Over budget and overdue the F35 program needs to be very closely looked at. This is not the first time the building of military aircraft has suffered setbacks, but, this isn't just some local program that if fails will be inconvenient. This is a joint project for an arms platform for a number of allied nations so it isn't just the security of the US at stake and bull and blunder just isn't good enough

Pentagon grounds F-35 fleet after runway fire - CNN.com (http://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/03/us/f-35-fleet-grounded/index.html?hpt=hp_t3)

If you examine the specifications on this aircraft you find something that is expected to be all things to all people and not up to stratch when measured against the possible opposition. It will be outgunned, out ranged and out paced and over priced so the question becomes why? and why build it? Well, because there isn't anything else just now? compromise and shortsightedness has seen to that

I think the F35 is a pig that should never had made it off of the concept blue prints.

Yes but where do we go from here

it's impossible to make it a one size fits all .The needs of the Navy and Air Force are different and not compatible(range, weight and payload ).

It is a pork loaded project that should be scrapped now or yesterday. It is wasting too much of the Pentagon budget ,and I'm sure it's true for all of the suckers Lockheed Martin has sold it too.

It's a flying brick, and I guess that herein, Tom, I represent one of those suckers you refer too. I'm wondering will the Chinese provide a superior aircraft in a better deal?

I'm wondering will theChinese provide a superior aircraft in a better deal?
not in our lifetime.

That depends on how long you live, some people are capable of making rapid advances while others depend on technology they invented fifty years ago

I just thought I would ask for comments on the latest despot to emerge in the Arab world - al baghdadi or big daddy or whatever he calls himself

http://www.smh.com.au/world/isils-leader-baghdadi-from-quiet-student-to-selfappointed-caliph-20140706-zsxv7.html

obviously a man of many names but apparently he was radicalised by being imprisoned by the americans but a PHD no less, not often these movements are led by an educated man, which means he could be very dangerous

That depends on how long you live, some people are capable of making rapid advances while others depend on technology they invented fifty years ago

The only Chinese advances have been what they have stolen (or were given in exchange for campaign contributions by Bubba ) .

Speaking of old junk

Iran transfers 88 Russian Sukhoi fighter planes to Iraq - Iraqi News (http://www.iraqinews.com/iraq-war/iran-transfers-88-russian-sukhoi-fighter-planes-iraq/)

I guess any plane is junk without good pilots.

probably the jets that fled to Iran at the outset of Desert Storm. The SU-25 has survived the test of time . As noted ,a competent pilot has to command it .

yes Tom you don't have to look far to confirm that

Iran transfers 88 Russian Sukhoi fighter planes to Iraq - Iraqi News (http://www.iraqinews.com/iraq-war/iran-transfers-88-russian-sukhoi-fighter-planes-iraq/)

Russia is probably up to provide training since the trained pilots are probably on the sunni side

All I can say is ... Good Luck with that !!!!

The planes are near identical to the ones their enemies use. I wonder how quickly they will see the difference.

URGENT Video: Iran sends Iraq more Sukhoi SU-25 jets - Iraqi News (http://www.iraqinews.com/baghdad-politics/video-iran-sends-iraq-sukhoi-su-25-jets/)

which enemies are those Tom, Iran or Syria? Al Qaeda?

Iran and Iraq will have nearly identical airplanes with the same frames. It is going to make choosing one over the other much harder then before when using SAM's.

so stay out of each others air space. dad maybe you are concerned that Iran will invade, I expect a plot that those planes will self destruct on that day

I think there will be Iranian pilots with Russians on the ground doing logistics .

Iran and Iraq will have nearly identical airplanes with the same frames. It is going to make choosing one over the other much harder then before when using SAM's.
Sorta like the F-35 being sold on the global market as a one size fits, all all purpose fighter jet.

What's that old saying... "Jack of all trades, but master of none..."?

yep that's the F35 air power on the cheap or as it turns out expensive

Suddenly the fate of millions in Iraq has disappeared from the news agenda. What happened? did the war end? were the militants conquered? No, the world has turned its attention on that ongoing spat between Israel and the Palestinians and once again a different sort of militant is getting their backsides kicked, which is making front page news. It no longer seems to matter that rabid islam is making the lives of millions a misery a few hundred miles away. I have become cynical about all of this, it is a bad scene, but why are we hearing about this again?

Bugs you huh? Get Netflix, and leave the news alone. Or find a hobby you enjoy.

The Israelis respond to barrages of rocket attacks and the world calls for their restraint . I love this line of cr@p ......they should use 'proportional response' . I don't even know what that means . Should they respond by also randomly launching rockets into Gaza ?
The Israelis give warnings to the population BEFORE they attack ;and they only attack in civilian areas because that is where Hamas hides the weapons and where they launch them from.
'Roof knocking': The Israeli military's tactic of phoning Palestinians it is about to bomb - The Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/07/09/roof-knocking-the-israeli-mjilitarys-tactic-of-phoning-palestinians-it-is-about-to-bomb/)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BsW_1uqCcAAJkmD.jpg:large

Let them exterminate each other.

I think the Israeli response is at least proportional unless the size of the weapons used is taken into account, but this escalated from the death of three Israeli teenagers to the possibility of an incursion into Gaza with a cast of thousands. There is already more than a thousand casualties. If the world wants a proportional response equip the Gazians with jet fighters, it should be interesting to see how long they last.

I do think you response is a little extreme Karma, I think we know who would be exterminated and we don't want another of those scenarios playing out, do we?, No the Palestians need to be moved out of Gaza, too many people crowded together, but then who would take them? the west bank?

