The F-35 Performs Vertical Landing Inching Closer To Full Deployment

The F-35 inches closer to widespread deployment with the US Armed Forces and the US Marines specifically following tests of the VSTOL version of the craft that enable vertical or short take off and landings.

The F-35 would replace the A/V-8 Harrier jets, which were originated in the United Kingdom.



However, full deployment is going to be delayed after announcements made earlier this year. Costs have also more than doubled, which makes is a ripe candidate for further cuts.

The F-35 is supposed to have three variants - an Air Force version, a Navy carrier-based version that will fly beginning later this year, and the Marine Corps VSTOL version. The Air Force version has been in testing since 2006

The Senate Joins President Obama In Killing the F-22 Program

President Obama wanted to see this done, and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates made sure that the F-22 program would be killed, eliminating follow-up purchases of this fifth generation aircraft, and 4th generation stealth fighter.



What would this aircraft bring to the table? It's an air superiority fighter, which would supersede that of the F-15, which had a similar function. The F-15 has been flown quite a bit by the US and there is cause for concern over the ability of the airframe to handle the stresses (several recent crashes involved airframe separations causing the loss of the aircraft and deaths of pilots/crew).

The F-22 would bring thrust vectoring and other advanced technologies to the forefront, and complement the F-35 JSF that is also being ordered and delivered to the US Air Force, Marines, and Navy. The F-35 would not replace the F-22.

Yet, the Senate voted 58-40 to kill the F-22 program.

Then, there's the economic angle. At a time when the US economy is hurting and the industrial base is shedding manufacturing jobs, this program is getting whacked, all to save $1.75 billion.

How many people are working on the F-22 project who will now have to find work elsewhere as the company closes down production for want of $1.75 billion, which would strengthen our national security?

The F-22 employs 1,800 in Dallas/Fort Worth alone. Tens of thousands more work on the project nationwide, and yet they're all going to be looking for work as Lockheed Martin sees that they don't need them on their payroll as the work dries up.

This is real stimulus - real jobs, real tangible goods that improve the local economy and national defense as an added bonus, and yet it's getting whacked.

Yet, President Obama says that eliminating this program will better protect our troops. How exactly is that going to be done? As noted above, the F-22 and F-35 were built for different missions and each complements the other. One cannot fully replace the other, just as surely as the F-16 does not replace the F-15 for all missions. This is a serious mistake, and believing that our nation's enemies will remain solely the Taliban or terrorist groups attacking US strategic interests from the fringes is extremely short sighted. It's complacency, pure and simple.

With all the trillions of dollars that the federal government is throwing around, they can't find $1.75 billion to continue this program?

Another New York City Flyby Cancelled?

I regularly receive notifications from the NotifyNYC system, and they sent out emails earlier this morning announcing that as per the FAA, there would be a military flight near Lower Manhattan this morning between the hours of 10:30 to 11:30 am today.

10:25 am - MON, May 11, 2009
Notify NYC - Notification 10:25am
As per the FAA, the planned military flyover has been cancelled.

10:24 am - MON, May 11, 2009
Notify NYC - Notification
This is a message from Notify NYC. Notification 2 issued 05/11/09 at 10:00am. As per the FAA, the planned military flyover has been cancelled.

10:00 am - MON, May 11, 2009
Notify NYC - Notification 10:00am
As per the FAA,a military plane will fly down and back up the Hudson River between the hours of 10:30 to 11:30 am today.

A second notification was issued about a half hour later saying that the flyby was canceled.

There's no word on the kind of planes that were to be involved or the purpose of this flight.

We do know that the White House and Presidential Wing had prepared for a flyby across the District of Columbia, but that was canceled after the outrage from the New York City metro area flyby.

UPDATE:
Bear in mind that the photo taken and released by the White House of the first flyby is awful. (HT: Gabriel Malor at Ace)

I would have tossed it on the circular file because it simply doesn't meet my own standards for publication. It's muddy, includes distracting reflections, and the bottom right includes part of the canopy of the F-16 chase plane.

Meanwhile, one thing that the photo doesn't contain is the EXIF data, which is commonly found on most digital cameras. Why was that information seemingly purged? Was it taken with a simple point and shoot, and not even a prosumer model? That whole episode still reeks.

UPDATE:
Apparently today's planned flight was to include a US Navy P-3 Orion reconnaissance aircraft flying around 3,000 feet above the Hudson River. It would be substantially higher than the skyscrapers, but still far lower than typical air traffic in the region.

The report indicates that the FAA canned the order, even though it sent out an alert to the City of New York, which itself alerted the public via the NotifyNYC system.

Something doesn't quite make sense, given that the FAA apparently approved the flyby in the first place, but only at the last moment cancelled it. In light of the flyby mess two weeks ago, how was it approved?

Also, what was the purpose of the mission? That goes unmentioned. Curious.

Scare Force One Photos Wont Be Made Public

After claiming last week that the flyby of the VC-25 aircraft that is designated Air Force One when the President is on board was meant to upgrade the file photos of the airplane over national landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, the US Air Force now says that they wont make the photos public.

Are you kidding me? After spending $328,835 [ed: corrected the figure] to make the effort and causing quite the scare and stir in the NY metro area because of the low flying aircraft that no one except a chosen few in the FAA and a few people that the FAA informed, the Air Force and White House owe it to the taxpayers and the New York metro area residents to see what they got for the trouble.

The $328,835 snapshots of an Air Force One backup plane buzzing lower Manhattan last week will not be shown to the public, the White House said yesterday.

"We have no plans to release them," an aide to President Obama told The Post, refusing to comment further.

The sole purpose of the secret photo-op, which sent thousands of New Yorkers running for cover, was to take new publicity shots of the presidential jet over the city.

"The photos . . . are classified -- that's ridiculous," Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., said.

New Yorkers said they could not understand how a president who shares intimate snapshots from the White House could justify classifying these.

