Doug sent me this article that he found on Strategy Page.  The round sounds pretty brutal, and the range is pretty amazing as well.  That sucks that they are turning up in Afghanistan now.  I imagine that enough of these munitions launched at the same time, could be a pretty effective tactic to initiate an ambush.  And 1500 meter range makes it an interesting stand-off/indirect weapon as well. Bouncing death, made in China–damn.  -Head Jundi 

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Bouncing Death From China

August 20, 2008: Chinese made Airburst anti-personnel RPG rockets have been discovered in Afghanistan, after first being encountered in Iraq, where they were used by Iranian supported Shia rebels. The Chinese made RPG rocket is optimized for anti-personnel effect. To accomplish that, the shell bounces up about six feet, after first hitting the ground. Then the 5.7 pound warhead explodes, releasing hundreds of metal fragments. Casualties can be caused nearly fifty feet away. Because the warhead explodes in the air, and is full of metal fragments, it is more than three times as likely to kill or injure than the usual RPG warhead (which is designed to penetrate armor). The “Airburst Anti-Personnel” rocket also has a longer range (over 1,500 meters, more than twice that for the anti-armor rocket).

Iran buys these rockets from China, or maybe even makes its own copies. Iran denies supplying weapons to the Taliban or al Qaeda (which are violently opposed to the Shia brand of Islam practiced throughout Iran and southern Iraq.) But in the past, Iran has aided al Qaeda, and Iranian gunrunners will sell weapons to anyone who can pay. 

Strategy Page Link

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Type 69 40mm Airburst Anti-Personnel High-Explosive (HE) Grenade

This variant was developed specifically for anti-personnel purpose. This round works in a similar way to the bouncing anti-personnel fragmentation mines. On impact, the grenade bounces off the ground to a chest to 2m height then airbursts over the target area, scattering about 800 anti-personnel steel balls over a lethal radius of 15m. The airburst is much more effective than typical blast warheads especially toward entrenched troops.

Sino Defence Link

     This is the watch to have.  Supposedly these were the watches issued to the Sealous Scouts during the war in Rhodesia.  -Head Jundi 

    Well, I have been busy with trying to find the unique stories and angles out there that no one is covering, and I think I may have found one.  Who has heard of the Israeli companies Global CST or Defensive Shield?  I have never heard of them, but I tell you what, they are certainly making a splash now!

     For the Georgia deal, as you can see below, the work these security firms did there was significant.  The Syrians are using that work as propaganda to rub it in the face of Israel as ‘another loss’.  This to me is amazing, because it is a sign of how significant the roll of security companies can have on the world stage.  And for the record, I tend to agree with the Israeli side, that Georgia was no match for Russia, no matter who trained them.  It’s a numbers game.  

     And this idea of security companies getting involved with highly volatile and political situations, reminds me of the US private security company Steele Foundation and their contract to protect Aristide in Haiti several years ago.  This was a prime example of a security company getting thrown into the middle of a sticky situation, while just trying to do their job.   

     With that deal, the State Dept. was using Steele Foundation security teams to protect Aristide, and then later run him out of Haiti towards the end of his crumbling Presidency.  The funny thing about this, is that I guess Aristide had no idea that he was stepping down, according to him.  And that the State Dept. blocked his request for more security guys to reinforce his current detail.  Very interesting time period for the Steele Foundation guys and kudos to them for working through a complex deal like that.

     But back to these Israeli Security Firms. They were also involved with the training of Colombia’s forces and rumored to have influenced the planning for Operation Jacque(hostage rescue).  This was a huge deal and very complex.  It looks like Global CST was involved with that one too–and was once again thrust onto the world stage in a highly public rescue.  Even Ingrid Betencourte, one of the rescued hostages, commented that it was run like a ‘Israeli commando operation’.

    So I guess this is an indicator that we will probably see more of these companies in the future?  I know I am paying attention now.  Here is a link to their website. Interesting stuff.  -Head Jundi    

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Major General (res.) Israel Ziv, owner of Global CST. 

2 Israeli firms say they left Georgia before fighting

By Amos Harel

Two Israeli security companies, Defensive Shield and Global CST, announced yesterday that they had completed their projects in Georgia before fighting between that country and Russia broke out on Friday. The two are among several Israeli companies advising Georgia on security matters, training its army and occasionally supplying it with weapons.

Defensive Shield, owned by Brig. Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch, said all its employees, including its subcontractors, are no longer in Georgia. It said it completed the work it had been contracted to do, and that all its contracts with Georgia had been approved by Israel’s Defense Ministry. Security systems services company Global CST, managed by Maj. Gen. (res.) Israel Ziv, said it finished its work in Georgia at the end of July.

Russia expanded its bombing blitz against neighboring Georgia yesterday, targeting the country’s capital for the first time, while Georgian troops pulled out of the breakaway province of South Ossetia, as Russia demanded, the Associated Press reported.

