Tag: Military Service

An European Army?

Closing Thought–12Nov18

WTF?

I shared this info with a loyal reader of IST from the UK, https://beetleypete.wordpress.com/ , I try to get first hand info on stories I read….Pete has a great mind and lets me know what’s what in the UK and EU…..his takes are much appreciated.

The French dude has called for a standing “European Army” to protect the continent from Russia and the US…..really from the US?

Emmanuel Macron is calling for the formation of a “real European army,” and while two of that potential force’s foes, per the French president, are usual suspects, it’s the third that’s raising eyebrows. During a tour of WWI memorials in Verdun on Tuesday, Macron encouraged countries in Europe to establish a unified military effort to shield the continent “with respect to China, Russia, and even the United States of America,” reports AFP, via Time. “When I see President Trump announcing that he’s quitting a major disarmament treaty, who is the main victim? Europe and its security,” Macron noted, apparently referencing Trump’s pulling out of a nuclear weapons pact with Russia last month.

“Peace in Europe is precarious,” he added, with the Guardian noting Macron also warned of rising populism and nationalism there. Macron will be hosting a global “peace conference” in Paris on Sunday that will include Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, among other top leaders, and he’s expected to keep cautioning against what he calls the “leprosy” of nationalism—especially when compared to the past. “I am struck by similarities between the times we live in and those between the two world wars,” he told local media. The BBC, meanwhile, doesn’t know if this idea will ever fly, noting that “there is no evidence that any group of European countries has the political will or economic muscle to spend sufficiently on defense to make up for the United States’ raw power.”

Most of Europe is in the clutches of austerity programs so I do not think the cash is there for another standing army…..and then there is the “will”…don’t think there is much of that either.

SOCOM You Have A Problem

Looks like the US Navy SEALs are becoming a problem in the discipline department……while I has recovering in the hospital news came out that a couple of Special Ops troopers, SEALs, had  killed a US Army Green Beret in Mali……https://lobotero.com/2018/01/13/death-in-mali-2/

(I was surprised that the reaction I got on the original post was “who gives a shit”….so sad that it meant very little to the people.)

I said that it was shameful to have Americans killing each other (I do not believe that the War on Terror meant killing each other)…..

More news comes out that two SEALs have been charged with war crimes…..first SEAL charged……

Charged earlier this month with multiple war crimes in connection with the 2017 stabbing death of a detainee in Iraq, Special Operations Chief Edward “Eddie” Gallagher vows to fight for his freedom.

The 19-year Navy veteran has hired two high-powered criminal defense attorneys who specialize in military law — Colby Vokey of Dallas and Phillip Stackhouse of San Diego — and he’s exploring a civil rights lawsuit against Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents for alleged misconduct linked to his Sept. 11 arrest and detention in San Diego’s Naval Consolidated Brig Miramar.

An Article 32 hearing with a special military judge sent from Florida will begin to sift through the evidence against Gallagher on Nov. 14 in San Diego, according to Stackhouse.

https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2018/10/19/charged-with-war-crimes-and-stuck-in-the-brig-a-navy-seal-vows-to-fight-on/

Then news came out that a second SEAL was being charged with war crimes for the death of a detainee…..

Authorities in California on Thursday charged a second Navy SEAL in connection with an ongoing war crimes probe tied to the alleged stabbing execution of an Islamic State detainee in Iraq last year.

Although he wasn’t present during the alleged homicide near the Iraqi city of Mosul in 2017, Lt. Jacob “Jake” Portier faces an upcoming Article 32 hearing for what authorities say was his help in covering up a string of war crimes committed by an enlisted SEAL leader, Special Operations Chief Edward “Eddie” Gallagher.

Accused of dereliction of duty, the highly decorated Portier insists he’s innocent and his high-profile San Diego-based civilian defense attorney, Jeremiah J. Sullivan III, believes he’ll be exonerated as merely the officer who received the allegations of Gallagher’s misconduct from a lead petty officer and reported them up the chain of command.

https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2018/10/23/second-seal-arrested-in-war-crimes-probe/

These are just allegations of wrong doing…..but the sad part is the SEALs are not claiming responsibility…..and say that they do not have a discipline problem….I also posted on that claim as well….https://lobotero.com/2018/10/19/its-about-the-discipline/

It is just sad that they, the SEALs, are in denial…..plus we should expect more out of our supposedly “elite” troops….the best of the best….as they like to claim.

