Clipmarks | BobbyRutan's 'military' clips

Oklahoma Republican wants to replace U.S. made military rifle with German made gun.

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:34:12 GMT

clipped by: BobbyRutan
clipper's remarks: More: More than $300 million has been spent on 221,000 of the carbines over the past two years alone. And the Defense Department is asking Congress to provide another $230 million for 136,000 more.

Lord, if republicans are going to deliver us BS wars couldn't they at least spend our taxpayer dollars on U.S. pork.

Here's somemore brilliance from Oklahoma, Tom Coburn's senatorial twin Jim Inhofe,

For example my area of expertise is the English language.
-- Sen. James Mountain Inhofe (R - OK)

Clip Source: www.washingtonpost.com

Now, as Congress considers spending millions more on the guns, this exclusive arrangement is being criticized as a bad deal for American forces as well as taxpayers, according to interviews and research conducted by the Associated Press.

"What we have is a fat contractor in Colt who's gotten very rich off our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.).

At about $1,500 apiece, the M4 is overpriced, according to Coburn. It jams too often in sandy environments such as Iraq, he adds, and requires far more maintenance than more durable carbines.

U.S. military officials don't agree. They call the M4 an excellent carbine.

There's not a weapon out there that's significantly better than the M4," said Col. Robert Radcliffe

Coburn is the M4's harshest and most vocal critic

his concern is shared by others, who point to the "SCAR," made by Belgian armorer FN Herstal, and the HK416, produced by Germany's Heckler & Koch,

Both weapons cost about the same as the M4

Tags: 500 million for guns, what a pity

Pentagon Overbudget by $295 Billion - Biggest Military Run-up since WW II

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 19:06:07 GMT

clipped by: BobbyRutan
clipper's remarks: More: This is not about the waste of taxpayer dollars – already pushing a trillion – in funding the Iraq war, which, while reprehensible enough, pales in comparison to the big-ticket military systems purchased in the wake of 9/11.

The Government Accountability Office - The Bush Administration's worst enemy.

McCain? Eight more years of Bush policies.

Clip Source: www.csmonitor.com

he Pentagon has gone hundreds of billions of dollars over budget in recent years on key weapons systems, including aircraft, ships, and satellite, said a government audit

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) said for the sixth year in a row that the Pentagon had significantly gone over budget, but according to a report presented to Congress this week, the problem is getting worse

95 major systems have exceeded their original budgets by a total of $295 billion, bringing their total cost to $1.6 trillion, and are delivered almost two years late on average

In addition, none of the systems that the GAO looked at had met all of the standards for best management practices during their development stages

half of some 28 contracts to manufacture body armor for Army soldiers were completed without proper tests

the Pentagon has doubled the sum pledged to new weapons systems from $790 billion in 2000 to $1.6 trillion in 2007

Clip Source: www.davidstuff.com

Clip Source: www.electjohnmccain2008.com

Clip Source: www.csmonitor.com

the "highest run-up in military spending since World War II

Tags: you are under my power, guns not butter

4,000 GI's Dead - I Ain't No Senators Son, Son

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 04:45:58 GMT

clipped by: BobbyRutan
clipper's remarks: Some folks are born made to wave the flag,
Ooh, theyre red, white and blue.
And when the band plays hail to the chief,
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, lord,

It aint me, it aint me, I aint no senators son, son.
It aint me, it aint me; I aint no fortunate one, no,

Yeah!
Some folks are born silver spoon in hand,
Lord, dont they help themselves, oh.
But when the taxman comes to the door,
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yes,

It aint me, it aint me, I aint no millionaires son, no.
It aint me, it aint me; I aint no fortunate one, no.

Some folks inherit star spangled eyes,
Ooh, they send you down to war, lord,
And when you ask them, how much should we give?
Ooh, they only answer more! more! more! yoh,

It aint me, it aint me, I aint no military son, son.
It aint me, it aint me; I aint no fortunate one, one.

It aint me, it aint me, I aint no fortunate one, no no no,
It aint me, it aint me, I aint no fortunate son, no no no,

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

US army deaths in Iraq hit 4,000

The number of United States military personnel killed in Iraq since the US-led invasion five years ago has passed the 4,000 mark

The latest to die were four soldiers whose patrol vehicle was blown up by a bomb in southern Baghdad on Sunday

The deaths bring the total to 4,000, according to the US military and independent monitoring groups

In other violence, Baghdad's Green Zone came under fire, and a suicide bomber killed 13 Iraqi soldiers in Mosul

In Baghdad, the heavily-fortified Green Zone suffered sustained mortar and rocket fire, which killed at least 15 civilians.