Georgia launched a major offensive to regain control over South Ossetia overnight Friday, and some 1,500 people have reportedly been killed there since then, with the death toll rising. South Ossetia split from Georgia in the early 1990s and has since built up ties with Moscow.

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     Hey, check this out(thanks to Scott and Doug for the heads up).  The Russians are not leaving, they are taking prisoners, and they are making a mockery of the ceasefire.  But what was interesting with this article, was another cameo of the VSS Sniper Rifle in the photo that accompanied this article.  This weapon is the perfect tool for operating during this so-called ‘ceasefire’.  

     And this latest move was to get some prisoner currency.  Supposedly the Georgians captured some Russians during this war, and both countries have agreed to an exchange.  It has been reported that the trade was 15 Georgians for 5 Russians.

     Also, the US vehicles were at the port and were in the process of being shipped out when the war started. -Head Jundi 

Russian Soldier armed with VSS Sniper Rifle, with prisoners. 

Russian soldiers take prisoners in Georgia port 

By DMITRY LOVETSKY and CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA – 3 hours ago

RUISI, Georgia (AP) — Russian soldiers took 20 Georgian troops prisoner at a key port in western Georgia on Tuesday and commandeered American Humvees awaiting shipment back to the United States after taking part in earlier U.S.-Georgian military exercises.

The move came as a small column of Russian tanks and armored vehicles left the strategic Georgian city of Gori in the first sign of a Russian pullback of troops from Georgia after a cease-fire intended to end fighting that reignited Cold War tensions. The two countries on Tuesday also exchanged prisoners captured during their brief war.

However, Russian soldiers took Georgian servicemen prisoner at a key port and commandeered U.S. Humvees. An Associated Press photographer saw Russian trucks and armored personnel carriers leaving the port with about 20 blindfolded and handcuffed men riding on them.

Port spokesman Eduard Mashevoriani said the men were Georgian soldiers.

The deputy head of Russia’s general staff, Col.-Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn, said Russian forces plan to remain in Poti until a local administration is formed, but did not give further details. He also justified previous seizures of Georgian soldiers as necessary to crack down on soldiers who were “out of any kind of control … acting without command.”

Russian troops last week drove Georgian forces out of South Ossetia, where Georgia on Aug. 7 launched a heavy artillery barrage. Fighting also has flared in a second Russian-backed separatist region, Abkhazia.

The short war has driven tensions between Russia and the West to some of their highest levels since the breakup of the Soviet Union, but Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has icily defended Russia’s actions.

“Anyone who tries anything like that will face a crushing response,” he said Monday. Later Medvedev handed out military medals to Russian soldiers involved in the fighting.

Link Here

   Hey, this is an interesting little deal about security contractors.  This came from the director’s blog from the Congressional Budget Office.  Be sure to click on the link below, if you want to read a copy of the report that is posted through a link on the blog.  Be sure to read the last finding, which to me indicates exactly why security contractors are such a good deal for the government.  -Head Jundi 

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Contractors in Iraq

Contractors play a substantial role in supporting the United States’ current military, reconstruction, and diplomatic operations in Iraq, accounting for a significant portion of the manpower and spending for those activities.

CBO released a study today, conducted at the request of the Senate Committee on the Budget, on the use of contractors in the Iraq theater to support U.S. activities in Iraq. The webcast of the press briefing is available here.

CBO found:

    * From 2003 through 2007, and converting the funding into 2008 dollars, U.S. agencies awarded $85 billion in contracts for work to be principally performed in the Iraq theater, accounting for almost 20 percent of funding for operations in Iraq. Including funding for 2008 itself, the U.S. has likely awarded $100 billion or more for contractors in the Iraq theater.

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     It’s interesting the various reactions of contractors on all the other forums out there. Seeing how a lot of contractors are former cops, you get a unique perspective on all of this.

     The things I hear is that the Target Letter is used as a scare tactic to get these guys to talk.

     That most feel like these guys are getting a raw deal and that Iraq is still a war zone and Murphy’s Law still applies–go figure?

     The other thing I am hearing is that this might backfire on DOJ. Meaning, you get these guys on the witness stand, and that means you have to put DOS on the witness stand and any other clients (Do you think Condi Rice wants to be on the stand?) 

     And God forbid if this case gets thrown out because they can’t find shell casings, and they cannot find enough witnesses or evidence to support the case. That they did not secure the crime scene (because it is an active war zone), nor did they properly question witnesses (who might be insurgents), nor can they trust these witnesses because of possible connections with the insurgents. And you know the Blackwater employee lawyers are going to talk about everything, meaning how involved DOS is with the process and how much of an asset Blackwater has been. 

     It could go either way for them, and we’ll see how far this goes. I feel for the guys that are having to go through this, and this is certainly a cautionary tale for the rest of us working in this industry.

     My assessment is that I wasn’t there, nor am I going to judge. I do know that stuff happens quick in those situations, that all of these guys that were working for Blackwater and DOS were trained to a certain standard, that they are all prior military, and they had to have clearances in order to play. These are not KBR bus drivers that Blackwater picked up in Green Zone to fill a slot(which I have seen done before with some of the other companies–unbelievable).

