July 27, 2010
— Ace
Information wants to be fierce!
I've been derelict in mentioning this. Via Hot Air, a summary by an Afghanistan vet who notes the leaks tell us little we didn't know about the war, but a little more about what we already suspected of International Intersex Investigator Julian Assange.
I myself first went to Afghanistan as a young Army officer in 2002 and returned two years later after having led a small special operations unit — what Mr. Assange calls an “assassination squad.”...
The Guardian editorialized on Sunday that the documents released reveal “a very different landscape ... from the one with which we have become familiar.” But whoever wrote that has not been reading the reports of his own newspaper’s reporters in Afghanistan.
The news media have done a good job of showing the public that the Afghan war is a highly complex environment stretching beyond the borders of the fractured country. Often what appears to be a two-way conflict between the government and an insurgency is better described as intertribal rivalry. And often that intertribal rivalry is worsened or overshadowed by the violent trade in drugs.
...
Mr. Assange says he is a journalist, but he is not. He is an activist, and to what end it is not clear. This week — as when he released a video in April showing American helicopter gunships killing Iraqi civilians in 2007 — he has been throwing around the term “war crimes,” but offers no context for the events he is judging. It seems that the death of any civilian in war, an unavoidable occurrence, is a “crime.”
If his desire is to promote peace, Mr. Assange and his brand of activism are not as helpful as he imagines. By muddying the waters between journalism and activism, and by throwing his organization into the debate on Afghanistan with little apparent regard for the hard moral choices and dearth of good policy options facing decision-makers, he is being as reckless and destructive as the contemptible soldier or soldiers who leaked the documents in the first place.
I don't think his first desire is to promote peace. I think he shares the same Internet Disease many of us have -- his first desire is to promote himself, to make himself a star.
Apparently he got sick of being an ugly-duckling Club Kid and decided to try his hand at international intersex investigation.
Guy's Got One Source? Pfc Bradley Manning was already charged with leaking the so-lied "Collateral Murder" video. The Pentagon suspects he also leaked this stack of minor documents.
This guy should be in jail for the rest of his life.
If this Julian Assange's one big source -- well, I think his fifteen minutes are up, even if he does look like Andy Warhol's scheduling secretary.
Oh: One of the big "gets" here, supposedly, is the revelation that helicopters are being brought down by anti-aircraft missiles, similar to the Stingers we armed the anti-Soviet forces with in the eighties.
The leap made immediately by the left is that these are in fact Stingers, because the left loves that Narrative, We Armed Them And Now The Chickens Are Coming Home To Roost.
But the documents don't say that, at least not that I've seen.
You know, a lot of people now make these missiles. What was advanced tech 25 years ago is now easily knocked-off by the Chinese, Russians, or other similar reverse-engineer techo-parasites.
Could a Stinger even be functional after over 25 years?
Could it be functional after 25 years of being lugged around a rocky environment and secreted in caves that likely get very hot and very cold?
Could it functional after 25 years of being maintained by... well, as Ash would say, primitive screwheads?
The Pashtuns are not Arabs, but as they say of the Arabs: Arabs don't do maintenance. I doubt the Pashtuns are bears about it, either.
Encore for Jazz-Hands: The Glenn Beck goof on Adam Gadahn is below.
Posted by: Ace at
09:06 AM
| Comments (223)
Post contains 675 words, total size 5 kb.
Posted by: Ben at July 27, 2010 09:09 AM (wuv1c)
Posted by: The Chap in the Deerstalker Cap at July 27, 2010 09:10 AM (qndXR)
I think he desires to harm the U.S. like all liberal idiots.
And I do hope the leaker is prosecuted and goes to jail.
Posted by: Vic at July 27, 2010 09:11 AM (/jbAw)
http://tinyurl.com/2v9bnw6
Posted by: NJConservative at July 27, 2010 09:11 AM (LH6ir)
C'est delicieux!
Posted by: mpfs at July 27, 2010 09:12 AM (iYbLN)
he has been throwing around the term “war crimes,” but offers no context for the events he is judging.
I anticipate the mfm jumping on this context issue asap.
Posted by: JackStraw at July 27, 2010 09:13 AM (VW9/y)
Don't even think of posting a video of this guy doing his "Liza Minelli performing "New York, New York" " .........
Just don't.
Posted by: Brick Mantooth at July 27, 2010 09:13 AM (BqSr3)
Posted by: Gandalf de Blanco at July 27, 2010 09:15 AM (1Ap7+)
Posted by: t-bird at July 27, 2010 09:15 AM (FcR7P)
How I wish that swishy little metrosexual douche could be dropped off in the middle of a Taliban stronghold.
Ahmed: Hmmm.....what'll it be today? The goat or the infidel?
Posted by: Jane D'oh, proud iota of a cracka at July 27, 2010 09:16 AM (UOM48)
and rod with the great hair has to sell his life size elvis...
what a world....
Posted by: curious at July 27, 2010 09:16 AM (p302b)
I wonder why it has taken this Wikileaks fiasco to get the MFM to notice that yes, Pakistan's ISI is supporting the Taliban and other Islamicist terror groups as part of a regional power game. That story has always failed to get sufficient traction.
Posted by: stuiec at July 27, 2010 09:16 AM (7AOgy)
Posted by: ace at July 27, 2010 09:16 AM (KUUXH)
this turdhead takes the rag right off the bush don't he. He arght ta be burled in earl.
Posted by: Vic at July 27, 2010 09:16 AM (/jbAw)
The Afghani peeps do have a sense of style what with those, oh whatchamacallit, ...help me out here Andre....Turbans! That's it!
They are sooooo versatile.
