Today's Pic's. - Dec. 8

[He219]

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Range CT5, Djibouti - Marines from Task Force Batio, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines fire the 9mm service pistol during a live fire exercise here. Task force Batio took the reigns as force protection for Camp Lemonier from Task Force Rawhide.


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Service members with Combined Joint Task Force ? Horn of Africa setup plastic explosives during training in the French Commando School at Arta Plage, Nov. 1-20. The training was the first time American forces have gone through the three-week commando course that was held by French Foreign Legion instructors.

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Service members with Combined Joint Task Force ? Horn of Africa setup plastic explosives during training in the French Commando School at Arta Plage, Nov. 1-20. The training was the first time American forces have gone through the three-week commando course that was held by French Foreign Legion instructors.


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Army Sgt. Donald Harris, with Combined Joint Task Force ? Horn of Africa, sets up an explosive with French Foreign Legion instructors during training in the French Commando School at Arta Plage, Nov. 1-20. The training was the first time American forces have gone through the three-week commando course that was held by French Foreign Legion instructors.

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Crouching beside a French Foreign Legion instructor, two service members with Combined Joint Task Force ? Horn of Africa, duck behind a hill after tossing a grenade over it during French Commando Training at Arta Plage, Nov. 1-20. The training was the first time American forces have gone through the three-week commando course that was held by French Foreign Legion instructors.

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Service members with Combined Joint Task Force ? Horn of Africa accomplish an obstacle course built for learning rappelling tactics during the French Commando School at Arta Plage, Nov. 1-20. The training was the first time American forces have gone through the three-week commando course that was held by French Foreign Legion instructors.

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Army PFC Jonathan Dale (front) and Spc. Bryan Reed, both with Combined Joint Task Force ? Horn of Africa, rappel together down an obstacle during training in the French Commando School at Arta Plage, Nov. 1-20. The training was the first time American forces have gone through the three-week commando course that was held by French Foreign Legion instructors.

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Spc. Matthew Vargo, with Combined Joint Task Force ? Horn of Africa, struggles to get back on the guide-wire as a French Foreign Legion instructor gives him advice. 26 service members completed the three-week French Commando School at Arta Plage, Nov. 1-20, becoming the first Americans to graduate from the school.

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Service members with Combined Joint Task Force ? Horn of Africa accomplish an obstacle course built for learning individual mountain tactics and rappelling during French Commando Training at Arta Plage, Nov. 1-20. The training was the first time American forces have gone through the three-week commando course that was held by French Foreign Legion instructors.

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Army Sgt. Donald Harris, with Combined Joint Task Force ? Horn of Africa, kneels beside a French soldier as he shoots the M4 rifle in a live-fire exercise during training in the French Commando School at Arta Plage, Nov. 1-20. The training was the first time American forces have gone through the three-week commando course that was held by French Foreign Legion instructors.

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Service members with Combined Joint Task Force ? Horn of Africa shoot the French FAMAS in a live-fire exercise during training in the French Commando School at Arta Plage, Nov. 1-20. The training was the first time American forces have gone through the three-week commando course that was held by French Foreign Legion instructors.

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Service members with Combined Joint Task Force ? Horn of Africa conduct Zodiac training with a French Foreign Legion instructor during French Commando Training at Arta Plage, Nov. 1-20. The training was the first time American forces have gone through the three-week commando course that was held by French Foreign Legion instructors.

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Alternating between his binoculars and rifle scope, a scout sniper from the Surveillence, Target, and Acquisition Platoon of Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary, scans a crowd of protesters gathering outside a 'U.S. Embassy' during an embassy reinforcement mission executed during the MEU's Expeditionary Strike Group Exercise.

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Marines from Charlie Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit, face off against protestors during an embassy reinforcement mission executed as part of the MEU's Expeditionary Strike Group Exercise.

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Marines from Charlie Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, the ground combat element of the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit, stand by in riot gear as other Marines from the company use a water hose to deter 'violent protestors' from charging their line during an embassy reinforcement exercise.

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KABUL, Afghanistan -- Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Anti-Terrorism) Marines with Task Force Kabul recently conduct a live-fire training exercise outside the city of Kabul.


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KABUL, Afghanistan -- Lance Cpl. Kenneth A. Harrington Jr., machine gunner, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, and Branford, Conn., native fires a 50 Caliber Machine Gun outside the city of Kabul during recent weapons training.

