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unhappycamper
unhappycamper's Journal
unhappycamper's Journal
December 21, 2012
Army rolls out brass to defend anti-IED software
By Rowan Scarborough
The Washington Times
Thursday, December 20, 2012
The Army presented two two-star generals and three intelligence specialists Thursday to defend its $2.5 billion battlefield intelligence processor, which has failed operational tests and has been criticized by soldiers as being too slow to analyze the enemy and help find buried bombs in Afghanistan.
In a news conference at the Pentagon, the Army specialists lauded the Defense Common Ground System, an array of computers, servers and programs that is the Army’s principal processor of huge amounts of battlefield data.
The Washington Times first reported in July about an internal battle within the Army. Commanders and intelligence officers in Afghanistan complained in messages to Army headquarters about the Defense Common Ground System.
Some asked for permission to buy Palantir, an off-the-shelf software platform that specializes in linking disparate bits of information to form a clear picture of the battlefield.
Army rolls out brass to defend anti-IED software
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/dec/20/army-rolls-out-brass-to-defend-anti-ied-software/Army rolls out brass to defend anti-IED software
By Rowan Scarborough
The Washington Times
Thursday, December 20, 2012
The Army presented two two-star generals and three intelligence specialists Thursday to defend its $2.5 billion battlefield intelligence processor, which has failed operational tests and has been criticized by soldiers as being too slow to analyze the enemy and help find buried bombs in Afghanistan.
In a news conference at the Pentagon, the Army specialists lauded the Defense Common Ground System, an array of computers, servers and programs that is the Army’s principal processor of huge amounts of battlefield data.
The Washington Times first reported in July about an internal battle within the Army. Commanders and intelligence officers in Afghanistan complained in messages to Army headquarters about the Defense Common Ground System.
Some asked for permission to buy Palantir, an off-the-shelf software platform that specializes in linking disparate bits of information to form a clear picture of the battlefield.
December 21, 2012
Stress on special ops troops 'worse than we thought'
Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY 12:59a.m. EST December 20, 2012
TAMPA - The nation's most elite fighting forces -celebrated this year in film and best-selling books - are under more emotional strain after a decade of war than commanders realized, according to the senior non-commissioned officer for special operations.
A tragic part of that is record suicides this year, says Command Sgt. Maj. Chris Faris.
~snip~
A report last month by U.S. Special Operations Command - which oversees 66,000 troops including the Army's secretive Delta Force, Navy SEALs with SEAL Team 6, Army Green Berets and Rangers - cites "an increase in domestic and family relational and behavioral problems, substance abuse and self-medication problems, risk-taking behavior, post-traumatic stress and suicide."
Faris says, "It's worse than we thought." But he added that despite signs of strain, this select category of troops remains capable of meeting any missions they are given.
Stress on special ops troops 'worse than we thought'
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/12/19/stress-special-operations-chris-faris/1781157/Stress on special ops troops 'worse than we thought'
Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY 12:59a.m. EST December 20, 2012
TAMPA - The nation's most elite fighting forces -celebrated this year in film and best-selling books - are under more emotional strain after a decade of war than commanders realized, according to the senior non-commissioned officer for special operations.
A tragic part of that is record suicides this year, says Command Sgt. Maj. Chris Faris.
~snip~
A report last month by U.S. Special Operations Command - which oversees 66,000 troops including the Army's secretive Delta Force, Navy SEALs with SEAL Team 6, Army Green Berets and Rangers - cites "an increase in domestic and family relational and behavioral problems, substance abuse and self-medication problems, risk-taking behavior, post-traumatic stress and suicide."
Faris says, "It's worse than we thought." But he added that despite signs of strain, this select category of troops remains capable of meeting any missions they are given.
December 21, 2012
America Being Driven Over the Fiscal Cliff by the Monumental Cost of the Military
By michael payne
OpEdNews Op Eds 12/19/2012 at 12:59:57
As the various actors in Washington's latest theatrical presentation of "The Fiscal Cliff", once again take their places on stage, the majority of the American people have this feeling that they have seen this play before; in fact, more times than they would have liked. This is a play that has the same fabricated plot, the same old actors, all leading, without a doubt, to the same contrived ending.
While there is a great need for this government to enact legislation that would substantially increase the tax on the wealthiest of Americans to avoid going over the cliff, this article will concentrate on the one option that I believe holds, by far, the greatest potential for reductions in government spending. It is the staggering, completely out of control spending on the military and security that so far has been declared off-limits.
