Coming Soon? V-22 Osprey “extremely noisy with a horrific racket”

Thanks to Satoko Norimatsu of the Peace Philosophy Centre for sharing these articles.

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V-22 Osprey “extremely noisy with a horrific racket”

Link:
http://peacephilosophy.blogspot.com/2011/01/v-22-osprey-extremely-noisy-with.html

Okinawan newspapers on January 27 reported that the residents of Brewton, Alabama complained about the noise caused by the V-22 Osprey used in the US Air Force training mission at their municipal airport, and the Air Force offered apology and told the local airport authority that the squadron will not come back. “Those aircraft are extremely noisy with an horrific racket,” the airport director is quoted in the local news (see below).

It is disturbing news for Okinawa, as USMC is planning to deploy Ospreys in Henoko and Takae, two places in Northern Okinawa where military expansion is planned despite the opposition from local residents. Okinawans are worried, not just about their noise, but about the reported risk of accidents by Ospreys. A recent Pentagon report (below) also indicated the continuing unreliability of the aircraft due to “cracking or prematurely failing hinges and access doors, engine and drive components within the nacelle structure, flight control system failures, wiring and swashplate actuators.” The aircraft killed thirty people during the course of development, and killed four in a crash in Afghanistan in April 2010.

In late December, a US helicopter hovered over and damaged the protesters’ tent in Takae, where US/Japan are planning to build six new helipads (Osprey-capable) surrounding a residential area, but the authorities have not even confirmed that it was a US Marine helicopter
that did it. It is unacceptable that a plan to use noisy and dangerous aircraft like V-22 Osprey is not properly disclosed to local residents and there has been no assessment of risks associated with Ospreys in the environmental assessments on both places.

Satoko Norimatsu
Peace Philosophy Centre, Vancouver http://peacephilosophy.com
Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus http://japanfocus.org
UBC Education/Centre for the Study of Historical Consciousness http://www.cshc.ubc.ca/

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http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-01-12/textron-boeing-v-22-still-dogged-by-bad-parts-tester-says.html

Textron-Boeing V-22 Still Dogged By Bad Parts, Tester Says

January 12, 2011, 3:53 PM EST By Tony Capaccio

Jan. 12 (Bloomberg) — The V-22 tilt-rotor Osprey, five years after it was cleared for full-production, remains dogged by unreliable parts that reduce its availability for missions, according to the Pentagon’s top tester.

The Textron Inc. and Boeing Co. V-22, in its most recent testing to evaluate upgrades, was available only 57 percent of the time it was required to fly, rather than the specification of 82 percent, according to a new report by Michael Gilmore, the Pentagon’s director of operational test and evaluation. The testing took place between May and July 2009.

“Major contributors to this low mission capable rate included cracking or prematurely failing hinges and access doors, engine and drive components within the nacelle structure, flight control system failures, wiring and swashplate actuators,” which help the main rotors turn, the report said.

“Mission-capable rate” is a standard standard metric for aircraft combat reliability.

Gilmore assessed that when the aircraft was flying it “met or exceeded” all but one reliability and maintenance requirement.

The aircraft “demonstrated effectiveness in a wide range of approved high-altitude scenarios reflecting current Marines Corps operations,” wrote Gilmore, in a section on the V-22 in the annual report from the testing unit issued today.

The Pentagon test office and U.S. Government Accountability Office have consistently highlighted problems with V-22 parts since 2000. The V-22 is a fixed-wing plane with rotors that tilt so it can take off and land like a helicopter.

Bell Helicopter Textron spokesman William Schroeder and Naval Air Systems Command spokesman Victor Chen had no immediate comment on the test report because they had not seen it.

Improvements

Gilmore recommended that the Marines and Air Force, which is buying a version for to fly U.S. commandos, “aggressively continue integrated development and testing” to improve the aircraft’s braking system, engine and drive-train reliability.

The V-22 has been deployed to Iraq and is in Afghanistan, where it transported Defense Secretary Robert Gates during a March 2010 trip.

Congress through fiscal 2010 has approved spending $32 billion on the $52.8 billion program. The Navy plans to spend $20 billion more on upgrades and the purchase of the remaining planes in the 458-aircraft program for the Marine Corps and Air Force Special Operations Command.

