The Irresistible Illusion, Rory Stewart, The London Review of Books Jul 2, 2009
It would require far fewer international troops and planes than we have today to make it very difficult for the Taliban to gather a conventional army as they did in 1996 and drive tanks and artillery up the main road to Kabul ... In that case let them undergo the long and tiresome marches which lie between the Oxus and the Indus; let them wend their way through poor and difficult countries, among a fanatic and courageous population, where, in many places, every mile can be converted into a... (Harper's Magazine)
Marching out of step in the US military Jul 2, 2009
" These understated acts of refusal were often survival strategies as well as gestures of dissent, as the troops were invariably undertrained and ill-equipped for the job of putting down an insurgency. Specialist Nathan Lewis, who was deployed to Iraq with the 214th Artillery Brigade from March 2002 through June 2003, experienced this firsthand. "We never received any training for much of what we were expected to do," he said when telling me of certain munitions catching fire while he and other... (Asia Times Online)
The Science of Archery, Part I Jul 2, 2009
The Longbow: Medieval Artillery. The Longbow is the most rudimentary of bows. (Suite101.com)
Amnesty International Charges Impunity for War Crimes in Gaza and Southern Israel Recipe for Further Civilian Suffering Jul 2, 2009
Others were killed with imprecise weapons, including artillery shells carrying white phosphorus - not previously used in Gaza - which should never be used in densely populated areas ... It calls on Israel to commit not to carry out direct, indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks on civilians; or use artillery, mortars and white phosphorus weapons in densely populated areas; and to end its blockade on the Gaza Strip, which is collectively punishing the entire population. (PR Newswire)
Macedonia guerrillas win seats Jul 2, 2009
26 Mar 2001: Macedonian tanks and infantry seized a key ridge above the city of Tetovo yesterday after artillery and helicopter gunships bombarded ethnic Albanian rebel positions and nearby villages in their biggest offensive since Albanian gunmen launched their revolt 12 days ago ... 16 Mar 2001: Macedonian artillery set a mountain ablaze yesterday to flush out ethnic Albanian guerrillas who carried their insurgency into the city of Tetovo, stoking fears of a new Balkan conflagration. (Yahoo News -- Macedonia)
James Tindall, Army Col., inventive fix-it man Jul 2, 2009
In 2001, Col. Tindall was inducted into the Field Artillery Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame. He was more proud of that than any other award or decoration he received, Col. Hughes said. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
'Growing the Park' Jul 2, 2009
At a display sponsored by the Irvine 2/11 Marine Adoption Committee, Marines will simulate loading and firing a "155" cannon and display artillery and military vehicles. Children can try on Marine Corps gear and get the feel of being a Marine. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Amnesty details Gaza 'war crimes' Jul 2, 2009
It also reiterates previous condemnations of the use of "imprecise" weapons such as white phosphorous and artillery shells. The destruction of homes, businesses and public buildings was in many cases "wanton and deliberate" and "could not be justified on the grounds of military necessity", the report adds. (BBC News)
Local men look back on D-Day experiences9:43 am | (No comments posted.) Jul 2, 2009
He said his job was to be in the front lines directing artillery fire through a radio ... One day during the war, when it was just raining 88s, a large German artillery shell, Fischer climbed into a German foxhole. (Watertown Public Opinion, SD)
Cannonball stolen from veteran's grave When Rick Frazier arrived at his son's King George grave site on his son's birthday, he found a Civil War cannonball missing from Josh's headstone. Jul 1, 2009
The cannonball is a locally recovered, 12-pound solid shot, which would have been fired from a Napoleon cannon, "the backbone of both armies' artillery," Piper said. Frazier put polyurethane on the cannonball to protect it from the weather, and used epoxy to securely fasten it to the divot in the headstone. (Fredericksburg.com, VA)
Charge your glass Jul 1, 2009
Rampling served for 29 years in the Royal Artillery, retiring with the rank of colonel. The so called "Canterbury Sound" of the 1960s and early 70s featured Kent-based bands such as Soft Machine, whose bass player was Hugh Hopper. (BBC News -- UK)
