Another one of those "gun guy" trends that I just don't get...

The above pics are from TacBlog's Tumblr page (here).

Go to his page to read what's going on but the quick story is that he's running an SBR and isn't cleaning it.  It's mentioned in the comments that Pat Rogers has been doing the samething and has like 40,000 rounds thru his gun with no issues.

That's all well and good but why?

I personally don't understand why you would buy a piece of gear and not properly maintain it.  To allow that much "gunk" to pile up on you bolt carrier group is almost criminal!

I guess this is just another one of those trends that I just don't get.

Don't get me wrong.  TacBlog (and everyone else) can do as they feel fit with their own property.  Just don't expect me to approve of it.

Operation Atlantic Resolve - Overview

Night assault...123rd Heavy Amphibious Mechanized Infantry Division via China Defense Blog.

Many more pics of the Heavy Amphibious Mechanized Infantry Division here, thanks to the excellent China Defense Blog...

Sidenote:  I'm warming up my TOLD YA SO to every freak out there that thought I was out of my mind warning about Chinese plans to field a fully mechanized Marine force to combat our proposed company landing teams.  Buy stock in industrial plastic.  Body bags are going to get huge buys from the Pentagon in the next conflict.

Ultimate Race Truck?

Note:  I'm really beginning to warm (big time) to rally racing...but more specifically the Trucks racing.  All these road course type racing gives a type of entertainment (to me) that is missing from NASCAR.  Speaking of which...they better pay attention.  This is gonna catch on in the US sooner or later and when it does its gonna be HUGE!  Which brings me to this truck.  Is it the ultimate race truck?  I'd love to see a MTVR given the same treatment and race tuned -- that would be the ULTIMATE Marine Corps advertising vehicle!

Gay Marriage, the Confederate Flag? Distractions. 72% of Americans fear an economic crash.

via The Washington Examiner.

"Concern over the economy is the highest I've ever seen," top GOP pollster Ed Goeas told the moderate Republican Ripon Society. He said 72 percent are worried about an economic downturn.
"Republicans need to get into the game on better turf and that means talking in specifics about how we will bring the economy back and help create the jobs that go with real recovery," added pollster David Winston.

Here.

Tell the truth.

You could sense that all the social drama, gay marriage, the other things that have caught the "public's attention"...you could sense that it was all a distraction to keep you from focusing on the real issue.

I contend that even ISIS is a sideshow to what should really concern Americans.

Its the economy stupid!

The economy is the 800 pound gorilla in the room and it appears that many are waking up to that fact.  Additionally it seems that I've been joined in my skepticism with regard to the glowing reports coming from Wall Street, the Labor Dept and other institutions that supposedly give us economic indicators.

The worrying thing?

Say that we're all wrong and things are actually fine.  We could be setting ourselves up for a self fulfilling event.  If people actually act on these fears, start saving, buying only "necessary gear" etc....then we could actually tip ourselves into a downturn.

Interesting times....of course I'm no economic expert so I could easily be wrong.  Feel free to correct me.

NOTE:  AMAZING!  I talk about the Gay Marriage and the Confederate Flag debate being distractions and that the economy is the real worry and what is the conversation about in the comments?  The freaking Confederate Flag!  We're screwed.  Easily distracted, easily fooled, easily deceived and easily defeated.  Society doesn't stand a chance against the powers that be.

China's cargo airlines are merging...what are the military implications?

via FlightClub.

Meanwhile, big changes are taking place in the global air cargo market. The three largest Chinese cargo air carriers (Air China Cargo, China Cargo Airlines and China Southern Cargo)announced yesterday that they would merge. While it is not known when the merger would take place, the new company would become the largest air freight operator in Asia.
Air China Cargo, China Cargo Airlines and China Southern Cargo all currently operate a mix of aircraft that includes Boeing 747-400F and 747-400BCF variants, so the new combined entity could conceivably place new orders for 747-8F aircraft in the future. Air China’s passenger line received it’s seventh and final 747-8i last week.

Here.

The story talks about Boeing's production of the 747 but I can't help but wonder if there are military implications to this merger.