Posted by: Kiss kiss Julian at July 27, 2010 09:16 AM (iYbLN)
ace nailed it. Assange is a jerk and a self promoter. If he would have eloped with his boyfriend a year ago someone else would have put this stuff on the innertubes.
The real problem is how easy it is for classified information to be stolen. We've got a real problem with that.
Posted by: robtr at July 27, 2010 09:17 AM (fwSHf)
Posted by: Larry Marchant at July 27, 2010 09:17 AM (aGwHt)
Posted by: Hussein the Plumber at July 27, 2010 09:17 AM (PaMsr)
Posted by: Jean at July 27, 2010 09:18 AM (MMBSM)
Posted by: Phinn at July 27, 2010 09:18 AM (emFX5)
Posted by: Phinn at July 27, 2010 09:19 AM (emFX5)
Uh.... If'n I remember my NATO treaty correctly, all signatorys are obliged by treaty to enforce the classifications (like TS) of all other signatories, and MUST prosecute...
This guy published Classified documents from a NATO operation. Why is he still running around free?
Either he has spy'd against his own country, or, even worse (if his "native" country is not a NATO nation), he is a foreign spy.
Book em Dano...
Posted by: Romeo13 at July 27, 2010 09:20 AM (H+oXM)
Posted by: ace at July 27, 2010 01:16 PM (KUUXH)"
hahhah didn't realize that....it is the bane of every dancer's existence when they dance fosse.....all the teacher yells is "Jazz hands....watch those hands..."
Posted by: curious at July 27, 2010 09:20 AM (p302b)
Posted by: nickless at July 27, 2010 09:21 AM (MMC8r)
Posted by: Juilian AssBange at July 27, 2010 09:22 AM (+sBB4)
Video of US helicopters killing Iraqi citizens..." who just happened to crouch behind cover with AK 47s and RPG launchers. Those are the "civilians" most in need of attitude adjustment by 30 mm.
they were hunting Quail.
Posted by: Ben at July 27, 2010 09:22 AM (wuv1c)
Posted by: Cicero at July 27, 2010 09:23 AM (yZNJj)
So when does MSNBC add him to their line-up?
Queen Nancyboy Fancypants seems to be right up their alley.
Posted by: laceyunderalls at July 27, 2010 09:23 AM (pLTLS)
Lets not even talk about the state of my hair! Horrrrorr!
Posted by: Air Kiss From Julian at July 27, 2010 09:23 AM (iYbLN)
Note to Andrew Breitbart and any other well-to-do Conservative: If this guy wants to be famous, make him famous. Hire investigators/papparatizi to follow him 24/7. Post everything possible about him on-line for the world to see. He dislikes secrets? Find his, show them to the world, and in the process show him and any others who would emulate him that there are consequences for despicable behavior.
Maybe the Journolist fellows could get some of the same treatment. When the media doesnÂ’t play by the rules, they should cease to be afforded the protections of the fourth estate. WhatÂ’s a reporter whoÂ’s more interested in instigating than reporting? A wantabe celebrity. Treat them that way. See how they like it.
I believe Sinatra did this back in the day to some of the proto-papparatizi that were hounding him and his family. Worked for him.
The public has a right to know!
Posted by: bsclark12 at July 27, 2010 09:23 AM (HU/OL)
Posted by: Hedgehog at July 27, 2010 09:23 AM (oQIfB)
From Afghanistan to Zanzibar!
I thought that part was freakin' hysterical.
Although it did come a surprise to me to learn that the US military has killer robots in Zanzibar.
Posted by: Phinn at July 27, 2010 09:23 AM (emFX5)
they were hunting Quail.
Posted by: Ben at July 27, 2010 01:22 PM (wuv1c)
They were? What the hell did I do!
Posted by: Dan Quail at July 27, 2010 09:24 AM (H+oXM)
gitta haircut boy and keep yaass outta my yard.
lib version..... What a fine man for doing this. Lets have a party out on the lawn for him this evening.
Posted by: Southern Speak at July 27, 2010 09:24 AM (/xwhO)
Queen Nancyboy Fancypants seems to be right up their alley.
Posted by: laceyunderalls at July 27, 2010 01:23 PM (pLTLS)
Ooo, I like the sound of that.
Posted by: Julian Asshangingout at July 27, 2010 09:24 AM (pUfK9)
Posted by: Zombie Exhalted Cyclops at July 27, 2010 09:25 AM (kbHJ6)
Posted by: nickless at July 27, 2010 09:26 AM (MMC8r)
Posted by: Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery at July 27, 2010 09:26 AM (IkEhE)
Posted by: Pete White at July 27, 2010 09:27 AM (KUUXH)
Riiight. Why he's just the epitome of what special forces guys look like.
Posted by: Tami at July 27, 2010 09:27 AM (VuLos)
Posted by: tinkerbella at July 27, 2010 09:27 AM (3MNS8)
"Could a Stinger even be functional after over 25 years?"
No. The battery and coolent would be dead. They're kinda fragile and only last about 5 years.
But, Pakistan apparently makes their own Stinger varient, so there you go.
Posted by: Spade at July 27, 2010 09:28 AM (7WUru)
I'm sure Bawney Fwank can set him up in a nice kept boy's apartment.
Posted by: PA Cat at July 27, 2010 09:28 AM (Vdyu3)
Posted by: Jane D'oh, proud iota of a cracka at July 27, 2010 09:29 AM (UOM48)
Posted by: Ben at July 27, 2010 09:29 AM (wuv1c)
Posted by: Fred at July 27, 2010 09:29 AM (xWGQr)
Posted by: Patton at July 27, 2010 09:29 AM (+HIl0)
Posted by: Jane D'oh, proud iota of a cracka at July 27, 2010 09:29 AM (UOM48)
Increasingly, we live in a Non-Stop Freak Show--only instead of being stared at and ridiculed, the Freaks are increasingly in charge and influencing us. It's like going to a Zoo and the animals can hire or fire YOU
I hate these freaks like a hobo hates a hot bath.
