| September 24, 2007 Edition |
Dear Valued Reader:This week we are happy to announce a New Section in the Blackwater Tactical Weekly! With the help of our good friends at Cox & Forkum (www.coxandforkum.com), we are adding The Weekly Cartoon to the BTW. Each week we will include one of their hilarious editorial cartoons, always rich in social commentary and satire. We encourage all of our readers to frequent this great website. Don't forget to checkout their archives, which go back all the way to early 2003! Their cartoons and humor are timeless. Look below for Cox & Forkum's first entry in the BTW.As always, thank you for your continued readership and support. The BTW Staff |
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| QUOTE OF THE WEEK |
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The purpose of life is a life of purpose. Robert Byrne |
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| PROFESSIONAL ARTICLES, EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS |
What We've AccomplishedNine months of progress.The Weekly StandardFrederick W. Kagan Senators Levin and Reid have introduced an amendment that would order the immediate withdrawal of American forces in Iraq--a stampede, in fact, that would require the military to pull 169,000 soldiers and their equipment out of active combat within nine months. There is no way that such a withdrawal would look like anything other than a rout and a humiliation for American arms. Such a proposal can only be supported on the premise that our efforts in Iraq to date have failed utterly and that there is no hope of protecting vital American interests in Iraq through the current strategy. That premise results from willful blindness. American and Iraqi successes in pursuing our joint and individual vital interests over the past nine months have been nothing short of staggering. Full Story The Blue Front Line in the War on TerrorFor cops, crime fighting and counterterrorism go hand in hand.City JournalWilliam J. Bratton, George L. Kelling, R. P. Eddy Lately, a growing chorus has charged that terrorist threats are overblown and make local police waste limited resources chasing nonexistent bogeymen-even as traditional crime ticks upward in many American cities. This line of thinking is misguided for two reasons. First, as the recently foiled plot to attack U.S. targets in Germany shows, the terrorist threat remains very real. Second, the choice between counterterrorism and traditional crime fighting is a false one. In fact, good police work is good counterterrorism. For example, in 2005, in Torrance, California, police arrested two men for robbing a gas station-and wound up uncovering a militant Islamic plot to attack Los Angeles-area synagogues and military installations. Full Story Sinking in the PollsThe Washington PostKaren P. Hughes The video reappearance of Osama bin Laden is a reminder that extremists with murderous methods continue to threaten innocent people worldwide. His emergence after three years of hiding also provides an opportunity to take stock of how differently the world now views the terrorist leader -- and that view is turning darker than bin Laden's newly dyed beard. People in America and many other Western nations have expressed strong disapproval of bin Laden and al-Qaeda since the Sept. 11 attacks. What's new is the dramatic decline in his standing in majority-Muslim countries. Full Story |
| BREAKING NEWS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
US, China vie for Philippine military influenceAsia Times OnlineNoel Tarrazona Competition for military influence in the Philippines is heating up, with both the US and China making new pledges of funds, arms and equipment to help modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Since 2002, Washington has poured hundreds of millions of dollars of military aid into helping the Philippine Army combat radical Islamist groups as part of the US-led campaign against terrorism in Southeast Asia. Now China is responding in kind with its own offers of military assistance to modernize and improve the army's capabilities. Full Story Animosity in the AlpsIn peaceful Switzerland, xenophobia is thriving.Newsweek InternationalWilliam Underhill and Tracy Mcnicoll The image is simple but striking: three white sheep stand on the Swiss flag, while a fourth-a black one-is booted away. The caption: "For greater security." But the message is hotly debated. The Swiss People's Party (SVP) which put up about 200,000 copies of the poster in the runup to the October parliamentary elections, says the poster promotes the party's plan to deport foreigners convicted of crimes. Others say it promotes racism. Andrew Katumba, a naturalized Swiss with a Ugandan father, now standing for parliament as a Social Democrat, says "the symbolism is awful and unacceptable." Full Story Shock Waves From SyriaDid Israel bomb a secret nuclear facility equipped by North Korea?The Washington PostThere's been no official confirmation of the targets or results of an Israeli air raid in northeastern Syria on Sept. 6. Yet, like a subterranean explosion, the event is sending shock waves through the Middle East and beyond. Syria has protested to the United Nations, though it hasn't been very clear about what it's protesting. On Tuesday, a front-page editorial in Damascus's main government-run newspaper criticized the United States for not condemning the attack. An Israeli newspaper, meanwhile, noted triumphantly that no nation other than North Korea had come to Syria's defense, rhetorically or otherwise. Full Story Tehran's Campus CrackdownNew York PostAmir Taheri As millions of Iranians prepare for the new school year, the scene is being set for what could be a long hot autumn on university campuses across the nation. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has promised to "cleanse" the Iranian educational system of what he calls "the corrupt influence of the infidel" and has mobilized a special militia to crush the expected student revolts. Full Story Mr. Chávez's NeighborhoodHe's not very popular there.The Weekly StandardVenezuela's cocksure president, Hugo Chávez, might take a sobering glance through the latest Pew Global Attitudes Survey, conducted this spring and released over the summer. Of the seven Latin American nations polled, large majorities of Chileans (75 percent), Brazilians (74 percent), Peruvians (70 percent), Mexicans (66 percent), and Bolivians (59 percent) express little or no confidence in Chávez "to do the right thing regarding world affairs." As Pew puts it, "He is widely recognized--and widely mistrusted--throughout Latin America." Full Story |
| THE WEEKLY CARTOON |
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| JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
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To view the latest contract opportunities at Blackwater, visit our Contract Web Page. TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION AND SUBMIT YOUR RESUME CLICK HERE Questions regarding Security Consulting or Training at Blackwater (252) 435-2488 or email dcarter@blackwaterusa.com. |
| SECURITY FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
What Does Bin Laden Want?Real Clear PoliticsVictor Davis Hanson We've been arguing over al Qaeda's aims since before 9/11. Some take Osama bin Laden's specific complaints seriously. But we shouldn't, as we learned this month from his latest rambling communiqué, which faulted America for seemingly everything -- global warming, high interest rates, shaky home mortgages, and free-market democratic capitalism itself. Remember that back in the 1990s, he declared war on America for three other reasons: We had troops in Saudi Arabia. The United Nations had imposed sanctions on Iraq. And America supported Israel. Full Story Suicide Bombers: Are You Ready?Police Chief MagazineSheri H. Mecklenburg The recent attempted bombings in London and Glasgow, like the earlier suicide bombings of the Madrid and London transit systems, leave no doubt that the threat of terrorism now comes from local cells, thrusting local police into a role once thought of as the purview of international and federal agencies: that of antiterrorism combatants. As a result of these incidents, police chiefs in major U.S. cities must now equip their officers to confront not only gangs, guns, and drugs but also suicide bombers like those seen in London, Glasgow, and Madrid. Full Story Iraqis show courageThe Washington TimesJeff Emanuel The "surge" in Iraq, and the counterinsurgency strategy that the increase in forces was designed to support, have made far more gains in far less time than most who are actually familiar with the situation here ever expected. A large part of the reason for this is the people of Iraq, who have in many different ways displayed a level of bravery that we can only hope Americans, if put into the same situation, would ever dream of showing. Full Story Terror: Al Qaeda's Feuds and FearsNewsweekSami Yousafzai and Ron Moreau Lonely, marginalized and suddenly suspicious that he was losing his grip over the organization he helped create, Osama bin Laden finally decided that enough was enough. At least that's the explanation sources close to him are giving for why, after three long years of silence, the Qaeda leader has released one video and two audiotapes in the past month, including last week's audio message calling for a jihad against Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. According to Omar Farooqi, a Taliban liaison officer with Al Qaeda, bin Laden recently learned that a faction within his own organization had been conspiring to sideline him, insisting-unnecessarily, bin Laden now believes-that he remain secluded for security reasons. CIA officials told NEWSWEEK they could neither confirm nor reject the theory. Full Story Preemptive AppeasementEurope's new strategy for the war on terror.The Weekly StandardDaniel Mandel Two weeks ago, Judge Simon Cardon de Lichtbuer of the Brussels civil court ruled that he lacked authority to overturn a decision by the city's mayor, Freddy Thielemans, to ban a demonstration planned for September 11 under the slogan of 'Stop the Islamization of Europe.' The rally had been called to protest what its British, Danish and German organizers call the "creeping" Islamization of European society. Full Story |
