To All,
Good Thursday morning February 23, 2023.
I hope that your week has been going well.
A lot of rain and some hail here in San Diego
I finally got a new track ball the third on this machine and my fingers are trying to work it out. There are just enough differences that my hand is getting frustrated. But it is much better than the old one that was driving me nuts from its lack of response.
Regards,
Skip
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History
February. 23
1795—The U.S. Navy Office of Purveyor of Supplies is established.
1919—The first ship named for an enlisted man, USS Osmond Ingram (DD 255), is launched.
1944—In an overnight raid, Task Force 58 planes bomb the Japanese at Saipan, Tinian, Rota and Guam in the first raid of the Mariana Islands.
1945—Four days after landing on Iwo Jima, an invasion "where uncommon valor was a common virtue," the United States flag is raised on Mt. Suribachi.
But there was still a lot of fighting and dying left to do
1916 Battle of Verdun begins »
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This Day in World History
February. 23
0303 Emperor Diocletian orders the general persecution of Christians in Rome.
1516 The Hapsburg Charles I succeeds Ferdinand in Spain.
1540 Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado begins his unsuccessful search for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold in the American Southwest.
1574 The 5th War of Religion breaks out in France.
1615 The Estates-General in Paris is dissolved, having been in session since October 1614.
1778 Baron von Steuben joins the Continental Army at Valley Forge.
1821 Poet John Keats dies of tuberculosis at the age of 25.
1836 The Alamo is besieged by Santa Anna.
1846 The Liberty Bell tolls for the last time, to mark George Washington's birthday.
1847 Forces led by Zachary Taylor defeat the Mexicans at the Battle of Buena Vista.
1854 Great Britain officially recognizes the independence of the Orange Free State.
1861 Texas becomes the seventh state to secede from the Union.
1885 John Lee survives three attempts to hang him in Exeter Prison, as the trap fails to open.
1898 Writer Emile Zola is imprisoned in France for his letter J'accuse in which he accuses the French government of anti-semitism and the wrongful imprisonment of army captain Alfred Dreyfus.
1901 Britain and Germany agree on a boundary between German East Africa and Nyasaland.
1904 Japan guarantees Korean sovereignty in exchange for military assistance.
1916 Secretary of State Lansing hints that the U.S. may have to abandon the policy of avoiding "entangling foreign alliances".
1921 An airmail plane sets a record of 33 hours and 20 minutes from San Francisco to New York.
1926 President Calvin Coolidge opposes a large air force, believing it would be a menace to world peace.
1936 In Russia, an unmanned balloon rises to a record height of 25 miles.
1938 Twelve Chinese fighter planes drop bombs on Japan.
1942 A Japanese submarine shells an oil refinery near Santa Barbara, California, the first Axis bombs to hit American soil.
1944 American bombers strike the Marianas Islands bases, only 1,300 miles from Tokyo.
1945 Eisenhower opens a large offensive in the Rhineland.
1945 U.S. Marines plant an American flag atop Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima.
1946 Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita is hanged in Manila, the Philippines, for war crimes.
1947 Several hundred Nazi organizers are arrested in Frankfurt by U.S. and British forces.
1950 New York's Metropolitan Museum exhibits a collection of Hapsburg art. The first showing of this collection in the U.S.
1954 Mass innoculation begins as Salk's polio vaccine is given to children for first time.
1955 Eight nations meet in Bangkok for the first SEATO council.
1960 Whites join Negro students in a sit-in at a Winston-Salem, N.C. Woolworth store.
1964 The U.S. and Britain recognize the new Zanzibar government.
1967 American troops begin the largest offensive of the war, near the Cambodian border.
1972 Black activist Angela Davis is released from jail where she was held for kidnapping , conspiracy and murder.
1991 French forces unofficially start the Persian Gulf ground war by crossing the Saudi-Iraqi border.
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ROLLING THUNDER REMEMBERED Thanks to the Bear
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
Skip… For The List for Thursday, 23 February 2023… Bear🇺🇸⚓️🐻
OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER (1965-1968)…
From the archives of rollingthunderremembered.com post for 23 February 1968… A Bear Rant: the two-tier schedule for retired vet benefits—screw the pre-9/11 retirees!!!
This following work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear's Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
This is a list of all Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . Listed by last name and has other info https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/KIAINDEX.HTM
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Thanks to Carl
A U-2 spy plane pilot took a selfie with the Chinese spy balloon
That's one hell of a shot!
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Thanks to Brett….very interesting article
Geopolitical Futures:
Keeping the future in focus
https://geopoliticalfutures.com
Daily Memo: Arab-Iranian Relations Burdened by History
The differences between the two groups go back centuries.
By: Hilal Khashan
February 23, 2023
There has long been a desire within certain segments of the Arab masses to establish a unity with Persians based on religious fraternity, which the Iranian revolution itself supported. However, many Arabs grew wary about Iran's real intentions toward the Arab world following the onset of the Iran-Iraq War in 1980 and Iran's growing tendency toward expansionism in the region. Indeed, hardly a week goes by without Arab and Iranian leaders issuing warnings, threats or offensive statements at each other. There are many contemporary reasons for the hostility, but it can't be fully understood without historical context. This piece provides that context, offering an overview of Arab-Iranian ties from antiquity to the present.
Before Islam
The beginning of interaction between the two ethnicities took the form of Arab loyalty and submission to the Persians. An artifact documenting their earliest contact dates back to the fifth century B.C. It's a mural in the ancient city of Persepolis, the capital of the Achaemenid Empire, showing Arabs bringing camels and offering tribute to Persepolis as a sign of their acceptance of Persian domination. This image has survived in the Persian imagination and continues to exert influence over Persian culture to this day. Persians, especially Persian kings, also developed stereotypes about Arabs. In a speech delivered by King Khosrau Parvez (d. 628) in front of foreign delegations, he said: "I have not seen the Arabs have any good qualities in the matter of religion or the world, nor firmness or strength, and what indicates their humiliation is their place of living, i.e., the desert, with squawking beasts and bewildered birds. They kill their children out of want and eat each other out of need."