The program was approved for full-production in September 2005 after four years of additional development to demonstrate it overcame a host of deficiencies, including problems with its design, safety and reliability uncovered after two crashes in 2000 killed 23 Marines.

Maintenance Problems

The GAO in a June 2009 report that evaluated the V-22’s initial Iraq deployment concluded that, while the aircraft flew its assigned missions successfully, maintenance problems left the planes available for flight at rates “significantly below minimum required levels.”

During three periods studied during the V-22’s deployment from October 2007 through April 2009, the planes were available for combat operations on average 68 percent, 57 percent and 61 percent of the time, “while the minimum requirement” is 82 percent, said the GAO.

These low rates “were not unique to the Iraq deployment” and were on par with other V-22 squadrons in the U.S., the GAO said.

–Editor: Terry Atlas, Steven Komarow

To contact the reporter on this story: Tony Capaccio at acapaccio@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Mark Silva at msilva34@bloomberg.net

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http://www.brewtonstandard.com/2011/01/22/military-plane-made-noise-over-brewton/

Military plane made noise over Brewton

Published 11:30am Saturday, January 22, 2011

The crew from “Unsolved Mysteries” won’t be coming to Brewton to investigate strange rumblings heard across the area Wednesday night.

Brewton Municipal Airport Director Earl Lambert said the noises heard throughout the area can be attributed to the massive V22 Osprey — a twin rotor helicopter/airplane owned by the military.

“After hearing the machinery, we began to investigate the source,” Lambert said. “Our investigation lead us to the special ops unit from Hurlburt Field.”

Hurlburt Field, located near Fort Walton Beach, Fla., is home to the Airforce Special Operations Command.

“I spoke to the commander of the squadron and explained their training would not be good since we have so many citizens that live in the area around the airport,” Lambert said. “Those aircraft are extremely noisy with an horrific racket.”

The Brewton Municipal Airport serves as a training area for units from Whiting Field near Milton, Fla., during the day.

“We have a 50-year agreement with the Navy, and you just can’t mix the two,” Lambert said. “It would be prohibitive for them to use the area during the day when it’s being used by the Navy, and it’s just too noisy at night.”

Lambert said a gentlemen’s agreement was reached between himself and the commander Friday that would bring the training missions to a halt.

“The commander offered an apology for any inconvenience their training may have caused in the community,” Lambert said. “He assured me the squadron would not be back in the area to train.”

The Brewton Municipal Airport is a non-controlled facility, meaning there is no air traffic control tower and no after-hours communications system.

January 25, 2011

Fatal collision nets Marine 1-year term

Source: http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/20110125_Fatal_collision_nets_Marine_1-year_term.html

Fatal collision nets Marine 1-year term

By Nelson Daranciang

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jan 25, 2011

A state judge sentenced a Kaneohe Marine to one year in jail yesterday for third-degree negligent homicide in the death of a motorist in 2008.

Pfc. Eric Wycklendt crashed a seven-ton military troop transport vehicle head-on into a minivan on Kamehameha Highway.

However, the judge is letting Wycklendt, 21, remain free for the next two months to give his lawyer the opportunity to argue for a lesser sentence.

One year is the maximum jail term for third-degree negligent homicide.

…

Wycklendt’s attorney, Noah Fiddler, said the then-19-year-old infantryman was driving the troop transport vehicle to the Kahuku Training Area from Kaneohe on Oct. 23, 2008, when he crossed the center line and crashed into Vicki Lynn Norman’s minivan. The 57-year-old mother of six died at the scene.

Witnesses reported seeing Wycklendt have difficulty negotiating his vehicle on the highway, especially around curves, either crossing the center line into the opposite lane of traffic or driving on the shoulder of the roadway, said Brian Kim, deputy prosecutor.

“He didn’t have control of the vehicle. The vehicle was simply just too big. He didn’t have the experience. Maybe he didn’t have the training,” Kim said.

READ FULL ARTICLE

December 29, 2010December 29, 2010

Army wants more helicopter training on Mauna Kea after violating Mauna Kea Ice Age Reserve

In addition to plans to expand Army training facilities in the Pohakuloa Training Area, the Army recently issued a notice of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for impelementation of High Altitude Mountainous Environmental Training (HAMET) on the slopes of the sacred mountain, Mauna Kea.