"So we're not gonna see the fruits of this cruel joke?" said Frank Antonelli, 39, one of the Wall Street traders spooked by last week's flyover.

Also, after claiming he was angry that the photo op caused such a stir, the President must make the photos available.

This only adds an unnecessary diversion to the White House (which could be precisely why they're going this route?).

UPDATE:
Don Surber links. Thanks! Don also notes that the White House is hell-bent on releasing hundreds of photos showing alleged abuse of detainees. So, it's real easy to find reason to criticize the US (and particularly the prior administration), but if you find reason to criticize the current occupant of the White House, those photos remain classified (although not for long as Michelle Malkin has filed FOIA requests to release the photos and other information stemming from the overflights).

UPDATE:
This is top quality snark, courtesy of Ace of Spades reader C.Jordan:

Perhaps the photos were ruined by people running for their lives in the background?

Let's see if he was right.

Like Ace, I'm wondering why the Administration is stonewalling on this minor issue, particularly because everyone knows that it was a screwup, including by the President's own admission. What does he stand to benefit by maintaining the secrecy of the photos unless there are none to be released at all, and he and his staffers were lying about the purpose of the flyover? Occam's Razor is starting to get the tingles on that front, and unless the Administration can come up with a better answer, this is going to needlessly simmer.

Where Are The Photos?

If, as the White House claims, the flyby of Air Force One over the Statue of Liberty was done to update file photos of Air Force One (the VC-25) over national landmarks, where are these photos as supposedly taken from the F-16 chase plane?

You would think that the White House would show these photos as proof of the expensive exercise that took place two days ago and which caused needless (but knowable) panic because of the secrecy imposed on the flight through New York Harbor and seen from Lower Manhattan and Jersey City.

New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine has said he's yet to find any official within his state who was informed of the overflights.

Corzine said he has yet to find a New Jersey official informed in advance about the flight, which he called out of sync with "understandable anxiety that people in the metropolitan area have on both sides of the river."

An FAA spokesman has said the flyover "was approved and coordinated with everyone," with notifications made to the New York City Police Department, the mayor's office, the New Jersey State Police, and other agencies.

However, a confidential security memo that went out last week by the FAA's Air Traffic System Operations Security office -- while acknowledging "the possibility of public concern regarding Department of Defense aircraft flying at low levels," instructed that all information about the flight be kept confidential and not be released to the public or media.

"The information in this document is considered FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY, and should only be shared with persons with a need to know," the memo declared.

An Obama administration official has said the flyover was done because the White House Military Office wanted to update its file photo of the president's plane near the Statue of Liberty.

Again, who in the media has asked the question that we'd all like to see - where are the photos that caused so much consternation?

After all, we taxpayers paid $328,825 for the photo op and that doesn't count the lost wages and productivity from those businesses affected by the panic induced evacuations from buildings on both sides of the Hudson River because of the ominous approach of a large airliner bearing down on them.

As some folks have wondered, what was the Administration thinking of sending the VC-25 into NY harbor unannounced when there are so many people in the region who were directly and viscerally affected by 9/11 and who saw the planes crash into the Twin Towers?

I, for one, would like to see the quality of the photos taken, so that they can be compared to the versions that supposedly needed to be updated.

UPDATE:
Michelle Malkin has filed FOIA requests with the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Joint Staff FOIA Requester Service Center seeking more info. That includes the flight manifests, communications that would shed light on the origin of the “mission,” and copies of any and all photos taken. Good for her. At least someone is trying to get to the bottom of this mess.

Following Up On Air Force One NYC Flyby

New York area newspapers are having a field day with the headlines. The Daily News headlines: Plane Stupid. The Post has Scare Force One.



Mayor Mike Bloomberg was pissed off that the public wasn't notified of the flyby. He said that the NYPD was informed, but was told not to inform the public. The White House has apologized, with the mea culpa coming from the White House Military Liason

The FAA said that only those who needed to know should be alerted to the flyby, which was being done to update file photos of Air Force One near US landmarks, like the Statue of Liberty. The lack of notification sent panicked office workers scurrying for the exits on both sides of the Hudson River as the VC-25, a military version of the Boeing 747, which serves as Air Force One when the President is on board, flew at rooftop levels and swept around New York Harbor to get the photos with a F-16 fighter aircraft trailing.

An F.A.A. memo last week said information about the exercise “should only be shared with persons with a need to know” and “shall not be released to the public or the media.”

The breakdown of communication went deeper. Mr. Bloomberg said he first learned of the exercise when his BlackBerry started buzzing with messages from people asking if he knew what was going on.

“First thing is, I’m annoyed — furious is a better word — that I wasn’t told,” Mr. Bloomberg said.

“Why the Defense Department wanted to do a photo-op right around the site of the World Trade Center catastrophe defies imagination,” he said. “Had I known about it, I would have called them right away and asked them not to. It is the federal government, and they can do in the end what they please, but I would have tried to stop it.”

He said that the Police Department and an official in his administration — he did not say who — had not advised him of the exercise.

White House and City Hall officials later said the notice had gone to the director of the city’s event coordination and management office, which handles permits for events like block parties, street fairs and parades. The director, Marc Mugnos, was formally reprimanded for failing to notify his superiors, said a senior city official, who was given anonymity because this was a personnel matter.

As the uproar reached Washington, dozens of officials at the White House, the Pentagon and the Department of Transportation rushed to find out who had authorized the flyover.

The White House did not issue a statement, or a formal apology, for more than six hours. At first, the White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs, dismissed questions, saying: “You might be surprised to know I don’t know of every movement of Air Force One or what happens to it.”

Later, aides told reporters that President Obama was furious about the flyover when it was brought to his attention. The White House Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, conveyed the president’s anger in a meeting with the director of the White House Military Office, Louis Caldera, who issued the apology.

