Hotspot Threat Situation




We've introduced a graphic providing a quick look at the current hotspot threat level. This new MILNET briefing will be updated weekly and kept "on top" here on the blog.

Venezuelan Police Tear Gas Protestors

These protestors were not your average activists...not vieing for equal rights for birds or greening up the environment. No, these REAL protestors want to remove opposition candidates from electoral blacklists, reverse socialist "reforms" such as Hugo Chavez's seizing public companies like oil, gas, telecommuncations, etc. In other words, this is where freedom fighting comes into play. Unlike most protestors in the U.S. who protest over issues that are really of interest to only a handful of the population, these protestors are risking their lives to gain real freedom from Chavez's inrcreasing draconian socialist government. And while the press reports the tear gassing of the small number of protestors, what is not reported is that Chavez's people are taking names, taking pictures AND...this is key...unlike demonstrators in the U.S. or Europe, these people can expect visits from very nasty people and the could very well truly be disappeared. This is not fictional disappearing like a handful of nutcases say happen in the U.S., but a real problem in many South American countries. And what is the rest of the world doing about it? Clucking their tongues of course. And by the way, I don't see very many U.S. activists running down there and joining in the anti-socialist demonstrations. Could that be because such a majority of activists in the U.S. are in favor of Hugo Chavez's socialist takeover? Hmmm?

Not a Crowd I Like

You might look at a new opinion piece that can be found on MILNET. It looks at those giving up on democracy in the Middle East. Some have already given up and perhaps they are doing so because there is cause for concern. However, cause for concern is a long way from failure and I truly abhor those who give up for little reason. And when those giving up cannot bring themselves to congratulate us on successes, well, that is highly indicative of their true motivations. The giving up attitude and advice to do so is just unacceptable and demonstrates a lack of any sense of leadership. In fact, I'd call it cowardice, not to mention shirking of duty. Some of these same people would rather try to send aid to the world's hungry (you might look at the text of the proposed Global Poverty Act of 2007), and then do nothing about the people straving them in the first place and will do nothing about illegal immigration. If that's leadership, then Vladmir Putin is a conservative capitalist.


Canada's Defense Minister Peter McKay Tries to Help

Al-Zawahiri Killed?

A difficult to confirm CBS story says Al-Zawahiri was at a minimum wounded by a U.S. missile attack that is also thought to have taken the life of another Al-Qaeda leader Midhat al-Sayid Umar. The news story is reportedly based upon an intercepted letter requesting urgent aid for Al-Zawahari. WE CAUTION THE READER, THIS IS NOT CONFRIMED BY ANY AUTHORATIVE SOURCE. Indeed other networks have been silent on the story awaiting confirmation.

Late evening on 8/2/2008, Fox News posted a story that says a Pakistan intelligence officer and a local Pakistani Taliban member both disputed the claim. Of course, ties between local warloards and Pakistani Intelligence might taint those sources as well.

Update 8/3/2008
The Wall Street Journal cites an Islamic website commonly associated with al-Qaeda as reporting Abu Khabab al-Masri, a top lieutenant and bomb maker for al-Qaeda in Pakistan was killed in the air strike that CBS says was the attack that killed al-Zawahiri, and like several other sites reports Associated Press' position that militant and Pakistani intelligence sources in Pakistan deny al-Zawahiri was killed. I hate to say it, but it looks like CBS is going to have egg on their face again. That's sad.

Navy Backtracks, Will Build 2 DDX Instead of 7

According to Navy Admiral Barry McCullough, testifying before a House defense committee that instead of building seven of the increasingly costly Zumwalt class, the Navy was scaling back the build to two destroyers only, while building Arleigh Burke, DDG-51 class destroyers, in hopes of building cheaper and more missile capable designs. The DDG-51s are already in the plan and their designs will be significantly upgraded. The two DDXs will be more stealthy than the DDG-51s, have more ship's automation and embark advanced weapons such as a rail gun and/or high power laser weapon. The first is scheduled to begin in October 2008. Earlier in the week, the Navy had notified Senator Susan Collins of Maine that her state's Bath Iron works was losing its contract to build the DDX. It is not clear what the Admiral's statements mean for BIW.

FBI Closes In On Anthrax Mailer, He Opts For Suicide

A stunning revelation, what has to be a dissapointment for the FBI, and what appears to be another really STUPID mistake by our nation's "premier" law enforcement agency.

The case of Bruce Ivins is not going to play well in Washington, that is for sure. Ivins, 62, found out that the FBI was closing in on him as the prime suspect in a multi-year investigation into the post 9-11 mailings of anthrax that took several lifes and heightened fears of further terrorist attacks.

According to the AP report, Ivins is believed to have committed suicide sometime Tuesday having opted to kill himself rather than face arrest. The AP story cites a Los Angeles Times story that claims the sparse information on the FBI investigation and Ivins' status in the investigation at the Ft. Detrick, Maryland lab where he worked.

The big issue for the FBI is how Ivins came to know he was not only being investigated but implicated. Was it an intentional leak or did somebody suborn the Grand Jury process? In the latter case, does the FBI investigate who spilled their grand jury testimony, or does the agency simply skulk away having failed to bring their target to justice. Sadly, Ivins death may close the books for the FBI, but not for the nation. A trial would have closed the books on the attacks, but now what?

Certainly his family will now raise hell over his death, and of course claim he would have won at trial. And thus, having no conviction, the case will be unsolved.

Of course, there also might have been accomplices? Oh dear. Or one could suppose they could try Ivins in abstenia -- man is he like, really absent!

Look, any one in law enforcement will tell you, as soon as you have the goods, you arrest the guy, right? Well, I suppose the grand jury wasn't quite through, hadn't handed down the bill. Maybe that will be the excuse.

