Showing posts with label SEALS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SEALS. Show all posts
Missile defense
It's interesting that in the fallout from the decision to shift the focus of the U.S.'s anti-ballistic missile system, no one has really commented on how it moves the Navy to the key position, not only now but in the future.
This may just be the start of a radical strategic makeover for the service. While the Air Force has led the way with UAVs (not necessarily willingly), the Navy has seemed, publicly at least, to be slightly behind the curve. The reality is that new technologies are rapidly increasing the reach and effectiveness of sea forces. When some of what is on the drawing boards reaches the ocean battlefront over the next few years, perception and reality should merge.
It's interesting that in the fallout from the decision to shift the focus of the U.S.'s anti-ballistic missile system, no one has really commented on how it moves the Navy to the key position, not only now but in the future.
This may just be the start of a radical strategic makeover for the service. While the Air Force has led the way with UAVs (not necessarily willingly), the Navy has seemed, publicly at least, to be slightly behind the curve. The reality is that new technologies are rapidly increasing the reach and effectiveness of sea forces. When some of what is on the drawing boards reaches the ocean battlefront over the next few years, perception and reality should merge.
Seize the Day
So not to steal anyone's thunder or step on the marketing committee, which is doing its marketing thing, but the next Rogue Warrior is set in Cuba. Getting the story right involved the usual research and fun, legal and ... whatever it is I'm supposed to say that the lawyers said I'm supposed to say for doing things we're not supposed to have done, which of course we didn't do.
Which may have included visiting said country, which we didn't do, because if we did it, we wouldn't be allowed to, or say, even if we didn't do what were not going to do.
I hope that's clear.
Anyway, I got to smoke the cigars, cause Dick don't smoke.
So not to steal anyone's thunder or step on the marketing committee, which is doing its marketing thing, but the next Rogue Warrior is set in Cuba. Getting the story right involved the usual research and fun, legal and ... whatever it is I'm supposed to say that the lawyers said I'm supposed to say for doing things we're not supposed to have done, which of course we didn't do.
Which may have included visiting said country, which we didn't do, because if we did it, we wouldn't be allowed to, or say, even if we didn't do what were not going to do.
I hope that's clear.
Anyway, I got to smoke the cigars, cause Dick don't smoke.
Rogue Warrior - the game
Dick's in LA this week at E3, the big video game show, helping preview the new Rogue Warrior game.
It's a blast, literally and figuratively. You get to play as Dick, conducting a mission in North Korea, with all the attendant mayhem and Murphy-isms you'd expect. The game will be out this fall - just ahead of a new RW novel.
(That's Richard Marcinko, SEAL Team 6, and Dictator's Ransom for all you search engines out there.)
The cover of Dictator's Ransom, btw, is based on a screenshot from the game. It'll be out in paperback by the end of September, if not before . . .
Dick's in LA this week at E3, the big video game show, helping preview the new Rogue Warrior game.
It's a blast, literally and figuratively. You get to play as Dick, conducting a mission in North Korea, with all the attendant mayhem and Murphy-isms you'd expect. The game will be out this fall - just ahead of a new RW novel.
(That's Richard Marcinko, SEAL Team 6, and Dictator's Ransom for all you search engines out there.)
The cover of Dictator's Ransom, btw, is based on a screenshot from the game. It'll be out in paperback by the end of September, if not before . . .
Dealing with pirates (2) . . .
Originally, I had several posts critiquing the early stages of the operation, but I've been persuaded that doing so may provide some clues to those wishing to harm others in the future.
Frankly, I don't think many pirates are going to be checking this blog out for clues on what to do, but in the one in a gazillion-billion chance that something I say might actually help anyone on the wrong side, they've all been deleted.
I do expect we'll be better prepared next time.
Just about everyone is now saying that we should go ashore and deal with the situation there. While that is certainly one way to do it - and maybe should be part of an overall solution - we can do a hell of a lot more at sea than we're doing now. As I said the other day, simply changing the rules of engagement and the tactics they imply is an important first step.
The shipping companies and the firms that insure them bear some responsibility in this mess. From their point of view, it's cheaper and safer to play pirate roulette for thirty grand or so a passage, than risk arming the crews and taking other steps to deal with the problem. Obviously their cost-benefit analysis can't calculate the loss of life, which is where this will eventually lead.
And did anyone notice that the pirate was smiling when he was brought to NY the other morning?