According to Marti Townsend of KAHEA, the area that the Army is proposing to use is state land (ceded lands) set aside as a forest reserve for the birds.

In the past, the Army has been granted a “right of entry” permit to use the forest reserve for “touch-n-go” type helicopter exercises and also overnight “set up camp in a hurry” type trainings. The permit is issued by the Division Of Forestry And Wildlife Head, Paul Conroy, meaning that it does not come before the Board of Land and Natural Resources in a public hearing. The public was not notified of the previous right of entry permits issued to the Army.

However, we have learned that an Army helicopter landed in the Mauna Kea Ice Age Natural Areas Reserve during a training exercise in violation of the permit. This prompted the state to require the Army to complete an Environmental Assessment pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Below is the excerpt from The Environmental Notice published on Dec. 23rd. Deadline for comments to the Army is January 24, 2011.

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High Altitude Mountainous Environmental Training, Pōhakuloa Training Area, Island of Hawai‘i

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, an Environmental Assessment (EA) and draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FNSI) have been prepared for the implementation of proposed High Altitude Mountainous Environmental Training (HAMET) at Pōhakuloa Training Area (PTA), Island of Hawai‘i. The purpose of the proposed action is to provide helicopter aviators/crews high-altitude training flight operations, while recognizing Army stewardship responsibilities within the affected region. The need for the proposed action is to provide realistic training to ready helicopter aviators/crews to be successful in the combat theater to support the operational and mission requirements of the 25th CAB, 25th Infantry Division, set forth by the Department of Army and Department of Defense (DoD) for deployment in support of combat operations in Afghanistan and future related theater actions. Activities for helicopter aviator/crew proficiency training include but are not limited to: Touch and go, limited landings, approach and departure, reconnaissance, abort and go around, and nighttime operations in designated areas. Based on the information analyzed, the EA concludes that the proposed action would not result in any significant direct, indirect, or cumulative adverse impacts on the natural or human environment. The EA and draft FNSI are available for public review at the following public libraries: Hilo Public Library, Kailua-Kona Public Library, and Thelma Parker Memorial Public and School Library. Copies can also be obtained by contacting NEPA Program Manager at (808) 656-3075 or William.Rogers5@us.army.mil. Written comments will be received and considered up to 30 days from the publication of this notice, and should be directed to the email address above, or mailed to: Directorate of Public Works, Environmental Division (IMPC-HI-PWE), Attn: Mr. William Rogers, 947 Wright Avenue, Wheeler Army Airfield, Schofield Barracks, 96857-5013.

December 1, 2010

The Abercrombie administration, Mo’olelo Aloha ‘Aina and other news briefs

Governor Elect Neil Abercrombie announced the appointment of William Aila to the position of Chair of the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), an important post that covers protection of the environment and cultural resources, including Native Hawaiian sacred places and burials. Aila is the harbormaster of the Wai’anae Boat Harbor, a community activist on Native Hawaiian and environmental issues and a leader in efforts to protect and reclaim Makua Valley from the Army. This could be a good development for groups seeking stronger state protection of iwi kupuna (ancestral remains) and working to end military destruction of Hawaiian land in Makua and other locations in Hawai’i. In the past, Abercrombie has urged the Army to find alternatives to training at Makua. So let’s hope that the appointment of Alia to head DLNR signals a commitment to fulfill that promise. At the same time, we must ensure that other locations such as Pohakuloa, Lihu’e or Kahuku are not sacrificed to further military expansion as the trade off for Makua. Remember that the Stryker expansion involves the Army seizing an additional 25,000 acres of land, whereas, Makua is about 5000 acres.

However, Abercrombie has also built his reputation in Congress by securing military spending in Hawai’i, much of it related to construction projects to intensify the military presence in Hawai’i. As Hawai’i Business reports, key elements of Abercrombie’s economic recovery plan include military spending:

• Again, using federal dollars, and particularly spending by the Defense Department, build a “21st-century” infrastructure in areas such as energy, information, irrigation and rail transit.

…

• Make technology and innovation a backbone of the economy, including a stronger emphasis on dual-use technology businesses, which create technology for the military that can also be used in civilian applications.