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Two British soldiers of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) patrol with an Afghan soldier in Kabul, Afghanistan (news - web sites), Monday, Dec. 8, 2003. ISAF peacekeeping soldiers will assist Afghan security authorities to secure Loya Jirga, or Grand Assembly, which will be held this week in Kabul, ISAF spokesman said. (AP Photo / Xinhua, Wang Lei)

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A British soldier of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) patrols with an Afghan soldier (Front) in Kabul Monday, Dec. 8, 2003. ISAF peacekeeping soldiers will assist Afghan security authorities to secure Loya Jirga, or Grand Assembly, which will be held this week in Kabul, ISAF spokesman said. (AP Photo / Xinhua, Wang Lei)

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Osprey No. 24 passes the 1,000-flight hour milestone over Nova Scotia, Canada during a recent icing test flight

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Airman 1st Class Kruskie Jacob a crew chief in the 23rd Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, talks with the pilot about pre-flight system checks. With the A-10 mission now complete, the aircraft flew for the last time at Tallil Air Base back to their home station on 4 December 2003. (U.S. Air Force photo by: Staff Sergeant Chenzira Mallory) (Released)

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A soldier with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, greets Iraqi school children during a follow-on village assessment in Al Huweja, Iraq, Dec. 4, 2003. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel L. Brown, U.S. Army) (Released)

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Army crew members sit in a H-60 blackhawk in support of Operation Bayonet Lightening, Dec. 2, 2003. Operation Bayonet Lightning is a 173rd Brigade level joint cordon operation to locate and question persons of interest and a show of force in the Iraqi city of Al Hawijah. The operation captured twenty-six individuals including three targeted individuals in Kirkuk Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Alicia M. Sarkkinen) (Released)

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U.S. Marines from Tango Battery, 5th BN 10th Marines attached to 3D BN 12th Marines for a Unit Deployment Program (UDP), fire the M198, 155mm Howitzer during a live fire exercise near the base of Mt. Fuji, Japan, Nov. 28, 2003 near the base of Mt. Fuji, Japan. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jessica L. Richards) (Released)

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Local Japanese town officials and media are led through a training site near the base of Mt. Fuji, Japan, by 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines' Commanding Officer, Nov. 30, 2003. The tour allowed the Japanese to see artillery training being performed by 5th Battalion,12th Marines' Tango Battery which is temporarily attached to 3/12 for a Unit Deployment Program (UDP). (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jessica L. Richards) (Released)

[GLax]

was there any articles with more information about the French Foreign Legion Commando course?

[ivandebono]

There is no such thing as a Foreign Legion Commando course. The "Stage Commando" (Commando Course) is common to all troops, Legion or not. The course at Djibouti is called the "Stage Commando D'Arta", after the location, Plage D'Arta (D'Arta Beach).

[IDFM203]

Just to add a few pics....................
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An Israeli soldier stands guard as a Palestnian woman waits to cross a checkpoint near the West Bank town of Qalqilya, Monday, Dec. 8, 2003. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) US forces in Iraq adopt IDF strategy
(http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1070775782233&p=1006688055060)
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An Israeli soldier(R) and a Palestinian man gesture at a checkpoint near the West Bank city of Qalqilya December 8, 2003. Palestinians pledged new efforts Monday to coax militants into a truce with Israel after talks in Cairo broke down, undercutting Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie and deflating hopes of reviving a peace 'road map.' The failure to arrange a cease-fire set back the moderate Qurie's bid to gain credibility among ordinary Palestinians by encouraging Israel to lift its military clampdown on West Bank cities and strengthen U.S. backing for a Palestinian state. Photo by Nir Elias/*******
******* - Dec
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A Palestinian boy cries as he is arrested by an Israeli border police officer, after the boy threw a kitchen knife at the officer near the barrier that seperates East Jerusalem from the West Bank town of Abu Dis, Monday, Dec. 8, 2003.
all I can say is what was that boy thinking :cantbeli: yes he hates Israel but even at that age you should know how stupid it is to throw a weapon (knife) at a soldier!! oh and the boy is crying???
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An Israeli soldier looks out from an army position in the West Bank city of Hebron, December 8, 2003. A top official of the Islamic group Hamas said Monday the recent lull in Palestinian militant suicide attacks against Israel was just a break between waves. 'The martyrdom operations come as waves so there are gaps between the waves,' Hamas chief spokesman Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi told ******* in an interview. 'We are just in the period of a gap between waves.' (Nayef Hashlamoun/*******) hahah yes of course he is not giving any credit to the IDF.....the fact is that its only because of the IDF that attacks have been dramatically reduced.....yes there will be more for its impossible to stop every one but the IDF was successful in stopping what was before a almost daily occurrence. The fact is that the attempts never stopped but the success have indeed been dramatically reduced!!
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An Israeli postman shows a letter addressed to God. An Israeli human rights group accused the national postal authority of violation of privacy for having published letters addressed to God on its web site.(AFP/File/Hrvoje Polan)
Now I Love Israel but even I would be the first to admit that like other countries we have some of our idiocy as well. I mean geez this group needs to recognise that they are a laughing stock if that is what they are going to focus on.