I think where the problem is is that they dont see the casualties on the Israeli side because of the iron dome. If that wasnt there it would be much higher. The UN thinks talking will do the trick but in this case it has to be brute force. That is the only thing the other side understands.

Do you think there is understanding? there is only raw hatred and the focus of that hatred is just a few miles away. The palestinians don't understand anything but Israel exists on their land, even when they have their own state it wll not stop because they can never have what they want

Would love to see what the response would be if a nation was lobbing rockets into Aussie cities.
The Iron Dome is a costly but effective defense (thank you Ron "raygun" .... thank you all the nay sayers who mocked the idea of a missle defense system) . But an incursion is needed to take out the missle sites .

The intentional deaths of Israeli teens was the provocation . But make no mistake ; all this was preplanned and is being directed from Tehran. Hamas and Hezzbolah are running joint command and control out of Lebanon.
Hezbollah, Hamas coordinating on the ground: official | News , Lebanon News | THE DAILY STAR (http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Jul-12/263640-hezbollah-hamas-coordinating-on-the-ground-official.ashx#axzz37QxSHi00)

It is also true that besides Hamas ;the Iranian backed Islamic Jihad is also firing rockets out of Gaza ,independent of Hamas direction. So even if a cease fire could be negotiated ,all the parties involved would not honor it .

Make no mistake Tom the Israeli have a right to defend themselves just as we would do if anyone attacked us, we are repelling borders right now while you are stewing about what to do with a few children. A practical solution to the palestianian question is no different to the response to the jewish question after WWII. The palestinians need a homeland but they have proved to be so difficult a people no one wants them anywhere else but where they are right now.

You and I know the prophecies, rivers of blood in the middle east, noone said the process had to happen all at once.. Israel is a thorn in the arab side, in the muslin side. The british should have known that and so should the UN but they didn't care, they had a problem, a refugee problem and they dealt with it. now there was a plan to offer a jewish homeland on the australian continent but they didn't take it, pity we could have done a lot with all those bright, industerous, immigrants

The palestinians need a homeland but they have proved to be so difficult a people no one wants them anywhere else but where they are right now.


Hamas is more concerned with destroying Israel than governing . The PLA is just as weak . As Golda Meir said ...

“Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us.”

Yes Tom but the arabs send their children to deliver bombs, no love there. No we all have to be serious about rooting out terrorist organisations, even those who masquarade as an elected government. the Tabiban suffered wrath, and so should Hamas even if it takes invasion. Saddam ultimately suffered wrath for attacking Israel, let noone think invasion of Iraq was anything but payback and Hamas should have learned from his fate. The PLA have had the good sense to stay on the political side of the argument and in doing so they have proved peace is possible even if it is at the point of a gun and a very big wall. What I ask is why Israel isn't attacking Egypt? are we actually expected to think the palestinians have the capability to manufacture thousands of rockets? or do we think the flow stopped with Morsi? you and I know this has Iran written all over it as a diversion from Iraq, a little bit of "hey look over there, there is nothing to see here"

let noone think invasion of Iraq was anything but payback
please ! you sound like one of those idiots who claim "neocons" are "Jews " and that there is a Jewish cabal running American foreign policy .

I have no doubt that various lobbies have considerable influence with your government, I observe your government has not called upon anyone to cease fire merely an offer to negotiate, so they tread very carefully where Israel is concerned particularly in this election year so stop blowing smoke

I have no doubt that various lobbies have considerable influence with your government, I observe your government has not called upon anyone to cease fire merely an offer to negotiate, so they tread very carefully where Israel is concerned particularly in this election year so stop blowing smoke

Who should we call out to cease fire ? Hamas ? Give me a break! The Palestinians become instant victims when Israel responds to ANY provocation.

Doesn't take much provocation for either side to retaliate. Never has.

I'd say an annual average of 3 rocket attacks every day from the Palestinians is more than enough provocation to level Gaza City .Since Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005, terrorists have fired more than 8,000 rockets into Israel. Over 5 million Israelis are currently living under threat of rocket attacks.More than half a million Israelis have less than 60 seconds to find shelter after a rocket is launched .

Will the Palestians have gone too far when one of their rockets hits the Dimona reactor ?
Israel bombarded by Hamas as rockets target nuclear reactor | New York Post (http://nypost.com/2014/07/10/day-of-bombardment-in-israel-nears-nuclear-reactor/)

You guys always say the solution to a bad guy with a weapon is a good guy with a weapon, so the theory is about to be tested it seems.

As cruel as it sounds ; sometimes it takes 'salting the earth ' to eliminate a threat.

That is how Israel and Egypt came to an agreement way back in the day. But Hamas is a whole different horse. Most Palestinians don't like Hamas. Crazy guys with guns.

Yes Tom your envoys should be shouting at Hamas to cease fire, but neither side has shown restraint even though the Israeli strikes are no doubt surgical Gaza is a densely populated place. As to Palestinians not liking Hamas those in Gaza elected them their political leaders and there is a consequence to being led by a terrorist. You think the place should be leveled, that doesn't solve the wider problem, just adds to the possibilty of a middle east war with Israel in the centre. What I find somewhat amazing is that the Hamas rocket arsenal is wholely offensive whereas a defense against Israeli aircraft would seem a higher priority. They surely don't think they can conquer Israel.. No invade and remove large numbers to the west bank, clean out the camps

Egypt proposes cease-fire between Israel, Hamas (http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-proposes-cease-fire-between-israel-hamas-221414101.html)

Yes they may have some influence