What's black and tan and looks good on a terrorist?

I try not to plagiarise and always give credit where it is due but this time I can't find the original author. The below photos were sent to me via a much forwarded E mail and I found it so interesting I thought I'd post it up. As an animal lover who worked very closely with the Dog Section during my police career in general duties, tactical firearms and counter-terrorist search, I have a big soft spot for them (which got nipped a few times) and great respect for their handlers.

The below text and photo captions are not mine so cannot be verified. I rarely use the word `awesome` but in this case I'd concur with it's use.

Just a thought, I wonder if anyone from the Home Office has done a cost evaluation and feasibility study to see if a canine can attend a burglary with a cam/corder and take a report from the victim? But then again this is not a good example, as police don't tend to be sent to these jobs as much these days, anyway.  

I ought to add this link on PTSD, with a tip of the hat to Roger Fortier. 

When President Obama went to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, for a highly publicized, but very private meeting with the commando team that killed Osama bin Laden, only one of the 81 members of the super-secret SEAL DevGru unit was identified by name: Cairo, the war dog.

Cairo, like most canine members of the elite U.S. Navy SEALs, is a Belgian
Malinois. The Malinois breed is similar to German shepherds but smaller and More compact, with an adult male weighing in the 30-kilo range.

(German shepherds are still used as war dogs by the American military but The lighter, stubbier Malinois is considered better for the tandem Parachute jumping and rappelling operations often undertaken by SEAL teams.
Labrador retrievers are also favored by various military organizations around the world .

Like their human counterparts, the dog SEALs are highly trained, highly
Skilled, highly motivated special ops experts, able to perform
Extraordinary military missions by SEa, Air and Land (thus the acronym).

The dogs, equipped with video cameras, also enter certain danger zones
First, allowing their handlers to see what’s ahead before humans follow.

As I mentioned before, SEAL dogs are even trained parachutists, jumping Either in tandem with their handlers or solo, if the jump is into water.

Last year canine parachute instructor Mike Forsythe and his dog Cara set The world record for highest man-dog parachute deployment, jumping from more than 30,100 feet up — the altitude transoceanic passenger jets fly at.

Both Forsythe and Cara were wearing oxygen masks and skin protectors for The jump.
Here’s a photo from that jump, taken by Andy Anderson for K9 Storm Inc. (more about those folks shortly).

When the SEAL DevGru team (usually known by its old designation, Team 6) Hit bin Laden’s Pakistan compound on May 2, Cairo ’s feet would have been Four of the first on the ground.

And like the human SEALs, Cairo was wearing super-strong, flexible body Armor and outfitted with high-tech equipment that included “doggles” —
Specially designed and fitted dog goggles with night-vision and infrared Capability that would even allow Cairo to see human heat forms through Concrete walls.

Now where on earth would anyone get that kind of incredibly niche hi-tech Doggie gear?

From Winnipeg , of all places.

Jim and Glori Slater’s Manitoba hi-tech mom-and-pop business, K9 Storm Inc., has a deserved worldwide reputation for designing and manufacturing
Probably the best body Armor available for police and military dogs.

Working dogs in 15 countries around the world are currently protected by Their K9 Storm body Armor.

Jim Slater was a canine handler on the Winnipeg Police Force when he Crafted a Kevlar protective jacket for his own dog, Olaf, in the mid-1990s.

Soon Slater was making body Armor for other cop dogs, then the Canadian Military and soon the world.

The standard K9 Storm vest also has a load-bearing harness system that Makes it ideal for tandem rappelling and parachuting.

And then there are the special hi-tech add-ons that made the K9 Storm Especially appealing to the U.S. Navy SEALs, who bought four of K9 Storm Inc.’s top-end Intruder “canine tactical assault suits” last year for $86,000. You can be sure Cairo was wearing one of those four suits when he
Jumped into bin Laden’s lair.

Here’s an explanation of all the K9 Storm Intruder special features:

The U.S. Military currently has about 2,800 active-duty dogs
Deployed around the world, with roughly 600 now in Afghanistan and Iraq .
Several of the photos I have included here are from Foreign Policy, as you Will see. Other photos are from K9 Storm Inc.

When you get the Eu. microphone, fill your boots - Huzzay!

Police Cuts? That's nuthin`

Spike Milligan would have written to The Times and suggested that, if threatened with attack, at a given signal, all the crew should shout "Bang"

Judgement Day

I've never had a problem with bikers.

Here Come da F*&%ing Judge

Bring back Sir James

November in East Anglia can be very sunny, warm, foggy and cold

Just a little pictorial account of my travels over the last week. Been here 6 weeks and have yet to be stuck in traffic. People around these parts say `good morning` and take the time to chat. The local town has no traffic lights, no pedestrian crossings and no Tesco, but does have two traditional butchers, a great old fashioned `hardware` store, an electrical retailer who also sells bicycles and an Adnams Brewery Shop.

Nothing more serious to comment on just yet but, as promised, the tale of me and Edward Fox starring in the same film will follow shortly.

A novel post box

Hope they bought a lottery ticket

That's a real Peacock up there - dumb bird

The `eagle` has landed

A great place for lunch if ever you're in Norwich

Sometimes its obvious that parking won't be a good idea, but you can bet some dumb-arse will try

Ferry, `cross the Wensum

Ferry(back) across the Wensum

This is the alternative route for heavy vehicles!! WTF?

Point man - or `Just when you thought it was safe to eat your fish and chips on the sea wall.....`

....the point man calls in `strike now, strike now`

Leaves are fallin' all around, time I was on my way; Thanks to you, I'm much obliged; such a pleasant stay: But now it's time for me to go, the autumn moon lights my way; but now I smell the rain...and with it pain....and its heading my way`

Reading between the lines at the G20 summit???

By special request from Sparkflash, the following clip should be viewed in the context of the current E.U. financial crisis with Greece. The characters portrayed below (Al Swearengen, villainous entrepreneur extroadinaire and Mr Wu, both residents of Deadwood and both up to their ears in life, death and all things illegal and money-making in between) could well be characters from the various on-going Eu. summit crises debates over how to bail out the Greeks, prevent a similar fiasco with the Italians and safeguard everyone else's arse who has a finger in the pie and stands to lose big time. You decide, because as far as I can make out, Merkel, Sarkosy, Cameron and more than a few others could identify with the following conversation!
 But I warn you, this contains some seriously obscene language, so if you think you'll be offended, stay out of the saloon or take suitable precautions before playing the clip within earshot of others of sensitive dispositions - it could make their eyes water and get you into a lot of trouble.

Greeks bearing graft

When a Greek Prime Minister agrees a deal with the Eu. and then adds a clause of his own once he gets home, is it any wonder that his ministers have to issue statements `backing him`, on the hour, every hour, modifying their definition of the term `backing him` on each our?  They are backing him alright, but it’s into the corner he has backed himself into. Just taking the experience of people I know who’ve bought properties in Greece and Cyprus, a deal is not a deal even if it’s been agreed in writing and drawn up by a lawyer who isn't a cousin – and even then it can all go bent. And if that little lot sounded all Greek, it was. I pay my bills in £££’s not Euro’s, but we’re shelling out on this one regardless.