A Moment of Silence...

This will likely be one of the last, if not the last, post on this humble blog. Given the occasion, I feel that I should end on a more somber, serious note.

I was born on Veterans Day. November 11th. While I’m not one who believes in astrology or the like, it was always rather interesting that I developed a keen interest in the military, both of old and modern. It’s odd, as my family is not a military one. My late grandfather was in the Navy during WWII, but beyond that I never got a more thorough account. Maybe it’s just my seemingly innate fascination with machines. Whether computers, automobiles, motorcycles, or aeroplanes, I just seem to be enamored with their intricate complexity and presence. And among the world’s operators of awesome machinery, few match the militaries of super-power nations such as the U.S.A. or Russia in its prime.

So given that Veterans Day has recently come and gone, I thought this would be an appropriate occasion to discuss one of the purposes of the day, remembering those who have lost their life while serving in the U.S. military. Now of course Memorial Day is the main occasion to exercise respect for the fallen, but Veterans Day (and every other day really) is a fitting time for the same level of humility.

This year’s Veterans Day held a certain special significance. After more than 10 years in Iraq as a combat force, the U.S. is packing up shop. But counter to this positive news came tragedy. You may remember the news of an Army helicopter crashing and killing all those onboard. It was a CH-47 Chinook cargo helicopter and the 30 Americans aboard all perished in the crash. No U.S. personnel were found to be at fault, as the chopper’s fate hung in the balance of a Taliban fighter’s aim. The crash was deemed to be from a RPG-7 projectile hitting one of the main rotor blades and crippling the rotorcraft. The ensuing impact and fire wiped out any survivors.

Such a loss was unprecedented; it was the deadliest single accident for U.S. forces in over the last decade of fighting.

As many may have heard, a large percentage of the occupants were from Navy SEAL (SEa, Air, Land) teams. And while some of those SEALs were members of SEAL Team 6, the unit that is credited with killing Osama Bin Laden, none of the actual commandos that took part in that mission were on board.

Regardless, 30 men died in an instant and over 5,000 Americans have died in the deserts of the Middle East during Operation Iraqi Freedom & Enduring Freedom. Yet what covers the news shown in American homes? Dancing with the Stars or some Kardashian bullshit? The failings of the U.S. media are not new, but at least in this day and age the simple soldier can share his story from the front-line if so inclined.

It seems the Walter Cronkites of our day carry a gun with their camera and notepad…

That'll Cost Ya...

USAF F-16 Fighting Falcon

Much to my delight I have the opportunity to talk military aviation once again.

After its utter decimation in both Gulf Wars, the Iraqi Air Force has led a minimal role in safeguarding its nation’s airspace. Most air patrols, if not all, over Iraq are done by NATO forces. In its prime (under Saddam), however, the Iraqi Air Guard was a competent force not to be underestimated. But against the overwhelming might of the USAF, there was little hope for a long-term air war. Planes frequently never made it into the air, instead being “vulched” while still planted on terra firma in hangars or on the runway while taxiing. So for all intents and purposes, a combat-ready Iraqi air fleet has been nonexistent for some time. Yet this will not be the case for much longer.

Ready to prop the weakened nation back on its feet, the U.S. has accepted the first portion of a payment being allocated toward the purchase of a fleet of 18 F-16C Fighting Falcons. Very nearly on par with domestic F-16 jets, the Iraq shipment will be of the Block 52 variety (the most recent upgrade) and will not spare any of the standard features of the craft. The hope is, after all, that Iraq will remain an ally of the U.S. government, preventing any regrets down-the-line (I’m looking at you, U.S. Taliban weapon suppliers…). The airmen of Iraq are eagerly anticipating the arrival of their new airframe and a select few individuals are currently undergoing U.S. training here in the states to ensure the utmost proficiency. These men will also be responsible, in part, for training and mentoring their comrades back in Iraq in a few years’ time when the order is completed.

There is, however, another country hoping for F-16s: Taiwan. While the small nation already maintains a small fleet of U.S. supplied F-16s, they are of the older F-16A/B variety rather than C/D. But their requests are going largely unheeded as there exists a delicate situation. Taiwan-Chinese relations have long been touchy and the sale of modern weaponry to Taiwan puts China into a bit of a mood. Thus U.S. suppliers have only agreed to upgrade the current Taiwanese fleet rather than supplant it with brand new aircraft. It seems Chinese pressure is affecting U.S.-Taiwan relations and officials in Taiwan worry the buildup of Chinese war machines will eventually result in a swift, unstoppable takeover of their nation.

