It's OK Jarheads, Buffs Gotcher Back

Waging war the Strategic Air Command way.  Real men launch nuclear weapons.  When the nuclear arm of the Air Force has an exercise, the point of the exercise is to launch all the birds as fast as possible, called MITO (minimum interval take off), before the incoming Soviet nuke vaporizes the base.  I think the goal is to get them airborne in ten minutes after the alarm is raised.  Once the birds are launched, the hard-working maintenance men can go back to their shops and play spades for the rest of the exercise.  Grueling.  Anyway, this video shows a launch of 'alert' birds from Minot AFB.  If the flag drops, these planes will fly to their target, nuking a path before them with SRAM (Short Range Attack Missiles), and launch their cruise missiles or nuke bombs on the soon-to-be-dust enemy target.  Listen to the comments.  They call it the 'Elephant Walk' as the lumbering B-52s roll to the runway.  After a little while the video is boring.  But if you stick it out to the end, someone makes the key, awesome comment,

"Now that's American airpower right there ladies and gentlemen.   No other country in the world can do what you just saw".   Tru Dat!

Time to go play some spades.

Saber Rattling: Is it time for the next big Mid-East Confrontation?

Hmmm...: Within the space of two days, all these articles come out:

From Israel:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to rally support in his cabinet for an attack on Iran, according to government sources.

From the UK:

Britain's armed forces are stepping up their contingency planning for potential military action against Iran amid mounting concern about Tehran's nuclear enrichment programme, the Guardian has learned.

The Ministry of Defence believes the US may decide to fast-forward plans for targeted missile strikes at some key Iranian facilities. British officials say that if Washington presses ahead it will seek, and receive, UK military help for any mission, despite some deep reservations within the coalition government.

And from rightcheer in Amurrica:

As the International Atomic Energy Agency prepares to release its latest report on Iran's nuclear program, an Obama administration official said Thursday that the Islamic regime has a credibility problem.

"Iran, over many years, has been unable to demonstrate the peaceful intent of its nuclear program," Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes told reporters in Cannes, France, where President Obama was attending the G20 summit."

more from The Guardian via Hot Air:

Britain’s armed forces are stepping up their contingency planning for potential military action against Iran amid mounting concern about Tehran’s nuclear enrichment programme, the Guardian has learned.
The Ministry of Defence believes the US may decide to fast-forward plans for targeted missile strikes at some key Iranian facilities. British officials say that if Washington presses ahead it will seek, and receive, UK military help for any mission, despite some deep reservations within the coalition government.
In anticipation of a potential attack, British military planners are examining where best to deploy Royal Navy ships and submarines equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles over the coming months as part of what would be an air and sea campaign.
They also believe the US would ask permission to launch attacks from Diego Garcia, the British Indian ocean territory, which the Americans have used previously for conflicts in the Middle East.

I for one say it's about damn time! Wag that dog Barry! Time go for your second violation of the War Powers Act!
Bombs Away, Barry!