D-Day: The Battle For Normandy Jul 1, 2009
We learn of the awful psychological collapse of men under artillery fire - about 30,000 Allied troops suffered shell shock, many curling up in the foetal position in their dugouts, howling and sobbing, or running berserk; we see the sheer guts of soldiers on both sides and their savagery - both sides slaughtered prisoners; and we're left wondering at the pitiless indoctrination of the ordinary German infantryman, who - though outnumbered, bombed senseless and abandoned - somehow fought on.... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Theodore 'Tayo' Fichtl Jul 1, 2009
He served as a second lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion, 108th Field Artillery, of the Arizona Army National Guard. Later, he completed his master of business administration in healthcare administration from the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona. (Sierra Vista Herald, AZ)
Why is Russia staging major drills in North Caucasus? Jun 30, 2009
A total of 8,500 servicemen, 200 tanks, 450 armored personnel carriers and 250 artillery guns are involved in the drills, Andrei Bobrun, a spokesman for the North Caucasus military district, told Itar-Tass. Several branches, including units from the North Caucasus military district, the air force, the air defense force, airborne troops, the Caspian Flotilla and the Black Sea Fleet, are participating in the drills, Bobrun said. (Xinhuanet, China)
Russian exercises anger Georgia Jun 30, 2009
RUSSIAN EXERCISES 8,500 military personnel 200 tanks 450 armoured vehicles 250 pieces of artillery. The war games are due to end on the day US President Barack Obama arrives in Moscow for a summit with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. (BBC News -- Europe)
UN probe into Gaza conflict Jun 30, 2009
UN investigator Richard Goldstone visits the destroyed house where members of the Samouni family were killed in an artillery strike during Israel's offensive in January in Gaza City, in this June 3 file photo. Ashraf Amra/ AP/ File. (Christian Science Monitor)
Suicide bomber strikes at Afghan-Pakistan border Jun 30, 2009
The overnight and early morning clashes followed artillery attacks Sunday on suspected militant hide-outs in two towns in the northwest that killed 27 fighters. Elsewhere in the volatile region, a suicide bomber killed two people at a police checkpoint Monday, and the military said eight militants were killed by a citizens' militia. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
* Russia commences war games near neighboring Georgia Jun 30, 2009
About 8,500 troops will participate in the exercises and up to 200 tanks, 450 armored cars and 250 artillery pieces of various types, the Russian defense ministry said. The war games will run until Sunday and will focus on counter-terrorism and the defense of strategic targets, the ministry said. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Sports)
Bloody Pakistan clashes kill civilians: officials Jun 29, 2009
"First militants fired rockets at army camp Wana, after which troops responded with artillery fire," said local government official Ghafoor Shah. "One of the shells hit people coming out of a mosque in Kaloosha village and killed three people and wounded another seven," Shah told AFP.. (Yahoo! Asia News)
COMMENT: Games Neighbours Play Jun 29, 2009
India has complemented its diplomatic success on Arunachal Pradesh in the ADB by deciding to bolster its defence preparedness in the state, with the decision to enhance military deployment with two additional mountain divisions and supporting artillery. New Delhi has also boosted its air power with the induction of frontline SU 30 aircraft into the north-east. (India Times, India)
Somalia: President Accuses Eritrea Jun 29, 2009
Insurgent mortars targeted the Villa Somalia presidential compound where President Sheikh Sharif was holding the conference, forcing government forces to respond with artillery fire. At least five people in the attacks. (allAfrica.com)
Russia Holds Major War Games in Caucasus Jun 29, 2009
MOSCOW Thousands of troops, backed by hundreds of tanks, artillery and other heavy weaponry, began rumbling through the North Caucasus on Monday, as Russia began its largest military exercises since last year's war with Georgia ... Defense Ministry official say more than 8,500 troops will take part, along with nearly 200 tanks, armored vehicles, 100 artillery units and several units from Russia's Black Sea naval fleet. (Fox News)
Pakistani forces kill at least 20 militants Jun 29, 2009
