Côte d’Ivoire has become the latest country in West Africa to suffer a major terror attack. No fewer than 15 civilians and three special forces troops died when six attackers opened fire on the beaches in Grand-Bassam, a seaside town that’s popular with expats. Thirty-three people were wounded. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb claimed…
Military History: Meet The A-10 Warthog of WW2, The German Hs-129
Bad engines and poor management doomed the German ground-attacker At first glance, you might think the Henschel Hs 129 was the perfect ground-attack airplane. Twin engines. A heavily-armored cockpit that protected the pilot from small-arms fire. The aircraft even eventually had the heaviest and most powerful forward-firing cannon ever fitted to a production military aircraft…
World War I History: Germany’s Last Act of Defiance
“The commander of the 70 impounded ships had his men destroy the vessels rather than see them awarded to the victors.” ALTHOUGH THE GUNS of the First World War fell silent on Nov. 11, 1918, it was not until the signing of the Treaty of Versailles more than seven months later that conflictofficially ended. Yet mere days before the inking of…
Espionage Files: Russian Spies Pose as Diplomats in Sweden
Cold War 2.0 is in Full Effect!! The Great Game is again being Played. -SF The most significant intelligence risk against Sweden comes from Russian spies, often posing as diplomats or business people, according to the Swedish security service Säpo, which has just released its annual report. Swedish military confirm Russian warship sighting (02 Oct…
Israel Watch: Ex-Mossad Chief Dagan Laid to Rest in Private Ceremony With Military Honors
(NOTE: Due to a Retraction that I was unaware of, One Word has been added to this story by the Times of Israel so as not to offend certain People from Poland. Instead of “Nazi Poland” it is now “Nazi Occupied” Poland. Any further hate mail can be directed to the Editor of The Times…
A Practical Lesson in Flood Preparation
This is one of the most awesome stories in what it means to PRACTICALLY Prepare for something, in this case, FLOODING. This man took it upon himself to build his own personal levy, when everybody else decides to evacuate.-SF VINTON, LA – While many Louisiana residents who experienced flooding still can’t get to their homes,…
The Three Faces of Russian Spetsnaz in Syria
As the Russian drawdown from Syria continues, more information continues to emerge about the forces Moscow had committed to shoring up the Assad regime. One telling aspect is how involved Russia’s Spetsnaz special forces were in the deployment. They were involved in two of their three core missions — reconnaissance and special security missions —…
Military Weapons From The Past: Smith and Wesson Model 39 Suppressed “Guard Dog Gun”
Navy SEALs in Vietnam needed a quieter handgun Smith & Wesson developed its Model 39 handgun in the early 1950s in response to requests from the U.S. Army for a new, lighter service pistol chambered in nine-by-19 millimeter. When the initial interest from the Army evaporated, Smith & Wesson was left with a modern semi-automatic…
Clinton Email Reveals Google Sought Overthrow of Syria’s Assad
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Just like with Iran Coup ’53, Big Business and Big Money are often the motivating factor for “Democracy”.-SF Google in 2012 sought to help insurgents overthrow Syrian President Bashar Assad, according to State Department emails receiving fresh scrutiny this week. Messages between former secretary…
Military Defense News: Russia’s Lethal New Kalina Class Submarine
Russia is set to start construction of its new Kalina-class diesel-electric submarine after the last two Lada-class vessels are completed. The Project 677 Lada-class—which Moscow is terminating after three units are completed—has proven to be a disappointment. “The two Lada-class Project 677 submarines will be delivered as scheduled — in 2018 and 2019,” a spokesman…