Photos from the Front Lines

Combat photographer Michael Yon gives a name to helicopter halos. Take a look at the remarkable images of the Kopp-Etchells Effect.

NORAD Tracks Santa 2015

The delightful annual tradition continues!

Say Hello to My Little Friend: the Taiwan Navy's Latest

"Carrier killer"?

The 2015 Rose Parade

This year's Tournament of Roses, one of my favorite New Year's traditions, has the theme "Inspiring Stories" to honor remarkable men and women.  I was surprised and delighted to see this beautiful float!

Recognize the motto "Go For Broke"?  It's from the 442nd, of which several veterans were on the float this morning.  If you aren't familiar with its history, please do look it up when you have a moment.

The Women Warriors of the Kurdish Peshmerga

They are as eager to fight ISIS as their male counterparts. I did not know this:

The Kurdish Peshmerga’s battle against Islamic extremists is drawing hundreds of female volunteers and persecuted minorities, many of whom are being trained by a unit in Dohuk. 

“It’s my duty to defend my country,” said Sashida Sadiq, a police commander from Dohuk. The 27-year old was one of 20 women selected for military service among the 2,800 people who tried to enlist in Dohuk.  

Although Sadiq’s role is primarily administrative and logistic, she is prepared to fight the Islamic State (IS/formerly ISIS) and many are proud of her service. Sadiq is single but maintained that even if she had a husband and children “I would fight. The situation is too bad.” 

“I’m not afraid of fighting IS,” she said. “My being a women makes no difference. The Peshmerga will be stronger than IS once we get better weapons. I am eager to use those against them.”  

In Sulaimania, the Peshmerga has five female reservist battalions, and many of the soldiers are married with children. They have been called to serve since the battle against IS began in June.  

In addition, female fighters from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its Syrian offshoot, the Democratic Union Party (PYD) have joined the war effort and make up 30 to 40 percent of the militias’ fighters.

Kurds vs. ISIS

The Kurds of northern Iraq want and need US aid to fend off ISIS.  

Drone Surveillance of China's Coast: Made In Taiwan?

The apparent goal is to keep tabs on the 2000+ coastal missiles that China currently has aimed at Taiwan.

I am also bemused by this related note: "the U.S. has expressed concern to Taiwan over how its drones are being deployed."

O RLY?  Last I heard Taiwan hadn't used any of its drones to kill people and prompt a barnstorming filibuster by Rand Paul.

Godzilla vs. the US Military

Time to call the Navy?

Meanwhile, I can't wait to go see the new movie.  Bryan Cranston and Ken Watanabe, please make me forget that the awful 1998 movie ever existed!

"Does China Need or Want Taiwan?"

Dignified Rant has an interesting new post on the topic.  Needing and wanting can entail all sorts of definitions and motivations ... though the bottom line is, as I think we've all been saying for a long time, Taiwan needs to make the price of invasion too high for China to pay. 

You know, Taiwan may be losing the public relations war (if this incident is any indication of how otherwise perfectly intelligent and reasonable people will naively believe the stupidest propaganda about Taiwan).  You know what?  Fight the PR war better, Taiwan, but at the same, arm up in case the moment ever comes when we go past words to sticks and stones.

Giving Up On Afghanistan

Hey, I thought Afghanistan was the "good" war.  Apparently not.  Dignified Rant has the link to former secretary of defense Robert Gates' new book.  What he says about Obama's approach to Afghanistan is as unsurprising as it is infuriating.

Off We Go Into The Wild Blue Yonder: Some People Want To Abolish the US Air Force

Hmmmmm.  I'm pretty sure my friends in the Air Force have opinions about this.

Meet the Navy's Captain Kirk

No, seriously, his name really is James Kirk.

Government Shutdown, Sunday Edition

Seriously?  Ugh.  

Syria: Thoughts and Quotations

A few quotations instead of an actual personal essay because your humble hostess needs to finish her schoolwork before she can watch football:

Syria: Is A Weak Strike Really Better Than None?

This writer in the WaPo thinks so, and though that is certainly open to debate, he does acknowledge this: "The president created this sour choice between an inadequate strike and no strike. It is a choice between a bad option and a less bad option."  Well, DUH, he created this PR mess by basically ad-libbing us into a war and then flailing around about it both at home and abroad, embarrassingly abroad.  

Notice that in the weak strike/no strike/bad choice/worse choice thinking, "a meaningful strike that actually serves a larger strategic purpose" doesn't really enter into the calculus.

Meanwhile In Egypt

The Egyptian air force has reportedly hit jihadists in Sinai.  Just a reminder that there's a lot more going over in the Middle East than Syria and Obama's incompetent international psychodrama that has monopolized the media of late.

Quote of the Day: War and Therapy

This whole Syria debacle is turning out to be a huge pain in the Assad:

War used to be the pursuit of politics by other means. Today, if the statements made by the Western politicos and observers who want to bomb Syria are anything to go by, it’s the pursuit of therapy by other means. The most startling and unsettling thing about the clamour among some Westerners for a quick, violent punishment of the Assad regime is its nakedly narcissistic nature.  

... Easily the most notable thing in the debate about bombing Syria in response to Assad’s alleged use of chemical weapons against civilians is the absence of geopolitical considerations, or of any semi-serious thought about what the regional or international consequences of dropping bombs into an already hellish warzone might be. Instead, all the talk is of making a quick moral gesture about ourselves by firing a few missiles at wickedness. In the words of a Democratic member of the US Foreign Affairs Committee, there might be ‘very complex issues’ in Syria, but ‘we, as Americans, have a moral obligation to step in without delay’. Who cares about complexity when there’s an opportunity to show off our own moral decency? 

All the discussion so far has focused, not on the potential moral consequences of bombing Syria, but on the moral needs of those who would do the bombing.

Hell, there's not even a clear objective here.  This is supposed to be satire, but I can't really discern the difference between its substance and the actual expression of purpose from the Obama Administration.  Can you?

Oh, I can't help adding that Brendan O'Neill wins the palm of hono(u)r from me for riffing on Carly Simon as he lambastes the Syria bombification fanboys: "They’re so vain they think someone else’s war is all about them."

Quote of the Day: Peacefullest Peace Prize Winner Ever

Do you feel this way too?

"It's hard to keep track of the Nobel Peace Laureate's manifold wars, kinetic actions, and drone assassinations."

Quote of the Day: An Old Marine On Naval Priorities

A member of the U.S. Naval Academy's Class of 1958 has some unvarnished (read: "politically incorrect but refreshingly honest") thoughts about the present state of things.  Here's a piece of his letter to the current academy superintendent:

"The cult of diversity has undermined the proper focus on mission accomplishment. Most of us who have actually fought 'in the trenches' in wartime don’t really care what race, creed or color our comrades-in-arms are. When we call for support in a 'danger close' situation we simply want the best qualified decision-makers in place to be dropping the bombs, firing the missiles or lobbing artillery our way. I don’t see how relaxed admissions and retention standards for minorities (or anyone else) at the premier officer training university in the country does anything to foster confidence that we will have that first team in place when faced with life and death situations. 

... The naval service is not about looking sharp, shuffling papers or making people feel good. It is primarily about accomplishing the mission and winning wars. If we don’t get our national priorities straight and our military doesn’t get re-focused, our armed forces may score high in political correctness, but will continue to get their butts kicked in far off places."

Of course, the hateful response to this from the usual circles will be boringly predictable.

A Brave Marine, a Beautiful Blonde, and a Sweet Reunion

Sealed with a kiss too.  I think I have something in my eye.