Free Republic

Jewish Wisdom By Ari Bussel A journalist looks around and beyond reporting asks himself: What is it that I do not see? Who is not here who should be? Why is something done in a certain manner and not another? An analyst looks at commonalities, trends and correlations. Since forecasting is an art, and given that one usually fails in forecasts since one often bases them on past behavior, analysts restrict themselves to providing a set of scenarios, from the probable to the less likely. The choice between the different scenarios is left for decision makers. A history buff studies...

The U.S. Army is deploying the same kind of "math and missiles" unit that defeated roadside bombs in Iraq, to Afghanistan. For the last two years, "Task Force Odin" has used of manned and UAV aerial reconnaissance aircraft, along with pattern analysis and data mining, to find IEDs (roadside bombs), and the people who plant them in Iraq. Task Force Odin was reported in the media mainly as aircraft and UAVs watching the roads for signs of IEDs, and UAVs, while helicopters and gunships opened fire on terrorists trying to set up roadside bombs. Explosions and dead bodies are more...