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Section XV. The series Beyaond Iraq - Global Insurgency

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GUERRILLA WAR :: GAME TIME! ****************************** Send your links and comments to: politicalsoldier@lycos.com ___________________________ ******* ... Why Take Up Armed Struggle? ___________________________ ... or Why Play Guerrilla War ______________________ The art of Revolution: _________________ ------------------------------- ************ A (partially) ANARCHIST VIEW ------------------------------ -----------------******* ********** No SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE in recent world history has been effected through non-violent means. We live in a world of violent domination, where people are either compliant with corporate rule or done away with. As first-world consumers, we are all guilty of directly causing the subjugation of marginalized people the world over, the destruction of the global ecosphere and the deaths of those in political opposition to any government ours has relations with. Americans who claim to be believers in non-violence are fooling themselves. *********************** The legitimacy of armed uprising is an issue that each of us has to decide for ourselves. Pacifism is a sort of self-therapy to dismiss anything the pacifist doesn't wish to confront on a personal level. Don't argue the pacifist point of view with me, and don't censure me. Let the government do it's own dirty work. Now, on with the educational portion of this program... _______________________ _______________________ BUILD YOUR BASE OF SUPPORT... There are things that have to be done before taking up armed struggle. First, surround yourself with people you know well enough to trust with your life. The second is to prepare to leave everyone else you know behind and prepare for a lonely, painful existence of hardship and uncertainty. And drug, drink and sexual abstinence as well. Now you and a small band of friends are ready to begin. Before you pull off your first action, though there are a lot of preparations you will have to make. _________________________ Make sure you know as much as you can possibly find out about your base of operations: Who are your neighbors, do they suspect anything? Are they simpatico? Where are good hiding places? Good escape routes? Any fresh water springs or other sources of water in the area? Can you slip in and out of your basecamp ( or your various urban-rural safe-houses and barns) without being seen or looking suspicious? ______________________ _______ Do you know people outside your group who you can ask for help who will not ask questions and do anything (within reason) to help you? These people are going to be the ones who will let your wounded comrades hide out in their homes until they are better, who will help you acquire food and medicine, who will feed you and deliver messages to your above-ground supporters. You will not succeed in your efforts without at least a nominal base of support. Your supporters need not adhere to your political views. They will help you out because they like you as people and think that you are passionate, even heroic. Do not do anything to expose these people to violence from the police and military. They are not combatants. They have not joined your militia. Keep away from them during times of heightened activity from the police and military forces. ____________________ ___________ The guerrilla group - or preferably a higher level coordinating cadre (politico-military or intelligence) will also identify people or officials who can be coerced or intimidated into helping (money, protection, information on military plans) _____________________ ________ At this time, you should be propagandizing, letting the community know that there are people around who are willing to stop complying with the legal status quo. Through these efforts, you will better understand the community you are involved with. This is the time to confront attitudes - both yours and other's - and get a feel for who can be trusted and how far that trust can go. This is a time when you are vulnerable to arrest. ____________________ __________ Propaganda vehicles consist of flyers, graffiti, guerilla actions against billboards and any media at your disposal - print, radio, video -- anything that you can use to explain why you feel the way you do. _____________________ __________ It is not important to convert people to your side at this point - emphasis should be in setting the proper context for your consequent actions, so that when they begin, people will know what's happening and why. ___________________ ____________ When to begin your activities as a revolutionary fighting unit? Marxist strategy preaches that "the people" should be prepared before there can be a chance for a revolution to be successful. Yet history has shown that "the people" will start kicking ass long before any leadership has emerged. According to Che, the Cuban Revolution proved that an oppressed people sometimes only need a catalyst to prod them into action before they ignite into a mass movement -- to sweep aside the old regime. History has also shown that in the chaos between the fall of the old and the start of the new order, there is a danger of a cultish leader taking control of the revolutionary spirit in order to set himself up as the new dictator. ********************* ***** The times this has not happened, there has been international efforts made to crush the Revolution before it sets an example the rest of the world could follow. These are dangers that need to be considered during the development of the revolution. ******************* ********** Once your group is ready to begin activities, there are considerations: how do you keep the unit supplied with ammunition, what are your targets for attack, are you ready for a counter-strike by the enemy? There is a difference, psychologically, in pressing the attack and being attacked. In the former case, there is a feeling of control, you have met the enemy and are now going to kick his ass. When they come after you, however, there is a feeling of defeat from the outset. Coming under fire by your enemy is unnerving. Even when faced with far superior fire- and manpower, the guerrilla group can escape by stealth or directed assault and use their knowledge of the area to make their get-away. ---------------------------------- --------------------------- ------------------- Essential equipment Here are the things each guerrilla soldier must have: a weapon a sleeping bag or wool blanket a backpack good boots a hammock a tarp some heavy clothing an ammo belt _____________________ __________ A mosquito net would come in handy during the warm seasons, and the guerilla will do well to have some sort of dry food on him whenever possible. Other things that could help out would include a small flashlight, a cup and small pan, a knife of some sort, especially one similar to a Swiss army knife. Some extra cord, string or twine for repairing equipment and stringing up the hammock and tarp is always a good idea. ______________________ __________ The less stuff the soldier carries in the field, the more mobile the unit is. If your unit is operating in a safe, familiar area, you can stash things, like staple foods , medicines and extra ammunition and weapons in hidey-holes spread throughout your field of operations. ______________________ _______ There should be one or two people outside the unit who can act as go-betweens when the unit needs things like food and medicine. It is not important for the whole unit to know these people, nor for them to know much about the unit. You will hopefully have contact with organizations which support your actions. When the time comes to escalate your activities, these outside contacts will become sources for new recruits. ______________________ _________ Desirable Items of Gear and Weaponry ____________________________ 308 and 50 caliber sniper rifles with high powered scopes ________________________ Mortars ________________________ Incendiary and armor piercing ammo ________________________ Spotting scopes and telescopes _______________________ Range finders _______________________ blasting caps and det cord _______________________ familiarity with various timing devices and trip cord booby traps ------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ----------- The Anarchist Guerilla Group _____________________ ______ Decisions - including the choice of commanding officers - are often made by consensus, though this is not always possible. In battle, when unexpected complications arise (serious accidents occur or during severe weather) the officers take the initiative to remedy the situation - longer-term operations are consulted with by a larger group of soldiers. No Anarchist Guerrilla should put themselves in the position of sticking rigidly to non-hierarchal principles in battle situations. The Guerrilla should be able to trust her fellow militia members who have been chosen at large to act in the best interest of the unit. This is easier to do with people you've known a long time or have faced enemy fire with. ********************* ********* The typical Guerilla group is small, between five and a dozen people. Any more than that and the odds of being spotted by the enemy are greatly increased. Any less and there are extreme limits to what your group can attempt and expect to survive. There will usually emerge one or two people with organizational skills who will often serve as leaders due to their general competence. These people may not be the same people who are effective combat leaders. The differences should be respected, as well as acknowledged. These people should be deferred to during times of crisis or difficult decision making such as when chosen officers are missing or incapacitated. ********************* ******* When the conflict escalates, the group will hopefully grow and the experienced members will be thrust into leadership roles with the new arrivals, help them to make the adjustment to clandestine or camp life and teach them how to survive engagement with the enemy. It is worth noting that the successful small group leader will not always be as competent with a larger group. And the person unable to take the initiative with a small group of friends might find herself feeling responsible for the well-being of the new recruits. Let these naturally occurring roles manifest themselves, but always be wary of anyone who takes on too much responsibility. If that person were killed during an action, the group might find itself in deep shit. It is the responsibility of the entire militia to see that all the work is shared by everyone, so that there is always someone available to help out when someone else is lost due to injury or illness. ********************* ****** When the group has grown to ungainly size, it will need to split up. This then creates a new difficulty of keeping in contact and coordinating actions. Therefore, any activities must be planned well in advance - though not necessarily in great detail. This difficulty will be compounded greatly the more recruits there are. The time will come when the militia will have to expand its base of operations. This is like starting all over again, with new contacts to be made with the people in the area, new maps to be acquired, new terrain to be explored. This is a dangerous time for the group, and should be undertaken with a heightened sense of alertness. There should be time available to send men into new places without their field gear, just to pass through and scope things out. It is important for these people to stay out of difficulties with the police in the new places. ----------------------------- -------------------------- ------------------------- Insurrection! ________________________ ______ There are no hard-set rules for making your initial engagements with the enemy: ______________________ Never