Raven Court

Network Analysis and the Warrior

2007-07-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

Alberto Lazlo Barabasi, a physics professor at Notre Dame, has put forward some interesting hypothesis about networks, and how they relate to the world. What constitutes a network? A system of links and nodes. What are links? Anything that connects nodes. What are nodes? A node can be a computer, a person, an insect.......

Network analysis and the associated rules, theories and laws, apply to the world of combat. Most persons in the military have heard of the buzz word NETWORK CENTRIC. This term means that a system should pass information to all nodes, in order to ensure that the right information has made it to the right person at the right time. This concept is great, however we have to remember that we are not the only ones employing it. Terrorists, China....just about everyone else in the world who uses a telephone, the internet or other forms of passing information, are network centric.

Partition Problem

2006-12-04T05:58:00.000-08:00

There has been a lot of talk in the news lately about the three options put forward by the Pentagon...called Go Long, Go Big or Go Home. Well the military strategists on the evening news put forward a fourth option called the Partition. Essentially this means a partitioning of Iraq along tribal/religous lines to bring about peace.

From my perspective, I don't think this will create the peace desired in Iraq. Let's say for a moment that we do partition Iraq. Great, now we have a multiple of areas that will be fighting with each other. Additionally, weaker states may be taken over by stronger states putting us back to where we started. A failed nation.

What we have in Iraq are the Kurds in the north, and the Sunnis and Shia's in the middle portion. How their current government is set up is beyond me, but it sounds confusing.

And here is another thing that I don't understand, someone in the press stated that our troops need to be redeployed to the border areas. Was this not done to begin with? Is this really going to bring out victory if it is done? To the west of Baghdad there is nothing, do we really need to secure this nothingness or can we just secure Baghdad and be happy?

Finally, there is a lot of talk about the violence in Iraq being caused by sectarian groups. However, what goes unsaid is the effect of other units or countries who are encouraging this violence. In Meet The Press today Joe Lieberman hit the nail on the head, but his opponent did not. His opponent (whose name escapes me) stated that Iran and Syria had national interests in Iraq and that they did not want to have a failed state on their borders...additionally, Iran had helped us in Afghanistan. The Senator has it wrong, Iran and Syria want to see a failed state beside them because when it fails, they can take it over or at least insert their influence. Although Iran did help us with Afghanistan, I remember quite a few border incursions and displays of force done against Iran while I flew in Afghanistan. I don't think Iran was being that helpful.

CNN in the Wrong Place

2006-11-01T02:11:00.000-08:00

After watching Reporting War this week on CNN, I am certain they have missed the point of the war. This war is not going on only in Iraq, but also in America, Europe, Britain and all around the world. CNN needs to pull their head from their arse and start reporting in more areas besides Baghdad.

The definition of Jihad...

2006-10-08T13:40:00.000-07:00

So what have I learned today about the Future Jihad from Walid Phares? In his opinion the word Jihad has been mis-diagnosed in the west....as has the term Democracy in the Middle East (Madrassa teaching). The term Jihad forms a sixth, unofficial pillar of Islam. This unofficial pillar came about in the early days of Islam when the government needed to mobilize their people in defense of the state. Whether that defense was military in nature or otherwise is open, Jihad means "effort" and is not constrained to military applications.

Bottom line is that the thought that Jihad is an "inner struggle" is a western line of thinking not in line with that of Islam. According to the author, this definition came about from apologists in the west, as well as poor translators. Jihad is only a pilar of Islam when the circumstances are correct and a person in legitimate authority has declared Jihad to be.

One more thing, religon and politics are one in the same in the world of Islam. So, essentially every time we ask for Saudi Arabia to do something like give women rights, we are pretty much asking them to change their religon. Now I do believe in rights for women, I will support Condi for President any time. But, how we carry our foreign policy in the Mid-East...I am hoping...is done in light of this...Right? My question is...is it more beneficial to send someone like Condi to Saudi and Iraq for negotiations, or should we have a head Islamic ambassador? Unfortunately that would cross the lines of state sponsored religon probably, but could some permutation be reached to help make more headway in the middle-east? Another question, since Madrassas have been teaching that Democracy is not right and sinful, why did President Bush and others believe that Iraqis would celebrate our invasion? While I had hoped this would be the case, looking back, I think I was blinded and hoping that someone in government had the inside scoop.

We Don't Wear the Poppy!