Persians in ancient times displayed a sort of egotism and contempt for people of other ethnicities. They justified their arrogance through their affiliation with the Aryan race. Persian emperors were particularly proud of this lineage, especially Achaemenid Darius, who referred to himself as "an Aryan descendant."
The Persians established their second great empire, following the demise of the Achaemenid Empire, in 330 B.C. The Sasanian Empire was nearly without peer, but Arab tribes in Iraq ravaged Persian lands and resources. In 350, Persian King Sapur II launched a full-scale offensive to take revenge. He reached Medina in Hejaz, persecuted its people, and imposed tribute on them. However, the Arab tribes defeated the Sassanids in the Battle of Dhi Qar in 604.
Under Islam
The situation changed after the advent of Islam. The Arabs managed to subjugate Persia and place it under their nascent rule. Iranian writer and historian Abdolhossein Zarrinkoub called the era that followed the defeat of the Sasanian Empire at the hands of the Muslims in the Battle of Nahavand "two centuries of silence." He condemned Iran's conversion to Islam and accused Arab rulers of suppressing Persian culture and draining its resources.
The era of silence covered the Rashidun administration, the Umayyad Dynasty and the beginning of the Abbasid Empire. The Persian Barmakids acquired critical positions in the Abbasid Empire, especially in the court of the caliph, Harun al-Rashid. However, they undermined the caliph's rule, plundered the treasury and led luxurious lifestyles. They didn't hide their disdain for Arabs and attempted to exclude them from state positions. Al-Rashid decided to get rid of them in 803 after realizing they were about to get rid of him. Their fall was one of the most dramatic episodes in the historical conflict between Arabs and Persians.
The era of silence ended with the conclusion of al-Rashid's rule and the rise of caliph al-Mamun and his Persian supporters. With al-Mamun's ascendancy, Persians reached the highest positions in the army and the Abbasid palace. This ushered in the revival of Persian nationalism. Zarrinkoub described the period as a scientific, intellectual and literary renaissance for the Persians in the Abbasid Empire. It also saw the rise of a populist Persian movement known as Shubiya, which emerged in response to the surge in Arab pride throughout the Umayyad era (661-750) and refuted the superiority of Arabs.
Developments accelerated in the ninth century with the establishment of the Samanid state in the Iranian plateau. It was the first state since the rise of Islam to adopt the Persian language and revive Persian literature officially. Within this framework, the poet Ferdowsi wrote an epic poem titled "Shahnameh," which is essentially a biography of the Persian kings until the Arab Islamic conquest. It became the book of Persian nationalism and the most critical work in the history of Persian literature. It also depicted Arabs as less civilized and significant than Persians.
The populist perspective on Arabs was strengthened with the overlapping of Persian identity with the Shiite sect. Narratives began to form that vilified symbols of Sunni Arabs, presenting them as enemies of Shiites. Iranian reformist thinkers tried to go beyond the populist heritage and present a conciliatory perspective of Arabs. Historian Ali Shariati Mazinani, for example, criticized the Safavid Shiism associated with Persian nationalism.
Modern Times
This didn't last, however. Persian national identity reawakened in the mid-19th century, receiving a tremendous boost during the 1906 constitutional movement. Reza Shah overthrew the Qajars in 1925 and introduced the Pahlavi dynasty, which lasted until 1979. During their 54-year rule, the Pahlavis promoted national principles, giving Iranian nationalism an air of modernity and reinstating negative perceptions of Arabs. In 1925, Britain allied with Reza Shah to confront Russia, which had seized from Iran large areas of Azerbaijan. Britain's help enabled him to occupy the oil-rich Arabistan emirate (renamed Khuzestan), located east of the Iraqi province of Basra and north of the Persian Gulf.
The Ahwazi people, the Arab occupants of Arabistan, backed the Iranian Revolution. They stopped producing oil, hoping the leaders of the revolution would give them regional autonomy, restore their historical rights and settle their grievances. But the followers of the revolution mistreated them, launching bloody punitive campaigns and seeking to establish a purely Islamic republic that owes complete loyalty to the guardianship of the jurist – essentially the clergy that would govern Iran. The issue of the Ahwazi Arabs was included on the agenda of the first Arab summit in 1964 but was mostly ignored by Arab states after the Six-Day War in 1967, in which Israel seized the West Bank, the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula.
Arabs were terrified of the Iranian threat in the 1960s and 1970s after Tehran began spending massive sums to develop its military capabilities. Iran also demanded to annex Bahrain, but when a popular referendum in 1971 showed an overwhelming preference for independence, it seized three Emirati islands instead.
When the clerics came to power after the 1979 revolution, ethnic minorities in Iran rejoiced. They believed the mullahs who promoted Islamic brotherhood and minority rights would end their oppression. But their hopes were dashed when the new regime inherited its predecessors' negative views toward non-Persians, especially Arabs. The Pahlavis laid the foundation of modern Iranian nationalism, which continues to promote Iranian expansionism in the countries of the Arab region under different guises, such as exporting the principles of the revolution.
Persian animosity toward Arabs is still evident today. University of Tehran professor Sadiq Zibakalam says that Persians have deep-seated hatred toward Arabs. It also seems that they have not forgotten their historic defeat at the hands of Arabs in the Battle of Al-Qadisiyah in 636 and the Battle of Nahavand in 642, which led to the demise of the Sasanian Empire. Contemporary Persian literature also continues to be hostile toward Arabs. In 2011, Iranian poet Mostafa Badkoobei held an event at the cultural center in Hamedan, and according to Iranian media, he said, "Take me to the bottom of Hell, O God of the Arabs, on the condition that I do not find a single Arab in it."
Prejudice against Arabs also appears in school curricula. The fifth grade social studies textbook says that the movements that appeared in Iran during the Islamic era were all aimed at liberating Iranians from Arabs. When Iranians participate in demonstrations against the regime, they often chant: "Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, my soul is sacrificed for Iran," in defiance of Tehran's financial support for Hezbollah and Palestinian organizations despite Iran's own economic woes.
