This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Author: Sporkmaster

  • Taliban threatens Code Pink group traveling to Pakistan. (Updated)

    Some of you may or may not know but it seems that Code Pink is sending a thirty plus group to Pakistan to join a protest at the use of drones in a areas suspected of hiding Taliban groups. Also photos from them suggest that they are already have arrived.

    Today the full CODEPINK delegation to Pakistan will arrive in Islamabad to begin a week of activities to express their opposition to US drone strikes in Pakistan. A pre-delegation group of American activists has been on the ground in Pakistan for several days meeting with think tanks, human rights organizations, and military and academic institutions.

    The response from Pakistanis has been overwhelmingly positive and welcoming, and many plan to join the CODEPINK contingent as it marches to South Waziristan to protest US drone strikes on October 7th. “We are already receiving an outpouring of support from Pakistani people who are heartened to learn that there are Americans with a conscience who are willing to come all the way to Pakistan to show solidarity and apologize for the drone strikes that have brought so much death and destruction to the impoverished people of north Pakistan,” said CODEPINK cofounder and delegation leader Medea Benjamin.

    Well not everyone is feeling the love. Nor the idea of a peace parade through Pakistan.

    U.S. diplomats Friday warned a group of American peace activists not to attend a rally against U.S. missile strikes scheduled for this weekend, saying terrorists have threatened to attack the demonstration.

    Separately, the Pakistani Taliban warned Friday that they oppose the rally, which is being led by Imran Khan, an internationally famous cricket player who has become one of Pakistan’s most popular opposition politicians largely on the basis of his outspoken criticism of the U.S. role in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

    The demonstration, which has been organized by Khan’s political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, is scheduled to leave Islamabad Saturday and hopes to enter South Waziristan, part of the militant-plagued tribal area that is considered a no-go zone, on Sunday as a protest against the use of unmanned drones to attack suspected al Qaida and Taliban militants.

    What will happen in the next few days is anyone’s guess, but I have a feeling that this could end badly since the Taliban is threatening to bomb the protest.

    On Saturday, a statement from a Taliban faction said to be based in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province warned that militants would welcome the protesters with suicide bombings.

    “We ask the brave people of Waziristan not to side with the gang of Jews and Christians – otherwise their fate will be terrible,” the Punjabi Taliban said in the statement.

    UPDATE: It seems that they have been spotted and interviewed by CNN in Pakistan.

  • Alright treadheads, what went wrong here.

    Ok, I am sure that a few of our readers have loaded a tracked Vehicle on a trailer. So I wonder what exactly went wrong here.

  • Desmond Tutu calls for International Criminal Court to try Bush and Blair for War Crimes.

    Well it looks like that our friend Tutu was worried that he did get enough face time for his comments about the TV show “Stars Earn Strips” that he going back to the Bush is a War Criminal meme.

    He said a war crimes trial “should be and could be held on the basis a crime of aggression has been committed and the crime of aggression was starting the war.

    “It’s now almost certain that the war was illegal because it breached the UN Charter provisions which say that all member of the United Nations must refrain from the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.”

    Of course this is making it’s rounds around Facebook and all the comments you find on DU. Oh it seems our favorite fat man decided to comment as well.

    I wanted to say something before the day ended about the call by Desmond Tutu that Bush and Blair be tried for war crimes. Finally someone of note and respect has said the unspeakable. There is no question that these two men should face a judge and jury for invading another country that wasn’t attacking of threatening them or their people. The two of them took their countries to war for a variety of reasons that had NOTHING to do with self-defense. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians lost their lives. These two men knew the evidence was being cooked for them because they asked for their advisers to give them some reason so they could declare war. Military contractors made millions. Billions. Criminal. Let’s ask the World Court to bring these two up on charges – make them answer for this disastrous debacle. No one – NO ONE – is above the law.

    Oh according to a commenter it seems that Tutu know more about Iraq then any of us who have been there.

    You’re not necessarily more equipped than Nobel Laurette Desmond Tutu to evalutate the international & historical significance of the US Aggression in Iraq merely because you’ve stood there.

  • IDF not responsible Rachel Corrie’s death court rules.

    Well it looks like the court in Israel has ruled that the IDF’s D-9 Dover Driver is not criminally responsible for her death in 2003. I have talked a lot about this because the unit I was deployed with had D-9s. So I had some first hand experience about how dangerous the lumbering cumbersome beasts can be. But some people still think that driving a D-9 is just like driving a car.