engage the enemy in an attack that you cannot win. Don't send your infantry to assault a well-fortified airfield or attack a barracks outside your territory - use suicidal bombers or standoff weapons (mortars or 50 caliber rifles). _________________________ Always strike fast, with every weapon at your disposal, inflict the maximum amount of damage that you can and withdraw just as quickly. ________________________ Have your escape planned beforehand. ___________________________ Select a rendezvous point where anyone separated during the fighting can catch up with the others. ___________________________ Make every round of ammunition count. You'll never suffer from an over-abundance of ammunition. ___________________________ Recover ammunition and weapons from fallen enemies. Indeed, many of your engagements will be solely for this purpose. _______________________ _________ Don't panic if things don't go well. Get out as quickly as possible and try to make the enemy regret any pursuit attempted. ______________________ _______ .......... ALWAYS fire from a well-concealed position. ___________________ _____ Not just behind a tree or rock, but laying on the ground behind a tree or rock. It is especially important to be on the ground behind a bush or in grass. If not, the enemy will likely see the discharge from your weapon and be able to aim at that. If you're on the ground, underneath some sort of foliage, the enemy may not even see your gun's blast. The smaller a target you present, the less likely you'll be hit. ____________________ _________ Make sure you're not trapped, in a place where any movement will expose you to enemy fire with no chance for cover. Though these may sound like obvious points, you will be surprised at what people will do in the heat of battle. Practice with paint guns before using real weapons. ______________________________ If you are being pursued by an enemy column, always kill the lead man (the Point man). This will unnerve the enemy and make the point position difficult to fill. This tactic will sometimes divide the enemy against one another, as some men may refuse to take a position that is going to result in their deaths. ___________________________ Your first actions will likely not put a great deal of fear into your enemies. You will have to do armed robberies in order to provision your group with enough food and supplies to get started. Keep some money in reserve in case the group is forced out of their base of operations. Do not rob the families of the people who are your supporters, or who should be your supporters. Rob the wealthy, the powerful and the local tyrants. You'll know who they are, the businesses they own and where they live, if you've made the proper preparations. ________________________________ When you've pulled off your first outright "military" action, this should be followed by a propaganda effort, or propaganda should be made during the action, so that all will know what's going on. From this point on, the Guerrilla is on enemy turf, until they have established complete control of some territory. Once this action is taken, the war is on and the guerrillas will be under constant harassment. _____________________________ -------------------------------- --------------------------- --------------------- Defensive positions ____________________________ You should have prepared several bunkers at different places throughout your base of operations. Here, you can store excess items rather than carry them around with you all the time. These should offer some shelter, not only from the cold and rain, but also from light artillery, such as grenades launched from guns and mortars. Thus, if the attackers are only a small unit you may have some time to evacuate and retrieve valuable equipment. __________________________ Anytime the unit is under fire and has to withdraw from an area, they should do so in an orderly manner. Several people should fall back and offer cover fire so that the others can pull out. These people will then take up firing positions so that the previously positioned guerrillas can then withdraw, too. The process is repeated until the enemy breaks off pursuit. During such a strategic retreat, an experienced fighting unit may sometimes find itself suddenly in the possession of an easily-defendable position. By regrouping there, they may be able to actually mount a counter-attack against the pursuing enemy. To do this, they must attack with great energy and only if they have enough ammunition to sustain the attack. If they can successfully force the enemy into retreat, there will be opportunities to gather ammunition left behind by fallen enemy soldiers. Of course, when faced with superior numbers and firepower, the best idea is to leave the area as quickly as possible. ___________________________ ------------------------------- --------------------------- ---------------------- ..........Taking Action : And Seeking Strategic Effect ___________________________ In Nicaragua (FSLN)-Sandinistas) & El Salvador (FMLN) rebels pulled off spectacular actions not only to display their capabilities, but also to humiliate their enemies. They would capture the banquet hall where a member of a ruling familiy was holding a wedding reception or loot and burn stores that belong to the rulers. The Tupac Amaru attempted such an action in Peru when they took over the Japanese Embassy. They had undertaken the effort as an act of desperation, without really expecting to win the encounter. They could have attempted to shoot their way out, thus giving their supporters and those in sympathy with them a chance to join in the fray. Had they engaged the army units surrounding them in a prolonged, running battle, they could have set the city aflame with revolutionary fever. _____________________________ By carrying out such outrageous actions, the guerrillas illustrate to the people that the powerful are vulnerable. This inspires admiration and respect, not only with the people in the barios, but often in the ranks of the military as well. There are incidents of high-ranking officers in the military, disgusted by the attitudes and behavior of the ruling elite, who would withdraw their troops into their barracks and withhold them from the fighting, then pledge themselves to the revolutionary government. Displays of bravery coupled with upright behavior can win over to the guerrilla's side those who have been apathetic or even opposed to their actions. Not all who serve the powerful enjoy their roles. ___________________________ The focus of the guerrilla groups initial activities will be to disrupt the lives of the enemy forces as much as possible and to cut off their supplies. With stealth and a few homemade weapons, the guerilla band can attack airfields, convoys and other means of supply the enemy will use. Mines that can be detonated by remote switches are effective. Shotguns can be converted into grenade launchers and explosive devices (black powder grenades, molotovs, etc.) can be fired with them. Improvised weapons are effective, not only due to their offensive capacities, but also as a psychological weapon against the opposing soldiers, who assume you have nothing in your arsenal other than a few rifles. ____________________________ Do not take prisoners unless they are valuable - wealthy or high ranking. If possible, escort surrendering troops to a border and tell them to get lost for the remainder of the war. Do not allow them to return to their bases. Since they will be fellow countryfolk, they may actually want to join your side! They must prove themselves under fire before you can trust them with weapons! Until then they can be treated as suspect new recruits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- .......... Urban Warfare Usually labeled as "terrorists", the urban guerilla differs from the traditional "fighting in the fields" guerrilla in their base of operations. The Urban guerrillas are under more intensive scrutiny than those in the woods and have to be careful not to arouse the suspicion of neighbors as well as the police. But, they can hide out just as easily, have more targets to choose from and can often stir up the locals to take part in their actions, even if they are only playing supporting roles. The Sendero Luminoso in Peru existed for years in the slums of Lima. ____________________________ The urban guerilla band will never have the security that the "outdoor" guerrillas have, nor will they usually have the number of people involved in their day-to-day activities, still they will be able to maintain social ties to the outside world. This is both good and bad. It's a security risk anytime someone outside the group becomes familiar with one or more of it's members. The good part is that the urban guerrillas can more accurately assess their situation and plan their actions accordingly. ************************ Urban guerrilla activity is probably the first step to take in a modern industrial state, though it is usually the last phase of the traditional revolution. Due to the amount of police informants, security forces and military available to combat the guerrillas, it is advisable not to stay in one area for very long. Once a few actions have taken place, the guerrilla group can split up and regroup later. This regrouping should be seen as a chance to gather together to plan the next operation and the group should have their combat supplies stored somewhere secure. When the group is dispersed for any amount of time, there is no certainty that all the members will rejoin the group. Some may be arrested, or injured or killed. There is always the danger of being followed or turned in by someone familiar with the guerrillas, maybe even one of its members. In any case, treat a re-grouping with extreme caution, assume the worst and do not wait around for very long for any stragglers. ************************* ------------------------------- --------------------------- ---------------------- .......Some final thoughts about ________________________ Insurrection ________________________ Once a person begins down this road, it is difficult to turn back. Even if one surrenders, there is no guarantee the government forces will accept the surrender, or that they won't have you killed in prison. __________________________ Self-discipline is key to security. Wandering away to have a fling with a babe, getting drunk at a tavern or trying to contact a missed person could result in getting oneself and the entire group killed. The ability to remain calm under duress is extraordinarily useful. If stopped by an agent of the state, try to determine what the matter is all about before whipping out a gun or grenade or taking cyanide. The agent in question could be asking around about something totally unrelated to your activities. __________________________ Try not to be fearful, but allow yourself to use your fear to your advantage. Fear brings about a heightened state of alertness which can be quite useful at certain times. __________________________ __________________________ Russia as Weird as the USA __________________________ The Russian authorities have so far ignored Basayev�s statements. They are most probably investigating the incident that occurred on 18 February in the Ramenskoye district near Moscow. ___________________________ On that day, in the vicinity of the village of Starnikovo, experts found a crater under a pipeline and 10-mm holes in a 200-mm gas pipe. On the day after the incident Alexander Alexeyev, a senior police official with the regional police directorate told Gazeta.Ru that judging by the size of the crater, either two explosive devices of about 200 grams of TNT or a bucket of petrol blew up under the pipeline. An explosive device planted by unknown saboteurs under another pipe in the same area was discovered and defused by sappers before it detonated. Local police suggested that local teenagers, who had watched too many action movies, could have been to blame.

