Wait a second… what the hell is this?  Tom Dash-Hole is running on his support for Bush?  You know what that means?  Means he is weak… very weak… and he knows it.  This also means that we could be getting rid of one of the Senate’s biggest jackasses!   Oh man… how would that be?  Bush gets another 4 and the Libs lose Dash-Hole!  The only thing that could make that better is if the Libs lose Byrd and Feinstein too.  That would make me extremely happy.

Not that it matters, but the Bush girls have been well received when they make appearances… not trying to silence the dissent like the Kerry girls in the article I posted earlier.  Uh, and I just have to point out that they are a lot better looking too.  They look healthy and happy… probably comes from growing up riding horses in Texas.  Where as the Kerry girls are famished, scary and they look like horses. *shudder*  I’m still chuckling at them getting razzed.  That was too good.   Hopefully with this, and with Tom Dash-Hole’s new campaign, we are seeing the true nature of the DNC’s state of being.

I might get banned from THR for this one… but I am not going to edit or retract it.   This “Bush is a Liar” bullshit has got to be hit head on, and done so forcefully.  Bush is, I believe, an honest man.  Kerry on the other hand is a lying stool sample.   

0900hrs: First Day of Classes.  Wish me luck!  Not much blogging is going to be happening until I can get everything situated if you know what I mean.  This week is going to be brutal on everyone here at Ogre Manor. Football, Scouts, Karate, Preschool, Kindergarten, Dance Classes, College Classes, and on top of everything else we still have to get laundry done, keep the house up, take Ranger on his hunts, and feed my five little Demolition Men.  Judas Priest, how did I do it last semester?  This summer break was not all that helpful.  I’m out of practice.  No worries, it will all come back… being used to all the chaos.  Oh, one thing I forgot in all this – STUDY TIME!  Crap.  This semester is going to be a biatch.

Is there a change in the wind for the Kerry Camp?   Why would the Kerry girls get booed at an MTV shindig?  Is it because the MTV mouthbreathers don’t like to get politically pimped?  Or is it because the MTV crowd is actually deserving of a bit more credit and have seen through Kerry and all his lying bullshit?  I don’t know… but I’m liking it.  What I find the most amusing is Kerry’s taller daughter telling the people booing to shush.  That’s funny as hell.

I’m shipping the Kel-Tec P3AT back to Kel-Tec this morning.  With the review done and the photos taken, I have no more use for it.  I am impressed and disappointed by this little gun.  But let’s just say that the impression is great enough that I am going to keep my eye out for an opportunity to acquire one of my own.  I think I would like a chromed example with some aftermarket modifications.  If you can get a hold of one that is reliable and trustworthy, then you have an outstanding concealed carry weapon.   

Thank heavens the Olympic Games are over… so much Anti-American sentiment overseas is appalling.  Now we can concentrate on the Republican Convention and hear about all the protests and Anti-American sentiment from home.   Funny how the Democrats were crying that they wouldn’t let protestors use a park.  I seem to remember the Democrats putting their protestors in a cage.  And they are upset that he haven’t rolled out a red carpet for them?  Liberals truly live in a dream world, don’t they?

Good movie you probably have not heard of.  I didn’t until Mrs. Ogre rented it.  It’s called “The Reckoning” and it is stunning.  One of the best movies this year… easily in the top 10, if not the top 5.   Some of the best acting this year beyond question… easily in the top 3.   The Director did a good job… the script was good too.  Check it out and tell me what you think.

Aug 29th, Sunday, 2004: 1300hrs: This morning I awoke feeling extremely patriotic and with my love for my country burning like an inferno within me.   Brothers and sisters of The Horde, let me tell you… The United States of America is the most unique nation on the planet.  Here we enjoy every freedom imagined.  We are truly blessed to be able live here.  Our liberty is precious and must guarded viscously.    

Let me tell you about something that happened this week that I’ve not mentioned.  First, what does the 2^nd Amendment say?  “The right to keep and bare arms shall not be infringed.”  Well, remember when I got that seatbelt ticket some time ago?   Thanks to a clerical error my payment on that ticket was not processed correctly.  The recorded my payment in their receipt book but not “in the system”.  The result was my Driver’s License was suspended.  I didn’t know this.  I had no idea until I am at Basin Sports and I’m picking up a pair of 9mm pistols.  BCI, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, where the gun shops call to run those instant background checks; they declined me.  

