Best Defense

Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

Stuff I didn’t know: Popeye the Sailor Man’s role in the Spanish Civil War

During the Spanish Civil War, the anarchists adopted Popeye the Sailor Man as their mascot. He was sometimes depicted waving the red and black flag of the anarchist party. Here he is, badly painted on the tail of a Soviet-built Republican aircraft. But Mickey Mouse was regarded as nonpartisan, at least by some Spaniards. Speaking ...

via Wikimedia
via Wikimedia
via Wikimedia

During the Spanish Civil War, the anarchists adopted Popeye the Sailor Man as their mascot. He was sometimes depicted waving the red and black flag of the anarchist party. Here he is, badly painted on the tail of a Soviet-built Republican aircraft.

During the Spanish Civil War, the anarchists adopted Popeye the Sailor Man as their mascot. He was sometimes depicted waving the red and black flag of the anarchist party. Here he is, badly painted on the tail of a Soviet-built Republican aircraft.

But Mickey Mouse was regarded as nonpartisan, at least by some Spaniards.

Speaking of Mickey Mouse, it turns out that the science advisor at the Army’s intelligence and security command doesn’t have the Ph.D. that people thought he had. Also, the head of U.S. naval intelligence has not been able to view classified information for the last year. And since this item is fast becoming a news roundup, I’ll also mention that the Air Force also fired off some missile unit commanders.

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

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