Section XV. The series Beyaond Iraq - Global Insurgency

07.07.04 (4:55 pm) [edit]

[u][b]Section XV. [/b][/u]

[b]Additional Weapons for 4GW and US Strike Forces
From RPGs and Sniper Support Systems to Mini and Neutron Nukes[/b]

[u]Weapons Of The Insurgents: RPGs and US Defense[/u]

Weeks before the invasion of Iraq, a fight developed between the Army's top general and his civilian boss.. Gen. Eric K. Shinseki told the Senate Armed Services Committee the job would take something on the order of several hundred thousand soldiers. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld believed it could be done with about half that number. Missing from the sound bites that framed the debate was the reason behind the discrepancy.

DOD expected entire Iraqi divisions to lay down their arms. Shinseki looked beyond that surrender and worried that without a sufficient force to stand guard, the Iraqi arsenal would be plundered. By the time the first statue of Hussein was pulled off its pedestal, a massive stockpile of rocket-propelled grenade launchers and shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles had fallen into the hands of Islamic insurgents. In the months that followed, half the Americans who died in Iraq were killed by one type of these weapons, the RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade.

[b]RPG-s[/b]
In every patrol in Iraq in which they recover weapons, they find RPG-7s. Cheap to buy, easy to use and nearly as rugged as a club, the RPG-7 is an old weapon that has been reborn in the hands of militants. Developed by the Bazalt State Research and Production Enterprise in Russia in the 1960s, its simplicity made it an immediate favorite among armies the Soviet bloc, China and North Korea. The Cold War’s end, RPG-7s had found their way into the inventories of 40 armies, many unfriendly to the US.

At least 1 million RPG-7s have been manufactured by Bazalt or are under license. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the flow of RPGs from military warehouses to the black market has grown from a trickle to a flood. RPG-7s can be bought for less than the price of a laptop computer. The weapon traces its origin to the Panzerfaust tank buster that Germany developed for territorial defense at the end of World War II. Never intended for use against aircraft, the RPG-7 became an effective helicopter killer. In 1994, two U.S. Army Black Hawks fighting in Mogadishu, Somalia, were shot down by RPG-7 fire. In Afghanistan, the mujahedeen used the weapons for helicopter ambushes. It has been used in a similar fashion by insurgents in Iraq. (XV. 1.)

