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Military Policy & Weapons/Questions Answered by Expert James Bruno
| Subject | Date Asked |
| current state of war in afghanistan | 1/24/2012 |
| Q: what can you say about the current state of the war in afghanistan....? there was a surge by US ... A: Sixteen intelligence agencies of the U.S. government pooled their formidible brain power to issue ... | |
| chinese carrier - varyag | 1/4/2012 |
| Q: I would have thought that it would come across as a shortened version of machinery or military ... A: Here's an actual breakdown of the costs: ... | |
| chinese carrier - varyag | 1/2/2012 |
| Q: I would have thought that it would come across as a shortened version of machinery or military ... A: Peter: Your question is very timely. My alma mater's journal, The Naval War College Review, has ... | |
| Power distribution in the future's world. | 12/1/2011 |
| Q: I'm a little curious about what countries will be the leading ones in 50 years. I can suppose the ... A: Ariel: This is a great question, one that is very broad. There is a lot of speculation and ... | |
| Command Relationships | 6/30/2011 |
| Q: I'm currently researching the command relationships held by CONUS Navy Installations. Here is what ... A: Phillip: The CNO has operational authority over all fleet commands. JFCOM (which was always a ... | |
| Bin Laden | 6/9/2011 |
| Q: When the U.S. killed Osama Bin Laden a few months back, why did Obama call former Presidents Bush ... A: Joyce: Not at all. Bin Laden had been America's most wanted terrorist since the 1998 Africa ... | |
| Libyan Conflict | 4/20/2011 |
| Q: I am curious as to what proof there is that Ghadaffi is shelling and massacaring his own ... A: Peter: Evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity on the part of Ghadhafi's forces is being ... | |
| Kursk Sinking | 4/6/2011 |
| Q: is there any doubt that the official version of the russian govt for what happened is in question? ... A: Peter: While a graduate of the U.S. Naval War College/College of Naval Warfare, I'm no submariner. ... | |
| Libyan Strikes | 3/20/2011 |
| Q: how is it that the US can easily take military action against libya for attacking its own people but ... A: Peter: Good question for which there's no easy answer. There's no one-size-fits-all approach to ... | |
| What was the pre-1991 American military presence in the Arabian Peninsula? | 2/12/2011 |
| Q: Mr. Bruno, I would like to know what, if any, American military presence there was in the Arabian ... A: Len: Although I visited military installations in the Middle East prior to 1991, I am by no means ... | |
| Emergency Contingency Plan | 1/16/2011 |
| Q: i was reading over the web and trough some books and noticed the United States and other countries ... A: Aaron: Basically, the same defense postures and continuity of government plans would kick in. ... | |
| Mortar Rounds | 11/29/2010 |
| Q: First of, what are the rings that wrap around the bottom of this mortar in the picture from this ... A: Mike: The following link gives a good summation on how a mortar round fires: ... | |
| Mortar Rounds | 11/29/2010 |
| Q: First of, what are the rings that wrap around the bottom of this mortar in the picture from this ... A: Mike: Those rings are called propellant increments. When the round is dropped into the mortar ... | |
| Cambodian Revolution motivation. | 11/19/2010 |
| Q: What was the motivation for the Cambodian Revolution by the Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot, to directly ... A: Shawn: I happen to have a lot of expertise on Cambodia, having served there as deputy U.S. ... | |
| Trust But Verify | 11/19/2010 |
| Q: When I was 3, I remembered often hearing on television, a Soviet Official saying, "No ratification ... A: Shawn: I believe you may be confused with Reagan's favorite saying in connection with START and ... | |
| Neoconservatism- Liberal, realist or conservative? | 9/27/2010 |
| Q: The Presidency of George W. Bush is somewhat difficult for me to pin down as belonging to a ... A: Mike: Look at the 2002 National Security Strategy paper of the White House: ... | |
| Neoconservatism- Liberal, realist or conservative? | 9/26/2010 |
| Q: The Presidency of George W. Bush is somewhat difficult for me to pin down as belonging to a ... A: Mike: Neoconservativism in international relations centers on the liberal application of military ... | |
| Vietnam: Aftermath | 9/4/2010 |
| Q: I'va always heard that after the war the viet cong killed some million civilians. What is the real ... A: Larry: That's not true, though tens of thousands were sent to so-called "re-education camps" for ... | |
| Military draft | 9/3/2010 |
