From The Editor December 18, 2006
   
  Editor's Note: Please be advised that the Blackwater Tactical Weekly will not be published on December 25, 2006 or January 1, 2007 as these are National Holidays. We will return on Monday, January 8, 2007. Until then, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year to all!

Troubles in the House of Saud?


At a time when the U.S. is striving to enlist the support of Saudi Arabia and other Sunni-led moderate states to help counter Iranian influence in the Middle East, few foreign diplomats are as important a player as Riyadh's man in Washington. Which is why Prince Turki Al Faisal's sudden, unexplained resignation earlier this week, which came after just 15 months in his post, has left Washington so puzzled and concerned about possible palace intrigue in the House of Saud.

One source close to the Saudi family says a variety of factors played into Turki's surprising departure -both personality differences, but also genuine differences of opinion inside the monarchy over how to deal with Iran's growing threat in the region. This advisor said that Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the current national security adviser and former longtime Saudi ambassador in Washington, as well as his father (who is also defense minister) Prince Sultan, and others in the so-called Sudeiri branch of the royal family have long favored cautious, but somewhat more aggressive methods to deal with Iran than has the al-Faisal branch, represented by Prince Turki and his brother, the foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal. However, another well placed Saudi source disputes this notion, claiming that the Prince would never have resigned over any such differing views - and that in any case there is no such clear factional split over Iran policy.

Speaking to a foreign policy group in Philadelphia last week before his resignation, Turki did say that Iran's nuclear ambitions were "clearly a concern for the global community." But in sharp contrast to the Bush Administration's policy of isolating Iran, he stressed that "we speak directly with Iran on all issues. We find that talking with them is better than not talking with them."


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Gary Jackson
President
Blackwater
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  "May the sun in his course visit no land more free, more happy, more lovely, than this our own country! "

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PROFESSIONAL ARTICLES, EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS
   
 

'We're Going to Win'

It turns out you only have to attend a White House Christmas party to find out where President Bush is headed on Iraq. One guest who shook hands with Bush in the receiving line told him, "Don't let the bastards get you down." Bush, slightly startled but cheerful, replied, "Don't worry. I'm not." The guest followed up: "I think we can win in Iraq." The president's reply was emphatic: "We're going to win." Another guest informed Bush he'd given some advice to the Iraq Study Group, and said its report should be ignored. The president chuckled and said he'd made his position clear when he appeared with British prime minister Tony Blair. The report had never mentioned the possibility of American victory. Bush's goal in Iraq, he said at the photo-op with Blair, is "victory."

Now Bush is ready to gamble his presidency on a last-ditch effort to defeat the Sunni insurgency and establish a sustainable democracy in Iraq. He is prepared to defy the weary wisdom of Washington that it's too late, that the war in Iraq is lost, and that Bush's lone option is to retreat from Iraq as gracefully and with as little loss of face as possible. Bush only needed what his press secretary, Tony Snow, called a "plan for winning." Now he has one.

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The Right Stuff?


IT'S BEEN A good week for the Joint Strike Fighter. The one-size-fits-all, multi-purpose fighter, designated F-35, is slated for its first flight test this week, after delays of more than a year. Perhaps more significant was the Pentagon's acquiescence to British demands for "operational sovereignty" over the aircraft. The dispute centered on the Pentagon's reluctance to provide our British allies with some of the more sensitive information--mostly computer software--that would be necessary in order to maintain the aircraft. Essentially, the Pentagon wanted the British to allow Americans to maintain these systems in order to guard against the transfer of classified technologies, while the British threatened to pull out of the project altogether unless the Pentagon provided them with complete access.

The British have already made a $2 billion investment in research and development for the JSF, and have plans to purchase as many as 138 of the aircraft, all in a configuration referred to as STOVL (short take-off and vertical landing). The planes would replace an ageing fleet of Harriers that will be retired just as two new aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, are being deployed.

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The Regathering Storm


For the past year, a secret has been slowly spreading among Taliban commanders in Afghanistan: a 12-man team of Westerners was being trained by Al Qaeda in Pakistan for a special mission. Most of the Afghan fighters could rely only on hearsay, but some told of seeing the "English brothers" (as the foreign recruits were nicknamed for their shared language) in person. One eyewitness, a former Guantanamo detainee with close Taliban and Qaeda ties, spoke to NEWSWEEK recently in southern Afghanistan, demanding anonymity because he doesn't want the Americans looking for him. He says he met the 12 recruits in November 2005, at a mud-brick compound near the North Waziristan town of Mir Ali. That was as much as the tight-lipped former detainee would divulge, except to mention that Adam Yahiye Gadahn, the notorious fugitive "American Al Qaeda," was with the brothers, presumably as an interpreter.