[b]New Warheads[/b]
The success of the RPG is Bazalt's introduction of new types of ammunition for its venerable weapon. The TBG-7V, PG-7VR and OG-7V rounds allow a soldier to accomplish an unprecedented range of missions on the battlefield. The thermobaric TBG-7V round has a lethality comparable to a 120mm artillery projectile or mortar shell. The TBG-7V round operates on the enhanced blast principle. The warhead explosion creates a high-temperature field and simultaneously generates a powerful blast wave, When fired against unprotected troops, it shreds and incinerates everyone within a 30-ft. radius. If it strikes armor, it produces a 6- to 18-in. opening. The heat and shock wave from the explosion then enters the vehicle, killing the crew.

One way to defend against this type of round is to apron a tank with reactive armor, which is essentially a coating of explosive. When the round strikes the tank, the reactive armor explodes--in effect, it pushes back against the incoming round. This prevents the focused jet of molten metal created by the impact of the shaped charge from squirting through the crew compartment. The PG-7VR overcomes reactive armor by using a 2-part, or tandem, warhead. It hits the tank with two closely timed blasts. The first punches a hole in the reactive armor. The second attacks the armor.

The OG-7V fragmentation round is designed specifically for urban warfare (targets of brick and reinforced concrete). The OG-7V accuracy is close to that of small arms allowing the round to be dropped through a relatively small opening where the enemy is firing. The Iraqi army (and now insurgents) have these advanced rounds, along with older varieties of antipersonnel and anti-armor munitions. Besides RPGs and anti-aircraft missiles over 5 million machine guns disappeared from arsenals.

RPG-7 is a reloadable, shoulder-fired, muzzle-loaded, recoilless antitank and antipersonnel rocket propelled grenade launcher that launches fin-stabilized, oversized rocket - assisted HEAT grenade (85-mm in the PG-7 version, 70-mm in the PG-7M) from a smooth bore 40mm tube. The launcher with optical sights weighs 6.9 kilograms (15.9 pounds) and has a maximum, effective range of 300 meters against moving point targets and 500 meters against stationary point targets. 500 meters is also the maximum range of rocket assisted flight, which enables a flatter trajectory and more accurate aiming. The RPG-7V is light enough to be carried and fired by a single operator. An assistant grenadier deploys with the shooter, to the left of the gunner to provide cover with his personal weapon and reload after fire. The shooter normally carries two additional rounds of ammunition, and his team member three more rounds. The use of the weapon is fairly simple. Without much practice, a user can hit a vehicle sized target most of the time at ranges of 50-100 meters. More practice enable engagement of targets at extended range, which also provide relative safety to the user. At the maximum range of 920 meters, RPGs self explodes (4.5 seconds from firing) and that's how the weapon is sometime used as a form of "artillery", spraying shrapnel over military installations, or slow, low flying or hovering helicopters. The antipersonnel grenades reach over 1100 meters. Following the conflict in Afghanistan, new anti-personnel grenades were added. A modified version, PG-7BR is also designed to defeat reactive armor. It uses a precursor charge to eliminate the reactive armor and a main charge to penetrate the main armor. Basalt, the original RPG manufacturer has also designed further advanced versions, including RPG-26 and RPG-27, with effective range of 200-250 meters for anti-tank, anti-personnel and anti-material missions. Thermobaric warheads were also adapted for RPGs with the RShG-1 and the RShG-2. Both are optimized for operations in enclosures of up to 200 cubic meters.

The current RPG-7V model can mount a telescope and both infrared and passive night sights. All RPG-7 models have optical sights which can be illuminated for night sighting.

Among the production grenades are the PG-7, PG-7M, PG-7N, The PG-7V rocket has a penetration capability of 330mm of steel armor. PG-7VL antitank grenades with armor penetrability of up to 600 mm of rolled homogeneous steel. The PG-7VR is a tandem warhead designed to penetrate explosive reactive armor and the armor underneath. The OG-7 and OG-7M are high-explosive antipersonnel grenades.

The RPG-18 is another derivative of the original RPG. It was designed as a short-range weapon, The tube-launched, disposable launcher contain a single 64mm PG-18 rocket, similar in principle to the US LAW system. The operator carries the launcher in a collapsed position and extends the inner tube to make the weapon ready to fire. The weapon has an effective range of 200 meters, with a HEAT warhead which is capable of penetrating up to 375 millimeters of steel armor. The fuse of the HEAT grenade activates 2 to 15 meters after leaving the tube and self-destructs after a flight time of 4 to 6 seconds. The folding sight at the forward end of the tube is calibrated for ranges of 50, 100, 150, and 200 meters.

[b]Missile Attacks[/b]
Saddam Hussein's looted arsenal was brimming with SA-7 Grail anti-aircraft missiles. According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), over the past 25 years the Grail and later models including the SA-14 have been responsible for attacks on 35 airliners--mostly commercial flights. Twenty-four of these attacks led to crashes, killing more than 500. In Iraq, as many as 5000 Grails are believed to have fallen into the hands of insurgents. CRS reports that between May and November 2003, 19 attacks on aircraft took place in the vicinity of Baghdad International Airport. Each SA-7missile is equipped with an infrared sensor that "sees" the invisible heat trail behind a jet engine as though it were a beacon atop a lighthouse. Guidance-system circuitry reacts to changing input from the sensor by adjusting the fins of the missile. This keeps the Grail pointed toward its target as it streaks through the sky at supersonic speeds. When the missile reaches the engine, its warhead detonates 2.5 pounds of high explosives.

The Grail tracks its quarry with an infrared sensor and heat-activated batteries to power its circuitry. All have a limited shelf life. Although estimates vary, many of the Grails in illegitimate hands are believed to be too old to reliably fire. The second shortcoming has to do with the way the Grail finds its targets. The Grail is a tail-chaser, which means that it must be fired from behind an aircraft. The distance between shooter and target--as far as 6 miles--gives the aircraft crew time to defend itself. One technique is to release flares, creating a target that's "brighter" than the heat from the jet engine. Air Force One, commercial airliners operated by Israel's El Al and military aircraft have installed various types of these systems. Efforts are under way to install similar defensive systems on American airliners.