Posted by: SantaRosaStan, losing patience at July 27, 2010 09:30 AM (JrRME)
But, instead, this asswipe runs around free, publishing anything and everything that he manages to get, and we only issue hits on Americans who are running around outside of the US working for our enemies.
Of course, the key to this story is that everyone in the administration and the Dem junta are fully supporting and behind this Assange enemy, which just goes to show how deep in the shit the US has gotten itself. This isn't just a shithole we're in, either, but quick-shit, as it were.
Posted by: progressoverpeace at July 27, 2010 09:30 AM (Qp4DT)
Posted by: Julian AssBange at July 27, 2010 09:30 AM (+sBB4)
Good post, Ace, except for this. The leaker(s) should face a firing squad. If he wants to be a hero, he can make his opinion known once he's voluntarily discharged. Otherwise, under his chosen path, let him regret that he has but one life to give for his country and then make him yield it.
Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at July 27, 2010 09:30 AM (swuwV)
One of the big "gets" here, supposedly, is the revelation that helicopters are being brought down by anti-aircraft missiles, similar to the Stingers we armed the anti-Soviet forces with in the eighties.
Also, Ace, if i am not mistaken, the same company that makes the military's helicopters also makes the stingers and there is a chip in the stingers that prevents them from firing against helicopters produced by them
I can't remember if it is North American Aviation or Northrup Grumman.
Posted by: Ben at July 27, 2010 09:30 AM (wuv1c)
I bet he was really easy to spot. He was the one with the Hello Kitty stickers on his weapon and backpack.
Posted by: mpfs at July 27, 2010 09:31 AM (iYbLN)
Posted by: Joanie (Oven Gloves) at July 27, 2010 09:31 AM (HaYO4)
Posted by: Pete White at July 27, 2010 09:31 AM (KUUXH)
Posted by: rdbrewer at July 27, 2010 09:31 AM (aGwHt)
Posted by: Ben at July 27, 2010 09:33 AM (wuv1c)
Posted by: Pervcon at July 27, 2010 01:24 PM (orS1c)
Bingo. He has the amazing superpower of being an albino.
And, I love that show.
Posted by: AmishDude at July 27, 2010 09:33 AM (T0NGe)
Posted by: Dan Schor at July 27, 2010 09:34 AM (md+so)
A US made Stinger will interrogate, recognize and honor the IFF transponders on our aircraft and not fire. See that weird boxy fold out metal attachment, that's an antenna.
There are similar weapons in theater, everybody makes one now, our old stingers aren't the problem.
Posted by: Ronsonic at July 27, 2010 09:34 AM (VTm+A)
Posted by: rdbrewer at July 27, 2010 09:35 AM (aGwHt)
Posted by: nevergiveup at July 27, 2010 09:35 AM (0GFWk)
Could a Stinger even be functional after over 25 years?
Could it be functional after 25 years of being lugged around a rocky environment and secreted in caves that likely get very hot and very cold?
Could it functional after 25 years of being maintained by... well, as Ash would say, primitive screwheads?
The Pashtuns are not Arabs, but as they say of the Arabs: Arabs don't do maintenance. I doubt the Pashtuns are bears about it, either.
First off, we wouldn't have given them new stock. we would have given
them old stock FIM-92A 1978 run stingers with the assumption that they would immediately use them; And backfill our inventory with new improved FIM-92B 1983 stock. It's cheaper than disposing of antiquated weapons.
The heat seeking tech back then was also very susceptible to flares and such.
Then missile life is 20-30 years when kept in ideal conditions, so no, I'd say they aren't shooting our stingers anymore.
Posted by: MikeTheMoose at July 27, 2010 09:35 AM (0q2P7)
A US made Stinger will interrogate, recognize and honor the IFF transponders on our aircraft and not fire. See that weird boxy fold out metal attachment, that's an antenna.
There are similar weapons in theater, everybody makes one now, our old stingers aren't the problem.
I knew i read that somewhere, that's why i brought it up, i just didn't know the details.
Posted by: Ben at July 27, 2010 09:36 AM (wuv1c)
HEÂ’S A HUMAN! What you donÂ’t realize is that Julian is making you all this money and all you do is write a bunch of crap about him!
LEAVE HIM ALONE! You are lucky he even leaked these for you BASTARDS!
LEAVE JULIAN ALONE!
Posted by: Larry.Marchant at July 27, 2010 09:37 AM (gQLr2)
Which is why this happened and why it will repeat. Individuals will sense glory and opportunism and a portion of our nation will reward and capitalize upon it. Future Celebrity Soldiers will enter the ranks should their military careers not proceed as desired, and the wo/men they leave behind will suffer for it.
Posted by: AnonymousDrivel at July 27, 2010 09:38 AM (swuwV)
Posted by: LtE113 (Mike in Chicago) at July 27, 2010 09:38 AM (jQveR)
66 I myself first went to Afghanistan as a young Army officer in 2002 and returned two years later after having led a small special operations unit — what Mr. Assange calls an “assassination squad.”
Riiight. Why he's just the epitome of what special forces guys look like.
Assange wasn't the special operations unit soldier.
Posted by: Rabidsquirrel at July 27, 2010 09:40 AM (S9qXv)
Didn't Julian Assange have a gig in New York City in the '90s as a secretary?
