Actually more Puritan than French: I'm planning to use the month of August to focus on my current book project.
Best,
Tom

If you are stopping by AHEC, you know how to reach me. Please do.

OPSEC aside, you can us, your loyal readers!

we also like July to take our month off in Europe. Much cheaper and less hot than August!

Not sure where you're getting your information, but I wouldn't count on it. I did two deployments in Iraq and there is no censorship or control of personal calls or email.

Yes, military NIPR networks prevent you from going to some sites that the Commo folks have decreed are dangerous to the network and would make them vulnerable to cyberattack. But it doesn't prevent you from using basic email and those types of things, and no one is censoring what you say.

Moreover, all soldiers (at least that I saw) had access, usually 24-hour access, to free MWR centers with free phones and internet access - completely unmonitored and uncontrolled. These, and military NIPR, were temporarily "blacked out" when there had been a fatality in your immediate unit, to prevent the next of kin from finding out through the rumor mill. But once they had been officially and properly notified, usually less than 24 hours later, the networks were re-opened.

Pat Tillman's personal papers? I doubt he had any. What soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan keeps "personal papers"? None that I know of. The closest things anyone there has are their private email accounts and their Facebook page. So no, I don't think there is a vast military/industrial/governmental conspiracy to keep his "papers" from getting out, as you clearly are implying.

The part about WWII censorship is basically true - letters (the only real form of communication for troops overseas) were censored by at least one officer along the way to make sure nothing compromising security (probably interpreted quite broadly) was revealed.

Victor, thx for sharing your personal experience. My impression is that things have ratcheted down a bit, which wouldn't be surprising, given a wikileaks enlisted source, and all that came before, the abu grab type stuff.

You're welcome to your doubts, but quick google search will show a lot of support for history buff Tillman keeping a journal. In the words of his biographer Krakauer, interviewed in the WSJ:

"You don't normally see the feverish manipulation of information that you saw with Tillman. Instantly, everyone knew it was friendly fire. But within hours, by sworn testimony, a move was made to give him a Silver Star. That's not typical in a friendly fire situation. All the forensic evidence, including his uniform and journal, were burned. This was an extraordinary case of manipulation of public perception, which is what the Bush administration specialized in."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203440104574406732146520274.html

Some outposts have very limited comms but larger bases have plenty of access; my Marine nephew recently returned from Afghanistan and managed a few very generic updates on Facebook.

The "no journals" rule was quite often ignored, for which historians are grateful. The classic, also scribbled in a Bible, id E.B. Sledge's "With The Old Breed. Another outstanding example is Pacific War Diary by James J. Fahey
http://www.amazon.com/Pacific-War-Diary-1942-1945-American/dp/061840080X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312398283&sr=1-1 and then there is "The GI Journal of Sergeant Giles." There was one (and I can't recall the title now) written in real time and kept in the unit safe between bombing missions. As I recall, it took him about a year to get it "declassified" after the war.
Even many of the letters were quite informative, so long as they chose their words carefully and were written after the fact; I had access to several sets in writing my book on the CBI and they added lots of first-hand details.

I am depressed about how the level of paranoia and willingness to believe the worst seems to be increasing...

OLDLOAD, thx for the reading suggestions. Selling a second war, another long one, on a false connection to 9/11, that was hugely corrosive to our national tradition of trust, checks and balances. Something to remember when the fife and drumbeat for the next land war in asia starts up.

My reading of many war memoirs includes a ritual where battle buddies and superiors make sure that inappropriate or hurtful items (extramarital letters, scalps, whatever), don't get sent home. It's not a far stretch for the journal of a celebrity casualty, one who's friendly fire death was being spun as a heroic charge into a hail of enemy fire, to get command attention and pyro-editing. In Cpl. Tillman's case, his Ranger brother, present at some distance at the time of the FF accident, was sent home with the body, unable to help decide what to keep or toss.

The volumes of investigation records show forensic evidence was burned, patrol com logs were altered, the Ranger Platoon told not to discuss the case, then dispersed. All of which points towards intention, even experience, in conducting a coverup.