I had just picked up another handgun only 3 business days before and here I am getting declined?  WTF?  The gun shop even asked “WTF”.  “There is a problem with his driver’s license.”   That was news to me!   

Wait a second.  What the fuck does my driver’s license have to do with my right to keep and bare arms?  As a form of ID, it’s still me on the card.  Or they could have used a different form.  But that doesn’t work… there was a problem with my DL and that declined me stone cold dead in the water.  What does my status as a motor vehicle operator have to do with shooting?  Are they going to be checking my tire pressure next?  Are they going to start denying people if their oil change is past due?  

It was late and the DMV had already closed, so I had to wait until the next morning.  I was there waiting for them with my payment receipt when they opened.   It took about an hour, with a number of phone calls between the court and the DMV HQ in SLC, and at least 3 faxes.  Finally I got it all straightened out.  Thanks to the help of “The DMV girl” there.  But I still wasn’t happy about it.  What is the point of the Criminal Background Checks?  Am I a felon?  Am I wanted?  Do I have any restraining orders against me?  Have I been labeled mentally unfit by a clinical psychologist?  NO.  Being denied for the State’s clerical error is an outrage.  That is not what the system is for and it goes against everything not just Constitution stands for, but the Utah State Constitution as well.  There is nothing that ties ones “privilege” to drive with ones “right” to keep and bare arms… Nothing save some unconstitutional bullshit bureaucratic fuck up of a system created only as a political slap in the face to all Conservatives.    

I felt absolutely humiliated when I had to go back to the gun shop and tell them that I think I was an honest citizen again… but of course they had to check again with BCI to verify.  The second time they let me take my guns home… but still… I am still furious about this.  Am I going to shake my fist at the sky about this and then forget it?  No.  That wouldn’t be the Ogerish thing to do.  I might not be able to change the way this jackass law that ties driving with buying guns… but I sure as hell can make sure that every elected official in Utah hears about this.  Maybe they can do something.  Maybe it’s pissing into the wind – but I will be heard.   The only thing that should deny someone from buying a gun on a criminal background check is documented criminal activity.   

This is just one example of our liberties in need of active defense, and the 75^th Rangers, 24^thMEU and the 82^nd Airborne (God bless them!) are not going to be able to help us out with.  Things like this require a great deal of effort from good people becoming politically hyperactive.  Not just casting a vote once in awhile… but by getting into those offices where they can make things happen.  This has been the game plan of the evil doers since there was a political office to be elected to.   We have got to fight back.  We have got to regain control of what is out of control.  It doesn’t matter if our boys fight and win overseas if we lose everything back home.  We can’t just sit back on this bus and pull the “please stop” cord and hope the driver stops… It’s time we got behind the wheel.

I’ve mentioned becoming politically active before… and I am going to.   Even if it is just a State legislative seat…  I’m going for it.   I encourage you to go for it as well.

I love my nation… but some things you can’t fight with the tactical application of tight focused violence from the barrel of a gun.  Some things require a special form of warfare… political warfare fought on the battle fronts of the legislative floors in each of our 50 states. 

Let’s have some motivation!  Hard core, ass kicking motivation.   Bomb Saddam, Die Terrorists Die, Taliban Bodies, Helo Thunder, and 24^th MEU In Iraq are some of my favorites.  Well worth the download bandwidth.  Download them all and watch them… get motivated… and start fighting!  Who’s with me?

Aug 28th, Saturday, 2004: Noon: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMA!  She turns 38 years old today… in a few more years I’ll be older than she is.  Guys, my momma is the most awesome momma ever.  Her enchiladas will make you want to go slap Rosita.  She is also beautiful and is still turning heads… even those young enough to be her grand kids.  She is extremely smart too… with a bullshit detector that rivals a trained K-9.  I couldn’t get anything past her growing up… She might not have called me on everything, but she knew.  She always knew.  My momma is still the best.  She’s going to be coming out from Virginia in a few weeks to visit, and we are looking forward to it.  Looking forward to seeing Dad too. 

Protests.  I believe that people have a constitutional right to be able to protest… as long as it doesn’t interfere with anything, and as long as it is peaceful.   The protestors, however right their cause is, or how fervent their beliefs, do not have the right to damage anything or cause harm to anyone or to get up into someone’s grill and shout at them.  

Athens has gone so insane that out Secretary of State had to cancel his visit.  That’s completely asinine.  The whole Olympics this year is bullshit.  I’m not talking about just our Men’s Basketball.  I’m talking about the Olympic Committee wanting to strip an American of his Gold Metal for no reason other than “The judges were in error”.  That’s horseshit.

