tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:46:58 +0000http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Onager)Blogger336125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-5032043222114125828Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:46:00 +00002009-11-10T19:46:58.671-05:00http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/8OrVNFgY15c/women-warriors.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/8OrVNFgY15c" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/10/women-warriors.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-6782228317977124736Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:10:00 +00002009-10-14T17:14:35.552-04:00Captain Lou AlbanoR.I.P. Captain Lou...http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/UeCkp_rcOdg/captain-lou-albano-dies.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/UeCkp_rcOdg" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/10/captain-lou-albano-dies.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-7897034918678043600Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:51:00 +00002009-10-07T05:52:21.392-04:00General JonesMcChrystalNational Security AdvisorObamaAfghanistanhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/oiS9v637PnE/jim-jones-now-president-obamas.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/oiS9v637PnE" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/10/jim-jones-now-president-obamas.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-1425223276486318969Sat, 03 Oct 2009 01:58:00 +00002009-10-02T22:03:01.153-04:00McChrystalObamaHopefully, GEN McChrystal told the president that every day he spends making the "perfect" decision, more American servicemembers die. President Obama's decision amounts to are we all in or all out. In my mind it is that simple.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/mCaDTBnKuYw/obama-mcchrystal-meet-in-denmark.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/mCaDTBnKuYw" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/10/obama-mcchrystal-meet-in-denmark.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-1653204411527210031Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:02:00 +00002009-09-23T00:02:00.833-04:00McChrystalObamaPetersAfghanistanVietnamSoviet Union in AfghanistanAnother decent piece by Ralph Peters. I don't usually agree with him, but often times he makes some good (but often over the top) points. Here is an excerpt:Yet, in Afghanistan, we've put the bulk of our efforts into turning a vast flophouse into the Four Seasons -- instead of focusing ruthlessly on our terrorist enemies. It's politically correct madness. What we really need is just a compact, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/nJdRw-rR1tc/more-scalps.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/nJdRw-rR1tc" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/09/more-scalps.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-7301250160363854644Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:30:00 +00002009-09-22T10:38:41.986-04:00PralinesIraqPeachesPeanutsIranCarterMohammad Reza Shah PahlaviThis is not from the greatest, most reputable news source (except with regards to New York sports), but here is an interesting point of view from Empress Farah Pahlavi, the widow of the Shah of Iran, published in today's New York Post:If Carter hadn't let the Shah be overthrown in 1979, "there wouldn't be this problem in Afghanistan, nor would there have been the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/6B2pWuCUy2g/how-we-all-miss-shah.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/6B2pWuCUy2g" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/09/how-we-all-miss-shah.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-2663550056217411174Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:32:00 +00002009-09-14T17:34:47.634-04:00Air ForceGatesMilitary Industrial ComplexSecretary of Defense Robert Gates (pbuh) will give a speech to the Air Force Association on Wednesday going into the "lion's den" as Paul Bedard states in the article linked above.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/9oYZloGMk6I/borrow-flak-vest-mr-secretary.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/9oYZloGMk6I" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/09/borrow-flak-vest-mr-secretary.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-5774792740736800806Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:44:00 +00002009-09-11T13:50:17.072-04:00IraqKurdsTurkeyKurdistanThis is a huge step towards normalizing relations between the Turks and Kurds. If they come to a peace, it is good for us as well since we could then totally back the Kurds in Iraq without angering our NATO ally Turkey...Speaking Kurdish was banned in Turkey until 1991.Prodded by the European Union, which has been pressing Turkey to strengthen Kurdish rights, the country has allowed private http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/4D-SR9c902w/kurdish-once-banned-to-be-taught-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/4D-SR9c902w" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/09/kurdish-once-banned-to-be-taught-in.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-775613142310618470Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:18:00 +00002009-09-10T11:20:00.118-04:00NATORussiaEastern Europehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/T3MhJovL2v8/russian-laws-on-use-of-force-expanded.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/T3MhJovL2v8" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/09/russian-laws-on-use-of-force-expanded.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-3326190167129520905Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:41:00 +00002009-09-10T09:45:17.404-04:00MurthaEarmarksDefense Industrial ComplexOf course, he is not alone! Earmarks have skyrocketed in the past 20 years! One only needs to drive across the United States today to see how well their Congressman is at earmarking - road projects are everywhere, and happening at the same time, from Ohio to Maine, due to the ARRA. It is not just in the DoD budget that it is bad...Using a computer analysis of public records, the Center for http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/g8BvjWyndfg/murthas-not-alone-watchdog-group-says.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/g8BvjWyndfg" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/09/murthas-not-alone-watchdog-group-says.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-2438787944856919007Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:37:00 +00002009-09-09T12:43:38.693-04:00IraqObamaAfghanistanHagelForeign PolicyThis is an excerpt from an op-ed "retired" Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) wrote for The Washington Post last week. It is spectacular:The U.S. response, engaging in two wars, was a 20th-century reaction to 21st-century realities. These wars have cost more than 5,100 American lives; more than 35,000 have been wounded; a trillion dollars has been spent, with billions more departing our Treasury each http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/yC7tKvujHEY/limits-of-force-iraq-and-afghanistan.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/yC7tKvujHEY" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/09/limits-of-force-iraq-and-afghanistan.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-2203153704063516945Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:32:00 +00002009-09-09T07:32:57.265-04:00IEDsAfghanistanPrince William (left) and Prince Harry are feeling the effects of Great Britain's defense industrial complex... Harry Wales can't even afford to get his haircut!Good news! We aren't the only country with a "broken" defense industrial complex... or does "broken" (in a good government sense) mean that the defense industrial complex is actually healthy (in a "business of America is business" sense)?http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/pu6XCgWu4sg/britains-defense-industrial-complex.