Javehn...shiryonarim ah?!? ;)
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Israeli Tova Szeintuch, from the Machsom Watch (Hebrew for Checkpoint Watch) group negotiates with an Israeli army officer at the army checkpoint in Qalandiya for traffic, between Jerusalem and the West Bank town of Ramallah Monday Dec. 1, 2003. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
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A Palestinian boy holds a toy gun as he stands with a masked militant from the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a group linked to the Fatah (news - web sites) movement during a demonstration against the Geneva Accord, in the Rafah refugee camp , southern Gaza Strip (news - web sites) , Sunday Dec. 7, 2003. With Palestinian factions failing to agree on a complete end to attacks against Israelis, it appeared Sunday they would instead make a conditional offer to stop suicide bombings inside the Jewish state , a proposal the Israelis, even moderates, are dismissing. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Nothing to add.......this is self explanatory!!! :roll:
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Palestinian masked militants from the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a group linked to the Fatah (news - web sites) movement, carry live rocket propelled grenade launchers during a demonstration against the Geneva Accord in the Rafah refugee camp , southern Gaza Strip (news - web sites) , Sunday Dec. 7, 2003. With Palestinian factions failing to agree on a complete end to attacks against Israelis, it appeared Sunday they would instead make a conditional offer to stop suicide bombings inside the Jewish state , a proposal the Israelis, even moderates, are dismissing. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

I normally wait till he219 posts these pics and then comment but for whatever reason today there was no Israeli/ Palestinian conflict pics so I just added my own as well as my comments.

Shalom :D

[usa320]

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Id greet her anyday.

rofl

[Seoulstriker]

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As Jack would say, "I'd fist her with my long arm." :D

[Javehn]

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Shiron shirion shirion shirion ..... Give respect for tankers (by the way , the guy in the middle is not a tanker . He is from headquarters company , probably medic.How i know - the way he looks ) . Hmm - Israeli peace groups are kinda ... not in phase . Who else would preach for it's self suicide ?? ( oh , except terrorists ofcorse ) .
The guys in upper pictures are from reserve units . They are tryed to make up different attitude on checkpoints - to pass people with mimimum problems , and treat them as well as possible . Result seen on the picture ( with all my respect for those people , and i do have arab friends , as someone talled to me : You give him to sit on the chair - he will put he's legs on the desk ) ....

[Argyll]

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20031208/capt.xint10312081911.afghanistan_xint103.jpg

woot At last a JOCK!!! Not a good profile but looks like he's either KOSB's or Royal Scots,and I'm sure the Royal Scot's are heading for Iraq!!!
He also looks a bit like an old mate of mine too,but it doesn't look like the Argyll's cap badge from this angle!

[He219]

was there any articles with more information about the French Foreign Legion Commando course?

By request:
;)

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American and French Forces make history with Commando School
Story by Sgt. Bradly Shaver
Arta Plage, Djibouti(December 07, 2003) -- Personnel supporting the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa made history Nov. 20 when they became the first Americans to graduate from the French Commando School here.

Twenty Army soldiers and five Marines completed the three-week course and were each awarded the French Commando medal and a certificate of completion.

"It was one of the hardest training operations I've faced, but at the same time one of the better schools I've been through," said Lance Cpl. Bryan Napier, who graduated in the top five of his class. "I feel honored to represent the American platoon in the top five. It will definitely be an experience to remember."

Before entering the course, service members were required to take a test ensuring they could meet the physical demands of the commando school. The test involved pushups, sit-ups, pull-ups, squats, an upper-body rope climb and a 200-meter swim with a rifle.

Within the first few days, the original 34-member platoon had dropped to 26 due to either failing the test or injury during training.

"The reason for attending the French Commando School was to better prepare the soldiers and Marines for nautical and mountain warfare challenges in the terrain of Djibouti," Army Master Sgt. Chris Fields said. "These particular challenges trained each soldier and Marine for a hostile situation if one occurred in an area similar to this region."

The American platoon trained alongside a platoon of French Foreign Legionnaires. Both accomplished the same training, but as separate units. The two forces participated in training and exercise that included working with each other's equipment and competed in timed races over different courses.

