BlacK CoveR in BloG

Settling in for a long flight… (somewhere in Iraq) -

This chopper means business (it can be a Decepticon, for all we know) -

(image via)

Here is how that flush toilet ended up in the middle of the desert:

Much needed equipment:

(image via)

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“A hard drill makes an easy battle” (General A. Suvorov)

This looks painful….

Question in his eyes -

Chinese paramilitary police, photo by REUTERS/Stringer (China)

Confidence training in Finland:

(image via)

Strange rituals:

New Zealand military learn from the warrior dances of Maori (see video, this time it’s a ‘Powhiri’ welcome dance) -

(Photo by Corporal Chris Moore)

Elements of yoga:

Knights of the New Crusade? No, Chinese’ paramilitary police method of improving posture:

image credit: REUTERS/Stringer (China)

Sleepy classes…

(image credit: Reuters)

There are better days:

In the end - sheer triumph!

(image credit: Reuters)

“In all seriousness” (these guys are unimpressed) -

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il poses with the soldiers of People’s Army, photo AP

Propaganda never slumbers, nor sleeps:

See more cool posters here

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Who Will Rise to Defend the Motherland?

The answer is everybody, of course! - anybody who can hold a gun, that is:

(images via 1, 2)

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Problems? Challenges!

Military equipment gets wrecked, twisted, burned and generally mistreated in these - appalling! - photographs. Here are two Russian fighter jets, fighting over a runway:

(image via)

We know how birds are a huge problem for airplanes, but apparently bees are not welcome on F404s, either:

(images via)

I can almost feel the pain of getting this wire mess off…

“A Georgian Port Authority employee passes in front of a Russian rocket on August 11, 2008 in Poti, Georgia. The rocket landed on the Georgian Military Police car…” -

(Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)

Compare it with the size of WWII bomb:

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Outrageous Ammunition and Weaponry

If you guessed that anything can be converted, or serve as a weapon, you guessed right.

India also has some security force (Corps of Border) riding camels, more info.

Guess what this is… looks like a normal truck, but look closely - this is DIY rocket launcher!!! (made in Iraq, of course) -

The strangest tank… bike… something… that we’d ever seen (any info?)

Photoshop section: Here is how the myths about Russian Army super-weapons get born:

This one, however, appears to be legit:

Why not?

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Watching the Girls Go By

Not just watching…

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Good Crowds

Some vintage photographs… they don’t make them like that any more:
(click to enlarge, obviously)

This is a fragment of much larger picture (see here)
Life-Guards The Emperor of Austria’s Kexholm Regiment. [L.-Gv. Keksgol'mskii Imperatora Avstriiskago polk.] 3rd Guards Infantry Division. Warsaw. 1903

Truly a landship - British Mark IV tank, 1916 -

(image via)

Imperial Japanese Armada at Nagato, 1929:

(image via)

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Militia, Police, Security - they need to have fun, too

Jumping & running around:

Weight lifting:

Dealing with some unique characters:

Helmets are appreciated:

(images via ArtLebedev, Exler)