-B-

B-27 –
Standard silhouette target for marksmanship training.

Babylon Gun –
Gerald Bull was a brilliant cannon designer, who had this crazy idea to build a 1000-meter cannon that could launch projectiles great distances. The United States pooh-poohed the idea, so Gerald found employment with Saddam Hussein. The MOSSAD believed Bull was capable of developing such a weapon, and since they were in the primary target zone, they assassinated Bull in Belgium in 1990. Bull’s designs were revolutionary, and he constructed two weapons known as the Babylon and Baby Babylon guns. These weapons were capable of firing projectiles ranging in size from 800 to 2000 pounds hundreds of miles. Of course, the Israelis who believed the guns existed were not proven right until after the Gulf War and UNSCOM inspectors stumbled across the guns.

Baikonur Cosmodrome –
This is the world’s oldest launch facility. Construction began in the early 1950s and has expanded to handle every major Soviet/Russia developed launch vehicle. In Reap the Whirlwind, the Chinese purchase a FOBS system and launch it from Baikonur. This begins their 50-hour war clock.

BATF –
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) has been officially moved inside the Justice Department as a result of Homeland Security Act. Let me be honest, I am not a fan. It ranks right next to the IRS as far as I am concerned. As I work through the Terror War Series, BATF will be remembered for the less than shining moments.

BCCI –
The Bank of Credit and Commerce International better known as the Bank of Crooks and Criminals International. “BCCI's unique criminal structure -- an elaborate corporate spider-web with BCCI's founder, Agha Hasan Abedi and his assistant, Swaleh Naqvi, in the middle -- was an essential component of its spectacular growth, and a guarantee of its eventual collapse. The structure was conceived by Abedi and managed by Naqvi for the specific purpose of evading regulation or control by governments. It functioned to frustrate the full understanding of BCCI's operations by anyone.” [Executive Summary: Report to Senate Committee on Foreign relations, December 1992.] Intelligence agencies, terrorist organization and cocaine cartels used BCCI to surreptitiously move money around the world.

Blackest of the Black –
Fictional organization run by CIA Officer Louis Edwards and General George Carnady. A letter signed by DCI Bill Casey and SECDEF Caspar Weinberger created it. The Blackest of the Black’s mission was directed against the Soviet Empire. Its mission is to perform and execute operations that could not be acknowledged by the United States towards the purpose of defeating the Soviet Union.

BM-21 –
The Katyusha (BM-21) 122mm 40-tube multiple rocket launcher was placed into service 1963. It is widely known for rocket attacks into Israel from Southern Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza. Range: 12.5 – 20 kilometers. NATO designation: HAIL.

BND –
The Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) reports to the Intelligence coordinator of the German Chancellor’s office. It acts as Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service, however, it has a significant foreign intelligence component as it is actively involved in over 100 countries.

Boeicho Jieitai –
The Japan Defense Agency is the intelligence arm of the Japanese Defense Force.

Bojinka –
Operation or plan Bojinka is a plan attributed to Ramzi Yousef. The plot involved exploding bombs on twelve airliners over the Pacific Ocean or above 12 American cities. It envisioned flying civilian airliners into the Pentagon, the Sears Tower and the World Trade Center. If that sounds familiar, one must remember Yousef and his crew were taken down in Manila in January 1995. All of this was made available to the CIA and FBI six years prior to the September 11, 2001 attacks. Credible observers believe the September 11 attacks were the fulfillment of Operation Bojinka.

Boland Amendment -
The Boland Amendment prohibited the federal government from providing military support "for the purpose of overthrowing the Government of Nicaragua." Aimed to prevent CIA funding of rebels opposed to the then Marxist elected government of Nicaragua, the Boland Amendment sought to block Reagan administration support for the Contra rebels. The amendment, however, was narrowly interpreted by the Reagan administration only to apply to U. S. intelligence agencies, allowing the National Security Agency, not so labeled, to channel funds to the Contra rebels. This ultimately led to Iran/Contra and makes for a great story in Firewall.

BOP-TROT –
Domestic investigation based partly on PROMIS data and run initially by the NSC. Although, it appears it came under the control of the Bureau in later stages.

BOSS –
The Ballistic Optimizing Shooting System is specially designed muzzle brake that dampens the harmonic barrel vibration that occurs when a shot is fired. The BOSS system can be tuned to a rifle’s specific characteristics.

BQQ-5E ­–
Bow mounted, spherical sonar array mounted on all Sturgeon and Los Angeles class attack submarines. It is a low frequency passive/active search and attack sonar developed by IBM.

Browning Hi Power –
A 9mm pistol favored by the British SAS. It is also available in .40 S&W. This is a wonderful gun. It is easy to shoot and easy to aim. Takes a 13-round magazine (10 round limits are for liberals and gun grabbers).

BTR-60 –
An eight wheel armored personnel carrier, first developed in the early 1960s for Soviet and Warsaw Pact troops.

BW –
Biological Warfare (e.g. Anthrax, ricin)

Douglas De Bono / DouglasDeBono.Com Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota E-Mail readermail@DouglasDeBono.Com