C-295 hits American chill
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So, there's a report going 'round that the efforts of a number of bloggers managed to block the sale of EADS-CASA's military transport aircraft to Venezuela. See this article, for instance.

I have only one problem with this report. It's B.S.

Back on Valentine's Day 2006, I wrote a Defense Industry Daily story about this sale, and called it "Love on the Rocks: CASA's $600M Venezuelan Plane Sale In Heavy Turbulence." That was updated in August with an addendum, when Venezuela decalred the deal nullified. I'd recommend that people with an interest in this issue from either the military side or the blog side read that, because it will clarify how these things really work. It will also, through no intention of its own, make the recent claims of "blogger power" look pretty stupid.

I have a lot of time for Venezuelans tired of Chavez's dictatorship and pained by his destruction of both its electoral system and rule of law. I'll also grant that the bloggers involved have probably done some positive good on the margins with their campaign, by creating additional political headaches for the EU's favorite defense manufacturer that remind it - again - of the limits it faces if it follows its socialist EU patrons too far. It may even reduce the odds of the EADS-CASA C-295M becoming the USA's next cargo plane, which would be good because it's the wrong choice (Alenia's C-27J "Baby Herc," which can carry tactical vehicles and even small helicopters, is the right one).

But poking at a dead dragon is not the same as slaying one, and confusing the two is not a credibility enhancer in serious circles.