Blogging will be light for the next few days. I have cousins visiting from overseas as well as my brother and his family from California, and on top of all that I am finishing up on special web project. Therefore .... for today .... blogging will return late tonight.
Update 23:30 EST: It's been a long day. Very busy this Sunday morning. Blogging will return Sunday evening.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Women Marines Face A Tough Struggle With Infantry Course
A course to train for Marine Corps ground combat units that began on Thursday was the latest effort to incorporate women, but the two women (and 12 men) were eliminated. Christopher Gregory/The New York Times
Women (And Men) Face Big Hurdles In Training For Marine Infantry Units -- New York Times
QUANTICO, Va. — A group of Marine second lieutenants, all men, stood before the ropes on an obstacle course. They looked exhausted, though the day was far from done. One by one, they took their shots at scaling the line. One by one, most of them dropped short of the top. They were already three hours behind the front-runners in their class.
Behind them, two more Marines, both women, prepared to start the course. One, a former enlisted Marine who was shivering in the 40-degree breeze, tried repeatedly to surmount the first bar, but failed. The second, a recent Naval Academy graduate, did better, meticulously, sometimes ingeniously, working her way through many of the obstacles.
Read more ....
My Comment: I give them kudos for at least trying.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel: His Strategy For Cutting Pentagon Spending
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel gestures toward a reporter waiting to ask questions during a briefing at the Pentagon, March 28, 2013. Hagel and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed the ongoing sequester affecting the Defense Department's budget and North Korea's recent provocative actions. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett
From Battleland:
“There will be changes, some significant changes. There's no way around it. I would say also this is an imperfect process, and any decisions we make -- and we'll have to make some and will make some -- will be within the context of that imperfection. But we don't have any choices but get through a very significant analysis, back to why I asked the chairman and the deputy to lead a review on intensifying a review on everything. I mean, what do we really need? How do we protect those strategic interests? There are some opportunities in that, I think. I think everyone would agree we would just assume not have to find the high ground of opportunities this way, but we are where we are. So that's what we're going to do.”
— Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, outlining his strategy for cutting Pentagon spending to reporters on Thursday.
My Comment: And I thought President Bush was a terrible speaker.
Peace Talks To End The Afghan Conflict?
Afghanistan's Karzai In Qatar 'To Discuss Taliban Talks' -- BBC
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has arrived in Qatar on a two-day state visit for talks with Qatari officials.
The possibility of the Taliban opening a political office in Qatar is expected to be discussed, officials say.
The setting up of an office in Qatar is regarded as an important step in formalising a channel for peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.
US-led Western troops are due to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
Read more ....
My Comment: Afghan President Karzai is not scheduled to meet any Taliban officials or representatives while in Qatar .... at least publicly.
U.S. Reaction To North Korea's Declaration That It Was Entering "A State Of War" With South Korea
White House Takes N Korea Threat 'Seriously', But Koreans Keep Calm And Carry On -- The Telegraph
The White House said today that it takes North Korea's latest sabre-rattling threats seriously while cautioning that Pyongyang has a long history of bellicose rhetoric.
The statement from Washington came as South Korea said there had been no unusual activity within the North's military since an angry statement from Pyongyang last night that it is entering "a state of war" with its neighbour.
The belligerent declaration came a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed off on an order putting its missile units on standby to attack US military bases in the South.
"We've seen reports of a new and unconstructive statement from North Korea. We take these threats seriously and remain in close contact with our South Korean allies," said Caitlin Hayden, spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council.
Read more ....
More News On U.S. Reaction To North Korea's Declaration That It Was Entering "A State Of War" With South Korea
US takes North Korean threat 'seriously' as Pyongyang enters 'state of war' -- Times of India/Reuters
US warns North Korea of increased isolation if threats escalate further -- The Guardian
North Korea's Kim is making U.S. officials nervous -- L.A. Times
"North Korea is not going to war," senior U.S. official says -- CBS News
Aggressive talk from North Korea concerns U.S. leaders -- Washington Post
Update: This is going to ratchet up tensions even further .... U.S. Pledges Further Show of Force in Korea -- Wall Street Journal
Navy SEAL Team 6 Member Killed During A Parachute Training Exercise
Navy SEAL Team Six Member Died In Training Accident Where He Crashed Into Another Soldier During A Parachute Exercise -- Daily Mail
A member of the elite Navy SEAL Team 6 was killed in a mid-air collision during parachute training on Friday.
The service member who died was not identified, and one other Navy SEAL was involved in the incident suffering less severe injuries.
The second SEAL remains hospitalized and is being treated for his unspecified injuries.
Read more ....
Update: Official: Navy SEAL killed, another injured in Arizona training exercise -- CNN
My Comment: Out prayers are with the family and loved ones.
World News Briefs -- March 30, 2013
North Korea Says It Is In 'State of War' With South -- The Guardian
Official news agency continues stiff rhetoric with announcement that nation is entering state of war with neighbour
North Korea said on Saturday that it was entering a "state of war" with South Korea in a continuing escalation of tough rhetoric against Seoul and Washington after coming under international sanctions for its nuclear test.
"From this time on, the North-South relations will be entering the state of war and all issues raised between the North and the South will be handled accordingly," a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency said.
Read more ....
MIDDLE EAST
Arms shipments stepped up to Syria rebels.