This is obviously against the best interests of Taiwan and the U.S., but it is never the less unnerving to see what was once a very solid relationship fading due to political pressures.

Source: F-16.net – Iraq Makes First Payment for 18 F-16s & Taiwan: No New F-16s for Now

Joseph Kony & Invisible Children: An End to the Madness?

Joseph Kony

This post won’t be dealing explicitly with the war in the Middle-East but will still focus around U.S. warfighters.

It came to my attention a few weeks ago that the U.S. government was finally ready to intervene, at least publicly, in the struggle against the LRA of central Africa. The Lord’s Resistance Army, or LRA, is a rebel organization that has long destabilized the heart of Africa and caused enormous suffering. Their kill count extends upward of 30,000 with mass rape and dismemberment being their more heinous crimes. But perhaps the most widely known of their crimes is the forced induction of children into their ranks, the so-called “Child Soldier.”

It seems not that long ago that an advocacy group came to my local high school in order to raise awareness regarding the plight of the child soldier and those still in danger of the same fate. This group, Invisible Children, had campaigned far and wide to attract government attention to the issue. They had succeeded to some degree and the group’s founding members had even been amongst the rebel army in their quest to confront its leader, Joseph Kony. But aid has been sparse and slow to arrive.

That is until now. President Obama has appointed about 100 armed operators to aid the African hunt for Kony within such nations as Uganda and the Congo. Acting as a training and support force, these American forces will only engage in combat if deemed necessary to ensure their safety. As for their makeup, the most logical assumption (and the correct one) is that these operators are Special Forces. Given the how elusive Kony has proven to be over his nearly 30 year reign of terror, it is no surprise that the U.S. “advisors” being deployed are of the highest caliber.

It is operations like these, however, that reminds one of the far-reaching hand that is the American warfighter. Many belief the U.S. is already part of a “Shadow War” in Pakistan and history has shown us that the American public is not always the first to know where or when U.S. soldiers deploy. One could even hope that the role U.S. SOF (Special Operations Forces) are playing in the LRA conflict is actually greater than that which is reported. Because, for once, that is a mission I can 100% support.

Source: Al Jazeera – Obama Sends Military Advisors to Uganda

RI Guardsmen En Route to the Sandbox

Now, as per my last post, one could be mistaken for thinking that this looming Iraq withdrawal could signal a more international decline in troop levels. Well a bit of recent local news quickly puts that silly thought to rest.

Just this last week it was announced by Rhode Island’s State Adjutant General, Kevin McBride, that about 300 National Guards soldiers will by deploying very shortly to the Middle-East.

From the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation regiment will come 140 soldiers destined for Kuwait and general aviation support.

And from 1st Battalion, 143rd Infantry will come another 130 soldiers destined for Afghanistan to provide security for provincial reconstruction engineer teams.

So it’s fairly obvious that troops are still being deployed to the Middle-East on a regular basis and that any hope for widespread withdrawal was rather misguided. Perhaps even more misguided that you know…

While I made a point of going over the imminent Iraq withdrawal thoroughly in my last entry, there is one more aspect that should be made clear: why now?

The news came rather suddenly it seemed. Obama announced that all troops would be home for the holidays, not a day past the 31st. Most praised “his” decision and applauded the notion that war operations were beginning to wind down, even if just in Iraq. The simple truth is, however, that Obama and the current administration really deserve no credit for the withdrawal. The agreement that signaled that day, the 31st of December, 2011, as the day of withdrawal was established during the dying days of George W. Bush’s presidency. In the interim, Obama had actually fought for an extension to that deadline but ultimately failed. Thus the news story trumpeted to the masses neglects that little detail to boost Obama’s credentials, rather than the opposite.

Now I would like to make clear that I am not trying to discredit Obama or congratulate Bush, this agreement was not meant to serve as the definitive exit-strategy it now has. In recent councils with Iraqi leader Maliki, many alternatives were tossed about but none could be agreed upon in time to stop the default year’s end evacuation preparation (getting thousands of people of a country takes time after all). This rushed evacuation also leaves the prospect of long-term U.S. airbases up in the air, a failing that could have repercussions in dealing with combat logistics in the region for years to come.