Sunday's violence underlines the fragile, reversible nature of the apparent improvements in security, say correspondents.

Clip Source: www.msnbc.msn.com

There have been about 15 soldiers wounded for every fatality in Iraq

"We are always quick to note that the progress is tenuous and that it is reversible," said the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, "and that there are innumerable challenges out there."

Clip Source: www.schwimmerlegal.com

Tags: the bush legacy

Photos & Video - Hillary never in danger in Bosnia - Sinbad vindicated (LOL)

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 12:21:26 GMT

clipped by: BobbyRutan
clipper's remarks: Hillary has been regaling supporters on the campaign trail with hair-raising tales of a trip she made to Bosnia in March 1996. In her retelling, she was sent to places that her husband, Bill, could not go because they were "too dangerous." When her account was challenged by one of her traveling companions, the comedian Sinbad, she upped the ante and injected even more drama into the story. In a speech earlier this week, she talked about "landing under sniper fire" and running for safety with "our heads down."

Numerous problems with Clinton's version of events.

As a reporter who visited Bosnia soon December 1995, I can attest that the physical risks were minimal during this period, at a heavily fortified U.S. Air Force base, such as Tuzla. Contrary to the claims of Hillary Clinton, Bosnia was not "too dangerous" a place for President Clinton to visit in 1996. In fact, the first Clinton to visit the Tuzla Air Force base was not Hillary, but Bill, on January 13, 1996.

Clip Source: tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com

Washington Post has photo/video, obliterates Clinton Bosnia claim

Looks like Hillary's sometimes hard to believe foreign policy claims may be finally catching up with her. For instance, on March 17th this year Hillary said of her trip to Bosnia that:

"I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base."

But now there are several accounts, a photo, and video that all directly contradict this statement. This comes from the Washington Post's "Fact Checker"

Clip Source: blog.washingtonpost.com

Greeting ceremony, Tuzla military airport,

You can see CBS News footage of the arrival ceremony here. The footage shows Clinton walking calmly out of the back of the C-17 military transport plane that brought her from Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany.

According to Sinbad, who provided entertainment on the trip along with the singer Sheryl Crow, the "scariest" part was deciding where to eat.

Tags: eek! i'm running from snipers, someone bring me a red phone i'll call bill

John McCain's #1 Billboard Hit "Bomb Iran", free download

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:45:23 GMT

clipped by: BobbyRutan
clipper's remarks: If you loved Iraq, you will love Iran.

Vote War. Vote McCain.

Clip Source: mccainsings.com

[Video]

He has served his country in the military, the Congress, and the Senate. Now he serves America in song.

DOWNLOAD THE SONG FOR FREE!

Tags: war is a many spendered thing, i love the smell of napalm in the morning

Good News! All Iraqi Groups Blame the U.S. Invasion for the Civil War in Iraq

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:34:54 GMT

clipped by: BobbyRutan
clipper's remarks: More: Dated December 2007, the report notes "the Iraqi government has still made no significant progress toward its fundamental goal of national reconciliation." Asked to describe "the current situation in Iraq to a foreign visitor," some groups focused on positive aspects of the recent security improvements. But "most would describe the negative elements of life in Iraq beginning with the 'U.S. occupation' in March 2003," the report says.

Few mentioned Saddam Hussein as a cause of their problems, which the report described as an important finding implying that "the current strife in Iraq seems to have totally eclipsed any agonies or grievances many Iraqis would have incurred from the past regime, lasting nearly four decades -- as opposed to the current conflict, lasting five years."

Overall, "these findings may be expected to conclude that national reconciliation is neither anticipated nor possible. In reality, this survey provides very strong evidence that the opposite is tru

Clip Source: www.washingtonpost.com

Iraqis of all sectarian and ethnic groups believe that the U.S. military invasion is the primary root of the violent differences among them, and see the departure of "occupying forces" as the key to national reconciliation, according to focus groups conducted for the U.S. military last month

That is good news, according to a military analysis of the results. At the very least, analysts optimistically concluded, the findings indicate that Iraqis hold some "shared beliefs" that may eventually allow them to surmount the divisions that have led to a civil war

Conducting the focus groups, in 19 separate sessions organized by outside contractors in five cities, is among the ways in which Multi-National Force-Iraq assesses conditions in the country beyond counting insurgent attacks, casualties and weapons caches

While violence has gone down, one of the ways it has been achieved is by effectively separating people. That means mobility is limited

Tags: brought to you by the same administration rebuildi

British Tout Their Iraq Exit Model

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 18:51:07 GMT

clipped by: BobbyRutan
clipper's remarks: More: Arguing that Basra can serve as a model, British officials have begun to make their case with more intensity as their withdrawal has gained speed.