Originally, I had several posts critiquing the early stages of the operation, but I've been persuaded that doing so may provide some clues to those wishing to harm others in the future.
Frankly, I don't think many pirates are going to be checking this blog out for clues on what to do, but in the one in a gazillion-billion chance that something I say might actually help anyone on the wrong side, they've all been deleted.
I do expect we'll be better prepared next time.
Just about everyone is now saying that we should go ashore and deal with the situation there. While that is certainly one way to do it - and maybe should be part of an overall solution - we can do a hell of a lot more at sea than we're doing now. As I said the other day, simply changing the rules of engagement and the tactics they imply is an important first step.
The shipping companies and the firms that insure them bear some responsibility in this mess. From their point of view, it's cheaper and safer to play pirate roulette for thirty grand or so a passage, than risk arming the crews and taking other steps to deal with the problem. Obviously their cost-benefit analysis can't calculate the loss of life, which is where this will eventually lead.
And did anyone notice that the pirate was smiling when he was brought to NY the other morning?
Dealing with pirates . . .
The SEALs did a hell of a job. The negotiator did a hell of a job.
But the truth is - we were not properly prepared for that situation. We were not, and are not yet, dealing with the problem in a realistic and imaginative way.
The rules of engagement that have been in place since the establishment of task force d0 not adequately cover the situation and can put people's lives in danger. The tasking is clearly not adequate, on many levels.
The circumstances won't line up like this next time.
The SEALs did a hell of a job. The negotiator did a hell of a job.
But the truth is - we were not properly prepared for that situation. We were not, and are not yet, dealing with the problem in a realistic and imaginative way.
The rules of engagement that have been in place since the establishment of task force d0 not adequately cover the situation and can put people's lives in danger. The tasking is clearly not adequate, on many levels.
The circumstances won't line up like this next time.
Hint: the next Rogue Warrior
Once more going to places we shouldn't* . . .
The new book is due out later this year. Anyway, this a quick backgrounder. The story the video goes with has a slightly different perspective from one Cuban family's point of view. Read it here ...
And sorry about the ad that occasionally pops up at the beginning . . .
* Or went, or might have but didn't, or couldn't possibly have, or tried hard not to - whatever the lawyers' formulation of the day is I'm supposed to use, insert here.
Once more going to places we shouldn't* . . .
The new book is due out later this year. Anyway, this a quick backgrounder. The story the video goes with has a slightly different perspective from one Cuban family's point of view. Read it here ...
And sorry about the ad that occasionally pops up at the beginning . . .
* Or went, or might have but didn't, or couldn't possibly have, or tried hard not to - whatever the lawyers' formulation of the day is I'm supposed to use, insert here.
Everybody likes the new Rogue Warrior . . .
. . . . even our good friend Kim.
This week, the world's favorite ailing dictator issued a statement saying, "Not only am I alive and well, but I owe my health to my good friend and drinking buddy, Dick Marcinko."
(At least I think that's what he said; my Korean is a little rusty.)
The book's website:
www.dictatorsransom.com
. . . . even our good friend Kim.
This week, the world's favorite ailing dictator issued a statement saying, "Not only am I alive and well, but I owe my health to my good friend and drinking buddy, Dick Marcinko."
(At least I think that's what he said; my Korean is a little rusty.)
The book's website:
www.dictatorsransom.com
The carnage continues . . .
But in a good way - The Rogue Warrior holiday book signing tour continues as Dick & company march through the eastern seaboard . . . next up is a signing at the Borders in Stafford, Virgina, where the man himself will be the featured attraction at their annual open house.
Rumor has it a number of Marines from Quantico are planning to give the RW a hard time - should be a fun show.
But in a good way - The Rogue Warrior holiday book signing tour continues as Dick & company march through the eastern seaboard . . . next up is a signing at the Borders in Stafford, Virgina, where the man himself will be the featured attraction at their annual open house.
Rumor has it a number of Marines from Quantico are planning to give the RW a hard time - should be a fun show.
Rogue Warrior signings
The Rogue Warrior - Meet the Rogue himself tour continues . . . November 25 at the Borders store in Warrenton, Va., beginning at 7 p.m. There are only a 100 copies of Dictator’s Ransom left though, so hit the place quick.
And somebody bring Dick a Dr. Bombay special. The man gets thirsty on the road . . .