"And you are...? And you're here to see...?"
Posted by: stuiec at July 27, 2010 09:40 AM (7AOgy)
And I do hope the leaker is prosecuted and goes to jail.
Posted by: Vic at July 27, 2010 01:11 PM
Nail on head, Buckaroo.
I questioned this yesterday (and before): why do all the "leaks" the NY Slimes loves, the LA Slimes praises and all other liberal fuckwits adore consist of damaging date for the United States?
Why no eeeeevil revelations about, say, the Saudis, Iran, Hugo Chavez or Fidel "Mr Democracy" Castro?
All the jabbering about what a good this Assange twit is dilutes the real, serious message. He's just another America-hating lefty swine, albeit perhaps one with better-than-normal computer skills.
And, far worse, there are many in this country who applaud and support what he's doing. They are -- there's no other words for it -- traitors. Like the terrorist-bowing, hate-filled, revenge-seeking Mohammedan Mouthpiece in the White House.
Posted by: MrScribbler at July 27, 2010 09:41 AM (Ulu3i)
Posted by: willt73 at July 27, 2010 09:41 AM (EGPJQ)
The question to ask is would the battery still have juice.
Mr Assange will provide all the juice you need friend
Posted by: Ben at July 27, 2010 09:42 AM (wuv1c)
Posted by: MrScribbler at July 27, 2010 01:41 PM (Ulu3i)
Yep.
Posted by: progressoverpeace at July 27, 2010 09:43 AM (Qp4DT)
Posted by: . at July 27, 2010 09:43 AM (p302b)
Posted by: willt73 at July 27, 2010 09:43 AM (EGPJQ)
But don't let that get in the way of the great riffs...
Posted by: DarkLordOfTheIntarWebs at July 27, 2010 09:43 AM (IkEhE)
Posted by: Melodicmetal at July 27, 2010 09:44 AM (x4S2a)
What's "too far?"
Posted by: Andi Sullivan at July 27, 2010 09:45 AM (IpIBJ)
Mr Assange will provide all the juice you need friend
Posted by: Ben at July 27, 2010 01:42 PM (wuv1c)
Jizz-hands!
Posted by: progressoverpeace at July 27, 2010 09:45 AM (Qp4DT)
Damaging data, naturally.
While I'm here: since Ace purloined this from Tepid Air, let me add the obligatory "on the other hand..." and "I've made this story a point on my latest graph..." so he doesn't have to drag over any "analysis" from Ed "Pillsbury Doughboy" Morrissey.
Posted by: MrScribbler at July 27, 2010 09:46 AM (Ulu3i)
I've been looking about for the Stinger specs. I found a Slate article with this number on the battery shelf-life -
Some say the military threat posed by the Stingers is overblown. In the past few weeks, a variety of military and intelligence sources have been quoted in the press as saying that the Stinger's battery packs are good for only four or five years, and hence any owned by the Taliban would be useless against an American-led military action in Afghanistan. However, a declassified Pentagon document obtained by Kuperman states that the battery packs have "a shelf life of at least 10 years, with a reliability rate of 98-99%."
But I don't think there are our Stingers, for the same reasons already elaborated on. I wonder if Iran or Syria make a crappy variant of the Stinger?
Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at July 27, 2010 09:46 AM (9hSKh)
Assange wasn't the special operations unit soldier.
Posted by: Rabidsquirrel at July 27, 2010 01:40 PM (S9qXv)
Ooops...my bad I misread it.
Posted by: Tami at July 27, 2010 09:46 AM (VuLos)
What's "too far?"
I am not comfortable with the direction of this discussion.
Posted by: The Hamster at July 27, 2010 09:47 AM (IkEhE)
OK, this is how I would handle this guy.
1. Leak some embarrassing (to the Russians) Russian intelligence info. Something that is so good he would immediately publish it on WikiLeaks.
2. Poison or otherwise off the guy and blame the Russians. They have done stuff like that before (Aleksandr Litvinenko), so it likely would not be that hard to get an uncritical press to go along.
3. PROFIT!
Posted by: Jim in San Diego at July 27, 2010 09:47 AM (oIp16)
Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at July 27, 2010 09:47 AM (9hSKh)
Posted by: Hedgehog at July 27, 2010 09:48 AM (oQIfB)
Posted by: rdbrewer at July 27, 2010 09:48 AM (aGwHt)
Posted by: willt73 at July 27, 2010 09:49 AM (pDRpv)
You sure did in 1327. Palomino! PALOMINO!!!!!!
Posted by: Edward.II at July 27, 2010 09:49 AM (gQLr2)
Posted by: al-Qaeda's #1 goat at July 27, 2010 01:28 PM (IkEhE)
Tighter, too.
Posted by: real joe at July 27, 2010 09:49 AM (IpIBJ)
Posted by: maddogg at July 27, 2010 09:49 AM (OlN4e)
Dude looks like a REALLY gay Mr. Humphreys from Are you Being Served.
Posted by: Melodicmetal at July 27, 2010 01:44 PM (x4S2a)
Pfft...Dude looks like a lady and I should know!
Posted by: Steve Tyler at July 27, 2010 09:50 AM (pr+up)
Posted by: Unclefacts, AoSHQ Pro Debate Squad, And Summoner Of Meteors. at July 27, 2010 09:50 AM (eCAn3)
Posted by: TrickyDick at July 27, 2010 09:51 AM (bVka+)
The missile will work inshallah. Maintenance implies a lack of faith!
Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at July 27, 2010 09:51 AM (9hSKh)
And the fuel might degrade to the point of being non ignitable.
And the electronics connections might corrode to the point of inoperability
Radiation over the years may have decayed the semiconductors lattice structures.