Our command desire to control the story, remove the red from the color photos, that didn't go away after WW2, or Viet Nam. Controlling the story, servicie image, is an integral part of how we fight wars in this new American century.

The Internet is totally open, they block access to some sites (porn, etc) but that is it. The Tillman thing is not like that, we got the full debrief from our side and another from the brother, it was a tragedy of errors, immaturity and idiocy by some of the men directly involved, a desire to rush the information out as part of the IO campaign before all the info was in and then a CO not accepting responsibility. No conspiracy, a lot of basic mistakes made and forgetting that initial contact reports are never accurate. It was that simple and that tragic.

but maybe his service and situation operate under different rules, over there.

Re Tillman affair, I only know what I read, and that tells me Pat and his family have a right to feel abused by how his name was attached to a false (not mistaken) story. The Presidents office got the wave-off, to not use 'into enemy fire' within 24-48 hours.

Weeks later, the false story (not mistaken) inflated into a Silver Star citation was still being used, in public, with congressmen and senators (candidate McCain no less) in attendance and on the platform. That's the kind of (excrement deleted) deception that erodes confidence in our gov't.

Family should be upset but never said they shouldn't, just like with everything else that happens in combat, first reports are never spot on, it snow balled and they tried to get the initial story out first due to it fitting a great PR story but no conspiracy.

I see at least two active and collusive alterations of the story. If they are normal, then they also indicate practice at the craft, a breach of trust with the fallen, a callous acceptance of info ops collateral.

The first is at the operational level, where the tac-operations command element was covering up their part of pushing a compromised recon mission forward, over the objections of the platoon LT. The LT was wounded and isolated while deal was being put together to protect the major. The second occurred at the department and level, where some were briefed in to the charade, riding the story while not owning it, until after the funeral.

McChrystal had to know he had forwarded a false Silver Star citation to Washington. Sen. McCain, the party candidate-in-waiting, was clearly pissed that he had been left to vouch for a story that anyone in the know could guess ws going to come unravelled.

You have too much time on your hands. You need to play more golf or something...

GSF, good advice, as always. Grabbing my clubs and heading out the door. But here's one more thing for you, which I found while surfing the Net this morning. Maybe you've seen it already, but it surely is wise and true. S/F!

"The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!"

Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States, 1945

I don't think the USMC really wanted anything to do with Afghanistan (land-locked) or Iraq (mostly land-locked)after the initial invasions, but the Big Guy spoke and the Commandant said "Yes Sir".

"I come in peace, I didn't bring artillery. But I am pleading with you with tears in my eyes: If you fuck with me, I'll kill you all."
General James Mattis USMC, to tribal leaders in Al Anbar

Unfortunately, the Corps cannot be excused from fighting in these land-locked wars, although the previous CMC was keen to remove Marines from Iraq and return them to small unit actions they were more suited for in Afghanistan (I'm told Marines push out patrols more fequently than the other gun club does).

Probably the biggest obstacle the Marine Corps faces after exiting Afghanistan. . .and exit they must at some point. . .is implementing Operational Maneuver From the Sea, with technology that may be beyond grasp and/or practicality, compounded by its partner, the U.S. Navy, that has relinquished a portion of it’s forced entry capability and ability to deliver the Marines behind the horizon.

However, I believe in the aphorism that when the complex, sophisticated plans are not producing, try something simple, it will generally work.

Aye, hence my GEN Mattis quote.

When I was in Laos in the 60s, one of my jobs as a JO was to burn huge crates of surrender leaflets sent to us from Saigon. The leaflets said (in loose translation) "We are the U.S. Marines. We are your friends and want to help you. If you bring this leaflet to us we will protect you. If you don't, we will kill you."
We burned them because we didn't think them to be particularly useful.

Leaflets seemed to have worked somewhat in SE Asia:
http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/aureview/1967/sep-oct/brewer.html.

Gen Mattis' approach also had some success in al Anbar.