We need to ensure that this new administration does not make Hawai’i more dependent on and subservient to the military-industrial complex.

The military presence in Hawai’i also brings dangers to the communities and the troops themselves. The toxic legacy of Agent Orange still destroys the lives of US troops as well as Vietnamese. The University of Hawai’i has the dubious distinction of helping to develop and test Agent Organge in the 1960s. Several UH workers who worked on the project were exposed to the toxin and allegedly died from health effects of the exposure. A new project Make Agent Orange History partnered with the Matsunage Institute for Peace to conduct a mock dialogue on Agent Orange. I am not clear what the outcome of the project will be. We have current issues with Agent Orange contamination on Kaua’i and Depleted Uranium contamination on O’ahu and Hawai’i island. I hope the Matsunaga Institute will become more active in seeking the clean up and restoration of these sites and prevention of further military contamination of the ‘aina.

Military accidents are another danger. In 2006 two U.S. soldiers died as a result of a mortar blast at Pohakuloa. The families of the soldiers sued the manufacturer, General Dynamic, the same company that makes the Stryker combat vehicle. The jury in the civil suit recently found that General Dynamics was not liable for the deaths:

An 81 mm mortar round that misfired in 2006, killing a 27-year-old Schofield Barracks soldier at the Big Island’s Pohakuloa Training Area, was not defective, a jury in a federal civil trial determined yesterday.

A new online educational resource project of the Hawaiian independence group MANA has been launched. Mo’olelo Aloha ‘Aina is now online. It includes oral histories of activists from key Hawaiian struggles of the past 30-40 years, including the Protect Kaho’olawe ‘Ohana. Here’s the announcement and link:

Aloha,

Check out this new website with stories and mana’o from kanaka aloha aina who have been involved in different land struggles in Hawai’i! The Moolelo Aloha Aina project website is at: http://moolelo.manainfo.com/

Here’s a little bit about the project:

The Moolelo Aloha Aina project gathers oral histories of Aloha Aina activists who have engaged in direct action land struggles in Hawaii. It is intended to be an educational resource for anyone to use. As a project of MANA (Movement for Aloha no ka ‘Aina), we hope it will inspire new generations to become active in protecting and caring for the ‘aina.

The project creators started by interviewing some key people from a few struggles from the 1970s–Kahoolawe, Kalama Valley and Waiahole-Waikane. You can catch mana’o from Soli Niheu, Pete Thompson, Emmett Aluli, and Walter, Loretta and Scarlett Ritte, on the site, among others.

Since the website is intended to be a living archive, the creators encourage filmmakers or anyone with a video camera to get involved by contributing to the archive. The project coordinators are also looking to collaborate with educators to help increase the young people’s awareness of the legacy of activism that is such an integral part of Hawaiian history and current reality.

You can check out a digital story (a short video) describing the project at: http://vimeo.com/16689150

Please feel free to spread the word by forwarding this message!

October 16, 2010

Wife of Kane’ohe marine dies in motorcycle crash on Pali Highway

The Honolulu Star Advertiser reported that a wife of a Kane’ohe Marine died today in a motorcycle accident:

A woman who lost control of her motorcycle was run over and killed by another cyclist on the Pali Highway this afternoon, police said.

The two were riding as part of a group.

…

The woman, 22, was taken to the trauma center, where she was pronounced dead, said Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for the city Department of Emergency Services. Police said she was the wife of a Kaneohe Marine.

A male motorcyclist, 23, was treated at the scene and also transported to the trauma center. Police said he is a Kaneohe Marine but not the woman’s husband.

READ FULL ARTICLE

October 12, 2010

The Sinking of the Ehime Maru: Remembering to Forget

The Honolulu Star Advertiser reported that a group of students from Ehime, Japan paid respects to the victims of the sinking of the Ehime Maru by the USS Greenville submarine:

Seventeen students and three teachers from Uwajima Fisheries High School in Ehime prefecture in Japan paid their respects yesterday to the victims of a tragedy nearly a decade ago when a Pearl Harbor-based nuclear submarine surfaced into the hull of a small Japanese fishing trawler, killing nine people.