In New York we have the bicycle protest.  It was going along just fine until they all decided to stop and block an intersection, and throw pasta on a cop.  Had they just kept riding nothing would have happened.  Getting arrested for being a jackass isn’t a form of protest.  That’s just you being a jackass.  Explain it to the judge how since the RNC is going to NYC, that you had the right to throw pasta at a cop…  I want to hear that one.  At least these guys are not acting like soccer fans.  How does that work?  The other team scores a goal on your team, so you have a right to go overturn a cab belonging to a guy living down the street from you?

I don’t get these guys.  I don’t get how such things correlate… if they want to protest… then protest and get your message out.  If your message is just violence, then you are not worth listening to and you have no right to protest.  

For those that are about to protest, be my guest.  But do so peacefully.  If you are doing so peacefully and you are not obstructing anything and the enforcers come to arrest you...  I have a little suggestion.  Flex cuffs can be cut.  Every guy should have one… and have some cutters in the hands of “Observers”. When the cops zip-tie you up… cut and run… as many as possible.

BUSH IS A LIAR!  How many times have we heard that chanted this year and last?  Hell, I wish I had a dollar for every time I have heard this or read it in the papers.   I think International Weapons Expert Janeane Garafalo has been one of the most vocal accusers and a huge supporter of Kerry.  She is on the record for saying that Kerry is an honest man.  I don’t think she has the right definition of “honest”.  She is not a stupid person… in fact she is actually quite brilliant.  Unfortunately she is also a political assmuppet who has prostrated herself as a tool of the DNC and has lost any and all credibility and dignity.  Even if you don’t believe the Swiftboat Vets, you really have to question some things about your candidate when the US NAVY is starting to question and is about to launch as investigation.  Documentation after documentation is showing that Kerry is the one doing all the lying.  About his awards, about his actions, and about where he was.  They have yet to address the fact that it was Kerry who went AWOL hafter his 4 months in Nam.  They are so quick to call Bush a liar when all he did was go off everything that he was told… by the Democrats… by Kerry himself… yet Bush is the one who signed the form that allowed all his military records to be released.  Kerry has not done that yet… Kerry refuses to do that.  Kerry’s Money Bag has refused to release her financial records too… something everyone in her position does.   This should be sending up a number of red flags… and to many it does, but it’s something the Jackasses don’t want to face up to.  All documents related to Kerry show that Kerry is a big fat lying sack of shit and I am calling upon International Weapons Expert Janeane Garafalo to address that.  Bush isn’t hiding anything… Kerry is.  Come on Garafalo – admit it – If you have any more credibility than Kerry has, then you call Kerry a liar!

Is spying for Israel really such a bad thing?  It’s not like they are going to float a sub into the Chesapeake Bay or anything.  I’m still waiting for the FBI to look into those spying for and giving secrets to China.

Email: “Okay!  That fucking pisses me off! I clicked the link in the article about Kerry’s DD-214 and went to the site.  It asked me to join John Kerry’s email list/fan club/GFW brigade – whatever.  Naturally I had no interest in that.  So I clicked my browser “back” button to return to MadOgre.com.  No dice.  The fuck has one of those web sites that returns you to the same web site no matter how much you swear and hit the “back” button.  Maybe there’s a way around it but if there is I don’t know it.  I shouldn’t be surprised I suppose.  After all it is the Kerry/Edwards Campaign.  Fucks.  Okay, I’m done venting now.  Firemaster”

Email from Horde Commander Glenn:  “First off, everyone can feel safer now. Yesterday my daughter officially was sworn into the the United States Air Force! I really am very proud of my little girl! She's got her head squarely on her shoulders! If only I was that savvy at that age.
In other (http://www.spacedaily.com/news/laser-04r.html) news Now that's some quick shooting! Too bad this thing isn't ready for deployment. Our boys over in Iraq sure could use it.
In yet other (http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/celebrity/6472004.htm) news, Yes Victoria there is a god!

Have you been over to (http://cbftw.blogspot.com/) the "My War - Fear and Loathing in Iraq" blog lately?  They've pulled him off the air.  PBS ran a news article about his blog and the pressure he's been receiving from his chain of command recently.  He announced that, then the next day everything was gone.  I'm heaving a big sigh over this since I've been checking that site daily since you pointed it out!  Bummer!