Another Afghan had more to say on the subject. Omar Farooqi is the nom de guerre of a former provincial intelligence chief for the Taliban; he now serves as the Taliban's chief Qaeda liaison for Ghazni province, in eastern Afghanistan. He says he spent roughly five weeks this past year helping to indoctrinate and train a class of foreign recruits near the Afghan border in tribal Waziristan, and among his students were the English brothers. The 12 included two Norwegian Muslims and an Australian, along with nine British subjects, says Farooqi. Their mission, Farooqi told news-week, will be to act as underground or-ganizers and operatives for Al Qaeda in their home countries-and their year-long training course is just about finished.

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BREAKING NEWS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL
   
 

An illegal immigration link to identity theft

The latest roundup of illegal immigrants caught working in the US with fraudulent identifications - the largest single such work-site action ever - raises new questions about a link between illegal immigration and the growing problem of identity theft. Federal raids Tuesday at six meat-processing plants owned by Swift & Co. in six states resulted in the arrests of 1,282 people for immigration violation - with 65 also charged with identify theft or other criminal charges.

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Coast Guard modernization effort beset with problems

A multibillion-dollar effort to modernize the Coast Guard's fleet has suffered delays, cost increases, design flaws and, most recently, the idling of eight 123-foot patrol boats that were found to be not seaworthy after an $88 million refurbishment. The sidelining of eight of 10 Miami-based cutters worsens a patrol-boat crisis while the Coast Guard is preparing for the exodus of Cubans that could happen when dictator Fidel Castro is no longer in power, Coast Guard leaders acknowledge. More broadly, congressional critics warn that early mistakes in the 25-year modernization program -- the Coast Guard's largest contract ever -- are hobbling the service's transformation into a frontline homeland security force.

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Demand for security equipment booms amid terror fears

As the home of Britain's three tallest buildings and international banks such as HSBC, the Canary Wharf commercial district in London is likely to feature high on any would-be terrorist's list of targets. But like businesses, stadiums and railway stations worldwide, it has enlisted the latest technology to protect itself, creating a boom among manufacturers more accustomed to supplying airports. This month, Canary Wharf started using a system which can detect objects concealed under clothing, including materials used by suicide bombers, British manufacturers ThruVision told AFP.

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FBI: Cleric's illness may spark attack

The health of terrorist cleric Omar Abdel-Rahman, known as the Blind Sheik, is deteriorating -renewing fears that his death in prison could trigger an attack on the United States, officials said Thursday. There is no credible indication that an attack on the U.S. is imminent, said several law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation. In a two-page bulletin, dated Dec. 8, the FBI reported to federal intelligence officials that Abdel-Rahman had been rushed from prison to a Missouri hospital two days earlier for a blood transfusion. There, doctors discovered a tumor on his liver, according to the bulletin, which was described to The Associated Press by a law enforcement official.

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Suspicious Truck Driving Student In Custody

Federal terrorism officials and Rhode Island authorities converged this week to arrest an Indian citizen enrolled in a Smithfield tractor-trailer training school who was trying to obtain a commercial driver's license and permit to haul hazardous materials. The man, Mohammed Yusef Mullawala, of Jamaica, N.Y., is being held in federal custody for overstaying his student visa. State police Maj. Steven O'Donnell said that after two days of truck-driving classes, Mullawala's behavior was suspicious enough to prompt school officials to contact the Department of Homeland Security late last month. "His behavior was consistent with terrorist-type activity," O'Donnell said. "He showed no interest in learning the fine art of driving a tractor-trailer. He had no interest in learning how to back up."

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SECURITY FOR THE PROFESSIONAL
   
 

Shiite? Sunni? Some in US learn who's who.

Some in Congress may need a primer on Islamic extremists. Five years after 9/11, three members of the House Intelligence Committee in recent interviews couldn't answer basic questions about who's Sunni and who's Shiite in the Muslim world. But other American institutions are already boning up - especially when they have a stake in doing so. For example:

  • Law-enforcement agencies, from the FBI to the New York Police Department are learning Muslim customs in attempts to do their jobs more effectively.

  • Major hospitals, including one in Tampa, Fla., are training staff to honor Muslim beliefs about the body.

  • Business groups are studying Islamic law in order to raise capital among Muslims, who aren't allowed to charge interest.


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    'Vicious killers' from Guantanamo Bay routinely freed by other countries

    The Pentagon called them "among the most dangerous, best-trained, vicious killers on the face of the earth," sweeping them up after Sept. 11 and hauling them in chains to a U.S. military prison in southeastern Cuba. Since then, hundreds of the men have been transferred from Guantanamo Bay to other countries, many of them for "continued detention." And then set free. Decisions by more than a dozen countries in the Middle East, Europe and South Asia to release the former Guantanamo detainees raise questions about whether they were really as dangerous as the United States claimed, or whether some of America's staunchest allies have set terrorists and militants free.

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    New enemy combatant law survives first court test

    A federal judge upheld the Bush administration's new terrorism law Wednesday, agreeing that Guantanamo Bay detainees do not have the right to challenge their imprisonment in U.S. courts. The ruling by U.S. District Judge James Robertson is the first to address the new Military Commissions Act and is a legal victory for the Bush administration at a time when it has been fending off criticism of the law from Democrats and libertarians. Robertson rejected a legal challenge by Salim Ahmed Hamdan, a former driver for Osama bin Laden whose case prompted the Supreme Court to strike down the Bush administration's policy on detainees last year.

