Picking up where Arthur Chrenkoff* left off, Bill Crawford has pulled together a collection of under-reported “good news” items from Iraq for National Review. Read it all (especially those of you confused by my criticism of CTV’s Lisa LaFlamme).
A few exerpts;
In addition to taking over battle space, Iraqis continue to take the lead in more security operations. Operation Cobra Strike was lead by soldiers of the 8th Iraqi Army Division. The operation was planned, and conducted by Iraqis, with U.S. soldiers in support. 139 Iraqi soldiers recently graduated from commando school, and are ready to fight: 39 of 45 planned border forts along the Iran-Iraq border are complete. The border posts are manned by Iraqis. In another raid, a senior al Qaeda operative was killed. Abu Umar was the terror groups “ambassador,” and was charged with forming relationships with other groups in Iraq. Umar was an associate of Osama bin Laden. More than 115 top al Qaeda operatives have been killed or captured in Iraq over the last few months.
This item about a new anti-RPG force field system for the US military caught my eye;
The Trophy active protection system creates a “force field” that literally surrounds the protected vehicle. An APS has three basic elements, including threat detection and tracking of approaching projectiles, the launching of and Interception of the projectiles.
Trophy’s “force field” consists of a barrier of invisible energy fragments (perhaps light particles charged by lasers) can sense incoming threats by recognizing heat signatures. RPG rockets and guided missiles give off heat as they approach their targets. These charged fragments are designed to destroy any incoming threat with low collateral damage, minimizing injury to troops and citizenry.
Defense Review has more on Trophy, including link to video.
Well, Kate, im not confused, i just think you may be wrong about LaFlamme’s reportage.
When i compare what was previously available to her reporting, I find that she did a creditable job. She actually went out into the field with the troops, and i found the reports from the field to be informative.
If your criticism is that she has no military background, I’m wondering if that matters all that much. Witness the conflicting statements from ex military types.
I said I hoped the W5 report was a sign of better things to come – but on the whole, her CTV “war reporting” for the National News has been abysmally shallow and laden with editorializing.
TrophyAPS seems to be a sensor controlled shotgun not unlike a naval vessel’s Phalanx antimissile systems. ‘Forcefield’ sounds cool but doesn’t properly describe the system. Active protection systems such as this will probably become common on armored vehicles.
Infantry might not like it so much; they can’t be too close when it fires or they will be ripped to pieces.
Nice to see a continuation of Chrenkoff. A key aspect is that no society moves overnight from a history of continuous dictatorship to democracy. Yet, the West seems to think that unless this happens, the whole change is a failure.
It takes years; you do not overturn and deny an ideology and mode of life, no matter how bad, in an instant. Our species is not a machine; we don’t operate by a switch that moves our actions in one versus another direction. Our mode of behaviour is learned; and can’t be unlearned in a ‘flash of enlightenment’.
I am, myself, surprised by how well Iraq is doing – and it is doing well, despite the fact that it is being inundated by militants from Iran, Syria, SA, who have one agenda – to prevent democracy from succeeding. So, Iraq is not only advancing, changing its own mode of life, but it is doing so against the terrorist attacks by its neighbours who don’t want Iraq to be democratic.
Yada Yada yada.
Yank casualties are back up this month because Iraqi troops have failed as replacements in Baghdad and elsewhere. The Crawford story is the kind of baloney rightwingers lap up because it makes it look like the war they mongered for isn’t slipping down the crapper quite so fast. “Signs of hope” have been emerging in Iraq for three years now. Things get more wonderful by the day, don’t they?
And of course its from the National Review; these guys have so much blood on their hands they’ll believe anything and say anything to candy coat the situation.
Checkl out Juan Cole’s site for the real story.
bigcitylib; it’s f*cking morons like you that make the world just that much stupidier for the rest of us.
“Warmongers!”
“Bu$hHilter”
“Yeeaaarrrggghhhh!”
F*cking idiot.
Personally I am hoping the Iraqi Freedom Fighters kill all the fascist invaders and their collabrators.
Freedom Fighter
Yes I agree. Hopefully the Iraqi military will continue their progress at intravenously feeding lead into the bodies of Islamic fascists. They’re starting to get pretty good at it.
Of course for those who believe the reverse two questions must be asked.
A. Why are you still breathing if the US is the great fascist state you believe it is?
B. Most important why are you still here? Why havn’t you grabbed a gun and carried your happy little butts over there to “join the cause?”
I noticed earlier technologies striving for something like Trophy since around ’93 I believe. Faster, cheaper electronics and actuators are making it possible. Strangely this comes out as a system to counter portable anti-armor weapons just as research into directed energy, electrochemical boosted propellants and even railguns are making strides. Soon again the only defense against a tank will be another tank.
If you’re interested Kate there’s also continued work with solid state lasers as anti-artillery systems. Chemical lasers are slow to fire and limited in their magazine capacity. Solid state however requires only power and cooling. Currently they’re above 10% effeciency (that’s actually pretty good) with hopes of 20% in the future. Systems will still be bulky and delicate for many years though so they won’t soon be seen on the FEBA.
The force field article is great. The only thing I would add to this is it was developed by the Israeli’s.
“In addition to taking over battle space, Iraqis continue to take the lead in more security operations. Operation Cobra Strike was lead by soldiers of the 8th Iraqi Army Division. The operation was planned, and conducted by Iraqis, with U.S. soldiers in support.”