Syrian rebels enter strategic Aleppo neighborhood.
Kuwait PM says two Kuwaitis among 94 accused in UAE plot trial.
Land Day: Riots in Qalandiya; clashes on Gaza border.
Jordan's king swears in new reformist government.
Yemen's victory: Getting everyone in the same room - with no swords drawn.
Egypt launches first direct flight to Iran in more than three decades.
ASIA
North Korea: 'Time has come to settle accounts' with United States.
Russia urges US and North Korea to show restraint.
Afghanistan's Karzai in Qatar 'to discuss Taliban talks.
Strong American role still exists at Afghan-controlled prison.
Karachi: Principal killed in grenade attack at school.
Nothing found in hunt for 83 miners buried in Tibet landslide.
AFRICA
France to stay course in Mali through 2013.
South Africa's Zuma to join summit on Central African Republic.
Ivory Coast to exhume bodies from post-election conflict.
Bashir to make first visit to South Sudan since split.
Kenya Supreme Court upholds Uhuru Kenyatta election win.
At least 17 dead in Tanzania building collapse.
Nelson Mandela breathing without difficulty - presidency. Nelson Mandela "comfortable", treated for pneumonia.
EUROPE
Bank of Cyprus depositors could lose up to 60% of their savings. Big depositors in Cyprus to lose far more than feared.
Slovenia will not be the next Cyprus: finance minister.
Italy's president says he won't stand down early to help end gridlock.
Russia raids hundreds of NGOs.
Sicily revokes permission for US military satellite station.
Ex-Anglican leader says Britain's PM alienating Christians.
Latvia rescues 220 people stranded on ice floes in Gulf of Riga.
AMERICAS
"North Korea is not going to war," senior U.S. official says.
Defense Department says giving Purple Heart to Fort Hood survivors would hurt Hasan trial.
Member of SEAL Team 6 killed, another SEAL injured in parachute accident.
Argentina offers to pay debts with cash & bonds.
Sparks fly in short campaign in Venezuela.
Police uses tear gas in row at Brazil World Cup stadium.
TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR
Free Syrian Army commander praises Al Nusrah Front as 'brothers.
Cyprus jails Hezbollah operative for Israel attacks plot.
New York to resume search for remains from September 11 attacks.
ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg faces $1 billion tax bill.
Newest Cyberattacks on US banks are destroying data rather than stealing it.
The countries that produce the most spam.
What Is The Damage That The North Korean Military Can Inflict In The Event Of A Shooting War
North Korea Could Inflict Significant Damage In Attack -- USA Today
WASHINGTON – North Korea's massive but poorly trained and equipped military could cause significant damage in the early stages of an attack on its southern neighbor.
But any attack would ultimately be repulsed by superior U.S. and South Korean forces, military analysts say.
It's unclear how serious North Korea is on following through on its threats, but North Korea has increased its bellicose rhetoric recently, renewing worries that its unpredictable leader, Kim Jong Un, could take actions that might trigger a wider conflict.
Read more ....
My Comment: I have mentioned more than once in the past that in the event of war, U.S. fatalities on the Korean Peninsula will quickly dwarf all U.S. fatalities in the past 10 years of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. As to what the impact of war will be on the Korean peninsula .... South Korean civilian casualties will be in the tens of thousands, North Korean military casualties will reach horrendous levels from U.S. precision airstrikes, and the cost to the South Korean economy will be in the trillions. On a geopolitical level .... this will be the number one issue on the world stage for 2013 .... bar none.
List Of North Korea's Threats And Declarations For The Past Month
Kim Jong Un inspects the second battalion under the Korean People's Army Unit 1973, honored with the title of "O Jung Hup-led 7th Regiment", on March 23, 2013, in this picture released on March 24, 2013. (Reuters/KCNA)
A Running List Of North Korea's Near-Daily Threats (Updated) -- Passport/Foreign Policy
If you're having a hard time keeping track of the multitude of threats issued by North Korea in the last few weeks, you're not alone: Kim Jong Un's young regime is on a seemingly endless tear of warnings and provocations. From threats of a nuclear holocaust to artillery strikes near disputed borders, here are the latest shots across the bow from the Hermit Kingdom, beginning with those that followed international sanctions over Pyongyang's third nuclear test in February:
Read more ....
Update: North Korea: timeline of escalating threats -- The Telegraph
My Comment: Is this all planned .... or just being down on an ad-hoc basis .... no one knows. But I do agree with what Russia's foreign minister said yesterday .... this is all spiraling out of control.
North Korea's Official Declaration Of ‘War’
Here’s North Korea’s Official Declaration Of ‘War’ -- Washington Post
A few notes about this document just released by North Korean state media.
First, North and South Korea have technically been at a state of war since the Korean War began six decades ago. So, while this “declaration of war” certainly sounds scary, the rhetoric alone does not change anything substantial.
Second, North Korea does not appear to have taken many concrete steps toward actual war. There have been no reports, for example, of the country massing its troops along the border. War is a big, complicated logistical undertaking, especially when you’re a particularly poor country trying to shuffle 1.1. million troops into place. They’re not exactly a lightening-response force.
Read more ....
Update: North Korea's 'state of war' declaration: full text -- The Telegraph
My Comment: Over the years I have read many of North Korea's government statements .... but I have never read anything like this. We are now in uncharted waters.