“Last week, I approved a mission over New York. I take responsibility for that decision,” Mr. Caldera said. “While federal authorities took the proper steps to notify state and local authorities in New York and New Jersey, it’s clear that the mission created confusion and disruption. I apologize and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused.”

It should be noted that New York City did send out two notifications about 20 minutes later via the NotifyNYC email system:

10:36 am - MON, April 27, 2009
Planes over Lower Manhattan
Planes observed flying over Lower Manhattan were part of an approved federal activity.

10:21 am - MON, April 27, 2009
Notify NYC - Notification
Notification 1 issued (04/27/09), (10:20 a.m.)

Planes observed flying over Lower Manhattan were part of a planned Federal aerial activity.

Those notifications should have come much earlier, and would have been far better if they were supplemented with local radio and television reports indicating that Air Force One would be in the region for the photo ops.

Newsday reports that the photo op was done in conjunction with a training mission to save money, but what was so pressing that the file photos needed to be updated in any event given that the Statue of Liberty and Air Force One remain unchanged since the current fleet of VC-25s has been in service since 1990. Let's hope that the Administration doesn't screw up future photo ops in a similar fashion.

UPDATE:
Felony stupidity and crass insensitivity, is how Fran Townshend, who served in the Bush White House described the flyby. She's not alone in describing the flyby in less-than-glowing terms.

Even President Obama has had to agree that it was a mistake. He has apologized for the error in judgment.

"It was a mistake," he said in response to a reporter's question. "It was something we found out about along with all of you. And it will not happen again."

He did not respond to a question about whether the White House staffer who organized the flyover should keep his job.

Obama is once again failing to take responsibility for actions done in the name of the Administration. The buck always stops with someone other than him.

UPDATE:
Do we need more apologies, or just heads on a platter? The FAA apparently knew that such a flyby would cause a panic and the FAA threatened sanctions against anyone who leaked details of the flyby?

In a memo obtained by CBS 2 HD the Federal Aviation Administration's James Johnston said the agency was aware of "the possibility of public concern regarding DOD (Department of Defense) aircraft flying at low altitudes" in an around New York City. But they demanded total secrecy from the NYPD, the Secret Service, the FBI and even the mayor's office and threatened federal sanctions if the secret got out.

What are your feelings on federal officials demanding the NYC flyover be kept secret by the NYPD and the mayor's office?

"To say that it should not be made public knowing that it might scare people it's just confounding," Sen. Charles Schumer said. "It's what gives Washington and government a bad name. It's sheer stupidity."

The flyover -- apparently ordered by the White House Office of Military Affairs so it would have souvenir photos of Air Force One with the Statue of Liberty in the background -- had President Obama seeing red. He ordered a probe and apologized.

"It was a mistake. It will never happen again," President Obama said.

The NYPD was so upset about the demand for secrecy that Police Commissioner Ray Kelly vowed never to follow such a directive again and he accused the feds of inciting fears of a 9/11 replay.

"Did it show any insensitivity to the psychic wounds New York City has after 9/11? Absolutely. No questions about it. It was quite insensitive."

These kinds of decisions get the green light from high level officials in the White House. That means that Obama is ultimately responsible for these actions. By the same token, Ray Kelly is out of line for saying he would never follow such a directive again. There could be good reasons not to inform the public of certain kinds of flight activities, but ultimately this puts government in a real bad light that they would not trust the public to know that the White House and the US Air Force were conducting a flyby of Air Force One over national landmarks like the Statue of Liberty.

UPDATE:
Instapundit notes that there are still loose ends, including who exactly was on board the plane and who ordered the flight. I wouldn't be taking the White House word on this, as they're all too likely to evolve their response.

If, as some are suggesting, campaign contributors were on board, the public has a right to know. If the White House wont say, perhaps someone will be intrepid enough to seek out the logs at Andrews Air Force Base where the VC-25s are maintained and based.

UPDATE:
There are reports that the cost for the flight was $328,825. That might be the cost to the taxpayers, but it was hardly the only cost. There was lost productivity at those businesses affected by evacuations in Jersey City and Lower Manhattan, along with the police response and 911 calls that came in throughout the region.

Still, what was so damned important that this flight was kept secret from everyone in the region.

It's not like we haven't had Air Force One come overhead here before.

Joey Devilla, meanwhile, quotes Chris Taylor who seems to have come across a very curious line of questions - why was a F-16 chosen as the platform from which to take the photos, given that the F-16 is normally a single seat aircraft - there is a two-seat trainer version, but the plane doesn't appear to be that version. More to the point, the F-16 was repeatedly shown trailing the VC-25, meaning that they wouldn't be getting the most prominent view of the plane.

They wouldn't be getting optimal versions of Air Force One flying near the very landmark they were trying to supposedly photograph.

Joey explicitly comes out and says what I've been musing on now since the incident; if they wanted the photos, why not make it a mini-air show and attract a huge audience. They definitely would have gotten one, without nearly the amount of grief.

Something stinks rotten here.

Low Flying Planes Cause Panic and Evacuations in NYC Metro Area

The FAA says that there is nothing to be worried about as a military flight was engaged in low level flight along the Hudson River today. They say it was preplanned photo shoot and local authorities were aware of the flight, although that didn't exactly soothe frayed nerves of those who saw the flight, which appeared to be a plane with the markings and characteristics of Air Force One and a fighter escort.

When the President isn’t on board, that plane wouldn't be called Air Force One but SAM28000 or SAM29000 (the tail number). Only when the President is on board will they change the call signal on the flight. Since the USAF flies the planes, they can call it a military flight. It could be a new crew familiarizing itself with the NYC metro area for later flights to the region.

It's also possible that they were conducting the flight and taking photos for a US Air Force promotion to run at a later date.