Err, Kate, this reads like every story that the US has tried to spin in the last two years where they have claimed the Iraqi’s planned and lead the fight with only US support. It has always later turned out it was planned by the US, lead by the US and the Iraqi’s tagging along.
Let me know when the Iraqi’s plan, launch, and complete a real sizable mission on their own, without the USA holding their hand, then that would be progress. Anything else is just bs spin.
As for the border post, they had those before the war and efter the war, and then the US dismantled the Iraqi army and military. So great, Iraq is now where it was three years ago. Clap Clap Clap
If this is the best news to be coming out of Iraq, then things really, really suck there.
Kate
You sound like the people that don’t believe we landed on the moon
Come now Steve; but I did learn one thing today the moon will be one place a liberal will be never able to tread.
Apollo Chronicles: The Mysterious Smell of Moondust
“Schmitt says, “All of the Apollo astronauts were used to handling guns.” So when they said ‘moondust smells like burnt gunpowder,’ they knew what they were talking about.”
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/mmb/30jan_smellofmoondust.html
Juan Cole ?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH..!
Thanks, sonny. I haven’t laughed that hard in years.
It might be time to start the war crimes proceedings against Bush and his team of “advisors”. They started an illegal war by telling lies, they are perpetuating a war by telling lies and they are justifying it by telling lies, which most narrow minded Americans seem to be swallowing hook, line and sinker. All in the name of “peace”. What a load of crap. Saddam Hussien was no more a threat to American security than my arse is pineapple. Granted he wasn’t very nice to his people but he was no threat to the states, unless you take the threat of oil supply into account. Bush was just pissed off that he didn’t get bin laden in Afganistan so he turned on then next thorn in his side. Team America strikes again.
The worst thing is that America doesn’t learn from it’s mistakes. In 200 years the only war they have actually won was amongst themselves. Good record guys. It might be time for America to realise that they are not the global police that they think they are. No one has asked them to be and no one wants them to be. The world would be a much safer place if they would just keep their nose out of other peoples business and sort their own back yard out.
mugs
Yes, all those wacky liberal generals demanding Rumsfeld’s head. Keep on clinging to all that “good news”, rational people have already decided its a lost cause.
No, Kate. Rather, you sound like someone who sees a Face on Mars, where normal people see only a ruin of dust and sand.
Steve, why is it irrational to believe America did the right thing going after Sadam , and bringing democracy to Iraq?
The “rational” people you talk of Steve thought it was a lost cause when the first plane struck the first tower. It was already America’s fault and always will be to the “rational” people.
Oh and towards your comments on the generals –
“We’ve had dissension in the ranks since Day One of the US Army–to wit, criticisms of General Washington.”
So there isn’t any good news occuring in Iraq Steve? Thats what your saying ?
Another example of Canadian involvement in the reconstruction of Iraq is indirectly referenced in the NRO summary. It is noted that 320 Iraqis arrived in Jordan for police training. Recalling an earlier story, the following link was found:
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/peacekeeping/peacekeeping_review_04-05_e.htm#Jordan
Excerpt: JORDAN
Jordan International Police Training Center (JIPTC), Iraqi Police Training
In operation since January 2004
Canadian contribution: up to 20 police trainers annually
Language of operation: English
DESCRIPTION: An essential first step in building sustainable peace in Iraq is the reform of the security sector and the establishment of the rule of law.
I think it is great that we are passing on our skills to Iraqis who want to be able to take care of their own country. It may be an effort put in place when the Liberals were in power, but I doubt the Canadian media would want to recognize this (unfortunately).
mugs
Interesting that you use the 9/11 reference when every investigation by “rational” people has shown NO relationship between Iraq and Al Qaeda. I hate to break it too you, but most people supported the Afghanistan invasion after 9/11, so your “peacenik” dodge is meaningless.
As to you question if there is any good news in Iraq. I prefer to take things on balance, so my answer would be a firm no. Enjoy the delusion.
Its okay Steve. I’m a rural Canadian more often than not, to me modern liberalism is just like the flu, after many exposures you develop an immunity to it.
We are not going to agree anyway.
If you are interested in some positive news from (northern) Iraq with pictures, go visit
http://www.michaeltotten.com/archives/001126.html
Reviewed the stuff on the Trophy system. I agree with TJ — don’t get all worked up about force fields and laser beams. It seems more like a cross between a shotgun and a Phalanx-like gattling gun. It will work on an RPG grenade because the warhead of an RPG round is essentially a HEAT round (High Explosive Anti-Tank). Since the warhead is explosive on contact, it’s vulnerable to being shot by a shotgun pellet (or whatever it is they’re using) and therefore prematurely exploded. When they say they’re working on a countermeasure to a kinetic energy round they’re essentially talking about solid shot or APDS (Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot) — much harder to counter since it’s essentially a big bullet which doesn’t much care what it comes in contact with until its kinetic energy is spent. (A cannon ball is a kinetic energy round).
Amid all the good news coming out of Iraq, has anyone noticed the size of the US Embassy being built in Bagdad?
Enemies of the USA in the Middle East will use it as proof that the USA intends to dominate not only Iraq but the whole region, and allies will wonder. Kind of hard to justify a government town that size on foreign soil as necessary for good relations and the provision of assistance.
Talk about body language. As Dr. Phil might put it to Washington, “What were you thinking?”