Ultimately, the decision has been made by Iraqi leaders and our own U.S. president; troops will be shipped home and escape our 10 year battleground. Whether or not the lack of a more thorough and calculated evacuation/withdrawal will be criticized or forgotten in the future, the precedent is about to be set; U.S. soldiers are leaving the Middle-East, and I imagine American citizens will want to see this trend continue…

Source: Boston Globe - RI National Guard Deployment

Operation Get the Hell Outta Dodge!

After a little over 10 years of combat operations in Iraq, the long-awaited day is finally coming. The deadline for a (near) complete U.S. troop withdrawal is the final moments of this year, the 31st of December.

I say “near” complete as there are a few minor stipulations attached to this transition. Firstly, a select few U.S. military personnel will stay in-country to provide a security force for embassies and resident VIPs. Secondly, while the U.S. government’s army may be high-tailing it out of the country, many American citizens will still have their boots on Iraqi soil for the foreseeable future. Between citizens working in political, non-combat, roles and security contractors (aka Private Military Companies or PMCs), Iraq will remain a central part of American discourse far into the future.

Though let’s back up a moment. The continued presence of PMCs is startling as it seems to completely contradict the goal of “No U.S. combatants in Iraq”. While not technically working for the U.S. government, many PMCs have been contracted by none other than Washington, D.C. and many that are still there today share a close-association with political officials back in the states. While the number of PMC operators that will remain is relatively small, 4-5k, their mere presence, now and as far back as the war in Iraq stretches, does not sit well with some.

Bonus points if you know why this image is relevant...

For are we moving toward a future where war is privatized, monetized, even further than the already disturbed reality of today? Will your neighbor be building bombs rather than cars at the local factory? Selling firearms rather than T-shirts at the outlet mall? At what point did the hunt for profit outweigh the morality of war? Eisenhower warned the nation of the Military Industrial Complex years ago and yet here it stands, stronger than ever and spawning new minions in the form of Guns-for-Hire a la PMCs such as Xe (formerly BlackWater). These companies do not abide by the same rules as our servicemen and women do. A large factor in the sudden withdrawal of U.S. troops related to just that issue; U.S. military personnel were to have their legal “immunity” cut off had they stayed, leaving them subject to war crime charges such as murder and arson without the protective guise of those actions being “wartime necessities.” PMCs, likewise, will not have this layer of protection and may just ignore local laws regardless, only obeying those above them who pay their bills.

U.S. troops are leaving Iraq, though. That is progress. Whether or not America has abandoned its hand in the country is another matter altogether…

Source: Al Jazeera - U.S. Troop Withdrawal from Iraq

The Toll of War

Go to this website: Iraq Body Count. Look at the number.

Is it worth it?

Let’s take a step back for a moment. This is a bit of a vague number on first glance, hell, it’s a range as well.

What does “Documented civilian deaths from violence” really mean?

Does this tally the constant background crime always present in a region?

How about the victims and criminals, does it merely count Iraqi civilians or aid workers and foreigners in the area as well?

These are all important distinctions that can significantly alter the meaning of the figure. Regardless, over 100,000 lives are being attributed to the persistent conflict in the Iraq and its neighbors. With the U.S. being the most dominant force in this war among the NATO nations, doesn’t that leave much of the blame on us?

Maybe it is the U.S.’s fault. Maybe if we had cut our conflict short long ago or never even succumbed to war in the first place 100,000 people would still be alive and well. Were the lives of some 3,000 American worth more than 100,000 Iraqi lives? That’s a question that has no real answer but deserves as much thought as one can muster.

P.S. After writing this I double-checked the way in which the toll is counted. See this page in particular to get a better sense of where each verified death fits in.

The Liberation of Kurdistan

By chance, coincidence, or just conscious choice, two of my favorite TV programs, Top Gear UK and Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, both set an episode in the northern region of Iraq know as Kurdistan. They both began their respective programs with a similar theme, essentially, “what on earth are we thinking and how many armed guards do we need?” Yet after the initial, expected, reactions and lengthy segments detailing their intense “Situation Defcon 1” preparations, both programs took a sharp turn.

