# Pentagon Announces Three Surprise Threats



## CDG (Feb 22, 2012)

This caught my eye this morning on another site. The Pentagon has released three "surprise" threats to the US. The first is radical elements within the Armed Forces, although they do not define what they mean by "radical" i.e. Islamic or otherwise.  Second is that intelligence officials do not believe Iran really wants, or is actively pursuing, nuclear weapons.  Third is that the intelligence community has pissed off the generals by being "too pessimistic"about Afghanistan. 

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Milita...three-surprises/Radical-elements-in-US-forces

I don't know how much of a surprise this is, but it certainly is cause for some concern I believe.  The fact they throw out this vague threat of "radical elements" within the military without specifically defining what they are radical about seems like they may be laying the groundwork for something.  Although what that something is I can't really articulate.    I completely disagree with the notion that Iran doesn't want a nuclear capability and have to wonder where these guys are getting that intel from.  I would have thought that we would learn to err on the side of caution after the whole Taliban/bin Laden/Massoud/9-11 thing.  And I think it's laughable that the generals are mad with the intel folks for not painting a rosy enough picture of Afghanistan.  Who cares about the truth?  We want to be placated!


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## AWP (Feb 22, 2012)

Re: Afghanistan. LOL, maybe someone will listen. Maybe.

http://www.shadowspear.com/vb/threads/truth-lies-and-afghanistan.13183/


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## Marauder06 (Feb 22, 2012)

The CSM thinks that these three things are "surprises?"  They should have titled it, "things people have been talking about for years, but we just now decided to notice."    It's really a "surprise" that 1) there is an extremist threat in the US, 2) that there is disagreement over Iran's nuclear weapons program, and 3) the war isn't going well in Afghanistan?  Wow, I'm glad someone finally told me about it.  I had no idea!


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## M482012AN5 (Feb 22, 2012)

For more information on the piece about radical elements within the intelligence iron triangle conducting operations at their own will, please refer to seasons 2 through 5 of the hit USA series, Burn Notice.


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## AWP (Feb 22, 2012)

Marauder06 said:


> The CSM thinks that these three things are "surprises?"


 
Dude, the CSM has been neck-deep in issues that matter: sideburns, fingernail polish, and off-duty grooming standards. You'll have to forgive him if he's a little slow in picking up these trivialties.


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## M482012AN5 (Feb 22, 2012)

Think he meant the news organization, but they're neck-deep in similarly important issues as well...


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## 0699 (Feb 22, 2012)

Freefalling said:


> Dude,* the CSM has been neck-deep in issues that matter: sideburns, fingernail polish, and off-duty grooming standards*. You'll have to forgive him if he's a little slow in picking up these trivialties.


 
Isn't the Army due for another uniform change???  He needs to get hot on that...


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## RustyShackleford (Feb 22, 2012)

CDG said:


> Third is that the intelligence community has pissed off the generals by being "too pessimistic"about Afghanistan.


 
Gee, maybe they should tailor the product for what the consumer wants to see...


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## AWP (Feb 22, 2012)

0699 said:


> Isn't the Army due for another uniform change??? He needs to get hot on that...


 
Don't give him any ideas...the Army's changed outfits more than Lady GaGa at the MTV Awards.


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## pardus (Feb 23, 2012)

0699 said:


> Isn't the Army due for another uniform change??? He needs to get hot on that...


 
It's on the way, yep, no joke.


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## Marauder06 (Feb 23, 2012)

M482012AN5 said:


> Think he meant the news organization, but they're neck-deep in similarly important issues as well...


 
Roger, in this instance I meant Christian Science Monitor, not Command Sergeant Major.  My mistake.


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## x SF med (Feb 23, 2012)

Freefalling said:


> Dude, the CSM has been neck-deep in issues that matter: sideburns, fingernail polish, and off-duty grooming standards. You'll have to forgive him if he's a little slow in picking up these trivialties.


 
You forgot he's also involved in the issue of fully, fairly and impartially assimilating those of alternative lifestyles into the military without fear of gender-norming nor excluding any qualified individual from any job, and possibly allowing for a decrease in qualifications for operational/combat troops so that the inclusion of all is, although not guaranteed, less exclusionary to those individuals who are not represented properly in that and the SOF community.

And uniforms that don't work right, he's involved in that too...

Mara, see what you are missing by not having a qualified NCO write and edit your theses so you can take credit and garner the advanced degree?


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## AWP (Feb 23, 2012)

M482012AN5 said:


> Think he meant the news organization, but they're neck-deep in similarly important issues as well...


 
 Going and destroying my sarcasm with your facts and everything...


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## M482012AN5 (Feb 23, 2012)

Sarcasm > Facts and stuff


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## TH15 (Feb 23, 2012)

> “I’m very convinced that they’re going down the road to developing a nuclear weapon,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) of South Carolina.


 ​​Even though the IC seems to think otherwise? I cannot stand Lindsey Graham. ​


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## Chopstick (Feb 23, 2012)

South Carolina is developing a nuclear weapon???


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## x SF med (Feb 23, 2012)

Chopstick said:


> South Carolina is developing a nuclear weapon???


 
I think it's just the WMD carried by Miss South Carolina in the Miss USA Pagent.:-"


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## SpitfireV (Feb 24, 2012)

Iran is a bit of an odd one. On one hand, it's in their best interests *not* to have nukes. On the other it's in their best interests to make the region *think* they want nukes but still take advantage of *not* having them. Maybe. It's a theory in progress.


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## AWP (Feb 24, 2012)

x SF med said:


> I think it's just the WMD carried by Miss South Carolina in the Miss USA Pagent.:-"


 
Nice necro-crossthreading.


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## x SF med (Feb 25, 2012)

Freefalling said:


> Nice necro-crossthreading.


 
Thank you, your original post (the WMD post, oh so long ago...) made this easy.


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## JohnnyBoyUSMC (Feb 26, 2012)

Radical elements in the military? You mean there are military members who also see how screwed up our governmental/political system has become and MIGHT wanna do something about it? Oh my stars!!! They make it sound like another Caesar crossing the rubicon could happen


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