The ongoing war against #ISIL

A U.S Air Force KC-10 Extender refuels an F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft on Sept. 23 after strike operations in Syria. Maj. Jefferson S. Heiland / Air Force via the Military Times

Lots of news over the weekend regarding the ongoing world campaign against ISIS, ISIL or IS, depending upon what you call them. It hasn’t been good news but I think, for once, it’s honest news. Starting with the White House’s admission that they underestimated the Islamic State and for underestimating the will of the Iraqi Army.

Here’s how an Associated Press story (linked above) starts:

Questioning Obama’s strategy to destroy the group, House Speaker John Boehner said the U.S. may have “no choice” but to send in American troops if the mix of U.S.-led airstrikes and a ground campaign reliant on Iraqi forces, Kurdish fighters and soon-to-be trained Syrian rebels fails to achieve that goal.

Well, that’s not good. Ask any grunt, be them an 03xx or an 11B, they will tell you that air power is huge, makes a difference but wars are won on the ground. The issue is that ISIL’s ideology is spread through hatred and through like beliefs. If you kill people, you can make more converts. From a CNN story:

He said even if coalition attacks impede ISIS, they’re not enough to stop ISIS’ mission of fortifying an Islamic state across Sunni parts of Syria and Iraq.

“They hit us in some areas, and we advance in others,” Abu Talha said. “If we are pushed back in Iraq, we advance in northern Syria. These strikes cannot stop us, our support or our fighters.”

There are whole swaths of land that are now ungoverned, akin to the badlands seen in the Wild West or Mad Max. What I mean, the rule of law is gone and the adage “might makes right” rules.

Give the White House credit for one thing, They are holding fast to the notion that no more combat troops will set foot in Iraq. But I guess they don’t count the 1,600 or so troops who are there. yes, they are not officially combat troops but they are armed and they are in harm’s way. And news on Monday said that 10,000 troops will remain in Afghanistan as the new government is willing to sign an agreement that limits the legal liability our soldiers and Marines could face. Could this be a way to keep US troops in Iraq or to send them back? I don’t think so but I think no one believes now that Iraq is ready to defend itself.

Here’s what Obama had to say in the above referenced Associated Press story:


Two articles on the F-22 and the ongoing air campaign led by the United States can be found here and here.



If you are involved with the military then you have heard about this. If you aren’t, then you still might have if you are a fan of FOX News. Either way, it’s making the rounds on the Web. If you don’t know, the president committed what some are saying is a disrespectful action by saluting two Marines while holding a coffee cup as he got off Marine One (his helicopter). Here’s a video:


Those who tend to dislike the Prez are saying that holding up of Java Joe while saluting is rude. Military tradition and regulations say you are to salute with an empty hand. On the other hand, the president is a civilian and there is nothing that says a civilian must salute ore return one. Yes, he’s the commander in chief but the tradition of saluting is about 30 years old or so and brought into being by none other than Ronald Reagan. Presidents have followed since because well, who wants to look like they aren’t patriotic.

Naturally, those who dislike Obama are going bonkers and those who support him are pulling out a pic of former Prez Bush 2 saluting while holding his dog…Naturally, each side thinks their guy is fine while the other isn’t. Naturally.

I get it. People are very partisan and tend to see things in white or black. I’d love to hear from our veterans on this. Is this something that we need to get all bent out of shape over or should the President get some slack. He wasn’t in the service. He doesn’t know all the customs and traditions though he should know how to salute. And he is the CinC. But on some level, we do have bigger fish to fry. I don’t think that this is a sign that he doesn’t give two hoots about the military nor do I think that he’s being disrespectful. And on another level, rank does have it privileges. That said, it also has its responsibilities.

A-10s to Iraq?

This happens all too often. The Air Force, which for some reason, hates the A-10 Warthog (actually Thunderbolt II) and then, a crisis comes along, the world changes and poof, the A-10 is needed. The planes and the airmen are from the 122nd Fighter Wing which is part of the Indiana Air National Guard. From our friends at The Hill newspaper:

The six-month deployment from the 122nd Fighter Wing is not specifically part of President Obama’s fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, but the airmen and jets could provide air support to troops battling ISIS on the ground.

Six months is a long time for a national guard unit to go when you figure that many of the deployments are for up to four months. Three is common. Six months is a long deployment. So how does this fit into the overall picture in Iraq and with the overall budget? Remember, the Air Force wants to retire the entire A-10 fleet to save money. I don’t know but it is interesting to see this happening. Probably the best thing in the world for those who are in favor of saving the old bird.

F-22 Raptor finally gets into combat over the skies of Syria

CNN photo

Our fifth generation fighter, the F-22 Raptor, an amazing aircraft has largely been on the sidelines in the ongoing global war on terror. The plane, it appears, suffers from being too advanced and as such, the DOD has opted not to use the stealthy fighter against insurgents or terrorists who simply don’t have the air defense systems required to even get our non stealthy planes.

The military made a decision not to use the F-22 to take out air defenses in Libya during the 2011 war there. The U.S. used B-2 bombers in that operation.

Until now, the F-22 has mostly been used as a deterrent against Iran—deployed at a base in the United Arab Emirates—as well as North Korea. In 2013, the U.S. used them as part of a show of force against North Korea, but only by putting them on display in Seoul.

Like many Air Force programs, the F-22 suffered from cost overruns and other problems while in development and afterward. In 2011, the U.S. grounded the F-22 for safety reasons, but Air Force officials maintain those problems are no longer an issue.

But many news outlets are talking about how the Raptor made its combat debut. One of the reasons is that Syria does have advanced air defense systems which are also being helped by Iran. So the Raptor, which can fly higher, faster and stealthy was the pick. From the Wall Street Journal:

But the plane’s ability to fly higher and faster than other fighters also allows it to drop its 1000-pound guided bomb from a much further distance than older fighter planes, Air Force officials said.

It’s amazing to see how the United States uses its weapons systems, many of which were developed for a different enemy. The F-22 was designed in the 1980s to take on the Soviet Union. Well, that threat’s gone but yet the plane is adaptable enough to make it relevant now.

Originally conceived as a purely air-to-air combat aircraft, much like the Boeing F-15 Eagle, the F-22 was designed to best high-end Russian fighters in aerial dogfights. But in the early 1990s, a decision was made to give the twin-engine jet a bomb-dropping capability, Gunzinger said.