Iran hasn't let go of its regional ambitions and continues to exert influence throughout the Middle East. In 2015, former Iranian intelligence minister Haidar Moslehi said Iran already controlled four Arab capitals: Baghdad, Damascus, Beirut and Sanaa. Tehran's refusal to disband its regional proxies was one of the primary reasons for the failure of the Vienna nuclear talks. These actions deepen the wedge between Persians and Arabs today
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Thanks to Carl
Ukraine's Friends May Doom It – And Us
Who the hell decided that "Sure, we'll pay Ukraine's pensions!" was a great idea? We Americans can barely afford gas and eggs.
Ukraine's Friends May Doom It – And Us
Kurt Schlichter | Feb 23, 2023
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|Thanks to Brett
Stratfor snippets - Israel, Iran, EU, China/U.S., Italy, North Korea, Pakistan, U.S./Russia, Burkina Faso, Mexico, U.K., China, France/EU, Armenia/Azerbaijan, India/China, China/Indonesia
Israel: Judicial Reforms Pass First Reading, May Be Law by End of March
What Happened: Despite mass pushback from opposition parties and the United States, Israel's Knesset passed its judicial reform measure in the first of three readings in a 63-47 vote, The Times of Israel reported Feb. 21. The legislation would put the sitting government in charge of judicial appointments and end the Supreme Court's ability to review "Basic Laws," which are Israel's stand-in for a constitution.
Why It Matters: It looks likely that this part of the judicial reform — which would make the Supreme Court function in a way similar to those of other democracies, like the United States — will pass its second and third readings in March, eroding the Supreme Court's traditional liberal wing and ability to check right-wing impulses. The Knesset could then push through quasi-constitutional amendments to the Basic Law that structurally shift the country to the right.
Background: This round of legislation does not yet include the controversial plan to allow the Knesset to override the Supreme Court with a simple majority. Yariv Levin, Israel's justice minister and leader of the Likud party, has suggested that such a move would be included in what he called "phase one" of the judicial reforms, and he said he hopes to complete this legislation before summer. Tens of thousands of protestors have shown up each week to decry the overhaul, while businesses and banks are warning that the move's reshaping of the country's checks and balances will harm investment prospects, spur capital flight and cause skilled workers to leave the country.
Iran: IAEA Discovers Uranium Enriched to 84%, but No Stockpiles, During Inspection
What Happened: International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors discovered uranium enriched to 84% during an inspection the week of Feb. 13 in Iran, Bloomberg reported on Feb. 19, citing two senior diplomats. However, The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran does not appear to be stockpiling the uranium enriched to that level of purity.
Why It Matters: By briefly enriching uranium to 84% — but not stockpiling the more highly enriched uranium — Iran appears to be trying to thread the needle between antagonism and compliance in order to compel the United States and the European Union to resume nuclear negotiations. The high level of uranium enrichment is close to the 90% level generally referred to as weapons grade, and the development will spur more discussion in Israel and the West on how to respond, potentially with more covert military and intelligence operations, particularly in the case of Israel.
Background: Iran has been highlighting the acceleration of its nuclear and missile programs in recent months as the West remains primarily focused on the Russia-Ukraine war.
EU: Bloc Fails to Agree on Call for Global Phase-Out of Fossil Fuels
What Happened: EU foreign ministers failed to reach an agreement on a draft text to call for a global phase-out of fossil fuels, Argus Media reported Feb. 20.
Why It Matters: If the European Union cannot agree on a more aggressive position ahead of the 2023 U.N. Climate Change Conference on Nov. 30-Dec. 12, it will increase the likelihood that COP28 will largely tread water. But regardless of an EU decision, the conference may not result in a strong stance on fossil fuels because the United Arab Emirates (an OPEC member) is hosting it and the conference's chairman is the head of the UAE Abu Dhabi National Oil Co.
Background: According to leaks prior to Feb. 20, the new draft called for a more explicit phase-out of fossil fuels than previous drafts, and some EU member states, including Denmark and Germany, pushed for more ambiguous wording.
China, U.S.: Officials Trade Jabs as Blinken Warns of Chinese Lethal Aid to Russia
What Happened: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi met on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, during which both sides condemned the other for their response to the Chinese spy balloon incident and the war in Ukraine, Reuters reported on Feb. 19. Blinken, in an interview with Meet the Press on Feb. 18, claimed Washington had evidence China was considering providing lethal aid to Russia.
Why It Matters: The Munich meeting confirms the uphill battle of putting guardrails on U.S.-China competition. Should evidence show that China is providing military aid to Russia, Washington will likely sanction China, further aggravating bilateral ties. Beijing remains reluctant to expose Chinese entities to sanctions risks in order to support Russia (e.g., via military aid), given China's reliance on Western trade and investment amid a precarious economic recovery.
Background: When asked by conference attendees for reassurance that China would not attack Taiwan, Wang said peace would depend on opposing independence forces in Taiwan.
Italy: Prime Minister Meloni in Kyiv to Reiterate Italy's Support for Ukraine
What Happened: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is traveling to Ukraine's capital Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and reiterate Italy's support for his country in the war against Russia amid tensions on the issue within her government coalition and divided public opinion in Italy, ANSA reported Feb. 21.
Why It Matters: With her trip to Kyiv, Meloni is seeking to publicly distance herself from the controversial positions of her more pro-Russian partners in the governing coalition and to show the United States and the European Union that Italy's support for Ukraine is reliable. In doing so, Meloni is risking some political capital, as more than 50% of Italians are reportedly against sending weapons to Ukraine and skeptical of sanctions against Russia. However, as her approval ratings remain strong and her coalition government appears stable despite internal divisions on the issue, she still enjoys enough backing to commit to unwavering support for Kyiv. Italy is expected to deliver an advanced air defense system in collaboration with France to Ukraine in the spring.
Background: Meloni's visit comes after some controversial remarks from Forza Italia's leader Silvio Berlusconi, one of her two government coalition partners, who recently blamed Zelensky for Russia's invasion of Ukraine and said that if he was prime minister he would not seek a meeting with him. Besides Forza Italia, Meloni's ruling coalition also includes Lega's leader Matteo Salvini, who — while condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine — has also expressed reservations about Italy's military support to Ukraine.