Under the supervision of French instructors, trainees were graded on a variety of exercises requiring the nine-man squads use teamwork to successfully complete the tasks.

With assault packs and rifles slung across their backs, trainees negotiated obstacles courses that forced them to use every member in their squad to complete the course.

Engaging in obstacles positioned on mountaintops, attached to a rocky cliff face and afloat in the Gulf of Aden, squads were required to complete courses under a set time.

The water and mountain obstacle tracks are eight-part objective courses that must be finished together as a squad. In the mountain obstacle course, squads carefully worked together to accomplish each objective.

Trainees were graded on their ability to complete these obstacles. Combined with the individual track, service members' scores were calculated and used for their final graduation score.

The individual track, called "Hells Way," is built into the side of the mountain with pipes, wires and ropes leading to the eight different objectives. Although some were hesitant at first, expressing fears of height, all trainees were required to complete the course within a set time.

"The commando school immediately jumped into the training and kept us on our toes at all times," said Napier.

Though the training sounds mainly physical, trainees also received classroom instruction prior to conducting tested training missions.

These classes involved land navigation, explosives, squad formations on land and water, Zodiac beach assaults, ambushes, raids, helicopter flights, cargo drops, knot tying for rope bridges and rappelling, hand-to-hand combat and training for prisoners of war.

"Through the course, the French instructors methods of instruction and practical applications were set up very well," said Fields. "As we got physically tired and weary in our upper body, the classes moved to movements and strengthening in the lower body ... in-between were classes based on knowledge. Their instructions and exercises were scheduled evenly throughout the course."

Several times the French and American platoons joined together for live-fire exercises at various ranges and beaches. The two platoons would exchange rifles to become familiar with each other's weapon and its firing capabilities. Some exercises involved mock medical evacuations by American humvee and French helicopter, while the two platoons would provide suppressive fire on the nearby range.

At sundown, when the trainees were not in the field or in the water operating Zodiacs, they were prepping for scheduled night missions.

Marching several miles up and down mountainous terrain, the platoon executed ambushes and raids on specific targets assigned by the instructors.

"Marching though Djibouti is a lot harder than it looks," said Spc. Jon McCoy. "Walking at night over large loose rocks was very stressful for everyone."

Venturing miles into the field for their last three days of school, the two platoons combined for day and night missions including beach assaults, ambushes and raids. The lessons previously learned while getting through obstacle tracks were applied in maneuvering the two platoons over land.

After accomplishing all their missions, the trainees - exhausted and relieved - returned to Arta Plage to graduate and be officially recognized as Commandos.

"Overall, I think everybody did extremely well in the course," commented Fields. "The challenges they faced in this course were some they will never meet again. Later on in these now Commando's lives, whether in the military or as a civilian, if they are faced with troubled times, it will be less of a challenge to them to overcome it."

Fields went on to say the training with the French is essential to the mission in the Horn of Africa of detecting, deterring and defeating transnational terrorists in the region. "It enhances our operations and gives us the ability to see real world situations in an environment we are not as familiar with as the French are. It is imperative that if we are to fight together as allies, we must train together in this war on terrorism."


Sorry, idfm203. The pic's of Israel today (http://www.israeldaily.com) were not flammatory enough .. ;) Just kidding, hehe.

Here are a couple for all of our colleagues:

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Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon pauses during a business conference in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Monday Dec. 8, 2003. Sharon agreed Monday to cooperate with the international court after the approval of the new U.N. resolution in New York, that sends the question of the legality of the separation barrier Israel is building in the West Bank, to the court in Hague. The northern 150-kilometeter (90-mile) section of the barrier, a snaking line of trenches, walls, fences and razor wire which has already beencompleted, runs mainly along the invisible frontier between Israel and the West Bank and most of the recently approved 380-kilometer (228-mile) southern section lies within the West Bank. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

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It would set a "dangerous precedent" (http://wn.com/link/nph-link.cgi?worldphotos/viewphoto.txt&24762941&http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecrosswalk%2Ecom%2Fnews%2F1234897%2Ehtml) for the International Court of Justice to address Israel's construction of a security barrier between Israel and the West Bank, Israel said on Monday. (***** Images)

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A top official of Islamic group Hamas said (http://wn.com/link/nph-link.cgi?worldphotos/viewphoto.txt&24761284&http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2E*******%2Ecom%2FnewsArticle%2Ejhtml%3Ftype%3DworldNews%26storyID%3D3955331) Monday the recent lull in Palestinian militant suicide attacks against Israel was just a break between waves. "The martyrdom operations come as waves so there are gaps between the waves," Hamas chief spokesman Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi told ******* in an interview. (***** Images)