The unpublicized visit by the Japanese students to the black granite memorial in Kakaako Waterfront Park occurred as Japanese, Navy and other organizations plan a service to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy in February.

The accident, which caused a major controversy in Japan over the lack of a swift apology, happened on Feb. 9, 2001, when the 360-foot, 6,900-ton USS Greeneville collided with the 191-foot Ehime Maru, nine miles south of Diamond Head.

The Ehime Maru, which had been carrying 35 people, sank within minutes. Four 17-year-old Japanese students and two teachers from Uwajima Fisheries High School and three Ehime Maru crew members were killed. The USS Greeneville was demonstrating its emergency surfacing capability to a group of 16 civilians when it surfaced beneath the Japanese vessel, slicing its hull.

The accident caused a major international incident between the U.S. and Japan:

After the mishap, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that the accident was probably caused by “inadequate interaction and communication” among senior naval officers. “The failure of the crew, in particular the commanding officer (Cmdr. Scott Waddle) to adequately manage the civilian visitors so that they did not impede operations” probably contributed to the calamity.

Although Waddle later apologized to the victims’ families, in an autobiography — “The Right Thing” — he wrote, “Somebody had to take a fall for it, and, as the court of inquiry progressed, it became more and more obvious that the court had already decided that the sacrificial lamb would be me.”

The sinking of the Ehime Maru by the USS Greenville nuclear sub was caused by routine, reckless maneuvers by the Navy in militarized ocean zones surrounding the entire Hawaiian islands. The commander of the submarine fleet at the time was campaigning to maintain levels of funding for the attack submarine fleet, a relic of the cold war that was facing possible downsizing. The Navy conducted routine joy rides for wealthy political donors as a way to cultivate advocates for the submarine program. That’s why civilians were allowed to touch the controls in the dangerous maneuver that smashed the Ehime Maru.

The Japanese government exerted pressure on victims’ families to accept the financial compensation and make this incident go away. Money was used to silence the demands for justice and truth:

The Navy paid $11.47 million in compensation with $8.87 million used to replace the ship, and the remainder was to pay for counseling and financial aid for the survivors. In addition, the Navy paid $13.9 million to 33 of the 35 families of victims or injured survivors. The remaining two family members accepted a $2.6 million settlement.

August 11, 2010

Family of victim in military crash sues government

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/Family_of_victim_in_military_crash_sues_government.html

Family of victim in military crash sues government

By Star-Advertiser Staff

POSTED: 08:08 p.m. HST, Aug 10, 2010

The family of a woman who died in a head-on collision with a military vehicle in Hauula nearly two years ago is suing the federal government.

Vicki Norman, 57, died Oct. 23, 2008 when the minivan she was driving crashed into a seven-ton troop transport on Kamehameha Highway.

Her children filed a civil lawsuit in federal court yesterday.

Police said the military vehicle crossed the center line.

The driver, 21-year-old Kaneohe Marine Eric Wycklendt, pleaded no contest in May to third-degree negligent homicide. He faces up to a year in jail when a state judge sentences him when he returns from an overseas deployment in January.

July 27, 2010

Russia’s Cheonan investigation suspects that the sinking Cheonan ship was caused by a mine in water

A Russian investigation into the sinking of the Cheonan concludes that the accident was caused by “non-contact external underwater explosion” most likely from a mine. There are some good photos on the Hankyoreh website. Thanks to Sung-hee Choi for sharing summaries and links to the four-part series.

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Hankyoreh special (Four articles) on the Russian investigation on Cheonan Ship on July 27, 2010

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http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/432232.html

Russia’s Cheonan investigation suspects that the sinking Cheonan ship was caused by a mine in water
: Russia’s Cheonan investigation findings contrast with S.Korea’s report
S.Korea’s joint civilian-military investigation team concluded the sinking was caused by a torpedo attack by N.Korea

Excerpt

A document shows that the Russian investigation team that came to Korea from May 31 to June 7 to conduct its own investigation into the sinking of the Cheonan concluded that the sinking resulted from an “indirect outside underwater explosion,” but that the blast was more likely from a mine than a torpedo.