It appears that al Sistani has succeeded in removing the riff-raff from the Imam Ali mosque.  Frankly I've been wondering why he hasn't done more to rein al Sadr in.  He participated to a limited degree in the appointed governing council.  Now the Allawi's interim government is struggling to portray itself as legitimate.  Sistani cast a vote to put Allawi in the position that he's in and he fought long and hard to make sure that the new constitution was to his liking.  So why has he been inactive on the issue of al-Sadr for so long?  I'm starting to think that these guys are actually a lot smarter than people give them credit for.  I mean al-Sadr's engagements with our military has done nothing but gain him support among the Iraqi populace.  Then al-Sistani swoops in and accomplishes what no one else has been able to accomplish, gets al-Sadr to to quit Najaf and Kufa, and disarm!  These guys are clearly jockeying for prominence in the government to come.

I spoke to a friend of mine who was in Najaf with the 2nd ACR yesterday night.  His take on the M-16 & the 5.56mm round was abysmal!  He said after repeatedly having to pump rounds into targets before they'd stop shooting, he eventually swiped an AK off an Iraqi he managed to drop (after 4 rounds) and carried it with preference over his issued weapon.  According to him, it was a pretty common practice.  Another interesting note he mentioned was that photos of GI's toting AK's were censored from the images that the imbedded journalist could submit for publication.  I certainly hope that the army truly is looking at moving to the 6.8mm round.  Another problem he reported was that the 5.56mm wouldn't penetrate a windshield reliably.  To quote him, "dude there was a bunch of times we opened up on a car that was trying to run a CP and all the M-16's would do is make really cool spider web patterns in the glass.  There was one instance where 5 of us opened up on an Audi.  By this point I knew what was going to happen so I just dropped my M-16 and pulled my 357 out and popped the fucker a new asshole right between his eyes!  Good thing they let us carry our privately owned sidearms or I wouldn't be here now writing this!  Later we found out that Hadji had about a dozen 155mm Artillery shells and a huge wad of semtex wired up in the trunk!"

Another point he made was that good old GI ingenuity was at work in Iraq!  He said they'd stack sand bags inside the hummers to provide a little more protection...

Poor guys!  They had to go to Iraq in Hummers and now they are back in Polk being refitted with Strykers!  Which I suppose is a step up from a Hummer, but still a far cry from the good old days where we were loaded for bear in M1's and Bradley’s. - Glenn”

Wow!  Congratulations!  What is she going in to do?
Liv Tyler... she is a goddess isn't she?  Very feminine... lots of grace... amazing turn out considering her "Lovinanelevator" Dad.  Very cool.
Fear and Loathing in Iraq... Yeah, I saw that earlier this morning.  I expected it was when he posted the 1st ammendment.  I didn't expect anything after that.  Look for a book when his tour of duty is over.
I've heard a number of similar reports from Iraq... but not that the images of AK toting GI's are being censored.  That's interesting.  I had wondered why I didn’t' see very many such photos.  I've a friend in Afghanistan with an SF group over there... all of them are packing AK's unless they have an M-14 or Remington 700 to use.  I would certainly do the same.

Aug 27th, Friday, Thank God! 2004: 2000hrs: Thanks to Horde Commander Darin, The Mad Ogre is now running on the old fashioned style MS Natural keyboard again.  This is the old one with the correct style arrow keys and it’s big enough to use as a surf board.  Roomy...  The thing is the size of my Bronco’s dashboard.     The straight and cramped IBM board is now right back in the closet where it is supposed to be.  Adjusting back to the natural style board is going to take a few hours or so… but it feels good.  I can type without my hands aching!  Thank you Darin, you magnificent bastard!   I’ve been hunting one of these suckers and you just can’t find one.   Well, I did find one, but the number pad was screwed up.  This one is damn near PERFECT.  Mint.  Glorious!  This is the way keyboards should be.  Well… at least for those with ogre sized paws.    

Darin selected some excellent packing material for the board… I had to chuckle… Air Force news letters, Cheaper than Dirt Catalog, and Gun List.  Cool.  And a book.  One I’ve never seen before. “Politically Correct Guns” by Alan Gottlieb.  Extremely cool.  I’ll be starting on reading that tonight.  School starts Monday, so I’m going to be spending this weekend sipping some tall Cold Ones and reading this and everything else I’ve been meaning to finish before the semester starts.

Again, thank you very much Darin.  I appreciate it. 