2006-10-08T00:41:00.000-07:00

It looks like the DNC has attempted to emulate Reuters. A photo has surfaced on their website of a supposed US Army soldier. In reality, looking at the uniform gives away the fact that this is not in any way a US Soldier. The US military does not wear the Poppy (red flower on the lapel). That is a tradition of the British and Canadian armies relating back to Flanders Field in World War I. I have some Canadian buddies at work, I wonder how they would feel about this:)

Here is the story from Michelle Malkin
Here is some history on the Poppy
Trackback

New Nuclear Weapons Free Zone

2006-09-30T03:36:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting article about a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone in central asia. How this came about I don't know.....

230 Million to Lebanon through a Charity

2006-09-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

President Bush has started a public/private partnership to provide 230 million dollars to help rebuild Lebanon. This started as four CEOs sent to Lebanon to see where they needed help. Today, Bush put a dollar amount to it and set out that a charity will administer the cash. This will certainly help the US credibility overseas...however it is not getting any press play. You sure don't see France coughing up 230 million to help out....they cannot even get 2000 soldiers.

http://www.state.gov/p/nea/rls/73048.htm

US Support to Re-Build Lebanon

2006-09-25T11:36:00.000-07:00

After seeing Hizoballah passing out US currency to folks whose homes were destroyed by the Israeli attacks, I have to admit that I felt like we (the west) were loosing the hearts and minds of people in the region.

Today, I came across this State Department report that had me do a complete 180. President Bush has assembled 4 CEOs of prominent companies to tour Lebanon and make a recommendation to him personally about how the US can best help out.

In other words, how can the US help re-build Lebanon. It was surprising to see that two of the CEOs are connected to IT technology (Intel and Cisco), a third is connected to oil (Occidental Petroleum) and the fourth is from Ghafari Inc. The mainstream media does not seem to be too interested in this story of good-will. No one does.

US-Lebanon Support

More from Future Jihad

2006-09-24T11:44:00.000-07:00

One of the things I found interesting in the book Future Jihad was the view of the Muslim world on World War II. This line of thought was that the Kafirs are killing each other with their immense industrial strength. It was also viewed that this war was designed so that both sides would weaken each other enough so that the new Caliph could emerge. Additionally, the most of the Islamic nations tended to side with the Nazi movement. This happened for a couple of reasons....one was their distaste for Jewish people. Secondly, the Nazis would force the ejection of French and British imperialists from their lands. It goes to explain a lot of the mindset.

Terrorism Definition Within the Military

2006-09-24T01:44:00.000-07:00

After reading my Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) articles over the weekend, I found one that was particularly interesting. The article discusses terrorism and the definition of terrorism. Well, while reading this article, I am also reading a book called Future Jihad. The author of both articles take a different stance on why terrorism is used as a tactic.

ACSC: Terrorism is used to instill fear
Future Jihad: Terrorism is used to cause cause and collapse of an entity from within.

Now I don't know about you, but I believe the Future Jihad definition to be more accurate. The ACSC definition appears to be very superficial. The second definition makes more sense to me in how a terrorist would use terrorism to gain his ends. Now there are times when terrorism is used to instill fear and shape political outcomes, but I believe the attacks on Sept 11 were meant to divide the US, cause us to turn against our own government, and cause a collapse of the US. I also believe this is what Bin Laden and others do in their videos......attempt to polarize the people of the US against the government. Just my thoughts.

Counter to our spy satellites

2006-09-24T01:42:00.000-07:00

So from this story it appears that China has been using lasers to blind spy satellites orbiting overhead. China Blinds Satellites

I never knew there was a way to blind a satellite, now I know.

Is Bin Dead?

2006-09-23T05:25:00.000-07:00

I must admit that this article completely lines up with my personal assumptions on where Bin has been and what he has been up to. Seeing as how most of the big terrorists we have caught were found in Pakistan, also realizing the fact that Pakistan does not control the borders with Afghanistan very well, it is not a hard reach to think that Bin is in Pakistan running his show. I think this article on Bin's death has all the hallmarks for credibility.

The Death of Bin Laden
These men are down:
Saddam
Binny Laden
Zarqari (sic)

......more to come.

Boxer at the UN.....Hugo's dream come true

2006-09-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one that did not know Barbara Boxer was going to be our representative to the UN?