    Full Story

    FBI says Muslim in Illinois planned grenade attack in mall

    When an acquaintance of a 22-year-old Muslim convert told authorities the man was talking about waging violent jihad, federal agents started watching and listening. The FBI says it taped Derrick Shareef planning to use hand grenades to blow garbage cans into clouds of flying shrapnel in a crowded mall the Friday before Christmas. ``This is a warning to those who disbelieve,'' he allegedly said. Authorities waited to arrest the man until Wednesday, when they say he tried to make an unusual trade with an undercover agent: two stereo speakers for a 9mm pistol and the grenades he would need to pull off the alleged plot.

    Full Story

    Big offensive targets drug gangs

    Mexico's new president ordered his first major offensive against drug gangs, sending more than 6,500 federal troops to his violence-plagued home state to crack down on turf wars that have left hundreds dead in a wave of execution-style killings and beheadings. Security officials said police and soldiers will arrest traffickers, set up checkpoints and burn marijuana and opium poppies grown in Michoacan's rugged mountains. Navy ships will seal off the state's short Pacific coast, which smugglers travel on their way to the United States. President Felipe Calderon took office on Dec. 1 pledging a "battle" against crime, promising more funds for the army and law enforcement and appointing hard-line Interior Minister Francisco Ramirez Acuna to oversee the fight against organized crime.

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    FREE TERRORISM DAILY NEWSLETTER

    Since 1999, the Terrorism Research Center has provided a FREE daily compilation of the top terrorism and homeland security stories. Published as TRC's RealNews, the service has thousands of subscribers and is often referred to as the "terrorism early bird", in reference to the open source newsletter provided to senior government leaders each morning. If you are interested in terrorism, homeland security or other international security issues, you will find it an invaluable resource. Subscribe today!

    FRANKS REVIEW
       
     

    Service Equipment Review

    Guardian OC Grenade & Extraction Unit

    Guardian Protective Devices is one of many pepper spray manufacturers. Last year while attending a Counter-Terrorism Conference, there were many law enforcement and military geared equipment manufacturers. Guardian Protective Devices was one of the companies represented. I had the opportunity to meet and speak with Herb Schreiber, President of Guardian Protective Devices. Herb certainly has a passion for providing equipment that helps protect those that go into harms way. Herb showed me several of their products, which I was itching to get my hands on. A few months ago, I finally did get my hands on some of their products. Herb was kind enough to send me several O.C. Grenades and Extraction Units.

    Full Story Can Be Viewed At: http://www.borelliconsulting.com/evals/other/guardian.htm


    Recreational Equipment Review

    SOG Knives SEAL Revolver

    Awhile back I did a Tactical Equipment Review on the SOG SEAL Revolver. That was right after it had been introduced and the review specifically addressed how well suited it was for military / law enforcement use. Since that time I've enjoyed the SOG SEAL Revolver KNIFE on a number of occasions. I have to admit that it's quite handy to have a knife blade and a saw both contained in one grip, and neither is a folding blade. This week's Recreational Review is going to take a look at the SOG Knives SEAL Revolver in its various formats and blade finishes. I think you'll see that this is quite a versatile tool that is well worth its cost and weight.

    Full Story Can Be Viewed At: http://www.borelliconsulting.com/recevals/toolknife/sogsealrevolver.htm

     

    CHAPLAINS CORNER
       
     

    EXPERIENCES...

    Where have we been in this week that seems to have lasted far, far beyond seven days?... Last Monday was an eternity ago...

    For me it has been ceremonies, lesson prep, counseling, schedule adjustments, doing things that were not scheduled as mine to do but they had to be done, instructing... and this afternoon... great joy... pizza and sleep... pizza because I wanted to do something to make me feel good... and sleep because too many days this week have been far too early in relation to the times of going to sleep at night... too many short nights.

    At other places in the week I have read heart rending accounts of the escorts that have brought sons home from the battlefield for burial and the honors paid to the escort and the one being brought home by those in the home places of the one being returned, in peace keeping and in the airline industry. These accounts do two things to my heart. First it makes me proud, almost to bursting, to be an American citizen who is also a Peace Keeper... and it hurts my spirit so deeply... far too deeply to describe in words, that our sons and daughters who have hardly had a chance to live are gone from among us and we will see them no more in this life...

    This is the hellish cost of war that imparts the deepest wound to my servant's spirit... We can't stop the process because there is not enough of us who want to go all out in our fight to win the battle in which we are engaged... nor enough of us that admit that the cost is too high the way it is being done and bring our sons and daughters home from that field of battle if we do not intend to do all that it takes to win the conflict.



    Full Story Can Be Viewed At:
    ../../btw2006/article/121806chaplain.htm

     
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    Editor-in-Chief – Gary Jackson (btw@blackwaterusa.com)
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