K-DOG the minehunter [Naval dolphins must drive PETA and Peaceniks apoplectic]

Evening Standard ^ | 3-25-2003 | Harriet Arkell

[Notwithstanding]

This is K-Dog, the coalition forces' most surprising weapon against Iraq.

With a camera strapped to his fin, the bottle-nose dolphin is one of about 100 dolphins and sea lions helping to clear shipping lanes in the Gulf to ensure a safe passage for vessels, including those which will provide humanitarian relief.

K-Dog and his handler Sgt Andrew Garrett are part of a multinational team, CTU-55.4.3, consisting of Naval Special Clearance Team One, Britain's Fleet Diving Unit Three, Australia's Clearance Dive Team, and two Explosive Ordnance Disposal units.

A Pentagon spokesman said: "The team works in both deep and shallow waters, looking for mines and marking them. Dolphins have been used like this by the US Navy for more than 30 years, and have proved themselves more reliable than robots."

He said that unlike robots, the dolphins did not run out of power, nor did they go missing or have problems communicating from the sea bed.

[Illbay]

The photo looks suspicious to me. It has "Photoshop" written all over it.

[Notwithstanding]

[MississippiMan]

The photo in this thread isn't showing up for me but the photo of the dolphin with the video camera on his right front forefin is certainly real and has appeared in many places over the past day or so.

MM

[CCWoody]

This is just too cool, despite what Illbus has to say about it.

[ewing]

K-Dog is becoming a media star..

[Conspiracy Guy]

Yeah, Flipper isn't wearing desert camo. Looks like a HO AXE. Actually there are such animal assistants in existence.

[veronica]

Related story:::

Morocco offers US monkeys to detonate mines

From the International Desk Published 3/24/2003 6:43 AM

RABAT, D.C., Morocco, March 24 (UPI) -- "A Moroccan publication accused the government Monday of providing unusual assistance to U.S. troops fighting in Iraq by offering them 2,000 monkeys trained in detonating land mines.

The weekly al-Usbu' al-Siyassi reported that Morocco offered the U.S. forces a large number of monkeys, some from Morocco's Atlas Mountains and others imported, to use them for detonating land mines planted by the Iraqis.

The publication quoted a highly-informed source as saying, "that is not a scientific illusion but a well-known military tactic."

[Notwithstanding]

Similar story from BBC.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2839155.stm

[MattinNJ]

(Obscure reference alert) I'm just glad Spaz (aka K-dog) was able to get a job after he was fired from the Opie and Anthony show. I always looked forward to the K-Dogs science reports.

[1Old Pro]

Don't tell PETA that the dolphins aren't coming home when the mission is finished. They'll stay there to swim in the oil slicks that Saddam leaves behind.

[freebilly]

This is K-Dog

With a name like that, he can have a great career as a rapper when the war is over....

[Notwithstanding]

PBS story.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/whales/etc/navycron.html

[faithincowboys]

why don't we keep anything secret? If you were the iraqis how would you combat this? now we will have kaleshnikovs unloaded into dolphins. perfect.

where the hell is patton? why are we such jackoffs. just shut the hell up. tell us about what tactics and assets you used 10 years from now.

the p.c./photo-op/publicity pentagon needs to get overhauled!!

where oh where are the media shy, Andy Sipowitz in demeanor, war fighters?

[Conspiracy Guy]

Wouldn't it be better to send US trial lawyers to do this? Monkeys are so cute I hope we turned the monkeys down.

[Notwithstanding]

video also available at PBS link

[Illbay]

Oh, I've seen the photo. And every time I've seen it I've thought "that just doesn't look right."

Maybe I'm wrong, but I remember seeing "Tourist Guy" on the 'net several days before people began saying "hey, wait a minute..."

[HairOfTheDog]

the dolphins did not run out of power, nor did they go missing or have problems communicating from the sea bed.

And, I would guess, they are *FASTER* than a robot.

Some of our heros are lovable beasts who do things we cannot, and want no more than a meal for pay.

Hope he got his fish for the great pose shot there.

Wonder what they do with them at night and when not working? - Do they pen them either outside or inside the ship some how? - Or will the dolphins hang around by training? They must have some quarters available to transport them on board, anyone know how this works?

[Corin Stormhands]

This is just too cool, despite what Illbus has to say about it.

He's just not used to anything as it was originally written, er I mean photographed...

[Illbay]

I realize that we use dolphins, etc. I'm just saying this photo looks "Photoshopped."