Monthly Archives: December 2009

For Auld Lang Syne

Posted on December 31, 2009 by Pat Lang

Posted in loving memory of our uncle John H. Lang, USN 1919-1947, Canadian Engineers, Canadian Black Watch and British Royal Highlanders, World War One. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWzfP_hee0Q

Posted in Uncategorized | 29 Comments

Juan Cole on Yemen

Posted on December 30, 2009 by Pat Lang

Juan is kind enough to write on this place and quote the SST article on Yemen.  Since I am not doing well in recovering from the flu I will return the favor.  When I was "out there" in the early … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 15 Comments

Yemen as quagmire

Posted on December 29, 2009 by Pat Lang

"Foreign Minister Abu Bakr al-Qirbi told the BBC that Yemen had the will and ability to deal with al-Qaeda, but was undermined by a lack of support. He estimated that several hundred al-Qaeda members were operating in Yemen and could … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Affairs, Policy | 45 Comments

Jedburghs and Rangers

Posted on December 28, 2009 by Pat Lang

"..in 2009, perhaps it is time for Congress to review their handiwork. Of course many outside the military establishment are enamored with the myth and romanticism of Special Operations. There are so many “groupies” among staffers and in academia that … Continue reading →

Posted in The Military Art | 6 Comments

Mexican targets, a Nigerian bomber and Ayn Rand

Posted on December 27, 2009 by Pat Lang

"Senior Mexican officials have begun a sweeping review of the military's two-year occupation of this dangerous border city, concluding that the U.S.-backed deployment of thousands of soldiers against drug traffickers has failed to control the violence and crime, according to … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Affairs, Justice, Policy, Religion | 68 Comments

Men on Horseback

Posted on December 26, 2009 by Pat Lang

"The NSC's strategic guidance, a classified document that outlines the president's new approach, was described by the senior administration official as limiting military operations "in scale and scope to the minimum required to achieve two goals — to prevent al-Qaeda … Continue reading →

Posted in Afghanistan, government, Policy, Politics | 11 Comments

JSOC and the Mexican drug lords.

Posted on December 25, 2009 by Pat Lang

The Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) is a subordinate command of Special Operations Command. The confusion in naming ought to be straightened out.  JSOC commands the counter-terrorist commando forces.  The Delta force, Navy SEAL Team Six, etc.  There are aviation assets, intellligence collection … Continue reading →

Posted in Policy | 93 Comments

There is training and then there is hazing…

Posted on December 21, 2009 by Pat Lang

I idly watched a two hour television production last night entitled "Two weeks in Hell."  It was about the two week pre-selection period at Ft. Bragg in which the Army now decides if volunteers have what it takes to even … Continue reading →

Posted in The Military Art | 23 Comments

National Journal Blog – 21 December 2009

Posted on December 21, 2009 by Pat Lang

http://security.nationaljournal.com/2009/12/2010-will-be-the-year-of-what.php#1402351

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

Iran/Iraq without America

Posted on December 20, 2009 by Pat Lang

"The Iranian government said Saturday that an oil field that its troops occupied a day earlier was on its side of the border with Iraq, despite Iraqi claims to the contrary. A group of about 11 Iranian soldiers seized a portion … Continue reading →

Posted in Iran, Iraq | 17 Comments