[u][b]Best RPG Defense: FCLAS[/b][/u]
The most promising plan for defending troops against insurgents' rocket and missile attacks is called FCLAS. The abbreviated acronym stands for "full spectrum active protection close-in layered shield," which in itself is an explanation of how it works. FCLAS is an antimissile missile in a tube. Strategically placed around a vehicle, boat, building or helicopter, these missiles create a sort of invisible shield that detects and then demolishes incoming threats. The idea behind FCLAS is simple in concept but difficult in execution. The forward section of the FCLAS projectile houses two radar systems. The radar at the front looks forward for objects whose speed is consistent with an RPG-7 round or missile. When this threat is detected, a black powder charge, like that used to launch smoke grenades, ignites, propelling the FCLAS out of its storage tube. The second radar system looks up, down and to both sides.

The launch is timed so that it and the incoming target will pass each other when they are about 15 ft. from the vehicle being protected. At this precise moment, the side-looking radar senses the passing threat and ignites the explosive material that fills the middle of the projectile. The force fractures the explosive's metal sheath. Scored lines in the sheathing cause it to shatter into tiny square-shaped shards that radiate outward. Anything in the path of this doughnut-shaped wall of fast-moving metal is shredded into confetti. (XV. 2.)

[b]SENSORS, DRONES (UAV) & What Trillions ($) Will Buy![/b]
New generations of sensors will improve the ability of U.S. forces to detect and monitor the activities of small groups of enemy combatants. The Air Force is developing a new synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that operates simultaneously in the ultra high frequency (UHF) and very high frequency (VHF) bands and can detect stationary targets under foliage or camouflage. These sensors will not provide the resolution required for identifying (or perhaps even detecting) individuals, but they can be used to detect facilities and equipment (including weapons) that might be associated with terrorist groups and activities.

Improving assessment capabilities is also important. Most of the images and other data collected by U.S. intelligence sensors are never looked at or are given only a cursory examination. To better exploit the burgeoning take of these sensors, efforts are under way to develop new automated assessment tools that will include computer algorithms designed to detect specific activities by people or vehicles and to detect anomalous events or activities against an established baseline.

Technical surveillance systems, such as electro-optical sensors on UAVs, may be useful for this purpose. The problem of emphasizing force-protection measures is that such concerns can begin to compete with the overall mission of neutralizing terrorist groups. To reduce this competition, the DoD will need to develop and field affordable systems appropriate for monitoring activities around friendly bases. Simple, low-cost systems could be adequate to this task. Small, low-speed UAVs with a time-on-station of a few hours have proven suitable for base-protection missions and are less expensive than a Predator UAV. Unattended ground sensors (UGSs) may be useful for these tasks as well. They tend to have a smaller field of regard than sensors on airborne platforms, but they are relatively inexpensive and are on station 24 hours a day. Scanning lasers can be used to detect rifle scopes and other optics pointed at a base, and infrared backtracking systems can identify the source of sniper fire. (XV. 3.)

[b]UAVs: Unmanned Drones[/b]

Top of the Line Armed PREDATOR B - MQ-9 HUNTER/KILLER

In May 1998 General Atomics was awarded a Block 1 Upgrade contract to expand the capabilities of the Predator system. System upgrades include development of an improved relief-on-station (ROS) system which allows continuous coverage over areas of interest without any loss of time on station, secure air traffic control voice relay, Ku-band satellite tuning and implementation of an Air Force Mission Support System (AFMSS). The upgrade also covers a more powerful turbocharged engine and wing de-icing systems to enable year-round operations. The upgraded Predator, the MQ-9 Hunter/Killer, has been operational in the Balkans since April 2001.

The Predator B has an operational ceiling of 50,000ft and maximum internal payload of 800lb and external payload over 3,000lb. Predator B has been flight tested with Hellfire II anti-armour missiles and can carry up to 14 missiles. Flight trials have also taken place with the General Atomics Lynx SAR (synthetic aperture radar) payload. Lynx also features ground moving target indicator technology. The USAF has also ordered two versions of Predator B with turbofan jet engines. The Predator was flight tested with a L-3 Communications Tactical Common Datalink (TCDL). A Northrop Grumman Bat submunition was successfully dropped and a FINDER mini-UAV was launched from a Predator UAV in 2002. Refueling capabilities are also being examined. (XV. 4.)

[b]Surveillance Drones: Hermes UAV (Israeli)[/b]
This is a large endurance UAV that can be mistaken for a twin-engine passenger aircraft. It is a well-appointed UAV for long-range surveillance and tactical reconnaissance. These aircraft were bought by Israeli allies and business interests (South Africans, Argentines, and Singapore), as well as some civilian scientific agencies for land survey and mapmaking. This UAV was chosen to serve as the backbone system for the development of UAV system applications/ missions. Produced by Israel's Elbit Systems and Silver Arrow, hese workhorse UAVs are in service with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and have accumulated extensive operational experience as the main tactical UAV.

Hermes 450 is an upper range tactical UAV system with advanced composite structure and optimised aerodynamics. Advanced avionics enable autonomous flight and precise GPS navigation. Fully redundant systems significantly increase reliability. Target detection and recognition are performed by gimbaled, electro-optical, state-of-the-art payloads. The UAV is equipped with sophisticated communication systems transferring imagery in real time to ground control stations. The Hermes 450 maximum payload weight is 150kg, its operational altitude is 18,000 feet and its maximum endurance is 20 hours.

July 2003, Elbit Systems Ltd. announced that its subsidiary EFW Inc, Fort Worth, Texas, had been awarded a contract by SENTEL Corporation to operate its Hermes 450 UAV system in support of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Director of Test and Evaluation, Joint UAV Joint Test and Evaluation (JUAV-JT&E), at NAS Fallon, Nevada. Elbit/Silver Arrow is working on its twin-engined Hermes 1500 and IAI/MALAT, the Heron 1. The contract was awarded after a validation programme which demonstrated the Hermes 450's capabilities and versatility. Under the contract, the Hermes 450 will provide a reliable turnkey system for seamless integration of UAVs with other operational military elements. The effort, which is to run through July 2004, will encompass operations with forces from all US Military Services. The system had already conducted more than a dozen highly successful missions in support of US Navy carrier air wing training and JUAV test and evaluation exercises.

The contract to supply and operate its Hermes 450 is a breakthrough for the company into the largest market in the world. Elbit/Silver Arrow also offer the smaller Hermes 150 and the larger, High Altitude Long Endurance Hermes 1500 in the US market as an important, cross-Service role. Versions of the Hermes are used by the US Border patrol to monitor activity on the Mexican border. (XV. 5.)