And dirt, contamination, and abuse, might render a weapon inoperable.
How much electronics you own that is 25 years old, works just as good as it used too? That you, by and large, have kept in the controlled environment of your house.
If they still had our stingers, they would have noted the lack of reliability by now and thrown them away.
Posted by: MikeTheMoose at July 27, 2010 09:53 AM (0q2P7)
This guy looks like something they pulled out of the Blue Water Tank of Edgar Winter's Tour Bus!
Posted by: garrett at July 27, 2010 01:33 PM (UOjLL) .
I always liked Johnny and Edgar.
Posted by: Racefan at July 27, 2010 09:53 AM (/xwhO)
Posted by: LtE113 (Mike in Chicago) at July 27, 2010 09:53 AM (jQveR)
Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at July 27, 2010 01:51 PM (9hSKh)
Kratos, I believe we're all waiting for you to address the sword up the pooper too far, issue.
Thoughts?
Posted by: Editor at July 27, 2010 09:53 AM (pUfK9)
Posted by: Julian Assange at July 27, 2010 09:53 AM (uKraB)
But I don't think there are our Stingers, for the same reasons already elaborated on. I wonder if Iran or Syria make a crappy variant of the Stinger?
Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at July 27, 2010 01:46 PM (9hSKh)
We quit giving them stingers over 25 years ago.
Posted by: robtr at July 27, 2010 09:53 AM (fwSHf)
Posted by: nevergiveup at July 27, 2010 09:54 AM (0GFWk)
even if he does look like Andy Warhol's scheduling secretary.
That's all I need to say about this post, other than to emphasize "yes, like Andy, but prettier... and yet in that same fundamentally creepy way."
Actually, one more thing that I'll blurt out quickly and then run and hide:
Glenn Beck is Orson Wells. Can you find Waldo in that statement?
Posted by: dum blond at July 27, 2010 09:55 AM (gbCNS)
Posted by: willt73 at July 27, 2010 09:55 AM (EGPJQ)
Stick out your tush
Hands on your hips
Give em a push
You'll be surprised you're doing the Wiki Leaks
Wah La!
Posted by: mpfs,Balzing Saddles Fan at July 27, 2010 09:57 AM (iYbLN)
Yeah, we are talking twice that. I've never seen a battery that could hold a charge for 20 years.
Posted by: MikeTheMoose at July 27, 2010 09:57 AM (0q2P7)
Posted by: Jean at July 27, 2010 09:58 AM (I6dJM)
But now, in the Age of Diversity & Social Disintegration, this simpering Turd is a Temporary Hero to the left and the MFM and we're told to seriously consider his perspective, etc. He's a symptom of the disease that I don't believe we can recover from.
We're all 'boned'; he's just more proof of how bad It is
Posted by: SantaRosaStan, losing patience at July 27, 2010 09:59 AM (JrRME)
My attitude is that if there were so many functional stingers out there that the terrorists had access to, then they would be using them in acts of terror against airliners.
That tells me that the "unaccounted" stingers were mostly used back in the 1980's but just not checked off as such and any that are still left have "problems".
Anyone see a problem with my theory?
Posted by: Jim in San Diego at July 27, 2010 10:01 AM (oIp16)
Posted by: . at July 27, 2010 10:01 AM (p302b)
1. Leak some embarrassing (to the Russians) Russian intelligence info. Something that is so good he would immediately publish it on WikiLeaks.
2. Poison or otherwise off the guy and blame the Russians. They have done stuff like that before (Aleksandr Litvinenko), so it likely would not be that hard to get an uncritical press to go along.
3. PROFIT!
Posted by: Jim in San Diego at July 27, 2010 01:47 PMNot realistic options. I doubt Assange would post damaging data on the Russkies if it came wrapped in a nude photo of Poot Putin. Neither of the Times rags (NY or LA) would pay the slightest attention. The lefties would ignore it. There's no point in them doing anything to harm their friends, you know.
As for Option Two, I'm pretty sure Osama Obama and his goons wouldn't touch this one, even though Assange is obviously white. And blaming it on our Russkie BFFs would probably bring out the protesters who would see right through your idea. Even if Moscow actually did off this jerk, the press and libs in this country would blame the USA. And Bush, naturally.
Good ideas, though. As an alternate, I'd spread the word that Assange spends his spare time drawing cartoons of Mohammed.
Posted by: MrScribbler at July 27, 2010 10:02 AM (Ulu3i)
Posted by: Tom Servo at July 27, 2010 10:03 AM (T1boi)
Posted by: nevergiveup at July 27, 2010 10:03 AM (0GFWk)
Posted by: GarandFan at July 27, 2010 10:04 AM (XaWFq)
He's also reminding me a guy that was briefly on Howard Stern's old WWOR-Channel 9 show. He was on the Halloween special, wearing a monacle and suspenders. All I remember is him saying "I can't top any of the damned perversion I see here tonight..." Then Gary quickly moved on.
eh nevermind.
Posted by: Joanie (Oven Gloves) at July 27, 2010 10:04 AM (HaYO4)
Sooo... Assange is an Australian? Australia has TROOPS in Afganistan...
Wonder how the ANZUS treaty affects this legaly?
Posted by: Romeo13 at July 27, 2010 10:05 AM (H+oXM)
Posted by: nevergiveup at July 27, 2010 10:07 AM (0GFWk)
Posted by: Todd Bridges, Survivor. Outwit, outlast and outplay. at July 27, 2010 10:07 AM (qL20/)
Posted by: Ed Anger at July 27, 2010 10:09 AM (7+pP9)
That were under the maintenance control of the US Army. Let us not forget, preventative maintenance is not an attribute normally associated with fatalistic philosophy, and even if they wanted to do it they wouldn't know how. Let's see, Redeye's were made until 1969, 25 years later... 1994
FIM 92B = 1984 + 25 = 2009
FIM 92A = 1979 + 25 = 2004
And the Army could only keep this weapon system at 60%? And you expect the Taliban to keep a more complicated and sensitive system operational for the same period?
