Update on Airstrikes in Iraq, August 18 2014
08/19/2014
08/19/2014: U.S. Central Command provides an update on U.S. airstrikes on ISIL targets near Mosul, Iraq over the weekend Credit: DOD News:8/18/14
MARFORPAC Change of Command
08/18/2014
08/18/2014: U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Terry G. Robling, Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific (MARFORPAC), relinquishes command to Lt. Gen. John A. Toolan Jr. during the MARFORPAC change of command ceremony, on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, August 15, 2014. Lt. General Toolan served as the I Marine…
The Many Faces of the USS America: Shaping a Crew at Sea
08/17/2014
08/17/2014: The USS America is in transit to San Diego and then on to San Francisco for its official commissioning in October. In transit, the crew is training and fitting out the ship. In this slideshow, some of the many skills being learned and applied at sea are highlighted, and…
Iraq 2014 is Not Iraq 2003: The Allied Dimension
08/16/2014
2014-08-13 By Robbin Laird The George W. Bush Administration did not have a rush of allies wishing to join in the invasion of Iraq. And today, there are few who would like to join in the effort to manage all of Iraq and work with the “new” government in Baghdad.…
The Complex Synchronized Ballet At Sea: The Strike Carrier in the Arabian Sea
08/15/2014
2014-08-15 The decision by President Obama to conduct, in official parlance, “military operations in support of humanitarian aid deliveries and targeted airstrikes in Iraq to protect U.S. personnel and interests, in response to activities conducted by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorists” has brought the significance of…
South African Reconnaissance Light Aircraft Prototype First Flight
08/13/2014
2014-08-13 by Guy Martin The first Paramount Group Advanced High-performance Reconnaissance Light Aircraft (AHRLAC) prototype has performed its maiden flight and has embarked on a rigorous flight testing programme. The Experimental Demonstrator (XDM) prototype’s first flight to the public took place this morning at Wonderboom airport outside Pretoria, although the…
France, the EU and the Kurds: “Need to Deal with ISIS”
08/13/2014
2014-08-13 The French have expressed concern about the deteriorating situation facing the Christians in Iraq and that of the Kurds in various ways. In early August, French Bishops visited Iraqi Christians to demonstrate their support. According to the Vatican in a piece released on August 5, 2014: Last week, Cardinal Barbarin…
Backing the Baghdad Government: A Viable Option?
08/13/2014
2014-08-13 When the Obama Administration sought to shape a status of forces agreement with the Baghdad government it failed to do so. This meant as well that the Administration left without a plan ever to return to the aide of Iraq. As Secretary Gates described the situation during his last…