Werewolves

Posted By on December 11, 2003 at 7:56 pm

Once upon a time, there really were werewolves… and I don’t mean lycanthropes.
Tonight on the History Channel: “Nazi Guerrillas,” 9pm EST — check your local listings.
People act as if the insurgency terrorist problems current in Iraq are a new phenomenon. I’ll be interested in seeing what spin, if any, this program puts on the historical record.
Update: Mention of the present situation in Iraq was made only in the last few minutes of the program.
The program was careful to point out a few of the differences between Iraq and Germany:

  • German citizens were exhausted after six years of war; Iraq was defeated in six weeks.
  • Hitler’s death was announced by German authorities before the surrender, whereas Saddam is still unaccounted for.

There was only one maybe/possibly objectionable quote I caught from the script:

In Iraq, much like postwar Germany, most citizens resent being occupied by a foreign power.

Well, I think the data is still out on that question.
Nevertheless, the parallels between Germany and Iraq are striking.
All in all, a very even-handed and factual program, and not even slightly political or critical.

Better bullets

Posted By on December 11, 2003 at 5:40 pm

Looks as if the Army is experimenting with upgrading the varmint rifle M-16 to accomodate a larger round, 6.8mm versus the 5.56mm round currently in use.
Kim has had a lot to say in the past about the M-16 being, alternately, a “banjo” or a “poodle shooter” (or both simultaneously), and I find it hard to disagree with his assessment. The 5.56mm NATO cartridge is simply inadequate (unless your primary concern is the number of rounds a soldier can carry.)
Up-gunning the M-16 (and the M-4 carbine) to a better round (more energy on target = more knock-down/stay-down power, e.g., more lethal) has to be an excellent idea. Let’s see if the Department of Defense has learned anything about weapon systems at the low end of the scale.
And no, I don’t mean this monstrosity.