Posted by: MikeTheMoose at July 27, 2010 10:09 AM (0q2P7)
Posted by: MrScribbler at July 27, 2010 02:02 PM (Ulu3i)
That is so mean! 
Posted by: Jim in San Diego at July 27, 2010 10:09 AM (oIp16)
Posted by: MrScribbler at July 27, 2010 02:02 PM (Ulu3i)
Then we could replace his regular gerbil with a rabid one. Just sayin'
Posted by: Hedgehog at July 27, 2010 10:13 AM (oQIfB)
Then we could replace his regular gerbil with a rabid one. Just sayin'
Posted by: Hedgehog at July 27, 2010 02:13 PM
Don't turn back, Lemmywinks!
Posted by: Billy Goat Vibrato at July 27, 2010 10:15 AM (9b6FB)
Posted by: Comrade Arthur at July 27, 2010 10:15 AM (ett+q)
Posted by: scooter at July 27, 2010 10:17 AM (aamim)
What does somebody have to do to swing in this country anymore?
Posted by: DM! at July 27, 2010 10:18 AM (CQUOs)
Posted by: alexthedude at July 27, 2010 10:23 AM (rqsPh)
And the refrigerant is probably no good. Service life for both is considered 5 years, it's still 90% at ten but degrades swiftly after that.
Pakistan makes a knock off of the General Dynamic version from the 80's. Probably reversed engineered some they swiped in route to the Muj. Also, it is rumored that Iran ambushed some mujahideen and took some for their scientists. Most importantly the mujahideen lost some to the Russians and that's how Sam-14 Gremlin came about.
Posted by: Quilly Mammoth at July 27, 2010 10:24 AM (GhwWf)
The CIA kept very close tabs on those Stingers. I doubt there's any left over there.
Actually, no they didn't. The CIA gave approximately 2000 stingers to the mujahedin to help them take out the Soviets and many credit that weapon with turning the tide on the Soviets.
Unfortunately, the CIA used the ISI as their distribution network because even back them everyone knew who was really running shit in Afghanistan. After the Soviets left, the CIA tried to buy the stingers back but they were so widely scattered that they had no idea where all of the missile where.
The CIA estimated in 1996 that there were between 500 and 600 stingers still in Afghanistan and unaccounted for. They got a bunch but once the Taliban took over the refused to return any more Stingers.
Still, hard to believe these particular missles are still working. It's a lot more likely they have been buying Russian copies on the black market.
Posted by: JackStraw at July 27, 2010 10:25 AM (VW9/y)
My guess is Pakistan Anza. It looks renmarkably like the Stinger at a distance. Because ISI ripped us off
Posted by: Quilly Mammoth at July 27, 2010 10:29 AM (GhwWf)
The CIA estimated in 1996 that there were between 500 and 600 stingers still in Afghanistan and unaccounted for. They got a bunch but once the Taliban took over the refused to return any more Stingers.
Still, hard to believe these particular missles are still working.I'm sure they make great ornaments for the front yard.
Posted by: MikeTheMoose at July 27, 2010 10:29 AM (0q2P7)
Posted by: Comrade Arthur at July 27, 2010 02:15 PM (ett+q)
Which is why they kidnapped Tony Stark, so he could rebuild them.
Wait, what?
Posted by: Merovign, Strong on His Mountain at July 27, 2010 10:29 AM (bxiXv)
Posted by: lincolntf at July 27, 2010 10:30 AM (+O8yf)
I made the cut for next season of "Dancing With The Stars".
Suck on that, wingers!
Posted by: Julian Assange at July 27, 2010 01:13 PM (qmecx)
Really? Who will be the male counterpart of your team?
Posted by: Harry S at July 27, 2010 10:30 AM (XGYAc)
Mr. Assange says he is a journalist, but he is not. He is an activist
Sadly the same can be said for anyone currently employed by the MSM.
Posted by: StuckOnStupid at July 27, 2010 10:31 AM (e8T35)
Posted by: JackStraw at July 27, 2010 10:34 AM (VW9/y)
Assange may think of himself as a hero who will stop a war with information, but essentially he’s trying to get the US out of Afghanistan – which has the default effect of putting the brutal, terrorist Taliban back in power.
Either heÂ’s in complete denial about the consequences of his actions, or he just prefers a terror regime.
People think they can choose between the perfect and imperfect – the perfect is rarely an option, usually you have to choose the better of two very imperfect options.
If you REFUSE to make that choice, and try to make the one thatÂ’s not available, you usually end up with the worse of those options.
At *best*, Assange is a self-righteous, careless, narcissistic, ignorant, mendacious douchebag. That's assuming that he's not actively on the side of the terrorists.There's also the "Penn Jillette" angle, that he does not expect the US to assassinate him, but expects Islamic Terrorists to if he speaks out against them - the end result being that the consequences of his actions are the same as if he sided with the terrorists.
All in all, not looking good for the "hero of information" angle, whereas the "complete douchehorse" hypothesis seems pretty solid.
Posted by: Merovign, Strong on His Mountain at July 27, 2010 10:36 AM (bxiXv)
The CIA kept very close tabs on those Stingers. I doubt
there's any left over there.
Actually, no they didn't. The CIA gave approximately 2000 stingers to the mujahedin to help them take out the Soviets and many credit that weapon with turning the tide on the Soviets.