UPDATE:
Here's video:



UPDATE:
Don't these guys know not to buzz the tower?! And yes, I know that this was the USAF whereas Top Gun was USN, but on general principle, it might have been to coordinate activities with the people in the NY metro area instead of causing panic and lots of jittery nerves in these parts.



UPDATE:
All this craziness because the White House wanted to update the file photo of Air Force One over some of the nation's famous landmarks. Why exactly is that a good use of our tax dollars? How much fuel did that little jaunt cost? What about the carbon emissions?

The landmarks haven't changed. Neither has the aircraft. There was no need for this. I might have a different take if they were doing a US Air Force commercial involving AF1, but that wasn't the case. This was a needless waste.

Iran Propagandists Misfire

The Iranian propagandists screwed up. Again. Big time.

This time, they were talking about how the Iranians will never let anyone attack Iranian soil and they posted a photo to accompany the story.

Enemy is by no means able to launch military attack against Iran, Air Force Commander Brigadier General pilot Ahmad Miqani said on Thursday.

Addressing a ceremony to celebrate graduation of a number of officers in an air base, the commander stressed Iran's military strength in the region.

"Relying on efforts made by its young experts, the Air Force of the Armed Forces has made remarkable achievements in various fields and this has resulted in promoting Iran's authority inside and outside the region," said the commander.

Here's the photo:


Notice anything odd about it? Distinctive markings? Flag markings? Anything?

You should.

Those aren't Iranian aircraft.

Those are the USAF Thunderbirds. They are the Air Force's demonstration team and they fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Iran doesn't have those aircraft. Iran certainly doesn't use that paint scheme.

Their propagandists couldn't dig up Iranian fighter aircraft in flight, and therefore cribbed an American photo instead.

HT: jcm at LGF

UPDATE:
Quilly Mammoth at LGF notes that there was metadata associated with the image:

OVER MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. -- Four F-16 Fighting Falcons from the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flight demonstration team fly in diamond formation during Airfest 2004 here April 24. The F-16s are assigned to the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Joe Zuccaro)

The Iranians just did a straight cut and paste, and didn't even bother to edit out the metadata. Classy.

Memorial Day Weekend 2008

We once again take time out of our busy schedules to remember those who fought in defense of the nation and those who made the supreme sacrifice. Words cannot fully explain what these men and women have left behind - both in terms of the loss to their family and friends, and what a grateful nation has gained from defending the freedoms that many still take for granted despite being born from the blood, sweat, and tears of these men and women.



Taken at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial 3/2005.

I've posted a number of clips showing some of our nation's finest soldiers, sailors, and Marines doing precision maneuvers with either their rifles or in their aircraft.



The US Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon



The US Navy Blue Angels



The US Air Force Thunderbirds



The US Army Silent Drill Team

Others remembering their brethren: Greyhawk, Blackfive (and here), and Austin Bay.

US To Retire F-117 After 27 Years of Service

The Nighthawk has been in service for 27 years, and seen combat in the skies over Panama, Serbia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. It was the first purpose built stealth aircraft designed to overcome radar by deflecting it away with its faceted appearance. For more on this remarkable aircraft, see here.

The plane is being retired to pave the way for the F-22 Raptor.

Memorial Day Weekend 2007

I was trying to think of some way to honor those who have given their lives for our country, and while I think the following photo provides the kind of introspective reminder of how personal the loss is of those who fought and died for our country, we also need to remember the ongoing sacrifices made to keep our nation safe. With that in mind, I've posted a number of clips showing some of our nation's finest soldiers, sailors, and Marines doing precision maneuvers with either their rifles or in their aircraft.



Taken at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial 3/2005.



The US Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon



The US Navy Blue Angels



The US Air Force Thunderbirds



The US Army Silent Drill Team

UPDATE:
Blackfive does a far better job of writing about Memorial Day than I did. (HT Confederate Yankee)

Discharged?

An Air Force drill sergeant and former Iowa National Guard member who posed nude for Playboy magazine has been removed from active duty, she said Wednesday. Whether that amounts to an honorable discharge, as Michelle Manhart also says, is unclear.

Manhart, who appeared in a six-page spread in Playboy's February issue, said she got word Friday that she was removed from "extended active duty" and was also told that she was demoted in rank from staff sergeant to senior airman.

"I'm disappointed in our system," Manhart told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "They went too far with it."

Manhart said that being removed from duty meant that she reverted to her Air National Guard status and that she submitted a "resignation" to the Guard, which she said is pending. Manhart was a member of the Iowa Air National Guard before going on extended active duty.

Manhart offered The AP a copy of a signed "request and authorization for separation" form that indicates her "character of service" was "honorable." It is not clear whether the form is an official discharge order.

Oscar Balladares, a spokesman for Lackland Air Force Base, confirmed that Manhart was removed from extended active duty on Friday, but he said Lackland did not discharge her.

"She was not discharged, but she was removed from active duty status and thus reverted to National Guard status," Balladares said. "It is not up to the Air Force — it is not our jurisdiction to discharge her."

So, until her papers come through from the Air Force regarding her active duty status, it would appear that her status with the National Guard isn't resolved one way or the other. It will be interesting to see how the National Guard handles the matter. Either way, Manhart is getting quite a bit of press these days. More photos here.

Prior coverage is here.

UPDATE:
Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Perri Nelson's Website, Faultline USA, The Random Yak, The HILL Chronicles, stikNstein... has no mercy, basil's blog, Pirate's Cove, The Amboy Times, Dumb Ox Daily News, High Desert Wanderer, Conservative Thoughts, Right Voices, and Pursuing Holiness, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Technorati: michelle manhart, playboy.

Air Force Sergeant In Trouble Over Playboy Pose

SAN ANTONIO Jan 12, 2007 (AP)— An Air Force staff sergeant who posed nude for Playboy magazine has been relieved of her duties while the military investigates, officials said Thursday.

