This is the ’shock and awe’ part of the campaign, and it looks like the Israelis were pretty successful in taking out some good targets.  They really worked the surprise factor in this operation.  To me, the ground campaign is the one to watch, and Omert has a lot riding on this one.  The memories of the 2006 campaign in Lebanon are still fresh, and you can bet that Hamas has studied the crap out of how Hezbollah worked the angles in that war.  -Matt

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Israel pounds Gaza for second day

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

Reuters

Sunday, December 28, 2008; 9:23 AM

GAZA (Reuters) - Israel destroyed Hamas’s main Gaza security complex in an air strike on Sunday and prepared for a possible invasion of the territory after killing nearly 290 Palestinians in the opening rounds of a powerful offensive.

Israel said the campaign that began on Saturday was a response to almost daily rocket and mortar fire that intensified after Hamas, an Islamist group in charge of the coastal enclave Israel quit in 2005, ended a six-month ceasefire a week ago.

Despite the air attacks, militants fired some 80 rockets into Israel, emergency services said. In one of the longest-reaching salvoes, two rockets struck near Ashdod, a main port 30 km (18 miles) from Gaza, causing no casualties.

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     I don’t post a lot of these types of stories, because unfortunately bombers are all too common in this part of the world.  But what made this story interesting to me is the symbolism.  One group of muslims protesting Israel should be off limits to another muslim suicide bomber-you would think.  Israel is equally hated by both Shia and Sunni, so this was an odd attack.  I wonder if the bomber even knew what the group was protesting?  Or maybe they just didn’t care about that, and just wanted to kill some IIP guys for their martyrdom mission?  -Matt

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Suicide bomber hits anti-Israel protest in Iraq

12/28/2008

MOSUL, Iraq (AFP) — A suicide bomber on a bicycle in Iraq’s northern city of Mosul targeted a protest condemning Israeli air raids on the Gaza Strip, killing one civilian and wounding 16 on Sunday, police said.

“One civilian was killed and 16 were wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up when he rode his bicycle into the middle of an anti-Israeli demonstration in the city,” local police Major Wael Rasheed told AFP.

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   “The key, Smith said, is to find a way to meet the informant’s personal needs in a way that keeps him firmly on your side but leaves little or no visible trace.” 

     This is funny, but not really news.  Viagra and all sorts of prescription drugs are available on the streets all over the world.  In Iraq, steroids and Viagra are popular and easily obtainable.   I think the best part of this article is just emphasizing the point of making things work and taking advantage of every bit of leverage you can get out there. -Matt  

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Little Blue Pills Among the Ways CIA Wins Friends in Afghanistan

By Joby Warrick

Washington Post Staff Writer

Friday, December 26, 2008; A01

The Afghan chieftain looked older than his 60-odd years, and his bearded face bore the creases of a man burdened with duties as tribal patriarch and husband to four younger women. His visitor, a CIA officer, saw an opportunity, and reached into his bag for a small gift.

Four blue pills. Viagra.

“Take one of these. You’ll love it,” the officer said. Compliments of Uncle Sam.

The enticement worked. The officer, who described the encounter, returned four days later to an enthusiastic reception. The grinning chief offered up a bonanza of information about Taliban movements and supply routes — followed by a request for more pills.

For U.S. intelligence officials, this is how some crucial battles in Afghanistan are fought and won. While the CIA has a long history of buying information with cash, the growing Taliban insurgency has prompted the use of novel incentives and creative bargaining to gain support in some of the country’s roughest neighborhoods, according to officials directly involved in such operations.

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     Boy, the first thing I thought with this is what a shame that this woman would hang with these losers? But then the other thing to think of is the diversion this woman provided for this team.  She is famous and pretty, so the last thing any checkpoint team would expect is this woman to be with a bunch of killers. I am sure this gang thought that they could just pass right through the checkpoint. Good on the checkpoint team for using good judgement and catching these guys, despite the Beauty Queen.  -Matt

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Mexican beauty queen arrested in gun-filled truck

By ARTURO PEREZ, Associated Press Writer Arturo Perez, Associated Press Writer Wed Dec 24, 12:52 pm ET

GUADALAJARA, Mexico – A reigning Mexican beauty queen from the drug-plagued state of Sinaloa was arrested with suspected gang members in a truck filled guns and ammunition, police say.

Miss Sinaloa 2008 Laura Zuniga stared at the ground, with her flowing dark hair concealing her face, as she stood squeezed between seven alleged gunmen lined up before journalists. Soldiers wearing ski masks guarded the 23-year-old model and the suspects.

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     Apply at your own risk.  If you do get this gig as a ’shipboard security advisor’, your first bit of advice to the captain of the ship should be to arm the vessel and yourself.  Other than that, if your ship gets attacked and taken because your LRAD less than lethal sound gun or really bad language did not repel the assault, then I will have a lovely story to post on FJ. Good luck, and be smart. -Matt

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Jobs@RONCO

Open International Positions

NEW: Shipboard Security Advisors - OCONUS - Various Locations

RONCO Consulting Corporation is seeking highly motivated prior US Navy or Coast Guard servicemen to embark on a unique employment opportunity. Selected candidates will be responsible for providing anti-piracy security consulting and oversight on cargo vessels transiting Gulf of Aden. Positions will be unarmed; transit time normally 5 to 6 days per mission.

Key Areas of Expertise:

Anti-Terrorism Force Protection (ATFP)

Shipboard experience

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     You know, I always like to look back in history and gain some perspectives on war and the conditions of men during that war.  And being in a war or just being away from family during the holidays is very tough.  This is the time when you think about family, and you wish you were with them.  And if you are in a really crappy location doing tough things out there in this war, then the comforts and memories of home during the holidays really sink in. It sucks, and you do what you can to get by and keep pressing forward with your job.   