BTW, incase you are not up to "bastard" speed… calling someone a bastard is fighting words.  Calling someone a “magnificent bastard” is an utterance of ultimate respect and a compliment.  But don’t call a Liberal one, because ignorant liberals are not familiar with General Patton and will not know what you mean and just take it as an insult.  If you are not up to speed, watch the movie “Patton”.  4 times in a row.  Then drop and give me 50.

Email from Commander Bobbitt: “It is truly a sad day when they retire the Tomcat. I spent 11 years in Uncle Sam's Canoe Club, and the last 8 of those years were spent as an intercept controller running countless numbers of 14s, 18s, F4s, A4s, A6s, A7s, and whatever else the birdfarm launched, into enemies real and imagined. By far, the F-14 was the top of the heap. It was always a pleasure to take the 14s up against the 15s and 16s (no offense to our USAF ogres), but the 14s would kick ass both from a distance and in the dogfight. Of course, a lot of that credit rests with the pilot and RIO, mostly who were TopGun grads. The 15s and 16s are damn good birds in their own right. The Ruskies can also comment on the F14 abilities.

I guess we could see the strategic changes coming when they turned Miramar Naval Air Station into a Marine Corps Air Station, and combined the NFWS with the USAF equivalent at Nellis. However, I do not like the idea of removing the 14s from active duty. The 18s are not worthy comparisons to the 14s even if it is configured as a Super Hornet. It all comes down to money. Like the Farksters pointed out, maintenance costs are deemed excessive, so it must die. Interestingly, the 14s served marvelously in both Iraq campaigns; not just in an air superiority role, but in a CAS role, as well. Essentially, it did the tasks the 18 was designed to do. Originally, the 18 was the replacement for the A-6 and A-7 aircraft, thus the F/A-18 designation. In my estimation, the F-18 cannot do what the military is asking it to do at the same level that all of its predecessors did. In other words, it is a good A-6 and A-7 upgrade, and it performs as desired. But, it just cannot run with the F-14 Dog Daddy when it comes to air superiority. I shared this point rather aggressively with an admiral one time. I'm not real sure what I accomplished, but the Admiral, shanghei'd my ass back overseas for three months as part of his staff for specops.

Perhaps the strategic situation is currently such that the brain trust feels they can use the 18 in this role until the new joint fighter is unleashed. I agree that the Chinese are building a war machine, and that war machine is heavily focused on the submarine. We can only hope that the powers that be are silently enhancing the LA class subs to counter this threat. I'm glad the Chinamen are jumping through their asses trying to figure out the general. It will be interesting to see how things unfold. As those of us intimate with the F-14 are fond of saying, "Anytime, Baby!" Bobbitt”

If the US Navy really wanted to save some money… like a fraction of the cost of the F-18 even… and still have a platform that could perform similar to the F-14 and be fitted out with F-14 systems… the Russians have the naval versions of the SU-33 or some other variant of the SU-27 that they are more than willing to export.  I am pretty sure we have a couple of them… I have seen at least one of them flying overhead near Richmond.  These are good solid airframes… they could be fitted with our engines and avionics and the things would be perfect.    The JSF, that some are saying is the F-14’s ultimate replacement is nothing of the sort.  The F/A-18 is not a stop gap until that one comes on line… the JSF is the replacement for the F/A-18!  Look at the stats.  It isn’t a Tomcat.  Nothing is a tomcat.  The SU-33 is the only thing in the air that comes close.   The Russians already have a version that can handle landing on carriers and everything.  Wouldn’t take that much effort to refit the airframes and put them right on the flight line.   I’d like to give the contract to a US company… but no one has anything even close to doing what a Tomcat could do without even trying.

I’m also all for killing the V-22 project and using the money to by the Russian export version of the Mi-24 Hind and upgrading that with our avionics, engines, and rotors…  That would be killer.  And something the Marines could actually use and fight with.  

Noon-thirty:  Eeewww… That’s gross.  They grew this guy a new jawbone in his back.  That’s some wild stuff.   Medical technology is getting very strange.   But there is still no cure for cancer, aids, flu, or the common cold.  Go figure. 

Brady blasts Keyes’ stand on gun control: “Disabled gun control activist Jim Brady weighed in Wednesday on Republican U.S. Senate nominee Alan Keyes' declaration that the U.S. Constitution grants private citizens the right to own and carry machine guns, calling the remarks an "insane" call for a return to ‘the Al Capone days.’” 

