Archive for November, 2009

The Chinese nuclear sub force is getting quieter, but a recent report says that the new Jin-class missile boats are about as stealthy as old Soviet Delta IIIs.

Or, in other words, not terribly stealthy at all.

The New York times didn’t want to publish any of the scandalous “Climategate” emails because they “were never intended for the public eye” but has no problems writing about a “black jail” at Bagram.

It’s almost like they’re selective about their willingness to publish controversial items.

Somali pirates hijack tanker going to U.S.

Somali pirates seized a tanker carrying crude oil from Saudi Arabia to the U.S. in the increasingly dangerous waters off East Africa, an official said Monday, an attack that could pose a huge environmental or security threat to the region.

The Greece-flagged Maran Centaurus was hijacked Sunday about 800 miles off the coast of Somalia, said Cmdr. John Harbour, a spokesman for the EU Naval Force. Harbour said it originated from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and was destined for the U.S. The ship has 28 crew members on board, he said.

The pirate problem off Somalia has been one that the US public knows about and talks about but isn’t really interested in doing anything about. If gas prices go up because of this latest hijacking, could that change?

Will soccer moms driving their kids to school in minivans suddenly be calling to hang pirates from the yard arm?

We can only hope.

Happy Thanksgiving, MO and GunPundit readers.

Not sure how much blogging I’ll do over the weekend. You all watch some football, eat some turkey, spend some time with friends and family, and have a great holiday.

Those of you on duty who can’t do any of the above because you’ve got a mission: You’ve got no idea how thankful the rest of us are that you’re doing what you do. We’re thinking of you.

Hero SEALS face rap for fiend’s bloody lip

Three Navy SEALs involved in nabbing one of Iraq’s most wanted terrorists are reportedly facing criminal charges related to his capture — all because he claimed he had a bloody lip.

The SEALs took down Ahmed Hasim Abed, the alleged mastermind of a ghastly 2004 incident in which four American contractors who worked security for Blackwater USA, were murdered in Fallujah and two of the bodies were hung from a bridge over the Euphrates River.

But instead of being praised as heroes, the SEALs are all facing charges and have hired lawyers, FoxNews.com reported.

The poor guy was transferred to Iraqi authorities, and at that time, after he was out of US control, he claimed he’d been punched in the face after being captured. He showed them a bloody lip to prove it.

So our guys were investigated and enough was apparently found to charge them.

They refused an Admirals Mast so it’s going to court marital.

Three Things You Absolutely Must Know About Climategate

This may seem obscure, but the science involved is being used to justify the diversion of literally trillions of dollars of the world’s wealth in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by phasing out fossil fuels. The CRU is the Pentagon of global warming science, and these documents are its Pentagon Papers.

Here are three things everyone should know about the Climategate Papers. Links are provided so that the full context of every quote can be seen by anyone interested.

Summary version:

1. Manipulate data to get the results you want
2. Prevent publication of papers which conflict with your position and try to minimize those that get by
3. Destroy data which may undermine your position or limit its availability to others

In fact, if this were put into a movie, it would be dismissed as a skeptic’s wet dream. For those militantly opposed to global warming science (or its new hedge-your-bets name “climate change”) this seems too good to be true. We’ll see if it is or not.

Meanwhile, even if 100% true and accurate, keep in mind that these revelations do not necessarily implicate all scientists who champion global warming science and they do not mean that there is not, in fact, at least some climate change happening or that humans are not responsible for any of it.

The climate change skeptics would do well to exercise some of that same skepticism about all of this.

Do not immediately swallow data which supports your position and ignore that which contradicts it, especially to crucify people for swallowing data which supports their positions and ignoring that which contradicts it.

UPDATE: The New York Times suddenly developed some sort of a conscience and won’t stoop to publishing “Statements that Were Never Intended for the Public Eye”

Possible evidence that at least some scientists have been faking it when it comes to climate science? Can’t publish. Wouldn’t be prudent.

Stories, fake or otherwise, that put US troops in danger and directly hinder our military campaigns? It’s our responsibility to get it all out for discussion. The public needs to know.

If this wasn’t so serious, it would be hilarious.