On Monday, the Hankyoreh acquired a document titled “Data from the Russian Naval Expert Group’s Investigation into the Cause of the South Korean Naval Vessel Cheonan’s Sinking,” in which the Russian team stated, “The explosion time officially stated by South Korea [9:21:58 p.m.] does not coincide with the time of the last video footage taken on the day in question when the power current was cut off within the vessel [9:17:03 p.m.].” This statement hints that an uncontrollable situation may have arisen at least four to five minutes before the time announced by the South Korean team.

The Russian team also said that a sailor on board the Cheonan made a cell phone call at 9:12:03 p.m. notifying a Naval signalman that crew members were injured. “The record of this first communication does not accord with what was official stated by South Korea,” the team said. This coincides with a July 8 Hankyoreh report stating that the Russian team had “detected the transmission of a distress signal at a time earlier than the time of the Cheonan explosion.”

The Russian team also raised questions about the so-called “No. 1 torpedo” fragment presented by the South Korean team as “conclusive evidence” of North Korean responsibility for the sinking. “While the torpedo fragment may have been made in North Korea, the characters written in ink do not conform to general standards” in terms of location and lettering, the Russian team said. The Russian team went to say, “Based on a naked-eye analysis of the torpedo fragment presented, one could believe that the fragment had been underwater for six months or more.” Previously, the South Korean team announced that a naked-eye analysis of the degree of corrosion indicated that the torpedo debris had been underwater for around one to two months.

Regarding damage to the Cheonan’s propeller screws, the Russian team wrote, “Since before the time of the disaster in question, all five of the right-side screw wings and two of the screw wings on the left had been damaged due to contact with the ocean floor.” In short, the Russian team held that the screws became broken or bent due to contact with the ocean floor, which varies considerably from the official announcement by the South Korean team.

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http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/432230.html
Russian Navy Expert Team’s analysis on the Cheonan incident
:The following are the conclusions reached based on the analysis of and experiments on the materials given to the team of Russian experts.

Excerpt

The following was concluded from our examination: Before the sinking, the bottom of the Cheonan ship touched the shallow ocean floor, and all wing blades of its right screw (propeller) and two wing blades of its left screw (propeller) were damaged, and the damaged propellers were scratched so baddly that they became shiny and wide areas of the screws were scratched by friction.

– Remnant fishing nets were found entangled around the right screw axle of the damaged ship. This contradicts the ROK’s claim that there were no fishing zones in the area of the ship’s voyage.

The Russian experts’ conclusions are the following.

1. It is confirmed that the cause of the sinking of the Cheonan is due to an explosion outside the ship and in the water. (* The Hankyoreh Korean version specifically names the probable cause of explosion due to the ‘underwater mines’ that have probably been installed by the ROK and U.S. as a part of deterrence practice against NK for decades in the past)

2. Before the sinking, the Cheonan ship touched the ocean floor on the right, a fishing net was entangled in the right propeller and the right line of the axle, which damaged the propeller wings.

3. The torpedo part that ROK presented seems to be an electronic torpedo with a radius of 533mm. However, we do not conclude that this particular torpedo was launched to and impacted on the Cheonan ship.

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http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/432233.html

“Complex combination of factors” responsible for Cheonan sinking, Russian investigation concludes

: The Russian investigation team has proposed that the primary problem was damage to the ship’s propeller prior to the explosion

Excerpt:

The Russian team that investigated the cause of the Cheonan’s sinking concluded that a “complex combination of factors” were responsible. The report on its investigation findings essentially states that the primary problem arose while the Cheonan was sailing through deep waters, and that the underwater explosion was a secondary factor resulting from a mine.

The Russian team agreed with the South Korean joint civilian-military investigation team’s conclusion that the sinking resulting from a non-contact underwater explosion. However, in light of the state of damage to propeller screws on the Cheonan, the Russian team surmised that they had likely come into contact with the ocean floor before the explosion took place.

“Prior to the sinking, the Cheonan came into contact with the ocean floor on the right side, and there is a very strong likelihood that the propeller wings were damaged as a net became entangled with the right propeller and shaft,” the team stated.

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http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_editorial/432234.htm
[Editorial] A thorough reinvestigation into the sinking of the Cheonan

Excerpt:

The Foreign Ministry has been ignoring even the existence of opinions differing from the result of the joint investigation team, saying Russia had not informed it of the results of their consideration. However, the government has now received the results of the Russian investigation, via another country involved. They must make public the entire contents of the Russian investigation and have them verified by experts in South Korea and abroad.

