waveshaper

Thanks.

I would not be surprised to see the US send a signal to Putin by suspending indefinitely DoD Force Reductions/budget cuts , particularly if this situation continues to escalate. We may also end up sending ships into the Black Sea, hopefully with better results then the last time we did this. The US Navy recently sent two ships into the Black Sea in support of the Sochi Winter Olympics and based on their performanceI don't think the Russians will be shaking in their boots if we do it again. One of these US Navy ships ran aground in the Black Sea putting it out of action and the Commander was promptly fired just last week. US Navy/Russian Navy in the Black Sea = Its a contact sport and you may get rammed (2010). https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=N4jQhnXrWbg#t=2

Russia is acting unilaterally because they believe their vital interest/citizens are threatened and the US would/has acted unilaterally when our vital interest/citizens have been in similar situations. That being said I hope Russia goes down in flames but that's not likely. Bringing or attempting to bring the former Soviet republics that border Russia and/or have a Heavy ethnic Russian population into NATO may not be the best idea. Just think what would be unfolding today if the Ukraine was a member of NATO. We should have learned some lessons from how Russia reacted in Georgia, in part, due to our effort to bring Georgia into NATO. The US and Georgia thumbed their noses at Russia in an attempt to bring Georgia into NATO. We had numerous military advisors in Georgia, conducted joint exercises, and Georgia was well on its way to NATO membership. In July andAugust of 2008 we conducted our largest joint US/Georgian military exercise. This exercise was a joint "immediate response exercise" involving over 1,000 US troops and it ended on 2 August 2008. Five days later, On 7 August 2008, the Georgian/Russian war started and the only immediate response the US provided our new found Georgian buddies was basically lip service. The key result of the Georgian/Russian war was the creation of the Republic of Abkhazia (only about 25 miles from Putin'shome/palace in Sochi) and the Republic of South Ossetia. These new republics have an ethnic Russian majority population and are only recognized by the Russian Federation and a few other shithole countries but that's all that really matters to the Russians. At the end of the day, as a minimum, I would expect the Russians to follow the Georgia model in the Crimea/Ukraine. This may result in the creation of a new, Russian Federation recognized, Republic of Crimea and maybe even a new Eastern Ukraine Republic, both with ethnic Russian majorities. Now the big question, which former Soviet Republic is next?

I agree that Putin/Russia will not be leaving the Ukraine for a long long time (at least not until their new naval baseis completed just down the road). The US/Panamanian relationship had numerous head butting contest, here is just one more example of many. Another little known crisis that threatened US vital interest in Panama was the 1964 Panamanian riots (Panamanian Martyrs' Day). During this event I was a dependent kid and we lived on Fort Amador in base housing. Our house was right on the bluff overlooking Panama Bay and we had a great view of Panama City. The US responded to this crisis by sending military reinforcements to the canal zone and US forces were involved in fighting/suffered casualties. Some things I remember; our US schools where occupied by Panamanian thugs, we had an occupied (US soldiers) sandbagged machinegun nest in our backyard, one soldier in our backyard was critically injured while fighting canoe borne Panamanian raiders, and we had a great view of Panama City burning.

This Russian invasion of the Crimea region of the Ukraine sounds very similar in justification to the US invasion of Panama, Operation Just Cause. The similarities include strategic military bases, terrain, infrastructure, and protecting your citizens that are located in a foreign country. Also, the utilization/control of these military bases, terrain, infrastructure are covered by legal conventions/treaties. Maybe the Russians should call their invasion of the Crimea/Ukraine Operation Just Cause 2. Example of US/Panama Treaties; The relevant Treaties; On February 26, 1904, the Isthmian Canal Convention, was proclaimed. In it, the Republic of Panama granted to the United States in perpetuity the use, occupation, and control of a zone of land and land under water for the construction, maintenance, operation, sanitation, and protection of the canal. From 1903 to 1979 the territory was controlled by the United States, which had built the canal and financed its construction. From 1979 to 1999 the canal itself was under joint U.S.–Panamanian control. In 1977 the Torrijos-Carter Treaties established the neutrality of the canal.