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/pu6XCgWu4sg" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/08/britains-defense-industrial-complex.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-6784361060705535845Sun, 30 Aug 2009 04:02:00 +00002009-08-29T23:12:21.455-04:00Mental Health TreatmentVATBIVeteransPTSDI served under COL Williams and he is the perfect person to be charged with implementing this program. COL Williams is one of the few field grade officers that "got it." He cared about the development of his junior officers and genuinely cared about Soldiers' problems and the welfare of their families. He encouraged single junior officers to coach high school football, be involved with the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/ZS8vys_5dww/mental-stress-training-is-planned-for.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/ZS8vys_5dww" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/08/mental-stress-training-is-planned-for.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-2847038331458058426Sun, 30 Aug 2009 02:40:00 +00002009-08-29T22:43:13.433-04:00IndiaGeographyFor a great post on the geography of India, check out the piece entitled "The Mystery That is India" from August 29, 2009, on The Scholar's Stage.http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/Z6Hjju4wfjo/india.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/Z6Hjju4wfjo" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/08/india.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-1527903825453359141Sun, 30 Aug 2009 02:05:00 +00002009-08-29T22:10:18.566-04:00PolandObamaMissile DefenseIranSDICzech RepublicStar WarsSoviet SatellitesRussiaEastern EuropeThis sounds like a good plan to me, despite the complaints from the developing countries of Eastern Europe. We can do much more for those nations through microfinance, NATO training missions, strengthening nation-state partnership programs with National Guard units, and educating their populace in our universities...Among the alternatives are dropping either the Polish or Czech site, or both http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/fp-JFPBkEgw/star-wars-on-saturday-night.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/fp-JFPBkEgw" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/08/star-wars-on-saturday-night.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-3437939597505309409Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:37:00 +00002009-08-28T09:59:02.275-04:00ObamaQuality of the Officer CorpsOfficer RetentionROTCThis is a good piece regarding the ban of ROTC at seven elite universities - Brown, Columbia, Harvard, Stanford, Tufts, UChicago, and Yale. Harbaugh quotes Thucydides saying, "The nation that makes a great distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools."I've written about this issue before on this blog. Undoubtedly, it http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/GWI4c1elmMQ/rotc-ban.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/GWI4c1elmMQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/08/rotc-ban.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-2160584076058557141Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:02:00 +00002009-08-27T15:22:02.129-04:00RumsfeldIraqWar on TerrorTed KennedyHere is an exchange between Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Tim Russert from the February 6, 2005, edition of NBC News' Meet the Press:MR. RUSSERT: Some observers, Senator, have said that you simply opposed the war from day one and that's your agenda. They point to a comment you made back in September of 2003. "This was made up in Texas, announced in January to the Republican leadership thathttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/jZ3Szucyzhc/rip-liberal-lion.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/jZ3Szucyzhc" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/08/rip-liberal-lion.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-6679009890704660261Thu, 27 Aug 2009 01:11:00 +00002009-08-29T22:44:04.528-04:00SunniIraqShiiteIranGeographyPersiaThe Iraqi Shiite link to Iran has been overblown and is an example of how ignorant we are in the West. Iranians, of which 89 percent are Shiite, are very proud of Persian history and our simplistic view of their influence on Iraqi Shiites (60-65 percent of the Iraqi population is Shiite versus 32-27 percent Sunni) should outrage them - it dismisses the cultural differences between Arabs and http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/GZnNfharUPE/new-shiite-alliance-excludes-iraqi.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/GZnNfharUPE" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-shiite-alliance-excludes-iraqi.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-5859415255753737571Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:59:00 +00002009-08-26T21:03:14.144-04:00IraqObamaAfghanistanScary observations:Maybe at some level the Obama Administration feels that if Iraq descends again into chaos it can always blame the Bush Administration for having invaded in the first place. But such a view, while arguably historically accurate, would be supremely cynical.When McChrystal was selected as commanding general, the media took note of his extraordinary talents, and observed that the http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/PgvTye2AGRY/wrong-man-for-job.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/PgvTye2AGRY" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/08/wrong-man-for-job.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-2329502755799912671Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:30:00 +00002009-08-25T17:52:27.256-04:00IraqBob HerbertAfghanistanWar on TerrorI am reproducing today's Bob Herbert op-ed from The New York Times in its entirety below. Herbert has been producing spectacular pieces like this for years and I couldn't agree with him more. "The Ultimate Burden"By BOB HERBERTIf you want to get a little bit of a sense of what the wars are like in Afghanistan and Iraq — a small, distant sense of the on-the-ground horror — pick up a book of color http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/0wtvcU4UIMo/bob-herbert-man.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)1<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/0wtvcU4UIMo" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/08/bob-herbert-man.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-927275059157836613Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:36:00 +00002009-08-24T15:49:04.120-04:00Nuclear Arms RaceNuclear disarmamentObamaCall me crazy, but I don't think the president is really considering getting rid of all of our nuclear weapons. Anyhow, here is an excerpt from the article:Most troubling is Obama's failure to take up this challenge from his top generals: He's sending a message that he's not serious on the issue, that he can be rolled. If Obama wants to demonstrate his commitment to Zero, he should call Gen. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~3/JYEofQPoqHk/how-serious-is-president-about-nuclear.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Onager)0<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WhereIsSamDamon/~4/JYEofQPoqHk" height="1" width="1"/>http://whereissamdamon.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-serious-is-president-about-nuclear.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6333194879035889772.post-8982324486157255181Sun, 23 Aug 2009 04:02:00 +00002009-08-23T00:02:00.506-04:00Lockheed MartinJoint Light Tactical Vehicle