| Q: What is your opinion on the military draft. Please explain why. Have you ever had an experience with ... A: Conscription is often necessary in times of major combat. It should be reinstated if the country's ... | |
| Military draft | 9/1/2010 |
| Q: What is your opinion on the military draft. Please explain why. Have you ever had an experience with ... A: Ben: The military draft is needed in times of extraordinary war footing. The two world wars, of ... | |
| Seal of the President of the U.S. | 7/3/2010 |
| Q: what form of representation is a golden eagle standard just behind obama in a speaking ... A: It's the Seal of the President and goes back to at least the 1850's. The Seal is the official ... | |
| Face-off Between Countries | 5/31/2010 |
| Q: This is just an afterthought, which no one would like to ever happen. I have the followingIf both ... A: Abhishek: Volumes could be written about this. But here's my quick take: all five countries you ... | |
| Russian-Georgian 2008 War | 3/7/2010 |
| Q: can you give me some idea of the significance of that short war and what it means for future ... A: Peter: I commend to your reading the following analytical piece by the respected Stratfor group: ... | |
| Kursk Sinking | 2/6/2010 |
| Q: apart from whether or not the kursk was collided with by a western sub or not my interest is the ... A: Simon: Russia has increased the number of its naval exercise in the years since the collapse of the ... | |
| U.S. Coup d'Etat for Fiction Writing | 11/23/2009 |
| Q: James Bruno, I am currently writing a fictional book, and the US military is one of the main ... A: Carl: First, Go for it! In fiction, anything is possible. This theme has been used in past ... | |
| Korean DMZ | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: is it completely impossible to actually set foot into the dmz itself? that means no-one even ... A: Simon: The Korean DMZ is 155 miles (248 km) long and approximately 2.5 miles (4 km) wide, and is ... | |
| US Army Weapons Policy in Iraq | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: There was a general order in Iraq covering the possession and carrying of weapons by civilian ... A: Tom: CENTCOM issued an order in November 2006 on this. It covers both Iraq and Afghanistan. See: ... | |
| Support Troop to Combat Troop Ratios | 9/17/2009 |
| Q: What is the ratio of support troops to combat infantry currently in the army and marine corps? ... A: Larry: Since World War II; the ratio of U.S. combat troops to combat service support and support ... | |
| RPG 7 Backfire | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: It's not much of an argument, but a few of us are discussing the chances of surviving the exhaust of ... A: Guns.wikia offers the following insight on the RPG-7's backblast: "RPG-7 utilises a combination of ... | |
| Iranian Military Service | 7/31/2009 |
| Q: I have a friend who was originally an Iranian citizen by birth, but has lived in the United States ... A: Andrei: Some countries regard as still being citizens those who emigrated and took up citizenship ... | |
| Missile Interceptors and Russia | 7/12/2009 |
| Q: I was reading that the US claims the interceptors it is placing in Poland are to intercept missiles ... A: The US missile defense complex in Poland, also called the European Interceptor Site (EIS), is part ... | |
| CIA Career Question | 4/7/2009 |
| Q: I keep this as short as possible. I am interested in a career with the CIA, particularly in the ... A: Travis: I believe that a law enforcement background would be considered a plus to CIA recruiters, ... | |
| Counternarcotics Enforcement | 3/25/2009 |
| Q: why can't the cia,dea&fbi stop the drugs?what the real reason us doesn't want to stop it.from being ... A: Sue: Please see the following report, "International Drug Control Policy," put out by the ... | |
| US Missile Shield | 2/17/2009 |
| Q: I read in a magazine article some years ago that the US had deployed missile interceptors in ... A: Simon: It sounds like either the article you read was fallacious or that you may have recollected ... | |
| Security | 1/15/2009 |
| Q: I am a writer. I need to know what government agency hires private sector security companies? And ... A: JL: Whoa! That's a sensitive area legally. On legal matters, I defer to the lawyers. If, off ... | |
| Security | 1/13/2009 |
| Q: I am a writer. I need to know what government agency hires private sector security companies? And ... A: JL: Such contracting is done by each individual agency -- it is decentralized. The only way to ... | |
| U.S. Military Might | 12/13/2008 |
| Q: Is there any military in the world that stands a chance against the US? It seems like the US ... A: Tony: In a word, no. Since the demise of the Soviet Union in 1991, the U.S. has often been ... | |
