Five Thoughts on Friday

Listed are five Friday morning observations.

Big Money in AFRICOM? You don't have an expo where the defense industry arrives in force unless there is money to be made. This is a good sign though, because AFRICOM is about economic development despite what you have probably read. Few people realize who has been the head political minds behind AFRICOM, but the short list includes Senator Russ Feingold and Senator Barak Obama. We find it ironic two of the most progressive Senators in our nation are the big political guns behind AFRICOM, and it is typically the progressives in politics who know the least about what AFRICOM is about.

USS North Carolina Commissioning. If you are looking for information regarding the USS North Carolina (SSN 777) commissioning your one stop spot for every bit of information is the Sub Report. Eric has an entire section set up on the site to some amazing links. Once again, the Sub Report has delivered the best coverage of a submarine event on the internet.

A Great Official Navy Website. We have talked about a number of official Navy websites that have had a facelift this year, particularly ships that have been making deployments. One of the best official Navy websites to get an update this year is Commander Submarine Group 7. Without question, and it isn't even close, the coolest most informative and interesting official submarine website on the internet. If you know the name of person behind this brilliance, please post in the comments, because someone deserves public credit and appreciation.

Combined Endeavor 2008. Official description: This annual, United States European Command (USEUCOM)-sponsored exercise is “in the spirit of” the Partnership for Peace (PfP) C4 Integration and Interoperability Exercise. CE enables interoperability between U.S. and NATO / PfP military C4 equipment by documenting and exercising technical and procedural solutions.

Best Read of the Day. When Eagle1 talks Port Security, it is usually the most informed, in depth, and smartest thing you will read on the internet on the topic, and this contribution is no exception. We read the new small boat strategy DHS put out, and I was not impressed. A bit too much hype in my opinion on the small boat nuke threat. It is a start, but we think it gives a bit too much focus to the least likely threats a bit too little to the more likely, inexpensive threats that are more aligned to the tactics of criminals and pirates, which terrorists can mimic. Eagle1s analysis of mine issues for port security