RIP Ranger Pat Tillman 5 years ago today

RIP Ranger

Willie Pete again

Soldiers and army at odds on phosphorus

Israeli officials continued to deny that the army was using illegal weapons in its Gaza offensive despite accounts by soldiers that tanks with white phosphorus shells were deployed.

Thats because its not illegal dipshit. Nice to see Israel using quality American products.

RIP Major John P. Pryor

John P. Pryor, 42, surgeon and soldier

John P. Pryor, 42, of Moorestown, the dedicated leader of the University of Pennsylvania's trauma team and a decorated major in the Army Reserve who wrote eloquently about the painful parallels between battlefield deaths and urban homicides, was killed on Christmas by enemy fire in Iraq while serving as a combat surgeon.

Dr. Pryor deployed Dec. 6 and was with a risky frontline surgical unit when he was killed by shrapnel from a mortar round. It was his second tour of duty in Iraq.

"Since an early age, Dr. Pryor was involved in the care of the sick and injured," he wrote of himself in the third person. "He was certified in CPR when he was 14 years old, joined the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Ambulance Corps at 17, and became a N.Y. State Emergency Medical Technician at 18," adding that it was "emotionally very challenging" to balance his dedication to family and country. "He hopes and prays," he wrote, "for forgiveness from his family and colleagues."

IDF prepares to go it alone against Iran

IDF preparing options for Iran strike

The IDF is drawing up options for a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities that do not include coordination with the United States, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

While its preference is to coordinate with the US, defense officials have said Israel is preparing a wide range of options for such an operation.

“It is always better to coordinate,” one top Defense Ministry official explained last week. “But we are also preparing options that do not include coordination.”

The probability of the attack completely destroying the facilities is not good as Iran has learned from the mistakes of Osirak. The Iranian program is supposedly very deep and spread around multiple sites but a strike may delay completion.

Israel has asked for the green light from the US before.

I can understand Israel being impatient as they undoubtedly do not expect much help from the Obama administration who will likely insist on the UN to handle the problem. Just like they handle all other world problems by debating while Iran continues development. If Israel does go it alone Bush might was well offer the air space as the US will certainly be blamed anyway.