Does this country need a powerful military to safeguard the security of the American people and defend it against potential attacks by rogue nations? Absolutely, without a question, we must always maintain a powerful military. America, in my opinion, also has a responsibility to be a leader in maintaining peace and stability in the world but that does not call for it to continue to dominate it. It's time for this government to stop acting like the policeman of the world with an expanding empire whose massive costs can no longer be sustained.
There are very competent, knowledgeable individuals within the military establishment that agree with this premise and have presented concrete recommendations for making changes that will maintain the military's strength but that will not lead America into financial collapse. It's time for President Obama to listen to these voices of knowledge, experience, logic and reason.
America Being Driven Over the Fiscal Cliff by the Monumental Cost of the Military
http://www.opednews.com/articles/America-Being-Driven-Over-by-michael-payne-121219-72.htmlAmerica Being Driven Over the Fiscal Cliff by the Monumental Cost of the Military
By michael payne
OpEdNews Op Eds 12/19/2012 at 12:59:57
As the various actors in Washington's latest theatrical presentation of "The Fiscal Cliff", once again take their places on stage, the majority of the American people have this feeling that they have seen this play before; in fact, more times than they would have liked. This is a play that has the same fabricated plot, the same old actors, all leading, without a doubt, to the same contrived ending.
While there is a great need for this government to enact legislation that would substantially increase the tax on the wealthiest of Americans to avoid going over the cliff, this article will concentrate on the one option that I believe holds, by far, the greatest potential for reductions in government spending. It is the staggering, completely out of control spending on the military and security that so far has been declared off-limits.
Does this country need a powerful military to safeguard the security of the American people and defend it against potential attacks by rogue nations? Absolutely, without a question, we must always maintain a powerful military. America, in my opinion, also has a responsibility to be a leader in maintaining peace and stability in the world but that does not call for it to continue to dominate it. It's time for this government to stop acting like the policeman of the world with an expanding empire whose massive costs can no longer be sustained.
There are very competent, knowledgeable individuals within the military establishment that agree with this premise and have presented concrete recommendations for making changes that will maintain the military's strength but that will not lead America into financial collapse. It's time for President Obama to listen to these voices of knowledge, experience, logic and reason.
December 21, 2012
Marine pleads guilty to urinating on Taliban corpse, loses pay and rank in reduced sentence
By Associated Press, Published: December 20
WASHINGTON — A Marine general will scale back the punishment announced by a military judge who presided at a court-martial of a Marine who pled guilty to urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters and posing for pictures with them in Afghanistan.
The judge announced a sentence for Staff Sgt. Joseph W. Chamblin of 30 days confinement, reduction in rank by three grades, a $2,000 fine and other punishments.
The Marine Corps said Chamblin pleaded guilty to wrongful desecration, failure to properly supervise junior Marines and posing for photos with battlefield casualties.
Lt. Gen. Richard Mills, who is overseeing the Chamblin case, agreed before the court-martial to limit his punishment to the loss of $500 in pay and reduction in rank by one grade.
Marine pleads guilty to urinating on Taliban corpse, loses pay and rank in reduced sentence
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/marine-pleads-guilty-to-urinating-on-taliban-corpse-sentenced-to-30-days-confinement/2012/12/20/2d1810ce-4af8-11e2-8758-b64a2997a921_story.htmlMarine pleads guilty to urinating on Taliban corpse, loses pay and rank in reduced sentence
By Associated Press, Published: December 20
WASHINGTON — A Marine general will scale back the punishment announced by a military judge who presided at a court-martial of a Marine who pled guilty to urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters and posing for pictures with them in Afghanistan.
The judge announced a sentence for Staff Sgt. Joseph W. Chamblin of 30 days confinement, reduction in rank by three grades, a $2,000 fine and other punishments.
The Marine Corps said Chamblin pleaded guilty to wrongful desecration, failure to properly supervise junior Marines and posing for photos with battlefield casualties.
Lt. Gen. Richard Mills, who is overseeing the Chamblin case, agreed before the court-martial to limit his punishment to the loss of $500 in pay and reduction in rank by one grade.
December 21, 2012
Military funds to spare?
By Walter Pincus, Published: December 19
Congress and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta showed this week that there are hundreds of millions, if not billions, of loose dollars in the Pentagon’s budget that can be shifted around without apparent harm to national security.
