Investigating Power

Posted by James on May 3, 2012 in Video Of The Week | 0 comments

I’m posting the following mini documentary about a massacre in Vietnam in honor of World Press Freedom day. The United Nations General Assembly declared 3 May to be World Press Freedom Day to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and marking the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek, a statement of free press principles put together by African newspaper journalists in 1991.

My Lai Massacre

Author Recommendation: Nelson DeMille

Posted by James on Apr 30, 2012 in Author Recommendations, Featured | 2 comments

Keeping with the spirit of good author/book reviews I’ve got another one for you. I have just finished two of Nelson DeMille’s novels since they were recommended to me by a friend. It’s not unusual for me to write about things that would piss the government off but it is unusual when I think writing a book review might make me disappear but I think that is more of a compliment to Mr. DeMille than it is a fear of the government. The two books I read were Up Country and Night Fall but for this review I’m going to stick to the book that made me remember a tragic incident and propose an alternate theory that is far more believable than the government one.

Night Fall

This book is an absolute masterpiece and I burned through close to 900 pages in less than a week. It was insanely fast reading for me but I was hooked, curious and lastly disturbed. I wasn’t disturbed because the book was horrifyingly graphic but because what I was reading was based off a real event in American history. Actually two events if you count the ending. The first event is the TWA 800 disaster of July 17, 1996 and the book covers both the government explanation as well as the missile theory. This is going to sound terrible but I actually forgot about TWA 800 and all 230 people who were killed when it exploded over the Atlantic Ocean. Maybe it’s because it was before 9/11 and my mind forgot about “accidents” and started to focus on terrorism. In any case one of the best things about this book is that while reading it I started to get memories back that were pulled from some dark abyss of my mind. These things in conjunction to what the book was proposing made me scratch my chin on more than one occasion.

TWA 800 is officially a closed case. A disaster that was caused by something as simple as a spark near or in an empty fuel tank. After four years of investigating and multiple theories the government settled on mechanical failure as to why the jet blew up in midair. The problem however is that in their reasoning for why it exploded they completely discredited hundreds of witnesses who saw a streak of light, a missile or something heading at a high rate of speed toward the aircraft just before it exploded. Not to mention that the CIA was very involved in this case. That along with a few other details made many scream cover up and conspiracy.

While reading Night Fall one of the things that came back to me and stuck out the clearest from my jumbled thoughts was the knowledge that the CIA had actually released an animation explaining why they were right and the eyewitnesses were wrong. I don’t remember thinking that was weird then but I certainly did while reading this book and I did again after watching the animation 12 years after its release (which you can watch below). This animation said that the streak of light that the eyewitnesses thought was a missile going towards the plane was actually burning jet fuel falling down from the plane. I thought it was hilarious and so did the lead character; Detective/ATTF agent John Corey. How do you forget which way is up and which is down? “This way is up right?” Apparently that was enough to satisfy the news media however and shortly afterwards the story died off and people moved on except for those who know what they saw and of course the victims’ families. A fairly successful cover up if you believe there was one.

Detective John Corey is hilarious, determined, egotistical, sexist and everything you’d expect from a 30 year NYPD detective who has been shot in the line of duty and forced to work with Feds. He is a no bullshit kind of guy and that is what made him the perfect man to dig into the mystery of TWA 800. However sticking your nose into what appears to be an accident to please your wife isn’t always as easy as it seems. Corey quickly finds himself and his FBI agent wife, Kate Mayfield, being shut down and warned/threatened to stay away from the case. Of course that only pissed Corey off and made him that much more determined to solve this case whether it is an accident or murder. The CIA doesn’t take kindly to this.

Without spoiling the book for you things get ugly and fast and it culminates on a date that all Americans will remember for the rest of their lives. I saw the ending coming because Detective John Corey had taught me some detective sills along the way but I found myself burning through the last 100 pages like the book was burning. I think my hands were even shaking at one point but it might have been a lack of food because I hadn’t eaten since I picked the book up. I was pissed, irritated, curious and even more skeptical of my government than before. I’m not a conspiracy theorist in theory but this made me want to look out the windows for Black Helicopters.