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An Israeli border police officer fires a tear gas canister through the barrier that seperates East Jerusalem from the West Bank town of Abu Dis, Monday, Dec. 8, 2003.The United Nations General Assembly is expected to vote Monday whether to refer the issue of the West Bank separation fence to the International Justice Court in the Hague. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

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Why in barrels? - Is that the friendlier way to pour concrete? ;)

Israeli workers fill barrels with cement as they seal the house of Ahmed Saada, on the first floor of a building in the A-Tur neighborhood in Jerusalem Monday Dec. 8, 2003. Israel accused Saada of assisting a recent suicide bomber by taking him to Jerusalem in his car. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

Other News images for today:

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A senior member of the Philippines kidnapping group Abu Sayyaf has been captured (http://wn.com/link/nph-link.cgi?worldphotos/viewphoto.txt&24759644&http%3A%2F%2Fnews%2Ebbc%2Eco%2Euk%2F1%2Fhi%2Fworld%2Fasia%2Dpacific%2F3300369%2Estm) by the country's armed forces.Galib Andang, popularly known as Commander Robot, was caught after a gun battle between the rebels and the military on Sunday in southern Jolo island following a public tip-off as to his whereabouts.

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Al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf extremist leader, Galib Andang, also known as Commander Robot, is carried by military medics as he arrives at a military airbase in suburban Manila on Monday Dec. 8, 2003. Andang was wounded in both legs during a gunfight with soldiers Sunday in Indanan town on southern Jolo island. He is suspected in a series of ransom kidnappings, including the abduction of Western tourists from a Malaysian resort three years ago (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

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A Greek court Monday convicted (http://wn.com/link/nph-link.cgi?worldphotos/viewphoto.txt&24759903&http%3A%2F%2Fstory%2Enews%2Eyahoo%2Ecom%2Fnews%3Ftmpl%3Dstory%26cid%3D574%26ncid%3D721%26e%3D1%26u%3D%2Fnm%2F20031208%2Fwl%5Fnm%2Fgreece%5Fnovember%5Fdc) 15 members of the November 17 guerrilla group, including the top assassin and the mastermind, for a 27-year killing spree against prominent Greeks as well as U.S., British and Turkish diplomats. (***** Images)

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Pacific Ocean (Dec. 3, 2003) -- Aircraft lights streak by during a timed photographic exposure of an arrested landing on the flight deck of USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). The sparks are caused by the aircraft's tailhook hitting the flight deck just before catching one of four arresting cables. The San Diego-based aircraft carrier is at sea conducting training exercises in the Southern California operating area. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Mark J. Rebilas. (RELEASED)

Haiw?

http://www.nldetirak.nl/fotopagina/december/061203heli2.jpg

6 december 2003
Een Chinook van het Nederlandse helidetachement Koninklijke Luchtmacht tijdens takeoff.

http://www.nldetirak.nl/fotopagina/december/051203piet2.jpg

http://www.nldetirak.nl/fotopagina/december/051203piet1.jpg

http://www.nldetirak.nl/fotopagina/december/051203sint2.jpg

http://www.nldetirak.nl/fotopagina/december/051203sint1.jpg

http://www.nldetirak.nl/fotopagina/december/051203sint3.jpg

Irak, As Samawah, Camp Smitty, 5 december 2003
Sinterklaas doet met zijn Piet "onze mannen" aan op Camp Smitty.
Na de nodige gratificaties en presentjes te hebben uitgedeeld vertrok de Sint per Marechaussee-auto naar Al Khidr.
De lokatie te Ar Rumaythah werd helaas niet bezocht ivm de drukke werkzaamheden. De Piet deed het leuk genoeg voor een functioneringsgratificatie...

[IDFM203]

No offense, idfm203. The pic's of Israel today (http://www.israeldaily.com) were not flammatory enough .. ;) Just kidding, hehe. ;) Hey I had a feeling you would bring this up ;)

Listen like I said before, this is a picture thread and you injecting article links right underneath the pics especially ones that I found to be mostly opinion pieces, were not in the spirit of a non objective picture post. Again it would be like if I posted pics U.S. actions in iraq and underneath them put links to left opinion editorials or articles (I am sure you understand what I mean on how that can portray the pic very unfairly) .