In a speech Wednesday at the National Press Club, Panetta voiced his frustration at changes the House and Senate armed services committees had made in the fiscal 2013 defense authorization bill. At one point he said that the committees “had diverted about $74 billion of what we asked for in savings in our proposed budget to the Congress, and they diverted them to other areas that, frankly, we don’t need.”
He spoke about “pressure on the department to retain excess force structure and infrastructure instead of investing in the training and equipment that makes our force agile and flexible and ready.” Without specifying programs, Panetta mentioned having to keep “aircraft, ships, tanks, bases, even those that have outlived their usefulness, (but) have a natural political constituency.”
As if on cue, just two hours after Panetta’s speech, the chairmen of the Senate and House armed services committees — Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.) — released summaries of the House-Senate conference report on the fiscal 2013 defense bill that contained funding changes illustrating some of what Panetta had been complaining about.
Military funds to spare?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/military-funds-to-spare/2012/12/19/25facd7a-4951-11e2-820e-17eefac2f939_story.htmlMilitary funds to spare?
By Walter Pincus, Published: December 19
Congress and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta showed this week that there are hundreds of millions, if not billions, of loose dollars in the Pentagon’s budget that can be shifted around without apparent harm to national security.
In a speech Wednesday at the National Press Club, Panetta voiced his frustration at changes the House and Senate armed services committees had made in the fiscal 2013 defense authorization bill. At one point he said that the committees “had diverted about $74 billion of what we asked for in savings in our proposed budget to the Congress, and they diverted them to other areas that, frankly, we don’t need.”
He spoke about “pressure on the department to retain excess force structure and infrastructure instead of investing in the training and equipment that makes our force agile and flexible and ready.” Without specifying programs, Panetta mentioned having to keep “aircraft, ships, tanks, bases, even those that have outlived their usefulness, (but) have a natural political constituency.”
As if on cue, just two hours after Panetta’s speech, the chairmen of the Senate and House armed services committees — Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.) — released summaries of the House-Senate conference report on the fiscal 2013 defense bill that contained funding changes illustrating some of what Panetta had been complaining about.
December 21, 2012
Pakistan's elite dodge tax burden
By Syed Fazl-e-Haider
Dec 22, 2012
KARACHI - The people who run the government and make revenue policies in Pakistan are involved in massive tax evasion. Over 60% of the country's cabinet and two thirds of its federal lawmakers paid no tax last year, according to a report released by an investigative Pakistani journalist, Umar Cheema.
The report, prepared on the basis of information from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), reveals that President Asif Ali Zardari and 34 of the 55 cabinet members did not file a tax return in 2011, while Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar paid just 142,536 rupees (US$1,466) and 69,619 rupees as income tax.
The report came out after the country's new tax chief, Ali Arshad Hakeem, declared a war on tax evaders and offenders, offering an amnesty for those who choose to accept a small tax burden and warning those unwilling to sign up for the amnesty that their assets would be frozen and they would be banned from travel, while their names would be released to the media.
Cheema's account, entitled "Representation without Taxation", said that among all the lawmakers in the federal parliament, 67% did not file tax returns last year, while78 members of parliament are l not registered with a national taxation number.
---
Sounds familiar, eh?
Pakistan's elite dodge tax burden
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/NL22Df01.htmlPakistan's elite dodge tax burden
By Syed Fazl-e-Haider
Dec 22, 2012
KARACHI - The people who run the government and make revenue policies in Pakistan are involved in massive tax evasion. Over 60% of the country's cabinet and two thirds of its federal lawmakers paid no tax last year, according to a report released by an investigative Pakistani journalist, Umar Cheema.
The report, prepared on the basis of information from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), reveals that President Asif Ali Zardari and 34 of the 55 cabinet members did not file a tax return in 2011, while Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar paid just 142,536 rupees (US$1,466) and 69,619 rupees as income tax.
The report came out after the country's new tax chief, Ali Arshad Hakeem, declared a war on tax evaders and offenders, offering an amnesty for those who choose to accept a small tax burden and warning those unwilling to sign up for the amnesty that their assets would be frozen and they would be banned from travel, while their names would be released to the media.
Cheema's account, entitled "Representation without Taxation", said that among all the lawmakers in the federal parliament, 67% did not file tax returns last year, while78 members of parliament are l not registered with a national taxation number.
---
Sounds familiar, eh?
December 20, 2012
The F-35 Isn't Going Anywhere And The Pentagon Wants You To Know It
Robert Johnson | Dec. 19, 2012, 12:24 PM
Canada's announcement earlier this month that it was considering aircraft other than the F-35 for renewing its fleet seems to have prompted a string of reassuring moves by the U.S.
