Archive for the ‘opinion/news’ Category

No boots on the ground…except for 2200 marines maybe

Posted: March 23, 2011 by datechguy in middle east, opinion/news, war
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Warner Todd Huston not only has a cooler Fedora than me, he noticed something that everyone else has apparently missed:

About 2,200 Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit will take part in support operations based aboard USS Kearsarge at sea. Those support operations have thus far included air strikes and one rescue operation. The overall mission is to help end the violence directed at the Libyan people.

“In Libya right now they are doing exactly what we need them to do. They are doing what they are told and right now that’s protecting Libyan people against Qadhafi forces,” said Captain Timothy Patrick, a Marine with the 26th MEU.

I don’t pretend to be a military expect but what non-combat role will 2200 marines be doing aboard the Kearsarge at sea that couldn’t be done by the sailors on the ship. It’s not like the Kearsarge is going to be boarding the CSS Alabama anytime soon.

Warner comments:

One suspects that US ground forces will have to become engaged if anything solid is to happen in NATO’s engagement in Libya. And it seems like Obama is warming us up for that yet.

and as Dan Riehl points out, the Kearsarge is an amphibious assault ship, if they aren’t going to be boots on the ground in Libya, just what are they going to be assaulting? According to Gates they are for “options and contingencies,”.

Apparently president Obama’s definition of “boots on the ground” is similar to a few of my friends who insist that this is “not a war”.

It will be very interesting to see what happens once this gets into the MSM.

Ho Hum another day in Israel, another bomb

Posted: March 23, 2011 by datechguy in opinion/news
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Here is a story that isn’t likely to break too far beyond Libya and Liz Taylor:

An bomb exploded Wednesday at a crowded bus stop outside the International Convention Center in Jerusalem, just opposite the central bus station. At least 25 people were wounded in the incident, four of them seriously.

Just a reminder that the folks who spend time beheading infants aren’t about to retire anytime soon.

Countdown to candy and cakes in the Palestinian areas in 3…2…

Update: What is the Palestinian response?

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas asked Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to put pressure on Israel to end the “escalation” of strikes in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, Palestinian news agency Ma’an reported.

But of course.

That “Gaddafi must go!”…nevermind.

Posted: March 23, 2011 by datechguy in middle east, opinion/news, war
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Am I actually reading this:

President Obama indicated on Tuesday that Muammar Qadhafi may still have an opportunity to “change his approach” and put in place “significant reforms” in the Libyan government.

On Morning joe Right now they are talking about Libya and ignoring this. But now that Savannah Guthrie is on the air and he said it to her maybe they will bother to report it.

Oh Brother.

Update: Turns out they didn’t mention that bit, amazing.

I’ll give this to Joe and Mika, they are consistant

Posted: March 21, 2011 by datechguy in opinion/news
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They have been hitting the fighting in Libya with all the furor that they have used in hitting Afghanistan.

Barnicle correctly points out that if Gaddafi is not removed or killed this mission will be a failure.

Drew Walker on Twitter makes a great point for those saying Gaddafi is not a target:

How in the world do you bomb Qaddafi’s compound but say he wasn’t the target? Is stupid suddenly a new language?

It’s simple, we aren’t targeting Qaddafi, we are targeting Kaddafy totally different.

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