"Can the U.S. draw some lessons from what we've done?" asked the British military official. "If we allow the Iraqis to . . . take a little risk and we have levels of violence they can control, maybe we don't need to hold on quite so long."

But a person should take notice that the British aren't building permanent bases in Iraq so their intent has always been to give Iraq back to the Iraqis. The U.S. on the other hand..........

Clip Source: www.latimes.com

British tout Basra model

Officials say the rapid withdrawal and transfer to Iraqi security forces has forced the provincial government to step up and warring militias to reconcile. U.S. officials are skeptical.

Senior officers in the British military, which has begun a withdrawal that will drop Britain's troop level from 7,000 to 2,500 by spring, have argued that the pullback from central Basra city in September has put pressure on rival Shiite Muslim factions to reconcile, dramatically reducing violence in Iraq's second-largest city

The outcome of the debate over Basra

could have implications for American military strategy in the summer when U.S. troop levels will return from 20 combat brigades to a pre-buildup level of 15

One senior British military official said civilian Pentagon officials recently visited the city of Basra

asserted that U.S. officials came away impressed by the transformation and suggested it could influence American policy elsewhere in Iraq.

$1Billion in U.S. Military Equipment Missing in Iraq - WTF?

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 00:16:45 GMT

clipped by: BobbyRutan
clipper's remarks: "Mission Accomplished", Next lie Iran.

Clip Source: www.cbsnews.com

$1B In Military Equipment Missing In Iraq

Exclusive: Report Shows Vehicles, Machine Guns And More Meant For Iraqi Forces Unaccounted For

(CBS/AP)

Tractor trailers, tank recovery vehicles, crates of machine guns and rocket propelled grenades are just a sampling of more than $1 billion in unaccounted for military equipment and services provided to the Iraqi security forces, according to a new report issued today by the Pentagon Inspector General and obtained exclusively by the CBS News investigative unit. Auditors for the Inspector General reviewed equipment contracts totaling $643 million but could only find an audit trail for $83 million

The report details a massive failure in government procurement revealing little accountability for the billions of dollars spent purchasing military hardware for the Iraqi security forces.

the military could not account for 12,712 out of 13,508 weapons, including pistols, assault rifles, rocket propelled grenade launchers and machine guns

Tags: hey, but don't try to insure low income children, that woud be a waste of money

When will Bush invade Saudi Arabia and Libya? NOT!

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 06:47:27 GMT

clipped by: BobbyRutan
clipper's remarks: If you've got oil and you've been in bed with the Bush's for decades you can send all the fighters you want to Iraq to kill U.S. soldiers. Is this treason?

There have been 700 Al Qaeda soldiers enter Iraq since August 2006 and Al Qaeda is to blame for all the violence in Iraq? It should be obvious to anyone with half a brain that Al Qaeda and foreign fighters were always a minor player in the violence and chaos released by Bush and the neocons in Iraq.

Clip Source: www.cnn.com

'Al Qaeda rolodex' found in Iraq

As many as 60 percent of the foreign fighters who entered Iraq in the past year have come from Saudi Arabia and Libya, according to documents discovered in a raid in September near the Syrian border, a senior U.S. military official in Baghdad confirmed to CNN Thursday

The documents confiscated in that raid listed the identities of more than 700 foreign fighters in Iraq, whom the United States believes entered that country since August 2006. The official describes the documents as "an al Qaeda rolodex

Scrutinized along with other intelligence in the hands of the U.S. military, the documents show that 60 percent of the foreign fighters who entered Iraq during that time frame came either from Saudi Arabia or Libya, the official said

The United States believes 305 foreign fighters came from Saudi Arabia, and 137 came from Libya

this is the first time the intelligence findings have been discussed in such detail

Tags: lies, and more lies, if bush and cheney's mouths are open their most li

US General & Envoy: Bush unwittingly driving Turkey and Iran together.

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 18:15:08 GMT

clipped by: BobbyRutan
clipper's remarks: More: The White House and the U.S. military have appeared leery about opening a new front in the war in Iraq — particularly in generally stable northern Iraq — by launching assaults against the PKK. Neither the U.S.-backed Iraqi government nor the semiautonomous Kurdish Regional Government has shown any inclination to go after the group.

The officer who commands U.S. forces in northern Iraq, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Nixon, last week said he planned to do "absolutely nothing" to curb PKK activities.