Via a reader, here’s an update to a story linked in the most recent Linkzookery:

Pennsylvania Union Leader Resigns Amid Criticism for Threatening Legal Action Over Boy Scout’s Volunteerism

Nick Balzano, president of the Service Employees International Union’s Allentown chapter, submitted an unexpected resignation letter Thursday, along with a few other employees, SEIU spokesman Matt Nerzig told Foxnews.com.

The resignations came one day after FoxNews.com reported that Balzano had come under fire for saying earlier in the month that the SEIU might file a grievance against the city of Allentown for allowing 17-year-old Kevin Anderson to voluntarily clear a walking trail in a local park, instead of paying union members to do the work.

The Scout’s work was part of his Eagle Project.

How World War II Wasn’t Won

65 years ago:

The Sixth Army Group reached the Rhine at Strasbourg, France, on Nov. 24, and its commander, Lt. Gen. Jacob L. Devers, looked across its muddy waters into Germany. His force, made up of the United States Seventh and French First Armies, 350,000 men, had landed Aug. 15 near Marseille — an invasion largely overlooked by history but regarded at the time as “the second D-Day” — and advanced through southern France to Strasbourg. No other Allied army had yet reached the Rhine, not even hard-charging George Patton’s.

Could a November, 1944, crossing of the Rhine from the southern invasion force have “pre-empted” the German Ardennes offensive, also known as the Battle of the Bulge?

A book by David P. Colley, Decision at Strasbourg: Ike’s Strategic Mistake to Halt the Sixth Army Group at the Rhine in 1944 blames the missed opportunity on Eisenhower’s dislike of Gen. Devers and cautious nature.

I’ve not read the book (though it looks interesting) and must admit that I don’t know enough to have an opinion on the matter. As we approach the 65th anniversary of the Bulge, what do MO readers think? Would a southern Rhine crossing have derailed the German counter offensive before it began?

UPDATE: Also, I wonder if the absence of British forces in 6th Army Group had anything to do with the decision. Just wondering out loud.

Radical Lawyer Convicted of Aiding Terrorist Is Jailed

After a lengthy trial, a jury in 2005 convicted Ms. Stewart, now 70, of providing material aid to terrorism and of lying to the government while helping an imprisoned client, Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, communicate with his followers in Egypt.

The sheik, a blind fundamentalist cleric, was serving a life sentence after his 1995 conviction for organizing a thwarted plot to blow up landmarks in New York. Ms. Stewart assisted him by communicating a statement from him to a reporter in Cairo, which allowed his followers to learn of it.

She also once represented a member of the Weather Underground charged with bank robbery.

She’s an extreme example, of course, but one that should remind us that yes, kids, sometimes it’s okay to question one’s patriotism.

Her sentence is for only 28 months. She’s 70. It should have been 28 years, just to be sure.

Via law professor Glenn Reynolds, the Instapundit, who writes:

A betrayal not only of America, but of the legal profession.

Note: Murdoc is shirking his duties. Here’s the Linkzookery I owe you from yesterday.

An Officer’s Outrage Over Fort Hood
I’m angry that the murderer was a terrorist who masqueraded as an Army officer for half a dozen years. And angrier that it was allowed to happen.

SF units to get latest Land Warrior kit
Killed in 2007, Land Warrior lives on. Looks like each man will get a unit, not just team leaders as in infantry.

Army Launches Examination of Armor Testing
As an outsife observer, a new look at how armor is tested and rated appears to be long overdue. It’s a still-developing technology and the ways it’s used are still being tested under fire. We need to accept that some changes in ways we think about things may be in order.

Another F-35 test plane takes its first flight
AF-1, the redesigned A-model conventional Lightning, begins test flights.

Climategate?
Leaked emails apparently show the lengths one climate scientist goes to make sure the data fits the narrative.

How do I plug my electric vehicle in at home?
For the record, Murdoc supports the concept of the plug-in hybrid or electric car. He thinks we need more nuclear power plants, though.

If Day
I had not heard of this 1942 Canadian enactment of Nazi occupation of the Great White North.

History In These Plates
Armor plating from the Tirpitz used by Oslo road construction crews.

Northrop Invests Own Money In Fire Scout
Murdoc continues to be a fan of this unmanned whrilybird.

Post Veterans Day Thoughts
Richard Mann on remembering the veterans and their rifles when out on a hunt with yours.

Union troubled by Eagle Scout project in Allentown
Union files grievance over Boy Scout clearing a hiking path for his project.