North Korea: Missile Tests Confirm Escalated Conventional Response Pattern
What Happened: North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that flew 560 miles (901 kilometers) before landing in the waters west of Japan, Reuters reported Feb. 18. Two days later, North Korea launched two more ballistic missiles off its east coast, with those missiles flying shorter distances of 209 and 245 miles (336 and 394 kilometers).
Why It Matters: North Korea will continue to respond militarily to unfavorable Korean Peninsula developments in an attempt to deter Washington from deepening military cooperation with Seoul. To this end, North Korea's growing conventional arms capability allows for a multi-tiered escalation chain that is more versatile than rhetorical threats of nuclear annihilation and the occasional ICBM test. Meanwhile, the Russia-Ukraine war and tensions over Taiwan will continue to siphon Washington's attention away from the peninsula.
Background: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, claimed the country would turn the Pacific into a "firing range" following U.S.-South Korea joint military drills on Feb. 19. Pyongyang threatened an "unprecedentedly persistent, strong" response to the U.S. drills on Feb. 17.
Pakistan: National Assembly Passes Finance Supplementary Bill, Raising Taxes
What Happened: Pakistan's National Assembly passed the Finance Supplementary Bill introduced on Feb. 15, which will implement higher taxes, Dawn reported Feb. 20. The bill proposes a general sales tax increase from 17% to 18%, a luxury imports tax increase from 17% to 25% and higher fares for air travel.
Why It Matters: The approval of higher taxes will bring Pakistan closer to the resumption of the International Monetary Fund's bailout program, which will help the country avoid a default and unlock additional funding from bilateral creditors. However, the tax hikes — together with recent fuel and gas price hikes — will push inflation even higher (it is currently 27%) and raise the risk of protests and social unrest in the coming months amid ongoing political volatility.
Background: Other austerity measures implemented in recent weeks include the removal of artificial caps from Pakistan currency, as well as hikes in the price of fuel and gas in order to reduce the fiscal deficit and augment revenue collection. Pakistan is undergoing a severe economic crisis due to the depletion of its foreign exchange reserves and related inability to fund essential imports and pay back debts.
U.S., Russia: Putin Suspends Russia's Participation in New START
What Happened: In an address to the Federal Assembly, Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country would suspend its participation in the New START nuclear weapons control treaty, AP reported Feb. 21. Putin reiterated that Russia was not entirely withdrawing from the treaty and was open to a new agreement that takes the nuclear arsenals of France and the United Kingdom into account.
Why It Matters: Moscow is pressuring Washington to enter broader security negotiations on arms control, along with its previous demands for negotiations on Western support for Ukraine. However, Russia's suspension of its participation in the treaty is unlikely to change the United States' stance on Ukraine, resulting in an impasse Moscow hopes will fuel war fatigue in the West. In the meantime, Russia appears unlikely to openly violate the treaty or engage in an arms race with the United States, which would be expensive and provide little clear benefit to Moscow. Russia could, however, eventually engage in secret violations or resume nuclear tests as part of its ongoing nuclear blackmail efforts against the West, which could undermine the treaty and cause its collapse prior to its expiration in 2026.
Background: On Jan. 31, the U.S. State Department recognized Russia as in "noncompliance" with the New START treaty due to its refusal to resume negotiations on bilateral inspections. On Nov. 29, 2022, Moscow canceled talks in Cairo, Egypt, on resuming New START inspections, with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabko saying Russia had been left with "no other choice" because Washington would not discuss "the situation in Ukraine."
Burkina Faso: France Officially Ends Military Operations
What Happened: French military operations have officially ended in Burkina Faso, according to Burkinabe armed forces, Reuters reported Feb. 19.
Why It Matters: France's official exit from Burkina Faso will likely worsen an already extremely poor security environment by further degrading the resources available to the Burkinabe military and opening the door to a Russian paramilitary intervention (if Russian paramilitary forces are not already present). Therefore, the security threat to the capital Ouagadougou is set to rise over 2023, likely exacerbating political turmoil.
Background: In January, the Burkinabe government gave France one month to withdraw its 400 troops stationed in the country.
Mexico: Presidential Decree Mandates Energy Ministry Nationalize Lithium Reserves
What Happened: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador signed a decree on Feb. 18 that made the energy ministry responsible for the country's lithium reserves, and he ordered the ministry to take actions to nationalize the reserves, MercoPress reported Feb. 21.
Why It Matters: The decree is the latest of the Mexican government's efforts to nationalize Mexico's lithium resources, and it includes a plan to establish a domestic exploration, mining and battery production supply chain, for which few details are available. Uncertainty over the form of future lithium mining ventures in Mexico may make the country unattractive for investment amid a requirement that foreign firms be only minority partners in ventures with Mexico's state-owned lithium company. Additionally, Mexico's limited technical capacity for exploiting lithium reserves may create long-term difficulties in the sector, which may result in global lithium supply challenges for the battery industry amid efforts to phase out gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles over the next decade.
Background: Mexico has an estimated 1.7 million tons of lithium, ranking it in the top 10 countries in terms of lithium resources. In April 2022, Lopez Obrador announced the nationalization of lithium deposits.
Israel: Knesset Passes Bill Allowing Override of Supreme Court Decisions in First Vote
What Happened: Israel's Knesset voted 62-51 to advance a bill that would allow the body to override the Supreme Court with a simple majority and require the Supreme Court's decisions to be unanimous among its 15 justices, AP reported Feb. 22. In addition, the Knesset advanced a bill that would bring Shas party leader Aryeh Deri back to the Cabinet after the Supreme Court barred him from serving due to past criminal offenses.
Why It Matters: The government has the votes and the apparent discipline to push through a substantial rework of the country's checks and balances potentially as soon as the end of March. If the legislation passes in its current form, it will allow the government to reshape the country's Basic Laws (which stand in for a constitution) and pass potentially radical social and political legislation.
Background: On Feb. 21, the Knesset also passed legislation to give the body the power to appoint justices to the Supreme Court and make the country's semi-constitutional Basic Laws immune to the court's review. The push is part of a wider strategy to reshape the country's checks and balances as the Netanyahu government attempts to enact more of its right-wing policies.