| Economy and Military | 12/8/2008 |
| Q: Is the global economy dependent on the US? i.e. if the US economy were to collapse would the same ... A: Jon: The U.S. economy is the biggest in the world. As the saying goes, "when the U.S. sneezes, the ... | |
| US ARMY waiver | 10/15/2008 |
| Q: Yesterday, my recruiter told me I cannot enlist because of my criminal history. He said the Army saw ... A: Brian: Armed forces recruitment is beyond my area of expertise. But AllExperts has two individuals ... | |
| Easy way to catch Osama bin Laden | 10/3/2008 |
| Q: There is a very simple way to catch Osama bin Laden, if you just withdrew out of Afghanistan and ... A: Gary: The most effective way to get one's ideas before policy-makers is to get them published, ... | |
| nceppa | 9/11/2008 |
| Q: please tell me if 'nceppa' is a kind of a rifle and is this spelling correct Thanks A: Rashmi: I see no reference to "nceppa" other than it being Neapolitan Italian dialect for the ... | |
| China/India/U.S. Comparative Growth | 8/7/2008 |
| Q: If you could compare China & India , and their growth , to any point in American history, What time ... A: Gabriel: The World Bank recently did a comparative analysis of the economies of China and the U.S. ... | |
| Medical Policies & ROTC | 8/5/2008 |
| Q: I am currently in the DEP program and I was recently diagnosed with bipolar I, will that keep me ... A: Natalie: Your question is an important one for which you need expert medical advice directly from ... | |
| National Guard & Political Activity | 8/2/2008 |
| Q: can a national guard soldier participate in political campaigns? A: Victor: “As the presidential election approaches, defense officials have outlined the 1939 law ... | |
| Civilian War Casualties | 6/12/2008 |
| Q: since and including Hiroshima Nagasaki till present day. how many civilians have been killed do to ... A: Link: I really don't think anybody has been able to compile such data since (a) most wars in which ... | |
| Enlistment Requirements | 3/5/2008 |
| Q: i have criminal charges that were dismissed. The senior chief in the navy reviewed my case after the ... A: Dan: Interesting question. First, the military services have been easing up on recruitment ... | |
| Careers in the CIA | 1/5/2008 |
| Q: I am a 26 yr old graduate student in history trying to find some career direction. I would love to ... A: John: A career in intelligence is personally rewarding, exciting and unique in the challenges it ... | |
| CIA-FBI-White House | 9/17/2007 |
| Q: I'm writing an espionage book and I'd like to know how the CIA interacts with the Pentagon and the ... A: Giulia: Here is a nutshell summary of how the four entities interact in a crisis: Often the CIA, ... | |
| Embassy Emergency Readiness Procurement | 8/15/2007 |
| Q: My name is Nathan and I own a company called Never Quit Industries. We make a product that is ... A: Nathan: From personal experience in the field, I can tell you that some embassies in war zones or ... | |
| Qualifications needed for the uk military police | 6/26/2007 |
| Q: hi im 15 and still at school and i was just wondering what qualifications i would need to join the ... A: Lauren: As an American, I don't have much knowledge of UK military police agencies. However, a ... | |
| Military Discharge | 4/26/2007 |
| Q: I was talking with a friend a few days ago and we got on the topic of discharges from the military. ... A: Nathaniel: It sounds like you picked up some of those strange urban legends that swirl around. The ... | |
| Military Draft : Dual Nationals | 1/7/2007 |
| Q: In the Selective Service facts they state that citizens living in some countries may be exempt from ... A: Paul: Sss.gov provides the following information on dual nationals: "Some aliens and dual ... | |
| Future of Preeminence: China & India | 12/23/2006 |
| Q: I have read several articles that state that the preeminence of the United States will more than ... A: Vincent: Your question is a good one. The rise of China and India is increasingly debated as their ... | |
| Military Draft | 11/20/2006 |
| Q: James Bruno, I am mailing you today to ask you a short question about the rules on the bill of ... A: Brandon: First, there is currently no military conscription in the U.S. -- only an obligation for ... | |
| Cold War Policy Questions | 9/18/2006 |
| Q: The questions below... have me a bit stupidfied/stumped. I was going over my kid's homework the ... A: Peter: Your question is a very broad one and there's so much written about the Cold War. I think ... | |
| U.S.-Russia Relations | 7/10/2006 |
| Q: How are the relations between US and Russia right now, I mean, on these days that we are seeing ... A: Manuel: Your questions about U.S.-Russian relations are all-encompassing. To help answer them, I'm ... | |