It came as a surprise how many parallels were drawn between the two vastly different shows. Their first stops especially left an impression, as it did on all the hosts.

Nested in the North of Iraq is the, only recently, officials recognized region of Kurdistan, land of the Kurds. To most Americans the only mention of the Kurds they remember is from the media attention given to Saddam Hussein’s crimes against humanity. It was the Kurdish culture, and the Kurdish people, that came under chemical attack by order of Saddam, no doubt one of his most widely loathed acts of tyranny. When Saddam was deposed, the Kurds were left with a very foreign sense of freedom (it should be noted that the Kurds have been, and still are, unfairly persecuted in Iraq, Turkey, and the surrounding regions). In the years that followed, Kurdistan was allowed to blossom. Amusement parks and scenic mountain picnic spots are now normal…in Iraq.

When talking with the locals, Burdain naturally asked how the U.S. was viewed by the Kurds. The reactions was to be expected, they were eternally grateful and, as alluded to in a previous post, could not imagine them leaving. With so many pessimistic views on the war in the Middle East, it’s refreshing to see tangible signs of good being done. Whether or not the region can sustain itself without U.S. intervention is not yet entirely clear, but with it, at least for now, there is peace and stability in Kurdistan.

Kurdistan region, for reference

10 Years in Country

This year marks the 10th year of combat operations in Afghanistan. While Iraq has gradually fallen off the radar (even though troops and troubles still persist in the region), Afghanistan has not seen such a marked decline.

Thought of as just another piece of the “Middle East,” Iraq and Afghanistan are very different countries even just in terms of terrain. The sweeping deserts of Iraq transition to vast mountain ranges in the highlands of Afghanistan. Once could be forgiven for mistaking Afghanistan’s Kunar Province with a canyon from the American Southwest. Snowcapped peaks and harsh scrub forests lining the slopes make for a unique combat environment. Firefights often range over a hundred yards or more, making combatants only visible due to the flash from a rifle through the brush. It’s this type of terrain that is the Special Forces and Air Forces’ bread ‘n butter. The shadows of the valley make excellent cover for covert operations and the difficult, long range engagements make overwhelming air power a popular tool in the G.I.’s arsenal.

But it’s been 10 years, shouldn’t combat be fading away? Well, yes and no. The Taliban are an elusive force. Those valleys and mountains make escape and evasion exceptionally easy, seldom are entire enemy teams taken out. And even after years of open combat, the Taliban still hold the numbers and home-field advantage. With more “recruits” available at any time and sympathizers still out there, they are in no danger of dissolving as an organization. In Iraq, al-Qaeda has shown a similar longevity. While not as consistently active as in years past, they continue to show they are alive a kicking. The inspiration for this post, in fact, comes from a very recent VBIED (Vehicle Born Improvised Explosive Device) attack in Baghdad. They lack the means to wage all-out war but still like to remind the world they can inflict chaos and harm when they please.

And there lies the problem. After years of fighting, are we any closer to erasing the threat of a swift Taliban or al-Qaeda takeover once U.S. forces leave country? Some citizens of Iraq cannot fathom the U.S. leaving and hope the day never really comes. There are always exceptions, but many citizens value the work being done, the improvements to infrastructure, education, and politics. To leave, they know, would mean a return to the oppressive rule of yesteryear in short order.

So what is the U.S. and NATO doing to truly put that fear to rest…?

Sources: Al Jazeera - 10 Years in Afghanistan & Recent Iraq VBIED

The Fighter Mafia

I’m sure anyone who hasn't been living under has at least heard of the F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jet. And perhaps you've heard of its companion aircraft, the F-35 JSF (Joint Strike Fighter). And just maybe you've heard how much money and time both are taking to reach full combat readiness.

Now both these aircraft have cost billions to develop and cost, individually, upward of 100-150 million dollars. The funny thing, regarding the F-35 at least, is that the program was envisioned as a “low cost” supplement to the F-22 program. This sort of tandem development is nothing new and in fact is just a revision of the “High Cost, Low Cost” strategy made popular in the 70s and 80s. Back in those days the U.S. Air Force was looking for replacements for many of their early generation jet fighters. In the air, tension was high as the Soviet Union continued to developed and display its increasingly modern air-to-air high performance fighters such as the Su-27 Flanker and Mig-29Fulcrum. To effectively safeguard America’s airspace against such threats, the U.S. government commissioned two planes at roughly the same time: the F-15 Eagle and the F-16 Falcon.

