Three Key Promotions in U.S. Intelligence

In the old days of Kremlinology, our side’s “Soviet analysts” (I was one as a kid, back in 1985-86) would pore over personnel lists and announcements of Politburo or Central Committee appointments, seeking clues to the direction of Party doctrine and intent. Military personnel promotions and reassignments were also studied closely to divine any insight into Soviet military policy.

There’s not a direct analogy to American military leadership promotions, but those lists are also studied intently, by peers and colleagues within the military branches, and also by experts throughout defense industry circles who can often decode Pentagon politics by watching who gets an extra star and who gets passed over.

Friday the U.S. Senate confirmed several key Army promotions, including three which I consider to be the most critical military intelligence positions in the nation. 

The Modern Stone-Age Family

Okay, last day in Iraq – time to exceed all possible limits on Plausible Metaphors for the Iraqi situation. Yes, a visit to “Flintstone Village,” the beyond-odd playground resort built by Saddam for Uday, Qusay, and children of them and other elites back in the heyday.

Tanks a lot

Some “differently-abled” Soviet-made tanks, now half-buried in a sand berm inside Camp Slayer

Not good

More bad stuff today… I’m lucky, because I haven’t had to go outside the wall except for my first two days here. Nevertheless, one guy here on base was killed the day I left the US (Sept 11) by a mortar attack over the wall, and another on Sept 7. This is a car bomb near the airport.