| The CDC and alien virus contamination. | 6/19/2006 |
| Q: For a book I am writing, I would like to know if the following scenario sounds plausible to you. In ... A: Noe: I assume this is fiction? If it is, you can play out your literary license as far as you ... | |
| Dual Citizenship and Military Draft | 5/22/2006 |
| Q: I am 17 years old, and i will soon have to register for the selective service. However, at the same ... A: The issue of how dual nationals are treated under the U.S. Selective Service System is complicated. ... | |
| Will the US Military do something... | 5/2/2006 |
| Q: Will the US Military do something about the nuclear weapond in Iran? A: Wes: The following selected commentary from the Center for International and Strategic Studies ("Is ... | |
| flags on uniforms | 5/1/2006 |
| Q: Original Question "I am a proud veteran of the U.S. Air Force and have always been instructed that ... A: Ding: According to section 3, paragraph (i), of the Federal Flag Code (Public Law 94-344) -- which ... | |
| repatriation of bodies | 4/25/2006 |
| Q: The Canadian government has decided that the media will not be permitted to view caskets of soldiers ... A: Gloria: As I see it, decision on this issue revolves on two essential points: (a) avoidance of ... | |
| American Flag | 3/20/2006 |
| Q: I am a proud veteran of the U.S. Air Force and have always been instructed that when displaying the ... A: Jack: According to section 3, paragraph (i), of the Federal Flag Code (Public Law 94-344) -- which ... | |
| Nazi I'm not but ....... | 2/23/2006 |
| Q: Excuse my ignorance, Why not just place a nuclear bomb where The United States are pretty sure where ... A: George: Let's say a criminal is holed up in your neighborhood. Why not just napalm ten blocks, ... | |
| Chinese Products and their Military | 2/6/2006 |
| Q: Please tell me if this line of reasoning is wrong. Aren't the cheap products that I buy at Walmart ... A: Paul: It's not that simple. If you look at China's behavior in the 27 years since the ... | |
| Iraq military prepardedness | 12/10/2005 |
| Q: . The U.S. is now engaged in a slow, painstaking effort to reconstitute the Iraqi military under ... A: Rudy: First, our military presence in Iraq, indeed, has proven to be a magnet for Islamist ... | |
| Iraq military prepardedness | 12/7/2005 |
| Q: I served 2 years in the military and was supposedly prepared for battle after 2 months of basic ... A: Rudy: Basic training lasted 6-13 weeks, depending on service branch and any add-on training after ... | |
| Iran and Nuclear Power | 11/14/2005 |
| Q: Why should Iran not be trusted with Nuclear power, which may lead to nuclear weapons? Is Iran ... A: Danielle: On your first point, I quote the following from the State Dept's official website's ... | |
| Iran and Nuclear Power | 11/9/2005 |
| Q: I am trying to do a project on Iran trying to start a Nuclear power program and if it is staying ... A: Danielle: On Iran's nuclear ambitions, some have suggested an approach which mirrors our policy ... | |
| Chinese | 9/28/2005 |
| Q: I would like to know if the Chinese Peoples Army still has horse cavalry. I recall they had them as ... A: Larry: Not being an expert on the Chinese military, I have to confess that I'm stumped. I can, ... | |
| War | 9/17/2005 |
| Q: Is their any chance that we could take Iran to the U.N. Security Council and take military action ... A: Ben: We've been working closely with our European allies on Iran and the UN Security Council. All ... | |
| Veterans | 7/23/2005 |
| Q: Our town has erected a Veteran's Memorial. It is very nice and much appreciated. Veteran's have ... A: There is often confusion over this question, and you're perceptive in asking it. After the Vietnam ... | |
| Iraq propaganda | 6/23/2005 |
| Q: In what I see as a major failure of the Bush administration in Iraq (an action that I do agree with, ... A: Rich: Sorry for the delay. Anyway, your question touches on something that every Administration ... | |
| Tables of Organization and Equipment (TOEs) | 5/5/2005 |
| Q: I will like to know of sites in the www that would give complete information of TOEs of US Army ... A: Jorge: After a long review of available websites, I see what you mean about outdated information on ... | |
| Vietnam | 3/5/2005 |
| Q: During the American's involvement in the Vietnam war, there was one or two huge rear area supply ... A: Larry: I served in Vietnam, but long after the war. Anyway, I'm aware that, in addition to Long ... | |
| Army Government Applications Office | 12/19/2004 |
