Clark Griswold

A) ROE not REO B) There is someone to work with, the Syrian Military Council, full description here The Free Syrian Army by Elizabeth O'Bagy Executive Summary The SMC has the potential to serve as a check on radicalization and help to assert a moderate authority in Syria. If the SMC can create enough incentives for moderation it will likely be able to marginalize the most radical elements within its structure. To this end, the SMC has recognized the importance of the inclusion of some of the more radical forces, while still drawing a red line at the inclusion of forces that seek the destruction of a Syrian state, such as jihadist groups like Jabhat Nusra. - See more at: https://www.understandingwar.org/report/free-syrian-army#sthash.z4BIxJ9k.dpuf

Depressing to see Kerry today begin to the process of painting us into a corner there is almost no out now to not conducting a strike. Good brief description of the Syrian Air Order of Battle, here, and the Syrian Ground Order of Battle, here. I still think intervention is a heads they win tails we lose scenario but playing armchair general, if we (hopefully with a sizable and unconstrained ROE coalition of allies) do intervene, a strategy could be: - give the "rebels" a sanctuary from which to operate - establish at least over the sanctuary a Defensive CAP and counter artillery batteries - impose an air, sea and land blockade to try to dry up what weapons the government does have - pick out of 10+ factions that compose the Free Syrian Army the least evil, arm-train-fund them better than their rivals to begin to form a cohesive leadership - disrupt communications into and out of Syria to further isolate the regime: no Internet, no Sat phones, no mobile phones, no electronic commerce, etc... - disrupt banking to further erode Syrian currency all of this is something I think we should not do but if you're going play, play to win

Decent article on non-intervention in Syria. https://www.salon.com/2013/05/03/the_real_reason_not_to_intervene_in_syria/ Not sure if no action is the best choice but I am sure that no direct kinetic action should be taken alone or without some sort of international backing.

A lot...

Maybe nothing... not to be callous but this may be something they have to work out for themselves, now the problem of something worse arising in Syria (a new hostile Islamic state for example) is a possibility but there is a low low possibility that we can erase sectarian tensions and strife, encourage a secular society there and extricate ourselves in anything less than 10+ years if we decide to intervene and rebuild Syria, with or without a coalition with us... Ultimately we need a strategy, not tactics for dealing with the ME and Islamic fascism. We just keep reacting to whatever crisis erupts there and we are overextending and wasting our resources (financial, military, diplomatic, etc..) trying to fix that which is inherently screwed up: a large number of ethic and religious factions put together into made-up countries with scarce resources and a long history of scores they would like to settle amongst each other. Again, don't take the bait.

2 But there we are ways to leave the game not lose it... but back to Syria specifically, my two cents only... don't strike with stand off weapons, the damage would not substantially affect Asad's regime and will only give lran and Syria the action they want, the best move(s) right now is to: build a coalition of allies isolate the regime further put together a plan for what happens after Asad is gone a whole of government approach from many governments is necessary if we decide that intervention is the appropriate option but I still think this is not our fight alone, now if all or most of the usual suspects want to help out along with some local help (UK, Germany, Italy, France, Canada, Turkey, Jordan, etc...) then maybe but it just reinforces the idea the "international community" can just call on the US anytime there is conflict and we come to stop it... not a sustainable path...

Different circumstances... a major oil producer and control of major oil supplies was at stake with a clearly definable objective (initially) of ousting Iraqi forces from Kuwait. Syria is a tragedy but other than the vaguely definable objective of thwarting an ally of Iran, there is no compelling interest in assisting the rebels / Islamic extremists in overthrowing the existing regime. These are not necessarily the people we want to help... https://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/08/25/shock-video-allegedly-shows-al-qaeda-linked-terrorists-stopping-truck-drivers-on-side-of-road-then-executing-them-for-not-being-sunni-muslims/

This pretty much sums up the problem... Article...

Godspeed Misty...

I know they are using the UPAZ system for the HDU but even the Russian probes are the same as the NATO probes or are supposed to be... only refuelled Brit Tornados and Aussie F/A-18's probe and drogue foreign receivers so I can't speak from experience on it... But they (the IAF) are buying the A-330 MRTT and having a dedicated tanker sometimes transport is what they want... Looks like they are back on schedule or ready to deliver now, this news update doesn't specify IOC but it is the second production example being delivered this year... Not an Airbus salesman but the idea of combining medium airlift with tanker capability into one aircraft (except for boom AR) is a pretty good one...

Glad they bought American but suprised they didn't go with the A400M as it can dual role for airlift or probe & drogue AR

Cut in-residence slots by 90% for ASBC, SOC, & ACSC to pay for a light aircraft ACE program, with my seconds of thought and calculation to this I'm sure that will pay for it... My votes... an Extra 300 & Diamond 42 program for aero, formation, basic tactics & cross-country that might actually involve mission planning and landing somewhere other than OTBH, OKAN, OAIX or UAFM...

Confirmation...

Gotcha - Super T it is...

Is the OV-10X still in the running if this program actually ever happens?

All true (financial constraint) at the time and our financial situation is so much better now than the late 90's we're going to be able to afford all kinds of new aircraft... still it would have been nice to not just feed Lockheed Martin the entrie contract but all in the past now...

Fair enough. didn't read the test pilots' positive comments but will readily admit I don't think that the eggs in one baskest idea of the JSF is a good idea, not that it matters, and that having an alternative 5th gen light strike fighter would at least lower risk... But to balance everything out, Forbes is positive on it here

More good news about the greatest defense accquistion in history... From Time... and the Project on Government Oversight...

Copy all and agree on probably not seeing the AF ax either... sequester is going to suck but probably not going to kill completely any airplanes (hopefully) as too many jobs i.e. votes are attached to the bases and airplanes

Not sure if anyone else see this as "the problem" but I see this as where the problem (leadership with no conern for the mission or common sense) starts, it is that we pre-select our leaders WAY too early in their careers and put them on the enivatble path to command before we know what we've got... been both AD and now Guard and the Guard is by no means perfect but they seem to observe their folks several years prior to picking who will eventually be in charge and from my perspective have a much better filter for stopping DB's from getting command... There are other problems but that to me seems where they all start, you don't know who you've got but you start giving them min time upgrades, school selects, cross-flow programs, etc.... and you may have the right guy but may not but you have already invested heavily in them as a "leader" and then the AF just accepts what it has got....

Not trying to pit the Buff against the Bone but why isn't the Buff gettting the ax? The B-1 seems more survivalble and capable with the sniper upgrade...

Not a reason why we can't grow better officers but an example of the genius currently at work in the USAF... https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2013/02/air-force-maxwell-plan-publish-pics-uniform-violators-nixed-021013w/

Yep...