North Korea: State Of War With South Korea
North Korea Says It’s In ‘State Of War’ With South Korea -- Bloomberg Businessweek
North Korea said it’s in a “state of war” with South Korea, escalating threats against the neighboring nation a day after putting its forces on standby to strike South Korean and U.S. targets.
“Every issue raised between the North and South will be dealt with in a wartime manner,” the state-run Korean Central News Agency said today, citing what it called a special statement. U.S. stealth bomber flights over South Korea this week are “unacceptable” and North Korea’s statement is a “final warning” to the U.S. and its allies, KCNA said.
Read more ....
More News On north Korea's Statement That They Are In A 'State Of War' With South Korea
North Korea says it is entering 'state of war' with South -- NBC
North Korea says enters "state of war" against South -- Reuters
North Korea enters 'state of war' with South -- BBC
North Korea: 'state of war' against South Korea -- The Telegraph
The Korean Peninsula’s ‘State of War’ -- Wall Street Journal
North Korea warns South Korea of ‘state of war,’ threatens to close joint factory park -- Washington Post/AP
North Korea’s war threats are unacceptable, says Seoul -- Euronews
South Korea Warns North of Punishment Should War Declaration Go Beyond Words -- Voice of America
US warns North Korea of increased isolation if threats escalate further -- The Guardian
North Korea's Kim is making U.S. officials nervous -- L.A. Times
"North Korea is not going to war," senior U.S. official says -- CBS News
Aggressive talk from North Korea concerns U.S. leaders -- Washington Post
Friday, March 29, 2013
Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- News Updates March 29, 2013
The Korean Threat -- Telegraph editorial
No matter how ridiculous the North Korean regime might appear, the West cannot ignore its constant threats and insults.
The mindset of North Korea’s Stalinist leadership is difficult to fathom. Even though the dictatorship is isolated and bankrupt, it invites war by taunting its South Korean neighbour and threatening to attack United States bases in the Pacific. These could be empty words. Kim Jong-un’s regime has to deal with economic failure, defecting soldiers and an uncertain division of power between the military and the party – so this latest confrontation may be a rational attempt to shore up support at home by rattling a sabre at the enemy abroad.
Read more ....
Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials
Could a Korean Armageddon really happen? -- Aidan Foster-Carter, The Guardian
Why North Korea regime is scary -- Scott A. Snyder, Special to CNN
Analysis: NKorea threat may be more bark than bite -- Jean H. Lee, AP
Iraq may be destined for a break-up -- Henri J. Barkey, Gulf News
How Obama Is Failing Syria -- Fouad Ajami, Real Clear Politics
Israel and Turkey let bygones be bygones -- Washington Post editorial
How Turkey views Israel’s apology -- Aylin Kocaman, Jerusalem Post
What really happened in Jerusalem -- Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post
Iranian-Pakistan gas link has gains in pipeline for Zardari and Ahmadinejad -- Simon Tisdall, The Guardian
The Falklands: Small Islands, Big Questions -- William Ratliff, Real Clear Politics
World News Briefs -- March 29, 2013 (Evening Edition)
War bunker: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presides over an urgent operation meeting with his generals after the country put its rocket units on standby to attack U.S. military bases in South Korea and the Pacific.
Kim Jong Un Reveals His 'U.S. Mainland Strike Plan': Pictures Inside North Korean Leader's War Room Show Him Plotting To Attack America (With A Map Of Target Cities On The Wall Behind Him) -- Daily Mail
* Tens of thousands turn out for show of force in Kim Il Sung Square
* It follows images of U.S. stealth bombers flying over Pyeongtaek
* Tensions on Korean peninsula rising after Pyongyang's latest nuclear test
North Korea today released photographs of Kim Jong Un inside his military command centre signing the order to put rockets on standby to attack the U.S. mainland.
The pictures, which appeared in the state-run Rodong newspaper, show Kim surrounded by his generals, large-scale maps and diagrams during an 'emergency meeting' at an undisclosed location.
A chart marked 'U.S. mainland strike plan' appears to show missile trajectories that the NK News web site estimates targets Hawaii, Washington DC, Los Angeles and Austin, Texas.
Read more ....
MIDDLE EAST
Lawlessness spreading in rebel-held Syria.
Syrian rebels capture key southern town.
Mortar kills 20 at Damascus university as Turkey denies expelling refugees.
Officials: Car bombs kill 19, wound 72 in Baghdad. Iraq: Car bombs hit worshippers in Baghdad and Kirkuk. Bombings kill 23, wound dozens in Iraq.
Iran criticizes Qatar for giving embassy to Syrian opposition.
Report: Israelis, Turks to meet next week.
Iraq says it will stop and search more of Syria-bound aircraft to check for weapons.
Israel ups security along Lebanon border ahead of Land Day.
Natural gas to begin flowing from Tamar field, off Israel's Mediterranean coast.
Jerusalem's long Good Friday: tears, prayers and rented crosses.
ASIA
Global powers cast wary eye as Korean tension escalates.
N. Korea's Kim aims rockets at DC, LA, Hawaii and Austin. NKorea orders rocket prep after US B-2 drill.
N Korea holds mass rally supporting Kim's call to arms.
Russia warns against military activity near North Korea. North Korea tensions: Russia's Lavrov fears 'spiral'.