Interesting article.  I would rather walk unarmed through Chicago or Milwaukee  during those Al Capone days than to walk armed with an FN FAL through Chicago or Milwaukee today.  Brady references Al Capone a couple of times, trying to conjure up images of gangsters rolling through the streets with tommy guns and slouch hats and shilling illegal booze. 

Truth of the matter is that such things were very rare.  I’m not saying it didn’t happen… it was just extremely rare.  Back then you could buy a Thompson .45 caliber submachinegun for little money… you could buy from your hardware store for only 5 bucks a suppressor for your gun… whatever you wanted.  Gun control laws were thin and as rare as the gangsters rolling through the town shooting wild like in the movies. 

Now let’s take a look at the same areas today… where we are so protected with all this gun control laws.  We have gangsters rolling through the streets with guns and their hats on sideways and shilling illegal drugs.  Only it is not rare now… There are areas where the police don’t like to roll because it would be like a Mogadishu ambush if they did.  And there is a huge difference between the gangsters then and the gangsters now.  Gangsters then still said things like “Yes, Sir.  No, Sir, Thank you, Mam” because they were still polite and respectful and hell, they even dressed up nice and took pride in that. 

Gangsters now say things like, “Fuck you, bitch”… they have no respect for anything or anyone… not even their own mothers… and they dress like circus acts. They have the collective culture and mentality of a pack of hyenas.  The only pride they have is how hard core gangster they are.  Thanks a lot Gun Control.  You’ve made the gangsters during the Al Capone days look like Sunday School Teachers.  I’ll take The Mob over The Posse any day.   Because of the gun laws we have… these low brow thugs have free reign of the streets.  Thanks a lot Democrats.  You should be proud… you miserable pieces of shit.

The Seattle PI has a good article.  Anti-Weapon Campaign Runs On Fiction.  No kidding.  That’s what we’ve been saying for years now!

Only 3 weeks to go now until the AWB sunsets… 3 weeks.  If nothing happens, the AWB goes away.  My fingers are crossed.  I’ve written every representative in Utah and Virginia… I’ve made phone calls… I’ve sent emails… and I’ve been doing this every month for the last year.  My Utah congressmen must know me by name now.  Hatch and Matheson certainly do.  Do your representatives know your mind?  Make sure they do.  Seriously.  We are getting down to the wire… it’s time.  Do it.

Department of Homeland Security have made their selection for DHS handguns.  Read the Press Release here.  SIG and HK are the winners.  This is huge win for these guys.  And good choices.  I can not fault either… but are these really the best choices for DHS?  I don’t know… I would have rather have seen a different selection.  These choices are just too obvious.  Not interesting.  I think Springfield’s XD would have been an outstanding choice and would have shaken up the gun industry.  That would have been wild.  And it would have rewarded a gun company that deserves it.  Springfield will bend over backwards to make you happy if you have any – ANY – problem with a Springfield gun.  I guess this is just as well… had Springfield been given the contract, they would have become very busy and unable to provide such excellent service to the rest of us.  I’m not sure which HK pistols have been selected, undoubtedly they are the P2000 or a variant like it.

0900hrs: This was sent to me earlier this morning and it didn't make me too happy:  “Defense officials tell us China's intelligence service agents and diplomats are scrambling to find out what was behind the announcement last week that Air Force Gen. Gregory S. Martin will be the new chief of the U.S. Pacific Command.

Gen. Martin aced out at least one Navy admiral for the job, and the Navy is said to be upset that the key post went to an Air Force general and not an admiral.

Recent past Pacific commanders have leaned toward the "China-is-not-a-threat" school of military officers who have tended to downplay the growing military buildup in China.

Traditionally, the Army usually gets the command of U.S. forces in South Korea and the Air Force has tended to be the lead service over military forces in Japan, while the Navy for decades has had the lead on forces in Hawaii and the rest of the Pacific.

The appointment of Gen. Martin is viewed by defense officials as an effort by Mr. Rumsfeld to toughen up the U.S. defense posture in the region, specifically toward China.

A senior defense official said a key feature of Mr. Rumsfeld's troop relocation plan is to "move the center of gravity [of U.S. forces] from Europe to Asia."

Gen. Martin has been involved in developing the Air Force's next generation of advanced weapons — arms that should make the Chinese think twice before attempting to invade Taiwan and risking U.S. retaliation.

A specialist on high-technology warfare who favors precision guided weapons, based on advanced sensors and good intelligence, Gen. Martin said in a speech in November that modern warfare is more about "integration" of forces and information, than just the idea of employing "joint" forces.