However, it doesn't look good, especially in a case that was not all that impressive in the first place having chased Stephen Hatfill...essentially convicting him in the press and winding up with empty hands. Hatfill eventually won a huge settlement over the FBI's actions in his case.

The ONLY way the FBI could have made good on the bungled case was to find their guy, arrest him, have a trial and hope for a conviction. Now?

Well, heads may roll, especially if they find the leaker. Or if the FBI tried to play Colombo and hint they were about to grab him. Oh man, that will not sit well.

Unless it was a colleague that tipped the guy off, you will hear even more on this...imagine if some reporter asked, "Dr. Ivins, how do you respond to the FBI's investigation naming you as a suspect in the Antrhax mailings..." Whooo Boy!

IOC Latest World Organization to Opt for Appeasement

In a stunning display of its leadership's cowardice, the IOC has admitted to cutting a censorship deal with the Chinese in order to facilitate Internet communication out of the 2008 Olympics venues. The organization, which has haughtedly claimed to be above politics now is found to have traded blocking of controversial sites by the Chinese government in order to ensure Internet coverage of the 2008 games. Clearly the current IOC leadership has to go, and those who contribute to financial support of the organization should cease donating until the IOC pledges to stand up to tyranny of host nations and at a minimum throw out this latest set of cowards in the IOC organization.

U.S. Army Promotes Sale of Russian Helos? Really?

It sounds to bizzare to be true. Wired reports that the Pentagon's foreign sales people arranged for the Iraqi military to buy some Russian made new production MI-17 helicopters...$367 million worth at around $15 million each. Aside from the insanity of putting money into the pockets of a middle man AND his Russian friends, what about selling French, British, or god forbid, U.S. helicopters. Probably price, I imagine, but the whole thing still boggles the mind. Surely we could have done things a little differently, yes? I am looking to see if someone else is reporting this...like a "reputable" news organization other than Sharon what's her name at Wired. Gee, shall I look at MSNBC or CBS? Hmm. Such a dilemma! If Internet "NEWS" organizations want to be respected, I's sure like to see more in the way of sources...they don't have stellar reputations as a whole.

Failure to understand

A Reuters article headline "Worst over for drivers as pump prices slide" demonstrates the unbelievable ignorance of the media worldwide. It is literally astounding how ignorant this is!

First, the worst is not over because of a dime slide at the pumps. After feeling the gut punch of several dollars in the last two years, 10 cents a gallon is laughable.

What the "slide" in gas prices DOES illustrate is that the fiction that drilling won't effect the gas prices is nothing more than a lie to preserve votes for the Democrats from their far left wing friends this November.

If a few words begrudgingly repeated by the Bush hating media can cause this "slide" in oil prices, what would opening up oil drilling off shore and ANWR do? Lots.

Not only that, non reality based oil pricing today does not meet real supply and demand, just the ahgst of paranoid, frightened commodities brokers and feeds the pockets of gleeful oil producers. That price will drop tremendously in a few years (1-2) when new oil production starts to come online. And of course natural gas too, let's not forget that.

So yeah, let that Pickens fellow push all he wants for wind power. Let him dump some big bucks into that idea and get some non-government money invested. More power to him, pardon the pun.

However, I'd say let's invest OUR tax dollars into a solar panel on every home and trade in programs to trade your gas guzzler for a hybrid or fully electric car. I haven't heard plans for the Ford Mustang hybrid! What's up with that?

Alternatives are fine. In the meantime, let's totally remove the U.S. from the foreign oil markets.

A 2006 report on oil production ( presented by British Petroleum on page 5) shows that U.S. companies nearly match the production of Saudi Arabia already. If we open up new oil field exploration NOW, in one to two years we can start chipping away at the outrageous flow of wealth out of this country.


If we add to our production significantly in ten years, then we will not only keep pace with U.S. demands, we can actually create our own cartel.

Then WE can sell to Iran who will have, by then, outstripped their own capacity. Especially if they continue to beg for sanctions by not ending their enrichment program.

My point here is simple. The worst is NOT over. And it won't be over until we put people in Congress who will stop this insane exchange of wealth that sends billions of dollars overseas when we have our own resources that WE could be selling overseas instead.

Instead of pandering to the bad science of environmentalists buried in the 1960s effects of 1960s technology, we need to look at what we can do to get oil to the surface and refine it in today's technology, and start filling our tanks with gasoline made 100% from U.S. oil. And if we can reduce the time delay in getting off the foreign oil treadmill faster by going to alternative fuels, all the better!

And if you want to fund a windmill with dollars out of your pocket, Mr. Pickens, fine. Just don't do it all on MY dime. I really do like the idea of a solar panel on every home so let's put some money into that program. Get serious on this one. The SUN rises every day even in the winter, and while maybe Montana has a few months where their panels might not perform all that well, at least half the country (if not more) gets plenty of sunshine even in overcast skies!

THEN an Electric car makes a WHOLE lot more sense, since we can charge batteries from our solar panel at home during the day, and then use that for power at night to run our lights, microwave, AND charge up our electric car. In daylight savings, maybe the car gets charged before the sun goes down! Now, if I only had an all electric car!

Energy Stats from the EIA (U.S. Department of Energy)
The Pickens Plan (B.S. Factor not TOO bad)
Natural Gas Near You (Nearly two hour round trip for me to fuel up)

By the way, I already have a place to plug in an electric car, why do I need to worry about natural gas? That's just nuts! Heat my house, okay. Run my car? Not so sure. But then again, if the government wants to pay for a NG spigot where I park my car, then maybe I'll consider a NG fueled car. Seems a stretch to me, though.

Oh crap! I just realized. I have propane, not NG. Ooops. Maybe we can convert the Mercury to Propane? Hmm? Sigh.