[u][b]Marines Have OWLS[/b][/u]

AL Taqqadum, Iraq (June 17, 2004) -- Just as an owl uses its keen sight to search a landscape for prey, the "Night Owls" have used advanced technology in the air to aid allies on the ground to complete mission after mission during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Likewise as the owl has been traditionally known as a wise bird, it is a fitting name for the Marines of Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 2, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, who have used their unique RQ-2B Pioneer unmanned aerial vehicle to provide aerial intelligence. The squadron can provide many different kinds of intelligence, said Staff Sgt. R. Brian Ward, internal and external UAV pilot, VMU-2. "Our main focus right now is aerial reconnaissance. We also do battle damage reports, artillery adjustments and search and rescue," said the 33-year-old Anderson, S.C., native. "We try to be the eyes for the guys on the ground. Even if we find out that there's nothing on the ground, that's good (intelligence)."

The UAVs have daytime lenses and forward-looking infrared lenses so they can obtain detailed footage in any lighting condition, said Staff Sgt. Thomas B. Kush, imagery chief, VMU-2.

"With a lot of the things we do, we can tell exactly what is going on. We can watch all four sides of a house so we can track anybody going in or out of the house," said the 35-year-old Weirton, W.Va., native. "We can tell guys on the ground to go in the blue door or the red door if we need to."

The squadron has also been tasked with monitoring the Iraqi roadways for various threats to coalition forces."We've found (improvised explosive devices) on the sides of roads. We've found checkpoints for ambushes on our convoys," said Kush.

After flying 1,200 hours in 8 months during their last deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, VMU-2 is within 200 hours of surpassing that number on their current deployment in Iraq. "We broke a thousand hours in three months. We are allotted 300 hours a year. So in three months, we've flown almost four years worth of flight hours," said Ward.

Part of the reason for the increase in flight hours is due to many people discovering the value behind the Pioneer's capabilities. "People didn't know what we could do in the past. Now people request the services we can provide," he added. "We get requests for targets to check and we divide them up between upcoming flights. We (check) roughly 15-20 targets daily."

Regular wear and tear from flying increased hours in desert conditions would be a problem without the maintenance Marines, said Cpl. Jeff Witherspoon, internal UAV pilot, VMU-2. "Maintenance has been doing an exceptional job. We've been flying for three months straight and that takes a toll on the aircraft," said the 27-year-old from Burkburnett, Texas.

The maintenance Marines have made a few changes due to the operational tempo, said Sgt. Jamie D. Shepler, UAV plane captain, VMU-2. "Each aircraft has assigned mechanics. But with 24-hour (operations), you work on what needs to be worked on," admitted Shepler. "It takes eight maintenance hours (for) every one (hour of flight)."

The method that VMU-2 uses to approach flight separates it from other flying squadrons in the Marine Corps, said Lt. Col. Douglas M. Hardison, commanding officer, VMU-2.

"With this airplane, it's not so complex, so the Marine Corps can push the responsibility on to the enlisted Marine," said the 42-year-old Dallas native.
While an officer still signs for the aircraft and becomes the mission commander, he gives control of the aircraft to an enlisted pilot.

"Mission commanders are aviators that watch over the mission. He signs for the aircraft and allows us to fly it," said Ward. "This is about the closest an enlisted Marine can come to flying an aircraft."

Flying a UAV is less like piloting a manned aircraft and more like flying a remote controlled airplane, said Ward.
"Where other pilots can be inside the cockpit and feel shudders and hear noises, I have to do everything visually," he said. "It's a pretty stable bird with autopilot. It's like a (remote control) aircraft, but on a bigger, heavier scale."

The UAV pilots take pride in their enlisted heritage in a field now dominated by commissioned officers, said Ward.

"We are the last of the flying sergeants," he added in reference to the days of World War II when enlisted noncommissioned officers were chosen to be pilots based on their potential to fly.
Using enlisted Marines to pilot UAVs instead of higher-paid officers, maintains a high level of skill at the position while cutting down the cost, said Hardison.

"I give the guys a lot of latitude to fly the airplane. Nine times out of 10 he does a great job -- just like any aviator would," he explained. "For the Marine Corps, we are a great bang for their buck."
With cost and safety in mind, UAVs are the future of Marine Corps aviation, said Hardison.

"We have the technology now so we can do all the things we do in the air from the ground. You would need a huge airplane to do all the things we do here on the ground."

Marines of VMU-2 are happy to be working with the wave of the future, said Shepler

[b]Mini UAVs[/b]
Desert Hawk is constructed of mold-injected expanded polypropylene - a Styrofoam-like material which is flexible, damage-resistant type of foam. Kevlar skids are used on the nose and tail to improve durability. The sensors are carried in the middle of the fuselage, peeking down at the surface through a notch opened in the lower fuselage. Both color CCD or infrared cameras can be used. The GPS antennae and communications links are mounted on the wings. It uses an electric motor and therefore maintains a quiet operation. The vehicle weighs 3.5 kilograms and is only 13 centimeters long.

Launched into the air by two people using a bungee cord as a slingshot, the mini UAV flies its mission fully autonomously, at speeds of 40 to 80 km/h, following a flight path that has been plotted out beforehand on a laptop using GPS coordinates. The plane can be directed to circle over an area of interest, or the operator can alter its flight path while the plane is in the air during its 75 minutes aloft. Its payloads comprise of interchangeable systems, including an infrared thermal imaging system for night use, or a set of three color cameras for daylight.
Each Desert Hawk system, which consists of six aircraft, a ground station, and spare parts, costs $300,000. An improved version of the desert Hawk is currently in development. Most of the improvements will focus on system integration, including cooperative target engagement, with UAVs automatically assigned to locate and track targets detected by ground surveillance radars. Of the 48 systems ordered, four have been delivered to the British Army and more are planned for delivery to special forces units. (XV. 6.)

[b]Viper Strike - Laser Guided Weapon for UAVs[/b]
http://www.defense-update.com/directory/viper-strik e.htm" title="http://www.defense-update.com/directory/viper-strik e.htm" target="_blank"http://www.defense-update.com...
Viper Strike uses a semi-active laser seeker to find its designated target. The weapon was developed as a derivative of the autonomous Brilliant Attack Munitions (BAT) Submunitions during a quick reaction, nine-week program at Northrop Grumman's Land Combat Systems facility at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Ala.

The weapon is intended for operations that require top-down attack, particularly in built-up areas where strict rules of engagement are in force. It requires a "man in the loop" to lase the target, either from the ground in sight of the target or from the Hunter's ground station, which ensures the greatest possible accuracy and minimizes the chances of collateral damage. The Viper Strike's warhead is smaller than the hellfire's, which is used with the US Air Force armed Predator UAVs, containing only four pounds of Anti-Tank High Explosive (HEAT) charge, for reduced collateral damage in an urban built-up area. It also has a self-destruct mechanism, to eliminate post-strike hazards. The final version of Viper Strike could be equipped with optional blast fragmentation and thermobaric warheads. (XV. 7.)