Unfortunately, the CIA used the ISI as their distribution network because even back them everyone knew who was really running shit in Afghanistan. After the Soviets left, the CIA tried to buy the stingers back but they were so widely scattered that they had no idea where all of the missile where.Not according to this ISI Brigadier General.
Posted by: Ed Anger at July 27, 2010 10:41 AM (7+pP9)
If any is interested in the history of the CIA's involvement in Afghanistan and how intertwined the Stinger is in that history (not to mention the ISI) I highly recommend Ghost Wars by Steve Coll. It's an amazingly twisted tale and probably explains (to me anyway) why Bush didn't want to get too involved in Afghanistan.
I'll have to check it out. The Bear Trap was very interesting. I recommend it.
Posted by: Ed Anger at July 27, 2010 10:44 AM (7+pP9)
Things left in caves tend to keep well, even for thousands of years. Assuming the Stingers really were kept in dark,cool caves, the rocket propellant and warhead might still be intact (instead of sweaty), and very little/no rust or oxidation of any metal parts. Again, assuming they spent their shelf life in caves. However, charged batteries leak. Even completely discharged batteries can spread corrosion. If you have any Hot Wheels Sizzlers from the late-60's / early-70's, check the battery. If you were collecting, ........
My guess is that any shoulder-portable SAMs used by the Taliban are some sort of copy, possibly a Pak copy, possibly Soviet or Chinese.
Posted by: Arbalest at July 27, 2010 10:47 AM (gma26)
Posted by: Toby The Beagle at July 27, 2010 10:49 AM (Vol3D)
Posted by: . at July 27, 2010 10:55 AM (p302b)
It's funny to listen to them try to persuade one another they actually know anything about the military.
It's goes like this: "Weapons? eeeeeeeeeeeeww!. K lets talk bout wholefoodths now! yay!"
Posted by: Melodicmetal at July 27, 2010 10:55 AM (x4S2a)
Ed Anger at July 27, 2010 02:41 PM (7+pP9)
Yea, Yousaf gets prominent mention in Col's book. If Col is accurate, things started to really go south after he was removed by Zia and Hamid Gul took over.
Posted by: JackStraw at July 27, 2010 10:55 AM (VW9/y)
Posted by: Arbalest
Probably Pak copies. The Soviets and Chinese are just a little too close by and are having troubles with the ROPers themselves. The ISI probably wants the Taliban to remain engaged in Afghanistan rather than in Pakistan.
Posted by: MrCaniac at July 27, 2010 10:57 AM (Vol3D)
108 113 194, etc.
The original batteries for the Stingers are dead. That does not mean that some, er, strategic rival (I'm looking at you, PRC) has not been making batteries and using a cut-out like ISI (or even a more complicated bank-shot, knowing those ... fine folks) to keep us nice and busy so they'll have a better shot at being able to take Taiwan when they decide it's go time.
They're here to help (Red Dawn reference)
Posted by: Stephen at July 27, 2010 11:26 AM (wkR3c)
Posted by: willt73 at July 27, 2010 11:26 AM (EGPJQ)
Posted by: muggedbyreality at July 27, 2010 11:45 AM (eUGzR)
So let me get this right.
The Left believes that the Stinger missiles we have what essentially were the Northern Alliance, not only were not used up in the war against the Soviets, the war against the Soviet backed government after the collapse of communism, the war between the new government and the proto-Taliban, and the war between the Northern Alliance and the Taliban, and are now being used by the Taliban because...uh...the Taliban have access to missiles?
We already know Iran and the ISI arm the Taliban, and both shop primarily from China.
Posted by: 18-1 at July 27, 2010 11:47 AM (7BU4a)
Could a Stinger even be functional after over 25 years?
Could it be functional after 25 years of being lugged around a rocky environment and secreted in caves that likely get very hot and very cold?
Could it functional after 25 years of being maintained by... well, as Ash would say, primitive screwheads?
As a matter of fact, yes, they could be. The CIA bought some of them back from the Mujahadeen in the 1990s. IIRC, 5 out of 6 or some ridiculously high proportion like that worked when taken out to the range and lit up.
Posted by: A Balrog of Morgoth at July 27, 2010 11:49 AM (IQBsP)
Posted by: td at July 27, 2010 12:15 PM (PjQ+v)
Posted by: Tantor at July 27, 2010 12:24 PM (blNMI)
Well, probably one could justify WikiLeaks and that kind of "journalism". In the end, how can we know if governments (any government, not just US) or corporations commit crimes or at least reprehensible acts.
On the other hand I see three problems with situation at the moment.
First: WikiLeaks are the only source of classified information of such magnitude. If (and I consider that to be very likely) it's team and/or sources want to push their own political agenda, then they can keep classified or disclose fully or partially (taking something out of context) any document they have access to. Untill there is some kind of competition, or at least liability, the only thing we can count on is their honesty. I have a hard time trusting that.
Second: I may be wrong, but my guess that access to classified military documents means possible advantage for the enemy and/or can put lives of military personell and/or their relatives at risk.
Third: as I understand WikiLeaks facilitate the breach of law or contract, though they don't violate it themselves by providing anonymity. Argument can be made that laws, regulations and contracts may have ill intent. But in this case I see only two options: stepping on a slippery slope of "I shouldn't be punished if I think that law is unfair" or admitting hypocrisy.
I can't condemn them fully - after all WikiLeaks exposed some real Bad Guys, but on the other hand I still doubt that they're the Good Guys themselves.