China to spend $16 billion to tackle Beijing pollution crisis.
Taliban attack targets Pakistan security commander.
Chinese naval fleet heads deep into disputed waters.
Quarter of U.S. firms in China face data theft: business lobby.
Japanese study warns of China's rising military assertiveness.
Muslims vanish as Buddhist attacks approach Myanmar's biggest city.
11 killed in Pakistan suicide attack.
Taliban spread terror in Karachi as the new gang in town.
Shoe thrown at Pervez Musharraf as he gets bail extension.
Sri Lanka crowd attacks Muslim warehouse in Colombo.
AFRICA
Juba says Khartoum complicit in border raids.
French troops to remain in Mali all year.
UN approves DR Congo 'intervention brigade'.
Ousted Central African Republic leader Bozize seeks exile in W. African nation of Benin.
At least two dead in Tanzania construction site collapse.
Kenyan separatists deny being behind deadly resort attack.
Egypt's top Islamist accuses opposition of sowing unrest.
Britons in aid convoy kidnapped and sexually assaulted in Libya.
Nelson Mandela 'making steady progress' in hospital. Mandela making 'steady progress' in S Africa hospital.
EUROPE
Hundreds of migrants rescued off Italian coast.
Azeri election monitor under attack, rights worries grow.
Putin restores Soviet 'Hero of Labour' title.
Cyprus says threat contained, no plan to leave euro.
Attempt to end Italy crisis stalls, president mulls next move.
Defiant Francois Hollande pledges supertax on companies.
Putin promotes Russian People's Front as new power base.
Bosnia's 'Monster of Grbavica' gets 45 years.
Serbs in Kosovo jailed over deadly riots.
French tycoon Alain Afflelou's private jet used for £40m cocaine trafficking.
AMERICAS
White House to release budget plan on April 10.
Venezuela's precampaign season off to a roaring start.
Colombia kills leader of ELN guerrilla group during military operation
Departing UN official blasts Haiti's rights record.
Clashes as Chile students march for education reform.
7,000 dental patients warned of potential HIV, hepatitis exposure.
TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR
Gitmo prisoners on hunger strike demand bottled water. Guantanamo guard commander defends prison water.
American who fought with Al Qaeda against Syria's Assad arrested in Virginia.
France ready to blacklist armed wing of Hezbollah.
ECONOMY/FINANCE.BUSINESS
Amazon to buy Goodreads for undisclosed sum.
World's oldest bank reports £2.7bn loss.
BlackBerry prolongs its day of reckoning.
UN Approves A Combat Force To Target DR Congo Rebels
UN Combat Force To Target DR Congo Rebels -- BBC
The UN Security Council has approved the creation of a special combat force to carry out "targeted offensive operations" against armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
It is the first time the UN has given an offensive mandate to its troops.
The 2,500-strong brigade will be asked to "neutralise and disarm" rebels.
The existing 20,000-strong UN peacekeeping force has been widely criticised as ineffective in ending the two-decade long war.
Troops from Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa are expected to form the bulk of the new brigade which is expected to be deployed by July.
Read more ....
More News On The UN Approving A Combat Force To Target DR Congo Rebels
UN approves DR Congo 'intervention brigade' -- Al Jazeera
UN backs Congo peacekeeping force -- The Australian
Security Council Authorizes Intervention Force In DR Congo -- RTT News
UN Council approves 'offensive' peacekeepers for DR Congo -- The International News/AFP
Congo-Kinshasa: UN Security Council Creates Offensive Force for DR Congo -- allAfrica.com
DR Congo hails UN approval of 'offensive' peacekeepers -- Global Post/AFP
Heavy Fighting Reporting In South Sudan
Map of South Sudan. Image from Safari Notes
S.Sudan Says 150 Killed In Battle With Rebels -- Reuters
* S. Sudan struggles to assert authority in vast area
* Rebellion started last year following election loss
(Reuters) - More than 150 people have been killed in a battle between South Sudan's army and insurgents in the eastern Jonglei state, officials said on Thursday.
The African country's army earlier this month launched an offensive against rebels led by David Yau Yau in Jonglei where the government hopes to search for oil with the help of France's Total.
Since winning independence from Sudan in July 2011, South Sudan has been struggling to impose its authority across vast swathes of territory bristling with weapons after decades of civil war with Khartoum.
Yau Yau mounted a rebellion last year, with support from his Murle ethnic group, after losing local elections in 2010.
Read more ....
More News On Heavy Fighting Reported Between South Sudanese Troops And Rebels
South Sudan: Over 160 Killed As Army, Rebels Clash in S. Sudan -- allAfrica.com
South Sudan Clashes Over Airstrip Leave At Least 163 Killed -- Huffington Post/AP
143 Rebels Killed as South Sudan Captures Airstrip -- Voice of America
163 'killed' in clashes with rebels in South Sudan -- Africa Review
Juba Says Khartoum Complicit in Border Raids -- Voice of America
War In Mali -- News Updates March 29, 2013
France To Cut Mali Troops To 1,000 By Year-End -- Reuters
(Reuters) - France will reduce its troop numbers in Mali to 2,000 by July and to 1,000 by the end of the year, down from 4,000 at present, President Francois Hollande said on Thursday.
After its intervention in January to halt an advance by northern al Qaeda-linked rebels towards the capital Bamako, France is keen to wind down its presence quickly and hand over to African and U.N. troops.