"I'm very high on the concept of integration," said Gen. Martin, who will be moving to Hawaii from his current job as commander of the Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

"I'm very high on the concept of making sure we have standards and systems that do communicate and pass information, because frankly I don't care if it's an Air Force space system, an [National Reconnaissance Office] space system, a Navy airborne system, an Army trooper on the ground that gives me the last piece of information that puts the cursor over the target. It won't happen if they aren't integrated, so I'm absolutely dedicated to that."

Here is the deal, for the last 10 years China has been on an aggressive military build up.  China has made a number of threats against the USA.  Remember when our P-3 Orion crash landed on a Chinese held island?  China was acting like they wanted to throw down over it.  Fact: China wants to spar with the USA.  They are itching to.  And this massive military build up is them getting ready to.  Now all the sudden we are putting a new man in charge of the APAC theater, and we are repositioning our forces away from Europe where they are less needed. In my opinion we are quietly gearing up for a showdown ourselves.  We already have a number of aircraft carriers in that region and near that region already… Just kind of slowly and casually moving over there.  We probably have the majority of our submarines over there now.    

China has expressed a great many things… they might have some good spies out there collecting information, but the guys back home should not try to play Poker.  The first thing they want to do to take out our carriers, and they have told us that they believe the best way to do that is via submarines.  This is true.  Most of the carrier’s battle group defense posture is air defense.  (Yeah, and with all this shit going on, the Navy is killing the F-14.  It’s due to retire, sure, but we don’t have anything ready to replace it yet.  The Joint Strike Fighter isn’t ready!) Our ASW platforms are more limited and it is a much more difficult job.   Also a more critical job, because one hit from a sub would be the end of the ship it hit.  And if China put a nuke on the torpedo, that’s the end of the battle group.  But I don’t think China wants to play with nukes right off the bat.  China wants to get into a boxing ring with us and slug us out in conventional warfare… but some of the Chinese leadership are just psychopath enough to want to push the button.  Every bit as psycho as Khrushchev ever was. 

The main goal in all of this is for China to give the USA a beating so they can be the king of the mountain and the #1 super power.  Why?  So they would be able to reel in all the rogue provinces that they believe are rightfully China’s.  Taiwan, Singapore, Korea, Japan… All of that. 

Let me make something very clear – I love the Asian people.  I don’t have anything against them and the few emails I’ve received accusing me of otherwise just really get under my skin because it is so untrue.  This isn’t about racism.  My God, Man!  This is about National Security.  My only concern here is the Communist Government of China, who I consider to be the absolute #1 threat against our National Security.  Part of that National Security is our Economy.  Our economy helps keep us safe.  Our economy is tied to Japan’s economy… we are like a married couple.  Globally speaking, Japan is our bride.  (While England is like our Best Friend or Brother or something and we used to get into fights a lot but we have grown up now)  If Japan goes down… and China has that as one of it’s ultimate goals, then that would be devastating to our economy and our security.  Taiwan first, then Singapore… China would just be working it’s way to Japan.  China is the new Soviets.   Newt basically said that to the 9-11 Commission, Rummy has said that, and now we are moving all our chess pieces in that direction… You would have to be an utter moron to not see it.  Not wanting to believe it is one thing.  I don’t want to believe it either… because China could kick us square in the nuts hard enough to make 9-11 look like a rush hour fender bender.  For that reason I really hope I am wrong.  I pray I am wrong.

This report is absolute true. It is human nature.  Same reason sports have always been popular, and competitions.  Humans need it.  We’ll go after anything.

More thoughts on the F-14 Tomcat.  The US Navy thinks it is going to be able to use F-18 Hornets in its place?  The Hornet is my favorite fighter jet… but it can not do what a Tomcat can do… pack the big Phoenix missile.  A weapon that we need desperately to defend our Carriers from China’s attack planes.  The Hornet can’t fill that Guardian Angel role.  The only thing that we have that could possibly carry a Phoenix is the Viking.  Load it up with a couple Phoenix missiles instead of the torpedoes, but that would just be stupid.  Fark has an interesting discussion on this topic today.    

This is a sad and kinda creepy story.  The saddest thing about it is that no one missed him.  A couple people at tenant meeting asked where he was but no one actually cared enough to look in on him.  That is very sad.  He just ups and dies and no one noticed or cared.  What happened to Jim?  Who’s Jim?  That is the saddest thing ever.  