    “We believe that Rachel was seen,” Cindy Corrie said. The heavily armored Caterpillar bulldozer may have had limited sight lines, the Corries acknowledge, but in addition to a driver, a second soldier was also in the cab, and conflicts in their assorted statements have never been reconciled.

    May have? Try completely and with all the noise you are really driving blind. Also just because there is a second person in a vehicle with limited does not stop making it a vehicle with limited vision. That is why there are ground guides to help the driver see/hear things that he would normally not be aware of, to include people. Even with a ground guide it can be dangerous.

    A Marine convoy departed its base of origin in the late evening, enroute to another base in Iraq. Upon reaching its destination,the driver of a 7-ton dismounted to serve as the vehicle ground guide. The A-driver of the 7-ton (a licensed driver) would be the driver while it was offloading supplies at the convoy’s destination. The A-driver was providing the driver an opportunity tostretch his legs after being on the road for several hours.

    After moving several feet forward, the A-driver attempted to apply the brake. However, the driver had left his helmet on the floor of the vehicle, and it now interfered with the ability to stop the vehicle. As the A-driver bent down toward the accelerator and brake to remove the helmet, the 7-ton moved forward and crashed into the rear of another parked 7-ton. At this moment, the A-driver realized that he could not see his ground guide. He opened the door and yelled for the Marine, then backed the 7-ton several feet to find the Marine slumping between the two vehicles. The driver acting as ground guide had been fatally crushed.

    Several critical errors led to this unfortunate incident. The driver acting as a ground guide placed himself between the vehicle and an immovable object, the other 7-ton. The Marine also left his helmet in the vehicle on the floor, near the accelerator and brake. Before applying the brake, the A-driver operating the 7-ton allowed the ground guide to leave his field of vision.

    But that does not seem to phase Corries’ supporters showing a photo of her looking at a D-9. I guess that they assume that if you can see the D-9 that they can see you. Oh and to preempt any questions about my views that this is flaws logic I ask this. Would you apply this logic (of if I can see them, they can see me) towards eighteen wheelers? But I digress.

    An Israeli military bulldozer, manufactured by Caterpillar, crushed the 23-year-old Corrie to death as she and her fellow members of the International Solidarity Movement lived among Palestinian civilians in Rafah, in an area whose houses were slated for demolition for Israeli military needs. They tried to remind the Israeli army that it was operating among what was, first and foremost, an occupied civilian population.

    It continues with the flawed logic how the driver could have seen her.

    Witnesses told the court she clambered up to the top of a pile of earth as the bulldozer advanced towards her, wearing a bright orange, hi-visibility jacket, and carrying a megaphone.

    OK the front of the D-9 is a major blind spot. So regardless of what you are wearing the drive will still have a very hard time seeing you. Two the engine is VERY loud and radio communications is next to imposable. Communications with the Dozer is done with hand signals in the clear position which is about the 9 and 3 o clock position. So that being said do you really think that a bull horn would do anything? And from what I understand that there was not a ground guide due to the risk of snipers and recent enemy contact.

    He also noted how high tensions were running in the area at the time, with IDF forces attacked by Palestinian fighters just hours before.

    But according to a witness this is what happened.

    Fellow activist Tom Dale told the court: “The bulldozer went towards her very slowly, she was fully in clear view, straight in front of them.

    “Unfortunately she couldn’t keep her grip there and she started to slip down. You could see she was in serious trouble, there was panic in her face as she was turning around.

    “All the activists there were screaming, running towards the bulldozer, trying to get them to stop. But they just kept on going.”

    Again according to who? Also if you have trouble hearing the person next to you, how can you hope to hear anyone outside the Dozer?

    But the court said what Corries’ supporters will never acknowledge.

    But Judge Oded Gershon ruled the driver had not seen her, and that any reasonable person would have moved herself out of the way of the bulldozer. He said the original investigation had “no mistakes”.

    “This was a very unfortunate accident and not an action undertaken with intent.

    “She put herself into a dangerous situation and stood in front of a large bulldozer in a place where the operator could not see her.

    “Her death is the result of an accident she brought upon herself,”

    Oh and noticed the photo of her burning a American flag has the flag cut out? And no mention of it on her Wiki page.

  • I am not sure if you understand the meaning of that word. (Updated)

    Ok our friends over at Stolen Valor have reporting about a company calling themselves“Veteran Clothing”. Well the main problem is that there is nothing about the company that is military.