I don’t care about any inflammatory pics and post them all you want, what irked me a bit was those opinion pieces and editorials (mainly from a left view, although I see today it wasn’t a left view) that you had in the past posted mostly only with regards to Israel that I felt was wrong. But like I said before you can do what ever you want and all I did was express how I felt with it and that I would not bring it up again (well now just bringing it in response to you bringing it up)

As for why I did it myself in this thread, well you still inject your opinion articles so I might as well (although I don’t plan on doing it often or if at all) secondly like I said before “I normally wait till he219 posts these pics and then comment but for whatever reason today there was no Israeli/ Palestinian conflict pics so I just added my own as well as my comments.

Shalom :D

[fred_engles]

I generally don't do this, but here's an article about joint USMC-FFL training in Djibouti. It's from the 11/23 issue of The New Republic, which, btw, is consistently excellent, and is by Mark Mazzetti. I've cut out some bits that focus more on politics - mostly cause I feel kinda bad about posting the entire article (it's subscribers-only on their website).

There are few places on earth where a Frenchman can shout expletives at U.S. Marines without incurring severe bodily harm. Arta Plage, a beach on the coast of Djibouti--a tiny former French colony in East Africa on the Gulf of Aden--is one of them, and Yannick Mounier is clearly enjoying himself. "Pump zee boat up," the stocky French Foreign Legion soldier yells as teams of Marines try to inflate rubber Zodiac dinghies. "You guys are so facking slow." Sporting a tight buzz cut and tattoos of two women on his left forearm, Mounier is dressed in a green camouflage t-shirt and wetsuit bottoms slung so low the Marines are given a glimpse of his plumber's crack. He walks up and down the beach as teams of six Marines stomp furiously on air pumps, racing to be the first to launch their boats into the Gulf of Aden. Carrying their boats down to the water, one team of Marines begins humming the "Lone Ranger" theme, but Gallic sarcasm soon crushes the levity. Persistent gusts on the Gulf of Aden blow the rubber boats hopelessly off course, and the Marines--rowing with wooden paddles--can't stay straight. Mounier scoffs at this aquatic display of U.S. geometry. "Maybe zees is what an American line looks like." Then, stretching his arm out straight away from shore, he continues, "But a French line looks like zees."

...

...In Djibouti, I watched U.S. Marines attached to Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa--a new U.S. counterterrorism unit--take part in training exercises run by the Foreign Legion. Djibouti is particularly rough. French poet Arthur Rimbaud once described the hot and dusty country as "this awful colony," and, more than a century later, the oppressive heat and humidity remain the same. Djibouti, in short, is facking hell.

Nobody is pretending these Marine veterans of Afghanistan are going to learn that much from Mounier in a week. Instead, the training is designed to foster better relations between the United States and the French military and to break up the monotony of life at Camp Lemonier, the U.S. military's new home in Djibouti. Besides the water sports on the Gulf of Aden, the French have also trained the Marines on desert survival. They are taught the proper way to pack a camel and even how to butcher a goat for food.

Although designed to mend fences, the training has not been without its moments of international crisis. During the Iraq war, the French suspended all joint military exercises with the Americans in Djibouti. But antagonism did not filter down to ordinary soldiers that much. True, just days before U.S. forces crossed the border into Iraq, one Marine sergeant major in Kuwait rallied the troops not with slurs on Iraqis but by telling French jokes. "Did you hear about the new French tank? It's got sixteen gears, all of them reverse," he said. And, after ingesting too much of the Gulf of Aden during grueling swim drills, one Marine in this training stumbled onto the beach and vomited on a flagpole where the French tri-color flag was waving. But, overall, the two countries' grunts work well together in Djibouti. In fact, Mounier--no surrender monkey he--becomes almost a fatherly figure to a group of Marines. After they flail in the wind for a few minutes, all the while barking at each other, Mounier brings the boats together for a pep talk. "In zee boat, only one speaks. Zat is zee chief. Everyone else, shut your facking box!"

With the wind continuing to whip up, it's time for the air-raid drill. The idea is for the Marines to capsize their boats and hide underneath the hull in the water, standard procedure if an enemy plane began taking shots at them. After three short blasts on the whistle around his neck, Mounier begins the drill. "Everybody under zee boat! Quickly!" Yet the Marines struggle to pull the boats over their heads, making them machine-gun fodder. Mounier looks on with disgust: "You are all dead." The results are generally better on the second try, yet one of the teams still can't get it right. Failing to capsize their boat, five of the six Marines jump overboard, leaving one of their comrades holding on to the side, single-handedly trying to overturn the boat. Driving up alongside the hapless crew, Mounier unloads on them. "You are all dead!" he shouts. "Zee plane has shot your whole facking face off!" As if frightened by the Frenchman, a school of flying fish suddenly jumps through the air, whizzing by the sodden Marines.