The Eagle was, and still is, the best air-to-air fighter ever to take to the skies; a true air-superiority platform with 104 confirmed kills to zero (as in none what so ever) losses due to an enemy combatant. But with high production costs due to its advanced radar suite, the Eagle was no bargain. To complement the high cost, low volume, F-15 a second aircraft was pitched by the now infamous “FighterMafia.” This would eventually become the F-16, winner of the Lightweight Fighter competition designed to, as the name implies, find a low cost, high volume, supplement to the Eagle. This same strategy, to build a (relative) few high-tech super-planes and pad out the rest of the force with more general, easier-to-produce, aircraft, has resurfaced in the form of the F-22 and F-35 situation. The Raptor has far greater stealth and speed (able to Super-Cruise) capabilities with an air-to-air focus (a la the F-15C) and the JSF, again as name suggests, will be a multirole craft serving multiples branches of the U.S. military (Army, Air Force, and Navy).

So where am I going with all this? Well, if you track military aviation news (and who doesn't ?!?!), you should have heard that both the F-22 and F-35 have been grounded almost as often as they fly. There are different reasons for each craft, each time, but the latest issue plaguing the F-22, for example, is a faulty oxygen supply system. At over 30,000 feet a lack of oxygen becomes a worrying matter. The groundings have been so bad that some pilots are in danger of needing re-certification training to stay safe after such prolonged periods without flight practice. Last I heard, the Raptors were being allowed to fly on a case-by-case basis, just not at high altitudes.

With all these issues surrounding the projects and their monumental costs, the public, and even some top military brass, are having doubts as to whether the effort and resources are worth it. Some argue that the U.S. doesn’t need such aircraft when the F-15 can still hold its own. But one always has to keep an eye to the future, and in doing so it comes to light that both China and Russia are developing counters to our own 5th generation fighter, the F-22. So are your tax dollars being spent on needless hardware only good for boasting military power or on a necessary element that will protect American skies given the worst occurs? I like to think the latter, and damn does the Raptor evoke a primal response in person and flexing full thrust-vectoring…

P.S. Long post. What can I say, I told you I’m all about military hardware and aviation…

Recent Medal of Honor Recipient: Sgt. Dakota Meyer

Sgt. Dakota Meyer

Awarded for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States”

So to kick things off let’s look to recent news. Within the month, the 15th of September specifically, a Medal of Honor was awarded to Sergeant Dakota Meyer of the US Marine Corps. Well known as the highest honor a US serviceman can receive, the Medal of Honor has only seen one other recipient in our current war in Iraq and Afghanistan, Salvatore Giunta. Together, these men are the first living recipients of the citation since the Vietnam era.

Now it takes a special breed of man in an extraordinary situation to merit a Medal of Honor and by all accounts Sergeant Meyer is nothing but deserving of the recognition. Born in 1988 in Kentucky, Meyer joined the Marine Corp in 2006 after finishing high school. Three years later, acting as a Marine Scout Sniper in Kunar province, Afghanistan, Meyer’s team was caught in a well-planned ambush. Outside of the firefight kill-zone, Meyer himself was tending the trucks in relative safety and hoping US air and fire support would provide the necessary cover for his comrades to fall back out of harm’s way. With support, at least in the quantity needed, not available and casualties mounting, Meyer, with a fellow soldier, risked life and limb to aid his team. For six hours Meyer drove in and out of the kill-zone snatching up soldiers in dire situations. By the end of the engagement he had personally evacuated 12 fellow soldiers and allowed a further 24 Marines to slip away from certain death at the hands of an overwhelming Taliban force. While four of his fellow servicemen perished, Meyer had provided invaluable aid and ensured others would not share the same fate.

I’ll forgo any deep commentary this first week, but it goes without saying that regardless of your opinions on the war, and this next thought is a common one, support the troops that go beyond the call of duty to protect their fellow American and the innocent citizens of Afghanistan.

Also: Sgt. Meyer's website and charity & Letterman's "Late Night Show" Interview (starts @15:00 minutes)

Follow Sgt. Meyer on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/Dakota_Meyer (@Dakota_Meyer)