In February's issue, hitting newsstands this week, Michelle Manhart is photographed in uniform yelling and holding weapons under the headline "Tough Love." The following pages show her partially clothed, wearing her dog tags while working out, as well as completely nude.

"This staff sergeant's alleged action does not meet the high standards we expect of our airmen, nor does it comply with the Air Force's core values of integrity, service before self, and excellence in all we do," Oscar Balladares, spokesman for Lackland Air Force Base, said in a statement.

Manhart told Playboy that she considers herself as standing up for her rights.

"Of what I did, nothing is wrong, so I didn't anticipate anything, of course," Manhart, 30, told The Associated Press. "I didn't do anything wrong, so I didn't think it would be a major issue."

Manhart, who is married with two children, joined the Air Force in 1994, spending time in Kuwait in 2002. She trains airmen at Lackland.

I guess the Air Force didn't read Lawhawk's posting (complete with Phoebe Cates picture) on how terrorists fear scantily clad women most of all.

On a serious note, there is nothing wrong with a women doing a spread in Playboy. Playboy is after all a legitimate magazine ... with great articles. However, we all know that when uniform personnel posse in Playboy, bad things happen, i.e., they get fired. Remember Carol Shaya, an NYPD officer who posed nude and was fired from the job. I know there were others also who got in trouble for posing in their uniform. Now, Sgt. Manhart should have known that and should have cleared this with her supervisors. Should she be relieved of her duties, I don't think so. Should she be reprimanded? Sure. Should we all go out and buy Playboy? Why not!

UPDATE:
Lawhawk here. Rob at Say Anything has more links to the photos (most of which appear to be nothing more than what you'd find in Victoria's Secret catalogues).

Somali Warlords Agree to Disarm

One of the first steps to pacifying Somalia is to get the transitional government to be the sole force with major arms. Eliminating the military power of the warlords and clans is a major goal, and an agreement for those warlords to disarm is a major step towards that goal.

That doesn't mean that there are significant hurdles to overcome, but it means that those warlords appear to have faith in the transitional government to provide those warlords with a voice that they do not need to resort to armed conflict.

"The warlords and the government have agreed to collaborate for the restoration of peace in Somalia," said Abdirahman Dinari, the government spokesman. Dinari said the president had met with three top Somali warlords and two other faction leaders.

"The agreement means they have to disarm their militia and their men have to join the national army," Dinari told The Associated Press.

The rout of the Islamic fundamentalist movement, which had controlled much of Somalia for the past six months, by Somali government troops and Ethiopian soldiers has allowed the country's weak U.N.-backed transitional government to enter the capital for the first time since it was established in 2004.

Besides clan divisions, resentment of Ethiopia's intervention and remnants of the Islamic movement also were likely to bedevil the government for some time to come.

There are believed to be about 20,000 militiamen in Somalia and the country is awash with guns. Rival clan fighting and warlords already have been the undoing of 13 other attempts at government in Somalia since the country collapsed into chaos in 1991.

One of Somalia's most powerful warlords, Mohamed Qanyare Afrah, told the AP after the meeting that the warlords were "fed up" with guns and ready to cooperate with the government.

However, another warlord spelled out a warning.

"If the government is ready to reconcile its people and chooses the right leadership, I hope there is no need to revolt against it," said Muse Sudi Yalahow, whose fighters control north Mogadishu. "If they fail and lose the confidence of the people, I think they would be called new warlords."

Indeed, the Times reports that there was a gunbattle outside the location where the disarmament talks occurred leaving eight dead. There is still the ongoing fight with the Islamists and al Qaeda elements, who are holed up in the southern part of the country. There are also reports of a small US force on the ground assisting in the tracking and elimination of al Qaeda inside Somalia. The Somali government has stated that they want the US to assist in hunting al Qaeda inside the country.

The U.S. is helping Somalia liquidate al Qaeda militants on a request from the Transitional Federal Government, the Somali foreign minister told RIA Novosti on the phone from Kenya Friday.

The U.S. Air Force carried out air strikes in southern Somalia Monday, aimed at eliminating members of al Qaeda. The attack has come under criticism from the United Nations, and European and Arab countries.

Ismail Hurre said, "America helped us prevent militants of al Qaeda and the Islamic courts that support it from sending additional forces and new fighters into Somali territory."

The U.S. said Thursday the attack had failed to eliminate the three al Qaeda suspects being targeted, but that 10 people linked to the terrorist group had been killed. The search for the militants continues.

An African peacekeeping mission was being urged by some.

Terrorist Hunting in Somalia

It looks like the US airstrikes against a group of al Qaeda terrorists may have yielded good results for everyone. If it pans out, then watch for these names to appear in the news as confirmed as killed or captured

America is worried about four people. To start, the deputy commander of the union’s military wing, Aiden Hashi Ayro, is said by American intelligence and a recent report by the International Crisis Group to have been trained in Al Qaeda camps in Afghanistan before September 11, 2001. After the attacks, he returned to Afghanistan to join the fight against the Americans.

Mr. Ayro’s boss and commander of the union’s military, Hassan Dahir Aweys, was placed on the State Department’s list of international terrorists in November 2001 and named in a presidential executive order the same month on international terrorism. American counterterrorism officials have long said Mr. Aweys was a key source of coordination for the 1998 Al Qaeda attacks on America’s embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

Also of interest for America are Fazil Abdullah Mohammad, or Harun, and Abu Tala al Sudani, two alleged terrorists who helped plot the 1998 bombings and are now key leaders in the courts union.

Mug shots of those implicated in the embassy bombings can be found here via CNN. The jihadis get their one-way tickets to paradise punched and the US gets to eliminate a couple of jihadis who were linked to the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya that killed more than 200 people. The jihadis can run, but they can't hide forever.

Austin Bay has more.