U.K.: Largest Four-Day Workweek Study Shows Benefits, But Widespread Adoption Will Face Challenges
What Happened: Researchers studying the world's largest test of the impact of a four-day workweek on worker mental health, productivity and company performance released their findings, and the general consensus was that the four-day workweek had a net positive impact, The Wall Street Journal reported on Feb. 21. The companies found that their revenue stayed "broadly the same" but was up 35% on average over a similar period in previous years, and workers reported a variety of benefits, such as lower stress levels and better sleeping.
Why It Matters: The study demonstrates many of the benefits that companies and their employees could receive if they consider a four-day workweek or a more flexible work schedule, but there are many limitations that would prevent or limit the ability of many companies to adopt such a change. For example, flexible schedules may not be feasible in industries like education and child care, increased opportunities for overtime could create more competition between employees, and the change could also increase tensions between managers who buy into the shorter workweek differently. Nonetheless, growing global productivity, the emergence of new technologies that will increase labor productivity, and the Western trend toward increased mental health awareness and lifestyle improvements will increase calls in the coming years for more flexible work schedules.
Background: Fifty-six of the 61 British companies taking part in the six-month study said they would continue implementing the four-day workweek after the study, with 18 of them saying the shift would be permanent. Just three companies — less than 5% — said they would return to five-day work weeks. In the study, the workers worked 32-hour workweeks but received the same amount of pay that they did when working five-day workweeks. The study covered nearly 3,000 workers across a wide range of industries.
China: Beijing Warns Chinese Tech Companies Not to Offer ChatGPT Publicly
What Happened: Chinese regulators are telling Chinese technology firms to not offer the services of artificial intelligence (AI) tool ChatGPT to the public due to concerns about uncensored replies to queries by users, Nikkei Asia reported Feb. 22. Chinese tech companies will also need to report to China's regulators if they launch a ChatGPT-like chatbot.
Why It Matters: China's attempt to ban ChatGPT and any services that are utilizing the OpenAI chatbot is no surprise given the high level of censorship in China and its previous banning of a wide range of Western internet services. As China begins to produce its own chatbots, AI-generated responses that are in line with the Chinese Communist Party's overall ideology may help the Party strengthen its narrative domestically. On the other hand, the high degree of intervention and censorship of Chinese chatbots could limit their real-world application, undermining China's competitiveness vis-a-vis overseas competitors.
Background: While China has recently eased its investigations into Chinese technology companies, primarily to encourage economic growth, state impingement on private sector activities and expansions of regulations show that Beijing will maintain a firm hold over the industry.
France, EU: Paris Prepares Early Water Curbs Amid Winter Drought
What Happened: France's environment minister Christophe Bechu announced plans to restrict water use in parts of the country starting in March, the earliest in the year the government has ever made such a move,Reuters reported on Feb. 22. This follows an unusual 32 days without rain amid the driest winter since 1959 in France.
Why It Matters: The dry winter is increasing the risk of severe droughts in France and across Europe during the upcoming summer months,, with significant potential impacts for power production, agriculture and river transport. Early measures taken in France and other countries will help to somewhat reduce the emergency should the drought intensify in the coming months, but rainfall during spring will be crucial for groundwater and rivers returning to normal levels ahead of the summer. Apart from central and southwestern France, arguably the hardest hit so far, warnings and alerts over low water levels and soil moisture are present across several other European countries, from northern Spain, northern Italy and southern Germany to northern Greece, southern Bulgaria and much of Turkey.
Background: Water reserves in France are now lower than they were in the same period in 2022, the driest summer in 500 years. Watering and irrigation are already restricted across 87 municipalities in the south of the country, which usually happens only in summer. Following extreme droughts in 2022 and in 2018 in France and across much of Europe, groundwater levels have remained consistently low for several years and water supply on the Continent has become precarious.
Armenia, Azerbaijan: Yerevan Rejects Baku's Offer to Renegotiate Corridor Checkpoints
What Happened: Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said his country would not renegotiate regulations surrounding the so-called Lachin corridor with Azerbaijan, Armenpress reported Feb. 22. The remarks were in response to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's Feb. 18 offer to allow checkpoints on the proposed Zangezur transit corridor in exchange for checkpoints on the Lachin corridor.
Why It Matters: Mirzoyan's response underscores that Yerevan will not accept changes to the terms of the Lachin corridor unless they come as part of the implementation of a comprehensive peace deal. To that end, Azerbaijan's offer to allow customs and border checks on the Zangezur corridor represents a softening of its previous position, which removes one of the two main obstacles to a peace agreement, but Azerbaijan will likely entrench its position on the remaining obstacle: Azerbaijan's demand that Armenia recognize Baku's sovereignty over all of the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Background: On Feb. 16, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that his country presented Azerbaijan with its latest draft for a comprehensive peace treaty. Azeris have blocked the Lachin corridor since Dec. 12, 2022. The regulation of the Lachin corridor was ostensibly settled following Armenia's and Azerbaijan's signing of a document on Nov. 9, 2022.
U.K.: British Government Considering Public-Sector Pay Rise to End Waves of Strikes
What Happened: The government of the United Kingdom is considering a 5% pay raise for public sector workers to end a monthslong wave of disruptive strikes after official figures showed that public borrowing stood at only 30 billion pounds ($36 billion), the Financial Times reported Feb. 21.
Why It Matters: The improved outlook for public finances has given the British government room to improve pay raise offers to crucial public sector workers and try to end a wave of industrial action that has disrupted public services in the country for months and badly affected the ruling Conservative Party's approval rating. Additionally, the Treasury reportedly indicated in a private memo that public sector awards of up to 5% for 2023-2024 would only have a "low risk" of setting a benchmark for protracted high private sector pay growth, thus reducing the potential inflationary impacts. However, the potential pay raise will reduce the possibility that Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt will also announce income and corporate tax cuts in the March 15 Spring Budget.
Background: Public borrowing is lower than forecast in November 2022 by the Office for Budget Responsibility amid higher-than-expected tax receipts, falling energy prices and low public investment.