Since the sinking of the Cheonan, anachronistic division and conflict between two camps has been taking place on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia. A thorough reinvestigation will be very helpful in bringing this futile phase of conflict to an end.

July 3, 2010July 3, 2010

Military lied about convoy stranding

As I pointed out in a previous post, it appears that the military made up the story about there being an auto accident on Farrington Highway and about being directed by Honolulu Police Department to make a U-turn that took them onto the beach. This was nothing more than a joyride by armored vehicles where they should not be. Someone needs to be held accountable for this.

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http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/20100703_military_mistaken_in_mishap_hpd_says.html

Military mistaken in mishap, HPD says

Police officers in the vicinity deny directing a Marine Corps convoy off the road

By William Cole

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jul 03, 2010

Honolulu police said there was no accident and that no officers directed a Marine Corps convoy off Farrington Highway on Thursday — as the Corps had maintained — after two of its armored vehicles became stuck on a beach on the Waianae Coast.

There were two officers assigned to “special duty” for construction activity about a half-mile west of the spot where the two Marine M-ATVs got stuck in the sand, said Maj. Michael Moses, HPD commander for District 8, which includes Ewa, Kapolei and Waianae.

“They said they didn’t direct any military vehicles to do a turnaround,” Moses said yesterday of his officers. “They didn’t even see any military vehicles pass their location during their shift.”

There were no accidents anywhere near the location at about 2 p.m. when the vehicles were noticed on the beach, Moses said.

The Marines had said the three M-ATV vehicles were conducting convoy training when they reached an accident in the road, HPD directed the vehicles to make a U-turn and in the process of reversing direction, two of the 25,000-pound vehicles became mired on the beach.

Maj. Alan Crouch, a Marine Corps spokesman, said yesterday that upon further analysis it was unclear whether it was HPD who directed the convoy to turn off the road.

“I’m not able to say who it was, and they (the troops involved) are not able to say 100 percent it was HPD,” Crouch said.

At or near Tracks Beach, “they were directed by a competent authority to turn left into a parking area in order to reverse their direction about a (half) mile prior to what they called an ‘accident’ but what could have been ‘construction,'” Crouch said.

Three Marine instructors, with six Army soldiers along, were conducting convoy training and were heading to Lualualei naval reservation when they said they were directed off the road, Crouch said.

Waianae Coast activist William Aila Jr. said the stuck vehicles were a good 50 yards off Farrington Highway, had driven another 50 yards on a dirt road and traveled 75 yards more on the sand before getting stuck about 30 feet from the surf.

Moses, the HPD commander, said it is illegal to drive on the beach.

“If they (the Marines) have any more facts, or a name or identity of the (police) officer or officers directing them that way, I would sure appreciate them giving me a call,” he said.

June 8, 2010

How does Rajin-Sonbong factor into the Cheonan-sinking controversy?

The Statehood Hawaii blog has posted analysis of the sinking of the South Korean navy ship Cheonan in the context of the U.S. military expansion in the Pacific and suggests other factors that may be driving the concerted “official story” blaming North Korea that has been pedaled by the U.S., South Korea and Japan:

One other factor that none of the sites covering the sinking of the Cheonan mentions, is why the governments of South Korea, Japan and the U.S. is aligned and cooperating with this scenario.

Consider Rajin-Sonbong (Rason)

North Korea, China and Russia share borders and are separated by the Tumen river. The waters near Najin and Rajin, in the Sea of Japan, is an ideal waterway for the development of a state-of-the-art port. the waters near Najin are deep and do not freeze, directional currents allow for ships to move resources down towards the manufacturing corridor along the Eastern China Sea more quickly than with rail. This port development gives the DPRK trade opportunities that could potentially help lift North Korea from poverty, a result of imposed economic sanctions.

China who had previously signed a lease agreement with North Korea, receives a huge advantage for furthering its manufacturing base, and is renewing its contract over the 1st port at Najin for another 10 years. As China watchers have pointed out, this agreement gives China access to the Sea of Japan for the first time in over a hundred years and this has also given rise to unfounded concerns that China might use this base for military purposes.