Reuters is reporting that the US airstrikes killed significant numbers of people in the town of Hayo:

Many people died when a U.S. gunship hunting al Qaeda suspects attacked a village in southern Somalia as part of a wide air offensive against fugitive Islamists, officials said on Tuesday.

In Washington's first overt military intervention in Somalia since a disastrous peacekeeping mission that ended in 1994, an AC-130 plane rained gunfire on the remote village of Hayo late on Monday, a senior government official said.

"There are so many dead bodies and animals in the village," the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

There's no confirmation of who was actually killed, and the US military wasn't giving details as yet. Fox reports that there was another airstrike, but was unclear whose air force was involved. Meanwhile, the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower was deployed off the coast to potentially provide additional air capabilities to go after jihadis as they show themselves.

Elsewhere, jihadi plots were thwarted in Jordan, and more than 50 militants were killed in a fierce gunbattle in Baghdad.

UPDATE:
More airstrikes have been reported in Somalia. MSNBC reports:

Helicopter gunships launched new attacks Tuesday against suspected al-Qaida members, a Somali official said, a day after American forces launched airstrikes in the first offensive in the African country since 18 U.S. troops were killed there in 1993.

Witnesses said 31 civilians, including two newlyweds, died in Tuesday’s assault by two helicopters near Afmadow, a town in an area of forested hills close to the Kenyan border 220 miles southwest of Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu. The report could not be independently verified.

A Somali Defense Ministry official described the helicopters as American, but the local witnesses told The Associated Press they could not make out identification markings on the craft. Washington officials had no comment.

It seems that every time that the US hits a large contingent of suspected terrorists, the first reports claim that it was a wedding; this unconfirmed report is no exception - note the claim that two of those killed were newlyweds.

UPDATE:
Has the US been operating in Somalia for the past month in conjunction with the Somali transition government and Ethiopian forces? It certainly looks that way according to this report. Such an acknowledgement would seem to confirm the earlier reports that US aircraft had attacked Islamists' positions around Somalia last month.

UPDATE:
Rick Moran weighs in with a posting on the US involvement in going after al Qaeda in Somalia and notes the following:

We appear to be undertaking a substantial, determined effort to make the right moves in Somalia now – both militarily and diplomatically. As to the latter, patience may be a virtue that I would urge on my lefty friends. Somalia has resisted efforts to coalesce into a nation for the past 15 years and it will take time for our policies to bear fruit; that is, if we can sustain them.

Islamists Routed From Mogadishu

The New York Times reports that the Islamists have fled from Mogadishu in the face of the transitional government forces backed by the Ethiopian army.

Just hours after the Islamist forces abandoned Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, militias loyal to the transitional government seized the city today in a stunning reversal of fortunes.

According to residents, troops from the transitional government, along with Ethiopian soldiers who had been backing them up, poured into the capital from the outskirts of the city while militiamen within Mogadishu occupied key positions, like the port, airport and dilapidated presidential palace.

“The government has taken over Mogadishu,” a transitional government leader, Jama Fuuruh, told Reuters by telephone from Mogadishu’s port.

“ We are now in charge."

Mogadishu’s new powers immediately had to deal with a rising level of chaos, as armed bandits swept the city and fragmented clan militia began to battle each other for the spoils of war. Witnesses said an intense gun battle raged around a former Islamist ammunition dump and that clan warlords had instantly reverted back to setting up roadside checkpoints and shaking down motorists for money. Many terrified residents stayed in their homes behind bolted doors and the few that ventured into the streets carried guns.

“No one is really in command,” said one adviser to Western diplomats who has close contacts with both the Islamists and the transitional government. “Chaos is in command.”

People inside Mogadishu and out are stunned. The Islamist forces, just a few weeks ago the most powerful force in the country and considered a regional menace, had disintegrated after just four days of counter-attacks by the Ethiopian-led troops. There were reports that the Islamist leaders had gone underground, fleeing deep into the Somali bush. There were also worries that they had simply changed tactics and could be planning to employ guerilla warfare and terrorist attacks, as they had threatened to do. Today, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed , a top Islamist leader, said his forces had surrendered the city to avoid a bloodbath.

Curious that Ahmed would surrender the city to avoid a bloodbath when Islamic law requires retaking lands lost to infidels. Bill Roggio also reports on the resignations of key leaders of the Islamic courts. And it was only yesterday that they vowed to fight to the death. Gaius notes that the Times seems disappointed that the Islamists cut and ran.

The larger problem is that Mogadishu has descended into chaos once again and it is up to the transitional government and Ethiopian army to try and regain control over the battered city. Bryan at Hot Air notes that Ethiopia correctly determined the threat posed by the Islamic courts and took decisive action to eliminate the threat.

The swift fall of the Islamists from power in Mogadishu should be correctly seen as a big victory against the Islamists and the jihadis. The problem will be the follow up as the Islamists simply melted into the background where they can still cause trouble - watch for an insurgency operation to unfold in coming weeks as the Islamists are not going to give up the grip that easily. They saw their forces destroyed when engaging in combat operations with the Ethiopian army, but know that if they follow the Iraqi model, they could be successful at creating a perception of stalemate that favors them.

While we're at it, there is absolutely no way anyone should accept a ceasefire before the Islamists surrender unconditionally or are crushed. The UN should not stick its nose into this matter to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Others taking note of the routed Islamists from Mogadishu: JammieWearingFool, Euphoric Reality, and the fine folks at memeorandum.

UPDATE:
Yemeni forces attacked four Somali ships carrying more than 500 refugees and one capsized. Seventeen people drowned and more than 100 are missing.

UPDATE:
The more things change, the more they remain the same. Here's a US State Department document from 1973 noting the Somali threat against Ethiopia and a recommendation to assist the Ethiopians. It isn't too difficult to see the parallels to the current situation. Simply switch Soviet with Islamist.

Here's still more on the US view of Ethiopia and the Somali threat from 1973.

