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Archive for April, 2011
Islamist Militancy in a Pre- and Post-Saleh Yemen
Posted by Brian in News, Threat Watch on 21/Apr/2011 12:35
Islamist Militancy in a Pre- and Post-Saleh Yemen is republished with permission of STRATFOR.
By Reva Bhalla
Nearly three months have passed since the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, first saw mass demonstrations against Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, but an exit from the current stalemate is still nowhere in sight. Saleh retains enough support to continue dictating the terms of his eventual political departure to an emboldened yet frustrated opposition. At the same time, the writ of his authority beyond the capital is dwindling, which is increasing the level of chaos and allowing various rebel groups to collect arms, recruit fighters and operate under dangerously few constraints.
The prospect of Saleh’s political struggle providing a boon to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) is understandably producing anxiety in Washington, where U.S. officials have spent the past few months trying to envision what a post-Saleh Yemen would mean for U.S. counterterrorism efforts in the Arabian Peninsula.
While fending off opponents at home, Saleh and his followers have been relying on the “me or chaos†tactic abroad to hang onto power. Loyalists argue that the dismantling of the Saleh regime would fundamentally derail years of U.S. investment designed to elicit meaningful Yemeni cooperation against AQAP or, worse, result in a civil war that will provide AQAP with freedom to hone its skills. Emboldened by the recent unrest, a jihadist group called the Abyan-Aden Islamic Army launched a major raid on a weapons depot in Jaar in late March, leading a number of media outlets to speculate that the toppling of the Saleh regime would play directly into the hands of Yemen’s jihadists.
Meanwhile, the opposition has countered that the Yemeni jihadist threat is a perception engineered by Saleh to convince the West of the dangers of abandoning support for his regime. Opposition figures argue that Saleh’s policies are what led to the rise of AQAP in the first place and that the fall of his regime would provide the United States with a clean slate to address its counterterrorism concerns with new, non-Saleh-affiliated political allies. The reality is likely somewhere in between. Read the rest of this entry »
Restrepo Filmmaker Killed in Libya
Posted by Gary in News, Threat Watch, Warriors on 20/Apr/2011 18:50
From: ibtimes.com
Tim Hetherington, a well-known British photojournalist, was killed in Misurata, Libya, while covering the civil war in that country, the UK Foreign Office stated.
Hetherington had won a World Press Photo of the Year award for his coverage of the Afghanistan conflicts and also made well-received film documentaries.
He was reportedly killed by a mortar round while on the front line. An American colleague Chris Hondros was seriously wounded in the attack.
The journalists had accompanied rebel fighters to Tripoli Street in the city center, which Gaddafi’s forces pounded with mortars in an attempt to retake the strategic road that divides that city. An ambulance rushed Hetherington and Guy Martin, a British freelance photographer working for the agency Panos, from the battle to the makeshift triage tent adjacent to the Hikma hospital about 5 p.m. Hetherington arrived bleeding heavily from his leg and looking very pale.
“Come with me. Come with me. Everybody is injured,†American photographer Katie Orlinsky, who had seen the attack, shouted to ambulance drivers, imploring them to return to the scene. Her bulletproof vest was splattered with blood. “I’ll come with you. I’ll show you where they are.â€
As she sought help, doctors attended to Hetherington and Martin, who had suffered a stomach wound and remained in surgery Wednesday evening. About 15 minutes after the ambulance’s arrival, doctors in the tent pronounced Hetherington dead.
About 10 minutes later, another ambulance carried Hondros and Michael Christopher Brown, who also suffered shrapnel wounds, to the triage unit. Doctors examining a scan of Hondros’s brain explained that shrapnel had hit the photographer in the forehead and passed through the back of his head. They asked a reporter at the hospital to look after his battered helmet. Brown’s medical condition was considered less dire.