[b]Sniper Coordination Systems (SCS) [/b]
Much of the work done on these systems comes from the Israelis. They provide improved planning and employment of snipers, as well as more effective monitoring of these assets. The system offers image transfer capability in real time, to monitor the line of sights of multiple snipers and verify individual targets for each shooter. Advanced systems also enable effective monitoring of targets around the corners, and actually firing around the corner, using the weapon's mounted camera, coupled via wireless link to an eyepiece or wrist mounted display.

The SCS utilizes a lightweight image splitter attached to the sniper rifle's sight, and a wireless transmitter which sends the sight image in real time to the command post, where up to six different snipers can be supervised simultaneously. The images can also be sent to other elements in the field, viewed on wrist mounted display or on PDAs carried by the troops. Some of these tools are being tied into general urban warfighting strategies and monitoring systems- C4.

[b]C4: Tactical C4ISR (RTC) RAFAEL (Israel) [/b]
The RAFAEL system provides tactical units with independent support for mission planning, navigation, situational awareness and target acquisition and engagement. Employed with mobile and dismounted forces, including Special Forces, the system can also interface with other systems in a wide area to establish large scale networking. The RTC links to standard combat net radios to access the network and transfer data between the network's units. RTC provides battle management support including target acquisition, allocation and management of all firing assets under the commander's control, as well as fire management and control of individual firing units such as anti-tank missiles. This application was formerly known as Spike C4I and was tested with Spike equipped units where it demonstrated how it can simplify the communications between different element in the group, increases the agility and precision of the supported forces, and accelerate the sensor-to-shooter cycle between reconnaissance and assault forces while minimizing the risk from fratricide "friendly fire". The system can also integrate various sensor platforms including individual sights of the anti-tank weapons, UAVs and other airborne sensors, acoustic sensors and observation posts. (XV. 8.)
[u][b]
NUETRON BOMBS [/b][/u]
Tactical neutron bombs are primarily intended to kill soldiers who are protected by armor. Armored vehicles are very resistant to blast and heat produced by nuclear weapons, but steel armor can reduce neutron radiation only by a modest amount so the lethal range from neutrons greatly exceeds that of other weapon effects. The lethal range for tactical neutron bombs can exceed the lethal range for blast and heat even for unprotected troops. (XV. 9.)

Also called ENHANCED RADIATION WARHEAD, these specialized type of small thermonuclear weapons that produce minimal blast and heat release large amounts of lethal radiation. The neutron bomb delivers blast and heat effects that are confined to an area of only a few hundred yards in radius. But within a somewhat larger area it throws off a massive wave of neutron and gamma radiation, which can penetrate armour or several feet of earth. This radiation is extremely destructive to living tissue. Because of its short-range destructiveness and the absence of long-range effect, the neutron bomb would be highly effective against tank and infantry formations on the battlefield but would not endanger cities or other population centres only a few miles away. It can be carried in a Lance missile or delivered by an 8-inch (200-millimetre) howitzer, or possibly by attack aircraft.

The neutron bomb is another generation beyond a thermonuclear device. It has the same core of a fusion bomb, but the blanket of heavy U-238 isotopes is removed, so only the energy released from the fusion core comprises the total explosive yield. This energy is in the form of a massive flux of neutrons, combined with some gamma radiation. Neutrons are highly lethal to humans and animals, and the N-bomb instantly kills everything in its radius of lethality. Any living creatures that receive non-lethal doses of the neutrons will be dead within a day or two from radiation sickness. Neutron radiation literally vaporizes the soft flesh of humans at close range, and Zechariah’s remarkable prophecy, regardless of what he was really prophesying, is an extraordinary description of the effects of a neutron bomb on human beings.

Neutron bombs are also much cleaner than conventional nukes. A neutron blast only kills living things, leaving all buildings and weapons intact. It is the ultimate weapon to use against massed troops and armor, as all the enemies die instantly, no structures or vehicles are damaged, and, most importantly, no radioactive fallout is left behind. Unlike fission or fusion nukes, neutron bombsites are safe to walk into immediately after the explosion. Neutron technology has been developed to such a level that these devices can be produced in as small a package as the size of a common baseball! They can be used in field artillery and small rockets, and even soldiers dug in behind several feet of earth are not safe from a neutron blast. Until the Clinton/Gore Administration, only two nations wielded this fearful weapon, the United States and Israel. Thanks to the DNC/Chinagate scandal, however, China is now known to possess neutron devices, and several other countries are rumored to be actively pursuing this technology. (XV. 10.)

[b]Mini-Nuclear Weapons -- Bunker Busters[/b]
[u][b]
Possible targets[/b][/u]

The budget is busted; American soldiers need more armor; they're running out of supplies. Yet the Department of Energy is spending an astonishing $6.5 billion on nuclear weapons this year, and President Bush is requesting $6.8 billion more for next year and a total of $30 billion over the following four years. This does not include his much-cherished missile-defense program, by the way. This is simply for the maintenance, modernization, development, and production of nuclear bombs and warheads. (XV. 11.)

Seven countries -- China, Russia, Iraq, North Korea, Iran, Libya and Syria -- are listed as targets of U.S weapons in the classified Nuclear Posture Review, a 2001 Pentagon document describing Bush administration policy. (XV. 12.)

The design contest between Livermore and Los Alamos is expected to last two to three years and cost about $15 million per year. The winning lab will then shift to an engineering phase, a move that would require congressional approval and funding. The U.S. arsenal already contains a nuclear bunker-buster -- known as the B61-11 -- but it was built to penetrate only soil and will not survive attacks against rock. A nuclear penetrator is built in the shape of a thin cylinder with a pointed nose. Dropped from an airplane, its weight and speed allow it to smash through the surface of the ground or puncture rock or concrete and buries itself 20 to 30 feet deep before exploding. The power of the explosion couples with the earth to send shock waves down toward buried targets. The shock waves from a penetrator loaded with conventional high explosives `would probably struggle to destroy a target 100 feet deep. But a nuclear weapon could reach much deeper.

Both sides of the bunker-buster debate agree that intelligence -- knowing where the bunkers are -- is vital, as has been demonstrated by the difficulty encountered by the CIA and military in finding Saddam. Deep targets with imprecise coordinate would require a larger nuclear explosion. In several policy documents, the Pentagon has called for a responsive' nuclear force to meet changing situations. Foreign leaders who are not deterred by the current U.S. nuclear weapons -- because they do not believe President Bush will use them -- might be deterred by a nuclear bunker-buster specifically designed to put them personally at risk in their underground quarters.