Here is the appointment letter

The Pope's Real Words...(thanks NY Times...idiots)

2006-09-17T03:36:00.000-07:00

Here is a great article from Radio Free Europe that puts the Pope's words in perspective. I just want to say that I agree with the Pope and support him. I also want to say thanks to the NY Times for not researching and publishing the same information so that we can be a well informed public. Thanks for aiding and abetting......and for stirring the pot of insanity about all of this!
Link
Pope Says 'Sorry' But Muslim Anger Rises
Muslims around the world take to the streets to protest against the pope's perceived linkage of Islam to violence.
PRAGUE, September 16, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- Muslims around the world have intensified their protests over controversial remarks on Islam this week by Pope Benedict.
From France and Iraq to Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Indonesia, Muslims have heeded calls by Muslim leaders and taken to the streets to condemn remarks made on September 12 by the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Two churches in the West Bank were firebombed on Saturday in an apparent reaction to the pope's remarks and the radical Taliban movement in Afghanistan also condemned the pope's comments.
Even the U.S. newspaper "The New York Times," in an editorial piece, urged the pope to apologize for what he said.
And what did he say?
Speaking at Regensburg University, where he taught in the 1970s, the Bavarian-born pope chose to quote a written criticism of Islam by Emperor Manuel II Palaeologus, who ruled the Orthodox Christian Empire from what is now Istanbul in the 1300s.
"Show me just what Mohammad brought that was new," Emperor Manuel said, "and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."
Benedict repeatedly quoted the emperor's argument that spreading the faith through violence is unreasonable, adding that "violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul."
The quotations appeared as an illustration of the rapprochement of Christianity and the ancient Greek traditions of rational inquiry, a rapprochement that Benedict called decisive for Christian thought.
Muslims, however, say the comments were highly offensive.
The International Fallout
Speaking at a demonstration in Paris, a protester named Muhammed said he thought "it would be better for the pope to speak of dialogue between religions and of peace. He stokes the fire and accuses Islam of being irrational. He is a person who is preparing a crusade, it seems, and it goes in the same tendency of Bush. And that is causing hurt around the world – for Christians, Muslims, and Jews."
Dalil Boubakeur, the head of the French Council of Muslim Culture, said that the pope should be able to distinguish between Islam as a religion and radical Islamism. "Islam is a religion, Islamism is an ideology," Boubakeur said. "We think maybe there is a misinterpretation that deserves an explanation. I don't ask for an excuse or an apology, no, but a clarification of the attitude of the Church."
The Vatican has been trying to offer just that -- a clarification -- but so far to little avail.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone said today that the pope "is very sorry that some passages of his speech may have sounded offensive to the sensibilities of Muslim believers."
Bertone said the pope is "extremely upset" that Muslims were offended by his words. He said the pope's words have been interpreted in a way that does not at all correspond to his intentions.
Among the few international leaders to rally to the pope's side was his compatriot Angela Merkel. The German chancellor, in an interview in the "Bild" daily on September 16, said the protesters misunderstood the pope's aim, which Merkel said was "an invitation to dialogue between religions."
She said the pope had emphasized "a decisive and uncompromising renunciation of all forms of violence in the name of religion."
Amid minor street protests in Baghdad, the Vatican's envoy to Iraq, Thomas Halim Habib, also reiterated what the Church says was the pope's main point: that faith and religion can never be used "to incite violence."
"The pope did not want to give a lecture interpreting Islam and jihad or offend the feelings of faithful Muslims," Habib said.
Yet that is just what he has done, according to Pakistan's parliament, which has passed a resolution condemning the pope's comments and urging him to retract them.
Pope Benedict And Islam
Benedict already had a reputation for taking a tougher line on Islam than his predecessor, the Polish-born Pope John Paul II.
For example, a year before becoming pope, Benedict argued that Turkey should not be allowed into the European Union on the grounds that its Muslim heritage is fundamentally different from Europe's Christian roots.
Turkey is the first Muslim country that Benedict is scheduled to visit, in November.
Turkey's top cleric and head of the Religious Affairs directorate, Ali Bardakoglu, says the pope has a great deal of explaining to do ahead of his trip.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for the pope to issue an apology

Personally, I think it is time for a reformation of the Islamic faith. If it was good for Christianity (Martin Luther) it should be good for Islam about now!

Iraq Environmental Improvements

2006-09-15T08:19:00.000-07:00

I don't expect we will seen Green Peace or any other environmental groups saying thanks to the US and the military for helping revive the marshlands of Iraq. But at least the folks at RFERL pointed it out, and in a positive light!

Here is the story about how Iraq's marshes, drained by Saddam in 1992-3, are coming back to life.....water buffalo are coming back as are the nomadic marsh people.

CNN on Bacteria......misses the mark

2006-09-15T08:12:00.000-07:00

I don't know if CNN is doing this on purpose or if they are honestly not well informed. This article on a breakout of E. Coli, a form of bacteria leaves a few things to be desired.

First, no mention is made of the fact that humans also have E. Coli in their own bodies. The problem with E. Coli is only a certain strain or species of the bacteria that causes internal hemorages.
Here is the article on CNN
Here is some information on E. Coli

It almost looks like some sensational reporting. I guess I am a little picky sometimes!