Tim Hetherington, Restrepo Filmmaker, Dead in Libya
by: Richard Allen Smith
Wed Apr 20, 2011 at 13:20:58 PM EDT
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of the film Restrepo. It’s probably the best and hardest to watch film I’ve ever seen. To do this day, I can’t bring myself to watch it a second time. It’s because of this that I’m at a loss over today’s news that Restrepo Co-Director Tim Hetherington has been killed in Libya.Just yesterday, Tim Hetherington tweeted this:
“In besieged Libyan city of Misurata. Indiscriminate shelling by Qaddafi forces. No sign of Nato.â€
Army surveillance bot approved for use by police, firemen
Posted by Jack Sinclair in News, Warrior Tools on 20/Apr/2011 00:48
“You can send it into buildings where hostages are being held, then move it from room to room as it transmits video via its miniature camera. Sleek and unobtrusive, the gadget can slip under furniture and roll down stairs. Only eight inches long and 1.2 pounds, it can be tossed through windows or onto burning roofs without sustaining damage.
Used in Iraq and Afghanistan for several years now, the Recon Scout Throwbot could be of great use to domestic police and fire departments, but there’s one thing the little machine can’t do—apply for a spectrum use waiver from the Federal Communications Commission. Without that waiver, the bot can’t transmit its live video feed.”
Incoming DNC Head Wants All Gun Purchases Screened
From The Hill:
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said the current law, which allows private firearm sales without background checks, is “outrageous.” The Florida Democrat is sponsoring a soon-to-be-released proposal extending the screening requirements to all gun purchases, commercial or private.
This will only hurt the Democratic Party and the President if any kind of bill is introduced. Every time the Democrats propose something related to guns we all know that it is intended as a stepping stone to eventual disarmament of the American public. For those that have forgotten:
Second Amendment to the United States Constitution
“A well regulated militia, being necessary for the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” (emphasis added)
American Expats Fight For Their Rights
The Second Amendment Foundation is suing the Attorney General on behalf of Americans living abroad who, under federal law, are not able to purchase firearms when in the country.
The Second Amendment Foundation’s challenge to a federal law that prevents American citizens who reside outside the United States from purchasing firearms while they are in this country will be allowed to move forward, under a ruling today by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
“This is a significant ruling in our favor,†said SAF Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb. “Many American citizens face the same dilemma as Mr. Dearth. They are good citizens, they’ve committed no crimes, and they would certainly be allowed to exercise their Second Amendment rights, except for the fact that they live in another country.â€
When a person wants to buy a firearm they must fill out federal form 4473 which asks for a state of residence. Expats have no state residence.
A firearm is only an instrument.
Posted by Jack Sinclair in News, Training on 17/Apr/2011 13:38
“Firearms: Man’s ultimate tool, with a capacity for good and evil almost beyond comprehension, is the ultimate test of maturity and, indeed, wisdom.†– Anonymous
“From the time you pick up a firearm, you become a part of a system over which you have complete control. You are the only part of the system that can make a gun safe or unsafe.
A firearm is only an instrument. It contains no evil, no conscience, and no ability. It is strictly the intent, competence, and character of its user that decides the outcome of any and all actions taken with it.
Remember: no gun can be made accident-proof. A gun is just a machine, with no judgment of its own. It responds to your actions, whether wise or foolish.”
“The only truly effective safety device is the mind of a cautious person who never forgets that a moment’s carelessness can produce permanent tragedy.â€
– arukaen
Tell Congress: It’s Time for Some Sanity when it comes to Security
Posted by Gary in Law, News, Opinion, Threat Watch on 16/Apr/2011 12:44
It’s not often that the ACLU and I are on the same side of an issue.
From: ACLU
A 6-year old getting patted down at the airport — leaving her confused and in tears because she thought she did something wrong — is an example of the out-of-control searches and security measures in our airports.
Aviation security requires striking a delicate balance between the personal safety of passengers and their right to privacy. Unfortunately, TSA has developed increasingly invasive methods of searching passengers that are encroaching upon their rights. The TSA has subjected passengers to “enhanced” pat-downs, which have resulted in reports of people feeling humiliated and traumatized, and, in some cases, reports comparing their psychological impact to sexual assaults.