Hollande said France was determined that Mali should hold elections as scheduled in July but insisted that France did not have a preferred candidate.
"The days when France chose Africa's heads of state for it are over," he told French television in an interview of more than one hour to defend his 10-month-old government's record.
Read more ....
More News On The Conflict In Mali
French troops to remain in Mali all year. -- The Telegraph
French Intervention In Mali To Continue Through End Of 2013, Hollande Says 1,000 Troops Will Remain -- Huffington Post/AP
France to cut troop levels in Mali -- CNN
France to reduce troop levels in Mali -- UPI
Mali conflict: Hollande sets French troop timetable -- BBC
France may permanently station soldiers in Mali -- RT
63 soldiers, 600 Islamists dead since January: Malian army -- Times of India/AFP
UN Considers Mali Stabilization Mission -- Voice of America
UN’s Ban Recommends Putting 11,200 Peacekeepers in Mali -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Mali: UN's Ban Ki-Moon - 11,200 Peacekeepers Could Be Needed for Mali -- allAfrica.com
Ban calls for peacekeepers in Mali -- UPI
Ban proposes Mali peacekeeping force -- Al Jazeera
British troops arrive in Mali -- UPI
UK troops arrive in Mali to help train soldiers -- BBC
Mali secular rebels who oppose military presence in north Kidal region appoint administrator -- Washington Post/AP
Mali’s coup leader: ‘Coup isn’t a nice word’ -- Max Fisher, Washington Post
Crisis In The Central African Republic
Central African Republic's Capital Calm But Security And Aid At Risk In North, UN Says -- allAfrica.com
The crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR), including the seizure of power by the Séléka rebel coalition, has exacerbated an already difficult humanitarian situation, the United Nations relief wing said today, warning that tens of thousands of people could go hungry if safety and security throughout the country is not restored quickly.
"The protection of civilians is of the utmost importance," said the acting UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Zakaria Maiga.
"I call on all parties to provide security for the people of Bangui and everywhere in the country, to refrain from further escalation of violence, and to respect international humanitarian and human rights law."
Read more ....
More News On The Central African Republic
Ousted Central African Republic leader Bozize seeks exile in W. African nation of Benin -- Washington Post
Central African Republic rebel leader faces internal power struggles after ousting president -- Washington Post/AP
Central African Republic: Car's Michel Djotodia's Leadership Contested -- allAfrica.com
Central African Republic army chiefs pledge allegiance to coup leader -- Reuters
Scores of bodies discovered in C.Africa capital -- AFP
Foreigners fleeing Bangui tell of looting horror -- France24
Looters roam Central African Republic capital -- Vision
ICRC describes CAR as 'worrying' -- UPI
C.African Republic leader says to review minerals deals -- Reuters
The Republic That Never Was: Another Violent Takeover in Central Africa -- William Lloyd George, Time
6 crazy facts about the rebel leader who just took over the Central African Republic -- Washington Post
Why the UN is So Deeply Concerned About Central African Republic -- Mark Leon Goldberg, UN Dispatch
A Glimpse Of North Korea's Attack Plans Against The U.S.
Glimpse Of North Korea's Plan Of Attack On US? -- The Australian/AFP
North Korean state media issued two photos Friday that, either by accident or design, appeared to show plans for striking the US mainland, as well as details of the North's military strength.
The pictures, released by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), both showed leader Kim Jong-Un sitting at a desk in what looked like a dedicated military operations room.
The photos accompanied a KCNA report on an emergency meeting with top army leaders in which Kim ordered strategic rocket units to prepare for a possible strike against US mainland and Pacific bases.
Read more ....
Previous Post: Photographs Reveal North Korean Plans To Attack The U.S.
My Comment: These North Korean actions are unprecedented .... it makes you wonder on what they are going to do next. As for U.S. reaction to all of these threats .... a surprising atmosphere of indifference.
Russia Voices It's Fears That The North Korean Situation Could Spiral 'Out Of Control'
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin
Russia Calls On U.S., North Korea To Step Back From The Brink -- NPR
Russia is calling on the U.S. and North Korea to end an escalating cycle of dangerous provocations after Pyongyang put its missile forces on high alert and American stealth bombers flew practice bomb runs over the Korean Peninsula.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, speaking in Moscow on Friday, said the tit-for-tat moves were becoming a "vicious cycle" that could "simply get out of control," Reuters reports.
Lavrov, apparently referring to U.S. actions, said Russia is concerned that in addition to U.N. Security Council sanctions aimed at Pyongyang's nuclear program, "unilateral action is being taken around North Korea that is increasing military activity."
Read more ....
More News On Russian Concerns That The North Korean Situation Could Spiral 'Out Of Control'
Russia warns against action in Korea -- Voice of Russia
Russia warns against military activity near North Korea -- Reuters
North Korea tensions: Russia's Lavrov fears 'spiral' -- BBC
Russia fears 'out of control' N. Korea situation -- Global Post/AFP
Russia Warns US That Korea Situation Could Spiral Out Of Control -- Business Insider
Russia warns against military activity near North Korea -- Kyiv post
Russia expresses concern over military activity near North Korea -- Euronews
From A Nebraska Kebab-Maker To A Top U.S. Adviser In Afghanistan
Abdullah Amini (center), an adviser whose job is to help the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan navigate the Afghan culture, used to own a kebab restaurant in Nebraska. Courtesy of ISAF
Nebraska Kebab-Maker Now Top U.S. Adviser In Afghanistan -- Washington Post
KABUL — The man who once owned the only Afghan restaurant in Omaha is known for a different distinction here: He’s one of the longest-serving Americans at NATO’s military headquarters and the only person to have advised the last seven U.S. commanders.
