Tag: Department of Defense Office of Inspector General

A friendly fire death, a platoon’s 20 years of trauma

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Bryan O’Neal has spent two decades grinding his way up the U.S. Army ranks, from lowly private to command sergeant major — the highest rank for a non-commissioned officer. He could write a textbook on modern warfare history — and his own unique place in it — but much of what he’s seen and done could be hard for anyone to hear. Significant numbers of the men and women under his command weren’t even born until after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that inspired him to enlist.

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In the spring of 2004, perhaps the last thing President George W. Bush’s administration needed was another war-related PR problem. No one could find Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, which the administration had used to build a case for war. Less than a month before Tillman’s death, four contractors for the Blackwater private security firm in Iraq were ambushed and dragged through the streets, and their corpses were hung from a bridge. In April came shocking images of torture at the Abu Ghraib prison.

A friendly fire death, a platoon’s 20 years of trauma

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Defying Niger exit order leaves U.S. troops vulnerable, whistleblower says

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Defying Niger exit order leaves U.S. troops vulnerable, whistleblower says

“We have Army soldiers right now in Niger who aren’t getting their troop rotations, who aren’t getting their medicine, who aren’t getting their supplies, who aren’t getting their mail and the two senior people in the United States Army are sitting before me and it’s like ‘hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil,’” said Gaetz.

Previously:

BBC: Niger’s Junta Revokes Military Agreement With US

He [Col Amadou Abdramane] also alleged that the US delegation had accused Niger of making a secret deal to supply uranium to Iran. Col Abdramane described the accusation as “cynical” and “reminiscent of the second Iraq war”.

Robbers ‘Loot’ Russian Missiles Left Behind In Chernihiv; Ukrainian Police Bust Bizarre Theft, Arrest Culprits

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Robbers ‘Loot’ Russian Missiles Left Behind In Chernihiv; Ukrainian Police Bust Bizarre Theft, Arrest Culprits

Tor is a short-range, all-weather, low to medium-range surface-to-air missile system deployed in Ukraine. Both combatants have used the weapon system and its various upgraded and modernized variants in the ongoing war. Ukrainian forces destroyed several Russian Tor air defense systems throughout the war.

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This is the second time in a week that such bizarre theft has come to light. Earlier this week, the National Police in Kyiv had disclosed the seizure of weapons and detained a man who they claim had “a significant amount” of arms hidden in an apartment and a garage.

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Controversy has unfolded in Ukraine regarding criminals and arms traffickers stealing weaponry sent from Western equipment stock meant for the Ukrainian troops that are perpetually in need of armed support, whether Western or Soviet-origin arms, to fight against the Russians.

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According to a Defense Department inspector general report* that came to light in July this year, criminals, volunteer fighters, and arms traffickers took some Western-provided weaponry and equipment meant for Ukrainian troops last year before it was found.

Related:

*The DoD’s Accountability of Equipment Provided to Ukraine (DODIG-2023-002)

Stolen Surface-To-Air Missiles Found In Kyiv Garage