Monday, February 19, 2007

BREITBART.COM - 1999 War Games Foresaw Problems in Iraq

BREITBART.COM - 1999 War Games Foresaw Problems in Iraq: "WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. government conducted a series of secret war games in 1999 that anticipated an invasion of Iraq would require 400,000 troops, and even then chaos might ensue.
In its 'Desert Crossing' games, 70 military, diplomatic and intelligence officials assumed the high troop levels would be needed to keep order, seal borders and take care of other security needs.

The documents came to light Saturday through a Freedom of Information Act request by the George Washington University's National Security Archive, an independent research institute and library. "




It would be interesting but probably impossible for the proponents of 'Military Transformation' to do a study of all the ways the administration violated the concepts of military transformation. For example, this surge of 20,000 troops looks like it will only bring troop levels back to where they were at the beginning of 2006. How is that supposed to help? Swarming requires overwhelming force. Military Transformation assumes force that does something besides guard troops and wait for attacks.


Military Transformation relies on high amounts of information. I guess it assumes that the information will be used.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Darpa Race

Click Here For Sabastian Thrun

Cars will be driving themselves by 2030. That is probably a correct estimate and will have a profound effect. For example, is the whole truck driving profession about to be replaced. What do you say when your twelve year old asks for a car of his/her own? They won't have to drive it to use it alone. Who will have the first package pickup for driverless cars? It will be a very different world.

BREITBART.COM - Robot-driven cars on roads by 2030: scientist

BREITBART.COM - Robot-driven cars on roads by 2030: scientist:

"Thrun said he believed robot-driven vehicles would be deployed in war zones before they are seen in everyday civilian environments.
'I think they'll be on the battlefield by around 2015,' he said. 'It is going to make sense to use them in situations such as convoys, or in hostile environments where there is danger to personnel.' "



Of course, the advent of self controlling vehicles will add to the move to autonomous war machines. Imagine the difference in target choices that will be possible when human life is not at risk directly

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Cluster bombs: a war's perilous aftermath | csmonitor.com

Cluster bombs: a war's perilous aftermath csmonitor.com: "Cluster bombs: a war's perilous aftermath
UN figures estimate that 26 percent of south Lebanon's cultivatable land is affected by the ordinance."



The Christian Science Monitor reports that most of the cluster bombs used in Lebanon were dropped in the last three days of the way. Clean up costs are in the tens of millions of dollars , and human costs far higher. I have to question the management decision to use these weapons. How could they provide an advantage equal to their cost? Could someone answer?

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Death and Taxes: A Visual Guide to Where Your Federal Tax Dollars Go

Death and Taxes: A Visual Guide to Where Your Federal Tax Dollars Go

This chart is a great overview of all the activities of the federal government. Yes, you can make it bigger.. just keep clicking on it and drive around.

Top News- Pentagon Big Winner in Bush Budget Plan - AOL News

Top News- Pentagon Big Winner in Bush Budget Plan - AOL News: "The Pentagon, which also consumes one-sixth of the overall budget, would get a whopping 11 percent increase, to $481.4 billion in its core budget. And that is before accounting for an additional $235 billion in war costs over the next year and a half. "

11 Percent Increase-WOW.

That is way over 1/6 of the total federal budget. We'll have to see what this means for military transformation. Somehow, I am reminded of the Grand Armada of 1588 that wreaked Spain. What are we getting for this?