    Veteran Clothing is a new line of clothing started by a guy named Billy Truong, out of San Diego, California. Several fans brought it to our attention yesterday, at first glance you immediately think this company is either Veteran owned/operated or they at least donate to Veterans groups. Well come to find out, neither of the above is true. But we believe their title and their slogan are very misleading, and tried several times to explain that to them. But they would not listen to what we had to say. In our humble opinion they knew exactly what they were doing when they started using this name and slogan, they are using it for their own personal gain.

    When asked if he was a Veteran of the Military he said that he was a Veteran, just not a military Veteran. Then what is he a Veteran of? Why business and dance of course. He claims that he will start giving portions of the earnings to real military groups but I am not holding my breath.

    But I am sure he wondering why people were thinking that his company was operated by Veterans, i mean it is a real mystery. Or why people are upset for some strange reason.

    But according to Stolen Valor that this company may be working to make amends for continue their actions.

    We have been told that the company will hold a meeting tonight to discuss changing up their slogans etc. We will let you know what comes out of it. We ask that everyone cease contacting them at this point until they reach a decision.

    We shall see.

    Update:Cameron let us know that the site has issues a letter of non-apology and intent for their business. Oh and it seems that if you “old Veterans” are upset about them using the word Veteran in their company that you are immature and to leave their website immediately.

    VETERAN is about experience and being original. Your Own Boss. You’ve been in the game for infinite years. Everyone Respects You. No more fancy handshakes,stay Saluting. Remember, you can be a Veteran in anything.

    Yea I think they have officially crossed the threshold and into douchbaggery. I was not sure at first but not at all now.

    UPDATE 2: The Duffly Blog has already made a parody story that you can read here.

    UPDATE 3: Another video from them and another write up by US Infantry.

  • A show of (good) Character. (For a change)

    Well since my last post was about someone who seems to be lacking character, I thought that it would be good to counter that when someone who has good character.

    The photo that I will not post here, was the one where Mrs Kaplan was very much expecting and had a written message of “welcome home daddy” on her belly. Because a good portion of the population does not know/understand mid-tour leave that people were making claims that how can she be 8-9 months pregnant on a 12 month deployment. Instead of him hiding that he made a mistake he owned up to his error and and reached out to apologize for it. I am grateful for his actions.

    It is is sad when a person who portrayed a fictional field grade (Or what every you Navy guys call them) officer has more class and character then a real one.

  • Officer but not a Gentleman

    I just got back on base and I see Channel Two news van with a camera crew member putting away a tripod outside the base gate. That is never a good sign in most cases and this one was not the exception. So I got home and found this.

    An Air Force major stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson was arrested by Anchorage police Thursday for possession and distribution of child pornography.

    Wonderful, just the things I want to hear and it gets better.

    “During the interview with (Davis) he told us he and his wife both have their own Apple laptops and their wireless network was pass-code protected,” Estes wrote. “When asked if he knew what file sharing was (Davis) mentioned (a peer-to-peer application) and told us it’s a program used to ‘swap music. Shortly after we told him we had downloaded items from his computer he told us an attorney should be involved.”

    An examination of Davis’ computer revealed 251 deleted images of child pornography, while searches on another laptop revealed 19 deleted images and two explicit videos in the computer’s trash folder.

    The funny part was that the police used facebook to identify that the Major was on JBER and in the Air Force.

    Estes then obtained a subpoena and submitted it to GCI for information on the subscriber in question, which identified Davis’ wife as the account holder. A search for Davis on Facebook revealed that he served in the Air Force, and a query of Air Force records confirmed that he was stationed at JBER.

    So the moral of the story that a news van at the front of your base is never really a good thing, because if it was good news they would be allowed on post.

  • Delusions from desperation.

    Well it seems that the full understanding of what life will be like after we leave Afghanistan is hitting home at Journey to Smiles. It seems that their newest video is showing that more then ever.

    The biggest one is trying to have a campaign to get two million friends here and have them send a petition to the UN to have the UN “to negotiate a end to the Afghanistan War”. You know, since it has been so effective with Syria. Also it seems this groups has tried to contact the UN in Afghanistan without any reply back. That was back in April and I am not sure what they are expecting now.

    The rest of the video has different women talking about how the are treated and viewed in Afghanistan. Then someone suggest that a sports program might help can calling it “A Contest of Peace”. Yet I could have sworn that this was done before somewhere. Then there is the question that everyone is avoiding that one of them asked; “Is this something we are doing to pass the time?”.