    In the case of World War 1, I can only imagine how terrible that war was.  A good indicator of how bad it was, is the fact that the soldiers on both sides agreed to a truce to celebrate Christmas.  It must have been quite a thing to one day be slogging around in a freezing cold, bloody, and muddy trench, while trying to kill the enemy in a nearby trench, and then stop the next day to celebrate Christmas with that same enemy combatant.  Both sides must have been so incredibly tired and mentally drained about the whole thing, to just put it all to the side for just one day of peace.  Quite a thing indeed.  

     Where ever you are out there, hang in there and Merry Christmas from Feral Jundi. -Matt  

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This is part of a 10 page letter from an unknown British soldier who recorded events and incidents with the Germans during the 1914 Christmas Truce during World War 1.

    This will be the most memorable Christmas I’ve ever spent or likely to spend: since about tea time yesterday I don’t think theres been a shot fired on either side up to now. Last night turned a very clear frost moonlight night, so soon after dusk we had some decent fires going and had a few carols and songs.

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   Thanks to Jeff for sending this.  Hopefully there is an explanation for why this officer did this, or he could be in some serious trouble. I could not find a website for Elite Security out of Belize, and if anyone can find it, I will put it up on FJ. -Matt

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U.S. is investigating LAPD officer

A department veteran allegedly bought guns at the Police Academy and sent them to Belize, where he runs a security firm.

By Richard Winton and Scott Glover

December 21, 2008

A veteran Los Angeles police officer who operates a security company in Belize is under federal investigation for allegedly smuggling handguns into the Central American nation, according to law enforcement sources and internal LAPD documents.

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     Merry Christmas to the Navy and Marine Aircrews that have to wear this vest.  If it is lighter than the old vest, and more comfortable, then I am all for it.  I also like the fact that it is made of Halo-Tech Fire Resistant material.  If this material actually delivers in durability, we will see it in everything.  

    Using fire resistant clothing and equipment is a great direction for us to take.  The only down side to focusing so much on FR based clothing and equipment, is the quality of those items.  Do we lose warmth, gain weight, lose durability, drive up cost or limit mobility when we go to these materials?  I hope not, and private industry can do a lot for us if we give them the proper direction of what we want.  

     I do not think we will see this vest for sale in the civilian market any time soon, but the design looks pretty basic.  I think the only thing that makes it different than most is the use of Halo-Tech.  We’ll see if this starts a trend with the other companies that make vests, and Halo-Tech might be the next big thing in equipment design.  -Matt

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The PRU-70/P22P-18 (V) Armored Survival Vest (ASV).

Press Release Number:  EAIR10200812181  18-Dec-08

NAVAIR develops new Aircrew Armored Survival Vest

NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, Patuxent River, MD. – NAVAIR’s Human Systems Division, working under the Aircrew Systems program office Life Support Systems Fleet Support Team, has developed a new aircrew armored survival vest for helicopter and non-fighter aircraft aircrew.

The new system, designated the PRU-70/P22P-18 (V) Armored Survival Vest (ASV), will be fielded in three sizes and replace the current PRU-60B system that is available in only a “two sizes fits all” configuration.

“The development of this new vest is a direct result of working with and listening to our warfighters,” said Martin Ahmad, Aircrew Systems program manager, PMA202. “This new vest could not have been developed without the involvement of the Fleet and our joint engineering/aircrew systems team.”

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   David wrote up a great review about this book and it sounds like another good one for the holidays. You can find the book in the Jundi Gear store, or where ever. I have not read the book, but David’s review definitely grabbed my attention.  Any book that challenges the ideas of how society views contractors in today’s war is alright by me.

    I also agree with David and the author about Peter Singer’s book Corporate Warriors.  The book was lacking, and not quite the authoritative work that everyone makes that book out to be.  But like David said, the industry is somewhat deficient in this area, and there are only a few authors out there really exploring the ideas.  We are getting there though. 

     The last part of this review was excellent as well.

    And for those in the industry who bemoan negative coverage, Carafano has a simple point to make: Get used to it. He writes, “Expecting the public media to grapple with the serious and complex issue of the private sector in public wars is unrealistic.”

     We should make every effort to educate, enlighten, and impress upon the media and public about what our value is, and that we are not a threat to the state.  And the war of ideas continues…..-Matt

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Dogs of War: It’s all Eisenhower’s fault

By DAVID ISENBERG

December 19, 2008

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (UPI) — Coming up on nearly six years of contractor presence in Iraq and more than seven in Afghanistan, it seems reasonable to ask how contractors are faring in the book world.

Better than before, if a new book, “Private Sector, Public Wars: Contractors in Combat — Afghanistan, Iraq, and Future Conflicts” by James Carafano, senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, is any indication. He finds that contractors “make sense — they have been used for centuries and their roles on the battlefield will only expand.”

While a book extolling the use of private contractors by someone working at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative public policy institute that champions policies based on the principles of free enterprise and limited government, is hardly a surprise, it would be a mistake to dismiss it. In fact, especially compared with some of the other books that have come out in the past year or two, this is an outstanding book.

Be warned, however — reading this book is at times like traveling on a historical roller coaster. One takes giant, albeit enjoyable, swoops from 16th century Niccolo Machiavelli to Dwight Eisenhower, to Vietnam to globalization and Wall Street to Hollywood. This is a lot to cover, but, as befits someone who has written extensively on military history, he ties it all together nicely.

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