A retired Sandia official, opposes the drive for more nuclear weapons calling it: Outlandish and stupid. It is an effort to maintain a payroll at the weapons labs.

[b]
Other Weapons: (XV. 14.) [/b]

[u][b]Footnotes: Section XV. :[/b][/u]

1. A. Black market rockets and missiles are killing American soldiers. Here is how we'll fight back. Captain Scott C. Jansen. "The Story of the Rocket Propelled Grenade." RED THRUST STAR. April 1997.
B. Jane's Infantry Weapons. Terry J. Gander and Ian V. Hogg, editors. Surrey: Jane's Information Group, 1995, p. 303-305.
C. http://www.defense-update.com...
D.

2.

3. A.

B. For more on concepts for countering snipers, see Alan Vick et al., Aerospace
Operations in Urban Environments: Exploring New Concepts, RAND, MR-1187-AF,
2000, pp. 131–138.

4. PREDATOR B - MQ-9 HUNTER/KILLER
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/predator/" title="http://www.army-technology.com/projects/predator/" target="_blank"http://www.army-technology.co...

5. http://www.defense-update.com...

6.

7.

8.

9. http://www.manuelsweb.com/neu...
reference: http://www.virtualschool.edu/...

10. http://www.zealllc.com/commen...

11. Our Hidden WMD Program: http://slate.msn.com/id/20994...
http://cns.miis.edu/pubs/week/020408.htm" title="http://cns.miis.edu/pubs/week/020408.htm" target="_blank"http://cns.miis.edu/pubs/week...

12. Bush Nuclear Policy
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/policy/do d/npr.htm" title="http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/policy/do d/npr.htm" target="_blank"http://www.globalsecurity.org...

13.

14. A. NEW US WEAPONS SYTEMS
http://www.cdi.org/program/document.cfm?DocumentID=1481&Start Row=11&ListRows=10&&Order by=D.DateLastUpdated&ProgramID =23&typeID=" title="http://www.cdi.org/program/document.cfm?DocumentID=1481&Start Row=11&ListRows=10&&Order by=D.DateLastUpdated&ProgramID =23&typeID=" target="_blank"http://www.cdi.org/program/do...(4,5)&from_page=relatedit ems.cfm
The United States is the world’s largest small arms producer. The United States is home to the largest number of companies of any single arms producing country. It is also a major exporter of small arms, and has one of the world’s largest domestic markets for firearms. The United States is estimated to export approximately 400,000 small arms, including military firearms, every year. This is one more reason why United States has the responsibility to lead, not merely comply with existing international agreements.

B. http://www.cdi.org/program/is...

C. http://www.globalsecurity.org...

http://www.adtdl.army.mil/cgi-bin/atdl.dll/fm/7-98/F798_2.htm#REF4h4" title="http://www.adtdl.army.mil/cgi-bin/atdl.dll/fm/7-98/F798_2.htm#REF4h4" target="_blank"http://www.adtdl.army.mil/cgi...

D.http://www.cdi.org/program/do...(8)&from_page=relateditem s.cfm

E. Advanced 120mm Mortar Munition - Under development by Talley Defense Systems

XM984 Extended Range Mortar Cartridge (ERMC) is currently under development for the US Army 120 mm M120/M121 mortar system. Compared to a conventional M934 bomb fired from this system will reach a maximum range of 7,200 metres, the XM984 is expected to almost double the range, to reach 12,000 m'. The range extension being produced by a nose-mounted rocket motor that cuts in at a pre-determined point during the bomb's trajectory. The rocket will fire 12 seconds after the launch, and burn for a period of four seconds. After a predestinated delay, 54 M80 grenades will be released from the bomb, effecting a target are 233 percent larger than an HE bomb.

F. Ceramic Armor Materials
Current design trends indicate wider use of ceramics, for vehicle armoring as they lower the overall weight, while enhancing abilities to defeat ballistic threats. Composite ceramics can be used in layered formations, matrixes of different materials or monolithic elements. Typical materials used for this application are Alumina, silicon carbide (SiC), boron carbide (B4C) and titanium carbide and titanium diboride, these are lighter than most metals, including titanium, by a factor of 2 -- 3. While monolithic ceramic elements can be used, most vehicle protection applications are utilizing composites of several materials, which offer improved endurance tenacity, imperative for advanced protection and survivability.

The physical properties of ceramic materials have been recognized for many years. However, manufacturing techniques limited their utilization to relatively small parts and simple shapes. Recent advances in manufacturing process offer lower cost production techniques of larger, more complex structures. Some of these cutting edge procedures are also employing exotic technologies which dramatically improve the physical characteristics of the end product. Among these are the Fibrous Monoliths (FM) and Displacive Compensation of Porosity (DCP) ceramic materials manufacturing technologies, the use of nanoparticles in raw material powders and coating, and new concepts for treatments of metallic structures -- such as metal matrix composites (MMC), and liquidmetal.

The Few - The Brave - ********************* [ The Clandestine ] -----------------------------******************** Soldiers of the world: +++++++++++++++++++++ Write us; help us; tell the world your dreams and hopes; open up and share - ********************** teach us how to fight! ___________________________ __________________________ .....4.1 Reader Comments & Musings _______________________ _______________________ Suggestions from the South Cascade Militia: _______________________ _____________________ In our region many people are fed up with the federal government goons, the waste inherent in all the laws and regulations and the absolute threats to the Constitution � If it even exists� Abolishing this monstrosity that aims to bureaucratize the whole world is the preferred solution - States� Rights? � how about State sovereignty and secession? You should interview militia people and their potential supporters in the USA and get perspectives from the many disgruntled US military personnel and soldiers around the world. Sponsor open discussions of the Meaning of Life in these times; strategies for defending homelands; and tactics and the psychology of social collapse. *************************** ************************* Review and summarize the philosophy and "resistance knowledge" from militia people and related books � Turner Diaries (sans racist stupidity) � McVie � current trends in philosophy � notable contacts � publications � webs � and also SOLDIER FORUMS � so as to channel � unite � give them (soldiers and militia) something new � get them motivated � reformed � improved � focused � revived ! -- or friendly� ______________________ _______________________ _______ _ This game concept is a good way to plug people in and get them thinking clearly and with purpose. - ++++++++++++++++ ++++++++ Bravo! BRAVO !!!