These are the problems we know about and as they say it is a good possibility that it goes so much deeper.

Maybe Later (But Don’t Hold Your Breath)

***Warning:  I have strong feelings here and I have not held my words***

There are many things that I dislike about Our Dear Supreme Leader….his lame foreign policy, his embracing of alt-Right d/bags, his jingoism, his total lack of genuine concern for our veterans, his name calling of opponents but the most unforgivable sin in my book is his lack of concern for our troops fighting our way too many wars.

It seems he has told himself he is too busy to waste time on our troops…..

Trump is waving off the idea that he should maintain the presidential tradition of visiting U.S. troops inside a war zone.

The gesture is seen as a sign of respect and a way for the president to remind U.S. troops that Americans are thinking of them in places like Afghanistan and Iraq, where an estimated 20,000 U.S. troops are still stationed.

“I will do that at some point, but I don’t think it’s overly necessary,” Trump said on Tuesday, when pressed during a Q&A with the Associated Press. “I’ve been very busy with everything that’s taking place here.”

Too f*cking busy?

Trump famously doesn’t work very hard or very often, and on some days there’s nothing listed on his official schedule.  When not live-tweeting Fox News during his “executive time,” Trump has been relentlessly golfing, as if that were his full-time job.  He’s also attended 70 campaign events this year.

So they idea that he’s been too “busy” to venture into war zones to show his appreciation for the troops makes no sense.

This proves what a pathetic individual this person is truly…..and proves that he has NO business being the president of this great country.

Too busy to visit while he and his butt boy Pompeo waste time trying to give the murdering bastards, the Saudis, cover for their crime.

Plus the worthless party that he fronts for is also just as pathetic…..their idiot nominees are insulting the service people that have decided to step up and run for office….if they are in opposition then they are treated badly……I’m guessing these people are cowards for they did not service their country in the military…..some even got deferment after deferment to avoid service….bone spurs my ass!  Note that Trump, who has bragged about being a three-sport athlete in high school, suddenly developed bone spurs when he became eligible for the draft during the Vietnam War. In total, he received five deferments and avoided serving in the military. Nearly 60,000 Americans were killed in the Vietnam War.

Too Busy!  He is asking Americans to put their lives on the line to move his policies forward and he is too GODDAMN busy to visit the troops.

First, too f*cking busy doing what?  Too busy Tweeting insults to women.

Bottom line….Trump is a f*cking COWARD!

Let’s make these bastards pay for their treatment of the American soldier and the veterans…..time to show these pathetic bastards the door!

Help get the word out on just how badly this man in the White House is treating the soldiers.  Our troops deserve better than this person in the White House.  They deserve someone that actually cares about them.

VOTE!  VOTE!  VOTE!  VOTE!

Space And Space Rangers

Apparently I am the only blogger that has an opinion on the new “Space Force” being offered by Trump and some of his minions.  But first this idea is NOT Pres, Trump’s….it was also offered up by Pres. Obama in 2009……https://lobotero.com/2009/01/06/militarization-of-space/  So if follow the accepted logic and Trump hates everything Obama then he should back away from this immediately. (that was my small humor for this post)

I have been following this story since it first broke and have been writing about it as often as I can…..but just a reminder of my talents (that was humor also)….https://lobotero.com/2018/09/27/space-the-final-frontier-again/

Now that the idea is firmly set in the Pentagon there is a scramble to see where it falls in the ranking of the military…..then there is the Guard…….

President Donald Trump’s recent decision to seek congressional support for a separate Space Force is reminiscent of President Harry Truman’s similar action after World War II, when the nation contemplated a separate Air Force.

President Trump, similar to President Truman, reached the decision based on his judgment that change is necessary for national security. Space is critical to our national security on multiple levels. And consistent with the Constitution, Congress and the president must agree to form any new service.