The last trial is a race back to the beach, and the legionnaire throws in an added incentive: The team finishing last will be subjected to more capsize drills. The Marines struggle against wind and waves to make headway back to shore, yet the progress is halting. Lieutenant Colonel Ken Plummer, Task Force-Horn of Africa's training officer, casts a steely eye on his panting troops: "Kinda looks like Ben Hur."

Mounier smiles as he watches the scene from his motorized boat. Just then, an enormous spotted whale shark swims up alongside the boat. With the Marines plodding home and some time to kill, Mounier decides it's time to play Jacques Cousteau. With a grin, he pulls up his wetsuit and plunges into the water, grabbing hold of the shark's top fin. He straddles the shark's back and rides the fish for 15 yards, until it plunges below the surface of the water. Un-facking believable.

[thatguy96]

http://photo.worldnews.com/PhotoArchive//uploads/2003/12/8/uploaded-40155_large.jpg
There's 2 interesting things in this picture with regards to the weaponry, about both of which I may be wrong. Firstly, it appears our friend here with the M203 equiped carbine seems to have setup by which he can fire the M203 without drastically shifting his had (what appears to be some material running from the GL's trigger back to the trigger gaurd of the rifle). Secondly, the other visible AR-15/M16 carbine appears to be using a Thermold 30-45 round expandable mag, the first time I've ever seen one of these actually fielded by anyone. Interesting...

[ShotOver]

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20031208/capt.jrl10212080322.mideast_israel_paestinians_jrl102.jpg


Where is the IDF helicopters during these marches?

Cant one fly over and drop a couple of Hellfires into the crowd by "accident" ?

[GLax]

thanks He219 :hug:

[rokus2595]

http://www.nldetirak.nl/fotopagina/december/051203piet2.jpg

http://www.nldetirak.nl/fotopagina/december/051203piet1.jpg


Anyone knows why she is applying black paint??

[[AFSOC]]

Cultural thing...

[Rush_die]

http://photo.worldnews.com/PhotoArchive//uploads/2003/12/8/uploaded-40155_large.jpg
There's 2 interesting things in this picture with regards to the weaponry, about both of which I may be wrong. Firstly, it appears our friend here with the M203 equiped carbine seems to have setup by which he can fire the M203 without drastically shifting his had (what appears to be some material running from the GL's trigger back to the trigger gaurd of the rifle). Secondly, the other visible AR-15/M16 carbine appears to be using a Thermold 30-45 round expandable mag, the first time I've ever seen one of these actually fielded by anyone. Interesting...


you will only find them in the Philippines... :)

thats what they call filipino ingenuity

[UoUo]

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20031208/capt.jrl10212080322.mideast_israel_paestinians_jrl102.jpg


Where is the IDF helicopters during these marches?

Cant one fly over and drop a couple of Hellfires into the crowd by "accident" ?

Yeah...sure..

And then the palstinian will claim that about 100 children were killed...and bunch of people (including you i guees) will say "those ****ing israelis they killed children !! the exactly like the terrosits !!"

[Gameholic]

@rokus2595;

Why is that woman painted black? Because of 'Sinterklaas', that's like Christmas, but it's a Dutch habbit, kids get presents and stuff.. Get it? ;)

Yeah i know, Dutch people are strange haha

[Royal]

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20031208/capt.xint10312081911.afghanistan_xint103.jpg

woot At last a JOCK!!! Not a good profile but looks like he's either KOSB's or Royal Scots,and I'm sure the Royal Scot's are heading for Iraq!!!
He also looks a bit like an old mate of mine too,but it doesn't look like the Argyll's cap badge from this angle!

Judging from the fact he's with an LI guy, they're from the TA Infantry Coy in Bagram - I'm afraid I've no idea what Jock TA Infantry units there are other than a Highlanders Coy (from Inverness?) :oops:

[Royal]

http://www.nldetirak.nl/fotopagina/december/051203piet2.jpg

http://www.nldetirak.nl/fotopagina/december/051203piet1.jpg


Anyone knows why she is applying black paint??

From memory, something to do with Saint Nicholas and Christmas - any Cloggies want to enlighten us?

[Smintjes]

It's a children's fest in Belgium too (funny, they hold it on December 5 in Holland and December 6 in Belgium, otherwise he could never deliver the toys in two countries at the same time).

The story basically like this: Sinterklaas is a saint who lives in Spain, and once a year he takes his steam boat to Belgium and Holland to deliver toys and candy. to do this, he rides his horse over the roofs and drops the goodies in the chimney. That's why kids have to leave their toy list near the fireplace, accompanied by a carrot for the horse. His aides are called "Zwarte Pieten" (Black Petes). Today most people think these are Africans, but they are in fact dirty because they have to go up and down chimneys all the time.