Gen. John R. Allen called Abdullah Amini “my mentor.” To Gen. David H. Petraeus, he was “my wise counsel.” Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal wrote to him, “Your friendship means more to me than I’ll ever be able to explain.”
Over nearly a decade in Afghanistan, Amini has become a key player in the American mission, helping top generals navigate a culture in which misunderstandings and perceived insensitivity can have deadly consequences. But his ascent to the halls of power was much different from theirs. And now, as the U.S. military prepares to withdraw, he faces his greatest test as a cultural conduit: watching as the troops of his adopted United States leave the nation of his birth to an uncertain fate.
Read more ....
My Comment: A truly remarkable story. Read it all.
Afghan Shadow Warrior Still Wishes To Fight Taliban
Saidaa, 27, joined a secret CIA-run counter-terrorism team in eastern Afghanistan's Kunar province in 2007. (Shashank Bengali / Los Angeles Times)
After Loss, Afghan Shadow Warrior Still Wishes To Fight Taliban -- L.A. Times
The CIA-trained tracker gave militants' GPS coordinates to Americans. Even though his sister was killed in a drone strike, he'd like to work for the U.S. again.
KAMA, Afghanistan — For more than two years, he was part of a secret, CIA-trained advance team for America's shadow war in Afghanistan, helping to collect intelligence that led to the killing or capture of Taliban suspects.
Then, last September, having quit the team because of Taliban threats, the young stonemason and his family tragically found themselves on the wrong end of that intelligence. Shrapnel from a U.S. drone strike on two insurgent leaders struck and killed his younger sister on their small farm in eastern Afghanistan.
Read more ....
My Comment: Because of his work, this former Afghan soldier is probably high on any Taliban kill list .... even after he quit the forces. Since hiding on his farm did not protect his family .... it is not hard to understand why he may want to get back into the fight. On top of that .... I guess he also needs the money.
Afghanistan War News Updates -- March 29, 2013
U.S. soldiers prepare fighting positions to support coalition forces during Operation Southern Fist III in the Spin Boldak district of Afghanistan's Kandahar province, March 4, 2013. The soldiers are assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division's Company B, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Shane Hamann
Hopes Of Taliban Deal Hit By Afghan-Pakistan Dispute -- Global Post/AFP
Recriminations between Afghanistan and Pakistan on Thursday undermined hopes that a recent thaw in cross-border relations could help bring Taliban militants to the peace table.
Western officials believe Pakistan, which backed Afghanistan's 1996-2001 Taliban regime, has a crucial role to play in efforts to negotiate a political settlement with the Islamist extremists and end more than a decade of war.
Read more ....
More News On Afghanistan
ISAF Joint Command Operational Update March 29, 2013 -- ISAF
Suicide attack near US Consulate kills 10 Peshawar city -- Khaama Press
The female frontier: 1 girl, 19 men at Brit military outpost in Afghanistan -- The SUN
Spanish Tigers Deployed to Afghanistan -- Ares/Aviation Week
Russia looks into various options of establishing repair bases in Afghanistan -- New Europe
How Sesame Street tones down for Afghanistan -- DAWN/AFP
Endgame in Afghanistan -- The Nation
U.S. must decide about troops in Afghanistan -- Ronald E. Neumann, Washington Post
Hamid Karzai, confused by the U.S. -- Stephen Biddle and Michael O’Hanlon, Washington Post
World News Briefs -- March 29, 2013
North Korea Orders Missile Readiness, State Media Reports -- New York Times
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean state media said on Friday that the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, ordered his missile units to be ready to strike the United States and South Korea, which South Korean officials said could signal either preparations for missile tests or just more blustering.
Mr. Kim’s order, which North Korea said was given during an emergency meeting early Friday, was similar to the one issued Tuesday when the North’s top military command told all its missile and artillery units to be on the “highest alert” and ready to strike the United States and South Korea in retaliation against their joint military exercises.
But by attributing such an order to its top leader, North Korea tried to add weight to its threat.
Read more ....
MIDDLE EAST
Syrian rebels capture key southern town.
Mortar kills 20 at Damascus university as Turkey denies expelling refugees.
Officials: Car bombs kill 19, wound 72 in Baghdad. Iraq: Car bombs hit worshippers in Baghdad and Kirkuk. Bombings kill 23, wound dozens in Iraq.
Iran criticizes Qatar for giving embassy to Syrian opposition.
Israel ups security along Lebanon border ahead of Land Day.
Natural gas to begin flowing from Tamar field, off Israel's Mediterranean coast.
Jerusalem's long Good Friday: tears, prayers and rented crosses.
ASIA
N. Korea's Kim aims rockets at DC, LA, Hawaii and Austin. NKorea orders rocket prep after US B-2 drill.
N Korea holds mass rally supporting Kim's call to arms.
Russia warns against military activity near North Korea. North Korea tensions: Russia's Lavrov fears 'spiral'.