As lawmakers began their deliberations, the Trump administration directed the Defense Department to develop a plan presuming congressional concurrence. The Air Force, which has the lead on the effort, offered its advice in a Sept. 14 memo outlining the path to creating a separate Space Force.

The memo is astonishing and disappointing in its recommendations for one of the nation’s most valuable military assets. It would fold “any” current National Guard space units into a federal Space Force Reserve.

https://www.airforcetimes.com/opinion/commentary/2018/09/30/the-nation-needs-the-guard-in-space/

More thoughts for the new “Space Force”……will it patrol the Moon after we build bases there?

Leading military space strategy experts are pondering the role of cislunar space in the context of President Donald Trump’s plan to establish a U.S. Space Force.

Just how valuable is that stretch of space between Earth and the moon’s orbit? Might this celestial real estate become hot property as an extension of military arenas in low Earth orbit, medium Earth orbit, and geosynchronous orbit?

Given forecasts of 21st-century activity on and around the moon by both private and government entities, could this be an economic area of development that needs protection in sthe years and decades to come? [In Photos: President Donald Trump and NASA]

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/would-trumps-space-force-patrol-the-moon/

China has been a competitor of the US for decades……and it appears that the competition may extend into Space…..

The Chinese military seems to agree that the current U.S. approach to space is hindered by some serious shortcomings.

If the United States is to maintain military advantage in space, as President Trump has promised – and as his new Space Force is meant to do –  U.S. policy and strategic decisions should be informed by an understanding of China’s ambitions to become an “aerospace superpower” (航天强国) – and how the Chinese military has reorganized itself to seek dominance in space (制天权).

Start with the way space is characterized in China’s military strategy: the “new commanding heights in strategic competition.” Once a sanctuary for U.S. satellites that have fostered unparalleled military capability, space is now recognized by Chinese military strategists as a critical U.S. vulnerability. Without reliable space support, U.S. capabilities for global C4ISR and precision strike will fail, and the U.S. military could be reduced to a level of merely mechanized warfare, by the assessment of one Chinese defense academic.

https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2018/09/china-has-space-force-what-are-its-lessons-pentagon/151665/

There we have as much information as I can find at this time about a new and approved way for the Pentagon to waste taxpayer money.

 

Why A Draft Is Not a Good Idea

I have written many times about our endless wars and the drain it is taking on our military and even though I am an anti-war person I would support a draft since we cannot seem to end these damn wars.

https://lobotero.com/2018/02/26/conscription-is-not-the-answer/

https://lobotero.com/2007/04/10/why-no-draft/

https://lobotero.com/2015/10/05/would-a-return-to-conscription-substantially-reduce-the-probability-of-war/

I have been working as an anti-war activists since the 1970’s….apparently war is more profitable than I once thought…..anyway I have had many debates on why we need to re-instate the draft….

After reading a report on the state of our citizens I am re-thinking my stance.  If the report is accurate then we must depend on a volunteer military and that is not looking to sound either….sorry on to the report….

The military depends on a constant flow of volunteers every year. According to 2017 Pentagon data, 71 percent of young Americans between 17 and 24 are ineligible to serve in the United States military. Put another way: Over 24 million of the 34 million people of that age group cannot join the armed forces—even if they wanted to. This is an alarming situation that threatens the country’s fundamental national security. If only 29 percent of the nation’s young adults are qualified to serve, and if this trend continues, it is inevitable that the U.S. military will suffer from a lack of manpower. A manpower shortage in the United States Armed Forces directly compromises national security.
The Trump boyz have said that there will be surge in Afghanistan….may not be as easy as these guys pretend…..(more from the report)

The Trump administration’s ambitious new military buildup is at risk of being hobbled before it even starts — by a dwindling pool of young Americans who are fit to serve.

Nearly three-quarters of Americans age 17 to 24 are ineligible for the military due to obesity, other health problems, criminal backgrounds or lack of education, according to government data. That’s a harsh reality check for the Pentagon’s plan to recruit tens of thousands of new soldiers, sailors, pilots and cyber specialists over the next five years.

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/19/pentagon-buildup-troop-recruiting-shortage-351365

Obesity is a problem in the US and now it may well be a problem for the military and the wars we feel we must fight.