[flanker7]

http://photo.worldnews.com/PhotoArchive//uploads/2003/12/8/uploaded-40155_large.jpg
There's 2 interesting things in this picture with regards to the weaponry, about both of which I may be wrong. Firstly, it appears our friend here with the M203 equiped carbine seems to have setup by which he can fire the M203 without drastically shifting his had (what appears to be some material running from the GL's trigger back to the trigger gaurd of the rifle). Secondly, the other visible AR-15/M16 carbine appears to be using a Thermold 30-45 round expandable mag, the first time I've ever seen one of these actually fielded by anyone. Interesting...


you will only find them in the Philippines... :)

thats what they call filipino ingenuity



I believe that the grenade launcher is not an M-203 but a CIS40GL instead

[Haiw]

http://www.nldetirak.nl/fotopagina/december/061203heli2.jpg

6 december 2003
Een Chinook van het Nederlandse helidetachement Koninklijke Luchtmacht tijdens takeoff.
A Chinook from the Dutch chopperdetachment Royal Airforce during takeoff


http://www.nldetirak.nl/fotopagina/december/051203piet2.jpg

http://www.nldetirak.nl/fotopagina/december/051203piet1.jpg

http://www.nldetirak.nl/fotopagina/december/051203sint2.jpg

http://www.nldetirak.nl/fotopagina/december/051203sint1.jpg

http://www.nldetirak.nl/fotopagina/december/051203sint3.jpg
[quote]Irak, As Samawah, Camp Smitty, 5 december 2003
Sinterklaas doet met zijn Piet "onze mannen" aan op Camp Smitty.
Na de nodige gratificaties en presentjes te hebben uitgedeeld vertrok de Sint per Marechaussee-auto naar Al Khidr.
De lokatie te Ar Rumaythah werd helaas niet bezocht ivm de drukke werkzaamheden. De Piet deed het leuk genoeg voor een functioneringsgratificatie...


Irak, As Samawah, Camp Smitty, 5 december 2003
Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas, but he's comparable to Santa) is visiting "our men" at Camp Smitty with Zwarte Piet. After giving some presents and stuff Santa left for Al Khidr with the MPs. The location at Ar Rumaythah wasnt visited sadly because they we're too busy up there. The Piet did well enough for a functioneringsgratificatie(lol I can't translate that, don't even know what to make of it in Dutch)

Anyway, Smintjes basically summed it up; it's basically our 'Christmas' (we celebrate Christmas as well, but not with the presents and stuf...So we've got the whole thing with Sinterklaas going for the presents)
Sinterklaas = Saint Nicholas, some old Saint from Turkey that always gave stuff to kids.

So no, that black paint is not some night camoflage or anything rofl

[rokus2595]

thanks to those that replied......The dutch sure look like they are having fun in Iraq... :P

cheers

[Smintjes]

We have presents with Sinterklaas and Christmas.

[AVZ]

i can't see the first pc's of the first post :(

As always, I enjoyed your posts he219

[Haiw]

thanks to those that replied......The dutch sure look like they are having fun in Iraq... :P

cheers
Yup...things are pretty nice for them over there. I read somewhere that untill now only 1 bullet had been fired by them.
(that is, off-range of course :))

[Loco]

The story basically like this: Sinterklaas is a saint who lives in Spain, and once a year he takes his steam boat to Belgium and Holland to deliver toys and candy
Just one question, is Sinterklaas=SaintKlaus? Anyway, first notice Sinterklaas lives here in Spain, I thought he lived in some place in Laponia(Lapland?). Maybe Sinterklaas is getting older and he moved to a warm place around Benidorm, anyway I live in the cold and wet area of Spain, unlike him, he´s really clever :D
About Christmas, the tradition in Spain is that toys are given to children the 6 of January by Three Kings of Orient, Melchor, Gaspar and Balthasar who came in camels with their pages. This tradition is based in the New Testament, you know, when Jesus was a child and 3 Wises/kings from orient visited him for examining him. In this tradition, Balthasar is supposed to be african and is represented as a black king. I don´t know if this tradition is followed in others countries, I think in Italy they do it too, is true? any others fans of 3 Orient´s kings aroung there?

[Smintjes]

Santa Claus lives in Rovaniemi, Finland. Sinterklaas isn't the same, we call Santa Claus "de Kerstman" (Christmas Man).

And we know The Three Kings too (Driekoningen), on the 6th of January. It's not really a holiday, but some kids go trick or treating on that day.