Tag: Military
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cusack: coffin photo ban ‘most cowardly political act’
from raw story: When the Bush administration began enforcing a controversial policy banning photographs of military caskets returning from Iraq, the move provoked outrage – and now, a film – from actor John Cusack, who calls the media ban “one of the most cowardly political acts” of his lifetime. Appearing on PBS with host Tavis…
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army expands by lowering the bar on recruits
from int’l herald tribune: Two weeks ago, the Pentagon announced the “good news” that the army had met its recruiting goal for October, the first month in a five-year plan to add 65,000 new soldiers to the ranks by 2012. But Pentagon statistics show the army met that goal by accepting a higher percentage of…
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military training program for teens expands in US
from afp: Dozens of teens dressed in uniforms provided by the US Marines stand at attention in the gym of a Chicago public high school as a drill sergeant goes through a list of the day’s do’s and don’ts. Bring your books to class. Come for extra help if you need it. And wear your…
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44th anniversary of a coup d’etat
from oregon truth alliance: On November 22, 1963, the United States of America had a military coup d’etat – an event that most people chose not to see (a society of “not see’s”). President Kennedy was removed after changing his mind on the Cold War. He refused to invade Cuba during the Bay of Pigs…
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army desertion rate up 80% since 2003
from ap: Soldiers strained by six years at war are deserting their posts at the highest rate since 1980, with the number of Army deserters this year showing an 80 percent increase since the United States invaded Iraq in 2003. While the totals are still far lower than they were during the Vietnam War, when…
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russia says it may deploy missiles to belarus
from msnbc: Russia may deploy its newest Iskander tactical missiles in neighboring Belarus in response to U.S. plans for a missile shield in eastern Europe, Russian media quoteda senior general as saying on Wednesday. Asked if the missiles could be deployed in response to the U.S. shield, Major-General Vladimir Zaritsky, head of Russia’s artillery and…
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don’t microwave me, bro!
from wired/blacklisted news: Seven months after an airman was burned in a test of the nonlethal heat beam, the Air Force has released a heavily redacted version of the mishap report (2.28mb PDF) that reveals few details about what happened. The military has bent over backwards to demonstrate to the public that the Active Denial…
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red alert: 2008 defense authorization bill
from blacklisted news: The 2008 Defense Authorization Bill authorizes use of US military for domestic purposes! Section 1615, page 672 (of 794) (Under TITLE XVI, NATIONAL GUARD ENHANCEMENT) DETERMINATION OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CIVIL SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS (a) DETERMINATION OF REQUIREMENTS—- The Secretary of Defense shall determine the military-unique capabilities needed to be provided by the…
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virginia marines take part in mock terrorist drill
from wdbj: Training for the war on Terror, it happens everyday. And, for the past week about 2,000 Marines have been in Central and Southside Virginia doing just that, training. Thursday night some Marines took part in a mock terrorist drill in Martinsville. The scenario involved a terrorist group known as the Rocky Mount Resistance.…
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US army running low on cannon fodder
cannon fodder: (noun) Soldiers, sailors, or other military personnel regarded as likely to be killed or wounded in combat. from ap: The Army began its recruiting year Oct. 1 with fewer signed up for basic training than in any year since it became an all-volunteer service in 1973, a top general said Wednesday. Gen. William…
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pentagon ok with martial law in pakistan
from the news: The Pentagon said Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s declaration of state of emergency in Pakistan does not affect U.S. military support, a spokesman said. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is monitoring the fast-developing situation, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said. “Pakistan is a very important ally in the war on terror and he is closely…
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darpa ‘predicts’ use of virtual satellites
from thought criminal: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is predicting that in the future “virtual satellites” circling the globe will peer down on enemy forces. Instead of one expensive 10,000-pound spacecraft, the spy camera will float alone, unattached to other components. The onboard processor and communications node, for example, will orbit nearby and the…
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australian defence group wants dna bank
from the australian: All troops should be forced by law to give DNA samples, according to the influential lobby group Australia Defence Association. But both sides of politics yesterday rejected the ADA’s call, saying they would not support new laws compelling all soldiers to give DNA samples. Their comments follow the revelation in The Australian…
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152 dolphins off iranian coast ‘suicided’ by US sonar
from abc: The mysterious “mass suicide” of 152 dolphins washed up on Iran’s coast over the past month has alarmed environmentalists, with the blame pointed at regional fishing practices. from gulf news: The mass death of more than 150 Striped Dolphins in southern Iran over the last month could be due to the herd of…
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gi joe now works for the blue helmets
from sydney morning herald: America’s battered international image has claimed a new casualty – the tough-talking comic book patriot GI Joe. The muscular character was created as a comic strip for US military publications during World War II and has been fighting America’s foes ever since. But in a new film version, due to go…