Terrorist training facilities and ammunition dumps in Mehsud s home village of Makeen and nearby Ladha were hit Saturday by artillery and warplanes dropping bombs, the military said in a statement, without elaborating. Similar attacks have struck the villages in recent days. (Sierra Vista Herald, AZ)
U.S. won't use force on North Korean ship Jun 28, 2009
It is not clear what was on board the freighter, but officials have mentioned artillery and other conventional weaponry. One intelligence expert suspected missiles. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Somalia: Background Briefing on U.S. Assistance to the Transitional Federal Government [document] Jun 28, 2009
This is not artillery pieces or armored vehicles or tanks. These are small arms. (allAfrica.com)
Family, friends to cheer World War II veteran as senior ‘Festival King,’ 94 Jun 27, 2009
As part of the Army s light artillery, Robertson said, he manned a gun attached to the back of a truck. Hoffman recalled her father talking of a time when a bullet grazed his chest. (Lompoc Record, CA)
SKorea to Boost Surgical Strike Capability Against North; Doctrine Allows for Pre-Emptive Action... Developing... Jun 27, 2009
The Army, for its part, will triple the number of its K-9 self-propelled howitzers and next-generation multiple launch rocket systems to counter attacks by North Korea's long-range artillery deployed near the border ... The North is believed to have about 1,100 long-range artillery systems, including 60-kilometer-range 240mm rocket launchers, along the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas. (The Drudge Report)
Sturgeon hands over garrison commander position Jun 27, 2009
He graduated in 1989 with a bachelor of arts degree and was commissioned as a field artillery officer. He also has master s degrees in administration and strategic studies. (Sierra Vista Herald, AZ)
Taliban militants killed Jun 27, 2009
"Two Taliban were killed and three others injured when security forces fired artillery shells on militant hideouts," local government official Allah Bagh Khan told AFP.. South Waziristan is Mehsud's stronghold, and the US which has been a vocal supporter of Islamabad's anti-Taliban push alleges that Al-Qaeda fighters are in the region plotting attacks on Western targets. (iAfrica.com)
First suicide blast kills 2 troops in Kashmir Jun 27, 2009
Government troops have pounded suspected militant hide-outs in the region for more than a week with bombs and artillery as the army softens up targets in apparent preparation for a ground offensive aimed at eliminating Pakistan Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud. Mehsud has directed a string of bloody bombings across the country in recent weeks in retaliation against the government operations, and the suicide attack in Pakistani Kashmir could mark an extension of his campaign against the... (MSNBC -- International)
Kevin McClintock: Target Iran Iraq insurgency serves as inspiration for future Arab conflict Jun 27, 2009
There are also 2,400 armored personnel vehicles; 13,000 infantry mortars; dozens of Russian Scud and North Korean Shahab missiles; and roughly 4,600 artillery pieces ... With overwhelming air superiority, artillery capabilities that are second-to-none and with tanks able to maneuver at 70 mph, any Iranian static defense ringing a city or human militia charge would end in total annihilation. (Medfield Press, MA)
Political violence vs terror Jun 27, 2009
The Indian army has refrained from using heavy artillery and aerial bombardment, making it easier for the government and rebels to eventually compromise and reach a political settlement. While there have been several instances - the peace accord with the Mizo National Front in 1985 is one example - where the government has taken advantage of the space opened up by successful military operations against rebels to hammer out a political solution, there are innumerable examples too of the... (Asia Times Online)
Media neglect threatens Pakistan aid response Jun 26, 2009
Few of the Swat valley's residents were prepared for scale of the military operation there, which involved heavy artillery and aerial bombardment from helicopter gunships and fighter jets. They were fearful enough for their lives, in the midst of a conflict not of their making, that they fled, taking what little they could carry. (AlertNet)
Honor due for Strom Jun 26, 2009
The anti-aircraft artillery officer was up front in saying he and the others chosen did not see leaving their branches as career enhancers ... He was commissioned as an anti-aircraft artillery officer and later was detailed into the intelligence arena, retiring as a brigadier general after 30 years service. (Sierra Vista Herald, AZ)