The Rogue Warrior - Meet the Rogue himself tour continues . . . November 25 at the Borders store in Warrenton, Va., beginning at 7 p.m. There are only a 100 copies of Dictator’s Ransom left though, so hit the place quick.
And somebody bring Dick a Dr. Bombay special. The man gets thirsty on the road . . .
Speaking of pirates & Rogues . . .
Dick will be on Fox & Friends tomorrow, Thursday, at 7:15 a.m. to talk about some of the things that should be done.
He may also give a seminar in ship boarding. Dictator's Ransom*, by the way, details several methods, all battle-tested . . .
(And fug on using those suction cups. Crazy's crazy, but that's just nuts ...)
* The mandatory shameless plug for the new book.
Dick will be on Fox & Friends tomorrow, Thursday, at 7:15 a.m. to talk about some of the things that should be done.
He may also give a seminar in ship boarding. Dictator's Ransom*, by the way, details several methods, all battle-tested . . .
(And fug on using those suction cups. Crazy's crazy, but that's just nuts ...)
* The mandatory shameless plug for the new book.
Rogue Warrior Virginia area book signings
People ask me questions . . .
Rogue Warrior book signings in the Virginia area:
11/22 signing at Little Creek in Norfolk
11/25 signing at Borders in Warrenton
12/11 signing at Ft. Lee
12/12 signing at Borders in Springfield
Dick will be at all of these. More details - like the times - should be posted on his website when it become available: www.dickmarcinko.com soon - or check with the bookstores themselves.
People ask me questions . . .
Rogue Warrior book signings in the Virginia area:
11/22 signing at Little Creek in Norfolk
11/25 signing at Borders in Warrenton
12/11 signing at Ft. Lee
12/12 signing at Borders in Springfield
Dick will be at all of these. More details - like the times - should be posted on his website when it become available: www.dickmarcinko.com soon - or check with the bookstores themselves.
The Rogue Warrior meets the press
I purloined the transcript from one of Dick Marcinko's interviews about the new book. It's supposed to get posted to the book's website soon. In the meantime, I'll post some here.
Hopefully it makes interesting reading.
I purloined the transcript from one of Dick Marcinko's interviews about the new book. It's supposed to get posted to the book's website soon. In the meantime, I'll post some here.
Hopefully it makes interesting reading.
Your new book, Rogue Warrior: Dictator’s Ransom, is set largely in North Korea. Was that a random choice?
Richard Marcinko: One of the things I’ve always tried to do in my fictional books is alert the general public to what’s going on outside of America. The plots come out of real dangers around the world. The books are a means to tell our citizens about the threats I see as a SEAL with a lot of CT [counter-terrorism] experience. I call it “fiction or prediction” – yes, the stories are mostly made up, but they depict situations and events that do exist or will very shortly.
I chose to focus on North Korea this time because it is a rogue – little ‘R’ – nation. They have very few ties to other countries with the exception of China and, though their relationship is not exactly ideal, South Korea. On the other hand, North Korea has one of the largest standing armies in the world. Unclassified estimates put the overall military force at one million men; that’s out of a total population of 23 million in a country about the size of Mississippi.
Just for comparison’s sake, roughly 2.3 million Americans serve in the U.S. military, including our reserves and the guy who mops the floor at the Pentagon every night. If we had the same proportion of people in uniform that North Korea does, our armed forces would have over 13 million members. And I’m not counting North Korea’s reserves and other components in my totals.
I can’t get into the debate about how many nuclear weapons North Korea has or may have; much of the information is highly classified. But anyone with access to the internet can use a search engine to find fairly knowledgeable sources who estimate they may have more than a dozen weapons. Even the optimists say they have at least six.
The world doesn’t know enough of North Korea’s internal functions nor goals. And the reverse is also true – North Koreans know nothing of the outside world. But here’s what we do know: The North Korean economy is in shambles. People are starving there. With hunger and the economy such serious issues, North Korea must turn to China, and Russia as well, for assistance. To help them get the aid that they want, they focus on us as a threat. In effect what they’re doing is giving China and Russia a chance to irritate us through a surrogate that anyone can flush without anyone missing them. North Korea is a "dispensable pawn" on the world stage. It’s what they have to do to eat.
It’s a dangerous game for us, and also for them. But with their people starving, they’re a cornered rat with nothing to lose in anything they attempt, whether it is invading South Korea or selling nuclear weapons to terrorist who will gladly pay for the toys.