Within days the Pentagon said it would sign a contract with Lockheed Martin for a fifth batch of 32 jets worth $3.8 billion.
That move could also have been spurred along when Australia followed the Canadian news with plans to buy 24 Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets if it saw any more delays in the F-35 program.
~snip~
And that news came just before Leon Panetta himself announced Tuesday night that the freshly trained pilots can plan on duty stations at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, which will be the first F-35 overseas base in the world.
The F-35 Isn't Going Anywhere And The Pentagon Wants You To Know It
http://www.businessinsider.com/us-announcements-tell-world-f-35-is-right-on-track-2012-12The F-35 Isn't Going Anywhere And The Pentagon Wants You To Know It
Robert Johnson | Dec. 19, 2012, 12:24 PM
Canada's announcement earlier this month that it was considering aircraft other than the F-35 for renewing its fleet seems to have prompted a string of reassuring moves by the U.S.
Within days the Pentagon said it would sign a contract with Lockheed Martin for a fifth batch of 32 jets worth $3.8 billion.
That move could also have been spurred along when Australia followed the Canadian news with plans to buy 24 Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets if it saw any more delays in the F-35 program.
~snip~
And that news came just before Leon Panetta himself announced Tuesday night that the freshly trained pilots can plan on duty stations at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, which will be the first F-35 overseas base in the world.
December 20, 2012
F-35 debate: The Florida town that sued the Air Force
7:58 PM, Dec 19, 2012
By John Briggs
Valparaiso, Fla., sued the Air Force over the basing of the F-35 at neighboring Eglin Air Force base in 2009, and Mayor John Arnold says the expensive suits, now settled, were successful in mitigating the impact of the fighter jet’s noise on residents.
The experiences of the Florida Panhandle community may hold lessons for leaders in South Burlington here in Vermont. The city has not sued the Air Force over plans to base the F-35 at Burlington’s airport, but the City Council has formally opposed the basing, and its objections have galvanized opposition in Winooski, Colchester and Burlington. South Burlington’s opposition has also animated proponents for siting the F-35 in Vermont; they’ve circulated petitions regionally signed by more than 10,000 individuals voicing support for the proposal.
Gov. Peter Shumlin, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger and the congressional delegation strongly support the F-35 basing. Shumlin, Weinberger, Winooski Mayor Michael O’Brien and business leaders who support the F-35 basing made a trip last week to Eglin Air Force Base to listen to the plane. The experience did not change their views.
In Florida, the Air Force had been preparing several years ago to base as many as 107 F-35s at Eglin despite noise modeling predictions that Valparaiso’s lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Pensacola termed “prohibitively severe” and said would have “a devastating impact” on the small town of Valparaiso.
F-35 debate: The Florida town that sued the Air Force
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20121219/NEWS02/312190022/F-35-debate-The-Florida-town-that-sued-the-Air-ForceF-35 debate: The Florida town that sued the Air Force
7:58 PM, Dec 19, 2012
By John Briggs
Valparaiso, Fla., sued the Air Force over the basing of the F-35 at neighboring Eglin Air Force base in 2009, and Mayor John Arnold says the expensive suits, now settled, were successful in mitigating the impact of the fighter jet’s noise on residents.
The experiences of the Florida Panhandle community may hold lessons for leaders in South Burlington here in Vermont. The city has not sued the Air Force over plans to base the F-35 at Burlington’s airport, but the City Council has formally opposed the basing, and its objections have galvanized opposition in Winooski, Colchester and Burlington. South Burlington’s opposition has also animated proponents for siting the F-35 in Vermont; they’ve circulated petitions regionally signed by more than 10,000 individuals voicing support for the proposal.
Gov. Peter Shumlin, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger and the congressional delegation strongly support the F-35 basing. Shumlin, Weinberger, Winooski Mayor Michael O’Brien and business leaders who support the F-35 basing made a trip last week to Eglin Air Force Base to listen to the plane. The experience did not change their views.
In Florida, the Air Force had been preparing several years ago to base as many as 107 F-35s at Eglin despite noise modeling predictions that Valparaiso’s lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Pensacola termed “prohibitively severe” and said would have “a devastating impact” on the small town of Valparaiso.
December 20, 2012
Minnesota Arms Spending Alternatives Project leader Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer speaks to supporters outside Duluth City Hall on Monday evening before city councilors took up a resolution calling upon the federal government to cut spending on defense rather than social programs.