Starship Troopers–Part 3

The US president is still pushing for a new Space Force or would it be Space Marines or Starship Troopers……the big story is just how this new force, this new branch of the military be financed?

The budget battle looms large……

There are no estimates yet for what it will cost to stand up a Space Force as a separate military service. The Pentagon will request funds in next year’s budget to get the process started but Congress will want to know the full costs.

Some proponents of the Space Force have argued that if portions of the Air Force or the intelligence community are carved out to form a new service that there should be no significant added costs. But that would be a fantasy, said Gen. Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Somehow there is a misconception out there that “this is going to be absolutely resource neutral,” he said on Friday at a Mitchell Institute event on Capitol Hill.

https://spacenews.com/as-the-pentagon-moves-to-stand-up-a-space-force-budget-fight-looms/

The big problem is that the population does not see the need for yet another branch of the military…..

President Donald Trump’s enthusiasm for a new military branch focused on space is apparently not widely shared. Two polls released today show that a majority—and in one poll, a plurality—of respondents said that the Space Force is a bad idea.

The Trump administration plans to cleave Space Force from the Air Force and have it largely in place by 2020. The first step would be to create US Space Command—a joint command within the Pentagon similar to the Joint Special Operations Command and US Cyber Command that would oversee space operations of all the services—by the end of 2018. The Pentagon will also create a Space Development Agency that will pull military space research, development, and procurement out of the Defense Department’s current acquisition system. The agency’s goal would be accelerating the development of new space stuff.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/polls-america-is-meh-about-space-force/

This is a waste of time and money….and apparently the people see it for what it is…..

Enter The Starship Troopers?

(Apologies to Robert A. Heinlein)

Obama (remember him) had the idea of a space force….. well not to worry it was picked up by Our Dear Leader, Trump….but if you do not remember the Obama thing……https://lobotero.com/2009/01/06/militarization-of-space/

Plus more recent posts…….below post has references to most of the thoughts I have had on this “proposal” so far……

https://lobotero.com/2018/08/01/to-the-stars-and-beyond/

I bring this up because just recently the whole idea (Obama’s) is being promised by 2020 by Dear Leader’s front man, Pence…….

“Space force all the way!” So tweeted President Trump on Thursday after his VP outlined the White House vision to have a new US Space Force in operation in a scant two years. This would be no small feat: Mike Pence detailed a plan in which the Space Force would be a sixth military service on par with the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard—and the first new addition since the Air Force came along in 1947, reports the Washington Post. Details:

  • Why? The Pentagon increasingly relies on space technology—satellites, for example—and the White House argues that it’s time for a dedicated force to protect American interests above, particularly from Russia and China. “Just as we’ve done in ages past, the United States will meet the emerging threats on this new battlefield,” said Pence. “The time has come to establish the United States Space Force.”
  • Congress’ role: Only Congress can create a new branch of the military, and Pence promised that the White House would work closely with members and produce a budget for it next year, reports the AP. Bipartisan support seems to be there: GOP Rep. Mike Rogers and Democratic Rep. Jim Cooper, members of the House Armed Services panel, said in a joint statement that the move is overdue and would “result in a safer, stronger America.”
  • New position: The plan calls for a new civilian position of assistant secretary defense for space who would report directly to the defense chief, reports Axios.
  • The changes: Instead of creating the branch from scratch, the plan involves a major restructuring of current space systems, reports NBC News. As part of that, a “unified combatant command” called the US Space Command would be established and led by a four-star general. “This would seemingly reorganize the warfighting chain of command for space—something that’s separate from what the Space Force would do,” per the Verge, which digs deep into the nitty gritty of the possible changes. Also to be established would be a Space Development Agency and a Space Operations Force.

The US will assert its dominance in space for generations to come……

President Donald Trump wants Congress to allocate $8 billion over the next five years for space security systems as it establishes a U.S. Space Force as the sixth branch of the military, Vice President Mike Pence said.

“It’s not enough to have an American presence in space,” Pence said Thursday in a speech at the Pentagon. “We must have American dominance in space. And so we will.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-09/pence-says-space-force-to-assert-u-s-dominance-in-orbit

Personally, I think it is a waste to time and money and is being used as a diversion……but I am not alone…..