Technorati: somalia, ethiopia, eritrea, african union, council of islamic courts, genocide, crimes against humanity, jihad, failure, and united nations

Ethiopians Continue Rout of Islamists in Somalia

Ethiopian forces continue push on Mogadishu and the Islamic courts forces are calling it a strategic retreat (I'd call it a rout). They've been forced from yet another town as the Ethiopian forces continue to swiftly move on the Somali capital city. They're within 18 miles of the capital.

Some don't like that the Islamists are losing and see the US behind the conflict.

The Islamists for their part are warning of a quagmire and long conflict. Actually, it appears that they're hoping that there's a quagmire because they figure that Ethiopia will lose the will to fight and pull out leaving Somalia in the hands of the remnants of the Islamic courts. The UN wants to help that process along by calling for a ceasefire. Hot Air concurs and wonders what they've been smoking in the diplomatic corps that makes the notion of a powersharing arrangement between the Islamists in Somalia and the legitimate transitional government even a possibility especially when the Islamists have sided with al Qaeda and have openly called for the jihadis to come join their fight.

One has seriously wonder about this kind of analysis:

Though allowing the Islamists to take power is hardly a good option, it is probably the best one. Islamists have already shown themselves able to bring stability to Mogadishu. It seems likely that they could do the same for the rest of Somalia, ending the anarchy that has plagued the country for a decade and a half.

Furthermore, since the dominance of the Islamists in Somalia is looking increasingly inevitable, the Bush administration should make the best of it. Even with direct American aid to the anti-Islamist forces, it seems unlikely that the Somali government will ever regain control of the country. While the Bush administration has pursued a strategy of "anyone but the Islamists," (first through aid to warlords and now through tacit support for Somali and Ethiopian forces) this is the wrong approach. The US, along with its European allies, should realize that the war is unwinnable and try instead to reach a power-sharing deal between members of Somalia's Baidoa-based government and the Islamists. By using our influence to negotiate a peace agreement between the two sides, we could encourage the formation of a more moderate government that respects human rights.

Calling the Islamists a stabilizing influence is like calling Mussolini a success because he made the trains run on time or Hitler was successful because he built the Autobahn. The Islamists are imposing their form of law and order by killing all those who oppose their version of Islamic law. They've simply managed to be more efficient at killing and cowing the public than the other groups that have sought control over Somalia.

With the Ethiopians now involved, the calculus has changed. The Islamists are on the run and there's no amount of pressure that would force moderation on a group whose core beliefs are religious in nature short of unconditional defeat. They aren't going to moderate their religious beliefs based on a package of economic aid.

Technorati: somalia, ethiopia, eritrea, african union, council of islamic courts, genocide, crimes against humanity, jihad, failure, and united nations

Project Valour-IT Fundraising Efforts

**** This Post Will Be Kept Above The Fold For Duration of Campaign - which ends November 10, 2006 ****

Once again, I am going to be raising money for Project Valour IT, which in effect helps serve those who have served and given their all to defend our nation.

They've had our backs. Now, it's time to have theirs. I came across Project Valour IT a while back, and thought it was so worthwhile, that I permalinked to them on my sidebar. Soldiers' Angel provides voice-controlled software and laptop computers to wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines recovering from hand and arm injuries or amputations at major military medical centers.

This particular effort is a friendly competition between the various branches of the US Armed Forces. While the US Marines is the smallest of the four branches, they are at the tip of the spear. Cassandra at Villainous Company is running the Marine campaign, and anyone who donates through my blog will be able to contribute to the Marine campaign effort.

There are three other teams competing so far:
Army – Led by blogger BlackFive
Air Force – Led by OpFor
Navy – Led by Chaotic Synaptic Activity.

You can donate through the link in the sidebar, which will remain posted for the duration.

Goal: The goal of the Project Valour-IT fundraiser is to raise enough money for new laptops with voice activated software for our wounded soldiers with hand and/or arm injuries. The goal this year is for each branch to raise $45,000.

How: Donate online with Paypal or send in a payment to:
Soldiers' Angels
Project Valour-IT Fund
1150 N Loop 1604 W, Suite 108-493
San Antonio, TX 78248

Please note "Marine Valour-IT Team" on your check so we get credit for your donation, because we want to WIN this thing!

Thank you and Semper Fi!

UPDATE:
Here's a list of all the other folks participating in this worthy cause.

Supporting Our Troops Again

I see that John F. Kerry has come out in support of the troops again. Of course, no one is clear as to which troops he's supporting, but it is apparent that our troops aren't among them:

“You know, education, if you make the most of it, if you study hard and you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, uh, you, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq.”

For someone who went to an Ivy League school, that's not only an incredibly dumb thing to say, but it demeans all the troops serving our country with honor and dignity.

This is someone who was close to winning the Presidency and leading those same troops? This is someone who thinks that he should again run for President? This is a leader of the Democrat party of the United States?

Here's some news for you Kerry. You and your ilk are despised because you despise our troops so. You think that they're stupid or worse to join the military and serve our country through thick and thin. You have dishonored our troops, and you continue to dishonor the uniform that you once wore.

Oh, and the statement is factually and demonstrably false. Our military is an all-volunteer force - no one was forced to sign up. Many have had college and advanced level educations.

And he thinks that this is going to rally people to vote for a Democrat? I have a bridge to sell in Brooklyn.

UPDATE:
And here's the video:


UPDATE:
How this cannot turn into anything but Democrats shooting themselves in the foot just days before the election is simply amazing. Karl Rove, you magnificent bastard. Getting Kerry to mouth off like this is a stroke of genius. Others blogging: GOP and the City, Stop the ACLU, Texas Rainmaker, Hot Air, Patterico, Michelle Malkin, Ed Morrissey, Dan Riehl, Gaius, and Sister Toldjah.

This is just the start folks. Welcome to Halloween - Kerry style.