The best part of the book was that it made me remember this disaster and it made me think outside the box the entire time. I kept asking myself is this possible? Afterwards I searched TWA 800 and read through the Wiki page and discovered that what the book presented wasn’t made up. The missile theory was an actual theory, there are witnesses who still swear they saw a missile, light or whatever and the CIA did release that stupid animation. Not only that but the FBI redacted reports for the public, any evidence of explosives was explained away by groups who shouldn’t have been involved unless they wanted you to think they were doing all they could and lastly its the United States government. Since when do they not lie to us?

When I started reading the book I had really no memory of TWA 800 and when I finished the book I had all the information I wanted. Officially it was an accident, a terrible disaster but I frankly believe there was a cover up and a missile. Just because the CIA says the eyewitnesses were upside down doesn’t mean I’ll believe them and frankly after reading Night Fall I don’t believe them. Sadly I’m not Detective John Corey nor am I married to an FBI agent whom have the resources to investigate this and if you read it you might not want to even if you had all the resources in the world.

I strongly recommend this book!

Wiki: TWA Flight 800

 

 

Synopsis:

Special Forces Want Freedom Of Movement

Posted by James on Apr 28, 2012 in Army/DOD, Featured | 0 comments

American Special Forces commander Adm. William H. McRaven, a SEAL who oversaw the raid on Osama bin Laden, wants to be granted new authority to counter threats as America ramps up its use of the elite warriors. McRaven wants to be able to move his forces faster without a lot of the bureaucratic red tape involved of going through the Pentagon to move men and material. This would give McRaven the ability to deploy Special Forces operators and equipment necessary to sustain them to the far corners of the world where trouble has been indicated by intelligence and it would increase their presence in areas that they have not fought in for about a decade.

With the Pentagon facing budget cuts for the first time in years virtually everyone is losing projects and funds with only one exception. Special Forces will see their budget remain the same at just over $10 billion and their commander Adm. William H. McRaven is pushing for increased mission flexibility. This highlights a key shift in American war fighting from that of large scale conflicts to that of small scale engagements like the raid on the Osama bin Laden compound. America is depending upon the quick reacting, fierce fighting special operations units to uphold national security interests while the main fighting force is being reduced to cut costs.

Admiral McRaven is asking the White House for the authority to operate within more countries and with fewer constraints on when they can launch a mission. American special forces had boots on the ground in over 120 countries by the end of 2011 and they would like to add to that number. In addition they would like to have the ability to operate more independently so they’re asking for increased support in the rear which includes intelligence, helicopters, aircraft and ships.

“It’s not really about Socom running the global war on terrorism,” McRaven told the Times, referring to the Special Operations Command. “I don’t think we’re ready to do that.”

While he says they’re not ready to do that that is likely what they will be doing once we leave Afghanistan. In conjunction with CIA drone strikes (whose counter terrorism center has increased from 300 people to over 2,000 since 9/11) America’s special forces are our only overt counter terrorism prevention method. Freedom of movement is the discreet way of saying increased operations. Does that mean CNN will have round the clock coverage of Osama style raids? Not at all. American special forces are in most of the countries strictly for training missions and to swap tactics with local special forces soldiers but that doesn’t mean they won’t be carrying out operations. This is huge however because it marks a drastic turn in American military strategy.

There are concerns however that the reliance on SF troops to do the heavy lifting instead of conventional forces will put undue stress on the already stretched elite. There are also concerns that the budget isn’t enough if the dependence on them is going to rise and many point to the 30 troops, including 22 Navy SEALs, who were killed in Afghanistan when Taliban fighters shot down their helicopter — a Chinook, which typically is used for heavy transport and flown by a conventional crew. They say that SF should be fighting with the same people that they train with and that would mean dedicated helicopters and crew members rather than catching a ride on a regular army Chinook.

