did but they were pissed.

Next up was the issue with Women in the infantry.  Everyone knows the truth, but unfortunately we don't have people like Colonel Ripley with the moral strength of character to speak the truth on the issue.  Instead we have the politically correct position of simply "accepting" a test to see if it works when we all know the results are pre-ordained.  Marines already know that they will be told to shut up and accept it.

Most will.  And most will punch out of the Marine Corps at the first chance they get...especially since the small community of Marines that are female tend to attract an inordinate amount of problems...mostly not their fault but again its simply a fact.

Now we have Marine leadership attempting to boost the number of female Marines in a force that is down sizing.

It was never about the punishment that he meted out to the Snipers.  It was never about his questionable procurement practices (from the F-35 to the M27 modern day BAR, I vehemently disagree with the majority of them), it was always about his attempt to "transform the Marine Corps...to a liberal institution".

Amos failed because he did not uphold Marine Corps values.  The truth is stark but there you have it.

General Dunford will also fail if he continues down the same road.  It'll take six months for Amos' agenda to wash out and for us to see where Dunford will take us.  Let's hope he chooses well.

Old age and cunning....

Too funny!

On a quick sidenote.  I've never looked at crime statistics but Halloween should be the most dangerous day in America.

People walking around in costumes, faces covered, and no way of making a positive identification?  If I was a criminal I would find the most affluent party I could think of, crash it and rob every person there...if I was a criminal that is.

Izumo class carriers worry China?

pic via Jeff Head's website.

Article via Want China.

Japan's new Izumo-class aircraft carriers will make the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force one of the most lethal offensive forces in the world, reports the Beijing-based China Youth Daily.
The JDS Izumo helicopter carrier has been undergoing intensive sea trials since late September as Japan prepares to launch two Izumo-class destroyers over the next two years, the report said.
Once commissioned, these Izumo-class vessels will greatly enhance Japan's anti-submarine, anti-ship, air combat and amphibious assault capabilities, giving the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force two light aircraft carrier battle groups and two helicopter carrier battle groups.
Izumo-class carriers will boost the Japanese navy in four key respects. First of all, the Izumo-class can potentially double the anti-submarine capabilities of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Currently, Japan's Shirane-class destroyers can carry 9-10 helicopters, compile two anti-submarine crews and carry 16 anti-submarine torpedoes, while its battle groups can equip 42 MK-46 anti-submarine torpedoes and 112 ASROC anti-submarine missiles, which have a range of 11 kilometers and 22 km, respectively.
On the other hand, Izumo-class destroyers can carry 14 helicopters, five anti-submarine crews and 40 anti-submarine torpedoes, with battle groups that can equip 42 MK-46 anti-submarine torpedoes and 104 ASROC anti-submarine missiles.
Second, the Izumo-class can more than double Japan's air combat capabilities. Shirane-class battle groups come equipped with more than 300 SM-2MR, RIM-7 series and RIM-162 ship-to-air missiles with ranges between 16 km and 150 km. By comparison, the Izumo-class destroyer can carry eight F-35 stealth fighter jets and carry 32 AIM-120 mid-long range missiles and 16 short-range missiles. Its battle groups can also equip more than 400 ship-to-air missiles with ranges between 16 km and 150 km.
Third, the Izumo-class can more than triple Japan's anti-ship combat capabilities. The Shirane-class destroyer can carry 56 Harpoon or Type 90 ship-to-ship missiles which have a range between 90 km and 200 km. But with up to eight F-35 fighters on board, the Izumo-class can carry as many as 48 Norwegian-made naval strike missiles, extending its anti-ship combat radius to 640 km. At the same time, Izumo-class battle groups can also carry more than 50 Harpoon or Type 90 ship-to-ship missiles.
Fourth, the Izumo-class destroyer will lead to a dramatic surge in Japan's remote delivery and amphibious combat capabilities. At the moment, Japan's three Oosumi-class landing ships can be loaded with 990 marine officers, six landing craft and 30 tanks. Each Izumo-class carrier, on the other hand, can carry 500 soldiers and multiple helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft, with a deck that can cater to five helicopters or MV-22 Ospreys landing or taking off simultaneously. Two Izumo-class vessels will be able to transport 1,000 soldiers to the frontline while also strengthening defense and invasion capabilities.

That's a whole lot of worry when we consider that the Izumo is actually just a big deck amphib.

It seems more and more obvious that Japan is the counter to Chinese aggression in that area.

Perhaps we should tailor our defense of that region with the idea that Japan and Australia will be our only "reliable" partners in the area.  That isn't to say that Singapore, S. Korea, the Philippines and others aren't valuable...its just that their assistance will probably come with many more strings attached, and be tailored toward their own defense and not mutual assistance.

69th anniversary of Indonesian Armed Forces pic.

Indonesian Air Force helicopters fly in formation over the fleet of military ships in a show of force during a ceremony commemorating the 69th anniversary of Indonesian Armed Forces in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. - Image credit: Associated Press

101st Airborne to Africa. Modern day charge of the light brigade.

Thanks for the link Neal.

via The Gateway Pundit.

The administration says they won’t need them.
Nashville Public Radio reported:

Troops from the 101st Airborne Division leading the military response to Ebola in West Africa will only need gloves and masks to protect themselves from the deadly virus, so said Gen. David Rodriguez at a Pentagon briefing Wednesday.
“They don’t need the whole suit – as such – because they’re not going to be in contact with any of the people,” the commander of U.S. troops in Africa said.
Soldiers from the 101st Airborne will primarily be building hospitals, ultimately leading what could be a contingent of 4,000 American service members. They’ll be housed either in tent cities at military airfields or in Liberian Ministry of Defense facilities, Rodriguez said.
Soldiers’ health will be monitored through surveys and taking their temperature on their way in and out of camps. If a service member does get sick, Rodriguez said they will be flown home immediately for treatment.

I've looked at the goals being established for the 101st Airborne on their deployment to Africa.

First just head over to the Shepherd of the Gurney's place and read about the real "Ebola".  Next consider the fact that they're hoping to have in place by December, 1700 treatment beds...and I believe 10 isolation wards.

That wouldn't help with what they're facing now, much less by December.

We're sending a US Army Brigade and I predict soon a division, into Africa to deal with an outbreak that is already out of control.  This isn't going to work as currently designed.  This is a public relations move at best.

The question that everyone should ask?  What happens if this strikes New York..a city with a large population from Liberia?  Dallas is one thing.  The city is car mobile, dispersed etc...New York?  Crowded, relying on mass transit, extremely dense with large crowds---everywhere.  Contact with other peoples bodily fluids is a given in that type of situation.

Many are acting as if this is over.  I'm not so sure.

Ukraine continues to meltdown while we're distracted.

Thanks to Per Holmgaard for the link.

The Donetsk International Airport is getting savaged.  If this is what peace looks like then they might be better off with full scale combat.  I have to admit it.  I've seen the news about continued fighting in Ukraine.  I've seen the reports that Putin is promising retribution for the economic sanctions being placed upon him (ironically those same sanctions appear to be hitting Germany just as hard...thereby forcing the EU into recession).  But I've instead concentrated on ISIS, Ebola, and the change of command of the Marine Corps.

That might have been a mistake.  The US, EU, UN and everyone else has placed Ukraine on the back burner because it was too hard to solve.  If this keeps up it'll be front and center again.

All photos via International lufthavn forvandlet til krigszone