     I give these guys more credit than that, and I will not jump on the bandwagon of throwing these brothers under the bus. Just like I didn’t jump on the Murtha Bandwagon of throwing the Marines under the bus about the Haditha deal. - Head Jundi

The VBIED blast that initiated the actions at Nisoor Square. (up top)The set up of vehicles and overhead view of the square.

Justice Dept. Moves Toward Charges Against Contractors in Iraq Shooting

By Del Quentin Wilber and Karen DeYoung

Washington Post Staff Writers

Sunday, August 17, 2008; A01

Federal prosecutors have sent target letters to six Blackwater Worldwide security guards involved in a September shooting that left 17 Iraqi civilians dead, indicating a high likelihood the Justice Department will seek to indict at least some of the men, according to three sources close to the case.

The guards, all former U.S. military personnel, were working as security contractors for the State Department, assigned to protect U.S. diplomats and other non-military officials in Iraq. The shooting occurred when their convoy arrived at a busy square in central Baghdad and guards tried to stop traffic.

An Iraqi government investigation concluded that the security contractors fired without provocation. Blackwater has said its personnel acted in self-defense.

The sources said that any charges against the guards would likely be brought under the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act, which has previously been used to prosecute only the cases referred to the Justice Department by the Defense Department for crimes committed by military personnel and contractors overseas. Legal experts have questioned whether contractors working for the State Department can be prosecuted under its provisions.

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     I love stuff like this, because it is the anti-Hollywood version of the war.  If you are tired of all the negative films and documentaries about the troops and the war like I am, then you will be glad to know that this series is very pro-troops and gives a very different view on the war.  Lots of excellent footage of our guys doing a tough job over there and kicking ass.  Thanks to Doug for bringing this series to my attention.  -Head Jundi

 About the Documentary Series (from the website) 

The ‘Outside the Wire’ series of four documentaries about Iraq started when JD Johannes went to Iraq with his old Marine Corps unit in 2005 to produce syndicated television news reports. 

Johannes returned to Iraq in 2007 to see ‘The Surge’ and the ‘Anbar Awakening’ first hand. 

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   Hey guys and gals, I have a real treat for FJ readers in regards to the latest developments going on in Georgia.  We have a guest author who lives in Georgia, but is currently working in Iraq, who has written a gem of an article.  Chris is his name, and he has graciously allowed me to post his ideas and thoughts on the current events in Georgia.    

     Chris is currently working in Iraq, as I have stated, and has had to deal with two wars–one for work and one impacting his home.  His family was in Georgia during the beginning of the war and luckily they were able to get out of Georgia as events unfolded.  Very scary stuff and by the grace of god, they made it out safely.  It is extremely unfortunate that they had to leave their home like that.  

     For the backdrop on this article, Chris was responding to a question about his views on the situation there in Georgia in a forum called The Black Flag Cafe.  Like most forums that cover current affairs and world events, the BFC has been very active with discussion about the war in Georgia.  

     I have found the BFC to be an excellent source of ideas and discourse, when trying to analyze and understand current events that are happening quickly.  The BFC is also owned and moderated by the author Robert Young Pelton.

     Thanks to Chris for such a well thought out article and I wish the best for him and his family during this most unfortunate of events. -Head Jundi

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From a discussion on the Black Flag Cafe in regards to the current war in Georgia…

By Chris

Here is a shot at enlightening all of you about some of the past events that have led us to where we are today.

Zviad Gamsakhurdia is largely blamed for the conflict in S. Osettia. This is in part because he opposed the S. Osettian movement (around 1989 I think) to become part of N. Osettia, and in part because many of his supporters used the slogan “Georgia for the Georgians”. I could be wrong, but I do not believe that this was ever his slogan.

During Zviad Gamsakhurdia’s presidency fighting again broke out in S. Ossetia (1991-1992). People on both sides (Georgians and Ossetians) of the conflict were displaced. Russians move in and stop the fighting, and install themselves as peace keepers.

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     Boy, I am glad that these guys are getting recognized for their service in Iraq.  Most of our supply convoys that supplied the sites I operated at, were done by Armor Group with these Fijian security contractors running the gun tubs.  Hell, AG even transported me to a couple of my sites over there.  

     The other thing I wanted to say about the Fijians is that they are the nicest, coolest guys.  I am thankful for their contribution in this war and they have represented their country well.  

     On a side note, my fondest memory of Fijians in Iraq, were them singing every night at the camps I was at.  It was like they were singing the gospel or something and rejoicing that they lived that day.  -Head Jundi

Fallen men honoured

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Update: 3:36PM Five Fijian families of civilian security contractors who were killed in Iraq were today presented with the Defence of Freedom Medals by the United States Government.

The medal presentation ceremony took place at US embassy in Suva honouring men who have been killed in Iraq over the past two years.

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