“But how are we going to pay for investments in public infrastructure, public education, socialized medicine and renewable energy?” “Aw, f**k it. Who knows. Let’s just spend that money on a Space Force instead!”

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/08/09/idiotic-wasteful-ridiculous-mike-pence-pilloried-he-puts-his-serious-face-make-case

But if you are still not sure then maybe some further reading will help…..please give these a try…..

https://www.defensenews.com/space/2018/08/09/think-space-force-is-a-joke-here-are-four-major-space-threats-to-take-seriously/

https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2018/08/07/space_force_on_the_horizon__maybe_113690.html

https://spacenews.com/space-force-pentagon-moving-closer-to-trumps-vision/

https://consortiumnews.com/2018/08/05/winning-an-arms-race-in-space-remains-a-futile-fight/

Keep in mind that the formation of another branch of the military will require Congressional approval…..not looking too good right now…..and after the mid-terms may look even worse.

So I Have Written!

Turn The Page!

To The Stars And Beyond!

The Dear Leader has proposed a 5th military service…a Space Corps….being opinionated SOB so my readers know that I must have written on this subject….and they would be correct…..

https://lobotero.com/2018/06/20/to-infinity-and-beyond/

https://lobotero.com/2018/07/17/enter-starship-troopers/

But this idea is not a Trump idea……you see our Dear Leader stole it from one Obama….you know the guy he blames for everything that goes wrong……but in the mood of fair play I thought I would let my readers check out a post from 9 years ago……

https://lobotero.com/2009/01/06/militarization-of-space/

I give you all this background because of something that I read while surfing the other day…….did you know that there is an actually treaty on outer space?

One theme considered at ASPI’s recent annual Building Australia’s Strategy for Space conference was the growing importance of space law as space becomes more contested, congested and competitive. The basis of space law remains the 1967 Outer Space Treaty (OST), but a lot has happened since it was signed. Perhaps it’s time to review and refresh the treaty.

Article IV of the OST states that….

States Parties to the Treaty undertake not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction, install such weapons on celestial bodies or station weapons in outer space in any other manner.The moon and other celestial bodies shall be used … exclusively for peaceful purposes. The establishment of military bases, installations and fortifications, the testing of any type of weapons and the conduct of military manoeuvres on celestial bodies shall be forbidden …

https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2018/07/17/avoiding_a_free-for-all_the_outer_space_treaty_revisited_113615.html

Sorry but the US, China and Russia have been putting stuff in orbit for decades and yet NO one has ever confirmed that the old treaty was violated……of course it was!

I agree that a new treaty needs to be voted on but knowing the world these days I do not see any chance of an all encompassing treaty….do you?

FYI……http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/spacelaw/treaties/introouterspacetreaty.html

I really would like my readers thoughts on this…..

Subject Update…..they may have found a way to avoid implementing a Space Force……

The joint House-Senate committee working on the final language of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) has declined to include any funding for the creation of he US Space Force, which President Trump announced last month.

Trump had promised that the Space Force would be like the US Air Force, calling it “separate, but equal.” Congress was openly skeptical in the debates, and the final version didn’t offer any direct funding for the plan.

Instead, the committee report instructs Defense Secretary James Mattis to come up with specific plans for warfighting in space, a plan which Congress would use in subsequent years to debate possible funding for the program.

(antiwar.com)

It is that easy….No Money, No Action!

And more was written after the draft and the update……the first report is from a defense sector site…..

The U.S. Defense Department this week will take the first steps to create the Space Force, a new branch of the military ordered up by President Trump but not yet fully backed by Congress.

In coming months, Defense Department leaders plan to stand up three of the four components of the new Space Force: a new combatant command for space, a new joint agency to buy satellites for the military, and a new warfighting community that draws space operators from all service branches. These sweeping changes — on par with the past decade’s establishment of cyber forces — are the part the Pentagon can do without lawmakers’ approval.

https://www.defenseone.com/politics/2018/07/pentagon-create-space-force/150157/

After reading the attempt to start the forming process another report came out……

A military branch for space might indeed be necessary for the United States to maintain its superpower status in the final frontier. But the Pentagon and Congress should not rush to create a Space Force without at least weighing the downsides, experts caution.

