Airborne Combat Engineer

Answer to this morning's firearms question

Still wondering what firearm the Secret Service agent/officer was brandishing in the earlier A-C-E post?

You'll find the answer in the continuation.

Photos of potential Humvee replacements

[LINK] Cannoneer #4, Free Republic

See images of the vehicles demonstrated recently, as mentioned in an earlier A-C-E post.

They are of various sizes and levels of armament. Some would be suitable and practical as an armored patrol vehicle. Others would not.

25 years ago (yesterday)

(this post is an hour late, but what's an hour in a quarter century?)

[LINK] Image, bullet paths, and video clip

Can you name the weapon the SS agent is holding? (That was the first time we'd seen such a weapon around the President.)

Does anybody know that agent's name? I know the agent with the pistol (whose light blue blazer can be seen behind this agent) was Danny Spriggs, SS Deputy Director. He can be clearly seen in this image. Jerry Parr, the head of the SS unit of duty, pushed Reagan into the limo.

McKinney video not released. Press conf. 11AM Friday

[LINK] WXIA-TV (Ch. 11) Atlanta

Alas, U.S. Capital police are not going to release the video of Congresswoman McKinney's physical confrontation with an officer.

However, McKinney has called a press conference for 11AM Friday, and Ch. 11 will carry it live.

Expect an indictment of the capital police for discrimination, more than an apology.

CBS-TV (Ch. 2) tracked her down today, and has a video of her ignoring questions while walking.

The statement at her website now is terse and lawyerly, in lieu of a more lengthy and accusatory statement originally drafted.  CBS-TV has copies of BOTH statements, which are in the continuation.

FRIDAY AM UPDATE: She will be charged with something (TBD)

That would really surprise me. I thought Senators and Congress(wo)men could not be obstructed from coming and going to work, per the constitution, or something.

234 readers of the Atlanta fishwrap have had something to say about this.

Yes, she's from my district, I'm sorry to say.

Energy analysts warn of possible glut, plummeting prices

[LINK] Nesa Subrahmaniyan, Bloomberg (via The New Zealand Herald)

SINGAPORE - India's Reliance Petroleum is among Asian refiners whose profits may shrink as increased fuel-making capacity causes a glut, analysts say.

Boy, wouldn't you hate it if that happened! (OK, they're talking about another region, but a glut there is bound to drive oil prices worldwide down, right?)

Sounds like what happened back in the 70s, after we were told the world would run out of oil in 30 years.

And, if it does, the development of alternative energy sources will once again cease, as they will not be deemed feasible (That's the bad news, as it keeps us dependent upon Arab oil.)

WoC gives M-I-P Complex hell

[LINK] Joe Katzman, Winds of Change, 3/24/06

The bandwagon of those calling for the American Military-Industrial-Political Complex to speed up the process of providing an optimum patrol vehicle for Iraq is growing as the deaths of Americans riding in Humvees grows. Katzman cuts to the quick.

As JK puts it:

Airborne Combat Engineer, who has been on this issue for a while, notes the key statement that sums up the problem with a quote: "Whether or not the Army decides there’s a requirement here is not determined at this point. And whether or not this goes into an acquisition process has not been determined." Can somebody please get their head out of their ass and determine it, since we're only 3 years into the battle for Iraq where IEDs are enemy #1?

The bureaucrats point out how long it takes to provide logistical support for a new vehicle in theatre -- even an off-the-shelf one, and historical performance supports their assertions. But, with a war going on and men dying every day, we've got to move FASTER.  Waiting for the permanent replacement vehicle to deploy beginning in 2011, while overloading a flat-bottomed utility vehicle with armor, doesn't cut it.

If computer/software companies moved this slowly, they'd be left in the dust of their competitors. But, no lives would be lost.

But, just harping about it on blogs doesn't necessarily change anything. Any suggestions on how we can get this message to the decision-makers?

Help is on the way: Democratic security plan

[LINK] and [PART II] Big Lizards Blog

I have waited and waited, with breathless breath, for the Democrats finally to release their long promised "plan" for governance (would it have been too much to expect a Five Year Plan?) I know many of you have been gnawing your fingernails to the white meat, fretting over what stunning surprises they had in store.

Well, wait, fret, and gnaw no longer:  Le jour de gloire est arrivé !

Even though there is a lot less here than meets the eye, it still takes a bit of writing to translate the "comprehensive plan for providing the American people with real security" into a comprehensive plan for providing the American people with real security.

But I'll do what I can to explicate the grand Contrat Avec l'America that will form the centerpiece of the Democratic congressional campaign strategy in seven months. Bear with me, please; throw no pies at the messenger. Watch your hat and coat.

The actual plan is not worth reading, but this satirical summary of it is.

Don't ever say Cynthia McKinney is not a fighter

[LINK] 11Alive News, Atlanta

According to sources on Capitol Hill, U.S. Representative Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) punched a Capitol police officer on Wednesday afternoon after he mistakenly pursued her for failing to pass through a metal detector. [reports on Atlanta TV this AM say she was not wearing an official pin officers use to ID authorized personnel].

Apparently she's now moved into the heavyweight category.

She's been an embarassment to Georgians ever since she's been in Washington.

LGF has quicktime movies showing (in part) why.

Michelle Malkin is on top of this story.

The left moonbat spin is she was bullied by the police BECAUSE Charlie Sheen mentioned her.

"[Charlie Sheen] mentioned Cynthia Mckinney's name whom has been working within congress to get the truth out. Now what do we have? Our representative is being persecuted by capital police. One hell of a coincidence don't you think? Fight against this tyranny!"

Revisting the M8 with Armored Gun System (AGS)

[LINK] Popular Mechanics, 03 OCT 2001

A 2001 review of a system which was cancelled.

United Defense (now a division of BAE) continues to offer it to allies of the US, with no takers yet, to A-C-E's knowledge.

The current whereabouts of the M8 prototypes is a good question TBD. Their last confirmed location was in a PA warehouse. Back in 2005, the 82nd was authorized to take them, but they don't seem to fit anywhere in 82nd reorganization to four brigade teams. If you have any information as to their current whereabouts, please comment with sources.

Popular Mechanics debunks 9/11 myths

[LINK] Popular Mechanics, March 2006 issue

To investigate 16 of the most prevalent claims made by conspiracy theorists, POPULAR MECHANICS assembled a team of nine researchers and reporters who, together with PM editors, consulted more than 70 professionals in fields that form the core content of this magazine, including aviation, engineering and the military.

In the end, we were able to debunk each of these assertions with hard evidence and a healthy dose of common sense.

Page 5 deals with Charlie Sheen's assertion the Twin Towers were imploded.