Tell Congress to support the bipartisan Aircraft Passenger Whole-Body Imaging Limitations Act of 2011. Read more.
FET works with Now Zad District governor to improve, rebuild area
From: HQ ARRC
Maj. Aniela K. Szymanski, the Civil Affairs Group team leader in Now Zad, Helmand province, Afghanistan, greets the deputy district governor, Haji Saied Abdul Quyum, at his compound, April 8. The meeting between Szymanski, Marines with the Female Engagement Team, and the district governor, Saied Murad Sadat covered the growth of the Now Zad women’s center, the local schools and other upcoming community improvement plans.
Story and phots by Lance Cpl. Katherine M. Solano
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – The female engagement team in Now Zad, Helmand province, Afghanistan, is pushing for the speedy development of a women’s center, new school and other community projects.
In an effort to move the plans along, the Marines and their interpreter met with the district governor, Saied Mourad Sadat, at his compound, April 8.
They have made progress in the short time they have been here, but acknowledge there is still a long way to go.
“I wish things would work short term, but everything takes a long time to accomplish,†said Sgt. Habiba Abida, a team leader with FET 12, Now Zad. “It’s hard to give yourself deadlines for certain goals.â€
The focus of the meeting was largely on the efficient development and management of the women’s center, but also on the female population in Now Zad as a whole.
“I’ve heard FET go and talk to females and ask what problems they have,†Sadat said. “Then [FET] comes and tells me what the women said so I can help, and it is positive for Now Zad and its people.â€
Staff Sgt. Martha Warren, the staff non-commissioned officer in charge of the Regimental Combat Team 8 FETs, asked the district governor what specific problems women in his district were having.
“There is nothing for the widows,†Sadat replied. “We are in the process of getting [females with skills] to work and teach each other to provide for themselves.â€
Warren, of Stone Park, Ill., also asked what specific impact FET was having on the local community.
“FET is a very good thing, because for the past five years with the war, lots of people have lost everything,†Sadat stated in response. “Females should know how to take care of themselves and their children.â€
This is one of the main objectives of FET: to give women the skills and knowledge they need to make a living for themselves or to help support their husbands and families.
“Females are important, because a lot of families here are poor,†Sadat said. “Husbands go to the Taliban for work, but if the wives can teach husbands to work with the government instead of with people who are trying to destroy the country or villages, it will be good.â€
They also discussed the hiring of a custodian for the women’s center, and how to teach local woman skills such as agriculture and sewing.
“I would love to say that by my first [mission break] I will have a full-time custodian at the women’s center, chickens for the coops, and sewing machines so the women could sew uniforms for Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan public schools,†said Abida, an Arlington, Va., native.
Abida felt that progress was made, and plans to meet in the near future to continue discussions were set. The district governor closed the meeting with an invitation for the FET Marines, and others with their unit, to join him for a dinner at his compound later that evening.
The dinner included a bonfire, traditional Afghan meal, music and hookah, but little talk of business. The dinner was more about a celebration of the growing working relationship between the Marines and the people of Now Zad.
The Arab Risings, Israel and Hamas
Posted by Brian in News, Threat Watch on 12/Apr/2011 12:32
The Arab Risings, Israel and Hamas is republished with permission of STRATFOR.
By George Friedman
There was one striking thing missing from the events in the Middle East in past months: Israel. While certainly mentioned and condemned, none of the demonstrations centered on the issue of Israel. Israel was a side issue for the demonstrators, with the focus being on replacing unpopular rulers.
This is odd. Since even before the creation of the state of Israel, anti-Zionism has been a driving force among the Arab public, perhaps more than it has been with Arab governments. While a few have been willing to develop open diplomatic relations with Israel, many more have maintained informal relations: Numerous Arab governments have been willing to maintain covert relations with Israel, with extensive cooperation on intelligence and related matters. They have been unwilling to incur the displeasure of the Arab masses through open cooperation, however.