Pakistan seeks end to US drone attacks Jun 26, 2009
Suspected militant hide-outs in South Waziristan have been pounded for more than a week with bombs and artillery. Washington strongly supports both campaigns, viewing them as a test of nuclear-armed Pakistan s resolve to confront a growing insurgency after years of half-hearted offensives and peace deals with militants. (Boston Globe)
US, SKorea Hold Talks Amid NKorea Threats Jun 26, 2009
It is not clear what was on board the North Korean freighter, but officials have mentioned artillery and other conventional weaponry. One intelligence expert suspected missiles. (Click2Houston, TX)
Kenya poised to intervene in Somalia Jun 26, 2009
Johannesburg - With troops massed on the Somali border and heavy artillery being moved into position, Kenya appears ready to join if necessary the Ethiopians in an armed intervention in Somalia. Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki called together his National Defense and Security Council in Nairobi yesterday, and while Interior Minister George Saitoti assured Kenyans that Kenya would not intervene in Somalia, it was clear that other ministers and defense officials were preparing for such a... (Christian Science Monitor -- World)
Soldier finally at rest Jun 25, 2009
He was listed with Company 1 of the 9th Heavy Artillery Regiment, which was at Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House, but his company was apparently not there ... Quill, whose great-great uncle was a member of the 9th Artillery, called to mind the watchfire on Memorial Day that symbolizes bringing the veterans back. (Auburn Citizen, NY)
I Have to Tell You . . . Jun 25, 2009
He was assigned to the Air Defense Artillery Regiment in Fort Hood, Texas, and almost immediately was deployed to Bosnia ... Before she knew it she had more packages and supporters than soldiers, so she wrote to the commanding officer in Bosnia who arranged for packages to be distributed to soldiers from the 82nd Field Artillery stationed at Eagle Base Camp in Bosnia, just in time for Christmas 1998. (Missourian Publishing, MO)
Free fish, fireworks fabulous for sure Jun 25, 2009
Gator, the Eighth Texas Artillery Company's Civil War cannon, under the command of Lt. Jamie Morgan, will put in an appearance again this year ... "Last year the public really seemed to enjoy seeing the artillery crew at work and hearing the loud boom of Gator, said Sherry Ferguson, a member of the Midway VFD s Re-Hab, or support group.Music will be provided by the band FM 2865 starting around 4:30 p.m. at the outdoor concert that will be located near the Midway Community Center. To complete the... (Madisonville Meteor, TX)
Unseen offensive Jun 25, 2009
We stood in the ruins of a school, watching the artillery barrage and the plumes of smoke that followed. But we could not verify what had been hit. (BBC News -- South Asia)
Shoot first, talk later in Myanmar Jun 25, 2009
Those government forces have in recent weeks provided external security, evacuated casualties, transported food and ammunition and given artillery support to the DKBA.. Although heavier artillery is believed to be stationed in the area, the army has restricted shelling to smaller caliber mortars and rocket-propelled grenades, known to be used by the DKBA. KNLA sources claim that around 150 DKBA and Myanmar army troops have been killed and wounded, many from landmines, in the new fighting. (Asia Times Online)
Pakistani Taliban chief dodged missile, officials say Jun 25, 2009
The campaign has been preceded by aerial and artillery bombardment, and Malik, the interior minister, said 65,000 displaced people have already moved from South Waziristan to North Waziristan, where they are living with friends and relatives. Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company. (Boston Globe)
Prominent Comer resident's possessions up for auction Jun 24, 2009
" Gholston had many war stories to tell. Two weeks before the war ended, he was seriously wounded when an artillery shell exploded near him. Tucked away in the house, McGraw and Piche found an Army helmet with a dent, possibly the one Gholston was wearing that fateful day he narrowly escaped death. In an interview with the Banner-Herald in 2007, Gholston noted the face of his hometown was changing as he aged. "I used to know everybody in Comer, and now I know very few of them," he said. Now his... (Athens Banner-Herald)
Chuck Sweeny: Miniature arsenal deserves big showcase Jun 24, 2009