What's going down currently in the Ukraine is minor league stuff. This is how real revolutions normally start in this part of the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=7QkJjWIHFSA#t=1

Some thoughts on Afghanistan. First; We need to remember that the future of Afghanistan is what comes down from the hills when the foreigners leave;be it 2003, 2014, 2024, 2050, etc. Its been that way for millennia and its not about to change in our lifetime or our children's lifetime. One more thing; there is no winning in Afghanistan because there simply is nothing worth winning and never has been. The only acceptable measure of success I can foresee is to hopefully convince the Afghan tribes to get back to their age old traditions of tribal turf battles and treatment of ALL foreigners/outsiders as the enemy, including foreign Jihadist/Al-Qaeda. Second; We need to get rid of the concept "you don't just break things and leave" and "you break it, you own it". There are times and places where it may be much more effective and cheaper to break things " big time" and leave. In hind sight, our current course of endless warfare and nation building in Afghanistan is not working and maybe the break it and leave it strategy is the way to go when conducting war in shit hole countries like Afghanistan. Planners may need to bring back the dated concept of "Punitive Expeditions" as a possible/viable method of conducting some portions of limited/indefinite/endless warfare.

Errant strike with a good video.. https://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20140219/NEWS/302190017/Pentagon-confirms-errant-strike-investigations-find-no-blame

The Netherlands just announced that they are once again in the Tulip Bulb business. The preferred currency for buying your "Semper Augustus" Tulip Bulbs is now the Bitcoin.

Now that's Teal Rope (SAPR) material. Maybe some additional recognition is in order.

Afghan Plane Crash. 2 ISAF troops and 1 contractor reported killed. No other details. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/02/10/afghan-plane-crash-kills-2-isaf-troops-contractor.html?comp=700001075741&rank=5

Lesson number 1 for AFPC; Keep it simple and hire this guy.

Latest ESERB Info. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/02/07/air-force-convene-early-retirement-board-some-officers-june.html?comp=7000023317828&rank=1

AN/URT-44 Locator Beacon failure rate = 10 Failures out of 22 Ejections. https://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20140205/NEWS/302050028/Locator-beacons-Air-Force-ejection-seats-failing-unacceptable-rate

It seems the gang of four (14 stars)that "came out" in support of the 1% COLA reduction may have kicked the hornet's nest. Is this blowback or legitimate/expected reaction or something else? https://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20140129/NEWS05/301290016/Pentagon-will-review-higher-pensions-top-officers

Global Strike Command is giving their best effort to double down. https://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20140128/NEWS05/301280019/More-airmen-implicated-nuke-cheating-probe

Things are fixing to get serious (or maybe sillier). Not only is leadership (management) looking to repair the Air ForceNuclear Enterprise but they now will be trying to figure out what's wrong with the Strategic Deterrence Enterprise (that's a term you don't see often). I would expect to see lots of "Rapid Enterprise Reinvigorating" (once again) happening in the not to distant future. This Reinvigoration of the Nuclear/Strategic Deterrence Enterprise will continue until we regain the trust of our nation and confidence of our allies. Ready, fire, aim/ rinse and repeat.

There’s something to be said for high capacity magazines... A guy walked into a crowded bar waving his 1911 Colt .45 ACP pistol with an 8 round magazine and yelled, "Who in here hasbeen screwing my wife?" A voice from the back of the bar yelled back, "You’ll need more ammo."

Now I know where the A-1 gets their ideas. (not Serious).

Hagel looks at pay raises for missile officers. Cheating on cert test, illegal drug possession/ring, failing NSI's, security breaches, etc, = very well played, indeed. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/01/16/hagel-looks-at-pay-raises-for-missile-officers.html?comp=700001075741&rank=1

One more goes the way of the dodo bird. Acting Undersecretary of Navy Forced to Resign. I can see active duty "male personnel" starting to develop serious castration anxiety symptoms, particularly when SARC personnel are in the vicinity. Hopefully, this will be covered as a service connected disability by the VA. I would recommend; Literal castration = 100% disability and Metaphorical castration = 75% disability. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/01/15/navys-acting-undersecretary-forced-to-resign.html?comp=7000023317828&rank=1

Retired Generals, Admiral Embrace Pay Reductions. https://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20140113/BENEFITS05/301130026/Retired-generals-admiral-embrace-pay-reductions

Three-Hour Orgasm Sends Woman to ER. https://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/us/2014/01/10/hln-vo-three-hour-orgasm-emergency-room.hln.html

Op-Ed; Morale(?) is High in Nuclear Force. "HIGH" seems to be the key word/concept. The USAF Nuclear Enterprise; Where they do more then just Aim HIGH, now pass the Doobie. https://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20140111/NEWS01/301110003/Op-Ed-Morale-high-nuclear-force

Hurlburt Field: Brigadier General Jon Weeks relieved of Command. Another relationship issue? https://www.weartv.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/top-ranked-commander-relieved-duty-at-hurlburt-airfield-40183.shtml