Gen. Barno said: “Conventional forces can look ahead and see the light at the end of the tunnel, but special operators look ahead and see the continued demand as far as they can see. They can’t see a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Information:

Sources:

IB Times Washington Times IB Times

 

America Should Abandon All Aid For North Korea

Posted by James on Apr 24, 2012 in Featured, Weekly Rant | 2 comments

America should no longer be providing any form of aid to the people of North Korea. North Korea continually panders to the United States and other nations for both humanitarian aid and attention. The sad thing is it actually works. Recently they stole the limelight of an international nuclear conference with their missile test announcements and when that embarrassment wasn’t enough they are pushing forth with illegal nuclear tests. North Korea is a hostile nation with an untested leader and a brainwashed populous. Humanitarian aid has its place in the world but North Korea constantly goes back to its old ways after receiving the aid and that aid isn’t properly administered to the people anyway because those living in the capital, Pyongyang, get more rations than the rest. North Korea is already the most isolated nation on Earth but they use that humanitarian aid as leverage and it’s time to pull the rug out from underneath them.

North Korea is never going to change short of war or revolt. The people are brainwashed from birth to support the leader and those around the leader and they honestly think they have it better than anyone in the entire world. Many experts predicted that with the death of Kim Jong-il there was a strong possibility of revolt several months in to Kim Jong-un’s rule but it hasn’t happened and it won’t. I don’t understand why we feel it is our policy to send millions of dollars in aid to a country who threatens both the people of the United States and the people of South Korea. China will support North Korea no matter what they do so why should we be made to look like fools on the international stage by offering the North aid only for them to accept it and then go back on their word or to completely blow us off and go forth with missile tests?

In reality we spend a tiny amount on foreign aid and even less on North Korea but that isn’t the point. We’ve shown time and time again that we are there for the North Korean people however the people of North Korea don’t know we are there for them. The food aid and other humanitarian goodies aren’t distributed with the American flag on them and even if they were the propaganda machine would likely tell them its poisoned. Humanitarian aid is very much apart of U.S foreign policy as it is a way to show the people of the world that when they’re in need we will be there but on some countries it is a lost cause and a huge waste of money. What is gained by offering or giving food aid to the North? A week long reprieve of threats in exchange for millions worth of stuff? Any investor would tell you that is a terrible investment.

I know this doesn’t sound very enticing because it can be construed as punishing the people but it truly isn’t worth it nor is it worth the embarrassment that is caused by us giving them something only for them to disregard their obligations. Out of all the military conflicts, wars and “police actions” we fought over Communism this is the one we should have won because now all North Korea is, is a giant pimple begging to be popped. If this new nuclear test fails as bad as their last rocket attempt let’s just hope the fat Kim Jong-un is nearby.

From now on I will be referring to Kim Jong-un as Chubs or damn that’s a messed up haircut!

Where Do I Apply To Be Secret Service?

Posted by James on Apr 20, 2012 in Featured, News | 0 comments

I never knew that a job so eternally boring as being the advance team of Secret Service agents came with so many benefits. With at least 20 women involved in the “scandal” that has thoroughly excited the Washington cut throat culture you just have to wonder how many other times advance teams have seized upon one nation or another’s legalization of prostitution. Along with the 11 Secret Service agents there were also at least 10 military members involved in having a grand time on the government dime. The lack of discipline was followed this week by yet another photo leak involving American soldiers holding up body parts of suicide bombers.

Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney is vowing to “clean house” at the agency even though the investigative process isn’t over and to date 3 agents have already been forced out. The service said Wednesday that one supervisor was allowed to retire, and another will be fired for cause. A third employee, who was not a supervisor, has resigned. While the damage was originally thought to be minimal the disclosure that some of the agents involved are apart of the agency’s elite counter assault teams, sniper teams and Green Berets many are seizing upon the fact that this could have had a disastrous outcome. When at home and abroad any representative of the government is supposed to act with the utmost dignity especially members of the most prestigious law enforcement agency in the country. Bringing hookers back to a secure zone and then refusing to pay the amount negotiated just doesn’t fit the description of dignity.

As a result of the lack of discipline currently 8 agents are on administrative leave, their top secret security clearance is revoked and it is almost guaranteed for their heads to roll right under the bus. Shall we start taking guesses as to how many were married? They have been offered to take a polygraph over the incident according to Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan. Agency investigators have been able to talk to some of the women however they have not been able to reach those that were brought directly back to the hotel. The Secret Service does have their addresses, phone numbers and picture thanks to their IDs being left at the hotel.

Two U.S. military officials have said they include five Army Green Berets. One of the officials said the group also includes two Navy Explosive Ordinance Disposal technicians, two Marine dog handlers and an Air Force airman. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is still under way. The military personnel are accused of violating a curfew set by their commanders but they have not been directly accused of involvement with prostitutes or the coverup.

With all of that this is entirely blown out of proportion. If this were not an election year then this would have just been a speck on the radar. Instead we have all of the talking heads of Washington, you know the ones who have fought for the committees with the most TV time, on every news station talking about how they’re now investigating it. Of course they want to investigate it never mind that the agency has its own investigative arm; its 2012. Yes what the Secret Service did was wrong and the men and women who have done the most damage need to be fired but we don’t’ need the dog and pony show. After all the Secret Service caught wind of the “scandal” and replaced the team before Obama even arrived and the military replaced its personnel and they undoubtedly changed up the routines that the other agents were briefed on. The Secret Service is still an honorable agency with honorable people. The lack of discipline in a few agents doesn’t jeopardize an entire agency worth of people and Mitt Romney’s promise to “clean house” just shows how willing he is to bend to the political climate.

Sources:

The AP

India Testing New Nuclear Capable Missile

Posted by James on Apr 18, 2012 in Army/DOD, China, Featured | 0 comments

India is preparing to conduct a test launch of a new nuclear capable ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) which will give it the capability to launch nuclear strikes against its rival China from anywhere in the country of over 1 billion. Analysts have said that the new missile will put it on par with China creating a “nuclear parity”. The ICBM, the Agni V, will be launched from Orissa in the south-east of the country, but has a range of more than 3,000 miles, which means it can strike anywhere in China from anywhere in India, but could also hit Tehran or Moscow. If the launch is successful it means that India will join a small club of nations that have ICBMs. Those nations are the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia (and possibly Israel).

A senior defense official within the Indian government said that the launch, set to take place before Friday, will mark a “historic” day for the nation. Another official said that the test is not aimed at any particular nation although most experts agree that it is sure to rub China, India’s closest rival, the wrong way. Unlike North Korea’s recent attempt at what the world believes to have been an ICBM there is no condemnation or UN Security Council meetings over India’s latest weapon. Then again the Indians are a Democratic society and don’t have a lunatic at the helm.

 

The missile, which cost $480 million to develop is India’s latest retort in the long running arms race with China. The two nations are constantly struggling to keep up with each others advancements however with China increasing military spending by double digits for the last 20 years, India is having a hard time keeping the edge. India has had to hold back on increasing military spending due to economic strife. China’s defense budget on the other hand will soar to $238 billion by 2015 – more than the next 12 leading Asia-Pacific countries combined, and four times that of second place Japan, which will be spending an estimated $64 billion.

The development of this new missile comes at a time when many nations are realizing that China is a rising threat. With a recent trip to India, President Obama was shoring up a new ally and more importantly a counter to China. On the contrary India’s trade relations with China are booming but India still recognizes the need to be able to defend herself from a neighbor that it has had quite a few skirmishes with over the years.