Posted by: Andrey at July 27, 2010 12:48 PM (o58gn)
"Assange" made me think of "assuage"
------------------
Actually, it makes me think of "AssAngel"
Ooooohhhh!! I've got that naughty tingly feeling down there.
Posted by: Andi Sullivan at July 27, 2010 01:10 PM (GNTj/)
Julien Assage brings to mind that psychotic kid from California who was captured on the battlefield in Afganistan 7 or 8 years ago, fighting for Al Queda.
I continue to be incredulous that sick freaks like the two of them continue to escape punishment for their outrageous crimes, just as captured terrorists held at Guantanamo Bay continue to escape punishment for their monstrous crimes, also. (Never mind the terrorist that some extremely irresponsible fools in Scotland recently set free for the craziest reasons imaginable.)
You can't tell me that they couldn't have captured or killed Osama bin Ladin a long time ago if they had really wanted to kill or capture that sick freak. Another example of of the insanity of Political Correctness, and the extent to which sleazy, liberal attorneys are deliberately sabotaging our war on terrorism to advance their own very sick agenda.
Posted by: Committee To Get Terrorists' Empathizers Summarily Executed at July 27, 2010 01:12 PM (sYrWB)
207
Could it functional after 25 years of being maintained by... well, as Ash would say, primitive screwheads?
Yes, after 10 years they still have about a 90% success rate. As I said earlier. But that percentage goes down exponentially in the following years. So maybe 1 out of 100 might have functioning batteries. But at this point the propellant becomes a concern. Particularly because you know they've been removed from the shipping container to be looked at.
Posted by: Quilly Mammoth at July 27, 2010 01:12 PM (QMmkf)
Posted by: Austin Powers at July 27, 2010 01:13 PM (zgZzy)
Ralph Peters came out and said it last night on O'Reilly: he thinks leakers of stuff like this should be EXECUTED.
I suspect that staring out at a bunch of armed soldiers aiming for your brain, heart and guts would wipe the smirk of even the most smarmy of traitorous libtards.
I also suspect Peters wouldn't mind if covert ops took care of this Edgar Winters clone, quietly but not-so-quickly--- if only to "encourage the others".
Not that I would mind either.
Posted by: effinayright at July 27, 2010 01:17 PM (GNTj/)
As I recall, the IFF guidance system promptly went, "wups, no, friendly aircraft, time to look for another heat source" which turned out to be a hezbo AA position and, well, bad day for the Religion of Peace....
Posted by: Xenophon at July 27, 2010 01:33 PM (DasBz)
A killer, when he picked up the ZF1, would've immediately asked about the little red button on the bottom of the gun.
Posted by: Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg at July 27, 2010 01:38 PM (8/oOq)
Posted by: Andy Warhol at July 27, 2010 01:53 PM (tJjm/)
213 Well, sometimes there is an advantage to letting the sick freaks roam at large -- sometimes they lead you to bigger, sick freaks
So far Jillian hasn't leaked anything really vital -- but I bet he keeps snooping around for better weasels than Pfc. Manning...and it's important to find out who that could be.
Posted by: unknown jane at July 27, 2010 02:10 PM (5/yRG)
Posted by: unknown jane at July 27, 2010 02:13 PM (5/yRG)
Posted by: DelD at July 27, 2010 02:16 PM (asikV)
I also suspect Peters wouldn't mind if covert ops took care of this Edgar Winters clone, quietly but not-so-quickly--- if only to "encourage the others".
Not that I would mind either.
This.
Posted by: Portnoy at July 27, 2010 02:17 PM (azgo2)
The thing is, those Stinger batteries are thermochemical and cannot be recharged. And they're all dead by now, so unless somebody has managed to build new ones, the leftover missiles are useless, assuming the propellant has degraded. The batteries deliver a big jolt of power for about 45 seconds, and one of the major things they do is spin up the gyros. So nobody's going to wire up a 12 volt and make it work.
Now, probably there are a bunch of smart Russian - hell, French or German - engineers who could do it, and who have access to a plant to manufacture them. Point is, Mohammed al-Jihadi can't do it in some cave (unless, as has been noted, they kidnapped Tony Stark, but that hasn't worked out so well for them).
Posted by: Steve Skubinna at July 27, 2010 02:28 PM (QQ9sc)
I remember when the FLIR video came out, this joker was then seen on the BBC and EU versions of MSNBC saying that the CIA,DIA, Mafia hitmen were all after him so that is why he was constantly hiding all over the place. So if you didn't think thisWikileaks joker wasn't all about himself a year ago, the fact that wikileaks published all these reams of paperwork from all over (I have happened across the website when looking up the Forumla 1 fines a couple of years back, saw stuff from companies like Coca-Cola, HP, various foreign political parties, etc), by giving him his sound bite only makes this joker feel better about himself.
As to the pin head solider that released the data in the first place, last I had heard was he was sitting in the stocaked in Fort Collins as the DoD does thier version of a grand jury investigation to bring charges. My only question about that pin head is, if he is so pissed off about the conduct of the war then why violate all your rules to release this potentially damaging data? What was your gain from doing this? If I had my way and knew that the release of this data lead to the death of NATO soliders, I would give this solider a cell phone and the survivors those soliders that number. The instructions would then be "any time you feel angry about the lost of your loved one call XXX-XXXX and vent."
Posted by: Charles at July 27, 2010 02:49 PM (meAs8)
Posted by: railwriter at July 27, 2010 03:15 PM (daRzV)
Intercourseing [intercourseing]
Posted by: Heltau at July 27, 2010 03:21 PM (RZDTZ)
Must suck going through life with "ass hang" as a last name.
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As are those awful shoes!
Posted by: Julian Assange at July 27, 2010 09:09 AM (yUybe)