Just northwest of the Rockford city limits, there s a vast array of artillery that would impress anyone, even the U.S. Army ... Many of them were made by Koebbeman s friend, the late Valentin Pavlow, an immigrant from Russia who was captured and imprisoned during World War II by the Germans, spent nine years in Venezuela and eventually ended up in Rockford in the mid-1950s, according to Koebbeman s book, The Wonderful, Wacky, Terrible World of Artillery in Miniature. (Medfield Press, MA)
Today's U.K. Jun 24, 2009
There is a five-star play on in London at the moment called "War Horse." It's about the life of a British horse during World War I. Horses were used to mount officers, to pull carts of dead and wounded and to tow artillery pieces. Some wandered off into the no-man's land between the wires to die. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
NKorean Cargo Ship Could Test UN Sanctions Jun 24, 2009
The North is believed to have sold guns, artillery and other small weapons to Myanmar in the past. The Southeast Asian military state is the target of U.S. and EU arms embargoes. (Click2Houston, TX)
NKorea ship suspected of holding arms passes China Jun 24, 2009
North Korea is believed to have sold guns, artillery and other small weapons to Myanmar, said Kim Jin-moo, an analyst at Seoul's state-run Korea Institute for Defense Analyses. An American destroyer, the USS John S. McCain, is relatively close to the North Korean vessel but had no orders to intercept it, a senior military official told The Associated Press last week on condition of anonymity. (WSVN-TV Miami, FL)
Pakistan targets its most wanted man Jun 24, 2009
The operation will involve fighter bombers, helicopter gunships, limited artillery and ground troops, including special forces. The top brass realize that all-out engagement is not possible in the hostile terrain where a fully armed hostile population lurks in every nook and cranny. (Asia Times Online)
George Millman, 83; longtime civil engineer who served on Framingham Town Meeting Jun 24, 2009
Mr. Millman served as a sergeant in the Army until 1946 with the 672d Field Artillery Battalion in the European Theater in World War II during the Ruhr campaign in Germany. After his service, Mr. Millman graduated from Northeastern University in 1951 with a bachelor s degree in civil engineering. (Boston Globe)
Official: U.S.S. McCain Stops Monitoring N. Korean Ship Jun 24, 2009
North Korea is believed to have sold guns, artillery and other small weapons to Burma, said Kim Jin-moo, an analyst at Seoul's state-run Korea Institute for Defense Analyses. Meanwhile, the U.S. and North Korea's neighbors were discussing how to deal with the increasingly defiant country amid signs it may be preparing a long-range missile test. (Fox News)
Tiananmen Moments Jun 24, 2009
When artillery captain Bonaparte asked one of the late king's ministers why Louis had not used his cannons, the minister is said to have replied, "The king of France does not use artillery on his own people.". To which Napoleon is said to have replied, "What an idiot.". (Human Events Online)
North Korean ship tests U.N. sanctions Jun 24, 2009
The North is believed to have sold guns, artillery and other small weapons to Myanmar in the past. The Southeast Asian nation is the target of U.S. and EU arms embargoes because of its poor human rights record and failure to hand power to a democratically elected government. (MSNBC -- International)
Pakistan assassination exposes Taliban rifts Jun 24, 2009
Instead of a full-on confrontation, the army has been using airstrikes and artillery to try to soften up his men's entrenched positions by attacking suspected hide-outs and training camps from far away. The Obama administration supports anti-militant operations, seeing them as a measure of Pakistan's resolve in combating a growing insurgency. (MSNBC -- International)
New fight stirs concern in Pakistan Jun 24, 2009
Major psychological shiftIn preparing for a full-fledged battle, the military has pounded South Waziristan for days with bombs and heavy artillery and moved in more than 50,000 troops. A sizable number have been shifted from the eastern border with India, signaling a major psychological shift in a military establishment groomed to fight a conventional war with its Hindu-majority neighbor. (Huntington WSAZ-TV, WV)
Taliban commander shot dead in northwest Pakistan Jun 24, 2009
