On August 24, 2016, a Turkish expeditionary force entered Jarablus, Syria. Today, the Arab League began a military operation to persuade Turkey to withdraw. In short, Arab League and allied strategic special operators are blowing the hell out of the Turks. Operation Euphrates Shield Turkish armored vehicles, special forces, and aircraft assaulted Jarablus. Also, about…
National suicide: How to do it in the new Middle East
August 25, 2016
Kurds are saying in plain language that Turkey is committing national suicide. Despite what you might think, the meaning of these words is clear. Unlike the Turks, the Kurds have unbelievably powerful friends. And these friends have said the same things. “Good neighborliness and non-interference in the affairs of others.” The Turks have done the…
Shoddy theater won’t change the outcome in Syria
August 24, 2016
The Turks did not drive the Islamic State from the Syrian city of Jarablus. “Operation Euphrates Shield” was a shoddy performance. It had enormous continuity errors. Continuity error? In the film Jurassic Park, for example. The Tyrannosaurus rex first appears on the other side of the low wall. Therefore the dinosaur must be standing on…
Jibber-jabber had its day. Action is the new normal
August 23, 2016
It’s axiomatic that those who talk the most are also those who care the least about their fellow humans. We reached peak jibber-jabber during the presidency of Barack Obama, who does nothing but talk. And golf. Now, fearless men and women are taking action. The courage of these people stuns me daily. They operate under…
Useless “analysts” and “experts” should shut up
July 10, 2016
Every day, we see more useless blather from self-described experts on the Middle East. These people are all idiots. Their opinions are completely wrong. All they need to do is study munitions and military operations. Then they’ll know the truth. Let me show you how easy it is. One of these men fighting for the…
Doomsday deferred at almost the last minute
June 30, 2016
“Doomsday Deferred” is brilliant short story from 1949. Author Will F. Jenkins (real name Murray Leinster) writes of a butterfly collector who goes to Brazil to find an especially rare specimen. When a peasant hands over thousands of cocoons and says “his friends” found them, the collector becomes suspicious. It turns out that the Brazilian…
Rules of engagement must be changed to defeat terrorism
June 28, 2016
Terrorists attacked Istanbul Attatürk Airport today, using assault rifles and suicide bombs to kill at least thirty-six people. Dozens more are wounded. A troubling video emerged: Despite the decades of violence, it seems that too many security forces still don’t react efficiently. The world must adopt new rules of engagement that allow security forces to…
Words mean nothing to me. Only actions count
June 21, 2016
At some point in my lifetime, words became the only thing that people care about. What he or she does is not relevant. Words are now more evil than murder. She’s talking about the Brussels suicide bombings of March 22, 2016. Of course this is utterly moronic. Would a Muslim rather read “#StopIslam” or die…
Kinetic phase of a major Arab League military operation
June 2, 2016
The US military uses the “Continuum of Military Operations” to describe American war-fighting. It has six phases, at least two of which involve kinetic or combat operations. Phase 0: Shape the Environment. This phase involves those joint interagency and multinational activities conducted on an ongoing, routine basis to assure or solidify friendly relationships and alliances…