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wimbartelds

Last seen: 13 hours ago

Wim is a 46 year old guy from The Hague, Netherlands

Hi, I'm Wim. I work as an investigative journalist (intelligence, terrorism -I used to work in govt. intel and am unable to lose the investigative habit, haha), have a penchant for poetry, Irish whisky, blues and Bach, and I've given up my attempt to quit smoking.

  • Created Sep 11 •


    Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth     -Albert Einstein

    Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither -Benjamin Franklin

    We must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence.. by the military-industrial complex... We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes -Dwight. D. Eisenhower

    Mankind lets some 25,500 children below the age of five die of malnutrition, curable diseases, and starvation -every day.
    In the last ten minutes alone, 177 very small, innocent children have died.

  • Missile-defense exercise held in Middle East - Navy News,...

    Rated Jul 06 2008 • 1 review • navytimes.com

    Missile-defense exercise held in Middle East

    From the page: "In an unprecedented move, the Navy recently tested the communications network supporting its Aegis ballistic missile defense system across the Middle East. The test comes as top military commanders are expressing a hardened stance against Iran's intransigence. The upgraded Aegis systems aboard Navy destroyers and cruisers can track ballistic missiles and intercept them with ship-launched SM-3 missiles."

    Although Iran will probably not have nukes before the late summer of 2009, it has purchased Russian S-300 air defence systems. The S-300 can take out aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missile warheads at ranges of over 90 miles and at altitudes of about 90,000 feet. They may even be much more effective than the famous Patriot.

    Given the time needed to have these air defence systems delivered, installed and integrated and have its crews sufficiently trained, it will be late 2008 before the S-300 will be fully operational.

    Given the growing probability that it will be necessary to take out or sufficiently set back Iran's offensive nuclear capability (for which you predominantly need airborne weaponry), the window of opportunity will close by the end of this year.

    So there is f*cking little time left for real diplomacy and economic sanctions and incentives.

    Besides, 40% of the world's oil is transported through the Strait of Hormuz: afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5h7rZFG_lW6LYIbHPT6O0JjqOzrpQ [afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5h7rZFG_lW6LYIbHPT6O0JjqOzrpQ]

    And a very interesting different aspect: pacificfreepress.com/content/view/2774/1/ [pacificfreepress.com/content/view/2774/1/]