The Bush administration has recently entered into an agreement with North Korea that, ultimately, should result in its getting rid of its nuclear weapons making capability. Do you think North Korea can be trusted to follow through on any agreements?
My answer is somewhere between “NO!” and “HELL NO!” It is not to their advantage. They will remain the tail attempting to wag the dog.
Re-re-rewriting
Most writers are unrepentant tinkerers, never really content with how a sentence sounds, let alone how a story goes. Given the chance, they'll change, edit, rearrange, shift, rework, rethink and rehash for the rest of their lives.
I'm one of them.
Deadlines usually save me. To get it out the door (or off the computer) by a certain time, you have to stop tinkering eventually. My rule is that, once it's done, it's done, go, get out, move on, no looking back.
Of course, that doesn't really work with a book. The copy edit comes back, then the proofs, and, arg, the finished product. Which in my mind, and I'm sure in most writers' minds, isn't really finished - it's just the state of the story when an arbitrary deadline arrived.
I try to avoid making too many changes at either the copy edit or the proof stages; the first because I don't necessarily trust myself to be objective - the first time you see the book back, no matter how good it really is, it sucks - and the second because publishers tend to completely freak when you do much more than point out typos.
But lately, I've been confronted with another stage - the excerpt for the web stage. The other day, looking over the first chapter of the new Rogue Warrior book, Dictator's Ransom, I was confronted with a whole bunch of prose that read not the way I wanted it to read. (Kinda like that sentence.)
It was tempting - beyond tempting - to revise it. But would people who then bought the book notice the changes and say, WTF?
I guess there's a philosophical question there: once it's "done," should it really be "done"?
I made a few changes, and probably would have made more, had a deadline not loomed... good thing it's football season, or I might still be tinkering.
And now for the shameless plug: www.dictatorsransom.com
Most writers are unrepentant tinkerers, never really content with how a sentence sounds, let alone how a story goes. Given the chance, they'll change, edit, rearrange, shift, rework, rethink and rehash for the rest of their lives.
I'm one of them.
Deadlines usually save me. To get it out the door (or off the computer) by a certain time, you have to stop tinkering eventually. My rule is that, once it's done, it's done, go, get out, move on, no looking back.
Of course, that doesn't really work with a book. The copy edit comes back, then the proofs, and, arg, the finished product. Which in my mind, and I'm sure in most writers' minds, isn't really finished - it's just the state of the story when an arbitrary deadline arrived.
I try to avoid making too many changes at either the copy edit or the proof stages; the first because I don't necessarily trust myself to be objective - the first time you see the book back, no matter how good it really is, it sucks - and the second because publishers tend to completely freak when you do much more than point out typos.
But lately, I've been confronted with another stage - the excerpt for the web stage. The other day, looking over the first chapter of the new Rogue Warrior book, Dictator's Ransom, I was confronted with a whole bunch of prose that read not the way I wanted it to read. (Kinda like that sentence.)
It was tempting - beyond tempting - to revise it. But would people who then bought the book notice the changes and say, WTF?
I guess there's a philosophical question there: once it's "done," should it really be "done"?
I made a few changes, and probably would have made more, had a deadline not loomed... good thing it's football season, or I might still be tinkering.
And now for the shameless plug: www.dictatorsransom.com
Vatican/Rogue postscript
Working with Richard Marcinko is not only an honor - he's an f'in' war hero, for christsakes - but it's also a pisser. He has one kick-ass sense of humor and you have to be on your toes, even at three and four in the morning. . . .
As for the Pope . . . well, let's just say that, in certain respects, his personality differs greatly from Demo Dick's. Not that you can afford to go to sleep in his presence either . . .
If you haven't read Holy Terror, grab it from the library or bookstore. And if you have - thanks. The next installment in the series, Dictator's Ransom, is due out soon. There's a website, or should be by the time I'm back: www.dictatorsransom.com
Working with Richard Marcinko is not only an honor - he's an f'in' war hero, for christsakes - but it's also a pisser. He has one kick-ass sense of humor and you have to be on your toes, even at three and four in the morning. . . .
As for the Pope . . . well, let's just say that, in certain respects, his personality differs greatly from Demo Dick's. Not that you can afford to go to sleep in his presence either . . .
If you haven't read Holy Terror, grab it from the library or bookstore. And if you have - thanks. The next installment in the series, Dictator's Ransom, is due out soon. There's a website, or should be by the time I'm back: www.dictatorsransom.com
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