President Trump on June 18 ordered the Pentagon to form a sixth branch of the military dedicated to space, and Congress is poised to back that request with legislation that would be included in the 2020 defense policy bill.

The president thrust the Space Force into the limelight, but neither the administration nor Congress has clearly defined its mission, said Brian Weeden, program director at the Secure World Foundation.

https://spacenews.com/national-security-experts-throw-cold-water-on-space-force-euphoria/

The news breaks quicker than I can type…..

The highly anticipated report due to Congress this week on how the Pentagon hopes to craft a future “‘Space Force” has been delayed, officials said Tuesday.

“We are in the final coordination stages of the report to Congress on the recommended organization and management structure of space components for the Department of Defense,” Army Lt. Col. Jamie Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said in an email. “We will release the report when coordination is complete, which we anticipate will be soon.”

It’s Veterans Again!

Closing Thought–18Jul18

I have said and witnessed just how little our politicians care about our veterans……basically they, veterans, are nothing more than a political prop…the true concern evaporates when the cameras fall silent.

Our Dear Leader has just signed a veterans bill……

Trump’s habit of exploiting our military and veterans is exceeded only by his talent for letting them down, as his recent actions regarding the so-called “VA Mission Act” demonstrate.

Last Wednesday, Trump signed the bill into law during an elaborately staged ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House. But hours after the cameras were shut off and the cast of grateful vets and politicians had dispersed, Trump began working against the law he had just signed.

The night of the bill signing, Trump quietly released a statement objecting to three oversight provisions of the law, saying he would not treat them as mandatory. Several veterans’ groups expressed concern about the statement.

Trump’s White House also circulated a memo to Congress objecting to a Senate plan to pay for the Mission Act, arguing the law ought to be funded by spending cuts to other programs.

“It’s just like Donald Trump to sign a deal, and then not pay for it,” said Will Fischer, Iraq war veteran and director of government relations for VoteVets, in a statement to Shareblue Media. “So, as he’s done many times in his life, Donald Trump has made a big production, but when it comes to paying, he’s going to leave us high and dry.”

Trump’s concern for veterans runs about as deep as last Wednesday’s photo op. When the cameras are off, Trump shows the true colors of a leader who has consistently disrespected our bravest and lets them down at every turn.

(shareblue.com)

The Trump administration demanded that lawmakers fund a popular veterans’ health-care program — which allows former troops to spend public funds on private doctors and hospitals — with cuts to other parts of the budget. Democrats, and some top Senate Republicans, prefer to raise the current caps on discretionary spending instead.

I have called for a new “Bonus Army”……the vets need to come together and show the nation that they deserve all the benefits that have been promised for years that always seem to fall flat in application.

To not fund these programs is a disrespect of the men and women that have done their duty toward their country while the rest of us have done little to nothing.

As a veteran I have watched painfully as veterans get the shaft with every administration and every president that prays on the veterans like a predator……again….time for another Bonus Army (look it up, do something for yourself)

Closing Thought–04Jul18

One of my fond (for lack of an adequate word) memories was my first taste of military life in basic training….I entered into the military in 1967 and Vietnam was going great guns and the country needed men to fight so the basic training went from 12 weeks to 9 weeks to get soldiers to the fronts.

I bring this up because the Army has done a re-take of basic training….but this time the excuse is not that more troops were needed on the “Front” but rather they need to extra time to make “grunts” more lethal……

The U.S. Army is refining a plan to extend by two months the service’s 14-week infantry one station unit training, or OSUT, so young grunts arrive at their first unit more combat-ready than ever before.

Trainers at Fort Benning, Georgia will run a pilot this summer that will extend infantry OSUT from 14 weeks to 22 weeks, giving soldiers more time to practice key infantry skills such as land navigation, marksmanship, hand-to-hand combat, fire and maneuver and first aid training.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/06/25/army-add-2-months-infantry-course-make-grunts-more-lethal.html

I must go down for the day….see you guys tomorrow….I hope everyone has a safe holiday……I smell a BBQ…….enjoy……chuq