Duluth City Council backs effort to reduce military spending
By: Peter Passi, Duluth News Tribune
Published December 19, 2012, 12:00 AM
Duluth has joined a group of city governments calling on Congress to reduce military spending and increase its focus on domestic programs as the nation moves closer to the so-called fiscal cliff.
Unless Congress can agree on a plan to substantially reduce the federal deficit, a set of across-the-board budget cuts and tax increases will automatically kick in at the end of this year.
On Monday night, the Duluth City Council asked the federal government to take a more targeted approach to taming the deficit, with an emphasis on reduced military spending. The council voted 5-3 in support of a resolution similar to one already passed by St. Paul and Minneapolis. Des Moines, Iowa, also is on tap to take up a similar measure, and like-minded resolutions have been signed by city councils in Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Hartford, Conn.
Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, a University of St. Thomas professor and former Senate candidate, said the idea also has taken hold in Oregon and Massachusetts, where other local government units have asked the federal government to rein in military spending, too.
Duluth City Council backs effort to reduce military spending
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/253211/group/News/Minnesota Arms Spending Alternatives Project leader Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer speaks to supporters outside Duluth City Hall on Monday evening before city councilors took up a resolution calling upon the federal government to cut spending on defense rather than social programs.
Duluth City Council backs effort to reduce military spending
By: Peter Passi, Duluth News Tribune
Published December 19, 2012, 12:00 AM
Duluth has joined a group of city governments calling on Congress to reduce military spending and increase its focus on domestic programs as the nation moves closer to the so-called fiscal cliff.
Unless Congress can agree on a plan to substantially reduce the federal deficit, a set of across-the-board budget cuts and tax increases will automatically kick in at the end of this year.
On Monday night, the Duluth City Council asked the federal government to take a more targeted approach to taming the deficit, with an emphasis on reduced military spending. The council voted 5-3 in support of a resolution similar to one already passed by St. Paul and Minneapolis. Des Moines, Iowa, also is on tap to take up a similar measure, and like-minded resolutions have been signed by city councils in Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Hartford, Conn.
Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, a University of St. Thomas professor and former Senate candidate, said the idea also has taken hold in Oregon and Massachusetts, where other local government units have asked the federal government to rein in military spending, too.
December 20, 2012
Officials: 31 suspended in Army day care scandal
By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press
Updated 10:13 pm, Wednesday, December 19, 2012
WASHINGTON (AP) — At least 31 people were suspended from two Army day care centers at Fort Myer, Va., last week after officials scrutinized their backgrounds and found criminal convictions including fourth-degree sexual assault and drug use, a defense official said Wednesday.
An earlier statement that the 31 people had been fired was erroneous, the official said. Suspension allows for the possibility of reinstatement or dismissal.
The escalating scandal surrounding the Fort Myer Child Development Center has triggered a review of hiring procedures, angered defense leaders, and prompted a late-night telephone call Tuesday from President Barack Obama to the Army secretary. In the call, Obama expressed concern and urged a speedy and thorough investigation.
Details of the scandal emerged this week, nearly three months after two workers were arrested on charges of assaulting children at the Fort Myer center. The slow pace of public revelations enraged Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who on Tuesday ordered a worldwide review of hiring practices at all military child care centers, schools, youth centers and other facilities that involve children.
Officials: 31 suspended in Army day care scandal
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Obama-calls-Army-secretary-over-day-care-scandal-4131412.phpOfficials: 31 suspended in Army day care scandal
By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press
Updated 10:13 pm, Wednesday, December 19, 2012
WASHINGTON (AP) — At least 31 people were suspended from two Army day care centers at Fort Myer, Va., last week after officials scrutinized their backgrounds and found criminal convictions including fourth-degree sexual assault and drug use, a defense official said Wednesday.
An earlier statement that the 31 people had been fired was erroneous, the official said. Suspension allows for the possibility of reinstatement or dismissal.
The escalating scandal surrounding the Fort Myer Child Development Center has triggered a review of hiring procedures, angered defense leaders, and prompted a late-night telephone call Tuesday from President Barack Obama to the Army secretary. In the call, Obama expressed concern and urged a speedy and thorough investigation.
Details of the scandal emerged this week, nearly three months after two workers were arrested on charges of assaulting children at the Fort Myer center. The slow pace of public revelations enraged Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who on Tuesday ordered a worldwide review of hiring practices at all military child care centers, schools, youth centers and other facilities that involve children.
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