UPDATE:
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has called on Kerry to apologize. Like apologies mean anything for statements such as this? Kerry's contempt for the military and those who have a calling to serve in the US Armed Forces is palpable and visceral.

UPDATE:
Kerry was speaking to his core constituency. The anti-war anti-US far left. They lap this stuff up and their venom towards the US Armed Forces is palpable in everything Kerry says and does. So Kerry continues to make such statements - not as gaffes, but as sincere beliefs to his audiences.

The problem is that Kerry's core constituency is insufficient to win an election nationally or poll a majority of Americans. He's out of step with most Americans, but because he thinks that it plays well with the remnants of the Democrat party he continues to stick his foot in the collective mouth of Democrats across the country.

It bears repeating - if Kerry is going to appear with any other candidates for the duration of this election cycle, this video should follow him around. If he's appearing with Menendez in NJ - the RSCC or other groups (including the Kean campaign) should plaster the airwaves with this video. This video must follow him around if the GOP is smart (and I'm sure Rove is watching closely).

That's how radioactive this kind of thing should be. It's the Democrat party in action - and don't think for one instant that enemies of the US aren't watching and reading US media closely to see who would do a lesser job against them.

UPDATE:
The Anchoress and Tom Maguire have more. Gateway Pundit picks up on the Kerry lies about education and military service. Tigerhawk notes that the mask slips.

UPDATE:
Via Stop the ACLU, Kerry is blaming the GOP and media for distorting his statements.

Senator John Kerry issued the following statement in response to White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, assorted right wing nut-jobs, and right wing talk show hosts desperately distorting Kerry's comments about President Bush to divert attention from their disastrous record:

"If anyone thinks a veteran would criticize the more than 140,000 heroes serving in Iraq and not the president who got us stuck there, they're crazy. This is the classic G.O.P. playbook. I'm sick and tired of these despicable Republican attacks that always seem to come from those who never can be found to serve in war, but love to attack those who did.

I'm not going to be lectured by a stuffed suit White House mouthpiece standing behind a podium, or doughy Rush Limbaugh, who no doubt today will take a break from belittling Michael J. Fox's Parkinson's disease to start lying about me just as they have lied about Iraq. It disgusts me that these Republican hacks, who have never worn the uniform of our country lie and distort so blatantly and carelessly about those who have.

Sorry, but that doesn't fly. Kerry has repeatedly smeared veterans of wars, from Vietnam through the current conflicts, including claiming that they engaged in war crimes and violations of the Geneva Conventions. If anyone is lying here, it's Kerry (again). Indeed, the media is doing its best to spin this in Kerry's favor by blaming it on GOP.

UPDATE:
Here's the direct link to the Kerry "rebuttal."

UPDATE:
So, Kerry wants to make this all about Bush. The media is trying its best to spin this as a Bush attack on Kerry, disregarding that it was Kerry's asinine statements about those serving in the military that demanded a strong response. Kerry's supporters wants us to believe that it was simply a joke that was misunderstood. At least that's what some are trying to say that Kerry meant to say. Too bad that doesn't come across in Kerry's presser or official statement on the matter. In those, Kerry is unrepentant and refuses to admit he was wrong. That's because he doesn't believe he was wrong. Don Surber still thinks that Kerry should have been smart enough to apologize. Hey, for political expediency it would be the right thing to do, but this is why Kerry could not get elected president in 2004, and why people will be even less willing to take a flier on him in 2008.

QandO's irony meter is pegged in the red zone because the first person to lay into Kerry was none other than John McCain, and was followed shortly afterwards by the American Foreign Legion, whose military service is pretty well known.


Frank J. lays down the humor bat.

Others blogging: Cold Fury, Macranger, Wizbang, and Political Pit Bull.

UPDATE:
Glenn Reynolds notes Kerry is the gift that keeps on giving to the GOP. Stop digging suggests Marc at USS Neverdock especially when Kerry admits back in 2004 that he wasn't misled - he simply flipped positions. Roger L. Simon wonders if this fiasco might rescue the GOP from losing on Election Night. Quite possibly.

Tammy Bruce, among others, notes that those serving in the Armed Forces have higher educational achievement than those who haven't served.

Austin Bay isn't amused.

Senator Bill Frist joins the choir of those demanding apologies.

So what have other milbloggers had to say about this? It's pretty unanimous - and the use of strong language is quite prevalent. They're not amused one bit by Kerry's latest antics. Those commenting include Blackfive, Argghhh! (The Donovan), Lt Smash, and WillyShake.

UPDATE:
President Bush drops 50 and fires for effect. So does an unnamed Democrat Congressman. Apparently they dislike what Kerry said, but not enough to go on the record publicly.

Technorati: john kerry, support the troops, democrat, politics.

Air Force One: Punk'd

A startling Internet video that shows someone spraying graffiti on President Bush's jet looked so authentic that the Air Force wasn't immediately certain whether the plane had been targeted.

It was all a hoax. No one actually sprayed the slogan "Still Free" on the cowling of Air Force One.

The pranksters responsible for the grainy, two-minute Web video — employed by a New York fashion company — revealed Friday how they pulled it off: a rented 747 in California painted to look almost exactly like Air Force One.

"I wanted to do something culturally significant, wanted to create a real pop-culture moment," said Marc Ecko of Marc Ecko Enterprises. "It's this completely irreverent, over-the-top thing that could really never happen: this five-dollar can of paint putting a pimple on this Goliath."

The video shows hooded graffiti artists climbing barbed-wire fences and sneaking past guards with dogs to approach the jumbo jet. They spray-paint a slogan associated with free expression.

After the video began circulating on the Web on Tuesday, the Air Force checked to see whether the plane had been vandalized.

And how much free press will Ecko get because of it? Well, it got my attention. Not that I'd buy any of his stuff, but it's still a funny gag.