India, China: Political Delegations Discuss Border Conflict
What Happened: China hosted the 26th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) in Beijing, The Economic Times reported Feb. 22. In the meeting, both sides reviewed the situation on the border and discussed proposals for disengagement from friction points.
Why It Matters: This was India and China's first ministry-level government-to-government meeting regarding border issues since 2019 and the following 2020 Galwan Valley border clash. The meeting, therefore, might indicate the resumption of diplomatic channels for dispute deescalation amid China's efforts to restart diplomatic outreach after the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this potential positive sign for deescalation, India and China have continued to build infrastructure and military capabilities at the disputed border, causing high tension and sustained risks of clashes.
Background: Shilpak Ambule, the joint secretary (East Asia) from India's Ministry of External Affairs led the Indian delegation, and Yi Xianliang, director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs, led the Chinese delegation. The most recent clash occurred in the eastern sector of the disputed border on Dec. 9, 2022.
China, Indonesia: Parties to Revisit, 'Intensify' South China Sea Code of Conduct Negotiations
What Happened: Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi announced an intention to "intensify" negotiations on the unrealized South China Sea code of conduct ahead of the next round of talks in March, The Straits Times reported Feb. 22.
Why It Matters: With Indonesia now chairing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) amid rising regional maritime tensions, both Jakarta and Beijing are eager to demonstrate publicly that they remain interested in and committed to implementing a South China Sea code of conduct. However, three sticking points endure: the code of conduct's vague geographic scope that avoids direct references to overlapping claims, its vague behavioral scope, and the question of the document being legally binding, which China does not want. These issues will render the realization of the code of conduct unlikely in the short term.
Background: The parties agreed to the non-binding Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea in 2002 and a framework for the code of conduct in 2017. Negotiations were paused during the COVID-19 pandemic years. Indonesia assumed the 2023 ASEAN chairmanship on Jan. 1.
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This Day in U S Military History
February 23
1847 – U.S. troops under Gen. Zachary Taylor defeated Mexican Gen. Santa Anna at the Battle of Buena Vista in Mexico. The United States and Mexico had been at war over territorial disputes since May 1846. The Battle of Buena Vista, also known as the Battle of Angostura, saw the United States (U.S.) Army use artillery to repulse the much larger Mexican army in the Mexican–American War. Buena Vista, a village of the state of Coahuila, is seven miles (12 km) south of Saltillo, in northern Mexico.
1893 – Rudolf Diesel received a German patent for the diesel engine on this day. The diesel engine burns fuel oil rather than gasoline and differs from the gasoline engine in that it uses compressed air in the cylinder rather than a spark to ignite the fuel. Diesel engines were used widely in Europe for their efficiency and power, and are still used today in most heavy industrial machinery. In 1977, General Motors (GM) became the first American car company to introduce diesel-powered automobiles. The diesel-powered Olds 88 and 98 models were 40 percent more fuel-efficient than their gas-powered counterparts. The idling and reduced power efficiency of the diesel engine is much greater than that of the spark engine. Diesel cars never caught on in the U.S., partly because the diesel engine's greater efficiency is counter-balanced by its higher emissions of soot, odor, and air pollutants. Today, the argument over which engine is more environmentally friendly is still alive; some environmentalists argue that in spite of the diesel engine's exhaust pollution, its fuel efficiency may make it more environmentally sound than the gasoline engine in the long run.
1896 – Tootsie Roll was introduced by Leo Hirschfield. Tootsie rolls are still found in some of today's MREs
1900 – In the Philippines, Marine Captain Draper arranged with the gunboat USS Nashville, when it next came by on patrol, to shell the village of Benictican in retaliation for a raid on a marine water party 6 days before that had killed two Marines. After the bombardment, he entered the town with a force of 100 men and, finding it abandoned, destroyed it completely.
1903 – Cuba leases Guantánamo Bay to the United States "in perpetuity". Guantanamo Bay Naval Base (also called GTMO and pronounced gitmo by the US Military personnel stationed there) is located on 45 square miles (120 km2) of land and water at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, which the United States leased for use as a coaling and naval station in the Cuban–American Treaty of 1903 (for $2,000 until 1934, for $4,085 since 1938 until now). The base is on the shore of Guantánamo Bay at the southeastern end of Cuba. It is the oldest overseas U.S. Naval Base, and the only U.S. military installation in a country with whom the United States has no diplomatic relations. Since 1959 the Cuban government has consistently protested against the US presence on Cuban soil. Since
1940 – Woody Guthrie dated his song "this Land Is Your Land" to this day. His original title was "God Bless America."
1942 – A Japanese submarine shelled an oil refinery at Ellwood, near Santa Barbara, Calif., the first Axis bombs to hit American soil.
1945 – During the bloody Battle for Iwo Jima, U.S. Marines from the 3rd Platoon, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Regiment, 5th Division take the crest of Mount Suribachi, the island's highest peak and most strategic position, and raise the U.S. flag. Marine photographer Louis Lowery was with them and recorded the event. American soldiers fighting for control of Suribachi's slopes cheered the raising of the flag, and several hours later more Marines headed up to the crest with a larger flag. Joe Rosenthal, a photographer with the Associated Press, met them along the way and recorded the raising of the second flag along with a motion-picture cameraman. Rosenthal took three photographs atop Suribachi. The first, which showed five Marines and one Navy corpsman struggling to hoist the heavy flag pole, became the most reproduced photograph in history and won for him a Pulitzer Prize. The accompanying motion-picture footage attests to the fact that the picture was not posed. Of the other two photos, the second was similar to the first but less affecting, and the third was a group picture of 18 soldiers smiling and waving for the camera. Many of these men, including three of the six soldiers seen raising the flag in the famous Rosenthal photo, were killed before the conclusion of the Battle for Iwo Jima in late March. In early 1945, U.S. military command sought to gain control of the island of Iwo Jima in advance of the projected aerial campaign against the Japanese home islands. Iwo Jima, a tiny volcanic island located in the Pacific about 700 miles southeast of Japan, was to be a base for fighter aircraft and an emergency-landing site for bombers. On February 19, 1945, after three days of heavy naval and aerial bombardment, the first wave of U.S. Marines stormed onto Iwo Jima's inhospitable shores. The Japanese garrison on the island numbered 22,000 heavily entrenched men. Their commander, General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, had been expecting an Allied invasion for months and used the time wisely to construct an intricate and deadly system of underground tunnels, fortifications, and artillery that withstood the initial Allied bombardment. By the evening of the first day, despite incessant mortar fire, 30,000 U.S. Marines commanded by General Holland Smith managed to establish a solid beachhead. During the next few days, the Marines advanced inch by inch under heavy fire from Japanese artillery and suffered suicidal charges from the Japanese infantry. Many of the Japanese defenders were never seen and remained underground manning artillery until they were blown apart by a grenade or rocket, or incinerated by a flame thrower. While Japanese kamikaze flyers slammed into the Allied naval fleet around Iwo Jima, the Marines on the island continued their bloody advance across the island, responding to Kuribayashi's lethal defenses with remarkable endurance. On February 23, the crest of 550-foot Mount Suribachi was taken, and the next day the slopes of the extinct volcano were secured. By March 3, U.S. forces controlled all three airfields on the island, and on March 26 the last Japanese defenders on Iwo Jima were wiped out. Only 200 of the original 22,000 Japanese defenders were captured alive. More than 6,000 Americans died taking Iwo Jima, and some 17,000 were wounded.