Chinese naval fleet heads deep into disputed waters.
Quarter of U.S. firms in China face data theft: business lobby.
Japanese study warns of China's rising military assertiveness.
Muslims vanish as Buddhist attacks approach Myanmar's biggest city.
11 killed in Pakistan suicide attack.
Taliban spread terror in Karachi as the new gang in town.
Shoe thrown at Pervez Musharraf as he gets bail extension.
Sri Lanka crowd attacks Muslim warehouse in Colombo.
AFRICA
French troops to remain in Mali all year.
UN approves DR Congo 'intervention brigade'.
Ousted Central African Republic leader Bozize seeks exile in W. African nation of Benin.
At least two dead in Tanzania construction site collapse.
Kenyan separatists deny being behind deadly resort attack.
Egypt's top Islamist accuses opposition of sowing unrest.
Britons in aid convoy kidnapped and sexually assaulted in Libya.
Nelson Mandela 'making steady progress' in hospital. Mandela making 'steady progress' in S Africa hospital.
EUROPE
Cyprus says threat contained, no plan to leave euro.
Attempt to end Italy crisis stalls, president mulls next move.
Defiant Francois Hollande pledges supertax on companies.
Putin promotes Russian People's Front as new power base.
Bosnia's 'Monster of Grbavica' gets 45 years.
Serbs in Kosovo jailed over deadly riots.
French tycoon Alain Afflelou's private jet used for £40m cocaine trafficking.
AMERICAS
White House to release budget plan on April 10.
Venezuela's precampaign season off to a roaring start.
Colombia kills leader of ELN guerrilla group during military operation
Departing UN official blasts Haiti's rights record.
Clashes as Chile students march for education reform.
7,000 dental patients warned of potential HIV, hepatitis exposure.
TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR
Gitmo prisoners on hunger strike demand bottled water. Guantanamo guard commander defends prison water.
American who fought with Al Qaeda against Syria's Assad arrested in Virginia.
France ready to blacklist armed wing of Hezbollah.
ECONOMY/FINANCE.BUSINESS
Amazon to buy Goodreads for undisclosed sum.
World's oldest bank reports £2.7bn loss.
BlackBerry prolongs its day of reckoning.
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- March 29, 2013
Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel brief reporters at the Pentagon, March 28, 2013. Hagel and Dempsey discussed the ongoing sequester affecting the Defense Department's budget and North Korea's recent provocative actions. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett
Hagel, Dempsey Defend $1 Billion Missile Shift, Blame North Korea For Tensions -- The E-Ring/Foreign Policy
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey said their decision to commit $1 billion for additional ballistic missile defenses in Alaska is an appropriate response to North Korea’s nuclear threats and the regime’s potential long-range missile capabilities in the future.
“We don’t have any choice,” Hagel said, “in defending this country but to anticipate worst-case scenarios. We do know the North Koreans have missile capability. We know that they have significant capability.”
Since Hagel announced the Defense Department’s plan to deploy additional ground-based interceptors (GBIs) by 2017, critics outside the Pentagon have argued that President Barack Obama’s national security team was duped by Kim Jong Un’s regime into responding to “fake missiles.”
Read more ....
MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS
Iran, North Korea, Syria block U.N. arms trade treaty -- Reuters
French troops to remain in Mali all year -- The Telegraph
UN approves DR Congo 'intervention brigade' -- Al Jazeera
China-Russia military technology cooperation to expand: spokesman -- Xinhuanet
Chinese Naval Fleet Heads Deep Into Disputed Waters -- Voice of America
Submarines: China Once Again Tries To Get Its Boomer On -- Strategy Page
Germany Begins Training on ‘Future’ Gear -- Defense News
Running the JSF fighter jet currently 'too expensive' says minister - - Dutch News
Australia-Based U.S. Radar To Watch China Launches -- Aviation Week
Futenma to move no earlier than 2019 -- Stars and Stripes
US ready for 'any eventuality' after activity at North Korea's missile sites -- Sydney Morning Herald
SOCOM may pick truck winner in May -- DoD Buzz
Navy Wants Lasers on Marines’ Trucks to Shoot Down Drones -- Danger Room
Video: This Massive Jellyfish Is Really an Aquatic Spy Robot -- Danger Room
Army Eyes Samsung smartphones -- Defense Tech
Pentagon to Cut $41 Billion After Getting More Funding -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Pentagon revises unpaid leave plan for civilian workers -- Reuters
Reports say Pentagon cutting furlough days for civilian employees from 22 to 14 -- al.com
DoD: $22B Shortfall in Operations and Maintenance -- Defense News
Space Chief: Cuts Limit Tracking Orbiting Junk -- Defense News
Traditions threatened by cuts, military academies brace for impact -- Reuters
General Discusses Focus on Younger Force, Cyber Capabilities -- US Department of Defense
Drone industry worries about privacy backlash -- Stars and Stripes/AP
USS Stennis group commander reprimanded -- Stars and Stripes
Court-martial recommended for Marine who urinated on Taliban corpse -- Stars and Stripes
When the Crisis Comes, Will the Navy Be Ready? -- Michael Rubin, Commentary
Marine F-35 Jump-Jet PR: Caveataxpayer Emptor -- Battleland/Time
Columnist advocates ending military honors at funerals for most vets -- Rick Moran, American Thinker
Prince William to give up his day job? -- Stars and Stripes/USA Today
Photographs Reveal North Korean Plans To Attack The U.S.