That makes it all the more strange that the Arab opposition movements — from Libya to Bahrain — have not made overt and covert cooperation with Israel a central issue, if for no other reason than to mobilize the Arab masses. Let me emphasize that Israel was frequently an issue, but not the central one. If we go far back to the rise of Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and his revolution for Pan-Arabism and socialism, his issues against King Farouk were tightly bound with anti-Zionism. Similarly, radical Islamists have always made Israel a central issue, yet it wasn’t there in this round of unrest. This was particularly surprising with regimes like Egypt’s, which had formal relations with Israel. Read the rest of this entry »
Hyper-Realistic Warfighter Training
A marine is on the ground with a badly wounded squad member. He is yelling for a corpsman when another marine runs up and yells “This IS the corpsman”.
This video is just over 12 and one half minutes long.
Gurkha gets UK´s 2nd Highest Medal for Bravery
From: The Himalayan Times
Sergeant Dip Prasad Pun - Pun fired 400 rounds, launched 17 grenades and detonated a mine to thwart the assault by Taliban fighters
KATHMANDU: A British Gurkha soldier who single-handedly fought off an attack by at least a dozen Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan has been awarded the United Kingdom’s second highest medal for bravery, British media reported.
Acting Sergeant Dip Prasad Pun, 31, who hails from western Nepal and serves in the British Army, exhausted all of his ammunition and resorted to using the tripod of his machine gun to repel the militants who were in 15 to 30 in number.
According to the BBC, he said he was very proud to be given the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.
“I think I am a very lucky guy, a survivor,” he added. “Now I am getting this award, it is very great and I am very happy.”
From: Google
He said he thought the assault would never end and “nearly collapsed” when it was over, admitting: “I was really scared. But as soon as I opened fire that was gone — before they kill me, I have to kill some.”
Why should college campuses be “Criminal Safezones�
Posted by Jack Sinclair in News, Threat Watch on 9/Apr/2011 20:32
Amanda Collins, 25, shows a 9-mm Glock that she is permitted to carry and use for self defense.
“A concealed weapon permit holder, mother and student at UNR (University of Nevada, Reno), Amanda wasn’t allowed to carry a firearm on her college campus because it was a “gun free zone.â€
That meant she was unarmed on a night in October, 2007 when she was attacked while walking to one of her classes.
You see, her attacker didn’t care about the “gun free†designation. He had his gun. And he held it to her temple while he raped her.
She had left her firearm at home because that was the law. A law that left her completely vulnerable when she needed a way to defend herself the most.”
by Dudley Brown, National Association for Gun Rights
Lone Star Medics
From: Lone Star Medics
Lone Star Medics: A Field and Tactical Medicine Training Company
Our goal is to teach individuals how to manage life threatening injuries until professional help is available. Lone Star Medics will teach you the tools to combat that feeling of helplessness when a loved one or friend is severely injured.
We teach individuals how to save someone’s life during those extremely critical moments while EMS (Emergency Medical Services) is responding to your emergency.
While most urban fire departments and ambulance services try to respond to an emergency in less than 10 minutes; during that time an injured person can become very critically unstable. That’s where your training with Lone Star Medics becomes a reality. The skills that you have learned will save the life of a loved one, a co-worker, yourself, or even a total stranger. As Caleb learned in the Army; “you train as you fight, and you fight as you’ve trained.â€Â With that mentality, Lone Star Medics has created courses on first aid and emergency medicine for the non-professional rescuer in mind. These courses are not designed to teach someone how to be the medic but rather how to perform aggressive first aid to those that may not live before professional rescuers arrive.
Sgt. Tim Chapin: An American Hero “You’re what keeps us from chaos.”
Posted by Jack Sinclair in News, Warriors on 8/Apr/2011 22:41
“People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.†– George Orwell