Ralston, a vice chairman of the Washington-based Cohen Group, a consulting firm, said the statement was "directly opposite" promises Bush has made to Turkey.

Asked whether the Turkish military would invade northern Iraq, which PKK fighters use to launch attacks into Turkey, Ralston said: "They're going to have to, in the absence of the U.S. doing anything."

Clip Source: www.mcclatchydc.com

The retired general who served as President Bush's special envoy to deal with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) said the United States has failed to keep its promises to Turkey to confront the Kurdish terrorist group, and Turkey may feel that it has no choice but to attack the PKK's sanctuary in northern Iraq

Retired Air Force Gen. Joseph Ralston, in a brief interview, declined to say why he stepped down several weeks ago. But published reports have said that he was frustrated by the Bush administration's failure to act against the PKK

Ralston told McClatchy Newspapers that the United States is unwittingly "driving, strategically, the Turks and the Iranians together" because both nations share concerns about violent Kurdish separatist groups

The U.S. government should make good on the commitments they have made to the Turks," Ralston said

Turkey is a NATO ally of the United States, while the United States and Iran are increasingly in confrontation across a range of issues

Tags: "mission accomplished", let's go to war with iran under bush's guidance

British Commander: "Basra, Iraq fight pointless"

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 04:31:21 GMT

clipped by: BobbyRutan

Clip Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

One of the most senior British commanders in Iraq has claimed that there is no point in fighting on in Basra, likening British troops in the city to "Robocop" and admitting that innocent people were hurt as a result of their actions

The officer, who spoke to The Sunday Telegraph on condition of anonymity, said commanders had concluded that a military solution was no longer viable

We would go down there [Basra], dressed as Robocop, shooting at people if they shot at us, and innocent people were getting hurt," he said. "We don't speak Arabic to explain and our translators were too scared to work for us any more. What benefit were we bringing to these people?

British forces have struck a deal with Shia militias to withdraw to a single base at the international airport in return for assurances that they will no longer be attacked

We are tired of firing at people," he said. "We would prefer to find a political accommodation.

commanders concluded that using Iraqi forces would be more effective

Tags: iraq, war, lies, bush, neoconservatives, republicans, chickenhawks, nothing to offer but fear

Nuclear Sub Crew Falsified Records, No Safety Checks

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 17:23:41 GMT

clipped by: BobbyRutan
clipper's remarks: "Some of the Hampton's operations and records fell short of high Navy standards," said Lt. Cmdr. Ryan Perry, a Navy spokesman at the Pentagon.

Clip Source: www.chron.com

Sailors on the submarine USS Hampton failed to do daily safety checks on the ship's nuclear reactor for a month and falsified records to cover up the omission, a Navy investigation shows

A nuclear powered fast attack submarine, Hampton is the most advanced nuclear attack submarine in the world, carrying a torpedo, cruise missile, and mine-laying arsenal, according to information on its Web site

it appears from a preliminary investigation that sailors in Submarine Squadron 11 had skipped the required analysis of the chemical and radiological properties of the submarine's reactor for more than a month, even though a daily check is required

The revelation is sure to raise new questions about the military's handling of the nation's nuclear assets following an Air Force incident in which a B-52 bomber was accidentally loaded with nuclear-tipped missiles and flown across the country without any one realizing it for more than a day

Clip Source: www.stunning-stuff.com

surfaced through 2 gaps in the ice about half a mile apart.

Tags: nuclear weapons, submarine, military, navy, danger danger

U.S. Mercenaries deported from Namibia: "We settle our disputes by peaceful means"

Sun, 14 Oct 2007 18:19:35 GMT

clipped by: BobbyRutan
clipper's remarks: More: SOC-SMG is looking to hire role players for their 'security guard' training. Which role will you get to play? A disarmed U.S. soldier? A poor Iraqi child looking for scrap metal to sell? Helpful Hint: Read the fine print of your health insurance policy (if you have one) before applying

3. We are also looking for Role Players on a part-time basis to augment our staff supporting scenario role-playing for our clients (military, law enforcement, government agencies). Please indicate "HDSOC Role Player Position" in the subject line. Some Role Player positions require a Secret clearance and can last for a month duration. You must be willing to undergo a criminal background check and be a U.S. citizen to be eligible.

