Vice News is a bit on the liberal side for my tastes, but then again, so is the bulk of the media. That said, both of these videos (Spread of the Caliphate is the first in a series) are worth watching. The videos are each in the 15 to 20 minute timeframe – but I believe that you won’t feel that your time was wasted.
Amphibious Warfare – Pivot to the Pacific (USMC)
The US Marine Corps returns to its focus in amphibious warfare (from the sea) in the wake of near total commitment in land wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
ISIL The Spread of the Caliphate
I think that the Obama Administration was delighted at the ISIL rise on the eve of mid-term elections that promise a return of the US Senate to the Republican Party. The news shifted to Ebola, Russia and the Middle East from a seeming endless parade of domestic scandals from Operation Fast and Furious to the IRS Targeting Scandal.
As usual, the Obama Administration, caught off guard, has been taking hits and their seeming salvation just goes to underscore how lame they are.
Billions of dollars (10,000 barrels daily) in Mexican crude oil is stolen by drug cartels every year. The Guadalajara cartel controls the bulk of it, but you can’t narrow it down that tightly. (the video cites Los Zetas but it’s wrong) All of the Mexican drug cartels are in the oil business. Mexico is a country out of control in so many respects that it takes exposure to really understand it. This video is an interesting introduction for those who have some interest.
Mexico is interested in buying automatically operating UAV’s mounting ground penetrating radar, to attempt to locate the illegal taps that steal petroleum products. However, they want to do it on the cheap — and that doesn’t work either.
As a result, the Mexican Army must accompany all oil workers to keep them from being beheaded by drug cartels. Does that sound like a nation that is under any sort of realistic control?
The terms "obama" and "Administration" don't really fit well together.
No, I think that the term 'regime' fits better.
And the amphibious pivot isn't working well either… Not enough Amphibs to actually DO what they need… That whole sequestration thingie…
You can't have amphibious warfare without:
(1) Alligators (LST, LSD, etc.) to haul the troops to the fight.
(2) Amphibious armor to build a beachhead and to sustain momentum
(3) A fleet to protect the landing zone and the lines of supply and communication that support it.
(see Guadalcanal Campaign – WW2 lessons learned)
The present regime is only interested in creating a paper tiger that looks fierce. And that's a problem for those poor jar heads and swabs if they're called on to make things happen.
Britain still has Marines but I'm not sure if they, er, have any ships left…
I know that they disbanded the bands.
The demise of a mighty military tradition.
It starts that way – always. I'm sure that's how it was in Rome.
Why in the world did they invite the Chinese to participate in RimPac? Nothing like dropping your drawers and showing your package to someone who wants to cut them off.
I think that it has something to do with Obama bowing.
You'll note that since PRC was there, our allies, the Nationalist Chinese in Taiwan, were excluded.
Comments are closed.