| TACTICAL TRAINING & INTELLIGENCE RESOURCES FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
Terrorism: Threats, Training, Tactics and TechnologyFor the last seven years the TRC has gathered nationally renowned
experts to explore terrorism, emerging threats, training, tactics
and technology issues to assist those tasked with dealing with these
issues. Over three days, participants will have the opportunity
to explore some of the challenges and gain a comprehensive understanding
of issues related to terrorism. | |
| FRANKS REVIEW |
Tactical Equipment EvaluationSpecial Projects Unlimited .308 Bolt GunA few weeks back I was introduced to Special Projects Unlimited and asked if I'd be interested in reviewing one of their rifles. Before accepting the weapon in question I made it clear that although I am sniper qualified I am NOT currently sniper active. In other words, I don't do precision rifle work everyday. I know and understand the mechanics, but I'm not on par with a great many such shooters today. That understood, I accepted the weapon for test and evaluation and began seeking range time. When I finally got down behind the weapon I was quite pleased with what I experienced. Let's take a look at the rifle, its component parts, and performance.Full Story Can Be Viewed At: http://www.borelliconsulting.com/evals/guns/spu308.htm
Recreational Equipment Review'Outsourced' by R. J. HillhouseI can't begin to adequately explain my mixed emotions about this particular book. While it was fairly enjoyable as an adventure read, it was apparently written from the perspective that contracted security work has some underlying curses and a few blessings. Given that my reviews are published through Blackwater's Tactical Weekly and given Blackwater's heavy involvement in such contracting work, I wasn't sure if it was sent to be as a joke or for a serious review. If it was a joke, then the joke's on them: Here is a serious review.Full Story Can Be Viewed At: http://www.borelliconsulting.com/recevals/recreading/outsourced.htm |
| CHAPLAINS CORNER |
WE MADE A DECISIONMr. Greenspan says the war in Iraq is all for the oil resources there. I do not think that he knows what you are about to read.What separates Peace Keepers from the rest of society? It is because each of us made a conscious decision... took action upon the decision... followed through with all that it takes to get the results that we decided to accomplish... To become a Peace Keeper and stand in the gap... in the thin line of defense of good against evil... To defeat the threat of evil against life and peace... And to that effort dedicate our talents, efforts and resources. The rest of society decided to let us do it and they made a conscious decision to avoid any active participation in keeping the peace for everyone in any way it is possible for them to avoid it. http://www.blackwaterusa.com/btw2007/article/092407chaplain.htm |
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| THE PRIVATE SECURITY BLOGOSPHERE |
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The Other Side of The Story (http://pmc-psc-truth.blogspot.com/) Please continue to submit your suggestions to btw@blackwaterusa.com. |
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| CONTACT INFORMATION |
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The Blackwater Tactical Weekly is a free weekly e-publication. The BTW provides readers valuable information from diverse sources regarding tactical and strategic security issues. Editor-in-Chief – Gary Jackson (btw@blackwaterusa.com) Questions regarding Security Consulting or Training
at Blackwater (252) 435-2488 Editorial Calendar: The weekly theme may change at the discretion of
the Editor based on current events. To view an archived BTW, Click Here |
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| Blackwater USA (the "Company"), provides this Newsletter as a source of diverse information to its readers. The Company does not warrant or endorse the products or services advertised in or reviewed in the Newsletter. The views and statements of the reviewers and commentators presented in the Newsletter are entirely their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Company or its affiliates. The Company does not monitor or warrant the accuracy or reliability of the material provided in this Newsletter or presented at any of the third-party websites to which links are provided in this Newsletter. WARNING: Use of certain of the products and services discussed or reviewed in this Newsletter can lead to personal injury or death. It is critical to follow manufacturers' instructions in using such products or services. The Company will not accept any liability for damages, injuries, or death resulting from the use or misuse of any such products or services. |
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