Clip Source: www.afriquenligne.fr

Namibia has deported two US citizens and shut down an American mercenary firm

The government swiftly ordered the closure of mercenary firm Special Operations Consulting-Security Management (SOC-SMG)

The US-based SOC-SMG recently set up a Namibian branch

The firm said it was recruiting up to 4,000 Namibians with military experience to go and work in Iraq and Afghanistan as 'security guards

the Defence Act criminalised the involvement of Namibians in other countries' wars without government approval

The involvement of the United States of America in Iraq has never been sanctioned or supported through international agreement, and can thus not be supported by Namibia

Article 96 of the Namibian Constitution, on the country's Foreign Relations, states the government's policy of non-alignment, the promotion of international co-operation, peace and security and the settlement of international disputes by peaceful means

Clip Source: hdsoc.com

Tags: lawless mercenaries, privatized military, bush, conservatives, war, iraq, iran, christian

U.S. Military and Iraqis Agree: Blackwater unprovoked, Fired on Fleeing Citizens and Cars

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 14:28:14 GMT

clipped by: BobbyRutan
clipper's remarks: More: U.S. soldiers did not find any bullets that came from AK-47 assault rifles or BKC machine guns used by Iraqi policemen and soldiers. They found evidence of ammunition used in American-made weapons, including M4 rifle 5.56mm brass casings, M240B machine gun 7.62mm casings, M203 40mm grenade launcher casings, and stun-grenade dunnage, or packing.

At least two cars, a black four-door taxi and a blue Volkswagen sedan, had their back windshields shot out, but their front windshields were intact, indicating they were shot while driving away from the square, according to the photos and soldiers

An Iraqi colonel walked up to Tarsa and described the Blackwater shooters as men in "tan uniforms, black helmets, and that flag," pointing at the U.S. flag on Tarsa's sleeve.

Their actions underscore the long-standing tensions between the U.S. military and private security companies -- and the military's concerns that such shootings could undermine U.S. efforts to stabilize Iraq.

Clip Source: www.washingtonpost.com

Blackwater USA guards shot at Iraqi civilians as they tried to drive away from a Baghdad square on Sept. 16, according to a report compiled by the first U.S. soldiers to arrive at the scene, where they found no evidence that Iraqis had fired weapons

It had every indication of an excessive shooting," said Lt. Col. Mike Tarsa, whose soldiers reached Nisoor Square 20 to 25 minutes after the gunfire subsided

His soldiers' report -- based upon their observations at the scene, eyewitness interviews and discussions with Iraqi police -- concluded that there was "no enemy activity involved" and described the shootings as a "criminal event.

Their conclusions mirrored those reached by the Iraqi government, which has said the Blackwater guards killed 17 people

It was absolutely tragic," said Maj. Gen. Joseph Fil

the Army's top commander for Baghdad

In the aftermath of these, everybody looks and says, 'It's the Americans.' And that's us. It's horrible timing. It's yet another challenge, another setback

Tags: blackwater, criminal mercenaries, iraq=fiasco, war, terror, military, bush, conservatives, cheney

RoboBugs: That Dragonfly is a U.S. Government Spy

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:24:21 GMT

clipped by: BobbyRutan
clipper's remarks: More: Defense Department documents describe nearly 100 different models in use today, some as tiny as birds, and some the size of small planes.

All told, the nation's fleet of flying robots logged more than 160,000 flight hours last year -- a more than fourfold increase since 2003.

A recent report by the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College warned that if traffic rules are not clarified soon, the glut of unmanned vehicles "could render military airspace chaotic and potentially dangerous."

The Hybrid Insect Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems project aims to create literal shutterbugs -- camera-toting insects whose nerves have grown into their internal silicon chip so that wranglers can control their activities. DARPA researchers are also raising cyborg beetles with power for various instruments to be generated by their muscles.

Clip Source: www.washingtonpost.com

Vanessa Alarcon saw them while working at an antiwar rally in Lafayette Square last month

I heard someone say, 'Oh my god, look at those,' " the college senior from New York recalled. "I look up and I'm like, 'What the hell is that?' They looked kind of like dragonflies or little helicopters. But I mean, those are not insects

That is just one of the questions hovering over a handful of similar sightings at political events in Washington and New York

Some suspect the insectlike drones are high-tech surveillance tools, perhaps deployed by the Department of Homeland Security

Some federally funded teams are even growing live insects with computer chips in them, with the goal of mounting spyware on their bodies and controlling their flight muscles remotely

Gallery

the CIA secretly developed a simple dragonfly snooper as long ago as the 1970s

"America can be pretty sneaky," said Tom Ehrhard, a retired Air Force colonel and expert in unmanned aerial vehicles

Play Video

VIDEOS

Tags: cia, covert operations, big brother, squash dissent, 1984, military, bush, conservatives, democracy