Early Morning:  Email from Pvt Bruno, newly promoted to Sergeant:  “Ogre, this is PVT Bruno with a very big dilemma that could decide the future of my life. I am a dual citizen of Switzerland and the United States, and since I am almost 18, I am trying to make a choice into which army I should join. My father was Swiss military as was all of his family before him. No one in my family has served in the US military as my family arrived here after WWII. I've been living in the US all my life and have grown quite attached to it but my heart lies with Switzerland.  Then there’s the issue of weaponry I receive when I join up with either country. I either get a SIG 550 I believe when I join the Swiss army. I get an M-16 soon to be X-M8 when I join the American Army and both of these weapons kick ass. Please help me out Ogre,  PVT Bruno, Loyal Horde Member”

I wouldn't call the weapon situation a factor in this choice.  On one hand you have a deep family tradition.  Thats a powerful factor. On the other hand you have your adopted country. However I think you have answered your own question. You said, "my heart lies with Switzerland."  That's all you need to know right there.  Banking on that, and with your family tradition... I don't think there is any more debate needed.  Besides, after you finish up with the Swiss Army, you can always come back to the USA and join the Army here if you like.  There is nothing wrong to going back to Switzerland and serving there... so don't feel bad about that for a moment.  But don’t talk to me about this... Talk to your Father and seek his council.  Part of being in The Horde is first and foremost being strong in your family.  That’s what it's all about.  You will do well whatever choice you make.  Keep us posted, Sergeant.

This came in via email and while I find it very interesting, I do not find it surprising:

IS KERRY’S CAMPAIGN SITE DD-214 A FORGERY?
MilitaryCorruption.com has learned there is a serious discrepancy on the DD-214 featured on HYPERLINK www.johnkerry.com www.johnkerry.com. [It is possible, by the time you read this, the suspicious document may have been pulled or “corrected” by the Kerry campaign.] But as of August 20, it was still up there, a glaring example of the truth in that old line: “Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”
The Silver Star is the third-highest medal this nation can bestow. The next highest is the Bronze Star for Valor. The “V” device on that award denotes it was won for “valor on the battlefield” vs. the other Bronze Star decoration - for “meritorious achievement” while serving in a combat zone.
Why is it that the Kerry campaign site, and supposedly a genuine DD-214, lists a Silver Star with combat “V” (for valor)? Anyone who knows anything about awards and decorations can tell you that just the fact that a Silver Star has been awarded, indicates bravery and valor. Thus, in no circumstances, is a “V” device attached to the Silver Star. It would be redundant to do so. And anyway, it’s against regulations. But there it is, the Silver Star with “V” on the Kerry DD-214.We are indebted to Henry and Erika Holzer of HYPERLINK www.frontpagemagazine.com www.frontpagemagazine.com for the research they did in exposing this glaring example of possible deception by the Kerry campaign.
They report that the presence of the combat “V” with Kerry’s Silver Star “raises two extremely disquieting questions. How did the unauthorized “V” get there, and why has Kerry allowed it to remain? 
“The first question should not be taken lightly because we are talking about possible federal crimes. We are talking about the possibility of a forged official document. We are talking about, as well, Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001, which states:
Whoever in any manner within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the United States, knowingly and willfully . . . makes or uses any false writing or document, knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years or both. The Holzers ask if the combat “V” was added by a sloppy clerk or a yeoman’s typo thirty years ago? “Or was someone pressured or persuaded to add it? If Kerry had nothing to do with the gratuitously added combat “V,” why didn’t
he have his DD 214 corrected when he was separated from the Navy?
“Which gives rise to the second disturbing question: If Kerry was not a party to the unauthorized “V,” why, for all these years, has he allowed his DD 214 to remain uncorrected and to repose on his web site?  “In light of the recent Swift Boat revelations and the cloud they have cast over Kerry’s awards, one plausible answer is that this is yet another example of Kerry’s multiple, and increasingly transparent lies about his alleged heroics in Vietnam.”

If this is true… and his DD-214 was false… and Kerry used it, has been using it for 19 years… then why doesn’t someone from John Ashcroft’s office investigate this?  This wouldn’t be any simple political investigation, but a criminal one, and would there for be under Ashcroft’s jurisdiction.  If the Kerry Camp wants to launch an investigation on the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth group… they need to be willing and ready to play ball in the big league, full contact.  Hey Kerry, Catch!  Bitch.

VRWC

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