Libya

I'm sure many of you have been waiting for this one. I would have done it sooner, but I've been fairly busy the past couple of weeks, hence my last post being so lazy. For the past four or so months, a bloody civil war has been raging in Libya. Libya, a country in North Africa along the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, hasn't seen fighting like this since World War II, when it held strategic port cities and a path to the oil rich Middle East for the Nazis. Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has ruled the country with an iron fist since a coup in 1969, and in wake of the recent uprisings in nearby countries, such as Egypt, a portion of Libya's populace has rebelled and started a civil war dividing the country in half.

The nucleus of the rebellion is Benghazi, a major port city well east of the government held capital, Tripoli. Recently, most of the fighting has been in between Benghazi and Tripoli. The Rebels consist of turncoat government troops and other sympathetic Libyan citizens. The Rebel arsenal consists of captured government weapons (typical African weapons: Kalashkinovs, FN FALs, RPG-7s, and other older weapons from the former Soviet Union and other European powers). Tanks are not out of the question, as the separatists have acquired T-55s and on a smaller level, T-72s.

Foreign support has been key for the rebellion, as the United States, France, and the United Kingdom have established a No-Fly zone over the country. The No-Fly zone quickly turned into a bombing campaign, devastating Gaddafi's forces. Other foreign support has included Anti-Tank weapons from France and Qatar, rifles from Qatar, medical supplies from the US, and communications equipment from the UK. The situation in Libya changes on a day to day basis, so anything could happen. I plan to update the status when new information is available.

New poll:
Friendly Fire- Is there anything more modern militaries can do to avoid it?

Iraq Today

"A roadside bombing in Fallujah killed four American servicemen and fourteen Iraqi civilians. So far 48 wounded have been accounted for. Efforts have been stepped up in the area to quell the recent surges in violence." This is not a real broadcast or news real, however I'm sure that it wouldn't surprise you if it were. We are all too familiar with hearing this in the news bulletins.

So far, 4,235 U.S. soldiers, 178 British soldiers and 139 soldiers from other nations have made the ultimate sacrifice in the Coalition's efforts to remove Saddam Hussein and restore order to the nation. Tens of thousands of Coalition servicemen have been wounded in this great crusade by the Western powers. This seems like a harsh number, and it really is for a conflict of this magnitude. That's over 10,000 parents who don't have a son anymore, sisters who have lost their brothers and vice versa. Not to mention the thousands of children who will grow up without one of their parents. Nobody knows the cost of war more than these people. 

Another figure to throw into the mix, and one of the largest recruiters of insurgents, is the civilian death toll in Iraq. Estimates go from 100,000 all the way to one million dead (although this seems quite extreme to me). Whether it's from an IED or a stray bomb, no sane person wants to see innocent civilians caught and ended in the snare of war. There is no doubt that when this happens, there are those family members and friends who want retribution, and would even be willing to take up arms against the oppressors (Coalition troops) to satisfy their bloody revenge. Many people who have been turned against the Iraqi insurgents, and even the Iraqi people in some cases have no idea what it's like for a foreign country to invade your own, murdering thousands in its deadly path. Just something to consider...

Afghanistan-Korengal Valley

Throughout all of Afghanistan, there is that one part that troops know they don't want to be sent to. Over 40 American servicemen and countless Afghan troops have been killed in this one area alone. The Korengal Valley is on the Eastern part of Afghanistan and borders Northern Pakistan. This area is a very strategic location for Taliban fighters, as the US has limited involvement in Pakistan (mainly just drone strikes, after the Bin-Laden raid there is no question SOCOM has involvement as well) and this is where many of them cross the border.

The terrain within the Korengal Valley is very mountainous and hilly. This makes it difficult for ISAFs to secure the area. What they do, is set up numerous firebases and patrol the surrounding areas. Some of the territories throughout the valley are known Taliban strongholds, and it is almost expected that there will be fighting there when patrolled.

It is hard to fight there, especially when relations with the local tribal leaders are extremely important. Though the ISAF does its best to avoid them, incidents do happen. An accidental bombing of a village, a stray mortar landing in a school yard. This is in addition to the punishment that the Taliban initiates for collaboration. There is no question about it, life in the Korengal Valley is tough for everyone.

Today's Current Battlefields

Hello! And welcome to my blog: Today's Current Battlefields.

Like most people, you probably wake up, have a cup of coffee, and leave for work in the morning. What follows is the same boring day. Maybe something doesn't go right; you spill your coffee or get caught in traffic. You may think that this is absolutely terrible! How could anyone's life be any worse than yours at that given moment? Well, it could.

You have probably grown up very fortunate. You've never heard automatic gunfire on your street, bombs have never fallen in your city, and you've never had to carry a loved ones body from the ruins. The world may seem at ease to you, but all over it is not. There are many conflicts out there, and this blog will report on them. So, check back for more updates!

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