The 747 cargo variant has been proposed for everything from a surrogate for the C-17, to an air launched ICBM carrier, massive missile truck, and even as an cruise missile carrier.

The obvious concern should be that the reach of the Chinese People's Liberation Army just expanded again.  If we consider the new light tank that the Chinese have developed, the new wheeled IFVs, and the emphasis on paratroops/Marines in their forces then it isn't a stretch to believe that they will do as we have in the past....A few of these airplanes will be dedicated to military operations.

If I'm right then dual use is about to bite us again.

F-35 News. The debate continues...

via Marine Corps Times.

"Folks can argue about the F-35, should we have done it, should we not have done it," Dunford said. "The fact of the matter is, the United States Marine Corps now has the F-35. So I want to make sure the Marine Corps and Navy take full advantage of it."

Story here.

The F-35 is worthy of argument.

It should not have been done.

It is costing the USMC too much and will deliver too little.  But perhaps most telling is the fact that in a quick search of Marine Corps history I can't find another instance of a Commandant ordering a working group to "leverage the transformational capabilities of new platforms.

At every turn leadership is trying its best to silence criticism and signal that this debate is over.  It is not.

Assaulting thru the fog...photo by Sgt. Paul Peterson

Lithuanian soldiers and U.S. Marines from the Black Sea Rotational Force engaged opposition forces in a partnered attack during Exercise Saber Strike at the Pabrade Training Area, Lithuania, June 15, 2015. Fifteen nations and more than 7,000 service members took part in Saber Strike to promote security and cooperation in the region.

This is the idiocy that will lose us our gun rights...

via Fox48

The men who entered Walmart in Gulfport with a shotgun, bought ammunition, loaded the gun, and cocked it, all while standing in the middle of the store, are not being charged with any crime. That has Coast residents confused and concerned.
“After reviewing the yields of the investigation with prosecutors, it was determined that the action of the two men did not violate Mississippi state statute regarding the carry of firearms,” said Gulfport Police Chief Leonard Papania.The two men entered Walmart, Krispy Kreme and Winn Dixie on Sunday evening.
During the Monday afternoon press conference, Papania expressed his disdain with the incident that took place

Story here.

The many have to suffer for the idiocy of a few.

This type of thing will bite the gun rights movement in the ass.  Make no mistake about it.  Criminals are paying attention and if we have laws that make it illegal for police to even approach, ask for ID, etc...then you can bet that the bad guys will glob onto this and make it inevitable that our rights are taken away.

I'm pro gun and I think this is batshit crazy/stupid/insane.  What do anti gun people ...or more importantly those in the middle think?

NATO Rapid Response Force? More nonsense!

via Defence 24.

The North Atlantic Council has decided to increase the target size of the NATO Response Force to a maximum of 40 000 soldiers, which means a threefold increase compared to the situation before the crisis in Ukraine. In addition, the commander of the Covenant in Europe will receive the power to increase the readiness unit VJTF before deciding on their use.
During the meeting, the North Atlantic Council of NATO defense ministers decided to increase the number of NATO Response Force to a maximum of 40 000 soldiers. This means tripling the number of formations, which even before the crisis in Ukraine had 13 000 soldiers.

Story here.

I guess Rapid Response Forces are back in fashion.  The problem that I have is we're looking at more of the same, rather than a step in the right direction.  What do I mean?

Consider.  The EU has more "BattleGroups" (another word for Rapid Response Force than makes sense.  According to Wikipedia there are currently 18 of them.  Many of them overlap with a couple of countries being members of at least two and sometimes 3 different groups.

But it doesn't stop there.  If you count the Combined Expeditionary Force (France and the UK), Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (US, UK, Italy, Germany and many others), include the Gendarmerie Rapid Reaction Force and other quasi military units into the mix then one thing becomes apparent.

NATO, the EU and the political leadership loves bureaucracy.

This isn't a serious effort, its just another mixing of the deck chairs.  A little busy work to keep the journalist that don't know squat from asking real questions.  The sad thing is that its working.