It's a no-win situation for the US. No US president can resolve the Israeli-Palestinian issue without either (1) putting real pressure on the Israelis who think they have a strong hand and are not willing to negotiate, or (2) stepping back entirely and letting the Israelis and Palestinians duke it out, after which both sides will come to their senses. As for picking and choosing from among the "Arab Spring" countries, it's our "missionary" zeal that's caught up with us. We go around the world loudly preaching Democracy and Human Rights, even to the extent of speaking up right in Beijing or Cairo. People hear us and believe us. And then when they do rise up, we can't do much. Shades of Hungary 1956! Are we again stepping on our own d--k?

Well, there is an upside, save for Lebanon, the majority of Arabs* felt Iran was meddling too greatly in Iraq specifically, and the ME region generally, giving a disapproval rating to Iran about the same as the U.S.

*Incidentally, how does one define an Arab? The Arab League defines an Arab as “a person whose language is Arabic, who lives in an Arabic speaking country, who is in sympathy with the aspirations of the Arabic speaking peoples." However, I note they grant the status to Somalia, and I know that Egyptian Coptic Christians don’t use the term Arab to describe themselves, although they speak Arabic.

Also, speaking of Egyptian Christians with a focus on news you can't use, the greater majority of Egyptians are Muslim obviously, and don't eat pork because of religious restrictions. But about ten percent of the population in Egypt is Coptic Christian. As a result, Egyptian pig farmers are overwhelmingly Christian and by virtue of that are Cairo's garbage collectors. : )

Tom, can you do the intermediary thing between Ryddle and me? RYDDLE, contact Tom at his email link above his photo on this page.
Regards.

I'm working on the book but checking the comments every day.
Cheers,
Tom

Good newsworthy article!

I think part and parcel of the issue is that the Agency may have accepted a low standard for collateral damage and may view innocent individuals in the area of a strike killed worth the risk in moving ahead with perishable actionable intelligence; I am aware Air Force controlled strikes are looked at with a bit more scrutiny and the Agency had wanted to take full control of drone strikes in Yemen and Somalia . . . if they haven’t already.

This I do know: the Phoenix program in Viet-Nam by 1970, had become very depersonalized and indiscriminate, and it may be we are heading in that mindset direction again.

CIA may be angry and capable. But the islamists, and even nominally friendly Pakistani generals, are not without options to send us signals. They could go beyond harassing our supply lines and intel efforts their unstable country.

Other major players in this war, Russia, China, and Iran, might be happy to watch us bleed and despair. India also might benefit from the opposite effect, an angry bloody-nosed America, a wag-the-dog effect.

Mister Bearcat, unfortunately, Signore Pomelmo, or Mr. Grapefuit if you please, knows pretty much squat; that is to say, butkus, zip, etc., about events up north in the Maghreb.

However, an old French para of the Gen. Massu mold I am acquainted with informs, probably by (unbelievably - gasp!) monitoring Twitter on Libyana Americana @Cyrenaican, and certainly by chatting up with certain thugs and other individuals between Marseille and Aubagne he knows, that just as I had predicted in a past post here, tribal tensions have risen in Libya, and there is evidence of internecine feuding as this dumb French Sarkozy, who dragged us by the nose, Libyan kerfunkle, with no political solution in sight continues (nice rant worked-in, uh?).

Anyway, this internecine tension surfacing may be the reason Gen. Younis was killed by other anti-crazy colonel rebels who had been dispatched to bring him in for a chat. An important point: I was told by my Grandfather, there are plenty of Indian scalps on other Indian’s lodge poles. . .or in other parlance, don’t get in a vehicle driven by those from another tribe with an age old grudge.

On another note, keep your eye on what’s going down in Mauritania. All this focus in Libya by our assets, has somewhat taken our eye off the bigger picture in the region and given Al-Qa'idah in the Maghreb some breathing room to expand their activities against American trained forces there, as well as acquire guns and ammo from looted arms depots, both in Libya and up from Yemen.

Now having shared this open source information, I am famished and heading to Zeke’s Drive-in, home of the best french fries this side of the pass. . .over.