North Korea Plan To Attack US Mainland Revealed In Photographs -- The Telegraph
North Korea has revealed its plans to strike targets in Hawaii and the continental United States in photos taken in Kim Jong-un's military command centre.
The photos appeared in the state-run Rodong newspaper and were apparently taken at an "emergency meeting" early on Friday morning. They show Kim signing the order for North Korea's strategic rocket forces to be on standby to fire at US targets, the paper said, with large-scale maps and diagrams in the background.
The images show a chart marked "US mainland strike plan" and missile trajectories that the NK News web site estimates terminate in Hawaii, Washington DC, Los Angeles and Austin, Texas.
Read more ....
My Comment: A part of me is laughing .... but .... this U.S. official is right .... North Korea is "no paper tiger".
The FBI's UFO Case Files Most Popular Public Record
A single-page March 22, 1950, memo by Guy Hottel, special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office, regarding UFOs is the most viewed document in the FBI Vault, an online repository of public records. FBI
FBI UFO Memo Is Bureau's Most Viewed Public Record -- Christian Science Monitor
FBI UFO memo: The Federal Bureau of Investigation says that its Hottel memo, which reports on an alleged flying saucer sighting, has been viewed nearly a million times since 2011.
The FBI says its most viewed public record is a memo from 1950 recounting a strange story someone told an agent about three "flying saucers" that were allegedly recovered in New Mexico.
The so-called Hottel memo was first released in the late 1970s under the Freedom of Information Act, but it's been viewed nearly a million times since 2011, when the FBI launched an online database of public records called the Vault.
Dated March 22, 1950, the memo was addressed to FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and written by Guy Hottel, then head of the Bureau's field office in Washington, D.C. Hottel was reporting what an Air Force investigator said that someone else told him about the crashed saucers.
Read more ....
More News On The FBI UFO Memo
FBI explains UFO memo -- UPI
UFO memo is FBI's most viewed -- Philly.com
FBI comes clean on top X-File: 'We never investigated' Hottel UFO memo -- NBC
FBI: Famous UFO memo is our most popular file -- CNET
FBI's famous UFO memo fails to resolve 'flying saucer' mystery -- RT
FBI's 'flying saucers' online memo intrigues public -- CNN
FBI UFO Memo Explained by Agency -- Epoch Times
FBI: We Never Investigated Popular UFO File -- Time
Is The High Cost Of Wars The Biggest Threat To U.S. National Security?
An Afghan child waves a flag at a member of coalition forces as he patrols to a medical clinic led by Afghan national security forces in the Panjwai district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, March 12, 2013. Coalition and Afghan forces held the clinic to promote improved security, governance and development. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joshua Kruger
Biggest Threat to U.S. National Security: Wars -- Danger
In 2004, Osama bin Laden explained how his terrorists were going to win its struggle against a vastly more powerful adversary: al-Qaida sought to “blee[d] America to the point of bankruptcy.” Bin Laden is dead and his organization is a shadow of what it once was. Yet a new paper from a Harvard lecturer suggests that he had a point.
Linda J. Bilmes of the Harvard Kennedy School estimates that the wars bin Laden provoked the U.S. into launching over the past decade have cost “somewhere between $4 and $6 trillion.” She reaches that staggeringly high total by calculating not just what the U.S. spent on fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also what it will spend on veterans’ health care and benefits; equipment refurbishment; future commitments made to the Iraqi and Afghan governments the U.S. sponsors; and the repayment of the debt incurred by financing the wars through foreign borrowing. Notably, by Bilmes’ framework, the real costs of the wars will only manifest long after the troops have come home.
Read more ....
My Comment: Osama Bin Laden did have a point when he stated that his intention was to "bleed" the U.S. dry. But one can also make the case that losing wars can also become a threat to U.S. national security.
USS Guardian To Be Lifted From Philippine Reef
A U.S. Navy-contracted crane vessel, M/V Jascon 25, removes the bow of the mine countermeasure ship ex-Guardian on March 26. Guardian ran aground on the Tubbataha Reef on Jan. 17. (MC3 Kelly Sanders / U.S. Navy)
U.S. Navy Minesweeper To Be Lifted From Philippine Reef -- Defense News
MANILA — The final sections of a U.S. Navy ship that has been stuck on a U.N. World Heritage-listed coral reef in the Philippines for more than 10 weeks are set to be removed within days, an official said Thursday.
The Guardian’s bow was cut and lifted onto a salvage vessel this week, and good weather should lead to the removal of the rest of the ship by Monday, Tubbataha Reef marine park Superintendent Angelique Songco said.
“They continue to work, hopefully all done by April 1,” Songco told AFP by text message.
Read more ....
More News On The USS Guardian
1st of 4 parts of USS Guardian's hull removed -- ABC-CBN News
USS Guardian set to be lifted from Tubbataha reef -- ABS-CBN News/AFP
USS Guardian’s bow cut, lifted—Coast Guard -- Inquirer
Bowing Out… -- Time
USS Warrior arrives in Sasebo to replace grounded Guardian -- Stars and Stripes
WNU Editor: The Daily Mail has some fantastic photos of this salvage operation.