Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Military Related Headlines 10/14


  • U.S. Wants Nanobots and Exoskeletons To Win Futurewar [io9]
  • Puppy stays in Iraq, Army tells soldier [AP via CNN]
  • Friendly fire in Iraq -- and a coverup [Salon]
-Dippold

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Thursday, October 09, 2008

Military Related Headlines 10/9


  • FCC deepens probe into Pentagon TV analyst payola [Ars Technica]
  • U.S. Military Chief Gives Grim View of Afghanistan [NY Times]
  • U.S. tries tough love to reduce Iraq's dependence [USA Today]
  • N Korea 'to launch 10 missiles' [BBC News]
  • Court Weighs Concerns on Whales and Military [NY Times]
-Dippold

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Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Military Related Headlines 10/8


  • Pentagon source: Strike killed 30 Afghan civilians [USA Today]
  • U.S. Military: Tense Encounters With Iran Occur Almost Daily in Strait of Hormuz [FOX News]
  • Pentagon researches alternative treatments [USA Today]
  • Former Iraq Contractor Pleads Guilty To Stealing Almost $40 Million In Army Fuel [AP via Huff Po]
  • Gates Asks Iraq Allies To Shift Troops To Afghanistan [AP via Huff Po]
  • Suicide Epidemic Among Veterans [CBS News]
  • Negroponte Calls Security Deal on Iraq ‘Close’ [NY Times]
  • US intelligence: no signs of Korea leader crisis [AP via Newsvine]
  • Russia to cut military to 1 million by 2012 [USA Today]
-Dippold

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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

A Few Negative Military Headlines

  • Rape Victim’s Death Ruled “Suicide” By Army [Firedoglake]
  • U.S. Military Admits Killing Baghdad Commuters [NPR]
  • Army Recruiter Used Scare Tactics: Teen Who Signed Non-Binding Contract Told He'd Be Jailed If He Didn't Join Army [CBS News]
-Dippold

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Monday, July 07, 2008

Vet Group will Air Ads Touting Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

According to a report by the Associated Press Saturday, veteran group Vets for Freedom is launching a national ad campaign this week touting the troop buildup in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Vets for Freedom is spending $1.5 million on the ads that will first run on cable television nationally starting out in five states: Colorado, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio and Virginia.

The group also plans to send members to several swing states as part of a four-month education campaign that they plan on formally announcing Wednesday.

The article also mentions McCain and Obama. Vets for Freedom more or less seem to back McCain and criticize Obama for not visiting Iraq since 2006.

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

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Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Da Gay Bomb

The so called "gay bomb" has been the source of many a bad jokes lately. I'd like to share some of them with you (or at least some blogger commentary), but before I do, I may as well give a quick explanation in case you haven't heard about this.

Pentagon officials confirmed they had considered but then abandoned a project to build a hormone releasing device, essentially making the targets appear so attractive to each other they would be more interested in love making than fighting. They asked for $7.5 million to develop this non-lethal, chemical weapon.

Michael Bruno of the blog I Couldn't Fake it if I Tried claims there is no gay switch and this is by no means a method of safety:

. . . I always get a kick out of people who think that we all just “magically turn gay” and can turn it on and off. But also because of the idea that 7.5 million, thats right, million dollars would be invested into such a project. And not for anything, but I love how the government would qualify turning enemy soldiers into fudge packers as a means of keeping our country safe.

And I believe Brian of Welcome to Tardville has it backwards; the gay bomb was intended for the enemy, not "our troops":

I can only imagine that we will also be hearing reports in the near future about the Air Force's ill-fated attempt to develop "Gaydar."

My question about all this is, "what about the don't ask, don't tell policy?" A bomb of this nature would be devastating to our troops, who, when struck with 4 kilotons of fag, would immediately have to turn in their fatigues and march home, skipping, in retreat, having been "exposed.". . . I guess this would give a new meaning to men getting "dirty in the trenches."

The following is some quote from some MySpace Blog or something. I can't figure out who actually said it or who to attribute it to, but it counters all the hating:

So, it's just offensive that they think by turning people gay that the other military would be incapable of doing their job. And it's absurd because there's so much medical data that shows that sexual orientation is immutable and cannot be changed.

The End.

-Dippold

Political Online Reputation

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