1952 – Air Force Major William T. Whisner, 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, flying his F-86 Sabre "Elenore E," destroyed his fifth MiG-15 to become the war's seventh ace and his wing's first.
1954 – The first mass inoculation of children against polio with the Salk vaccine began in Pittsburgh. Jonas Salk created the Salk vaccine against polio. It used a killed virus to induce immunization. Poliomyelitis is a viral attack of the central nervous system and can cause paralysis and death by asphyxiation.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
*GRABIARZ, WILLIAM J.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army. Troop E, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Place and date: Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 23 February 1945. Entered service at: Buffalo, N.Y. Birth: Buffalo, N.Y. G.O. No.: 115, 8 December 1945. Citation: He was a scout when the unit advanced with tanks along a street in Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands. Without warning, enemy machinegun and rifle fire from concealed positions in the Customs building swept the street, striking down the troop commander and driving his men to cover. As the officer lay in the open road, unable to move and completely exposed to the pointblank enemy fire, Pfc. Grabiarz voluntarily ran from behind a tank to carry him to safety, but was himself wounded in the shoulder. Ignoring both the pain in his injured useless arm and his comrades' shouts to seek the cover which was only a few yards distant, the valiant rescuer continued his efforts to drag his commander out of range. Finding this impossible, he rejected the opportunity to save himself and deliberately covered the officer with his own body to form a human shield, calling as he did so for a tank to maneuver into position between him and the hostile emplacement. The enemy riddled him with concentrated fire before the tank could interpose itself. Our troops found that he had been successful in preventing bullets from striking his leader, who survived. Through his magnificent sacrifice in gallantly giving his life to save that of his commander, Pfc. Grabiarz provided an outstanding and lasting inspiration to his fellow soldiers.
WILLIAMS, HERSHEL WOODROW
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 21st Marines, 3d Marine Division. Place and date: Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 23 February 1945. Entered service at: West Virginia. Born: 2 October 1923, Quiet Dell, W. Va. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as demolition sergeant serving with the 21st Marines, 3d Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 23 February 1945. Quick to volunteer his services when our tanks were maneuvering vainly to open a lane for the infantry through the network of reinforced concrete pillboxes, buried mines, and black volcanic sands, Cpl. Williams daringly went forward alone to attempt the reduction of devastating machinegun fire from the unyielding positions. Covered only by 4 riflemen, he fought desperately for 4 hours under terrific enemy small-arms fire and repeatedly returned to his own lines to prepare demolition charges and obtain serviced flamethrowers, struggling back, frequently to the rear of hostile emplacements, to wipe out 1 position after another. On 1 occasion, he daringly mounted a pillbox to insert the nozzle of his flamethrower through the air vent, killing the occupants and silencing the gun; on another he grimly charged enemy riflemen who attempted to stop him with bayonets and destroyed them with a burst of flame from his weapon. His unyielding determination and extraordinary heroism in the face of ruthless enemy resistance were directly instrumental in neutralizing one of the most fanatically defended Japanese strong points encountered by his regiment and aided vitally in enabling his company to reach its objective. Cpl. Williams' aggressive fighting spirit and valiant devotion to duty throughout this fiercely contested action sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
*AUSTIN, OSCAR P.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Company E, 2d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, (Rein), FMF. Place and date: West of Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam, 23 February 1969. Entered service at: Phoenix, Ariz. Born: 15 January 1948, Nacogdoches, Tex. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an assistant machine gunner with Company E, in connection with operations against enemy forces. During the early morning hours Pfc. Austin's observation post was subjected to a fierce ground attack by a large North Vietnamese Army force supported by a heavy volume of hand grenades, satchel charges, and small arms fire. Observing that 1 of his wounded companions had fallen unconscious in a position dangerously exposed to the hostile fire, Pfc. Austin unhesitatingly left the relative security of his fighting hole and, with complete disregard for his safety, raced across the fire-swept terrain to assist the marine to a covered location. As he neared the casualty, he observed an enemy grenade land nearby and, reacting instantly, leaped between the injured marine and the lethal object, absorbing the effects of its detonation. As he ignored his painful injuries and turned to examine the wounded man, he saw a North Vietnamese Army soldier aiming a weapon at his unconscious companion. With full knowledge of the probable consequences and thinking only to protect the marine, Pfc. Austin resolutely threw himself between the casualty and the hostile soldier, and, in doing, was mortally wounded. Pfc. Austin's indomitable courage, inspiring initiative and selfless devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
*DAHL, LARRY G.