Daily bombing runs and artillery barrages have been softening up militant targets in South Waziristan for about a week and ground troops have moved into position, the military says, though it says the main offensive has not yet started. Meanwhile, five suspected aides of Mehsud were arrested Tuesday in the southern city of Karachi after an encounter with police, while six others escaped, police official Raja Omar Khatab said. (North County Times)
North Korean ship poses challenge for US allies along its route Jun 24, 2009
In the past, North Korea has sold artillery and rocket launchers to Burma, says Bertil Lintner, a Thailand-based journalist and author of several books on both countries. In 2007, the same vessel docked in Burma and offloaded some heavy equipment, fueling suspicions of weapon systems transfers. (Christian Science Monitor -- World)
N. Korea ship may be taking missiles to Burma Jun 24, 2009
Kim Jin-moo, an analyst at Seoul's state-run Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, said the North is believed to have sold guns, artillery and other small weapons to Burma but not missiles, which it has been accused of exporting to Iran and Syria. The U.N. sanctions, which toughen an earlier arms embargo against North Korea, ban the country from exporting all weapons and weapons-related material, meaning any weapons shipment to Burma would violate the resolution. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Official: N. Korea Ship Carries Weapons to Myanmar Jun 24, 2009
Kim Jin-moo, an analyst at Seoul's state-run Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, said the North is believed to have sold guns, artillery and other small weapons to Myanmar but not missiles, which it has been accused of exporting to Iran and Syria. The U.N. sanctions, which toughen an earlier arms embargo against North Korea, ban the country from exporting all weapons and weapons-related material, meaning any weapons shipment to Myanmar would violate the resolution. (Newsmax)
Lodi man helps win Army National Guard contest (481) Jun 23, 2009
A Lodi Army National Guard member who grew up in Lodi is part of a seven-man artillery team named the "Top Gun of the Battalion" in a competition against a Southern California team ... Joseph De Anda Sr., a member of the California National Guard artillery unit from Lodi, displays a green "enlisted excellence ribbon," two red battle coins for excellence in performance and a round, blue "Freedom Defenders for Excellence" coin. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
Vets Who Repress Traumatic Memories May Not Be Worse Off Jun 23, 2009
Boscarino -- who was stationed with a combat artillery unit in the central highlands of Vietnam in 1965 -- conducted his work in collaboration with fellow Vietnam Marine vet Charles Figley, of Tulane University's School of Social Work, in New Orleans. Together, they report their findings in the June issue of the Journal of Nervous l Diseases. (MEDLINEplus)
Taliban Commander Shot Dead in Pakistan Jun 23, 2009
Daily bombing runs and artillery barrages have been softening up militant targets for about a week, and Abbas said the "pre-positioning" of ground troops in South Waziristan has been completed, though the campaign proper has not started. Qari Hussain, a close aide of Mehsud, telephoned The Associated Press on Monday to say the military strikes had not weakened the Taliban in South Waziristan and had hit civilians and destroyed their homes. (Fox News)
Militant camp may hold clues to Taliban operations Jun 23, 2009
South Waziristan, a 4,400-square-mile chunk of Pakistan along the Afghan border, has for a week been softened up with airstrikes and artillery fire as the military prepares its next major anti-Taliban operation. The government says it is about to go after Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud in his South Waziristan base. (North County Times)
Pakistan launches airstrikes after bases attacked Jun 23, 2009
Daily bombing runs and artillery barrages have been softening up militant targets for about a week, and Abbas said the "pre-positioning" of ground troops in South Waziristan has been completed, though the campaign proper has not started ... The intelligence officials said security forces responded with artillery and airstrikes against militant targets in at least seven villages, including a suspected training camp where 19 people were killed. (North County Times)
Neda Soltani, the martyr of Tehran Jun 23, 2009
Then the Israelis, using US -supplied weapons and aircraft and artillery proceeded to kill over 1,300 Palestinians. Not one or two pretty women, but 1300 people ,little children, young girls and boys, women, men all slaughtered with our help. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Opinion)
