Free Republic

The Air Force on Monday suspended all efforts related to development of a program to become the dominant service in cyberspace, according to knowledgeable sources. Top Air Force officials put a halt to all activities related to the establishment of the Cyber Command, a provisional unit that is currently part of the 8th Air Force at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, sources told Nextgov. An internal Air Force e-mail obtained by Nextgov said, “Transfers of manpower and resources, including activation and reassignment of units, shall be halted.” Establishment of the Cyber Command will be delayed until new senior Air...

What do you get when you combine U.S. militarism, fantasies of domination and an administration that views the internet as a hot-bed of “evil-doers” and “subversives”? Cyber Command, of course! Only this scheme has the potential of inflicting massive suffering on civilian populations across the planet. Currently situated at the secretive Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, Air Force Cyber Command, the newest Pentagon command since the 1990s, is dedicated to the notion that the “next war” will be fought in the electromagnetic spectrum, one that envisions computers as “network-centric” weapons. With a unified organizational structure and a $2 billion...

A great inside look at a Pentagon after-action report on that embarrassing nuke flub where the Air Force flew a couple doomsday weapons across the US without even knowing it. Let's hope this report doesn't just collect dust on some general's shelf and that the recommendations are actually implemented. From our friends at Popular Mechanics: One might think that the United States' nuclear weapons -- the cornerstone deterrent in the country's arsenal -- would be treated with the utmost precision. This comfortable illusion was shaken on Aug. 31, 2007, when crews loaded six live nuclear warheads onto a B-52 bomber...

The United States' "disturbing" safety standards for its nuclear weapons came under fire last night after 70 US Air Force personnel were disciplined over an "unprecedented" security failure. Three colonels, a lieutenant colonel and 66 other staff were punished after a B-52 bomber was mistakenly flown 1,200 miles across the America loaded with nuclear-armed missiles. It is regarded as the worst nuclear weapons security breach in the US for at least 40 years. The four officers were relieved of their commands following an investigation that found widespread disregard for the rules on handling weapons – in this case each warheads...

Airmen not following the proper procedures that they were trained in, along with a lack of leadership and supervision, caused the incident in late August where nuclear weapons were loaded on a B-52 bomber at Minot Air Force Base and were flown to Barksdale AFB in Louisiana, said Maj. Gen. Richard Newton, assistant deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements. “Their lack of attention in detail is where the failure occurred,” Newton said at a news conference at the Pentagon Friday. . . . He said the incident began with the failure of airmen to conduct a required...

<p>Posted on March 3, 2004 Phone calls from President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney failed to change his mind, but U.S. Rep. Jim McCrery couldn't say no to his wife, Johnette, who convinced him to seek a ninth term in Congress.</p>

Events of September 11, 2001. 8:48 a.m. American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767 en route from Boston's Logan Airport to Los Angeles International with 92 people onboard, slams into the north tower, 1 World Trade Center. 9:05 a.m. Approximately 18 minutes later, United Airlines Flight 175, also a Boeing 767 enroute from Boston to Los Angeles with 65 people onboard, hits the south tower, 2 World Trade Center. 9:21 a.m. New York City Port Authority closes all bridges and tunnels in New York City. 9:24 a.m. President Bush calls the crashes "an apparent terrorist attack on our country." 9:32...

Big fire reported at Barksdale AFB 03/12/2002 Associated Press BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. amp;#8211; More than 70 firefighters struggled to put out a stubborn fire at the 8th Air Force headquarter building at this northwestern Louisiana base Tueaday morning. A base spokesman, Airman 1st Class David Jackson, said the fire was first reported at about 2:30 a.m. CST and was still moving through the attic of the three-story building eight hours later. He estimated the building covers about 50,000 square feet. Two firefighters were taken to a hospital for observation after suffering smoke inhalation but no other injuries...