“Trade relations and political relations are improving, but nuclear game theory says you have to be prepared in case there is a fight with China, in case China says ‘do this or else’, now we can choose ‘else’. It’s nuclear diplomacy,” Mr Guruswamy (of the New Delhi-based Centre for Policy Alternatives) added.

Fire away India.

Sources:

Telegraph UK The Diplomat The Diplomat

 

 

The Last American Push In Afghanistan

Posted by James on Apr 17, 2012 in Army/DOD, Featured | 0 comments

American forces are gearing up for what might be the last time they lead a major offensive in the decade long war at a time when nations are withdrawing early and the Taliban is attempting a spring offensive. The American led spring offensive which is more like a spring counter offensive is expected to begin within a few weeks and the goal of the operation will be to shore up Kabul’s defenses before most combat troops depart the region. Over the weekend the Taliban launched very coordinated attacks within Kabul and the ensuing battle lasted over 18 hours. Afghanistan’s security is literally on the line and the complete success of this offensive is imperative because come next year it is expected that the international force will begin its withdrawal.

The focus of this new offensive is relatively simple, regain control of regions that control the main access routes, roads and highways into the ancient city from the desert south and the mountainous east. These areas are used for trade between nations like Iran and Pakistan but are also used heavily by militants who seek to destabilize and eventually take over the nation. Attacks, deaths, bombings and firefights are common throughout Afghanistan but most take place in areas without a large civilian population. Attacks within the capital take on a different tone and have the ability to undermine the governments efforts to demonstrate to the people that they’re in control. It will be very difficult for Afghan security forces to be seen as successful if they cannot properly defend their capitol city from sieges that terrify the population.

The attacks over the weekend targeted symbolic locations such as the U.S Embassy and other buildings that are in the diplomatic quarter. These locations were picked even though they are heavily fortified because they would garner the most attention and succeed in putting fear into the people and a lack of certainty in the governments ability to protect them.

“These are isolated attacks that are done for symbolic purposes, and they have not regained any territory,” U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Monday.

The real problem though seems to be with Afghanistan’s neighbor; Pakistan. Both Afghan and American officials have blamed the Haqqani network for the recent attacks. That network has very close ties to both the Taliban and al-Qaeda and is based out of Pakistan. This groups strategy comes straight out of Vietnam. They provide training, weapons and people to the fight in Afghanistan while staying out of reach of conventional forces just like the North Vietnamese did in Laos and Cambodia.

While the attacks on the diplomatic quarter were symbolic in nature I fear that the last U.S offensive will be symbolic as well. No matter how many villages we clear, insurgents we kill and Afghans we train we never are going to stem the flow of insurgents from Pakistan and Pakistan will never stop that flow. In my opinion this offensive will be to create a buffer zone for the fragile Afghan government. To give them enough breathing room to get through the elections and hopefully give the U.S enough time to adequately train more of Afghanistan’s fledgling military. Will it work? I guess we have no choice other than to roll the dice.

It appears that other nations have already deemed Afghanistan a lost cause (and a money pit) and are abandoning ship early. Just today Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that all Australian troops would be pulling out a full year in advance.

Information:

Sources:

MSNBC

Ridiculously Photogenic Guy

Posted by James on Apr 15, 2012 in Video Of The Week | 0 comments

If you’re a lover of memes like myself you have probably stumbled upon a few featuring the “Ridiculously Photogenic Guy”. The picture that made him famous across the internet was taken inadvertently believe it or not. He was waving at a friend on the sideline and the camera just happened to snag his perfect smile. He’s my video of the week because he’s not just ridiculously photogenic but he’s also a good sport about the whole thing. He will also be running the New York Marathon where no doubt he’ll wind up on a few peoples cameras looking as good as ever. He will be running to raise awareness for aortic dissections so not only has he taught me how to spell “ridiculously” but he also is responsible for me learning what an aortic dissection is.

The best of the “Ridiculously Photogenic Guy”.