< http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/07/army-wants-to-rid-ranks-of-toxic-commanders-073111w/ >

We never found out what happened to the hospitalized soldier from the first infamous run. That brigade commander had several things going for him and I think that he probably survived his mistake and may still have a future. If the division commander cared, he would be looking to see what this brigade commander was doing to improve the condition of his troops.

It is brutally hot down here in North Carolina right now and I'd be scheduling the heck out of the pools on post.

The other day. It was a different bde.

http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2011/08/01/1112628?sac=Mil

He is a great guy a real pro and can't return to Tom's club here here too early. I will say nothing about the details of his wounding he can tell that story himself if he so chooses once he returns to TBD.

Is it ESIII? He's been silent too long. Get well soon, whoever you are!

Informs me that he has suffered his 3rd TBI injury and is in rehabilitation. This could explain some of his comments. {;*))

How condescending of them. Maybe NO European has EVER joined the military for financial stability, since their welfare states have made it possible to make a living wage off welfare payments.

I've gotten fed up with this minority and low income recruiting crap too. Are there troops from those areas? Absolutely, I was one. But there are far more suburban kids than inner city folks. Heck, the schools are so bad in the inner cities only 25% of the kids graduate, so how many even qualify for military service? Those that do are the cream of the crop, and they most assuredly have plenty of options for college or work by comparison. Why is it suspect that someone with a low income background can be a patriot or drawn to military service?

Ever remind your Euro friends of their colonial histories? No country has kept their hands clean forever. Might want to remind the Germans of Adolf, the Brits of George III and the East India Co, the French of Napoleon, Italians of Mussolini, Russians of Stalin, Spanish conquistadors, etc. George W. pales by comparison, doesn't he?

'The Sorrow and the Pity'
Cynically,
Tom

Well, considering that the individuals that I am looking to share with are Irish, Bosnian (Bosniak to be precise), and Romanian, any reminder of colonial history would be that of their own oppression and genocide under the British, Serbs, and Soviets. But even that reminder won't do much because they are in their early to mid 20s, have witnessed the conciliation process in their own countries, and they feel this hope of living in countries aiming to (re) develop their own cultural identies. To them, they see the US government and our military as institutions seeking to oppress another people; to them, we are the new colonial power imposing our own ideals onto other indigenous cultures.

When they do hear arguments against blaming individual military personnel, it is usually infused with the whole, "you can't really blame them because they are being exploited themselves". Much like they hold quite a bit of antagonism towards our government, but this fascination with our tv shows, music, and fast food.

You may be tired of these types of opinions and perceptions, but we are talking about members of a generation that have watched the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars through the availability of Youtube, Wikileaks, and Yahoo! News Clips. Most of what they know about our military has been through the most egregious stories broadcasted on RTE and SkyNews. And I'm just hoping to share some good pieces that may give them a deeper insight into the complexity of the type of people serving, and the reasons why they serve. I know one was surprised that American medics were healing the very same insurgents that had just moments before had tried to kill their colleagues.

I get your feeling of being tired of their condescending opinion (not long ago, some even mentioned how only Americans resort to mass gun violence and then two weeks later the Norway tragedy happened). But, I try to remember that these young'uns aren't the WWII generation and they aren't likely to perceive the Americans as the great liberators, saviors, rescurers, or whatever that their parents and grandparents may remember.

The kids are obviously just that, kids, if someone from Romania or Ireland looks at the US in that way then they are being intellectually lazy. They sound like College Students who merely parrot back what they get from urban myths. Both countries would not be in their positions today if were not for US Foreign Policy and being from the Boston area I can assure you it has not stopped the Irish from coming over to live nor has it stopped a lot of brides from Romania getting hitched to US Servicemen or immigrants from coming as well. The Bosnian might have a legit gripe, depending on how he views our actions under Clinton. They all sound like wanna be intellectuals who want to sip coffee, pontificate about something they obviously know little to nothing about and refuse to actually check their ideas against anything objective. All you can do is ask them what use for a source for their views and to back up their opinions with facts, I do not think they will listen though and do not envy you as you attempt to use logic on them. Good Luck.