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, 359th Transportation Company, 27th Transportation Battalion, U.S. Army Support Command. Place and date: An Khe, Binh Dinh Province, Republic of Vietnam, 23 February 1971. Entered service at: Portland, Oreg. Born: 6 October 1949, Oregon City, Oreg. Citation: Sp4c. Dahl distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a machine gunner on a gun truck near An Khe, Binh Dinh Province. The gun truck in which Sp4c. Dahl was riding was sent with 2 other gun trucks to assist in the defense of a convoy that had been ambushed by an enemy force. The gun trucks entered the battle zone and engaged the attacking enemy troops with a heavy volume of machine gun fire, causing a large number of casualties. After a brief period of intense fighting the attack subsided. As the gun trucks were preparing to return to their normal escort duties, an enemy hand grenade was thrown into the truck in which Sp4c. Dahl was riding. Instantly realizing the great danger, Sp4c. Dahl called a warning to his companions and threw himself directly onto the grenade. Through his indomitable courage, complete disregard for his safety, and profound concern for his fellow soldiers, Sp4c. Dahl saved the lives of the other members of the truck crew while sacrificing his own. Sp4c. Dahl's conspicuous gallantry, extraordinary heroism, and intrepidity at the cost of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, his unit and the U.S. Army.
*HARTSOCK, ROBERT W.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, 44th Infantry Platoon, 3d Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Hau Nghia, Province, Republic of Vietnam, 23 February 1969. Entered service at: Fairmont, W. Va. Born: 24 January 1945, Cumberland, Md. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Hartsock, distinguished himself in action while serving as section leader with the 44th Infantry Platoon. When the Dau Tieng Base Camp came under a heavy enemy rocket and mortar attack, S/Sgt. Hartsock and his platoon commander spotted an enemy sapper squad which had infiltrated the camp undetected. Realizing the enemy squad was heading for the brigade tactical operations center and nearby prisoner compound, they concealed themselves and, although heavily outnumbered, awaited the approach of the hostile soldiers. When the enemy was almost upon them, S/Sgt. Hartsock and his platoon commander opened fire on the squad. As a wounded enemy soldier fell, he managed to detonate a satchel charge he was carrying. S/Sgt. Hartsock, with complete disregard for his life, threw himself on the charge and was gravely wounded. In spite of his wounds, S/Sgt. Hartsock crawled about 5 meters to a ditch and provided heavy suppressive fire, completely pinning down the enemy and allowing his commander to seek shelter. S/Sgt. Hartsock continued his deadly stream of fire until he succumbed to his wounds. S/Sgt. Hartsock's extraordinary heroism and profound concern for the lives of his fellow soldiers were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
*WEBER, LESTER W.
Rank and organization: Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company M, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam, 23 February 1969. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 30 July 1948, Aurora, Ill. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a machinegun squad leader with Company M, in action against the enemy. The 2d Platoon of Company M was dispatched to the Bo Ban area of Hieu Duc District to assist a squad from another platoon which had become heavily engaged with a well entrenched enemy battalion. While moving through a rice paddy covered with tall grass L/Cpl. Weber's platoon came under heavy attack from concealed hostile soldiers. He reacted by plunging into the tall grass, successfully attacking 1 enemy and forcing 11 others to break contact. Upon encountering a second North Vietnamese Army soldier he overwhelmed him in fierce hand-to-hand combat. Observing 2 other soldiers firing upon his comrades from behind a dike, L/Cpl. Weber ignored the frenzied firing of the enemy and racing across the hazardous area, dived into their position. He neutralized the position by wrestling weapons from the hands of the 2 soldiers and overcoming them. Although by now the target for concentrated fire from hostile riflemen, L/Cpl. Weber remained in a dangerously exposed position to shout words of encouragement to his emboldened companions. As he moved forward to attack a fifth enemy soldier, he was mortally wounded. L/Cpl. Weber's indomitable courage, aggressive fighting spirit and unwavering devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for February 23, 2021 FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
23 February
1909: John A. "Douglas" McCurdy made the first plane flight in Canada by flying the Aerial Experiment Association's plane, the Silver Dart, over Baddeck Bay, Nova Scotia. (24)
1911: Glenn Curtiss made his first amphibian demonstration at North Island near San Diego, Calif., by taking off and alighting on land and water. (24)
1912: War Department Bulletin No. 2 established a "Military Aviator" rating. (4)
1914: Charles Broadwick demonstrated an automatic attached backpack-type parachute. (5)
1942: The Materiel Division recommended the British looped-hose refueling system for American military inflight fuel transfers. Using this method, the receiver aircraft trailed a 300-foot line, with an attached three-pronged grapple, and positioned itself near the tanker, which trailed a 100-foot weighted line. (18)
1952: By shooting down a MiG-15, Maj William T. Whisner, Jr., 25th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, achieved ace status. (28)
1955: The Army selected Bell Hellicopter from 20 competing companies to build the first turbinepowered helicopter. Bell's design, the XH-40, later became the HU-1 Iroquois (later still UH-1), the famous "Huey" from Vietnam. (8: Feb 90)
1956: Secretary of the Air Force Donald A. Quarles sped up the Navaho missile program, using a high national priority second only to the ICBM and IRBM programs. (6)
1961: In an experiment at Eglin AFB, Fla., the direct measurement of atmospheric densities between the altitudes of 70 miles and 130 miles was accomplished for the first time. (24)
1965: PROJECT ASSET. The 1,175-pound reentry glider, last in a series of six, launched from Cape Kennedy, Fla., by a Thor-Delta booster into a 13,300-mile suborbital flight. This flight incorporated test materials for future lifting body reentry designs. (5)
1976: Through 26 February, a joint DoD/NASA team studied expendable launch vehicles during the transition to the Space Shuttle. They suggested using an Interial Upper Stage, being developed for the Space Shuttle, with the Titan III in this period. (5)
1984: The Tactical Air Command received its first F-15C Eagle as a replacement for the F-4 Phantom in the air superiority role. (16) (26)
1990: PIONEER 11. This vehicle became the fourth spacecraft to leave our solar system. It launched n 1973 and joined Pioneer 10, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 in an attempt to find the heliopause, the point where solar winds are no longer effective. [8: May 90] Through 6 March, the 435th Tactical Airlift Wing flew 11 tons of medical equipment and relief supplies to Senegal to treat diseases and provide shots against disease. (16) (26)
1998: Air Combat Command deployed the B-2 overseas the first time from Whiteman AFB, Mo., to Andersen AFB, Guam. (21)
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