Convert to Christianity

2006-09-03T05:08:00.000-07:00

I just want to ask all Muslims to convert to Christianity. There is only one light in this world and that is the light of Jesus Christ. He who does not believe will not have a nice life in eternity. Convert now before another Muslim has to die for an unholy cause.....a cause that God does not deem worthy, but deems sinful. Now I won't hold a gun on anyone and tell them to convert, because as we all know that is not a change of heart....which is what Christ wants. We are all sinners, it is just nice to know that Jesus died for my sins, and for those of Muslims too.

Cheers

Those who think this article is on the up and up have another thing coming........
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200609031123.htm

And here we go........

2006-08-26T08:58:00.000-07:00

Well, now Iran has opened up their heavy water plant.......

http://www.rferl.com/featuresarticle/2006/08/d19e52a9-e352-4349-83a8-0534c054d7f3.html

Iran and India, the future rift for the US

2006-08-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

After reading this Congressional Research Report, it appears that someone is seeking information on the Iran-India bond. From reading the report India needs energy, Iran has natural gas, and the two want to collaborate. However, Washington DC does not really want this...........who knows what will happen.

http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/70294.pdf

Bias in Stars and Stripes Newspaper

2006-08-20T06:09:00.000-07:00

Today my wife and I noticed an article in the Stars and Stripes about the Church and the GOP and voting drives. The article painted this activity in an extremely negative light, stating that it could be illegal and that it is a sign of desperation over the Iraq war. The article was attributed to the LA Times and Peter Wallsten. When I got home, I wanted to blog my point of view on this and the fact that whether or not a church decides to engage in political activities is really OK with me. When I went to the Stars and Stripes website, I could not find the article. However I did eventually find it on the LA Times website, and to my surprise, it was not the same article that was in the Stars and Stripes. 11 paragraphs were deleted in the Stars and Stripes printing, one word (Episcopical) had been deleted, and one sentence about the Iraq war, had been placed differently, changing the context of the article completely. Not to mention the headline was completely different.

Here is the LA Times Story: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gopchurch15aug15,0,5887088.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Here is a picture of the Stars and Stripes Story: http://www.flickr.com/photos/77979629@N00/219867118/

Here is a rundown of the differences:

Headlines: Different
Secondary Headlines: Different

Paragraph 5: Stars and Stripes moves the statement "comes as Republicans are struggling with negative public sentiment over the war in Iraq and other administration pilicies." from the last sentence to the end of the first sentence in that paragraph. It is evident that they are trying to put forward the perception that the Republican party is trying to make up for lost ground on the Iraq war.

Paragraph 10: Deleted in Stars and Stripes, here is the text: "Registering voters in churches is not a new tactic for either party, but Republicans have proved far more effective in recent years at combining religion and politics for electoral gain." This deletion is a definite slant to leave the reader not knowing the full story. Obviously this is not a fair and balanced article.

Paragraph 14: word Episcopal deleted

Paragraph 21-30: Deleted in Stars and Stripes

From these deletions and re-arrangements, it is evident that the Stars and Stripes newspaper is out to manipulate the perceptions of it's readers, without even trying to stay true to a story that they did not write.

North Korean Missile Test Upcoming

2006-05-19T16:45:00.000-07:00

It appears new activity has been noted at a North Korean Base.

The missile is believed to have a range of 6,700 kilometers. A high-ranking US government official indicated that a new type of the missile has a range of 15,000 kilometers and is capable of reaching all parts of the United States. (source is a South Korean News Report)

The missile is a Taepo Dong 2, here is more data.

Congressional Research Service Report on NSA Phone Records

2006-05-19T16:14:00.000-07:00

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) made a report public in the last few days. The report details whether or not the NSA was lawful in their attempts at tracing and tracking phone calls. Here are a couple of terms you will need to know when reading:

Pen Register:
a device or process which records or decodes dialing,
routing, addressing, or signaling information transmitted by an instrument or facility from
which a wire or electronic communication is transmitted, provided, however, that such
information shall not include the contents of any communication

Trap and Trace Device:
means a device or process which captures the incoming
electronic or other impulses which identify the originating number or other dialing, routing,
addressing, and signaling information

Summary: as long as the contents of phone calls were not recorded, it appears that the NSA were within their rights, as were the telephone companies. A specific court case is referenced where judges stated that due to the fact that telephone numbers are in the public domain due to their nature (the phone company has to keep track of them in any event) that tracking phone numbers only is legal.

Here is the report: Government Access to Phone Calling Activity and Related Records: Legal Authorities