| Q: I have been trying to find info about the Army Government Applications Office that has recently ... A: Dan: There's indeed little out there on this new office. It appears to expand on a very successful ... | |
| Congress | 11/24/2004 |
| Q: can the military punish you, if you go to your congressman with a problem? thanks alot. A: Zach: Without knowing the details of your issue, let me say that all U.S. citizens certainly have ... | |
| al-Qaeda | 10/19/2004 |
| Q: First I want to thank you for your response to my question about whether it was a smart move for the ... A: Derrick: I did an internet search using "Guantanamo + al-Qaeda detainees" and got 120,000 hits. My ... | |
| al-Qaeda | 10/16/2004 |
| Q: Was it a smart move for the U.S. to detain suspected al-Qaeda at Guantanamo in Cuba? A: This is a very controversial matter and both sides have valid arguments pro and con, in my opinion. ... | |
| kill shot | 10/12/2004 |
| Q: in using a small arms like a 22 short what would be a kill shot. A: I'm not sure what you mean by a "kill shot" nor in relation to what (man or beast?). Naturally, ... | |
| death notification | 10/7/2004 |
| Q: Do all branches of the military including reserves notify families of a soldiers death in person A: Basically, yes. Below is the relevant clause of the Pentagon instruction on this matter: "DoD ... | |
| Question about Iraq | 10/1/2004 |
| Q: There is something about the fighting in Iraq that I do not understand. From what I see, the ... A: David: I'm not a munitions expert, but I have worked in countries saddled with countless landmines ... | |
| forced time after contract is up | 10/1/2004 |
| Q: My question is: I was told that the government is keeping solderes longer than contracted. Does ... A: Lacie: Executive Order 13223, Signed by Pres. Bush in 2001, states that the Secretary of Defense ... | |
| Hello! I am a dancer and I... | 9/25/2004 |
| Q: I am a dancer and I am choreographing a sort of 'tribute' to our soldiers. In one section I want to ... A: What a question! I'm more of a strategic thinker and diplomatist than a drill instructor or parade ... | |
| Security For Relief Workers | 8/30/2004 |
| Q: Do Relief workers need bodyguards? A: The sketchiness of your query makes it hard for me to give you an answer. I will say, however, that ... | |
| legislative commissions | 6/27/2004 |
| Q: I recently saw reports on all networks and on the web that stated what conclusions had been drawn by ... A: You are very astute to have picked up on these contradictory statements from the commission. It ... | |
| Casualties of D Day | 6/6/2004 |
| Q: On most news programs today, the thousands of graves of those killed in the invasion are shown. My ... A: This question has occurred to me as well. I thoroughly searched the excellent website of the ... | |
| Military policy concerning prosecution of civilians | 5/25/2004 |
| Q: Can the military prosecute a civilian for the death of a military person. The person is serving a ... A: I am not a military lawyer, so I have to defer to the legal experts on such a question. I have, ... | |
| Dual citizen, US Military Draft | 3/23/2004 |
| Q: Bruno, Thank you for your answer. Do my friend's children(dual citizens), who have been living in ... A: Henny: I believe your friend's children would probably have to register on their 18th birthday, but ... | |
| Dual citizen, US Military Draft | 3/21/2004 |
| Q: I have read that twin Bills S.89 and H163, (entitled the Universal National Service Act of 2003) ... A: The issue of how dual nationals are treated under the U.S. Selective Service System is complicated. ... | |
| USA Flag | 3/4/2004 |
| Q: In Irac, why are the soldiers USA arm flag patch backwards? The stares and blue field are on the ... A: You're very observant. I've often noted in my various work contexts (U.S. military, U.S. protective ... | |
Military Policy & Weapons
Answers by Expert:
James Bruno
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Diplomacy and foreign affairs. How government decision-making takes place. Interactions of the White House, State Dept., Pentagon, Congress and CIA in formulating policy. How governments deal with each other. Area expertise includes Afghanistan, Indochina, Europe, Cuba. Served in Guantanamo. Currently a member of the Diplomatic Readiness Reserve and Standby Response Corps.
Experience
23-years as a diplomat with the U.S. State Dept. Previously at the Defense Dept. Prior to joining government, worked as a journalist with major news organizations.
Publications
CBS-News, UPI; various newspapers. Published novelist: PERMANENT INTERESTS and CHASM.
Education/Credentials
M.A. - U.S. Naval War College
M.A. - Columbia Univ.
B.A. - George Washington Univ.
Awards and Honors
Various in government.
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